For a moment, Eldric forgot how to breathe.
The man standing before him was someone he had mourned, someone whose death had shaped his path—his older brother, Kael. Yet, here he was, very much alive, wrapped in black armor, with eyes that burned with violet fire.
Karis was the first to react. "Brother?" Her twin blades were already drawn, her stance tense. "Okay, I need some context before I start stabbing."
Eldric's grip on the Godslayer tightened, his heart pounding. "Kael died five years ago. I saw his body."
Kael chuckled, stepping forward, his dark boots clicking against the stone. "Did you? Or did you just see what the gods wanted you to see?" His voice was smooth, almost amused, but there was an underlying weight to it—a bitterness sharpened over time.
Seraphine's eyes darkened, flicking between the two brothers. "He's been touched by divine power."
Kael smirked. "Touched? No, dear sorceress, I was reforged." He spread his arms, motioning to the runes carved into his armor. "I was broken, and the gods remade me into something… stronger."
Eldric felt the Godslayer pulse in his grip, whispering in a tongue he didn't recognize but somehow understood. He is forsaken. He is chained. He is yours to break.
He shook the thought away. "What do you want, Kael?"
Kael tilted his head. "What I've always wanted—to see my little brother reach his full potential. But first, I had to see if you were worthy." He gestured to the Forsworn blade on the altar. "You came for the weapon, didn't you? Go ahead. Take it."
Eldric didn't move. His instincts screamed at him—this was a trap.
Seraphine whispered at his side, "Forsworn blades bond to their wielders the moment they're claimed. If he's offering it so freely…"
"It means he's already bound to one," Eldric finished. His eyes locked onto Kael's waist, where another curved sword rested, its edge shimmering with the same cold blue light as the Forsworn.
Kael smiled. "Sharp as ever, little brother."
Karis scoffed. "So what? You work for the gods now?"
Kael's expression darkened, the amused façade slipping. "I work for myself. The gods tried to break me, just as they will break you if you don't wake up. This rebellion of yours—it's doomed. You're playing with fire, Eldric."
Eldric took a step forward, the shadows from his blade flickering. "Good thing I was reborn in it."
Kael's smirk returned. "Then let's see if you've truly earned that flame."
---
The Clash of Brothers
Kael moved first, a blur of shadow and steel. Eldric barely had time to raise the Godslayer before their blades clashed, sending out a shockwave that cracked the stone beneath them. The Forsworn blade in Kael's hand shimmered, its edge slicing through the air with unnatural precision.
Eldric parried, but the moment his sword met Kael's, he felt something strange—his own power recoiling, as if the Godslayer itself hesitated.
Kael noticed. "Ah. You feel it, don't you? The Forsworn exists to sever divine ties. Even the Godslayer isn't immune."
Karis and Seraphine stayed back, knowing this wasn't their fight. The brothers moved like twin storms, blades flashing in rapid succession. Every strike sent sparks flying, the clash of their weapons echoing through the chamber like thunder.
Kael fought with brutal efficiency, his strikes calculated and merciless. Eldric had always idolized his brother's skill, but now, facing it firsthand, he realized just how much stronger Kael had become.
"You're hesitating," Kael taunted, dodging a heavy swing. "Still clinging to your old ideals?"
Eldric gritted his teeth, forcing the Godslayer to respond, pushing back the unnatural resistance. "And you're holding back."
Kael chuckled. "Maybe."
With a flick of his wrist, he changed the angle of his attack, the Forsworn blade cutting dangerously close. Eldric barely twisted in time, but a thin line of red bloomed across his cheek.
Karis cursed. "Eldric—"
"I'm fine," he interrupted, his focus never leaving Kael.
His brother tilted his head, violet eyes narrowing. "Show me your resolve, little flame. Or is this all you've got?"
The Godslayer pulsed again, but this time, Eldric didn't resist it. He let the darkness flow through him, allowed the blade's fury to become his own. Shadows coiled around his form, the air trembling with raw power.
Kael's smirk faltered. "Oh?"
Eldric exhaled slowly. "You wanted my full potential?" His eyes burned with dark fire. "Here it is."
---
Unleashing the Storm
Eldric struck with terrifying speed, the Godslayer igniting in black flames. Kael barely managed to block, but the impact sent him skidding backward. The ground beneath them cracked, darkness spreading from where Eldric stood.
Kael recovered quickly, eyes flashing with something like pride. "That's more like it."
They clashed again, but this time, Eldric was the aggressor. Every strike carried the weight of the Godslayer's power, every movement sharper, faster, more precise.
Kael grinned, but his breaths grew heavier. "You're finally learning."
Eldric wasn't in the mood for games. With a burst of speed, he forced Kael back toward the altar, their blades locked in a deadlock.
"Why are you really here?" Eldric growled.
Kael's expression flickered. "To warn you."
Eldric pushed harder. "About what?"
Kael hesitated. And that was all Eldric needed.
With a sharp twist, he wrenched Kael's sword aside and drove his knee into his brother's gut. Kael stumbled, coughing, but instead of anger, he only looked… relieved.
Eldric stepped back, breathing heavily. "Talk."
Kael straightened, rolling his shoulders. "The gods know about the Godslayer. They're watching you. The moment you become a real threat, they'll strike—and they won't make the mistake of underestimating you."
Seraphine frowned. "Why warn us?"
Kael sighed. "Because despite everything, I don't want to see you die, Eldric. But if you keep going down this path… you will."
Eldric met his brother's gaze. "Then I'll carve a new path."
Kael chuckled, shaking his head. "Stubborn as ever." He turned, sheathing his blade. "The next time we meet, we won't be able to talk like this."
Karis tensed. "You're just walking away?"
"For now." Kael met Eldric's eyes one last time. "Be ready, little brother. War is coming."
And then, in a blur of violet flames, he was gone.