Storm opened his eyes to a new world. Meteors rained over cold black lands, their fiery tails staining the skies blood red. High above in the center of the war-torn sky hung a moon the likes of which he had never seen before. The great moon was fractured down the middle, as if cracked by the gods themselves. It’s very presence seemed to sway everything else, giving him the feeling that the moon itself were bringing war to the world.

“Whoa,” said Caim, not far from Storm’s side. “Wasn’t expecting this . . .”

“You’re telling me.”

Storm walked to the edge of the rock they stood upon. Looking down, he could see the surface of the world far beneath them. Thousands upon thousands of feet separated them from a land of black ice and fire, and the feeling of trepidation swam through him as he gazed down at what looked to be a dying world. Past their faces, the wind blew sharp and chill, as if winter had breezed its icy touch across the horizon.

“Grim,” said Storm. “Everything looks burning, but it’s frigid somehow.”

“Cool,” Caim whispered. “This is totally cool!”

Feeling the presence of their grandfather above, Storm looked up to see the old man standing on another floating chunk of rock, his face half-cloaked in shadow. He nudged Caim, and motioned up.

With a sudden crack, Ronin thrust his oaken cane into the stone, unleashing a score of hidden white crows from beneath his floating throne, fluttering and cawing as they soared past the two boys. Yet the two did not cower. They did not flinch. They merely met his gaze silently, their hands clenched firmly to the hilts of their swords, anticipating the brutal fight to come.

“The time of your ascension has come, boys,” Ronin began. “As sorians, you stand before me as demi-gods, immortal to even Time herself. Our race was born during the very first Éiéndrahk, and so we have fought, since near the beginning of it all. But your heritage will not avail you. You are not invincible. A mortal wound in Inner Depths will take your life. And I would not disrespect my own grandsons by holding back. I can only hope that what I have taught you will be enough for the two of you to keep your lives, and surpass me.”

“Enough with the speech already,” Storm said, glaring up at Ronin. “I’m ready.”

Ronin met his gaze, sending a shiver down Storm’s spine. The anger and frustration Storm felt had not dwindled since entering the world, but he knew that succumbing to his emotions would only make the situation worse.

“So be it,” said Ronin. “Prepare yourselves.”

Relax and think, Storm thought to himself. What do I know? I know that the old man is completely rested, and even if he weren’t, it would still be a near-impossible task to beat him in a swordfight. He could feel the slight frustration in Ronin’s gaze over his behavior, and a sudden realization struck him.

That’s it! As far as he knows, I’m still riled up and angry about having to do this exhausted, which I am, but still, that probably means that he is expecting me to do something rash. Storm glanced at Caim, who was looking at him with timid eyes.

Yes, thought Storm. He definitely is. Because so are you. But we can do this. I’m sorry, Caim, but I’m going to have to piss you off a little bit for this to look real. I have a plan.

“Storm . . .” said Caim carefully. “I know you’re mad at grandpa right now, but he said it himself. We can only do this together. Let’s just work as a team and try to have fun with it.”

“Caim,” said Storm, forcing a sigh and beginning the act. “You never change. Not everything in life is a game. This isn’t just about fighting the strongest of the strong, but surpassing the limitations of oneself. What is life if not a constant struggle to reach greater heights?”

Storm looked up. “The old man is the peak of swordsmanship as we know it, but I will soon stand upon that very peak, and turn my gaze to the stars above.”

Taking a long, deep breath, Storm rested his hand on his sword’s woven white hilt. His resolve was set: His life was no longer in his hands, but poised before him—to lose or to keep. A torrent of clouds grew restless on the fading horizon, and jagged flashes of lightning crackled in and out of existence.

“What’s wrong with you?” Caim asked in an aggravated tone. “I get you’re exhausted, but we have to work together! Stop being selfish, Storm. I know you understand that he can’t be beaten alone. In all of our sparring matches, we’ve only barely been able to touch him!”

“I’m different than I was back then,” snapped Storm. “So stay out of this. He’s mine.”

Ronin was still as silence, watching the two of them. If Storm wanted to fight on his own, then there was nothing that could be done to stop him. Despite his hopes for the boys, Ronin began to wonder if it was perhaps too soon for them.

There is nothing more I can do but break his confidence, Ronin thought. The time was at hand, and they were still not ready. His thick, calloused fingers wrapped around the hilt of his caneblade as he pulled it forth from its wooden sheath.

A gust of wind followed by the faint ringing of bells caught both of the brothers’ attention. Following the sound, their eyes found them, jingling from each side of their grandfather’s sash. Storm eyed them like a hawk, his grip tightening on his own hilt. The weight of the sword was different than the wooden blades he had practiced with his whole life, but that didn’t matter now. There was only the overcoming of their last challenge. Simply that.

Ronin sighed. “I don’t understand how you can be so clever, yet never learn the greenest of life’s lessons, Storm. It would seem you have yet to learn the difference between feeling and thinking, and the times in which each one is relevant.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you aren’t to be trusted,” Storm jabbed back.

“So that’s it,” said Ronin. “You have yet to accept your life as it has played out. Not everything is within your control, as much as you wish it could be.” Storm grimaced as Ronin continued. “Your pride blinds your judgement. You are here for one reason, Storm, because you earned it. Don’t make me regret it.”

“I could care less what you regret,” said Storm, feeling brash. “You never were one to think about how we might feel about things. Nobody in their right mind would ever accept the fact that you just found us when we were babies and hid the truth of it for half our lives. It is your preconceived notions of right and wrong that blinds you, and I think, if there were anyone in the world who would understand why I want to fight on my own, it would be you. You lied to me, Ronin. And I have not forgotten.”

“Storm . . .” Caim’s voice was a soft whisper, but he did not continue.

Storm waited for Ronin to say something, but nothing came.

Brutal, thought Storm. Hope I didn’t overdo it . . . But if this doesn’t come across as real, I fear this battle will only end one way. Sorry, old man, but you’ve left me no choice but to fight in the only way I can right now, with my mind, and with your emotions.

Ronin raised his free arm, motioning to everything around him. “This world around you crumbles and melts at the tips of my fingers. These two bells cannot be claimed by your hand alone. It seems that you must learn the hard way, Storm, that two people fighting independently will never surpass the capabilities of fighting together as one.”

“Sorry, Ronin, but I must disagree with you. Caim may be strong, but I will not feel gratified unless I can best you by my blade alone. And we’ll see if I have trouble plucking those bells from your incapacitated body.”

Caim shot Storm an angry look, but said nothing.

“What!?” cried Storm, looking at his brother. “There’s nothing wrong with becoming strong for oneself!” A falling meteor screamed past the two of them. Storm watched it howl past before crossing his arms. “It’s something you two will just never understand. Life is the pursuit of ambition. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

Ronin watched the meteor explode into the black ice so far below. “Arrogant as usual, Storm. A truly wasted blade, that you are.”

Storm scowled at Ronin. “We’ll see about that.”

“Storm!” Caim shouted. “If you think I’m going to just back down while you fight alone . . .” He paused, his tone softening. “Let it go, Storm. If you just calm down, you’ll see that he didn’t do this on purpose. It’s just how it turned out.”

“Of course, he did it on purpose, Caim! This is what you never see! You never see past yourself! Ever since we were little, he’s always hounded me on everything I do. There’s always something wrong, something I’m doing that he doesn’t approve of. You’ve had it easy your whole life, and I wouldn’t expect you to understand, being who you are, but I’m sick of it.”

Caim looked taken aback. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped.

Sorry, Caim, thought Storm, feeling the pain in his brother’s eyes. You’ll understand soon enough.

Storm unsheathed his blade and pointed it at his brother. Caim’s eyes widened at the sight. “Bring your sword into my fight,” Storm began, “and I don’t care if you’re my brother. I’ll cut you down myself.” He turned his gaze and his sword back towards their old man.

“You’re going down once and for all, Ronin!” Storm roared. “And I’m tired of waiting!”

Before Caim could say anything, Storm burst forward, cracking the ground at his feet and leaping into the sky. Dashing between chunks of floating rocks, Storm’s movement was a blur as he shot closer and closer to their old man far above. In a flash he was upon him.

“Come then, Storm!” Ronin bellowed. “I will hold back no longer!”

Storm froze as Ronin vanished into thin air.

Just like that. Gone.

Storm’s heartbeat accelerated, and he slowed his breathing, focusing his senses on following Ronin’s aura. Sensing a sudden but burning heat from above, Storm turned to see a falling meteor rushing straight at him. It seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, a devastating trick played by the master of the world. The brightness of it forced his eyes to a squint, and he could feel the burn of it upon him.

“Ronin!” Storm screamed at the top of his lungs. “This world will not kill me! No matter how hard you try! It is in this place that I have no fear, and it is in that fearlessness that I will defeat you!”

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Caim screamed up at Storm as the meteor smashed straight into him. With only one move, Ronin had secured his victory. Suddenly, the meteor exploded into countless specks of embers and dust. Caim could see Storm’s silhouetted body through the cloud of raining ash, his blade shining brightly through the flames.

“Storm, behind you!” Caim yelled. His feet dug hard into the ground, cracking the entire island he stood upon as he burst into the sky toward the two. Even using the ability to flash step — a technique allowing one to move so fast it gave the appearance of teleporting — Caim knew he wouldn’t make it.

Storm felt time slow as he twisted his fall and felt the pressure of Ronin’s blade shoot just past his shoulder. Landing on another tiny floating island, Storm spun around and drove his sword in an upward arc, roaring as his blade struck Ronin’s, and their clash of steel echoed across the sky like thunder. Storm’s arms struggled as he broke Ronin’s surprise attack. He could feel the overwhelming pressure of locking blades with the old man, and a shard of doubt cut through his mind.

“Oh?” said Ronin, smiling. “It seems you have learned something.”

“I’ve learned a lot more than that!”

Storm broke free, unleashing a fury of slashes. The final attack broke nothing but air, and he flashed away in pursuit of Ronin. Their clashes boomed thunderously across the sky as they disappeared and reappeared in different places, each time breaking their reunion with a powerful crossing of blades.

Caim came to a stop in the sky. He was having trouble following their movements. Another meteor shot past him toward the ground, and Caim looked to where it had struck the black ice beneath, bringing forth a deathly inferno and the rapid melting of the world’s surface.

Definitely not going down there, Caim thought. The world he looked upon was an unforgiving and chaotic place, and the only feeling Caim felt from it was that of despair. Colossal mountains imprisoned the great fire that was quickly ravaging the lands beneath them.

“You need my help, Storm,” Caim muttered. “I know you know that. Whether you want to admit it or not.” He watched the battle unfolding in the sky. It was subtle, but knowing his brother better than anything, Caim could tell that he was already slowing down. The sky was a graveyard of floating rocks, but within the heat of battle, they were becoming less and less as they were destroyed in the fight between them.

“You’re running out of places to jump from,” growled Caim. “And we both know that flying isn’t your strong suit!” Taking a quick breath, Caim took off into the sky towards their battle. “We can do this, Storm, but you gotta have some faith!”

Storm ducked a quick slash from Ronin, feeling strands of his hair lost, and flashed away in a temporary retreat. Sheathing his katana, he tried to catch his breath as he landed on another chunk of earth. Ronin suddenly appeared before him, only an arm’s length away, grinning his same stupid grin.

Storm leapt backwards, barely catching his breath and landing a safe distance away.

“Retreating already?”

“Hardly,” said Storm, meeting his gaze. The old man eyed him carefully.

“You’ll have to fly sooner or later, Storm. Else you are simply doomed to fall.”

Storm sheathed his blade. “Don’t overthink everything old man, those metaphors will just confuse you in your old age. Maybe I just like the ambiance over here a bit more. The light’s a little better, you know? And who knows, I feel like I can take you down without the need to fly. You know, give myself a little bit of a hindrance, to make things more interesting.”

“Come now, Storm,” said Ronin, who began to float and walk across the sky as if it were the ground itself. He rested his caneblade on his shoulder. “Do you not see the impossibility of what you seek? There is strength in humility, young one. Perhaps, one day, you will learn to listen.”

Storm clenched his jaw. “I’ll listen to the silence of your heart when this is over.”

Ronin raised an eyebrow as he felt the fire of Storm’s aura burning hotter than ever. The green in his eyes brightened, and Storm took a step closer to the old man. “I’m not losing this fight, no matter what. Guess it’s time to test out all the new techniques I’ve been practicing in secret. Ready yourself, old man.”

“Getting serious then, are we?” Ronin said, lowering down to the island. “It’s about time.” He changed his stance to one where he held his sword above his head with both hands, then placed one foot forward to meet Storm’s advance.

Taking the initiative, Storm dashed forward before leaping at his grandfather.

“See how you fare with this, Ronin! Lunar Rising!” Storm cried, unsheathing his blade with all his might.

Ronin winced as Storm reflected the moon’s light off his blade’s edge and into the old man’s eyes, temporarily blinding him. Twisting his body with everything he had, Storm spun around, increasing his velocity tenfold while arcing his blade, but something felt wrong.

“It’s a shame you’re not working together,” Ronin’s voice felt like a whisper within Storm’s mind. “You might as well be fighting one another.” He vanished like sand before a strong wind, and Storm was shocked as his blade clashed with another.

“Storm!?” Caim cried. “What the heck are you doing? You got in my way!”

Storm’s eyes grew dark when he realized it was Caim’s sword he had struck. Quick-stepping inward, Storm launched his fist square into Caim’s gut, then felt his brother heave over onto his own shoulder. Whispering as softly as possible, Storm pushed Caim back off and with hardly any notice of a pause, spun-kicked him as hard as he could, sending his brother plummeting.

“I told you to stay out of it, Caim! Interfere again and I won’t hold back!”

Caim fell away from the two of them, his fuming eyes watching as Storm pursued Ronin once again, alone. But before his anger could get too heated, he realized that Storm had said something to him.

“Wait for the moment?” muttered Caim, rubbing his stomach. “What the heck is that supposed to—” Caim’s eyes widened as he grasped the situation. Falling into a layer of thick clouds, Caim came to a floating stop and hovered there.

“You silly bastard,” Caim grinned. “He’s never gonna fall for it. But fine, you always were one to learn the hard way!” Gripping his sword tighter, he felt out towards the battle above with his senses. “We’re only gonna get one shot at this, Storm. I hope you know what you’re doing!”

Parrying an attack from his grandfather, Storm flipped backwards and landed on a tiny chunk of rock. Almost there, Caim, Storm thought. Hopefully this ends up working, or I think we’re both screwed in the end! At least, I might be . . . Storm could feel his body getting more and more tired with each and every movement, and knew he didn’t have long.

“Have you lost your mind, Storm!?” Ronin bellowed, and Storm barely ducked the edge of his blade. The two engaged in a dance of sparks as Storm spun round the tiny island, dodging and countering to the best of his ability.

“Trust me when I say it’s solely focused on beating you!”

Ronin broke Storm’s guard, and with a subtle flick of his wrist, shot Storm a hundred feet into the sky. Flipping out of the momentum from Ronin’s attack, Storm touched down on another chunk of rock. Looking around, they were becoming fewer and farther between.

Ronin appeared before him, a harsh expression on his face.

“Storm—!” he could feel the fire in his grandfather’s tone.

“You would strike down your own brother in the pursuit of your own ambition!? I fear what I see before me to be the truth, that I have failed you as your master. There are dangers where Caim falls, things that you know nothing of!”

Storm forced a smile. “And?”

Ronin’s face was testimony to his fury. “I always feared you to be broken, Storm . . . but I never once thought it was of your heart.”

Sheesh, talk about cold.

Storm laughed through the pain. “Shows how much you know. And c’mon, Caim’s survived worse, right? He looked down. Caim had vanished. Had he heard him? Had he whispered loud enough? Without Caim, his plan was useless. His mind thought back to Ronin’s words about what dangers lay beneath them, but he pushed the fears aside.

“Enough about Caim,” Storm continued, forcing his focus. “This is about you and me.”

Ronin’s expression was hidden by shadow. “Your coldness I once believed could have been healed by warmth and kindness, but I see now that it cannot. It would seem that the truth of your past haunts you more deeply than you will admit, or try to understand. Some things can only be fixed from within. You have failed, Storm.”

Have I now?

Storm let his anger flare. “Don’t speak of me as if you care. You were the one who betrayed us, lied to us, and . . .” Storm clenched his hilt tighter. “Caim and I might not even be brothers!” The words stung as he spoke them, but truthfully, it was a fear of his that he held deep down. Hearing his own words brought true pain to his heart, but he continued nonetheless.

“You never really know when it comes to you. You act all high and mighty, as if you know everything there is to know about everything! But this world really says a lot about you, Ronin. I mean, look around! This world is a reflection of your inner state, is it not? What have you been hiding deep down!?”

Ronin was silent in response to his words. An icy breeze swept past Storm, one far colder than what he had felt before, and a shiver ran through the length of him.

Storm ignored it and pointed his blade at Ronin. “The world crumbles and melts beneath us. The broken moon casts vengeance upon us, but mark my words, old man, this will end here. Maybe if you hadn’t made this entire trial unfair to me in the first place, I wouldn’t be doing exactly what I need to do to piss you off. So stop trying to get in my head, and let’s settle this the old-fashioned way. With our swords!”

Ronin’s tone went dark. “So be it, Storm. You, whose spirit is split like the moon, will now learn the truth behind yourself.” Ronin released a torrent of emerald aura that manifested and twisted around his blade like a serpent, bringing forth a sound so feral that the destruction of the world dimmed in comparison.

Storm’s eyes widened, and a cold sweat came over his body. Ronin’s aura rose to a level that he hadn’t ever imagined possible. Just being in the presence of it gave Storm the feeling of staring straight into the sun. Everything had just become very real. He could feel the fear numbing his senses as doubt stabbed at his heart. He took a deep breath and swallowed.

One wrong move, and I’m done for. Just focus on surviving. I have to believe that he’s beatable. I have to believe that the moment I’m waiting for will come! I have to believe in Caim, and myself!

“Finally, you sense the difference between us, Storm. My beliefs, my convictions, and my reason. They are unlike yours. It is the reason you will now fall. It is the difference between one who truly bets their life, and one who cannot let go. You cling to life in fear of losing it. That is a weakness, Storm. A fatal weakness.” Ronin’s last words sang like a deathly whisper.

Shit! I think I might have pissed him off a little too much!

A flash of a second later, Storm felt Ronin appear above him. On pure instinct, Storm parried the deadly blow. The strength of Ronin’s attack pushed hard into Storm’s guard, and he felt his body being thrown downward, hurtling toward the world below. The wind around him grew crazed, whipping up and around his body faster and faster.

Storm’s heart pounded in his chest. Nothing could be done. He was moving too fast to stop his momentum. Twenty feet to his side, a falling meteor raced him downward. Rings of broken air were left in his wake as he plummeted toward the ice and flames below.

Storm roared into the sky. “I will not lose to you, Ronin! No matter what!!!”

As if heeding his call, Ronin descended upon him, moving at speeds that Storm could no longer follow. The only thing Storm could feel was the strength of Ronin’s resolve. It was then that the grim reality hit him: the fall wouldn’t kill him. The ice would not become master of his grave, only the keeper. No, Ronin was more elegant than that. The fight had started with blades, and so it would end with them. Storm felt the sharp of Ronin’s blade suddenly pierce his ribs, and he gasped, blood arcing from his mouth.

A hazy mist surrounded Storm’s senses as Ronin’s face came before his. He looked up expecting something frightening, but the old man’s face was not wicked or disdainful. A great sadness could be seen in his eyes, and it was then that Storm realized how much his words had hurt him. Forcing the act and pushing back his feelings, Storm knew the moment was upon him.

Ronin felt a sudden grip like cold iron grasp his forearms. Storm pulled Ronin close and looked him dead in the eyes. “Can you feel it now, old man!? My resolve!?” Blood floated up from Storm’s lips as the two hurtled toward the ground, locked together. Ronin tried to pull himself free, but to no avail, he could not break out of Storm’s grasp.

A great grin slowly curved across Storm’s face, and all became clear to Ronin.

“You underestimated us,” Storm cried. “That’s the only difference between us!”

“Storm! You’ll pay for that punch, you bastard!!” A thunderous voice erupted from beneath them, and the silhouette of Caim’s glowing form rose out of the clouds.

“I thought you had caught on, old man,” Storm struggled to speak. “But it turns out my past haunts you more than myself!” With all his remaining strength, Storm twisted Ronin in the air. His eyes found Caim racing towards them.

“Caim!” Storm screamed at the top of his lungs. “The bells!”

“Oh, now you want to work together!?” Caim yelled in retaliation.

Caim was soon upon them, ripping forth his fallblade and slashing it toward Ronin’s sash. The jingle of the bells became the only distinct sound to the two brothers—Caim, who had taken one hand off of his hilt, was reaching for a bell, while Storm in turn, took one hand off Ronin’s forearm to reach for the other.

The bells were right there. Within inches of each of their hands.

“I must admit,” whispered Ronin. “I was a fool . . . But not for long enough.”

Just as Storm felt victory upon him, Ronin vanished. Not a second later, he felt Caim’s blade rip across his chest. Blood splashed into the air. A look of horror came into Caim’s eyes as he tried to pull back his sword’s momentum, but it was too late. A touch of blood splashed Caim’s cheek, and Storm fell out of sight.

“Storm . . .” Caim stared in disbelief. “Storm!!!”

Just as he was about to flash down to his brother, Ronin reappeared. Before Caim could fully grasp what had happened, he felt Ronin’s fist sink deep into his stomach. Three gut-wrenching blows followed quick as lightning, and Caim’s vision went blurry as he lost all strength, and fell out of the sky. As his vision became darker and darker, all Caim could see was the silhouette of Ronin floating high above.

“You’ll have to be stronger than that . . .” were the last words he heard as all faded to black.