The fire crackled softly in the corner of the room as Rytha sat on the wooden floor, his legs crossed and his gaze fixed on Quiver. She leaned against the chair, arms resting on its edges, her purple eyes distant as though she was staring into a past that only she could see.
"You've been asking questions for months now," Quiver began, her voice softer than usual. "I suppose it's time you got the full truth."
Rytha leaned forward slightly, his heart beating faster. He nodded but didn't interrupt.
"Quiver and Garumi," she began, "weren't just brothers—they were reflections of each other, two sides of the same coin. Their bond wasn't severed when Garumi destroyed the world alliance. For Quiver, Garumi wasn't just an enemy to be stopped; he was his brother, someone he believed could still be saved."
She paused, her fingers tracing the edge of the chair absentmindedly. "But Garumi didn't see it that way. When Quiver confronted him after the Shattering, it was in a green forest, a place of life and vitality. The battle that unfolded there was beyond anything anyone had seen before. It was said the skies themselves darkened, and the earth split beneath their feet. Garumi's green fire burned through the trees, while Quiver's mastery of soul essence reshaped the very air they breathed. What once was a paradise turned to ash and sand—a desert where nothing could grow."
Rytha's breath caught in his throat. He could almost see it in his mind—the fierce clash of two masters, the ground trembling beneath their power.
Quiver continued, her voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of pain. "It wasn't just magic they hurled at each other. Words, too, became weapons. Garumi accused Quiver of betrayal, of standing by while he was cast away. He said, 'You had everything—the clan's love, their resources, their pride. And what did I have? Nothing but scorn.' Quiver, though, refused to fight out of hate. He begged Garumi to stop, to return home. But Garumi…"
Her voice trailed off, and she closed her eyes briefly. "Garumi didn't listen. He couldn't. The battle grew fiercer, and it seemed Quiver was finally gaining the upper hand. Then, in the midst of the chaos, an assassin emerged—a man sent by the last remnants of the alliance. His target was Garumi."
Rytha frowned. "An assassin? But why?"
"Garumi's power terrified the world," Quiver explained. "Even with Quiver fighting him, they couldn't risk letting Garumi survive. The assassin fired a soul-infused arrow, a weapon meant to pierce even the strongest barriers. But..."
"But what?" Rytha asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Quiver opened her eyes, her gaze locking with his. "Quiver saw the arrow at the last second. He didn't think—he just acted. He moved in front of Garumi and took the arrow himself."
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Rytha's eyes widened as he tried to process the image. "He protected him?"
Quiver nodded. "The arrow struck his chest, and he fell. The force of the blow sent him into the river that ran through the forest. Garumi screamed his name, but it was too late. Quiver was carried away by the current, his body lost to the sea."
Rytha stared at her, his throat tight. "Why would he do that? Garumi killed so many people, started wars—why would Quiver protect him?"
Quiver's lips curled into a faint, sad smile. "Because Garumi was his brother. Quiver believed, even in the end, that there was still hope for him. That's the kind of man Quiver was."
Rytha's hands clenched into fists. "But Garumi didn't stop, did he?"
"No," Quiver said, her voice hardening. "Quiver's death didn't change him. It only fueled his rage. He became more destructive, more dangerous. It took 5,000 awakened and magic users to bring him down. Together, they forged the Shackles of Eternity—bindings so powerful they could contain even Garumi's green fire. They sealed him and sent him to the Spirit Realm, where he remains to this day."
The room fell silent. Rytha stared at the floor, his mind racing with the weight of the story. Then, after a long pause, he looked up at Quiver.
"You're not the real Quiver," he said slowly. "So what happened after he died?"
Quiver's expression softened, and for a moment, she looked almost vulnerable. "Before Quiver died, he entrusted someone he loved—someone he trusted more than anyone else—to take his place. To impersonate him and do what he could no longer do: protect the world from Garumi's return."
Rytha's heart skipped a beat. "That's you, isn't it?"
Quiver smiled faintly. "Yes. I was his... well, I suppose you could call me his beloved. Quiver asked me to keep his secret, to carry on his name, and to watch over the Spirit Realm until he could come back."
"Come back?" Rytha frowned. "What do you mean?"
Quiver leaned forward, her gaze piercing. "Quiver's soul wasn't destroyed when he died. It was fractured, scattered across the realms. And I think..."
She paused, her voice lowering as though the next words were too heavy to say aloud.
"I think part of him is inside you."
Rytha's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. His heart raced as memories—memories that weren't his—flashed in his mind: the green fire, the laughter of two brothers, the arrow striking a chest.
Quiver stood, her expression unreadable. "You wanted answers, Rytha. Now you have them. But you should know... if Quiver really is a part of you, it means Garumi will come for you eventually."
The room seemed to grow colder. Rytha swallowed hard, his voice shaking. "Why me? Why now?"
Quiver turned away, her back to him as she walked toward the doorway. "That's a question only you can answer. For now, focus on your training. You'll need it."
She disappeared into the shadows, leaving Rytha alone with his thoughts. The weight of her words settled over him like a storm cloud.
Quiver's soul... inside me? And Garumi... coming for me?
As the fire crackled and the night deepened, Rytha clenched his fists. The tale of two brothers wasn't just a story. It was his reality.
End of Chapter 29