"Argh." I groaned, clutching my head as a heavy racket echoed in my mind. The pain was like a hammer pounding away at my skull, and I could feel my body tense up.
[Detecting the problem...]
[Problem organized...]
[Your memory is slowly coming back. You will feel a little at ease later, but it will surely hurt again. Due to the powerful magic that has been inserted into you and the sudden magic shortage, you are experiencing head pain or a mild prickle in your brain.]
"What's happening?" Lu Shirley's concerned voice broke through my haze, pulling me back to the present.
"Nothing; I'm fine," I managed to say, the discomfort ebbing slightly as I met her worried gaze. I glanced around and suddenly spotted Lu Cian, my younger brother. Memories of our past began to stir.
"Cian, it's been a while," I said, forcing a smile onto my face despite the remnants of pain in my head.
---
**-Flashback-**
In my younger days, I was just an elementary school student, solitary by nature. I preferred the quiet solitude of the park at school, often lingering on the swings, a place most avoided because of the dirt.
But there was one persistent kid who wouldn't leave me alone. Lu Cian always talk to someone, and I can also saw a letters in the air like him. But I don't understand what's that before, the only thing I know was Cian is special.
"Brother Lu Shian, can we eat together?" Lu Cian asked, his little hands gripping the swing's rope, his bright eyes sparkling with hope.
I shot him an annoyed look, but deep down, I felt warmth bloom in my chest. "That's a no; Aden will see us. My mother would hate me if she found out I didn't follow her orders," I replied, glancing down at my shoes as I stood up, leaving the swing behind.
Cian crossed his arms, watching me with a frown. "Augh, those Fey families. If I could just kill them…"
[Master, please refrain from speaking that way. People could misunderstand you.]
"So what? Anyway, Luca, are you sure my brother still doesn't have a system?" Cian shot back, plopping down on the swing without hesitation.
[According to the rules, outsiders can't have a system.]
"What do you mean, outsiders? My brother is also an heir! If that's trash, then his mother doesn't deserve him. If only the world would let my family have my brother!" Cian's frustration bubbled over, and he kicked the ground hard enough to make the earth tremble beneath us.
[Master, please calm down. Master Lu Shian has a fragile body; please don't forget that. I didn't mean that Master Lu Shian is an outsider, but everyone has a way of acquiring their system; you just need to wait because he's an heir after all.]
"That's right; he's my twin after all! I'll skip class; I kind of want to destroy some spirits," Cian declared, stretching his arms with determination.
Days turned into weeks, and Cian and I drifted apart. I avoided him, desperate to keep my mother from hating me. One day, as I stood in the shadows of the schoolyard, my younger brother Aden approached me with a hungry look in his eyes.
"Brother, I'm hungry," Aden said, his arms crossed defiantly.
"I'm sorry, Aden; I don't have food," I replied, a pang of guilt hitting me as I saw disappointment cloud his features.
"Then tell Lu Cian you want food. I won't tell our mother you talked to him last time if you don't want to obey her again," Aden smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
My heart sank. I knew Aden wouldn't keep that promise. "I am older than you! Show some respect!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling.
"What did you say, you bastard?" Aden shouted, launching a punch that sent me sprawling to the ground. He followed up with kicks, pain exploding in my chest and stomach.
"Know your place, you stupid bastard! You should be thankful our mother still keeps you alive! You're just the son of another man!" Aden spat, kicking me until blood filled my mouth.
Just then, I heard a faint sound nearby—a voice whispering urgently. It was Cian, speaking to someone I couldn't see. "You don't understand! I have to protect him! He's my brother!" I strained to hear more, but the words faded like a dream, leaving me confused and disoriented.
Before I could make sense of it, Cian burst onto the scene, his eyes blazing with fury. "Oho! Look who's trash!" he taunted, and the two students standing with Aden tried to block his path.
"What? Do you want to get hurt? Sure," Cian replied coolly, grabbing the two students' uniforms and knocking their heads together with a sickening thud.
"Luca, erase these two memories," Cian ordered as he dropped the dazed students and turned to Aden, his fist flying.
[Erasing memories completed.]
As Aden crumpled to the ground, Cian took the opportunity to grab his hair. "You and your mother love to play dirty!" he yelled, delivering blow after blow to Aden's face.
I watched in horror. "C-Cian, don't kill him, please! Not my brother!" I begged, my voice barely above a whisper.
Cian halted, his rage giving way to concern as he rushed to my side. "I'm also your brother! Why do you only care about him? He always bullies you! They always hurt you! I'm your brother too!" he shouted, frustration boiling over.
"What are you saying? I'm just a bastard," I replied, my voice shaking with emotion.
Cian's fists clenched, and he punched me hard, his expression a mixture of anger and sadness. "Foolishness," he declared, delivering another blow.
[Master Lu Cian, you can't hurt your brother; you will regret it.]
"Shut up; you don't know what I feel!" Cian snapped, shoving me back.
[I know. We're partners, right?]
"Tsk! Heal!" Cian commanded, placing a hand on my shoulder. A green light enveloped me, soothing the pain and healing my wounds.
"What kind of bastard are you talking about? Mother and Father would do anything to get you. I was jealous of you at first because, as you said, you're just a bastard. But Mother and Father care about you more than they care about me. I hate you, but every time I look at you, I see a mirror," Cian confessed, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Is that so? That's probably because people say we look like twins," I replied softly, a hint of understanding breaking through my own pain.
"You're supposed to say, 'So am I? Brother. Aren't we brothers?'" Cian said, his tone calming as he wiped away his tears.
**15 Years Ago Future**
[Erorr]
[Error]
The night air crackled with tension as shadows danced across the abandoned warehouse. I had always been drawn to the thrill of adventure,
but this time, I had ventured too far into the unknown. The darkness felt suffocating, and a sense of dread settled in my stomach.
I heard the distant echo of laughter, taunting and sinister, and my instincts screamed that something was very wrong. I stepped deeper into the shadows, curiosity propelling me forward.
Suddenly, I was surrounded—demons, their eyes glinting with malice. They closed in, their menacing growls reverberating in the silence. I froze, fear gripping my heart.
"Lu Shian!"
A familiar voice broke through the haze of panic, and I turned to see Cian rushing toward me, determination etched across his young face.
"Get back!" I shouted, desperate to protect him.
But he ignored my warning. "I won't let them hurt you!" he declared, summoning his magic, which shimmered like starlight in the dark.
"No, Cian! You can't!" I yelled, but my voice was drowned out by the chaos.
Cian charged forward, his small frame brimming with courage as he faced the horde of demons.
I watched in horror as they swarmed him, but he fought valiantly, a fierce protector against overwhelming odds.
"Stay back, Lu Shian! I'll hold them off!" he shouted, a flicker of fear betraying his brave facade.
I wanted to help, to fight alongside him, but my body felt paralyzed, gripped by a fear so profound it rooted me to the ground.
Cian cast spells that illuminated the darkness, his magic flaring like a beacon as he pushed back the demons, but I could see the strain in his movements.
Then, a particularly vicious demon lunged at him, and I felt a chill run down my spine. "Cian, watch out!" I screamed, but it was too late. The demon's claws tore through the air, striking him down.
"No!" I cried, my heart shattering as I rushed forward, but the world spun around me.
"Lu Shian!" Cian gasped, struggling to rise. "Get out of here! You have to—"
"Cian, no! Please!" I begged, tears streaming down my cheeks as I reached for him.
He smiled weakly, but the light in his eyes dimmed. "I can't let them take you. You're… you're my brother."
In that moment, everything felt surreal. My world shifted as I witnessed the depth of his sacrifice, the love that fueled his bravery.
"I'm so sorry! I should have listened! I didn't believe in you! I thought—" I choked on my words, the weight of regret crashing over me like a tidal wave.
"Don't cry… I'll always be with you," he whispered, his voice growing weaker. "You have to be strong, Lu Shian. For everyone."
The last remnants of his magic flared around him, pushing back the demons, but I could see the life slipping from his body.
My heart shattered as I fell to my knees, the reality of his sacrifice engulfing me in despair.
"No! Cian, don't leave me! I need you!" I wailed, my voice raw with grief.
He reached for me, his hand trembling. "Promise me… you'll take care of yourself. Promise you won't let this darkness win."
"I promise! I promise!" I cried, but the words felt hollow against the weight of my sorrow.
With one final, pained smile, Cian closed his eyes, and the light that had shone so brightly within him faded into the darkness.
I sat there, alone amidst the chaos, the echoes of the past ringing in my ears. The demons were gone, but the real monster was the void left in my heart.
"Cian… I'm so sorry," I whispered, the truth crashing over me like an unrelenting tide. "I didn't believe in you when you needed me the most."
---
Back in the present, I let the memories wash over me, my heart sunk as my tears keep dropping and the pain in my head began to dull. Lu Shirley was still looking at me, her concern unwavering.
I took a deep breath, forcing a smile as I embraced the warmth of my family around me. The faint whispers of Cian's past words echoed in my mind, he is alive now they're still breathing and kicking well. This time, I will surely save everyone.