I'm Kazu, eldest son of Seijuro and Ciero. My brother, Kousaten, and I have learned much about combat and alchemy from our parents. In the afternoons, we would spend our freetime testing each other's skills. It was always so fun, and we would never go too far as to hurt each other. After sparring, we would head back home for dinner and bed. Life was always so peaceful, until my tenth birthday. My brother and I were testing our alchemy skills, and ended up making necklaces for each other.
"Don't forget, brother," Kousaten said. "I'm here for you no matter what."
I grinned and responded, "Same here, pal." When we got back home, men in armor similiar to father's armor were all surrounding him.
"Seijuro," the largest man said. "you are guilty of treason against the nation of San d'Oria. You and your firstborn child will be taken into custody as experiments for a countermeasure to the beastmen threat."
"...Experiments? You can't just use us as experiments!" My father yelled in rage.
"You're convicted of treason and you've already experimented on your son. I see no problem in taking you both." The man stated, taking my father as well as myself away.
As I was pushed into the caravan, my brother ran up, showed me the necklace I made for him, and said, "Don't forget, brother. We made a promise, so make sure you keep it!" I knew I couldn't, and suddenly, everything went dark. Time seemed to stand still for me, everything was just pain, suffering, despair, anguish, hatred... the rage built up in me and had no end. At a point where I could no longer bear it, everything stopped, and I woke up. I knew only loyalty to the king of San d'Oria. Priests from the Cathedral taught me how to tap into the rage within me, and soon I gained control over it. The power I could wield was always enough to accomplish the task at hand, and I would do so no matter what the price. My loyalty to the king was absolute, and I was going to show it as best I could. If it would mean accomplishing the mission and proving my loyalty, I would sacrifice myself. Many of the low-lives that called themselves knights believed me to be insane. I did not care, if they were in the way of completing the mission, I would kill them.
One day, a rookie joined the ranks of the Royal Knights. He was a Hume, which struck me as odd. I always thought that only Elvaan were allowed to join. Then I thought about when I joined. I was given up by my parents at the age of ten and was taken in by the king of San d'Oria.
"Excuse me," the new recruit asked Excenmille. "who is that man over there, in the black armor?"
Excenmille looked at me and said, "That's Batosai, the only one here to ever beat me in a sparring match. He is merciless and cold-hearted, and doesn't like to talk much."
The recruit then came over to me and said, "I'm Kousaten, anything you can teach a new recruit?"
"Yes," I responded. "you can stay out of my way."
"Then how about to your younger brother?" He asked, showing me the necklace he wore under his armor. Visions started flooding my mind of my little brother... kind, warm images. I had not felt so warm in many years... and I could see that my brother was also Hume.
"Meet me in the garden at eleven tonight." I told him, walking off to clear my thoughts.
'What happened to me before I was adopted by the king?' I wondered. 'I must have lived a good life... a life of happiness and peace. Why did my parents throw me out? I recall... kindness from them... warmth that I cannot remember ever feeling. Why am I seeing all of these things now?... Is it possible that a Hume is my brother?... No, that cannot be true. I am pure Elvaan... but... I saw my brother... What is happening to me!'
Eleven came, I could tell by the position of the moon. I always came to the garden when I needed to clear my thoughts... feelings I seldom had were washed away when I meditated here. However, no matter how hard I tried, I could not banish them from my mind this time. They were overwhelming, so I decided to focus on them, and by doing so, two lives I had lived began to clash.
"You wanted us to meet now, correct, Batosai?" Kousaten said as he walked towards me.
"Please," I said. "tell me... what was my real name?"
"Our parents named you Kazu," he replied. "but what happened to you? Why have you forgotten everything?"
"I grew up with the knowledge that my family abandoned me, and that the king of San d'Oria took me in. I was raised here as a Dark Knight, and joined the ranks of the Royal Knights soon after defeating Excenmille." I responded.
"That's now how I remember things, my brother," Kousaten said. "our parents could never abandon either of us. Almost seven years ago, on your tenth birthday, we made necklaces for each other while practicing alchemy. We walked back home later to eat dinner and celebrate your birthday, but Royal Knights of San d'Oria were talking to our parents outside. They convicted father of treason and took you both away as punishment for it, to be used as experiments. That is the last time I ever heard of you, until my mother told me the truth. I knew that you both just had to be somewhere in San d'Oria, so I came here. It took a long time to prove myself to the king, but I did it, and here you are, already a Royal Knight." I took out my necklace and compared the shattered amulet to his. Sure enough, the two could be easily put back together again, as one whole.
"If everything you've said is true..." I said. "then... I've been betrayed by my own people. I'm just an experiment... a weapon of destruction. That is why I have these powers, just for their own desires!"
"Quite an interesting story you both have," Cyranuce said, stepping out of the shadows. "and here I thought that the great and powerful Batosai was truly cold-hearted and loyal. I must go report this to the king at once, won't he be shocked to hear his best knight betrayed him!"
"Cyranuce!" I yelled, drawing my scythe. "Take one more step and your blood shall be shed this night. You will tell not a single soul of the events you witnessed here, or I will take your life with my own hands." He grinned, nodded, and walked off, leaving Kousaten and myself to decide not to discuss further what had happened in the past, because no one else would be so easy to convince.