" Hey little brother are you sure it's fine?"
" What is?"
I looked at the young man now my family.
His back was broad enough to carry the whole village on it. To adopt a girl who lost everything, to make the girl everyone give upon a beautiful flower who never stops smiling.
To teach a fool the words he decided to build his entire new life on...Family is all.
" Nothing..I was getting ahead of myself."
I wanted ask, if it ok not to fight Emet?
I still believed with him and all that we learned from him..we might have a chance to kill a divine beast. But he wouldn't like it. He just found happiness..and wasn't willing to part with it.
I understood him better than most. He was burning to fight like myself. He loved to fight. No one that good at it can possibly hate it. It just he found someone or someones he loved even more.
The others lead the animals front and were talking lightly. We made excellent time. Zephyr wanted to keep to Lylly words. Ahh.. new love was adorable. Made me remember Demelza how she followed around before I asked for hand at winter.
The road was untouched and travelled.
Merchants the only one who dared but, they only did with dozens of mercenaries. All the mountain belonged to Emet. It wasn't necessarily dangerous more like sacred.
My grandfather used to tell stories about fights that for a childs ear sounded glorious.
What he didn't say is how the sounds of bones being crunched were like. The cries of agony that followed, the smell of blood stayed in you nostrils for weeks. Or all the the nightmares that followed.
The reason, I kept going back was simple.
All those given their lifes..it had to be for something. No one ever said out loud because it's sounds crazy! Hell even thinking it was. But all of us went up that mountain with the same glorious purpose like the previous generation..to kill Emet.
" You more silent than usual brother. " - he looked behind with genuine concern. " What's wrong? Talk to me.."
As always, I relied on him to pull me away from useless thoughts. What my Demelza said to me after waking up still rang in my ear after he knocked me flat with a single well placed kick..' I won't let my foolish brother kill himself'.
I knew right then..we are a family.. and family is all.
" Just thinking about future glories and throwing you a great big wedding comes the snow.." - I walked beside him and patted his back." I warn you Zephyr. You be cold as balls..hahaha!!"
" Fool..I'm looking forward to it."
" Hahaha..!"
Let's deliver this lot to the ancient pen and leave. Let's celebrate tonight with our families and start our futures tomorrow.
It took use fice hours to reach the clearing.
There it was the Pen. Our ancestors build for the animals. Legend says it was all built by the women who's husband died one disastrous sacrifice. It was quiet..to quiet. No birds or even the sounds insects.
" Whoa..you were right Alex. This place is creepy. With the animal pen in the middle." - Zephyr pointed at the near perfect circle.
" I told you. Did ever tell you that lege.."
" Yes yes.. it was built by women who lived up here the mountains for months. Let's go and placed them and go home please."
I laughed watching him anxiously want get home quickly as possible. He was right.
I saw young Lucian help him gather the animals inside. I looked behind me and saw the houses down the distance. Our land was sure beautiful..but also cursed.
" It's damn quite no..Jartok? " I turned to my right.
Norman ..his wife is Lylly's friend.
" Sure is..I remember it more..alive." - I kept having this bad feeling. The damn silence was unnatural.
" I sure wish to see Zephyr land a kick on that bloody monster huh? " - he patted my back and I could barely remember the frail guy who was one of the first to join.
I laughed.. I wanted too see that to.
CLOMP,CLOMP,CLOMP.
Just then I heard loud thumps and I knew what it was from some of my bad memories. I had no time.
Emet broke through some trees and landed near the other side of the Pen.
" RUN!!"
Someone shouted and chaos insued. I figured we have some time. Emet will be busy with the animals.
I turned to run but I heard screaming. One of ours got caught by him it was Rick...and just like that he was gone. Long dead before his lower body touched the ground.
He went straight for him. The animals were in a frenzy yet he ignored them.
I allowed a second to appreciate his size and strength. Muscular, his legs were as big as me standing. The biggest lion type divine beast ever recorded.
He's speed maybe it's only weak points. His purple main was now drenched with blood. Before, I knew he finished his meal and headed towards me. I draw my sword and lowered my center to gain better balance.
He never attacked me...
TAPTAPTAPTAP.
Zephyr was running towards it with his blade not even drawn. Emet took notice and run at him head on.
What is he doing!!?
" BROTHER!! GET OUT THE WAY!!!"
He didn't hear me or maybe just didn't want to.
In the orange hew by the setting sun he disappeared like a lie just before collision.
I blinked and Emet stopped confused. But I saw a familiar blue haired man on his top standing. He reached down.. I could see his fingertip touch his back and both Emet and him was nowhere to be found.
They were gone..the silence returned and the nine still alive friend of ours walked forward.
" ZEPHYR!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?" - I whipped my head around wildly but all I saw it frightened comrades doing the same thing.
By Ehlite..where are you?
" Alexander!!! WHERE ARE THEY!?? "
I ignored Lucian panicked screams and scanned and re scanned the surroundings.
No..no. What? I ran around in circles. Others were screaming things, the animals running around crazy. The 200 ft circle of clearing it was only 9 member alive and one had only a pait of legs of him left.
A minute or more passed and I began to believe he just died with Emet and turned into...nothing.
{Whistle.}
Just then an unnatural sound of falling...I looked around but, saw nothing.
" ABOVE US!! "
I looked up so fast, I hurt my neck. I saw..something big falling fast.
I ran with the rest and only heard of the sounds of bones shattered, a sickening thud, something hitting the ground very hard.
CRASH!!!
I ran up to see...it was Emet.
He was...broken terribly, terribly broken it's corpse emitting steam. The amount of purple blood was everywhere and the sight .. it was stomach turning.
The smell was..delicious however. It was all to overwhelming. Emet was dead..but where is Zephyr??
I checked the sky for him..maybe..
" ALEXANDER!!! IT'S HIM!!"
I run towards Lucian standing a bit far off and found my little brother under a tree lying flattened and unmoving.
We run up to him and turned him around. Is he dead? Is he?
He was breathing steadily..he was hot to the touch yet some of his clothes were cold as ice. What the hell happened?
I was so relieved, I didn't notice how everyone left Emet body and gather around us.
I felt someone tapping my shoulders.
" Blessed..by Ehlite."
It was Lucian. Who after said that went and took a knee next to him. The others soon followed him
" Blessed.."
" Ehlite.."
" Blessed by Ehlite."
" Chosen by God."
" Bles..."
" Son of Ehli.. "
" Son of God..."
They all knelt near my little brother and me.
I looked at his face..Zephyr? Who exactly are you?