“How is he?” Elron asked as he approached a shack at the edge of Hornreach.

Maris's face darkened. “He cursed and babbled absurdities, things that made me pray for him.”

Elron sighed. “I'm not surprised. Where’s Slyra? She should be with you.”

Maris pointed to the door behind her with her thumb. “She’s in there, keeping an eye on him.”

Elron smirked. “That can't be good.”

Maris tilted her head. “Why do you say that, my lord?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You've been around her long enough. I think you know.” With that, he opened the door.

Inside, Prince Adan was tied to a post, stripped down to his underwear, and gagged. He squirmed in panic as Slyra attached a clothespin to his nipple, her face alight with mischief.

Elron stifled a laugh. “What are you doing?”

Slyra hastily hid the other clothespin behind her back. “Nothing.”

Elron shook his head. “Yeah, right. You’ve had your fun.” He removed the gag from Adan’s mouth.

Adan spat and snarled. “Get your bitch away from me, brother, and untie me this instant!”

Elron planted a heavy boot into Adan’s chest, sending him wheezing. He bent down, his voice low and dangerous. “What was that?”

Adan coughed, gasping for air, and murmured, “Fuck you...”

Elron straightened, his voice icy. “I’ll take it from here.” He began untying his brother.

Slyra, puzzled, crossed her arms. “You get all the fun.”

Elron glanced back at her. “We’re just going to have a little chat. It will be far from ‘fun’” He then yanked Adan to his feet and dragged him out of the shack.

Adan screamed for help, but Elron punched him clean across the mouth, silencing him.

“Can you two go help Garethil?” Elron asked.

Slyra shrugged. “Sure, but what are you going to do with him?”

Elron’s eyes hardened. “We’re going to have a little brotherly bonding time.” He mana-stepped a few times, teleporting them to the edge of the woods beyond the settlement.

Once there, Elron shoved Adan to the ground. “How long have you been conspiring to take over the kingdom?”

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“I haven’t! That’s our mother’s plan, not mine!” Adan pleaded.

Elron backhanded him, fury bubbling beneath his calm demeanor. “Lies! And she’s your mother, not mine!”

Adan scrambled to his feet, panic in his eyes. “Okay, fine! Yes, it’s true, but it was her idea. I just... agreed to it.”

“Shameful,” Elron muttered, drawing his secondary blade and tossing it to Adan. “Pick it up.”

Adan stared at the sword, his lip trembling. “Brother, surely you understand. Anyone would seize the chance to be king. You would have done the same.”

Elron gritted his teeth. “I never wanted the throne. You always saw me as a threat, but all I ever wanted was to live in peace. You ruined that. You and your mother... Now, pick it up!”

Adan hesitated, then slowly bent over to pick up the blade. “We’re the same, Elron. We both want power because it guarantees us a better life.”

Elron pointed his sword at him, eyes burning. “I never sought power, only strength.”

“They’re the same!” Adan cried. “Let’s return and forget this—”

Elron’s blade flashed, slicing a shallow cut across Adan’s cheek. Blood dripped down his face.

Adan touched the wound, his eyes wide with fear. Without another word, he turned and bolted into the woods.

Elron sighed, watching his brother flee, then calmly mana-stepped after him, cutting the distance. When he caught up, he kicked Adan’s legs out from under him, sending him sprawling into the dirt. Adan clutched his sword, pointing it shakily at Elron.

Elron batted the weapon aside with ease. “She poisoned you, didn’t she? Too bad... I wanted to prove that I’m stronger now.”

“Spare me, please!” Adan whimpered.

Elron pressed the tip of his sword under Adan’s chin. “Do you remember Mittens?”

Adan blinked, confused. “Who?!”

“My best friend, Mittens! My cat,” Elron snarled, pressing harder.

Adan’s voice cracked. “No! I don’t remember!”

Elron’s gaze darkened. “You put Mittens in a bag and set him on fire.”

Adan’s face contorted in realization. “Oh... that cat. I’ll get you a new one! A hundred cats, if you want. We’ll make it right as rain.”

Elron’s expression grew distant, his voice soft. “I can still hear him. His cries haunt me in my sleep.”

“Look, I—” Adan’s words were cut off as Elron drove his sword into his armpit. With a scream of pain, Adan bolted, blood splattering across the forest floor as he ran.

But this time, he didn’t get far. Leaning against a tree, bleeding profusely, Adan rasped, “Just kill me and be done with it. You’ll die soon enough anyway.”

Elron stepped over a fallen log and loomed over his brother. “The only one dying today is you. You’re part of the rot in this kingdom.”

Adan swung his sword in desperation, but Elron dodged it effortlessly, kicking his legs out from under him.

“I always thought I was the coward. But you...”

Elron paused. “Do you remember when I was too scared to bob for apples?”

Adan, delirious from blood loss, nodded weakly. “Yes...”

“You held me down. Nearly drowned me.”

“It was a joke,” Adan croaked. “I didn’t mean—”

Elron’s gaze hardened. “Are you ready?”

Adan’s eyes darted around, searching for an escape. “Brother, please... there must be another way.”

Elron’s blade pierced Adan’s heart, pinning him to the tree. Adan’s hands weakly grasped the sword as blood dripped down its length. His eyes fluttered shut, his voice barely a whisper. “I... I loved you, brother.”

Elron yanked the sword free, letting the body slump to the ground. “In your own twisted way, I believe that.”

He stared down at his brother’s lifeless form, then muttered, “May you never find peace,” and turned back toward the clearing, leaving the forest in silence behind him.