It's my birthday today! Woo!!🥳

Look, hear me out- Imagen it. 2 brothers, 1 the happy crown prince, 1 the exiled and bitter brother.

Hayate: older brother, 28 years old. He has black hair with purple streaks mixed in and blue eyes. He is the leader of rogue soldiers and exiled people. His name means "gale/storm"

Akio: younger brother, 27 years old. He has shoulder length black hair and purple eyes. He is the king. His name means "bright"

The song in this fic is "let my people go" from the movie: The prince of Egypt
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I send the pestilence and plague into your
house, into your bed, into your streams,
into your streets, into your drink, into your bread, Upon your cattle, on your sheep, upon your oxen in the field,
Into your dreams, into your sleep,
Until you break, until you yield.
I send the horde, i send the swarm
Thus saith the lord.

The day Shinobu's and Giyuu's first son was born was a stormy day, he was born as a lighting crackled and the lights flickered in the hospital on a fall evening. He got the name "Hayate" meaning Gale or hurricane. The boy had black hair with purple streaks scattered in and blue eyes like his father.

His little brother, born only a year after him, couldn't have been more different. Akio was born during a spring morning with no clouds and everything running smoothly. He had jet black hair and vibrant lavender eyes. He was given the name "Akio" meaning bright.

.

Akio was pacing. It was truly a tragedy, his own brother, his flesh and blood who had defended him in his youth, was now his enemy.

There were signs, of course there were. But being blinded by the familial bond they shared, Akio had ignored all the warning signs, and now his kingdom, his people, would pay for that blindness.

The battles fought by the northern kingdom and the exiled were brutal, each side lost people, each territory was damaged. Even now, there were several soldiers from Hayate's troops who were imprisoned. It had gone too far to be reversed. Hayate had surrounded a village, killing people every day to anger Akio, to make him snap. It was inevitable... The last, bloodiest battle would be fought soon, and as the king.. Akio was forced to fight his own big brother.

.

-Your highness, the troops are ready." Ryoko, a senior knight said and bowed. Akio noded at her. He was afraid to ask his next question, but he knew he had to.

-Thank you. How many are well enough to fight again?" Ryoko paused for a moment, before saying in a numb tone.

-There are just over 37 000 soldiers here." She said. He knew it... Of the 120-thousand soldiers he had at the beginning, only 37 000 remained. This war had raged on for just over 6 years, and all he had to show for it, was destroyed cities and battle scars. This had to end, and soon.

.

As Akio rode to the battle field, a meadow that stretched out as far as you could see, he felt oddly at peace. Maybe it was the adrenaline, or maybe it was the acceptance of death. Whatever it was, it dissapiared the moment he saw his brother. There he stood, the fallen prince who once wore a crown made of gold, dressed in armour but without a helmet, his black and purple hair wild and his blue eyes lit with malice. The same blue eyes their father had. The same blue eyes he saw after Hayate murdered their parents.

Once i called you brother,
Once i thought the chance to make you laugh.
Was all i ever wanted.

~Flashback~

It was a hot summer day at the palace. Hayate and Akio were 10 and 11. They were practising their sword stance and moves. Hayate always seemed to enjoy these practises more than Akio, but the younger brother loved practising with his brother, the life as the crown heir took up most of Hayate's life, their father often trained Hayate and Akio was with his mother more often.

Soon, Hayate was practising by himself, he swung his sword, his Knuckles white as he tested his limits on training dummies filled with hay.

-Ouch!" Hayate let out a frustrated groan and shook his hands. Akio dropped what he was doing and went to check on his brother.

-Huh, what is it?" Akio asked. Hayate muttered some curses and showed his hands. They had rope burns all over them. Akio looked up, Hayate looked like he was holding back tears, his grip on his sword had burned his hands, he should have stopped sooner.

-Wait here!" Akio ordered and sprinted off. Hayate sat down on a large rock and waited.

In about 10 minutes, Akio came back with a clean towel and a bucket of water. Hayate gave his brother a questioning look.

-Give me your hands." Akio commanded. Hayate sighed.

-Look, I'm fine, ok? It's just a little injury." He tried to get up but Akio nudged him back.

-Come on... Please?" He gave his best pout and Hayate groaned.

-Fine!" He said, annoyed. Akio's face lit up and he damped the cloth in the water. He pressed the cool water on Hayate's hands. It stung a little, but after a while it felt nice on Hayate's rough palms.

-Thank you, Akio." Hayate smiled after they were done.

-Your lucky you have the best little brother ever." He giggled. Hayate smirked.

-More like the most annoying little brother." He remarked. Akio put his hand over his chest dramatically.

-You wound me, brother." There was a few seconds of silence before they both Burst out laughing. Then, Akio got a mischievous idea. He took the water bucket and threw it on hayate with all his might. Hayate ghasped and Akio laughed even harder. Akio started sprinting across the castle grounds and Hayate got up, running after him.

.

A storm was brewing, it was as if the fallen were crying out for their living comrades.

I send the thunder from the sky
I send the fire raining down

The war horns sounded, the air echoed and swirled with thunder and battle cries as everyone rushed forward. Hooves of horses, metal of shields, swords and armour. The winds whipped and heavy rain pelted down on the soldiers.

Hayate was on horseback, he rummaged through the soldiers with his sword.

And even now I wish that God
had chose another,
Serving as your foe on his behalf
Is the last thing that I wanted...

~the night Hayate was exiled~

A dark shadow had loomed over the castle halls for years. The king and queen were powerless. They went to every psychic, every mage, asked all doctors they could find for an answer. But it always led them to the same words "That child will be the doom of the north." ...of course, they weren't willing to give up on Hayate, he was their first born, their son. But to assure themselves, Hayate would never become king. Akio had to become the ruler... Hayate didn't like the news he got on his 15th birthday.

Thunder boomed, maybe it was a warning, but Shinobu and Giyuu had blocked their ears to everything for years at this point. Why would they start to listen now?

It was over before anyone had time to react. Hayate was skilled with a blade, that night, he murdered his own parents, just for a cold throne that he could sit on, all alone.

When Akio and the guards found them, Hayate's hands were stained with blood, his expensive kimono dirtied and the golden crown dipped to the side. The queen and king lay dead before him. But what might have been the most heart breaking of all, was that Shinobu's dead hand was still griping her son's bloodied sleeve.

.

Despite everything, Akio couldn't bring himself to hate his older brother.

I send a hail of burning ice
On every field, on every town.

Everything was moving fast, but also slow. It was cold, yet hot, and the rush of battle seemed to be so far, yet so close at the same time. Akio was swiping his swords around, one soldier fell, then another, and another. All he could think was. "What will their mothers say? Could they weep for their children when they were exiled, or do they care?"

This was my home
All this pain and devastation
How it tortures me inside
All the innocent who suffer
From your stubbornness and pride...

This was unjust. All this blood, all this hate and violence. The fighting seemed to drag on for days even though it had been mere minutes since it all began. Akio continued to fight his way trough crowds of exiled soldiers and rogues, before he locked eyes with his brother.

He seemed to get lost in all the memories of the field that once sprouted wildflowers, yet was now littered with bodies.

I send the locusts on the wind
Such as the world has never seen
On ev'ry leaf, on ev'ry stalk
Until there's nothing left of green
I send my scourge, I send my sword
Thus saith the Lord!

~Another flashback~

A loud sniffling could be heard by the meadow beside the village. The younger prince, now 8 years of age, was bruised and miserable.

-Akio, what's wrong?" Hayate asked, going to his brothers side. He had just finished up training for the day, the sun was beginning to set.

-H-huh? Hayate, why are you here?" Akio asked, he rubbed his puffy eyes.

-Mother sent me to get you, dinner is served soon." Hayate answerd.

Akio was silent for a moment, before his small voice piped up.

-They took him.." he sniffled.

-Took who?"

-Stripey!" Akio cried out. Ah.. that made sense. His beloved tiger plushie. Well, whoever took it was about to regret it.

-Geez, it's just a stuffed tiger, no need to cry." Hayate teased. It only made Akio cry harder. Hayate pulled Akio up by his armpits.

-Come on, dinner, remember?"

Yet, the next day, Hayate skipped training and went to the village to find Stripey. He found it quite easily. He saw two boys, around 8 years of age, throwing the stuffed animal around like a ball.

-Oi! Give that back!" Hayate screeched. The boys turned around and laughed.

-Oh yeah? What are you gonna do, princey?" One of the boys asked, laughing. Hayate wasn't there to mess around. He marched to the two boys and punched the boy who held his brother's plushie. Even he was a little surprised by his outburst.

-Aw, what the heck?!" The boy yelled in pain, holding his nose. Hayate spit on the ground and turned around, heading home.

.

You who I called brother
Why must you call down another blow?

Hayate was heading towards his brother, rage evident in his eyes. Hayate struck trough another soldier, ramming his sword trough the man's heart. Akio winced, but he turned, his blade at the ready. This had to end...

.

-Ready, your highness?" Hayate mocked and bowed to Akio. Akio's heart was aching, he didn't want this.

Still, blades crossed, metal sparked and screeched as the two brothers attacked and countered at high speed. Akio was never as strong as Hayate, but he was quick, and he had stamina. While Hayate put all his might in to his blows, Akio aimed targeted strikes to the abdomen and legs. The fight seemed like it would never end.

I send my scourge, I send my sword

-Let my people go!" (Thus saith the Lord) Akio cried out as he doged another swipe at the head. Sweat trickled down both men's shoulders and neck. Akio's mussles screamed, he was exhausted, every warning bell in his body was telling him to give up. But he was just like his parents, he never listened.

Hayate got a nasty jab on the stomach from Akio, it almost knocked the wind out of him, but he didn't stop.

- You who I called brother
How could you have come to hate me so?
Is this what you wanted?" Hayate's every word dripped with poison as he attacked again and again. Akio was getting weaker and weaker, and he ran. He ran from Hayate and headed for the gorge. He knew he couldn't win in head to head combat. Hayate followed him furiously, Akio's life flashed. He remembered how as young children they would run this same path when they played tag, the memory so painful it almost made Akio sob.

I send the swarm, I send the horde...

Then let my heart be hardened
And never mind how high the cost may grow
This will still be so:

Hayate chased Akio all the way to the edge. He caught Akio and spun his brother around. His back was facing the gorge and he pushed Akio to the ground. The soft grass didn't comfort him as his head hit the ground and his ears rang.

Hayate laughed. His laugh was maniacal, it hurt Akio's ears. It was entirely different from the cheerful giggle his brother had when they were young... He wasn't his brother anymore, his brother had died a long time ago, this was just his body, someone else had taken it.

-I will never let your people go..." Hayate stood over his injured little brother. His sword raised in one final blow, his teeth flashed and his eyes were wild. Akio knew he had to, he knew.. but it didn't hurt any less.

Thus saith the Lord:

Thus saith the Lord:

I will not...

Let your (my) people go!

As the blade dropped down, Akio kicked up with all his might and aimed the blow at Hayate's knees. The crack that sounded was ear piercing. Hayate choked out a painful scream and fell back. His knees buckled and he landed on his butt. But there was nothing to land on but air. His arms flailed as he fell. Akio knew Hayate would die from the fall. The sickening boom that sounded when his Brothers skull cracked open could be heard all the way to the top of the gorge. Akio wanted to throw up. But he was too numb. He had just killed his own brother.

(The end)