A/N: This will follow the story of the game, with a few changes here and there. The pairings will be mainly Lukear and Aschalia, with other pairings on the side. Otherwise, this is an AU with a brother bond between Asch and Luke, even though they are still original and replica. Most of the dialog in this chapter is from the Asch Gaiden.

I apologise for all writing errors; I'm not a native English user.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Prologue

The One Who Went Missing and the Two Who Returned

ND2000. In Kimlasca shall be born one who inherits the power of Lorelei. He will be a boy of royal blood with hair of red. He shall be called the Light of the Sacred Flame. And he will lead Kimlasca-Lanvaldear to new prosperity.

ND2002. The One Who Would Seize Glory shall destroy the land upon which he was born. A land by the name of Hod. War shall thereafter persist between Kimlasca and Malkuth for a full cycle of seasons.

Luke fon Fabre had an habit of falling into trouble no matter what he did. Be it a tree he decided to climb or just a short journey to Baticul's lower levels, he was most likely to end up with a scolding from his father due to the trouble he landed himself in. It wasn't even his fault most of the time. The tree just had to push him down head first into the garden and the children living in the capital – Baticul was the capital of Kimlasca – just had to miss each other and hit him with the mud instead. The tree had it coming and anyone would throw back at the children and join them in their game, right?

The maids at the manor – for Luke was the son of a duke, and all dukes lived in manors, at least so it seemed in his young mind – said his habit was usual for ten year old boys, and his mother followed that up with "boys will be boys", but that didn't stop his father from scolding him. He would go on and on with how he had to be responsible and that the future depended on him. He was someone important, someone who was meant to rule the kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear. After all, he was engaged to the princess of the country, Natalia, and would one day take over both his father's place as Duke Fabre as well as the throne where his uncle sat – his mother was the younger sister of the king.

Yet the scolding didn't stop him from falling into trouble, usually taking Guy – his servant and friend -, Natalia or both with him in the fall, though they normally got out of it without any consequences at all.

So much for supporting friends.

It was because of this habit of his that the young boy wasn't entirely surprised by the situation he found himself in. He had, after all, heard stories of similar events earlier in his history and politics lessons. Kidnappings of children to people high up in the political system were somewhat normal from what he had understood, as children could be the best cards to play against their parents.

What surprised him was the fact that his kidnapper was no other than his sword instructor and master, Van Grants, and that he had been taken in the middle of the night, from his own bedroom which was probably one of the most guarded places in the manor. Yet the boy had been taken away to a place he didn't recognise; an old and abandoned manor or castle near the coast of a distant continent, as they had to take the boat to get there. He had been thrown into a small cell in the wall and kept locked up until the kidnappers needed him. They strapped him to a huge machine he had no idea what did that stood in the middle of the room where he was kept, and preformed experiments after experiments on him.

It had hurt. Hurt so badly he had wanted to die at some points. It burned and he couldn't understand why no one came to free him. Had they not noticed that he was gone? Natalia and his mother were sure to be panicking, though his father might not take it so hard – he had always been distant, and maybe the lack of someone to scold was good for him. No, they were waiting for him. He just knew it.

"Luke… I'm sorry… I want you to understand. For the sake of the world, your power is needed." Master Van would say, looking down on him as he lay inside the machine.

I have to return.

I have to return.

I have to return.

Everyone at the manor is worrying about me. He wanted to believe so, at the very least.

I can't live in a place like this! He had to escape, had to go back home. They needed him. So he waited calmly in his cell and endured the experiments, holding out for the moment when he could escape.

"Just give up. We've already created a replacement for you. There's no point in going back to the manor. To them, you are no longer of any use."

A lie…

"It doesn't have to be you."

It's a lie!

"We no longer need you."

It has to be a lie! If not, then…

"No longer need…"

They needed him. He knew they needed him. He wouldn't listen to his Master's words. He had to return. Had to go back to the place where he belonged.

Back to Baticul.

Back to his parents.

His friends.

Home.

Natalia.

"Luke. When we grow up, we will marry each other." He could still picture her that day she had spoken those words. A young girl in a light blue dress, sitting in a field of flowers with sun reflecting from her blonde hair. Natalia. His sweet, dear, caring Natalia.

"We'll become the king and the queen!" She had made coronets of flowers, one for him and one for herself. He had been embarrassed as she placed his on top of his spiky, red hair. Embarrassed, but happy. It smelled good too.

"Let's make this country a great place together." The smell of those flowers still lingered in his nose.

"If it is us, we can do it for sure. Right, Luke?"

That's right. Natalia still needed him. Him and no one else. He had to return to her, even if no one else were waiting for him.

When the guard who gave him food came later the day his Master told him he was no longer needed, Luke jumped him from behind. He had to get home fast, and at any price. The guard didn't know what hit him and fell to the floor unconscious. The young boy grabbed his sword and fled. Ran up all the stairs from the room where he was kept. Ran until he reached a door leading into a small living room. A purple jewel rested in the door he came out of, but he didn't give it much of a thought before bolting toward the only other door in the room. The door out of this prison he had come to know.

How long had they held him here? Three weeks? Four? He didn't care. Just had to get out and back home. Hopefully it was still summer, as it had been when he was taken, for he was only wearing his summer clothes.

As he grabbed the door and was about to pull it open, he felt something take a hold of his black shirt. He froze, terrified of being caught again. Slowly, his head moved to the left, where the hold was, and found himself staring into green eyes identical to his own. The young boy took a step back, too shocked to form any words at all. The thing that had grabbed a hold of him was a young boy around the age of ten, with spiky red hair and green eyes. It had to be a joke, had to be a mirror. Of course, he had just seen his own reflection in a mirror and the state of the situation had made him believe the other was real. That was the only explanation he could find for why there would be two of him in the room, two identical persons at the same height and with all the same shapes. The only different was that the other boy's spiked hair was pointed in the opposite directions of his own. And the eyes; the other boy's eyes were blank and empty as they stared out into the room both boys stood in.

Then they fell on him, the one who had so suddenly come into the room, and they lit up, became alive. Warm. Warm eyes filled with light and cheerfulness as they watched the original Luke fon Fabre.

What. The. Hell? How could there be two of him? For the other boy had to be real, as he had not moved his head around like the mirror image had.

"We've already created a replacement for you." Master Van's words sounded in his head as he stared at the other boy. He didn't move, didn't come any closer. Just stood there by the door and watched the room and the boy he was made to look like.

A replacement… Luke frowned. He had read somewhere about something called fomicry. The creation of replicas.

"The boy is missing!" the screams from the room he had just escaped from sounded through the entire house. If Luke was going to escape, this had to be it. He ran forward and kicked the door by the other boy open. He gave the other him one last look, trying to decide what to do with him. He had been created to take his place at home, but leaving him here would be like leaving the boy to most likely die. What good would he be for Master Van if Luke escaped and got home before they could replace him? The light and warmth in his eyes would die as life left him, and Luke didn't really want to see that happen. Luke fon Fabre was not a cold hearted boy, just one that studied and worked hard to become everything everyone expected from him, and he was not going to leave someone to die, even if their purpose in life was to replace him. So, with the sword from the guard in his right hand, he grabbed the other kid's hand with his left and dragged him out of the room and toward the road to freedom.

*~^:^~*

The identical duo didn't make it far before the original realized the other could hardly walk, no less run. He bent down on one knee and signalled to the other him to get on his back. The boy just looked at him with those green, warm eyes of his, not intending to do as Luke wanted him to. The original sighted, they didn't have time for this, before laying his sword down on the ground and grabbing a hold on both hands belonging to the other boy. He locked them together around his own neck, placed one hand behind the replica's – the other one had to be that – legs and lifted him onto his back. He stood up, glancing down at the sword that laid by his feet. He couldn't escape with both the other him and the sword, and while the sword was needed to protect their lives, he could always gain a new one later on. It wasn't like he could fight anyway with the boy on his back.

Together they ran away from the place where they had been kept and escaped out on a field in front of the building. The sun was on its way down in the horizon; making the enemy capable of seeing them should they reach the outside too. Somewhere in front of him was a forest and mountains. Their best chance was to get in the forest somewhere and from there look for a boat that could take them to Baticul.

They.

He was surprised by himself and how fast he had accepted the kid as a traveling companion. It would be easier on his own, but to leave the other boy now would be the same as leaving him in the building behind them, and company usually made all journeys more enjoyable.

As the sun disappeared behind them, the two slipped into the darkness of the forest. They could hear the sounds of soldiers running across the field to catch up with them, a sound that chased the two boys and made Luke run faster. He couldn't let them be caught here. Not after escaping.

On the left side he noticed a spot darker than the rest of the forest around him. Curiously he came closer, holding tight onto the boy on his back. The darkness made him incapable of seeing anything at all, though his eyes slowly got used to the place. Too slowly. He tripped over something on the ground – hopefully a root, and not an animal – and fell head first towards the ground, which turned out to fold downward. Branches and leaves touched his skin as he passed them, tumbling around and losing his companion. He finally came to a stop as he collided with the trunk of a tree.

"Ow…" he lifted his right hand to the back of his head, scratching it carefully. It hurt, but not too badly. Not after all that had happened in that place. It didn't feel like anything was broken either. Now, if only he could find some shelter for the night. For him and…

The boy froze.

Where was the other him? He felt around at the ground where he had landed, but didn't find what he was looking for.

"Hey?" he tried to mutter, hoping the other would hear him. Complete silence was the only thing answering him. A shiver went down his back. Could he be hurt? Dead? No, he was going get them both to Baticul, so the other couldn't be dead. He refused to believe so.

A small hand touched his left one, and a calming feeling rushed through his body. Eyes now used to the darkness fell on a small person beside him, his companion. The boy opened his mouth to say something, but only air escaped. Luke shook his head. Of course, the other one couldn't speak, hadn't said a word during their travel at all. Couldn't walk, couldn't speak, just like a new born baby. And that was supposed to replace him? He wanted to laugh.

"They came this way!" a dark voice yelled across the forest, causing the two boys to push themselves closer to the trunk of the tree Luke had crashed into. That is, Luke pushed himself further away and dragged the other boy with him.

"It's no use; we can't find them in this darkness," another voice answered the other. They were close, but not too close.

"Let's go back and try again tomorrow; they can't have gone very far, not with the replica unable to walk." Footsteps walked away, and the muttering of the soldiers disappeared into the darkness.

The original breathed out, relieved that they didn't bother to look too closely. He looked at the replica by his side, ad leaned against the tree behind them.

"I have to get back… Everyone at the manor is waiting for me…" the boy smiled at him, as if he could understand the importance of the words he had spoken.

"And I'm taking you with me, even if you want to or not." At least to Baticul. Once they reached the city, he could better decide what to do with his copy.

He stood up and grabbed the hand of his replica, dragging him behind again as he moved forward. It wouldn't be safe to stay here, not with the soldiers so close and returning in the morning. Closer to the mountains he had seen in the distance would be better. The other boy stumbled after him, finally able to walk on his own.

*~^:^~*

"Master Van! Please teach me today too!" Luke looked up at his sword instructor, determination in his eyes and a firm grip on the toy swords they used for training.

"Okay," was the reply he got, and the young boy charged forward, attacking time and time again, only to be pushed back and ordered to try again.

"Luke. One day, you will become the king of this country. In order to be able to lead the people, you must study hard and well." His mother said, watching him from her place beside his father. All the burdens placed on him, all the work he had to do to be perfect.

"If you can't be an outstanding king, it'll be a lot of trouble, Luke. We are to marry when we grow up, okay?" Natalia's voice and words, before the coronet of flowers. She too stood in the room, on the other side of his father. All three of them watched him with judging eyes and sad smiles. He had been in trouble again, that day. Something that involved Natalia. He couldn't remember, though. The boy gave them a sad look in return, that of a boy with too much on his shoulders compare to his age. His father didn't seem to notice, however.

"If it's Luke, he will surely become a great king. I can assure you on that." Master Van, smiling like he always had in those days. Master Van who taught him how to use a sword. Master Van who was always nice and supportive.

"Luke… There are many more things you have to know about this world."

"Eh? I already know that! You already told me that my practice isn't enough yet too, didn't you?" They had been outside, watching the sun as it faded over Baticul. Sitting in the same field of flowers where Natalia had made his flower coronet.

"Not really, I know that you are already trying hard. But you can still grow a lot more… Because you are the chosen one." The chosen one to be king. The chosen one to be kidnapped. He didn't really know, didn't care, what Master Van meant that day. If only…

Luke woke with a start. Daylight hit him from an opening in the trees above his head, shining down on the leaf-filled ground he was sleeping on. Voices of the past kept coming back in his dreams, voices he longed to hear saying words he remembered. All he had at the moment was the clothes he walked in and the silent companion he no longer needed to drag around. The replica had learned to walk just fine – with a little stumbling here and there -, though he could not run yet. It slowed them down, but at least they had yet to be caught up with by the soldiers chasing them.

They had spent two days reaching the mountains he had seen in the distance, and wasted three days trying to cross them. At the moment the duo rested below a tree with low branches on the opposite side of the mountains from where they had started their journey. The replica lay completely silent beside him, still asleep and lost to the world around him. Innocent, without a care in the world. The last few days his eyes had even begun to show life about everything he watched, not only when his eyes landed on his original. Luke was left once more to wonder about what he was going to do with his traveling companion once they reached Baticul. The other had been created to take his place, but he wouldn't be able to do that now. Not when they had escaped together. Not that the copy had had any choices; he had been dragged along, just to wait for a slower death outside of Van's clutches instead of being killed fast. The original hadn't thought about that when he had taken the kid. This world wasn't big enough for two Lukes, and strange things where always looked down upon. The other him would most likely be killed once they reached the city.

And strangely, Luke didn't want that to happen. He had freed the kid, had taught him to walk, had spent five otherwise lonely days in his company. He couldn't just throw that away. They would have to wait and see what were to happen once they came back to the capital.

I have to go back.

I have to go back.

Back to the manor in Baticul.

Everyone is waiting for me in that manor.

Those had been Luke's words for himself these last days on the run. He just had to go home, home to where his parents were, home to Natalia.

The replica blinked his green eyes and stared at the original in front of him. A smile covered his lips, just like always as he watched the one identical to himself. Luke stood up and held out his hand, helping the other boy to his feet.

"Everyone is waiting for me…Father, Mother, Guy, Natalia, everyone, everyone, everyone… That's why… I must go back! Just a little longer, and we can finally rest properly." He muttered as he led the way south-west. When they had crossed a high peak of the mountains, he had seen a city or town far off in the distance in that very direction. Hopefully a harbour, but at the moment it didn't matter much at all. Any city would be fine, even if it was the capital of Malkuth, Grand Chokmah.

They walked the entire day, and as the sun went down, they could even see the end of the forest surrounding them. Soon they would be in that city he had seen, soon they would be home.

Luke jumped out of relief and for the first time since he had been kidnapped, he smiled widely. They would make it, they would go home. Home to Baticul. To all he held dear.

A whimper was what brought him out of his happy moment. The strange sound made him turn around, just in time to see a soldier charging toward him. He jumped out of the way, just narrowly escaping the sword threating to cut his arm. It was not aiming for a critical place, meaning the other had every intention of capturing him alive. The soldier straightened up and came toward him again, and Luke moved out of the way again. In the process, his green eyes landed on the source of the whimper he had heard earlier. His replica lay on the ground with a soldier standing above him, ready to drive his sword straight through his heart. The original snapped after air, a cold shiver going down his back. He had to stop it, had to save him. The replica needed him to save him.

The soldier he had avoided so far attacked again, this time expecting the kid to jump away once more. Luke gave him a quick glare, before moving his upper body to the side and grabbing a hold of the soldiers arm. He twisted it around, flipping the soldier over on his back. His right hand reached for the sword, wrestling it out of the soldiers hand before driving it into his heart. In a swift move the boy ripped the sword out again before charging toward the second soldier.

He couldn't die here. Couldn't let his other self die either.

I will definitely go back.

Go back.

Go back.

Back to the place where everyone is waiting.

Back to the place that is truly my home!

He made it just in time to move his new sword beneath the replica and the thing aiming for his heart. One move knocked the sword out of the hand of the soldier and into Luke's waiting left, before both drove into the soldier's chest. Behind him lay one already dead.

The young boy sunk to the ground, dry heaving as his stomach tried to empty itself of food and liquid it didn't hold. He had killed another human being. Had taken someone's life. And not just one, but two. The heaving didn't stop. Blood filled the ground surrounding him. Everything was red, red like the life bleeding out of the two victims of his blade.

A pair of arms made their way around his shaking body, dragged him close to the moment when his chin rested on someone's shoulder. His cheek collided with someone else's, sending warmth through his body from the source beside him. Small hands clutched the fabric of the clothes belonging to the other one as the original red haired boy cried loudly into the shoulder of his twin.

The two swords stood forgotten inside the dead soldier.

*~^:^~*

The older one of the two red haired twins held a finger to his other self's lips, signalling to him to stay quiet. They had to be, unless they wanted to be discovered. The darkness that surrounded them made the box seem bigger than it was, as they could not see the edges of anything. The only thing that could be seen was the other one's green eyes as they shined to each other.

It had taken them two days to reach the city from the place where the older one of them had killed two soldiers in defence. Two days since the loss of innocence. Two days since the oldest did sword moves he didn't even know he knew. It had been in a state of panic, and even now he could not remember how he did it. It didn't matter, though. He had done what he meant to do; save the younger one. The one that could hardly be more than seven days old, yet looked like someone at the age of ten and moved like one at the age of four. Nothing more than a young child, and children were meant to be protected.

Just a few hours ago had they reached the city he had seen in the distance, which turned out to be no other than Kaitzur Navel Port, not a city but a harbour on the Kimlascan side of the border. And it had a cargo ship leaving for Baticul. The older boy had been overjoyed to hear such good news, and they had snuck around until he found the ship and the cargo they were lifting onto it. It hadn't taken many minutes to clean one completely, throwing the supplies into the sea – it was food from Engeve, judging by the marking on them, and he felt guilty for throwing it away, but he had to go home – and hiding himself and the other one inside the now empty box. Small holes allowed the air to change and save the two boys from suffocating and their journey across the sea toward home lulled them both into sleep.

*~^:^~*

The boys woke as the box they had hid themselves in hit the ground. Loud voices yelled at each other, before dying away as they moved further away from the hiding place. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of seagulls as they squeaked at each other. The lid of the box was lifted by two pairs of identical hands, and four green eyes glanced around, terrified that someone was watching them. They were in a harbour below a city build upwards instead of outwards. Baticul. Home. The older one relaxed his shoulders a little, before watching once more for anyone that could stop them.

When it was confirmed that no one was around, the older one pushed the lid away completely and jumped out. As he was helping his companion to get out of their safety place, one from the ship's crew decided it was a good idea to check on the ship and the cargo, and was rather surprised to find two young boys climbing out of one of the boxes.

"Hey, hey, hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?" he shouted, running toward them. The older of the boys grabbed a hold of his companion's hand and dragged him with him as he ran. He had been to the harbour once before, and knew there would be a cable car – the city was filled with cable cars that could take the citizens to the different levels that made up the capital – that could take them away.

They passed the man without him being able to stop them, and made a beeline toward the stairs leading up to the cable car.

"Thieves!" the man shouted as the boys threw themselves into the car and the older one kicked the button making it go upward. The man would be after them as fast as he could, but at least they would have some lead.

Up, they had to go up. The manor – and the castle where Natalia lived – was at the top floor, and it would be a long journey if they were chased by the owners of the ship. The older one led the way as they ran through huge crowds of people busy with their usual work. Lift after lift led them closer to their destination, and the cheerful mood rose the closer they got. The younger one was still unable to say anything, but the smile on his face showed that he knew this meant a lot to his companion.

They reached the top level, and the tall and beautiful castle stood in front of them. Bathed in the light of the sun. The manor was to the left, and it was there the older one was headed.

I'm finally back.

Just a little bit more.

If I can get back to the manor in Baticul, everything will return to normal.

Right back to normal.

Everything will go right back to normal!

He knew it wouldn't; he had been kidnapped and came back with a boy who looked just like him. And they were both going to stay, no matter what. Both him and the one who needed him.

They passed the guard outside of the manor, who looked too surprised and too shocked to go after them. A quick move opened the door to the entrance hall, and the two boys fell into the room. Someone screamed – most likely a maid – but it didn't matter. Running steps and a door slamming open told them someone had just entered the room. The older one looked up from where he laid on the floor, and jumped into the air as he saw who stood in front of him. He threw his arms around his mother's stomach, and clung to her as if his life depended on it.

"Mother," he whispered, crying into her chest. Something wet landed on the top of his head as his mother buried her face into his red hair.

"Oh, Luke." They cried together, clinging to each other as they stood surrounded by those they held dear. A son who disappeared and a mother who never stopped missing him.

A low cry pulled the two apart, turning their heads toward the entrance. Two of his father's soldiers stood with their backs against the door, holding a young, red haired boy between them.

"Milady, what are we going to do with this one?" the younger boy cried again, one hand held out toward the older one. The one who stood by his mother reached before anyone could recognise the boy held by the soldiers. He ripped him out of their hold and hid him behind his back.

"He's staying here," he said, his eyes lit with a fire they had never seen before, as he pushed the boy toward his mother. She would understand, even if they didn't. No one was going to lay a hand on him; the one who was his replica, his light in all the darkness, his twin, his younger brother.

"What is his name, my dear?" his mother asked. The boy blinked, before giving her a soft smile.

"Luke." For Luke was the name of someone innocent, someone who was filled with light, and he was his light, had been from the moment when he killed the two soldiers.

His mother smiled sadly at him. Maybe she understood, maybe not. It didn't matter.

"And your new name is?"

"Asch." Like the ashes left behind by the fire. He had once been Luke, been a light and been innocent, but he had burned out and become ashes.

One had gone missing and two returned.

A light and the ashes of one.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the prologue of my new story, and hopefully the characters aren't too messed up.