—10 minutes before Arthur and Michael went inside the dome—

Eric Olvasen

The sky was overcast with clouds. However, as one would expect from this weather, it was not exactly menacing.

Instead it was quite calm.

As a matter of fact it was so calm that despite the constant downpour, you could barely hear any noise like the usual belabour of raindrops drumming over each and every surface.

Almost as if the Gods were trying to hear the deepest, darkest secrets of people in a moment of silence.

A wry chuckle escaped my lips at the thought, pushing out the amorphous cloud of smoke.

The inquisitive—perhaps even playful wind—whisked it away and scattered the small cloud of smoke into wisps that lingered for a fleeting moment before disappearing from sight.

"Mnnn-mnnnnnnnn…"

A whining sound made me look to the side, right by my feet. A ball of white fur was sitting there, a melancholic look in its once lively eyes as it gazed at the pitter patter of the rain.

I crouched down and then sat on the pavement that was being shielded by the awning right above the door which led to the backside of our house, on the opposite side of mother's garden.

Patting the dog—Luna's—head gently, I tapped towards my lap as it stood up and slid it face in. Gently massaging the upper side of its head, I looked back at the rain.

"Don't worry, he hasn't forgotten about you." I reassured, not getting an answer back from it. Of course, I would be an idiot if I was expecting it to talk back.

But perhaps, I have been an idiot all along. As if sensing the dissemblance in my smile and the placid yet chaotic mess on inside, Luna shifted in my lap before licking my left hand. "Haha." A chuckle escaped me as it turned around and licked my face.

"Who's a good girl, eh?"

Ruffling the side of its face, I played around with her until she returned to her former cheerful self. "Go, fetch!" I spoke, throwing a wet twig in the rain.

She ran after it excitedly. However, instead of bringing it back, she continued playing in the rain. As if its purpose of cheering me up had been finished and now it had no more reason to stay beside me.

Thinking about it in this way made me smile. Even his pet was just like him.

I looked down at my hand. The titanium ring around my left ring finger was still as lustrous as the first day I had worn it.

Maybe my parents know. Maybe they don't.

Well, who am I kidding? Mom more than likely knows. But I don't amount to enough to make her give it any heed. For all she could care, I could go fuck myself.

It doesn't make me angry. Nor does it make me spiteful. And it definitely doesn't make me become indifferent towards my parents. I loved them. Still do. More than ever.

Maybe that does make me a stupid person. For loving someone who doesn't love me back. Just because I wasn't able to manifest a technique.

But that was my fate from the day I was born in the Olvasens. Born as the brother to someone who not just made his own parents pale in comparison in terms of raw talent but the majority of the other heirs. My cute little brother. Arthur.

But eh, I still have a loving fiance. At least she loves me. Life isn't that bad.

As I was trying to convince myself of that, I looked down at my ring once again. The blotches of dried blood had turned a darker shade of burgundy by now. Letting out a sigh, I brought the cigarette close to my lips once again and inhaled.

It's a bad habit and will eventually kill me, I know. But as I said, I am an idiot. I prefer momentary respite over subtraction in my lifespan and lungs health.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Pushing the smoke away, I grounded the tip into the ground I was sitting on and then stood up immediately. Taking out my phone, I scrolled through it. A few social media notifications and a few texts from my fiance.

An unknowing smile crept up my face. Opening them I replied to her. Letting her know I was well and good. And not dead.

The door behind me swung open and my father appeared from the other side. Quickly slipping the phone back into my jacket, I placed my foot over the butt—the piece remaining of the cig—and stepped to the side, letting him come out.

He casted a sidelong glance at me before standing right by my side, letting his back rest against the wall. Taking a packet of cancer sticks out, he held one between his lips and then let his arms dangle to the side. I watched him stare at nothing in particular for a good 3 minutes.

He was just standing there, as if waiting for it to light itself up.

"I know you smoke, bucko. You reek of it. Now light it up for me." He shook his head and spoke while holding it in the corner of his lips.

Letting out a nervous laugh, I took out the lighter and ignited it for him.

"So you do smoke it." He mumbled, making my eyes go wide. "Well I guess you are old enough."

"That was a guess?" I asked, totally baffled. Our father was a simple man. Things like these were beyond him.

"Having an 8 year old outplay me forced me to learn a trick or two." He shook his head and then fished for any reaction from me from the corner of his eye.

"Ah, yes. Arthur." I replied, his name rolling off my tongue with an odd sense of sweetness. I always loved my little brother. No matter how much he stayed wary of me.

After a while of staring at me, he chuckled as well and then placed his hand on my shoulder. "You could've at least told me." Facing the back, he exhaled more smoke before turning back again to me and pointed at the ring on my finger.

So he did notice.

"Well, you never showed any interest."

Perhaps it was my tone that it seemed like I was pushing all the blame on him.

He licked his lip, and then stared down at his feet that made a straight line on the ground. His face looked sullen, like hanging with grief. And suddenly I could see him age visibly a few years.

"I was waiting for you to surprise me. Us." He spoke, shaking his head to the side. However, he didn't look up. Not just at me, but he just avoided looking up, keeping his gaze on the ground.

I stayed silent for a while.

I could hear the beating of my heart in my ears. And the dull drumming of the rain did little to mask it. I felt happy. Immensely so. Biting back a tear of joy, I placed my hand over his shoulder. "Communication hasn't been our strongest forte. So no one is to blame here."

He looked up at me. His eyes were red, but there was still a certain playfulness in it. Rolling them, he snorted. "Listen to yourself."

I frowned, but soon understood what he meant by it. "Hah. I guess I am wrong there."

Communication was our strongest forte. It was just that we avoided it.

"So? Who's the girl? Not going to let us see her or anything?" He asked, throwing the last bit of the cigarette on the ground and pressing his feet over it.

"Someone I met during my physics class." I replied, replaying it in my mind. "And well… about meeting you…"

"Us. Your mother is alive and well." He corrected me.

An involuntary scoff escaped my lips. "Is she?" I asked, squinting my eyes.

He let out a sigh and then slid back against the wall. "She's your mother. I know she's complicated, but you have to understand. She's still the woman who gave birth to you. All of you."

"Yeah. I guess. But I am not letting her meet my fiance."

"Alright, alright." He raised his hands in a placating manner. A smile formed on the corner of his lips as he left the support of the wall and inched closer. "Once Arthur is back from the expedition, let's meet her together."

I felt my eyes widen. Happily, I replied. "Sure thing. I am sure she will like Arthur."

Patting my back a few times, he walked past me. "As much as I appreciate this little moment we had, let's get back to work, eh? Your mother needs you in the basement."

The happiness and joy I had felt in this fleeting moment were once again washed away by the grave seriousness of the current moment.

"You better tighten your interrogation of the Elven girls before Sif starts losing patience."

"What can a mudblood such as myself possibly do to a mighty elf?" I sarcastically remarked.

He howled. It wasn't that funny, but I guess humour really is subjective. "Oh don't worry bucko. No technique doesn't mean you have lost your arcanum. Just splash that into her face." Laughing and seemingly proud of what he had said, he walked through the door and made his way towards the main door.

"Are you serious…" he cried out, looking at his phone.

"What's up?" I ran over to him.

Looking up, he put his finger on his lips. "Do not even think about it. At least for now, ok?" He spoke before showing me the message on his phone. It was from Albert.

「Young Master Arthur and Young Master Michael have entered the biggest Frontiter in Seoul after defeating 2 Wujins that had escaped from a small crack in the Frontier. Everyone is advised to immediately gather in Fjellborg. The Frontier is unstable and is about to integrate itself with the city. Scale of destruction and natural disasters is unknown. Travelling to Seoul is prohibited.」

"What are we going to do?"

He scowled. "Stay normal. And just say I went away."

"Got it."

"She won't probe you. So you don't have to worry about it."

"I know."

After giving me an understanding nod, he suddenly gave me a small hug before peeling himself away. "Take care." He spoke and then pointed his finger at me. "You and your fiance owe me dinner as well."

A wide grin formed on my face "She's a good cook. We'll be looking forward to it."

"You better!" He shouted before running off towards his car.

Well, off to the basement chambers we go…