Never Again
Chapter 3
"This is it, I can't contain him any longer. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you a second time, my brother." the Ancient said as Talpa's spirit finally came out of his body and back into his own. As soon as Talpa gained consciousness, he stood up and then walked over to the Ancient's body that was laying on the cobble floor.
Talpa looked down and snorted in disgust, "I can't believe that a weakling like you is actually my brother. You've wasted you're life trying to find a way for me to come back and claim my heritage that I despise so much. You were the fool, brother, not me. You made a vow to never again let me spread my evil. Well I'm here to tell you something, never again will I allow someone like you to stop me from taking what I want, when I want. No one! Do you hear me?!" Talpa asked as he yelled at the weakened monk.
"Ronin Warriors…" the Ancient said quietly as he was trying to stand.
"What's that you say? The Ronins Warriors? You actually believe that they will be able to stop me? Oh my dear brother, I can't believe that you have such high hopes for those children. That's right, they're nothing but children that have no comprehension of what true power their armors have, or the potential that you've tried to show them." Talpa replied in a sarcastic tone.
"They will come, and they will defeat you." the Ancient said in a weakened tone.
"Let them come, and we'll see who has the real power in the fight. Five children against one deity. It shall be very amusing." Talpa replied with a laugh.
"I'm glad that you think that's funny. Because we're here to wipe that smirk off of your face when we kick your sorry tail!" Kento said as they charged in.
"Ronin Warriors…" Talpa greeted.
"It's good to see that you haven't forgotten us, Talpa." Ryo replied as they got into defensive positions.
"How could I forget any of you, all of you are as annoying as small pests." Talpa said as he glared at them.
"As much fun it would be standing here swapping insults back and forth, unfortunately, we can't stay. But we will stay just long enough like Kento said, to kick your sorry tail." Rowen replied as he kept his watch on him.
"No." the Ancient said as he stood in front of them.
"Ancient, I mean no disrespect, but get out of the way, we have to fight him." Cye replied as he raised his yari.
"No, don't fight him,." the Ancient said as he stood his ground.
"What?! You've got to be kidding me?" Kento asked in disbelief. "Someone tell me that he's not telling us to don't fight him."
"That's exactly what I said. Hardrock, don't fight him." the Ancient replied.
"But why, we don't understand. Why shouldn't they fight him? Talpa's evil, and they're sworn to fight any evil that threatens our world. And you were the one to point that out to them, so why then the sudden change of heart?" Mia asked as she confronted him because she was just as confused and annoyed as they were.
"Because, Talpa is my brother." the Ancient replied.
"Ah, could someone come back and pick me up? I think that I lost my ride on the logic train. Did he just say that they are brothers?" Kento asked dumbfounded.
"There's no way that they could be brothers. Badamon must have messed with his head or something." Sage replied in disbelief.
"No, Halo, Badamon has done nothing to my mind. We are brothers. You see, a long time ago, Talpa and I were being tested, and well I passed and I became the Ancient, while my bother didn't and he chose the path of evil and is who you see now, Talpa, leader of the Dynasty. I was ashamed of the fact that I couldn't help my brother back then. So I made a vow to stop his evil that he has chosen for himself, and try to convince him to use his potential for the good of mankind." the Ancient explained.
"There's no point in trying, brother. I have made my choice, and there's nothing that you can say or do to change that." Talpa replied as his eyes flashed. "Why don't you join me, brother, then we'll be together again, just like you wanted."
"You're insane! What makes you seriously believe that the Ancient would actually consider becoming evil!?" Mia yelled at him angrily.
"What makes you believe that he won't? Isn't that right, brother?" Talpa asked as he looked over to the monk as he was struggling with his decision.
"I…I…" the Ancient replied as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.
"Ancient, you can't be seriously considering it?! I mean come on, he's evil, he's Talpa." Cye asked in confusion.
"He's also my brother. I can't forget that." the Ancient replied as he looked up at them.
"Well, brother, what is your decision? Are you going to side with me, or are you going to be weak and keep protecting those who you hide from anyway? What is it going to be?" Talpa asked curiously as all of them held their breaths to see what his decision will be.
"Ancient, no you can't! Think of all of those people that you'll turn your back on. All of those lives that you'll destroy if you join with him. Are all of those lives worth sacrificing just because you want to reunite with your brother?" Ma asked as she finally had more than enough.
The monk looked between his brother, and the Ronins and Mia. He then shook his head and looked towards Talpa. "I'm sorry brother, I know that I've made so many vows, to you, to myself, and vows to protect lives, I'm sorry, but I can't join you, no mater how much I want to be reunite. But unfortunately, my duties will always come before my heart, I'm sorry." the Ancient replied as he looked over to Talpa with sad eyes.
"Is that your final answer?" Talpa asked as he raised an eyebrow at him.
"Yes." the monk replied as he stood with the others.
"Then so be it. I no longer have a brother. My brother is dead to me, just like I was dead to you all of those years ago." Talpa said as his eyes flared red.
"I'm sorry…" the monk started to say.
"Save it! Just go, get out of my sight!" Talpa replied as he motioned over to the front gate.
"What!? You're letting us go, just like that?" Kento asked in disbelief.
"Go! Leave me! Don't make me repeat myself again!" Talpa replied angrily. They looked at each other in confusion. None of them could believe that Talpa was actually letting them go without a fight. They started to leave, still in a lot of confusion, but the Ancient stayed behind just for a few seconds longer. Talpa stood there locking his eyes with his brother's, that was all that both of them needed to know exactly where both of them stood. The Ancient nodded and then left. As soon as he was gone, Talpa vanished and reappeared at the top of his castle watching them go.
"Never again." both the Ancient and Talpa thought exactly at the same time.
Chapter 3
"This is it, I can't contain him any longer. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you a second time, my brother." the Ancient said as Talpa's spirit finally came out of his body and back into his own. As soon as Talpa gained consciousness, he stood up and then walked over to the Ancient's body that was laying on the cobble floor.
Talpa looked down and snorted in disgust, "I can't believe that a weakling like you is actually my brother. You've wasted you're life trying to find a way for me to come back and claim my heritage that I despise so much. You were the fool, brother, not me. You made a vow to never again let me spread my evil. Well I'm here to tell you something, never again will I allow someone like you to stop me from taking what I want, when I want. No one! Do you hear me?!" Talpa asked as he yelled at the weakened monk.
"Ronin Warriors…" the Ancient said quietly as he was trying to stand.
"What's that you say? The Ronins Warriors? You actually believe that they will be able to stop me? Oh my dear brother, I can't believe that you have such high hopes for those children. That's right, they're nothing but children that have no comprehension of what true power their armors have, or the potential that you've tried to show them." Talpa replied in a sarcastic tone.
"They will come, and they will defeat you." the Ancient said in a weakened tone.
"Let them come, and we'll see who has the real power in the fight. Five children against one deity. It shall be very amusing." Talpa replied with a laugh.
"I'm glad that you think that's funny. Because we're here to wipe that smirk off of your face when we kick your sorry tail!" Kento said as they charged in.
"Ronin Warriors…" Talpa greeted.
"It's good to see that you haven't forgotten us, Talpa." Ryo replied as they got into defensive positions.
"How could I forget any of you, all of you are as annoying as small pests." Talpa said as he glared at them.
"As much fun it would be standing here swapping insults back and forth, unfortunately, we can't stay. But we will stay just long enough like Kento said, to kick your sorry tail." Rowen replied as he kept his watch on him.
"No." the Ancient said as he stood in front of them.
"Ancient, I mean no disrespect, but get out of the way, we have to fight him." Cye replied as he raised his yari.
"No, don't fight him,." the Ancient said as he stood his ground.
"What?! You've got to be kidding me?" Kento asked in disbelief. "Someone tell me that he's not telling us to don't fight him."
"That's exactly what I said. Hardrock, don't fight him." the Ancient replied.
"But why, we don't understand. Why shouldn't they fight him? Talpa's evil, and they're sworn to fight any evil that threatens our world. And you were the one to point that out to them, so why then the sudden change of heart?" Mia asked as she confronted him because she was just as confused and annoyed as they were.
"Because, Talpa is my brother." the Ancient replied.
"Ah, could someone come back and pick me up? I think that I lost my ride on the logic train. Did he just say that they are brothers?" Kento asked dumbfounded.
"There's no way that they could be brothers. Badamon must have messed with his head or something." Sage replied in disbelief.
"No, Halo, Badamon has done nothing to my mind. We are brothers. You see, a long time ago, Talpa and I were being tested, and well I passed and I became the Ancient, while my bother didn't and he chose the path of evil and is who you see now, Talpa, leader of the Dynasty. I was ashamed of the fact that I couldn't help my brother back then. So I made a vow to stop his evil that he has chosen for himself, and try to convince him to use his potential for the good of mankind." the Ancient explained.
"There's no point in trying, brother. I have made my choice, and there's nothing that you can say or do to change that." Talpa replied as his eyes flashed. "Why don't you join me, brother, then we'll be together again, just like you wanted."
"You're insane! What makes you seriously believe that the Ancient would actually consider becoming evil!?" Mia yelled at him angrily.
"What makes you believe that he won't? Isn't that right, brother?" Talpa asked as he looked over to the monk as he was struggling with his decision.
"I…I…" the Ancient replied as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.
"Ancient, you can't be seriously considering it?! I mean come on, he's evil, he's Talpa." Cye asked in confusion.
"He's also my brother. I can't forget that." the Ancient replied as he looked up at them.
"Well, brother, what is your decision? Are you going to side with me, or are you going to be weak and keep protecting those who you hide from anyway? What is it going to be?" Talpa asked curiously as all of them held their breaths to see what his decision will be.
"Ancient, no you can't! Think of all of those people that you'll turn your back on. All of those lives that you'll destroy if you join with him. Are all of those lives worth sacrificing just because you want to reunite with your brother?" Ma asked as she finally had more than enough.
The monk looked between his brother, and the Ronins and Mia. He then shook his head and looked towards Talpa. "I'm sorry brother, I know that I've made so many vows, to you, to myself, and vows to protect lives, I'm sorry, but I can't join you, no mater how much I want to be reunite. But unfortunately, my duties will always come before my heart, I'm sorry." the Ancient replied as he looked over to Talpa with sad eyes.
"Is that your final answer?" Talpa asked as he raised an eyebrow at him.
"Yes." the monk replied as he stood with the others.
"Then so be it. I no longer have a brother. My brother is dead to me, just like I was dead to you all of those years ago." Talpa said as his eyes flared red.
"I'm sorry…" the monk started to say.
"Save it! Just go, get out of my sight!" Talpa replied as he motioned over to the front gate.
"What!? You're letting us go, just like that?" Kento asked in disbelief.
"Go! Leave me! Don't make me repeat myself again!" Talpa replied angrily. They looked at each other in confusion. None of them could believe that Talpa was actually letting them go without a fight. They started to leave, still in a lot of confusion, but the Ancient stayed behind just for a few seconds longer. Talpa stood there locking his eyes with his brother's, that was all that both of them needed to know exactly where both of them stood. The Ancient nodded and then left. As soon as he was gone, Talpa vanished and reappeared at the top of his castle watching them go.
"Never again." both the Ancient and Talpa thought exactly at the same time.