"Verano, Marzia..." Arnaud Jr stood in front of his siblings. He eclipsed their view of Hagen, who stood only ten steps away from the three Sforzas. "I'll show you how it is done." Continued the boy with smoke coming off his fists.

"Pretty brave of you..." Hagen mocked him. The man had frozen the water on the surface to make Marzia's horse stumble. The whole battlefield ressembled a shallow frozen lake. "You've stepped forward to show your siblings how death looks like--"

Arnaud widened his mouth and breathed a fiery cloud at his foe. Hagen disappeared from sight amidst the intense flames. The boy's body became pale and cold as fire escaped his mouth. The heat was so intense that the icy ground covering the battlefield melted into red water.

"Arnaud might have a chance, Verano..." Remarked Marzia. She had an arm arched around her big brother’s shoulder. The power of the Avatar had robbed Verano of his stamina. "Arnaud's Firebending is more like father's," she explained, "he can't expel as many flames as we do, but his fire is much hotter. If Hagen can just heal himself, attacking just once with overwhelming power might be better than attacking continuously--"

The melted waters rose from the ground and swept Arnaud off his feet.

Marzia recoiled:

“Arnaud, balance yourself!”

"Y-Yes--" Replied the boy as he struggled to remain standing. His legs were wobbly. His flames ceased.

Hagen rushed at him with the Ring of Nibel flashing in the right hand. Cyan curative auras formed around the burn wounds that Arnaud's flame had opened.

"Look straight, Arnaud!" Said Marzia as she unsheathed her blade and swung the weapon horizontally. A flame in the shape of the blade flew against her enemy.

"Pointless..." Smirked Hagen as he glanced at the girl's attack. An ice pillar rose from beneath his feet and served as a platform for him to jump over Marzia's attack and land on Arnaud.

"Porca Miseria..." (Damn it!) The girl gritted her teeth as all that her attack did was cutting Hagen's ice pillar in half.

Hagen cast a large shadow around Arnaud as the man descended from the sky with his right fist prepared to hammer the boy into the ground.

Verano shouted:

"Arnaud, firebend away! Like I do!”

Arnaud stretched his arms formed. Two short flames escaped from his palms and propelled him back. Hagen landed only three steps away from the boy. A cloud of dirt and ice sprung off the ground as the man landed.

"It's far from over." Said Hagen as he rose both his hands.

"Wait," Marzia laid her sights upon the ice pillars that she had cut in half. Each of her foe's hands seemed to control a half. "Arnaud, get outta there!"

Hagen slapped both hands together. The two halves of the ice pillar attacked Arnaud from both his flanks to crush the boy like a fly. Yet the boy had no reaction. He threw himself onto the ground and covered his eyes with both hands.

"Arnaud..." Faltered Verano as bended water out of his canteen. "Boil it, Marzia!" He shouted as he bended the contents of the recipient and sprayed them at Hagen's face.

"A-Alright!" She pummeled a flame at Verano's water. Her fire boiled his waters as they arrived at the Northman's eyes.

“Argh, what is this—“ Hagen recoiled at the liquids burning his sights. His sights of Arnaud Jr blurred.

The two halves of the ice pillar crashed into one another only a thumb away from Arnaud's nose. He lied down cold as if he touched noses with Death. The boy could not move an inch.

"Verano, go pull Arnaud off there!" Ordered Marzia as she yanked a flail from her backs and rushed at a dazed Hagen. She had the flail in the right hand and a sword in the left.

"A-Alright..." Said Verano as he hurried to save his brother.

Yet Marzia was not finished with her orders:

"And stay safe!"

"A-A-Alright..." Said Verano as he pulled a catatonic Arnaud by the arms. So I can Waterbend as long as the water is not tainted with Hagen’s blood. The boy reflected as he helped his brother. I’m too tired to make a single flame. Waterbending might be the only thing that I have left.

The reflection of Marzia's flames colored the puddles on the ground and robbed him of his concentration.

The girl swung her sword from a safe distance to immobilize Hagen while she rotated her flail's wrecking ball with the left arm. Each spin accumulated fiery sparks around the ball.

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"They keep trying this," chuckled the man as he ran at her nonchalantly. His Ring of Niebel promptly healed every scratch that opened his skin. Her attacks were obviously futile.

Verano's heart tightened as Hagen approached Marzia:

"Marzia!"

She threw the flail at her foe. Yet the chain that connected the metal sphere to the weapon broke in half. The ball landed a couple steps away from Hagen. 

"Nice aim!" He mocked her as he yanked the axe from his waist.

“Grazie!” Replied Marzia as she stretched her arms and fired a flame against the ball. The sphere exploded and heaved Hagen like a feather. The sound of the explosion resembled the moan of a thunder.

Hagen disappeared amidst the smoke.

"Quick…" Marzia looked at her brothers. She gasped, nervous. Her arms shook. "We gotta go!"

"W-What was that?" Asked Arnaud as he contemplated the cloud of smoke. Verano and Marzia rose him off the ground.

"Some black powder that a weirdo from the East brought..." She remarked.

"What?" Recoiled Arnaud.

"Don't ask me hard questions now!" She arched her arm around her brother's shoulder. “We must get away!”

They ran to the rocky beach as if the ground was on fire. Yet something bothered Verano as his feet touched the shallow waters. He swung his head left and right. 

"Arnaud, where's Ness?" He asked.

"Ness?” Faltered Arnaud. “Oh, you mean that sea monster? It should be around here. Can’t you whistle to call it?”

“I-I can’t whistle, remember?” Verano faltered.

Marzia rose her voice:

“That’s obvious, Arnaud! Have you forgotten when Verano fell off the stairs and—”

A mist as red as blood formed around them. The group became silent. All they heard was the symphony of the waves.

Marzia grasped Verano's hand as if she held a treasure.

"Stay together," she said as she ignited a flame on her right hand to search her surroundings. “We must—“

Verano held her by the pulse.

"Don't," he glanced at her flame, "it'll show him our position. I hate mists like these."

Marzia smiled. His gesture had a familiar warmth. She recalled when they went into the Forest of the Hanged Doll to save Arnaud Jr when he fled home:

"Let's go in?" Asked Marzia as she noticed her brother faltered. He resisted entering the forest.

"I'm-" Verano blushed. "I'm a bit scared of the dark."

"I'll..." Marzia opened and closed her right hand until a flame appeared. "I'll have this burning..."

"Better not." He held her by the pulse. "Spirits will think we came to burn their forest. It'll be worse," explained Verano. "I hate places like this."

"We'll go together, then!" Smiled Marzia as she held his cold hand. "I'll keep you safe, alright?"

He looked her in the eyes.

"Alright."

Verano's shout broke through her reverie:

"Marzia, look up!”

A heavy body of red water entered the mist and slammed the girl against the ground. She hit the rocky beach, unconscious.

"Marzia!" Shouted Verano as he crouched to help her.

Arnaud snorted:

"Brother, pay attention!" He grabbed his brother by the arm.

Verano rose his head and saw Hagen standing behind Arnaud.

"Get down!" Yelled Verano as he rose his fist and bended water to slam Hagen.

"Alright!" Said Arnaud, ducking.

The body of water from Verano tore Hagen apart like an ice sculpture. The boy rose his voice:

“Are you alright—”

The specter revealed itself nothing but a mirage.

"Wait," Verano recoiled at the ice shards littering the ground, "That was just an ice doll?"

Hagen stood between both brothers. The mist could not hide the rage in his eyes and the blood in his breath.

"I'll crush you like an apple," whispered the man as he mauled his fist against Arnaud's cheek and sent him flying.

Verano stretched his arm to help his brother:

"Arnaud--"

Hagen grabbed the Verano by the neck and rose him off his feet. The mist around them faded.

"I had plans for the future..." The Northman ranted. He yanked the axe from his waist. "You mistook for just some robber; no, no, no..." He smirked coyly as he choked Verano. "You see, the Northmen won't last forever. Not like we are right now..."

Verano glanced at Arnaud, whose fists had smoke creeping out of them. He’s not really unconscious, pondered Verano with an expression of relief. I hope--

"Look at me while I'm talking to you, White Wolf!" Shouted Hagen as he tightened his grasp of the boy's neck. "I had an ambition! I am not a thug! I was gonna be a king like those of your pathetic Empire! Not because that is what I wanted, but because that was it took! The Northman won’t survive! Our way of life--" He gritted his teeth. "It's pathetic and outdated! We sack, eat, sleep and die. If not for me, all Northmen will either perish or go the way of Litvia and join your pestilential empire! I am what stands between our culture and obsolescence!” He shouted. "I've been in the courts of the Fire people before. You," he referred to Verano like a representation of all knights from the Empire of the Holy Flame, "you know what is luxury and comfort. You live with real luxury. You know what it is to have a crop for the winter and how good it is to do not live off your blade..." He walked while he choked Verano. "I want you to think of that luxury and cozy warmth of a castle while you die. The North Sea is no place for a knight..." He yanked the axe from his waist. "Marzia." Said Hagen as he directed an eerie glance at the girl. His speech was for her.

“No!” Cried the boy as Hagen approached the girl. Yet Verano had no strength to free himself. His body was exhausted.

"Watch carefully, White Wolf," continued Hagen as he toyed with his axe. He stood in front of Marzia. The cold shadow that his tall body cast felt like Death's embrace for her. “Her death blood will be on your hands, boy.”

“No, no, argh—” Verano gathered air to speak. "A-A-Arnaud!" He stared at his brother, who played possum on the ground while his body stored to heat to attack Hagen. "Please!"

"V-Verano?" Arnaud recoiled. He rose his head from the ground.

"Attack us now!" Verano begged him. "He'll kill Marzia!"

"I-If I do it, you will burn--"

"Non sono importante!" (I'm not important) Cried Verano. "I’ve failed this!”

“B-But bro…”

“Y-You are there for me, right?"

"I-I..." Arnaud mumbled to himself. Tears creeped down his cheeks as he recalled his promise to Verano:

"If I fail one more time..." faltered Verano as he glanced at his brother. He knew Arnaud would help him bear any weight. "You'll be there for me again, right?"

Arnaud chuckled. He swung his head and attempted to forget the criticisms that he often had about his brother’s ideas. He knew that he could not think of anything better. Verano repeated himself:

“You’ll be there for me, right?”

Arnaud rose his right thumb.

"Sempre. (Always)" He said with a cheerful smile.

Hagen rose the axe over his shoulder. Verano could see Marzia's unconscious reflection on the weapon's blade. The boy screamed to the boy of his lungs:

"Arnaud, do it now!"

“I-I’m sorry…” Mumbled the boy as he shoved the tears off his face. “We love you, big bro.”

Arnaud knew that there was no other way.