REY

Eskarina panted behind me as I sparred with my elder brother. His strikes were vicious, and each time he struck, I felt as though I were fighting a real fight instead of a sparring match. He had a burning rage in his eye's,which I could feel with every time that our blades crossed, the vibrations sent his anger coursing through my body,almost making me want to stop the fight just to see if he needed to calm down.

Although it were nothing more than a sparring lesson,Nova fought as if it were a real fight, with the intent to land a killing blow as quickly as possible,even if it cost him his own body.

It wasn't long until we had both exhausted eachother out. Nova panted,his chest rising and lowering with each passing second.

"Even with Esk's help,you're still pretty tough to beat big brother."

That blade of yours...is something else as well.

Nightmare...his blade was as broad as a short broadsword yet had the length of a longsword and it's grotesque visage...I wondered how he even managed to lift it...let alone how such a large blade remained on such a small hilt. He swung it with the weight behind him with his sword technique, his ice pick stance, which put almost all the weight of the sword down on his spine...

"So,we done here?" He asked as Nightmare began to merge with his body. It was almost as if the blade were sucked into his palm,a gaping wound opened as the malicious blade slowly retreated back within his right arm,muscles and other body parts wriggling round within Nova's arm as Nightmare retracted,making me uneasy at the sight.

"I am...I'm exhausted." I said,stretching slightly.

Eskarina could barely breathe behind me. I laughed,watching closely as Nova approached her. He held his hand out,with Eskarina seeming to not notice until Nova spoke.

"You did well Eskarina."

Her eye's lit up for a few moments at Nova's compliment. I could tell just from her reaction that congratulations was something Nova never gave her very often.

So you do have a soft spot for her...

I smiled to myself as I rose to my feet. Eskarina set her hand in Nova's and he gently pulled her up to her feet. I left the two alone,walking down the hallway,stretching as my steps slapped against the tiled floor beneath me.

You know...for simple barracks,this place has beautiful architecture.

My head spun round, admiring the white and gold design I had seen so common amongst the royal imperial buildings. The signature white and gold captured my eye. White was my favorite colour, and I myself often wore a white cloak with a golden trimmed design.

"Nova!" A cry came.

I didn't care for it at first. Wasn't my name they were callin after. So I just let it wash over me. Until I felt someone's weight in my chest. I looked down,to see a girl with long flowing hair of gold.

"Nova..."she sobbed.

Nova? I wasn't my big brother...

"Um..."

"Nova," she sobbed, clutching my cloak and burying her face into my chest. "He...he said such horrible things to me..."

Wait...

Wait a second...

Does she...think I'm Nova?

Fuck...not a lot of people aside from Eskarina knew I was his twin. I hadn't gained acknowledgement from any of his other peers and I wasn't exactly active on missions and assignments as the rest of them were...

How the fuck do I tell this girl I'm...not Nova? Relax...Rey...breathe. Just tell her. No biggie.

Yeah. No biggie. Just tell the crying girl that I wasn't the person she was looking for even though I looked just like the person she was looking for.

"Hi...um...Miss?" I began, my voice shaking slightly.

The girl rose her head,which revealed possibly the most beautiful sets of green eye's I'd ever seen.

"I...you have me confused."

She blinked rapidly,confused while she wiped her tears away.

"I'm...What do you mean Nova?"

"I'm not Nova Miss. Heh...I'm his twin." I said,smiling in embarassment.

My face is a fuckin tomato right now isn't it?

She immediately pulled away from me, wiping her tears from her cheeks.

"I...Twin?" She asked. "Nova never mentioned a sibling before."

That's because he's presumed me dead for the longest time...

I can't outright say that to her...

"Sonja?"

Thank the gods,the real Nova is here.

The girl rushed to Nova,running past me and throwing herself into his chest, breaking down all over again.

"Sonja...what's wrong?" Nova asked.

He was gentle with her, not thinking her weak or looking down at her because she was crying like most men of the North I'd encountered over my journey's.

I was always afraid. I'd heard so much stories about the Empires Grim Reaper,about my brother who slaughtered countless men and women on the battlefield without a hint of remorse or regret,standing a top mountains of corpses and transforming the battlefield into an ocean of blood and the entrails of those who stood in his way. My expectations for my elder brother...were low. I wanted us to have something in common,yet we were polar opposites, and all the stories I'd heard led me to believe he was some cold hearted killer without empathy for others. Yet...his actions and softness toward others despite his dark and brooding personality showed otherwise.

You know big brother...I was afraid you'd be a prick...but now,I'm glad I have someone to look up to.

Again,I was smiling to myself,grin stretching from ear to ear.

"Sonja..." Nova said,pushing her chin up so that she could face him.

"My father...he said such horrible things...I..."

"Calm down...breathe...just relax."

Sonja's breathing slowed,her sobs reducing to a few sniffles.

Big brother has a way with women huh?

Handsome, talented,strong, hates it when I annoy him. He was definitley brother material, which made things a bit better than I expected.

"What happened?"

"I was asking father why Elena had to die...he told me that he wished I was never born, that I could never be close to what she was. That I...I..."

"Shhh it's okay. We both know how your father is-"

"No Nova." Sonja said,shaking her head. "He was different this time...the tone in his voice was so sincere...like he'd always hated me."

"I don't hate you. I know you feel like everyone hates you after what he said,but I don't."

"I don't hate you either!" I said, giving Sonja a pat on the back. "And hey, even if your pops did mean what he meant, then he's just a prick."

"Good evening Commander."

Behind us stood a man,who kept an upright stature and a rather formal look about him.

"Clovius...what do you want?" Brother asked.

"The Emperor requests that you make your way to the city of Elysium at once. He wishes the head of his daughters murderers to be mounted on his walls within a week."

"A week?"

Elysium takes two weeks to travel there by ship...Nova wouldn't even be able to begin his assignment within that sort of time frame...

Roman was being ridiculous.

"Elysium is too far for me to get there in just a single week."

"I know Nova. That's why I will do my best to buy you some time. It appears Emperor Roman grows tired of waiting for his daughter to be avenged. I barely left the palace before I saw Sylvas returning to his carriage,mumbling to himself about how he would finally be able to reclaim his families honour."

Nova's eye's fell away from us, and Sonja stepped away from him.

"Nova...if you won't kill them for my father...do it for me."

His eye's fell onto Sonja again as she began her bargain. "I want my sister avenged...no matter what it takes...but I also want to be able to move on...accept that she's gone. I know my father. It won't be enough for him. He'll want to eradicate all of the elves. Please...it's better to kill one than risk the lives of millions."

"I can't do it in a week-"

"You don't need to. Take all the time you need."

"Princess Sonja...all due respect but such actions are ill-advised."

"He follows the will of someone born of royal blood. He's not in the wrong. Father can't do a thing. I say he takes his time. He still needs to arrive at Elysium,start investigations,track down her murderer. All tasks that cannot be done in a fucking weeks time. My father asks too much of him."

"Your father won't see it that way Princess Sonja..."

"We will make it so that he does." Sonja said,the girl standing determined as her hands curled into fists. "You want revenge Nova...I know you do. I want justice. My father...my father wants a war. You kill no one except for the person responsible for my sisters death. Is that clear?"

"Clear as day Sonja."

Clovius looked at me,his eye's scanning my body. "Commander-"

"My brother. My twin."

"Yes,I assumed as much, might I suggest a plan of action?"

"I already have one Clovius."

"Ah,I see. I do not know what you're thinking Commander,yet you must tread carefully, the Emperor's patience grows thin with each passing second."

Sonja gave Nova a hug, walking to me before she gave me one as well,which...admittedly made me feel slightly awkward.

Once we were alone, Eskarina appeared beside Nova.

"We're going to get Amaani aren't we?"

"Esk, go to my room. Wait for me there. You don't open that door for anyone unless you know its me."

Eskarina looked at Nova, then left without question.

"Rey, come with me."

I followed my elder brother until he led me back to the central courtyard.

"Listen to me. I have a plan. But in order for it to work, I need you to do something."

"Anythin to help big brother,you name it. "

Nova filled me in on his plan. It was outrageous...crazy...so crazy it just might work.

"Clovius said he overheard Sylvas mumbling about overthrowing me. I know the type of man that he is as well as his deep seeded hatred for me. He'll resort to the lowest of the lows to try and hurt me."

I nodded as I memorised each part of his plan.

Nova's eye's fell away once more,this time,holding a certain sadness within them. "Rey...can you promise me something?"

"Yes?"

"If I get hurt,or if anything happens to me,if things get too crazy here in the city for all of you,  you find mom, you take Eskarina,you take Sonja, and you leave the Imperial City with them. On the outskirts of the city, Northwest from the main entrance gates, you'll find a manor...take them there...you'll be safe."

"Northwest of the main entrance. Got i-"

Nova yanked me closer to him by my collar,one of his eye's pitch black. "You do not, I repeat, do NOT under any circumstances go to this place unless its absolutely necessary do you understand me? You don't go close to that manor unless you have no other choice and you've exhausted every other option. Is that clear?"

"Yeah...crystal."

The manor haunted or something?

He seemed nervous when he mentioned it. I assumed he truly meant it when he said I was only meant to find this manor as a last resort and a last resort alone.

"Don't go to the manor unless its an emergency. Gotcha."

"One last thing...you said you visited Mom. I need you to visit her again. Tell her who you are."

"I'm sorry what?"

"Do it. For yourself. For Mom. Your death has been eating at her for years,even more than mine has. You're alive...she deserves to know."

I let out a sigh. Hated to admit it but he was right. I just didn't know how to do it. How would I tell my mother I was alive,that I spoke to her once already...

I gotta do it...better sooner than never right? Plus...if I visit mom tomorrow,get it off my plate as quickly as I can,I can focus on helping Nova with this plan of his.

Even though it was...a pretty fucking ludicrous plan.

This isn't gonna work is it?