There were a few things I have experienced in my 15 years of life that I understood. One of them was the lessons taught in the schools I attended. To this day, I still haven't understood them nor will I ever try to understand them for that matter.

One of the few things though, I understood, was the art of Assassination taught by Mr Samuel. I don't quite know how I understood it even more so than the lessons taught to me in school. But I understood it. I guessed that my life was being threatened almost every day, but I don't know.

All the time I spent in this city, was of torturous training that verged on the inhumane, but because of that, I started learning more. Learning things that I never thought I would ever learn.

The reason, I guessed, was because this was the most pain I felt in my entire life. The only pain I ever felt back home was because of my sister, the constant hitting on my head was already bad enough.

The level of suffering increased when I got here. The number of times when someone threw against either a tree, a wall, the ground, or attacked by monsters, more of the titanic size kind. That sucked.

So much so that the amount of scars I incurred was mounting. Sometimes I even forget the concept of pain, feeling my body become numb to it.

But the pain I was feeling in that moment, was something that I cannot even think of a good comparison for it. I would rather go fight that Kraken one more time than feel that pain ever again.

And in my opinion, that's saying something.

Without even giving myself time to respond, I felt a kick to my abdomen, sending me flying through the air as I promptly crashed to the ground and skidded through it. And somehow, the flowers weren't as damaged as it was only covered with dust, dust from the crater I created. Well, I didn't create it per se, my Sister did.

I blame my Sister. But I shouldn't say it. I don't want to handle the consequences of it.

“…Hi… sis…”

“Hello, Cosmo.”

I painfully snapped my eyes open, dust still billowing in the air. I saw my sister, her figure was something that I can't never forget even if I wanted to. And right now, lying inside a crater, I want to forget.

My mind was swirling with various thoughts and questions. Why was she here? How was she here? And most importantly, how long was she going to beat me for running away? Okay, maybe I don't want to find out the answer to my last question.

“Where have you been?”

Her voice was bright, shining like the sun up above the heavens. Her smile stretched across her face, seemingly showing that she was happy to see family. Yet I am no fool, I don't trust that bright and shining smile for one bit. I once did and never again.

I closed my eyes, not moving for even one bit. I don't want to reply. I don't even want to show that I was conscious, it best to play dead and hope she goes away. But I know.

It won't work. I know because I tried once before, or was it twice, can't seem to remember how many times but I knew, I tried. It doesn't mean that I can't try again, maybe it would work this time…

…Or maybe not.

“Dont play dead dear brother, you have tried this tactic thirty-seven times, and for thirty-seven times, it did not end well for you. So, I will count to three. One-”

Without waiting for her countdown to continue, my eyes snapped open and stood straighter than an arrow. I looked forward, gazing back at my sister, and just as I was about to open my mouth. I saw a fist hurling towards my face.

There was no point in dodging because dodging would make it worse. It made contact, her steel-like fist already centimeters away from my face. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to hit and be slammed into the ground again.

Yet nothing happened, but I was not fooled. I still closed my eyes, waiting for it to make contact, my sister wasn't one to back down at the last minute.

But no matter how much I waited, nothing came. Instead, I felt a warm sensation wrapping around my body. I opened my eyes, and saw that my sister wrapped his arms around me, so tight was her hold that I thought I would be suffocated to death.

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She briefly lifted me off the ground, making the suffocation worse as I thought that my face would be turning blue. In my suffocated state, I still forced a greeting out.

“Hello… Sister…”

Despite finally responding to her, she still didn't let go, holding me tight like a bear hugging her cub. My consciousness started slipping, deeper and deeper into darkness.

As I watched my life flash before my eyes, I accepted my death at the hands of my sister. There were various ways I thought I would die, yet dying by my sister Hug was not one of them. My neck slumped sideways, as the air that filled me was becoming drained.

Thankfully, or maybe not as I prefer being strangled to facing my sister's wrath, she let go, holding my shoulders as she made me face her. I was about to plead for my life, yet when I saw her eyes become red, tears trickling down her cheeks, my mind came to a stop.

“You idiot…”

“… 'm sorry.”

There was nothing more for me to say. Indeed, I left without saying anything, nor even saying where I was going. At the back of my mind, I realized that what I did was brash and something that I should not have done.

Maybe I just refused to admit it. I refused to see the situation for what it was. That I left… I left without saying anything, and I'm not surprised if my parents scoured the whole continent trying to find me. Knowing that they would fail.

Since they were looking at the wrong place.

I looked back at my sister and saw that her bright smile was wiped off her face. Leaving only an expression of sadness, yet I also felt that she was feeling anger. By felt I mean physically felt. Her hands were still on my shoulder, her grip becoming tighter and tighter as I felt my shoulders were bound to be crushed into smithereens.

“Why? Why did you leave?!”

“Um… Sis…”

She pressed down on my shoulders, forcing me to sit down on the ground. We sat face to face, her tears becoming more apparent, the feeling of guilt deep inside of me worsening.

“I'm sorry…”

It was all that I could say. Maybe it was all that I wanted to say. I had my reasons, and if I did tell her my reasoning, then ending up dead would be a better option than the next situation that might happen.

“Is that all you have to say?”

She stared, though tears were clear on her face, volcanic anger still very much present in her eyes. There was a feeling that I might say something wrong, so a slap to the face would be the least of my worries.

“You still look pretty sis.”

A compliment would work I guess. Her face burned up noticeably for a split second, yet it was gone as she replied.

“Nice try. Now answer me, why did you leave.”

Her look still penetrating, boring down on me as the pressure seemingly mounted on my shoulders. I silently gulped, not knowing how to answer her. Yet I still need to answer her though.

“Because…”

“Because?”

“Just Because…”

I think that wasn't a good answer. My sister's notebook turned red, and I'm sure that it wasn't because she was turning red with embarrassment. It was the other emotion when someone turned red. And I believe it was because her blood was boiling.

She didn't reply, seemingly going mute. She closed her eyes and noticeably simmered down like a boiling pot. She took a deep breath, her expression being as calm as a lake. I wasn't fooled.

Deep down, I knew she was feeling a storm of emotions. Whether it was the good kind or not, there was no need to ask which was which. The answer was obvious.

“We are going Home.”

She grabbed the wrist of my right arm as tightly as possible, almost dislocating it in my opinion, and started dragging me along to someplace I did not know.

“Wait wait wait wait.”

I pulled back yet there was no effect, her grip was not removed, but she did stop in place. She halted, gazing back at me with extreme coldness, any semblance of her sad expression seemingly gone.

“There will be no waiting. The trouble you have caused is enough, and it needs to end. It will end. At this very moment.”

Her voice was stern, seemingly showing that she could not be refused. If it was me of the past, I would have agreed without saying anything back. Yeah, if it was the past me…

With a stronger pull, I removed my wrist from her grip and looked directly back at her. A hint of surprise in her expression.

“Cosmo… What is the meaning of this.”

“It means what it means Sis, I don't want to go back…”

“You seem to be misunderstanding here.”

She gave a light chuckle, as a pink light shined on her right hand, the figure of a weapon forming in its brightness.

“You have no choice in the matter, Mother and Father has ordered your return. And though they said you must be unharmed, they won't mind if you came back because of me.”

I did not reply. I only summoned my double swords, their blade gleaming under the sun.

“Please, sister… Just this once… Let me go.”

“I cannot my dear brother. You belong at home, where you are safe. And this place, this place is not safe.”

“Indeed sister, as always you are right.”

“So come back, come back if you think I'm right.”

“I'm sorry sister, but as I have said. I cannot go back.”

Planting both of my feet on the ground, thunder snaked around my body as if it came alive.

“I don't want to go back.”

“So be it.”

Without any more words, my sister swung her sword, its blade curved, heading directly at my head, its intent slicing me in half. I responded, vertically blocking her sword with both of my own.

“You have improved little brother.”

“Yes, I have.”

“But it's not enough”

She swept my legs, and I was caught off guard, my body tumbling back to the ground. My sister took advantage, proceeding to grip both of her swords and sending a stab.

Time seemed to have slowed down, my perception was able to see the tip of her sword, sharp as ever I see.

I tumbled away from her, her sword missing me by an inch. She didn't seem to mind, her gaze never leaving the sight of me. I quickly stood up and took a stance. She slowly removed her sword, shaking off the dirt accumulated on her sword.

“Is there any other way?”

“No.”

“Then so be it.”