As Keres sat there, catching his breath, Invel and Inara walked further away.
Nature itself seemed to mock the teenage boy, trees and descending snowflakes singing in his ears.
Pathetic. Winter's chill seeped through his clothes, intensifying the cold realization of his humiliation. The whispering leaves offered no solace, only amplifying the wretched taste lingering in his tongue.
Embarrassing. Slowly, he raised himself from the floor, every movement was a reluctant acknowledgment of the embarrassment that haunted him like ghosts. The moon cast its silver light on his face, laughing at his every attempt to regain composure.
Disgraceful. As he began walking, the snow crunched beneath his steps, creating a dissonant rhythm to the disgrace that settled upon his dropped shoulders.
His neck still throbbed with pain, carrying a physical reminder of his weakness. And as he touched the bruises on his neck, a stark realization unravelled within him—
An acknowledgment of his powerlessness in the formidable presence of Invel. The prince boasted an aura that surpassed the realm of his imagination, yet Keres grappled with the refusal to accept this reality.
Puzzled by his inability to utter a single word or raise even the slightest finger, he found himself immersed in contemplation. He wondered what might have happened had Inara not intervened. Moreover, the unsettling notion of how tomorrow's duel would have played out cast a shadow of uncertainty over his mind.
As he took another step forward, he realized his past triumphs had cultivated a sense of entitlement within him. In reality, everyone meets their match and today, that match revealed itself in the form of Invel. Right, it was always going to be a losing battle.
How could a mere crip possibly stand a chance against a man, whose very visage induces a tremor of inferiority in everyone fortunate enough to catch a glimpse at him?— he wondered. The introspective inquiry may have received no response but, the answer was pretty simple.
Gazing forward with his heart thudding an accelerated drumbeat, he gathered the remains of his dignity, determined to stand tall despite the humiliation. His breath formed a misty halo in the air, dispersing like subtle smoke.
He caught sight of a red maple, stripped bare by winter's touch.
Keres had never seen a deciduous tree in this part of the forest before. And so, he stared blankly at its dark, scally trunk. It's braches shot westwards, giving a frame that resembled the number seven.
Number seven. It was at that moment it dawned on him.
"The Seventh Dimension," he muttered softly.
His eyes widened, a sudden spark brightening his complexion.
His vision slowly began to slip away.
If the overwhelming sight of Invel was the source of his anxiety, then what he needed was a different approach. A sinister smile graced his face.
Keres' innate ability, 'The Seventh Dimension,' grants him the power to perceive thermal signatures. In exchange for his vision, it allows him discern the placements and trace the motion of every matter surrounding him; down to the most minute detail.
Fusing this ability with his keen battle instincts and the techniques he acquired before losing his memories made him nearly unstoppable. It was the cornerstone of his confidence in duels, the very essence that fueled his combat prowess. So how could he have possibly forgotten?— A perplexing inquiry echoed within his mind.
His usual range extends to the size of a small room, but when he intensifies his focus, he is capable of pushing this range beyond its limit. And in doing so, he realized the siblings hadn't ventured more than 60 meters away from his position. This realization made the teenager drop to his knees.
—
As the distant thud resounded, Invel's attention snapped and he instinctively turned his head to take a look.
"..." A subtle frown crept onto the prince's face.
Inara, oblivious to the sound, tilted her head in confusion.
"What's wrong, Lord In—" She spoke but her inquiry was drowned out by the thunderous laughter roaring from a fair distance away.
"Hahahahahahahahaha." Keres erupted in a sinister cackle, reclaiming the bloodstained sword he was forced to drop earlier.
Recognizing he had grabbed their attention, he stood up and began speaking in a voice audible enough for them to hear.
"What an arrogant bastard!" He sneered. A brief silence enveloped the winter woodland, before he resumed speaking. "Claiming to want what's best for her? How laughable!"
Invel had remained silent. He faced the provocation with a stoic gaze, but soon took a step towards Keres' direction. But Inara swiftly grabbed his arm from behind.
"Lord Invel... please." She pleaded, hoping the situation wouldn't escalate any further. Quite unfortunate that Keres wasn't finished yet.
"Pretend all you want but if you really cared for her happiness, you wouldn't be so clueless about her true desires, you manipulative piece of shit!" He spoke, his voice sparking with intensity.
Suddenly, the forest trembled and Invel appeared in front of the teenage boy.
Keres shuddered but swiftly rallied to regain composure.
"What exactly are you blabbering about, vermin?" The prince demanded and in response, the teenager tightened both fists, taking a moment before delivering his reply.
"My proposal is simple, grab that sword and face me. If I win, you gotta hand Inara over." He aimed the point of his sword at the other one lying on the floor.
Invel tilted his head for a second, then scoffed dismissively.
"Hey, are you trying to make a joke or what?" He inquired and Keres immediately replied.
"Joke? No way. I'm actually doing you a favor here."
"Yeah, right."
"Believe it or not, I can help her get what she really wants" Keres countered.
By this time, Inara, having hurried over, arrived beside a nearby tree. Catching her breath, she eavesdropped on the ongoing conversation between the two.
"And what's that supposed to be?" Invel asked, lifting his brows. Keres hesitated. Then, he swallowed a soft breath before responding in a composed voice.
"If you even bothered to notice, you'd realize how desperate she is to regain her lost memories." He said and Invel's eyes momentarily widened.
Next, the prince glanced at Inara who met his gaze with an emotionless look, only to cast her eyes downwards, an expression of guilt.
Invel sighed.
"I see..." The prince halted, his surprise wearing off. "So what? It's a bit hard to picture you challenging me over that."
"Well, it's kind of a mystery to me too, but it seems our pasts are somehow connected. And right now, I've got a gut feeling that I must help her get back those memories."
"Is that so?" Invel muttered, pausing, creating suspense. "Unfortunately, I won't allow that to happen." He declared.
"Yeah, I know. If she didn't mention it to you, it's 'cause she figured you'd be totally against the idea, you failure of an older brother." The teenager said, giving a deep frown.
Keres' words pierced through Invel like sharpened arrows. But even so, the prince hid his anger behind a faint smile.
"I suppose you've got a point," he halted, extending one arm towards Keres. The teenager's heart seized.
"But, you know, as much as I'm itching to beat the crap out of you right now, I made a promise... and I certainly stand to gain nothing from going back on my word." The prince gently wiped off the snow that scattered on Keres' shoulder.
"Fine, whatever. But keep in mind that if you don't stop me now, I'll just figure it out with her later at school."
"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Invel questioned, maintaining a stiff upper lip.
"Take it however you may, but if you defeat me now, I'll surrender and never bother you or her again."
Following a brief moment of silence, Invel spoke.
"I gotta admit, you're one annoying little piece of shit" He turned and began walking away, his boots imprinting on the snow.
"But you see, this mercy I'm showing you is all for Ina's sake..." He cast a terrifyingly hollow glance at the teenager before resuming his words. "You had better stop taking it for granted."
"Wait!" Keres reached forward with an arm, wrinkles forming around the corners of his face. "Invel!"
He tried to go after the prince but Inara suddenly stepped up and obstructed his path.
"It's alright, Keres..." She said as Invel crossed his arms, leaning against the bare maple tree.
"I'm sorry for how it all went down tonight," She gave an apology. "But I promise, I'll make everything right, please have faith in me!"
Inara placed her hand above her chest, the glittering golden fleck in her hazel eyes showcasing her resolve.
Keres lowered his head in response.
"Come on, Inara, you're smarter than this. I'm sure you of all people, can see that everything is far from over yet..." He spoke, fists trembling with desperation. "Things might end here tonight, but there's still your mission and the matter of my bounty to sort out."
"Plus, this 'Brother-Protector' dude seems like he'd go extreme lengths to keep you from getting back your memories" He lifted his gaze revealing a contorted face. "Is this really the satisfying resolution you went through so much trouble to reach?"
Her eyes widened. Those words reminded Inara of just how much tonight's plans had failed. Nonetheless, she needed to stop him from doing anything irrational.
"Even so, picking a fight with him would be totally reckless" She said, and Keres tilted his head in response.
"Reckless? You sound surprisingly downbeat for an optimistic archetype" He placed his forehead in his left palm and shook it sideways.
"If you're really gunning for that satisfying resolution then shut your mouth and watch me take him down" He furthered, clenching his fingers.
Inara shook her head, concern written into her gaze.
"No, you don't get it. You can't fight him."
"I appreciate your worry but I'll be the judge of that, myself." He replied, slowly advancing towards her, his breath visible in the air.
"And by the way, Inara..." He paused, arriving at an arm's length away from her.
"I see no other way forward, so sorry for what I'm about to do."
Keres' voice was harmless and gentle. But in that instant, his blade suddenly arched towards Inara's neck.
Her eyes widened in shock as the sword ruptured the air leaving silver trail.
But just as it grazed her neck, space crackled like static electricity and she disappeared with Invel suddenly materializing in Keres' front.
Keres, upon sensing the sudden twist, instinctively leaped backwards. As he landed a short distance away, the prince stood protectively in his way.
"Now you've really gone and done it, vermin!" Invel flashed a venomous scowl that left even the forest shivering.
"You'd have to forgive me for this, Ina..." The prince cracked his fingers, methodical echoes clashing against the winter night.
"But I'm going to murder this little fucker, afterall." His words thickened, inducing an overwhelming tension into the air.
—