Ian snaps out of his trance and gets up to run back towards his brother.
He pushes the desk off of him and sees him covered in bruises. Both his mouth and nose were bleeding, making a trail of blood on the floor.
He kneels down next to him, turning his head to look at him. His eyes were shut, and he was still breathing.
"Barley...come on, speak to me, man..."
It was like that night all over again. Ian hunched over his injured brother, who took the worst blow for him. And now that he knows that elf-tyr was Frildar this whole time...it burns even more. The rage and anger that ran through him were now being released as a waterfall of tears.
"...Please...don't die on me..."
Ian's voice was trembling so much he could barely articulate his words correctly. He was crying heavily, the tears falling onto his older brother.
"...please...please..."
He sinks his head into his brother's chest. Barley kept breathing short breaths and he seemed like he was struggling to stay conscious. Looking up from the tear stains he's made into Barley's shirt, he looks at his face and sees that he'd been crying as well.
Ian reaches over to dry his tears. "It's okay Barley...he's gone...he's gone..."
He looks back down again and puts his hand on his brother's heart.
Then, as more tears pour from his eyes, Ian opens his mouth, and as clear as he could, starts to sing:
Sleep tight, my brother
Tomorrow's a new adventure
Forget all your troubles
And look to the stars
Barley's hazel eyes open slightly, welling with more tears. His mouth begins to open in awe at what he was hearing.
You're one half of me
Together we're complete
I hope you know
I love you so
The older elf opens his mouth and makes himself croak out the final words of the song together with his younger brother:
My bro...
"You have...such a great voice," Barley whispers, a crooked smile on his face. Ian shows a quivering smile, wiping his tears with his flannel sleeve.
Suddenly, the brothers hear someone calling them from outside the window.
"Lightfoot Brothers! There you two are!"
The Manticore, with her Curse Crusher in hand, flew inside the hallway towards the brothers. She then remembers that Ian was still supposed to be at the tavern...and now he was here.
"Wait...Ian? When did you- how did you- oh no, Barley!"
The warrior looks at the beaten elf on the floor with his younger brother sitting next to him.
"It's kind of a long story...a very long story..." says the younger elf. "But basically, I followed you two after you left because I wanted to go on the quest, then I found Barley all alone and he told me you were taken by harpies. We escaped the cave and were taken in by our crazy uncle, and we fought. He had the gem and we were able to get it and I could be cured, and I killed him off. He did a good number on Barley, though..."
"That's probably what happened," Corey says. "The moment he died, those magic harpies faded away and I could escape. I was nearly on top of the building, and I just happened to find you two when looking through the windows."
"It's good to know you're now safe and healthy," she continues. "But Barley...we need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible."
Barley groans in pain, shutting his eyes tightly and gritting his teeth, which were covered in blood. One of his front teeth was knocked out.
"I was...the wizard..." he croaks. "He tried to make me into the wizard...and I had to fight him..."
"Faldar's Horn, are you serious?" Corey exclaims.
"It's just...it's just too much to explain right here," Ian says, trying to hold back more tears.
"You can tell me more on the way to the hospital," the warrior says. "You two can get on my back and I'll take you there."
Before he does anything else, Ian quickly runs over to retrieve his father's staff and his brother's sword which was still covered with blood. He puts the sword back in the scabbard on Barley's back. He then lifts his older brother off the ground, grabbing him from under his arms. He stands him on his feet, and he slings his arm over his shoulders, letting him lean against him. He slowly trudges with him and his two staffs towards the Manticore, and he lets him on her back. He climbs on afterward, and they set off into the evening sky.
Ian holds Barley close as they soar through the city, watching the double moons rise into the sky.
"I love you, Barley," he whispers in his brother's ear.
"I love you too, Ian," Barley mumbles back.
What a day this has been, Ian thinks to himself.