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November 21, 1996 9:30 pm
Zodiac Family Private Forest, Malison
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▫️Ames:

It's ten at night, and I'm in the forest. This is not going to end well, just like my last duel. Every time I blink, I can see my brother's eyes staring at me from the underworld. He haunts me, and I allow him to... Even the though he is dead I can't escape his eyes looking into my soul, and the wrongs I did that lay in my heart. I cannot escape the fate that hit that night, and I cannot let that same fate hit my younger brother, Nathaniel.

Time passes quicker than I can think. Nathaniel and I meet our eldest brothers, Luke and Mike, in a prior planned location they found in the middle of the woods. The four of us boys are away from civilization and far enough that nobody will hear the gunshots, far enough so nobody will hear the screams.

As Nathaniel and I walk through the woods, I can't help but notice all the white trunks with black eyes that are watching me fulfill my fate. No—as if Azun is still watching me from beyond the grave, judging me and crying out for me to stop repeating history.

These trees are called Quaking Aspen; they are all one, connected at the roots. Unlike the trees, I believe our family is disconnected at its roots, we aren't one and we don't share a love for one another, at least not deep inside. Sometimes, for the press, we pretend we love each other... but our public life is a lie. I do not believe Mike and Luke really care for Nathaniel in any way, they may pretend to, but in reality nobody cares for anyone. It is a kill or be killed type of world we live in. No matter what anyone does it is never enough to satisfy anyone. Worst yet, we are willing to kill each other in sport.

At my side, in my weapons belt, I bring my set of dueling guns, both loaded with a single shell. One of these shells will hit its target. Then everything will be over. Our challenges and struggles will be put aside, and we will accept the outcome of this duel. In the next ten minutes, I shall know the outcome of my planet's future.

We are fighting over leadership. Mike has been in command for far too long and Luke is using him like a puppet. It's time I take charge and put them in their place. I was going to fight them myself, but, at the final moments, I chickened out. I was just going to step aside and let Mike and Luke win, let them rule Malison perminanetly. But then Nathaniel stood up and challenged them for me. Now, I don't know if I have the courage to stand up for my younger brother. Do I really need to be in charge? Is it worth losing another brother? Is it worth the pain and regret?

When we arrive, my elder brother, Luke, is the first to notice us. He walks over, his short, skinny body swimming in his black work suit he is wearing. I know he has just gotten done with his work at the hospital. The press greets him after each surgery he completes, so that's why he looks sharp and professional. Now he is here, ready to murder our brother in his Sunday best. Just like something he would wear to a funeral. 

"Here, Mike." Luke grabs the gun from my shaking hand, clicking it on, and handing it to his other half. "It's live."

We all are part of the same family, but the four of us brothers could look nothing less alike. If anyone were stupid enough to not know who we were, they would never picture us as brothers.

Mike walks closer to Luke and takes the gun from his hand. His blond bangs fall into his face as he studies my gun, crystal blue eyes dance across the barrel and frame as he inspects every inch of it. I can see his muscles move as he checks if the gun really has a bullet, which it does. He puts the gun into his own weapons belt and stretches his tall body, with his vast muscles bulging from his white shirt and vest. I am afraid for this duel. Mike has shot so much in his past from being military general to taking over as leader of our planet. I know he won't miss.

Mike nods at Luke, telling him the gun is fine. Luke glances back at me. His sharp, emerald green eyes could work as their own shotgun as he glares at me through the black fringe across his forehead. Luke runs his fingers through his short hair, pushing it all to the side. His eyes don't break with my own as he does this. I can read the hunger for power through him, and I can tell he is not afraid to kill.

"Nathaniel." I turn to my brother, handing him his gun. He is shorter than me, so I have to look down into his young innocent face. "You don't have to do this."

I am forcing myself to look into his eyes, the eyes that are about to fade from this world to the next. His bright blue eyes are so helpless and innocent, not knowing the dangers of dueling on my behalf and what is to come.

"It would be my honor." He smiles, not even bothering check the gun as he set it on his belt. What's going through that kid's head? He is about to die and he is smiling?

Nathaniel doesn't have anything to smile about; he has been through so much but he can't remember. My eldest brothers were top medical professionals in their prime. Luke was a neurosurgeon and rewrote Nathaniel's brain, erasing all his previous memories of his time at war and putting a wall in place. While he did that, Mike reprogrammed his DNA, trying to take away the only thing that made him unique and special, but he failed in doing that and was only able to change his hair from the short brown locks to blond.

Nathaniel's hair was combed up in a small spike in the front instead of his usual look, a messy blond nest. I should be there holding the gun, but he wanted to fight, to prove himself. I am such a terrible brother. My legs will not move, I am such a coward, I can't even fight for myself! I wish we could all just be a family for once and stop with the whole honor thing.

I stand there as I look at my pure brother. My hair tickles my ear as it curls around it. The light wind rustles as it trails through the woods, almost as if the trees are whispering at me to stop this horrible act. My hands trail through the thick curls upon my head. Everybody else would consider my hair short, but the way it sprawls on the side of my face begs to differ. I let a breath of air make a cloud as I look down at my black running shoes. I just want this whole thing to end... or never begin. That would be better.

My empty hands clasp together. I feel the hard callouses on them. They are small but strong. I can't help but feel like such a horrible brother as I stand there and watch, not doing anything. I eventually put my hands in my black jean pockets. It is starting to get cold out. I wish I had my jacket with me, but I left that along with my tie in the car. I literally just came from my work as a lawyer, the job I took from my late brother Azun. 

I don't deserve to live. I should be holding the gun. I sigh and close my green eyes, identical in color to Luke's, trying to tell myself not to cry. I get so emotional sometimes, I can't help it after being the cause of now two people dying.

Nathaniel. He is so young yet has seen so much. That wall in his mind hasn't come down yet; I don't think it ever will. He doesn't see the world as we do with those missing memories. Nathaniel will never see Mike, Luke, and I for the monsters we are.

"Luke." I walk over to Mike's second. "Will you accept my apology? Let's find an agreement and just stop this."

"No," Luke states coldly to me as his eyes fix on Mike. Mike is messing with his dueling gun. I question his intelligence and his PH.D., mainly because he is aiming the gun at his own head as he inspects it.

"Why not? I surrender." I try to get Nathaniel out of this. I try to save my brother like I couldn't do before with Azun.

"I want to see a good duel." Luke continues to watch Mike like a concerned parent.

"But Nathaniel doesn't need to die," I whisper.

"He is no good alive," Luke whispers back.

"Please just let this go," I beg. I remember the night of my last duel. I was young, only about seventeen years old. I was angry at Azun and like a child I challenged my older brother for a duel of honor, just like old times. I wanted to prove myself. Little did I know the power of a gun, and the weight of regret.

"No." Luke glares through the corner of his eyes at me. He is determined to see a dead body.

Luke and I couldn't be more different. I know I am more emotional to the public. I try hard not to since I'm a boy and I shouldn't be this way. Luke is strong, a good leader, he can look death right in the face and demand death to take his best shot. But, he has never fought in a war before. His grudge is just against me. This is all because of me... Nathaniel is going to die because of me.

I look around at the white trees that have black eyes. I keep feeling like they are watching us. I keep having déjà vu like I know this place. But this can't be the last place I had a duel... it can't be...

These woods look so similar it is hard to tell where you are and where you have been. I lean against a trunk, balancing myself, preparing myself for what is about to happen. My legs shake as I try to think of anyway Nathaniel could possible be at more of a disadvantage then he is currently at. I try to imagine anyway I can help him without cheating. 

All of us were born with special abilities, our father told us not to show this freak side of us. He told us it was dangerous... and deadly and all the universe would be at our throats if they found out about it.

I think of using my power of light to blind Mike so he can't shoot Nathaniel and my little brother can live. But, if I step in with my power, Mike and Luke will both take over me with their own, and then both Nathaniel and I will die, and I don't want to die. But Luke could always use his power against me, he can turning back time, making it so Nathaniel doesn't even get a chance to shoot. I can't let this game of death be unfair.

"No powers," I boldly state. Laying down this rule might just change the game, give us more of an advantage.

"I accept those terms," Mike states as he fiddles with the trigger of the gun, anxious to shoot. He runs his fingers through his blond hair to get it out of his face.

Luke nods at Mike. "Remember what I talked to you about."

"Got it," Mike replies. "I will do exactly as you say."

That doesn't sound good at all. I can't watch. I study the tree trunk next to me; there is a spot of blood, but from whom? I pray to whoever is listening that I haven't been here before and this is some animal blood. I follow the dots of blood down to the grass below, dragging my fingers through the green waves of grass. My fingertips hit something cold--spherical--I lift it up.

It is a bullet.

We are in the same spot as my last duel...

I have found the bullet that killed my brother, when I killed my brother. This is the same spot Azun died. What are the odds? I lost one brother here, now I'm about to lose another. I can't let this happen. I can't have two brothers haunting me for my mistakes.

I look up. Luke hands Mike some contact lenses. I know Mike needs those to see long distance and shoot more accurately, but he hasn't worn them in years, not since he gave up being a sniper and stepped up to be the dictator of Malison. His contacts have sights on them to help him aim better. Why would he wear them now?

Nathaniel stands ready, like a deer in headlights of death. He is staring at the gun with those blue eyes of his that make the sky turn gray.

Mike blinks as he put in his contacts. He and Nathaniel stand back to back. Mike closes his eyes to adjust them correctly. What exactly is he doing? It only takes me a split second to see what his dark plan is to actually take a deadly and accurate shot at my little brother. Mike is shooting to kill, and Nathaniel is at the end of the barrel. It is either Mike or Nathaniel dying here tonight. There will be one shot, a shot heard 'round the world that will divide this family and change the course of history forever.

"Nate!" I run over to my brother. I have never called him that before. I have never been closer with him than we are right now. I grab onto his shoulders, looking into those angelic eyes. I prepare to give him one more word of advice before he might pass onto the next life.

"Ames, what is it?" His eyes are so big, so blue, and so pure. So alive... please stay alive my dear brother, I can't lose you the same way I lost Azun.

"Look at his eyes," I tell my brother. "Aim right between them. Shoot through and true. I am sorry I was a jerk to you. I promise after this I will never be mean to anyone again. I won't be narcissistic, and I absolutely promise that I will be kind to everyone. I promise I will change." Tears fall down my face as I hug him tight. "Just make sure I do not lose another brother tonight. I don't want to lose you too."

"Another?" Nathaniel asks. He doesn't know about my past duel. He doesn't know Azun Watcher Zodiac is dead. He doesn't know I killed him.

I let go of him and he moves back over to Mike. Nathaniel's face is dry as he positions himself back to back for the duel. He doesn't shed a single tear, as I shed a thousand for the both of us. He looks confused as he asks me one final question.

"What do you mean?"

I can't answer that question. I cannot admit to myself that I am the reason Azun died. Nathaniel can't know Azun is dead. Those two were so close, and it would break his heart and shatter his soul. I know Nathaniel would pray for death so he could be with his favorite brother. Luke claps his hands for us to hurry this up.

"Live or die," I state the Malison motto to myself, "Always succeed."

Ten seconds.
Ten paces.
Ten counts.
I could lose another.
Mike or Nathaniel.

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▫️Nathaniel:

Ames is crying. I don't know what to do. Why is he crying? He never cries. He is proud, bold, self-centered, determined. Not pitiful and sad. I mean, sometimes my brother does get emotional, but never like this.

Something must be wrong or else the universe is falling apart.

"One," Luke says.

I step forward. My head sends out a pain signal, again I feel the heat of fire. But I have to make my family proud. I can not--no, will not--miss this shot. I am the best archer in the galaxy; a gun is basically the same. Right?

"Two." Ames wipes off the final tears from his cheek.

What was he talking about? Losing another brother? I count through my many siblings. Everyone is alive. The only one in my family who has died is my father. I know he is not a sibling because he is my dad. Why isn't anything clear to me? It's like I have a wall blocking my mind. I feel another jolt of pain in my brain as if some bug is fighting its way through, causing major damage to my brain.

"Three," Luke states.

Why does each number have such a long pause after it? Am I nervous? This is my first duel I have ever fought in; I hope I'm doing it right. The seconds slowly ticking by are a slow burn, a fire moving through my brain.

The thought of fire pierces my soul. This time I see figures in the flames. But I continue stepping onward with each count. I cannot just give up on making Azun proud. I cannot wait to tell him about this once I get back. I haven't seen him in ages, Ames keeps telling me he has been busy with work. Ames is the best lawyer out there, so he is always busy with being a hero and saving the day.

I know my father is watching me from beyond the grave as I take the next step... he has never been proud of me. I hope for once I will be worthy to be called his son.

"Four." Ames has his eyes fixed on me.

The news article that my brother gave me rests in my pocket. A thought comes to my mind. What did that say again? I barely skimmed over it since I needed to run to get here on time. It read of a suicide. But something in my mind prevented me from understanding what this article said. I remember about the details of this kid jumping off the bridge that is only ten minutes away from where I stand. The only thing I can't remember was who the article was about. I go over it in my mind as fast as I can, then as I force myself to remember the title of the article... I freeze up as it remember it read: Suicide of Azun Watcher Zodiac.

"Five," Luke, the devil, boldly declares.

My heart falls, that fire burns in my mind. I can see the faces of the victims now, I recognize those faces, I know those people. They are my friends... and I can see Luke there too, but he is not in the flames. He is laughing as he watches them burn. Luke is destroying my friends... he made me watch and made it so I couldn't remember that. I remember the surgery. I remember Luke erasing this from my mind, because he knows I could go to the press and ruin bad reputation.

"Six." Ames clenches his jaw.

I pause for a second; his suicide can't be my fault. I think of all the reasons Azun would want to die, until I come up with the only solution... Mike and Luke made Azun feel like he was unwanted; Ames destroyed my brother's career. They all metaphorically pushed him off the edge of that bridge and caused my brother to commit suicide. It is their fault I'm never going to see him again. I grip the gun tighter in my hand as my fingers turn white. I just want to shoot their faces but I only have one bullet.

"Seven," Luke's tongue snaps.

I blink as my memories begin to return to me. I remember my Earth friends. Alvin, Magistrate, Uriah, Glow, Skadi, and Vector. I especially remember everything we did, everything Stinger and I did on that night in the barn. She was my love, she was my everything. I can see them up in heaven. I remember Luke messing with my mind. He made me forget them.

He is the enemy; he killed my friends and erased them from my life!

"Eight." Ames focuses on me as if I am about to fall and he is waiting to catch me.

I look up and see my friends, beckoning me to join them in heaven. It would be so easy, I would have to aim at the ground by my feet and let Mike do the rest. He is an exceptionally good shot with a gun. It would be such a clean and quick death for me.

"Nine," Luke states.

I am coming for you, Mike and Luke. Just one more number. Just one more step. Just one bullet. They cannot be in charge of this planet; they will never be in command. My finger is ready on the trigger. I remember Stinger's song to me just before she died.

'You're soaring. I'm burning... my love for you shines brighter than the midnight sky as we watch the fireflies.'

She was right; she did burn in the end. Why did she have to be right about everything? I may have wings, but I don't feel like flying. I am as light as air, yet I have never felt more weighed down before in my life.

'Face it Nathaniel... You are nothing in this family.' Luke had whispered to me during the surgery. 'You are born the youngest, you have the weakest power. You are nothing. Remember this Nathaniel, nobody cares or loves you. The only person who did is dead. You are nothing but a seventh child now.'

I just need to wait a moment longer till I can shoot; my finger is locked onto the trigger.

"Ten!" Luke and Ames both shout, with excitement and fear in their voices. The tension is on. These millisecond will define my life and take up chapters in my history. Cause now with these memories back, I am no longer who I once was. 

"I am am Seven!" I declare to the world. I have found my new name, a name that means something to me. Nathaniel is dead;  Nathaniel ceased to exist when I got back. "Call me Seven." I snap as I turn on my heels, and I can feel time moving, slowing, even though Luke isn't using his powers.

I remember and understand it all now. They all killed Azun. Luke covered my mind with a wall to keep the truth from me. He made me watch my friends die. My late love, Stinger, is burnt to ashes. She is gone. Everything is Luke's fault.... and Luke's best friend is Mike, and it would pain Luke more if I shot Mike.

I turn and shoot my single shot, aiming to kill. I release all the anger building up inside me that I require to be able to shoot my brother. I want them to feel what they have made me feel. The bullet leaves the barrel and I feel myself stumble back from the heavy kick of a dueling gun.

I pray for Azun to keep his eyes on me. I promise his life will not go in vain, this shot will not be wasted. I will start a civil war if I have to, or die trying to avenge my brother from the grave. Nothing they did was okay by me.

That final shot of division is heard around the planet.

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