A/N: Thanks again for reading After Dark! Also, I'm a beginner of beginners at writing battle scenes but I'll give it my all and try!

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Gawain stepped forward, hands tightly gripping the hilt of his sword. Although his face was expressionless but his eyes betrayed worry.

Aaron watched his younger brother's back. The latter had come up with a plan; whether it would work or not, the teens didn't give a damn. At least they would have tried.

'Anytime soon now...' the mercenary thought.

Gawain walked towards his fellow knights whilst Aaron stretched his hand in front of him. The mage's grimoire levivated, surrounded by a cold green glow.

" Any suspicious move and he'll kill us instantly, " the knight jutted his thumb in Aaron's direction while talking to his comrades.

" So that bastard wants something in exchange of your freedom, huh? " Helios remarked, sword already grasped firmly in his hand, " What is it that he wants? Money? His freedom? Land? "

Gawain's gaze darkened at the mention of money and land. Pressing his lips in a thin line, he unsheathed is blade at a frightening speed. The blade pierced through Helios' heart.

" Wha- " the Captain gasped, eyes wide and incredulous. The other knights froze as they saw their leader cough out blood.

" I'm sorry, " Gawain whispered, tears blurring his sight. The ravenette refused to meet their shocked gazes as he pulled out the blade from his senior's abdomen.

Helio fell to his knees; his face twisted in a mixture of disbelief and worry. Soon the captain's face also touched the ground.

" Captain! " Adrien yelled, finally processing what had just happened and startling the others out of their stupor.

" What the hell!! " Eugene shouted at Gawain, " Why!? " the red-head unsheathed his sword; anger boiling within him and ready to charge at the one he already labelled as a traitor.

" Eugene, wait, " Brandon stretched his arm in front of his best-friend, lips pressed together in a tight line. The brunet met Gawain's gaze who surprisingly held it.

" It's that bastard, right? " Brandon glared at Aaron, " He put you up to this, didn't he? He's controlling you with his magic. "

Gawain shook his head. Without a word, he closed his eyes. When he opened them, his emerald hues exuded determination albeit a hint of sadness or guilt. The ravenette readied his sword and adopted a fighting stance.

Witnessing all this from a certain distance, Aaron sighed.

' You want me to take all the blame, little brother? That's fine. After all, didn't I always cover up for you when we were little... ' The platinum blonde chuckled as a fond memory surfaced from his mind, ' I may have been too lenient on you...'

The male's face darkened and his lips curled up into a creepy smile, " Then you should let me take the responsibility. In the proper way! "

' You're too kind. I know you better than anyone else. Don't hate me. Please, don't hate me, Gawain... '

It happened so fast. Just like a bolt from the blue. It shot past Gawain. One had barely the time to blink. One blink was all it took. One blink and Eugene was down, blood quietly spilling out from his pierced throat. Another blink. Adrien was vomitting blood; Brandon was lying on his back, his own crimson liquid slowly forming a pool around him.

Gawain had barely the time to turn around and beg for his brother to stop. The second the remaining knights grabbed their swords, the ravenette was forced to witness his former comrades being bombarded by an unknown force. Most likely an advance spell for wind magic.

The bodies fell one by one, the dull 'clang ' of their ice-blue armors echoing throughout the Fargasian-Tajasvian border.

Gawain let go of his sword. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he fought the growing urge to scream. A jolt courses through the ravenette's body as he felt Aaron's hand fell on his shoulder.

" Gawai-- "

He slapped away Aaron's hand.

The blonde's eyes widened.

" Why!? " Gawain exclaimed in a half-broken voice, " Why!? Why did you kill them! "

" I- You're too kind-- "

" Do you not trust me!? "

" That's not it! I do trust you! I just-- "

" You just what? "

" I didn't want you to be burdened by their death, Gawain. You're-- "

" I told you I'd take care of them! "

" I know, I know, Gawain. But-- "

" No buts, Aaron. "

" Gawain, I-- "

" No! I don't want to hear any excuses! "

" I'm sorry, " the blonde apologised.

The ravenette covered his ears, " Shut up! " he clenched his jaws, " You don't trust me anymore do you? "

" No-- I mean I do trust you, idiot! I just-- "

" I thought you were too exhausted to make a move. "

" I gathered the last bits of mana I had left to-- "

" To what? " Gawain glared at his brother, " to help me? "

Aaron went silent. Then, after a long while he replied firmly, " Yes, I believe I did help you. "

Gawain looked at Aaron, horrified, " You didn't have to kill them!! "

" But you would have let them live, right? And the King would have us tracked down till we breathed our last. "

" They didn't deserve such a terrible end. "

" You wanted freedom,Gawain and that freedom comes at a cost. " Aaron turned his back to the ravenette, " Let's go now. We still got a long way till the Tajasvian border. "

The mercenary started walking away.

The young knight was shaking. He knew. He knew all of that. He was the one who suggested escaping, he was the one who set the gears in motion.

Closing his eyes, Gawain slowly got up. Suddenly, a scorching heat lashed out onto his skin.

" AAAAAAAARRRRRRHHHHGGGGG!!"

Aaron froze. He whirled around only to see his brother being engulfed by flames.

" Aa..ron..." the ravenette managed to croak before the mercenary was blasted off into the distance by the force of the explosion that ensued.

-*-

The air smelled of burned flesh. Every breath Aaron took sent pain pulsing through his entire body. But his mind was racing, repeating the only thought that clouded his conscience

Gawain. He wouldn't accept his brother's death. Not a death as pathetic as this one. The mercenary would not accept that the ravenette was bested by a half-dead mage's last magical prowess. No. He wouldn't. The idea itself was too ridiculous. The smell that stained the air was just illusion. That explosion was just another illusion.

Gawain did not die. He did not.

Gathering the last ounces of his strength, Aaron rolled onto his stomach and started crawling towards where he thought Gawain was. Next to his comrades.

Aaron's breaths were shaky, his head was spinning but he ignored it all. He ignored his soot covered arms on which multiple cuts could be made out, ignored the hot liquid that he felt trickling down his forhead, ignored how his clothes clung to his flesh; fused as one by the flames.

The blonde kept pressing onwards.

'Gawain, Gawain, Gawain, Gawain. You cannot die, you must not be dead.'

Aaron felt dizzy. Breathing became an increasingly difficult task for the blonde. He reach out, pulling himself an inch closer to Gawain's location however black spots invaded his line of sight and soon enough everything went black.

Aaron's body slowly lost its strength. His breaths grew scarcer, slower.

One.

Two.

Three.

And the last breath was drawn.

-*-

Aaron's emerald eyes burst open. He sat up in the bed, panting.

" Bad dream, sweetheart? " came a crystal clear, calm voice.

Aaron's head snapped to his right only to see a woman dressed in simple light brown dress holding a bucket filled with wet clothes, smiling at him through the window of his room.

The breeze picked up, her lush chocolate brown hair bellowed to the right. Her bright emerald eyes gazed at him lovingly yet no one knew the depth of knowledge that hid behind them. The sight was almost surreal.

" Aaron? " the woman repeated.

" Ah! Umm...yeah. Morning, mom," the platinum blonde shook his head and groggily stood up.

" Morning, little thief, " the woman chuckle, " Do me a favour and tell Gawain to come help once he's done eating. "

Aaron nodded. The rough, wooden floorboards creaked under his bare feet as he made his way to their small kitchen where he found Gawain stuffing his face with bread and butter.

Cheese was a luxury they could not afford.

' Not yet ' Aaron corrected himself.

" Leave some for me, bastard, " the blonde said, ruffling Gawain's ebony- black hair fondly on his way to the bathing area, " Mom's telling ya to give a hand with those clothes. "

" Got tish. Weah, I shill " Gawain answered, mouth still full.

***

Aaron splashed water on his face. Gawain was already out helping with the laundry.

The water was cold against his skin. It stirred something within him. Something overwhelming enough to make his legs give out. Quickly, Aaron grabbed the sink's rim to prevent himself from falling.

Suddenly, his whole life flashed before him: Judith, his mother, Gawain, their house on fire, Gawain and him left to fend for themselves, the Royal Knight who took Gawain away, his loneliness, the witch,  Raeburn, the mercenary troupe, failing to kidnap Princess Selene, fleeing with Gawain, the dragon, the bazaar, their last hug, the border, the Knights, that fireball...Gawain's death....his death...

Panting heavily and gasping for air, Aaron let himself fall. He brought a trembling hand to his face. He felt so vulnerable, so fragile. The smell of burnt flesh surrounded him while the sensation latched onto his whole body. The mercenary moaned in pain.

It felt way too real. As if etched into my soul itself with heated iron.

Then,that meant....

He...they, his mother and Gawain...were dead. Very much dead.

Aaron scanned the house. He could hear his mother's faint giggles while his younger brother's voice came like an incomprehensible flow of words. Yet here he was. Alone.

He sat there contemplating his hands. Lost in thoughts all alone.

As the pain slowly faded away, the blonde inhaled deep, slow breaths. After a while, he shook his head chasing negative thoughts away.

That dream it felt so real. But is not the present which matters the most? Right now, their mother was still alive. Gawain was still alive. What more could he ask for?

No. He dared not ask for more.

All three of them; Mother, Gawain and him reunited in the afterlife.

Weirdly enough...Aaron was happy. The three of them would continue living on happily like this. In peace and together. That nightmare was just another bad dream. Nothing more.

For once, they'd enjoy a happy ending. Even if it was in the afterlife.