The air hung heavy, a suffocating shroud of blood and iron, mingled with the metallic tang of sweat clinging to the throat. Broken bodies and shattered dreams formed a grim tapestry across the battlefield, a patchwork of crimson and brown where the dead and dying lay scattered like discarded toys. The cacophony of clashing steel and dying cries was a brutal crescendo, a symphony of war and chaos, punctuated by the thunderous boom of cannon fire that shook the earth. Smoke, thick and choking, billowed from burning pyres, obscuring the scene in a hazy veil. In the heart of this maelstrom, two figures, their armor stained with the blood of friend and foe, fought with the ferocity of cornered wolves, driven by a desperate, soon-to-be-shattered hope.
Two figures who share the same last name, the same face, and the same fate in this cruel world. Their names were a disgrace in the Empire, whispers of shame in the halls of power. They were bastards, born to be called trash, castaways who could be discarded in an instant. Despite a biological father who held a position of power, they were denied the right to bear his name, forced to carry the legacy of their mother's family instead.
Their names were Cassian and Kieran Aldridge.
Cassian, the twin with dark emerald green hair, like the deep, shadowed leaves of an ancient forest, now bears the dust and grime of war. His vibrant hue is dulled, but still hints at its original richness. His red wine eyes, once sparkling with a fiery intensity, are now shadowed with the weariness of battle, reflecting the crimson stains on his armor like pools of spilled blood.
Kieran, his teal hair once the vibrant color of a turquoise gemstone, is now dulled and matted with the mud and grime of battle. His magenta eyes, previously bright and bold like a freshly picked raspberry, now possess a cold, hard focus, like polished amethyst reflecting the glint of steel.
They stand amidst the carnage, two brothers bound by blood but separated by fate. Their swords sing a deadly symphony, their movements a blur of steel and shadow. They are the sons of shame, fighting for a redemption they may never find.
Cassian, his face grim, his eyes narrowed in focus, dodged a blow from a hulking knight. He retaliated with a thrust of his sword, the blade finding its mark in the enemy's shoulder, the knight collapsing with a roar of pain. He moved with practiced grace, his movements fluid and deadly, his body a weapon honed by years of training. He had devoted his life to becoming a knight, the finest in the realm, hoping to impress his father, the Emperor.
But somewhere amidst the chaos, the fear, and the stench of death, a flicker of doubt gnawed at his heart. His brother, Kieran, stood beside him, his face drawn and pale. Kieran, who had always been the more compassionate of the two, the one who saw the world through rose-tinted glasses, seemed to have lost his usual sparkle.
"Kieran, are you alright?" Cassian asked, his voice laced with concern. Kieran barely glanced at him, his gaze fixed on the battlefield, his eyes reflecting the horrors unfolding around them.
"Just...tired," Kieran mumbled, his voice flat. "Tired of fighting for someone who doesn't see us."
Cassian knew what he meant. Their father, the Emperor, never acknowledged their existence. They were wrong to be blinded with their own desire to follow him and hoped for his love and attention when they found out that the Emperor was their real father so they abandoned the love that their mother, the Duchess, and their stepfather had given them. They were fools to believe such hope but deep inside, they were still in denial, trying to blind themselves so that they wouldn't hate themselves that they had followed the wrong person.
Kieran's gaze shifted, his eyes widening in alarm. "Cassian! Watch out!" He yelled, the urgency in his voice piercing through the battlefield din.
Cassian spun around, just in time to see a spear hurtling towards him, its tip glistening ominously in the fading light. He barely managed to duck, the spear whizzing past his ear, barely missing its target. But in that moment, a surge of adrenaline surged through him. His brother's warning had saved his life.
"Kieran, you're alright? Take cover!" Cassian yelled, his voice filled with relief. He glanced back at Kieran, only to see him fall to the ground, his face contorted in pain, a crimson stain spreading across his chest. A sword, gleaming with a cruel glint under the dying sun, protruded from Kieran's chest.
Cassian's heart hammered in his chest, a frantic rhythm that echoed the chaos around him. He scrambled towards his brother, his mind racing with a desperate hope that this wasn't the end. He pushed through the throng of soldiers, ignoring the screams and the cries, his eyes fixed only on Kieran. Reaching his brother's side, he saw the horror etched on Kieran's face, the fear and pain reflected in his wide, terrified eyes.
"Kieran, stay with me! It's going to be alright!" Cassian pleaded, his voice trembling with desperation. He pressed his hand against the wound, hoping to stem the bleeding.
Kieran's grip tightened around his hand, his fingers digging into Cassian's flesh. "I...I can't…I can't breathe." He coughed, a wet, rattling sound that tore through the air.
"Kieran, don't talk. Don't fight it. We'll get out of this. We'll…we'll get to Father. He…he will see us then." Cassian's voice cracked, desperation lacing his words. He pulled Kieran closer, his grip tightening, a desperate attempt to hold onto his brother, to keep him alive. But Kieran's hand grew slack, his grip loosening, and his eyes closed.
"Kieran! Kieran, stay with me!" Cassian's voice, raw with grief, pierced through the din of battle. His heart, ripped apart by the reality of the situation, pounded in his chest, a mournful drumbeat that seemed to echo the dying cries of the battlefield.
A surge of adrenaline propelled him forward, a desperate, blind urge to get Kieran out of this hellish place. He lifted Kieran, his brother's limp form heavy in his arms, and began to run, weaving through the chaos and carnage, his vision blurred by tears and pain. He wouldn't leave Kieran here, not like this. He had to save him, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
As he stumbled through the battlefield, his every step was a prayer, a desperate plea for a miracle. He ran towards the edge of the battlefield, hoping that he could make it in time towards their base and let the healers heal his brother with their magic.
His heart pounding like a drum in his chest, stumbled through the carnage, his brother Kieran limp in his arms. A crimson stain bloomed on Kieran's tunic, spreading like a poisonous flower across his chest.
"Kieran, stay with me," Cassian pleaded, his voice choked with terror. He frantically pressed his hand to the gaping wound, hoping against hope to stanch the bleeding. Kieran coughed, a rattling sound that ripped through the air, his eyes glazed with pain.
"We...we failed, didn't we?" Kieran whispered, his voice weak and brittle.
Cassian gritted his teeth, the bitter taste of betrayal flooding his mouth. They had given everything, their youth, their dreams, their lives, for a father who never saw them. They had joined the Knights of the Realm, hoping to earn his favor, to prove their worth. But their sacrifice had gone unnoticed, their valor disregarded.
"Don't talk like that," Cassian urged, his voice cracking. "We'll get out of this. We'll...we'll see our Father.."
A wave of despair washed over Cassian. He knew it was a lie. The Emperor would never acknowledge them, would never see them for who they truly were. He had never looked at them, never seen them, never wanted them.
"It was a mistake," Cassian muttered, his voice laced with anger and regret. "We believed he would see us, would care. We were fools." He pressed Kieran closer, his grip tightening. "Never again. We won't be pawns in his game. Never again will we sacrifice ourselves for a love that was never meant for us."
A sharp pain tore through Cassian's shoulder, the sting of the arrow sending a jolt of shock through his body. He stumbled, falling to his knees, his vision blurring. He looked down at Kieran, his brother's pale face slack with death. Cassian reached out, his trembling hand brushing against Kieran's.
"If only we could turn back time," he whispered, his voice hoarse, his last breath escaping in a ragged sigh.
Then, darkness.