Back in the Emerald Kingdom shortly after their swift introduction to Caldo their squad leader. Reha had stormed off visibly upset about something. Brandon pursued her leaving his brother Zack alone at their temporary training area.
Searching through the forest was proving difficult as the leaves hid footprints. So instead of relying on footprints he used mana detection and followed the trail. Brandon and Zack's mana detection was among the best in the Emerald Kingdom despite their age. Tracking Reha who wasn't good at suppressing her mana was easy for him.
[" She went quite far."] He had been walking into the woods for about 15 minutes now following her mana exactly as he perceived it. He heard running water some distance away, likely a river, and the Rehas mana was moving straight for it.
Brandon followed the mana trail for about 5 more minutes until he could see running water through the trees. A waterfall was also leading into this river the sun reflecting off of it treating a beautiful yellow glow against its running water.
A small clearing was ahead with a downed tree alongside the water. Sitting on it was a familiar figure. The one he had been searching for. Reha was sitting on the down tree watching the waterfall as it ran off and met the river below it.
Brandon walked up behind her quietly in an attempt to not startle her, but a crack from a stick below his feet alerted her... she didn't even turn her head to acknowledge him. She simply sat up a little as he got closer.
" You here to give me some sort of lecture..." She spoke first.
" Why would I..." Brandon stepped over the log and took a seat next to her, " I don't have any right to lecture you like some wise responsible adult. Were the same age." Reha's red hair gently sailed in the wind. Her eyes were stuck to the water as it ran fiercely in front of them.
" Well, you are always taking on the big brother role." Brandon saw a gentle smile cross her face.
" That's because me and my brother are twins. We've mostly been taught the same and act the same...I understand him almost as good as myself...I just try to understand other people better than he does."
"Yeah, that's the truth." Reha replied with no hesitation. The sound of a raging river overtook them as they sat and watched the water run. The sun glowed off the water bouncing up into their faces causing Brandons' hair to glow silver and Rehas' to glow red."
" I'm not here to say I understand your feelings." Brandon broke the silence. " I'm not even here to try, because I know I won't...Were different people after all."
Reha's head raised a little more and he could see her look his direction out of the corner of her eyes. She already knew he would be the one to come after her, and she was awaiting some grand speech, and she knew she would eventually tell him what was bothering her. That's why he was seen as the older brother, not just to Zack but by Reha as well.
" I'm only here to listen."
He couldn't understand how she felt as they were raised so differently. One has been told they were a prodigy, reincarnations of the first magic warriors the greatest of them all. He has won every single sparring match. Defeat wasn't a word in his dictionary.
The other though has only been told to keep improving. Put more into it. Has been forced to grow and evolve after every loss...Has had to chase after her friends who were far better than her...Unlike the brothers though...She didn't have such large expectations...The only person expecting great things from her was herself.
" Yea your right," After a moment of silence she spoke in a soft tone. " We are completely different. Our skills. our emotions and behaviors, and our reasons for joining."
Reha expected Brandon to at least say something so she paused for a moment, but no reply came. She turned her head slightly and saw him staring off into the water...Usually, she would have punched his shoulder for not paying attention, but as he said, he was only here to listen.
" You were in a way forced to join. People put massive expectations on you and expected you to join the military to meet those expectations. Both you and your brother."
A cool gust of wind blew past them picking up leaves and gently placing them into the running stream causing small ripples in the water. the leaves floated slowly down the running water along the current and down out of view.
" I like to think in a way I'm the same as you. I joined because I felt like I had no choice"
" But in reality. You did have a choice?" He finally spoke catching Reha off guard. The way he asked that question was in a way that didn't demand an answer...But more like he was stating a fact.
" I mean yeah I did, but in my mind... I didn't." Brandon heard a little shakiness in her voice. " My family has never been skilled in magic. Leading to us not having a lot of money...You know since magic is so important for work and stuff."
Brandon did understand that. While he hadn't ever had to work he knew that being skilled at magic led to better jobs. The way you lived your life reflected how good you were with magic. It doesn't matter how much mana you have but how well you can use it. Brandon and Zacks' lifestyle was a perfect example of this.
" . . .My family," After a short pause she continued. " seemed destined to live in poverty...That was until I manifested my hereditary magic." Reha held out her hand and winds seemed to bend to its will, picking up a large amount of leaves and then casting them into the stream.
" I learned that my mana output and control of my magic was far greater than anyone in my family's history."
" Oh." Brandon's eyes widened in surprise." You know. that's quite incredible Reha." "
He shifted his gaze to see Reha's face and saw a proud smirk cross it.
" Yea. I thought that too." That smirk quickly vanished. " When I found out I decided...I'm gonna be the one to bring my family up and make them happy. Give them a life truly worth living."
" Is that when you joined?"
" Yea. I pushed myself leading up to military training. I would train constantly trying to master my hereditary magic and trying to learn new magic...but then once I got to military training. I was a nobody."
I silence fell. Brandon felt like he should say something but didn't know what. Plus he had said he would simply listen and not try to understand, but is that really okay? He really only said it because it sounded right...He did mean it, he was simply there to listen but now he seemed to be digging a bit too deep into Rehas' history. They have known each other since they started in the military...If she wanted to tell him this he would have already, right?
" Still." Reha continued. " I put even more effort in and I did slowly improve...but every time I thought I was gaining traction I would simply run into someone else better than me. Reminding me that I'm simply average at best!" She was starting to become more emotional. Her voice was cracking...Brandon could see tears forming.
" Reha-"
" My family doesn't expect anything from me...Their okay with how things are, but I don't get it! They told me not to push myself so hard and to calm down...But I simply can't...! I am the only one who is capable of dragging us out of the shadow of society!"
" Re-"
" But no matter how hard I push myself and how hard I try. I am always reminded how average I am...And now. With war on the horizon...I still expect myself to be the one to protect people, to protect my family...But I know that eventually I'll be reminded that I am incredibly average."
Brandon was left speechless as she poured out her feelings. She had never expressed this to either Zack or him. Meaning the thought of war is what brought these out. That's what caused her to get so angry at Zack and Caldo.
" I can't die...Like I've said I've got people to protect and...I want to stay friends with you all...but what am I going to do If my being in your squad slows all of you down?...Because I know I'm simply nowhere near your levels...Even Caldo"
" Reha you wo-"
" What if I get us all killed...These past years I've been training even harder just trying to get anywhere close to your level...but no matter what I stay average. It doesn't matter how hard I try-"
"Reha!" Brandon reached out and grabbed her shoulder with a firm grip. " No more cutting me off." He was closer to her. Their eyes were only a couple of inches away from each other. " It doesn't matter...Any of it. Me, Zack, even Caldo...Listen we were all assigned together for a reason."
" Huh?"
" We all trust each other. You might be average, but guess what? I know no matter what you will fight alongside us. Zack knows that too. Caldo will learn that...There is no other I would rather have on the team."
Reha was left silent. Her bright red eyes were wide and reflected the silver from Brandon's eyes. The leaves spun and the sunlight danced between them highlighting Reha's red hair. After a moment Brandon let go of Rehas' shoulder and slowly returned to his original position.
" Listen." He spoke once more. " Even if we end up going ahead of you...Leave you behind for a time...I know you'll watch our backs...and await for our return...Reha. We won't let you give up."
Another thick silence fell as the wind picked up...The sunlight was beginning to dwindle as it was disappearing behind the taller trees. Noticing this Brandon stood up and motioned toward the way back...but before he could take a step Reha parted her lips.
" Should I really accept it?"
" Huh?" Brandon turned around to face her.
" . . .What Caldo said before I stormed off. Acceptance...What did he mean exactly by that?"
Brandon stood and thought for a moment. Placing his hand along his chin.
" Look. Like I said I'm not some wise old man. Were the same age so I don't understand these things any better than you....But...The way I see it. There's nothing wrong with being average.
Reha's eyes narrowed.
" Accepting that you're not as strong as somebody else is fine. Or accepting that you're just not in their league...But never stop striving to be something better."