-1Just remember that for this story, Asch is now Luke, and Luke is now Asch. Don't get 'em confused! And also, since Original Luke was never kidnapped, he's free to leave the manor as he pleases, as his parents aren't paranoid about his safety.

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"Luke," Van said to the smiling ten-year-old before him. "If you wish to continue training under me, I'll need to run a few medical tests."

"Why, Master Van?" the young boy questioned.

Van smiled. "I need to make sure you are healthy, for it is dangerous for a sickly child to wield a blade."

"Is it gonna hurt?"

Van laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Don't you worry about that. You will be asleep for the whole test, so you won't feel a thing. You may be a little sore when you wake up, but it's nothing my student can't handle."

The boy nodded and beamed at his teacher. "Okay, Master Van, I'm ready!"

Van grabbed the boy's hand and lead him into the strange room with the strange machines and closed the door behind him.

At the end of the day, Luke was delivered to his home, still sleepy from the anesthesia, as if nothing had ever transpired.

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Reversal

Chapter 1

Luke fon Fabre was bored. Oh, so very bored.

Today was supposed to be a training day with Master Van, but as soon as the man arrived, he went off somewhere with Guy. Again. This had been the fifth time in a row that Van had completely ignored Luke to go off with the blonde. Honestly, when did those two get so close, anyway?

Well, at least this time, Luke wasn't completely ignored. Before leaving, Van turned to him and said, "You should spend the day with Natalia. You two could work on your vows of marriage together."

Marriage vows. Right.

Luke looked down at the pad of paper resting on his lap, which was filled with more scribbles and crosses than actual words. As much as he loved the girl, he was just no good at composing poetic verses in her honor. And as he glanced at her, he could tell by her furious scratching that she was no better.

Luke threw his paper to the ground with a sigh. "Natalia, can't we just get someone else to write these for us?"

"But Luke," Natalia whined, "That's not romantic at all!"

Luke made his way over to his fiancé and snatched up her 'declaration of love.' It looked like her pen had vomited on it. "So you're saying that this is?"

Natalia pouted, obviously defeated. "So where do you suggest we find someone to write our vows, then?"

Luke felt a smile creep across his lips. "Well, I'm sure we could find someone if we head down to the Coliseum."

"The Coliseum?" Natalia moaned. "But you already dragged me down there less than a week ago!"

"Please, Natalia?" Luke begged. "Van hasn't been training me for over two weeks, and I haven't gotten any exercise. Do you want me to get fat?"

Natalia was glaring at him, but she couldn't stop the smile from forming at the absurdity of his last comment. "Okay, fine. I'll go with you."

Luke's smile spread even more as he gave her a small peck on the lips. "Thanks, Natalia! Now go get your bow. I'll head over to the manor and pick up my sword." And with that, Luke fon Fabre made a mad dash back towards his home.

As Luke approached the front doors, He noticed that there were no White Knights stationed to guard the entrance. That was odd; there was always at least one guard outside to protect against intruders. Luke didn't think much of it and continued through the doors. There, he was met with an even odder sight. The entire hall was vacant; the knights, the maids, and even Ramdas were missing from their posts.

Then, from the drawing room, he heard something that nearly made his heart stop. The sound of metal clashing against metal rang from within, followed by a blood-curdling scream and a sickening thud.

Luke knew he had to leave. If he didn't, he knew that who ever this person was, who ever held the blade that caused that scream, would kill him if he was spotted. Maybe if he had his sword he would be okay, but it was on the other side of the manor. It wasn't worth the risk.

Luke turned to leave, but stopped dead once he heard the attacker speak. "That's the last one," the cold voice said. Guy's voice. Why would Guy do something like this? And who was he talking to? Was there someone else in there, too? Morbid curiosity got the better of him as he crept up to peer through the key hole in the door. Then he felt his entire body go numb.

In the center of the room, facing the traitorous servant, was Master Van.

Luke could scarcely organize his thoughts before his master spoke. "Well done, Gailardia. Now there will be no opposition when you take the Duke's head."

"But this doesn't feel right. The White Knights are one thing, but did we have to kill the maids, too?"

"Did Duke Fabre spare the servants of House Gardios? You told me you wanted him to suffer everything that befell you that day. Do not let your heart grow soft."

Guy paused and looked back towards the door. Luke held his breath, hoping beyond all hope that the sound of his racing heart hadn't given him away. Finally, Guy turned his back and replied. "You're right. I shouldn't spare that bastard anything. But what about Luke? You sent him to Natalia for the day."

"He's needed elsewhere," Van replied. "But I can assure you, he will join his parents within the month."

"So why are we doing this now instead of waiting a month?"

"Because, Gailardia, I need a reason to remove Luke from the city. If the king believes that his nephew's life is in danger, that is all the reason I need to take Luke to a 'safe' location."

Luke turned away from the door as his vision blurred from the tears accumulating in his eyes. This had to be some twisted joke, right? This couldn't be real. Van would never try to hurt him or his family, right?

But Luke had seen the crumpled forms of the knights through the key hole. He had seen the blood.

This was real, and unless he did something, his parents would die.

Luke ran to the exit as quietly as he could, knowing that his one-month lifespan would be shortened if he was caught. As he closed the doors behind him and sprinted towards the lift, he desperately tried to remember where his parents had gone. What did his mother say? She needed a checkup, right? Yeah, she said that she would be going with his father to the doctor to make sure she was healthy. Luke knew where their doctor lived; he had been sent there many times to pick up her medication. If he hurried, he would be able to intercept them. If he hurried, he would be able to save them.

Luke was beginning to grow short of breath as he rounded the last corner and stumbled into the doctor's office. "Have you… seen… my parents?" Luke gasped to the receptionist, his eyes wild with fear.

"Luke?" The girl responded. "…No, I haven't seen them in two months. I think they switched to a doctor on the other side of town because it was a shorter distance to walk."

Luke looked at her with disbelief. The other side of town?! It was no wonder that he didn't run into them on the way down there. And if his parents had a faster route than the one he took, then they could have already…

No. He couldn't have those thoughts. He was going to save them. He had to save them.

Luke dashed back the way he had come, the air burning in his lungs with each haggard breath he took, his legs screaming in agony. He couldn't stop. Not yet.

He made it onto the lift, but denied his body the privilege of collapsing. Just a little further.

But once he stepped off that elevator, he froze. The castle's guards flooded into the Duke's manor as the air became saturated with the cry, "The Duke is dead! The Duke and Duchess have been slain!"