Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
In the darkness, Lucian could distinctly hear the sound of water splattering onto the ground.
“Where am I?”
Following his encounter with the doctor, he had returned home through the upper window Ophelia left unlocked and quietly slipped into his room. Still shaken from his experience, Lucian unconsciously stripped to his undergarments and crawled into bed. He hadn’t expected rest to find him easily, but the pure exhaustion he felt quickly knocked him into a deep slumber.
But…if that was the case, why was it that he found himself in an unknown location? Gone was the subtle cushion of his bed and the warm flicker of the lamp beside it. In its place was the stiff discomfort of a stone floor.
Lucian sat up slowly, massaging his back. There was no sign of light in his immediate vicinity. It was only from the rough texture of the ground around him that Lucian could even confirm his existence.
Suddenly, a candle sparked to life. The room, if you could even call it that, resembled an extremely cramped dungeon cell. At Lucian’s fairly average height, he was only able to just reach his arms out without being halted by the cell’s walls. Beyond the candle at his feet, there was no way of knowing what lay in front of him.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Stepping over the candle, Lucian began to make his way down the corridor, its cramped sides forcing him into an awkward shuffle. As he moved, the candle followed, guiding his path with a pale flicker.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
There it was again—the steady dripping of water. Lucian knew that water meant an exit and though he knew not how he got there, he had a one-track desire to escape.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
“The water’s getting louder. I’ve got to be close now.”
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Lucian was knocked to the ground as something slammed into his chest. As the pale light of the candle illuminated the culprit, Lucian felt his eyes travel upward. From his seated position, Lucian could make out the silhouette of dark-colored work boots. Moving his gaze upward, he saw pants tattered with many holes as if they’d been repeatedly slashed at with some sort of blade.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
The figure stood stiffly ahead, unmoving. Lucian placed his hand out in front of him to steady himself to his feet. As his palm met the ground he felt it splash against some sort of liquid. Slightly disgusted, Lucian wiped his hand on his shorts and stuck it out in front of him.
“Hey there! Sorry to run into you like this. The thing is, I don’t even know how I got here or where here even is, so do you think you could help me find the exit?”
Lucian was surprised by his friendliness. Even in familiar territory, he was a bit standoffish toward strangers, but something inside of him urged politeness.
“I’m even holding out my hand for a shake… This is the most polite I can possibly be considering the circumstances and yet…
“...”
Lucian pulled back his hand.
“Ah, how foolish of me! I tried to shake your hand when I had just gotten it dirty the moment before! Haha, my apologies, I didn’t even check to see if it was clean; let me do that now! I assure you this is nothing short of-”
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
His hand was stained red.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Lucian stared up at the figure. The candle’s light made it just possible to check for anything out of the ordinary,
“Arms look fine… Stomach looks fine… Neck…Neck…”
A rope was wound so tightly around the figure's neck that blood seeped from its mouth and dripped steadily onto the floor. Almost entirely obscured by darkness was a face contorted in pure agony. Eyes faded milky white reflected the dim light while at its mouth a mix of blood and saliva concocted an eerie foam.
Lucian doubled back, his pupils shrinking as the hideous sight before him registered in his mind. He desperately tried to scream, but no sound came out.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Sputtering and coughing, Lucian whirled around listlessly unaware that he had already met his doom. A blade rapidly approached him from behind. Before he could even think to evade it, his stomach was impaled.
“AAARRRGGHH!!!”
Lucian shot up from bed, his heart pounding in his chest. Ripping off the blanket that was covering him he frantically clutched at his stomach. Though his abdomen tingled, there were no signs of injury.
“Dammit, just a dream.”
Lucian squatted down and took a deep breath before throwing on a pair of trousers and a button-down shirt. Searching through his wardrobe, he scouted around before selecting a formal black vest with green accents. Lucian looked in the mirror next to his wardrobe and smirked. His look suited him nicely.
Leaving his room, he entered the kitchen where the middle child of the Faust family, Elvira, was making breakfast. In appearance, Elvira Faust had rather striking blonde hair and forest-green eyes which was quite the contrary to her elder siblings. Nevertheless, her facial structure and overall demeanor told strangers all they needed to know about who she was related to.
Elvira pushed strands of hair from her face as she regarded Lucian with a sly smile.
“Good morning, Lucian…”
“Hey Elvira… What’s with the sinister grin?”
“Sinister? How dare you say that to your adorably cute sister! I’ll have you know that since Mother and Father are out early this morning I decided to showcase my skills as a cook! So… You better be nice to me, got it?!”
“You cooking? That’s a rarity.”
“Mhmm, go on, let me hear your praise! Tell me what a wonderful treat it is to have me cooking for you!”
Lucian looked out the kitchen window toward the outside world. In the heat of his abrupt awakening, he hadn’t bothered to check how high the sun was in the sky. Judging by the light that traveled through the window and how bounced off the kitchen table, Lucian guessed it was still early in the morning.
“Ahem! I said…let me hear your praise!”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, dear sister…”
This sort of back and forth was a commonality amongst the Faust siblings and for her part, Elvira fully embraced it. In fact, in Lucian’s mind, there was not one person who fully embodied the chaos of the siblings more than Elvira. She had a true talent for extravagance which lended itself nicely to the constant petty squabbling.
However.
“I’ve already perfected the perfect strategy to deal with you, sister.”
Elvira held her arms out wide, expecting some sort of response, but Lucian simply kept his gaze locked on hers.
“Heh.”
Lucian walked to the table and sat down next to Ophelia, who was already well into a breakfast consisting of bread, fruit, and ham. Her outfit today consisted of a flowing pale-green formal dress with dark accents. Judging by the choker around her neck and the various rings on her fingers, Lucian could tell she was going full-on “delicate flower” today.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing, Lucian? Do you really think you can just blow me off like that? Not a chance! Jerk! Meanie! Take this!”
Elvira stormed to the table and began to repeatedly bop Lucian on the head, pouting with a face that somewhat resembled a hamster.
Ophelia looked up from her plate and glared at her two interrupters.
“Do you mind? I’m trying to eat here!”
“Pah, you could use some excitement! I mean just look at all that boring stuff you’ve got in front of you.”
“Elvira! I already told you, I’ll eat your food next time. I just wanted to eat light today, that’s all. It’s not a crime!”
“Hmph, whatever.”
Elvira spun on her heel and exited the room. Lucian smiled and shook his head before turning his attention to the table before him.
The lightly colored grooves and crevices painted a picture; a story of a long since conquered tree. To the tree that had sacrificed itself for this table, Lucian was eternally-
“Yowch! What was that for?”
His melancholic study of the table was abruptly cut off by a swift kick to the shin.
Ophelia glanced at Lucian, a slightly questioning look crossing her face. Lucian silently nodded as to brush off Ophelia’s attempt at inquiry, but he knew it did him no aid.
“She can tell. I don’t know how she can tell, but she can see right through me…”
“Dammit! I feel sick…”
“Lucian!”
A squeaky voice suddenly entered the room as Ravenna Faust rushed in, nearly knocking Elvira over as she squirmed past her. At her heels was her twin brother Oswin.
Lucian’s stomach lurched as he saw him, his mind assaulted by vivid images of the slain thieves.
He was spiraling, and he knew he was spiraling. With each passing moment, Lucian dived further and further into sickening despair. He wanted nothing more than to lock himself in his room and disappear. Yet-
“I can’t let them see me like this. I’ve got to be strong!”
Lucian slapped his cheeks and felt his consciousness slowly return to him. As the outside world faded into his mind, Lucian found himself in the middle of yet another Faust family squabble.
“Look what you did, Vira! Lucian just slapped himself because of how unreasonable you are! ”
“Nuh-uh! He slapped himself 'cause you almost ruined his breakfast! He definitely agrees with me. You shouldn’t just rush by people!”
“Does not!”
“Does too!”
“Enough! Elvira, she’s just excited, you don’t have to get into a full-on argument with her.”
“See. I told you.”
“Not so fast. Ravenna you’re not in the right either. I get you’re excited, but you really need to watch where you’re going.”
Ravenna pouted slightly as Elvira shook her head and returned to the cooking.
“Oh-kay… But since Vira’s gone now… I missed you, Lucian!”
Lucian reeled back, nearly falling out of his chair as Ravenna practically launched into him, wrapping her arms around his chest.
“I haven’t seen you in weeks!”
Lucian smiled at his youngest sister's youthful joy.
Ravenna and Oswin Faust were identical twins of fifteen. Both had medium-length black hair and pale blue eyes, but it was only the features they couldn’t change that they had in common. Whereas Ravenna kept her hair straight, Oswin's was worn in a slightly disheveled way. His eyes conveyed a certain level of smugness while hers showed a sort of mischievous purity. If their facial structure hadn’t been so similar, many in Giadia wouldn’t have believed they were siblings, let alone twins.
“It’s good to see you, Ravenna. How was your trip to the Trichotomy?”
“Good! I met a lot of nice people, but…there wasn’t much to do out there.”
For the last month, Ravenna had been studying history in the neighboring nation of The Holy Trichotomy. The vast libraries of information kept by the Seigammal made the country a melting pot for historical knowledge and many noble families found a learning trip there a necessary status symbol for their children. Lucian’s parents were the exception, at least in Lucian’s opinion. The two of them were just so utterly entranced by the outside world that they found it right to push that interest onto their children. In Ravenna’s case, she just so happened to adore history, so it was a win-win for both of them.
“Ooh, can I tell you about this one story I heard? It was about this man who completely lost his mind and almost destroyed the entire world!”
“Ravenna, get off Lucian, I doubt he wanted to spend his morning smothered by you.”
Oswin had grabbed his breakfast and moved within in an eyeshot of the table. Ravenna’s enthusiastic grin turned to a scrunched-up frown as her eyebrows furrowed with irritation.
“Shut it, Oswin, you're just jealous Lucian likes me more than he likes you!”
“Yeah well, your vest is on backwards you idiot!”
“You’re one to talk! You look like you just crawled out of a mineshaft!”
Lucian smiled to himself and sighed. Oswin and Ravenna’s relationship reminded him a lot of his and Ophelia’s when they were around that age. It seemed that siblings were always destined to bicker.
While Ravenna and Oswin continued to argue back and forth, Elvira brought the rest of breakfast out to the table before taking a seat next to Lucian who was now clear of Ravenna’s grasp.
“By the way, Mother and Father said that one of us needs to take the mage’s tribute into town today.”
Lucian clicked his tongue. Part of Vanarros law required that all citizens of the empire pay tribute to the mage guild in thanks to their service to the crown. It was without a doubt Lucian’s least favorite chore.
“If I recall correctly, it was your turn, Elvira.”
“No no, dear brother, you are mistaken. I had the great misfortune of taking part last time… I believe it is your turn.”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Are you sure, dear sister? Because I believe you are quite wrong…”
“Silly brother, I am never wrong. Now, you better head out soon or you’re bound to miss those awful collectors.”
“Ugh, dammit, I can’t stand talking to those pompous- hey! Where do you think you’re going!?”
In the shadow of Lucian and Elvira’s exchange, Ophelia had risen from her chair and slipped quietly toward the room’s exit.
“Don’t think you can get out of this dear sister of older age! As I recall I covered for you last time! Isn’t it about time you repaid the debt?”
“Well uh, the thing is…I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a spoon than go to that thing.”
“A fair point…In that case, it appears we’re at an impasse.”
“Oh? And what do you plan to do to solve this impasse, dear brother of younger age, yet not as young as dear sister of younger age who is yet still older than-”
“Enough! You’ve ruined it, Ophelia! This was supposed to be our thing and now you’ve gone and messed it all up!... And as for you Lucian, I’m the only dear sister you need! There’s no room for old ladies!”
“Old lady!? Why you insolent little-!”
Elvira stuck her tongue out at the deeply offended Ophelia as Lucian laughed heartily. It was the first time all morning he’d actually felt like himself. However, as his laughter subsided and his eyes returned to focus, Ophelia’s dreadful glare put an abrupt end to his joy. In an attempt to deflect Lucian uttered the one thing he knew he could count on to redirect Ophelia’s attention.
“How about a duel?”
Ophelia’s ears perked up at the challenge. Shifting her thoughts away from becoming an old woman, Ophelia waited with great anticipation for whatever Lucian had planned next. Beaming, she turned her chair to face him and sat up stiff as a building, completely focused on his next line.
“Uh, it’s not something so serious that I need your undivided attention. I was just thinking that since Elvira did it last time and both you and I would rather die than go, we can just compete to decide.”
“To the death!?”
“No, not to the death! What would the point of winning be if the loser can’t take the tribute?”
Ophelia shrugged her shoulders and stroked her hair for a moment before nodding.
“Alright, Lucian, you’re on. I should warn you though, I’ll kick your ass.”
“Yeah yeah, sure you will. Oswin, come with us, you’ll be the referee.”
Oswin, who was blankly staring down at his plate, looked up with a slight jump.
“M-me? Umm, okay I guess.”
“Wow! Lucian and Ophelia in a fight?! Can I come too?”
“No Ravenna, you spent so much time thinking of an insult for Oswin that you haven’t even finished your food yet.”
“But, Phelia!”
“No buts, Ravenna… Besides, Lucian can tell you all about how I destroyed him later.”
“Hooray, go Phelia go!”
Lucian could only smirk at Ravenna’s sudden change-up.
“And to think you were so excited to see me earlier… Where’s the loyalty!?”
“Are you sure you need a referee though? I think both of you are experienced enough to know who won.”
“With Ophelia fighting… Are you kidding me?! I wouldn’t trust this merc as far as I can throw her!”
Lucian received a swift punch in the arm in response, sending a shock wave through his entire body. Ophelia continued as Lucian tried his best to act like his arm wasn’t on fire.
“We need to talk to you anyway, Oswin. Better to kill two birds with one stone, right?”
Oswin went a little pale as Ravenna began to giggle.
“Ooh, Oswin’s in trouble… Ooh….”
“Ravenna, stop, he’s not in trouble,” Lucian scolded as he gingerly rubbed his arm. “He’s just got a secret mission that you’re not allowed to know about.”
“What?!”
Judging by the baffled look on Ravenna’s face, Lucian knew he’d hit his desired mark.
“Sorry kid, that’ll teach you from flipping sides!”
“Now come on, Oswin, Lucian’s gonna miss the tribute if we don’t hurry up.”
“You wish! Oswin, just replace my name with Ophelia’s and we’re good to go!”
Hastening their brother out the door, Lucian and Ophelia entered the morning streets. The Merchant Quarter was already bustling with life as shopkeepers scurried about, readying their stores for the morning rush. The three siblings traveled down the road, past the stained glass windows of the Sovereign Church. Though the Vanarros Empire had rejected the guidance of the Seigammal, the crown allowed for freedom of religion. As such, several churches of no particular denomination were built throughout the empire to cater to the citizenry’s religious preferences. The Sovereign Church was one of those places, its interior laid out in a simplistic configuration to allow for any sort of basic worship.
Past the church was the trio’s destination, a small cobblestone-laden alcove complete with several training dummies. This was one of the city’s many training grounds, although most were quite a bit larger than this one. As such hardly any guards bothered to train here, save for those in need of a bit of solitude. It was the perfect stage for their duel.
“First though, we need to talk with Oswin.”
As if she was reading Lucian’s mind, Ophelia placed her hands on her hips and whirled to face her younger brother.
“So Oswin, were you planning on telling us about the little debt you’ve racked up.”
As if Oswin wasn’t pale enough already, Ophelia’s accusation turned him white as a sheet. He wobbled a bit on his feet before hanging his head in shame.
“W-Well I…I…I’m sorry!”
“What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell us those bastards were blackmailing you?!”
Oswin remained silent with his head down as Ophelia berated him for his actions. It was long-winded and full of insults, but Lucian knew she had Oswin’s safety in her mind.
“She’s just scared, heck, I guess both of us are. He really could’ve ruined his life.”
When Ophelia had finally finished she simply shut her mouth, closed her eyes, and leaned against the wall surrounding the alcove.
“Guess that’s my cue then…”
“Oswin, you know if you had told us we could’ve helped you.”
Oswin slowly raised his head as he stared at Lucian.
“Can I be honest with you?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“I’m sick and tired of you doing everything for me…I…I wanted to solve this problem myself!”
Ophelia snorted and Lucian shot her a dirty look. Undeterred, Oswin’s eyes showed his stubborn determination.
“Oswin, you’re an idiot.”
“Ophelia! That’s not helping!... She’s right though, Oswin… I respect that you want to be independent, but if your life is in danger that is not the time.”
“There’s a difference between wanting to do things on your own and being reckless. What you did was completely reckless.”
Oswin stared at his older siblings silently. Lucian knew where he was coming from. Though he himself had never had that sort of reckless phase, Ophelia had been just as bad if not worse as Oswin when it came to independence. That was probably why she was being so belligerent with him now.
“Look Oswin, all Ophelia and I are trying to say is, you can be independent, but don’t do anything stupid trying to get there. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah…I guess.”
There was an obvious defeat in Oswin’s voice that meant their point had at least been received. After a bit of pause, Oswin finally spoke.
“How long have you known…about the blackmail, I mean?”
Ophelia stood up from the wall and smiled slightly.
“Since it started. You can’t exactly hide things from us, Oswin.
“Say what you will about us, but we gave you a solid chance to get it sorted. You didn’t take it, so I took care of it.”
“You…took care of it?”
Lucian nodded and gestured toward Ophelia.
“You can thank her for finding them though. You won’t be bothered by those thieves any longer.”
Oswin shook his head in disbelief and sighed.
“Ugh, I feel like an idiot… I’m sorry I didn’t ask for your help… I just…wanted to do something on my own for once.”
“Lucian and I have both had times like that, Oswin. It’s normal to want some independence, but there’s a time and a place. You’ll learn.”
Lucian had the urge to challenge Ophelia’s inclusion of himself in her statement, but what she’d said was exactly the thing Oswin needed to understand, so he kept his mouth shut.
“I’ll remember that next time something I can’t take on alone happens.”
Lucian nodded.
“That’s all we needed to hear. You can head on home, Oswin.”
“Are you sure? You don’t need a referee?”
“You said it yourself, we’re both experienced enough to know who’s won, besides, Ravenna probably needs your help dealing with Elvira by now.”
“With those two I think I’m the one that’s going to need help… But okay, thank you, Lucian…and you too, Ophelia.”
Oswin quickly left the alcove and headed back to the Faust family home. Lucian watched him as he disappeared over the horizon, his steps a bit lighter than they’d been the moments prior.
“I hope this is the end of it. The kid deserves to move on.”
“Lucian, what happened last night?”
Lucian flipped his gaze toward Ophelia. Her fists were clenched and her gaze held Lucian’s apprehensively, as if her mind fought with itself for the very proposition of asking him. All emotions she had felt regarding Oswin had vanished. Her sole purpose at the moment, was Lucian.
“W-What do you mean?”
“I’ve heard it in your voice all morning. There’s something fake about it. Like everything you say is hiding something darker. On top of that, you keep getting lost in your own thoughts. It’s unlike you. You can fool a lot of people Lucian, but you can’t fool me.”
Lucian wasn’t surprised by Ophelia’s clairvoyance. She’d known him his entire life. Everything Lucian had become had been witnessed through his elder sister’s eyes. Though he’d done his absolute best to hide the still-fresh emotions of death from his mind, his nightmare earlier had completely rattled him. No matter how he tried to hide that fact, his sister was always one step ahead.
Lucian kicked a stray pebble on the ground and watched it skip several paces before coming to a halt.
“If I don’t tell her now, she’ll just keep bugging me about it until I do…”
“...Ophelia, the thieves are dead.”
“You killed them?!”
“No... You know I struggle with that sort of thing.”
It wasn’t just that Lucian had never seen death before. More than that the very thought of his mortality disturbed him greater than anything else in the world. He wanted nothing more than to protect himself. Even so, the thought of being responsible for someone’s death repulsed him. That was not a task he wished to be assigned to. It was a never-ending back and forth that deeply troubled him. He was terrified of his own death but equally afraid of being the cause of someone else’s death. There was no winning when it came to death. His only choice was to avoid it.
“Which is why I can’t believe I let myself get involved with such a mess.”
Lucian’s thoughts began to wander back once more to the night prior and the petrified looks of the deceased thieves.
“They were all so young… What could they have possibly stolen to warrant violence on that level.”
“Of course I do, that’s why I was so surprised… In that case, what happened?”
Ophelia cut off Lucian’s wandering thoughts with her query. When his mind had steadied, Lucian gave an overview of the situation. Ophelia listened carefully a slight grimace forming as she digested the information. As the story concluded, she glanced toward the sky and ran her fingers through her hair.
“I’ve never heard of a man called Beckenbauer, but from what you’ve told me he sounds like one of those traveling doctors. Oh…uh, I’m not sure if you’ve seen them before. They usually go from town to town selling their wares. It’s rare to see one in the capital though. I wonder what he was doing here.”
“He told me afterward that one of the thieves had stolen from him. The theft could’ve occurred somewhere else and then been resolved here, but that still doesn’t help me understand why that doctor would resort to such drastic actions. They were just simple thieves! And kids too!”
“Some people don’t need a reason to kill, Lucian. It’s ingrained in their blood.”
Ophelia’s words were direct and to the point, but they were more than enough to make Lucian’s bubbling thoughts subside; not with relief, but because her words harbored only truth.
“I’ve only been an adventurer a short time, but I’ve seen things I wouldn’t wish on anyone. It’s simply the nature of the world, of our world, but not yours. I’m sorry I couldn’t take them on myself, Lucian. It was selfish of me and now you’ve got to pay the price for it.”
Ophelia never talked much about her adventuring work anymore. In the beginning, it was her sole means of conversation, but as time went on, she mentioned it with less and less frequency.
Lucian had heard tales of the hardships adventurers faced, but this was the first time Ophelia herself had ever made reference to it herself. It was a glimpse of a world Lucian wanted no part of, but her intent was not lost on him.
“No. You don’t need to say that. We already had this conversation, didn't we? You and I both know that the guild would’ve never allowed it, end of story. I chose to do this myself, Ophelia. It was the right thing to do, even if it did end poorly for me.”
Lucian didn’t need the details of Ophelia’s adventuring. He knew that the only reason she had brought it up was to open up to him in response to his own vulnerability. Frankly, he didn’t need that, nor did he want it.
Ophelia kept her eyes locked on Lucian as she scanned for any sort of falsity in his words. In response, Lucian gave a thumbs-up before spinning around and placing his hands on his hips in a prideful pose. It was a cheap way to mask his churning emotions, but Ophelia made no attempts to pursue the topic further.
“I see, I need to stop treating you like a kid, Lucian. You still surprise me with how mature you’ve gotten sometimes. Just…please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. The best thing you can do is keep me distracted, really.”
“In that case…”
Lucian could sense Ophelia’s grin. Before he’d had a chance to turn around, the back of his head was pelted by a small satchel filled with some kind of hard contents. Lucian grasped his head as the satchel hit the ground with a clang.
“Ow…What in the name of the... Is that coin?
Ophelia smiled smugly as she unsheathed her blade. It was a simple wooden practice blade, but with her tenacity, it might as well have been a real one.
“Why yes…yes, it is. And if you beat me you can have it.”
Lucian readied himself and followed suit.
“What’s the catch?”
“No catch, I’m just that confident.”
“All the confidence in the world won’t save you from what I’ve got in store for you this time.”
“Oh really? My apologies then.”
“Apologies? For what?”
“I just assumed you’d already resigned yourself to another defeat.”
Lucian chuckled dryly then charged at Ophelia with striking speed.
“I’ll make you eat those words!!!”
Ophelia let out a smug “Heh…” in response before meeting Lucian’s blade with a resounding crack. The two siblings launched quick strikes at each other, both trying to gain the upper hand early on. As their blades clashed together their minds began to gather information about the current circumstances. Lucian backed away from Ophelia slowly, searching for signs of a weak spot. It was the same tactic he’d used to his advantage last night against the thieves only this time there was nothing as convenient as an injured knee.
Lucian had learned from a young age to watch his opponent closely for any sudden movements that he could use to his advantage. It’d been beaten into him by Ophelia herself. Yet for all she had taught him about finding your opponent's weakness, she’d never once shown that weakness herself. Ophelia kept her strength and balance guarded, preventing the identification of any vulnerabilities. This was further expounded upon by the fact that her rather lengthy dress obscured her legs from view. It was a tough read, no matter who her opponent was.
The siblings circled each other waiting for the clash’s next phase. With his ability to keep track of Ophelia’s body hindered Lucian determined the best course of action was a swift offense. Lucian gritted his teeth and lunged toward Ophelia raising his sword high above his head. He’d seen it; a singular glimpse at an opening.
He’d never beaten her before. That was the truth of the matter. Time after time they’d fought and time after time it’d ended the same way. Lucian flat on his face. For all the skill he could ever gain, Lucian knew she had a true natural talent that he lacked. Yet, even so, he wouldn’t give in.
With a cry, Lucian brought the sword swiftly downward aiming directly at the top of Ophelia’s head. For a split second, Lucian truly believed that he had outpaced her. The sword seemed only a fraction away from its target when Ophelia caught the attack in a block that sent a resounding crack through the air. Splinters of wood shot from the swords as Lucian disengaged and attempted to take out his sister’s legs. As his body contorted to match his strategy he caught a glimpse of a boot hurtling toward his stomach. Lucian’s eyes bulged as he realized his over-enthusiasm had doomed him. In desperation, he tried to correct his body and evade the kick, but it was too late. The air left his chest as an emphatic thud knocked the wind straight out of him. Dropping to his knees Lucian gasped for air, unable to process the events that had just unfolded. With a twirl of her blade, Ophelia finished Lucian off, striking his back with her sword and sending him crumpling to the ground.
Lucian clutched his body as he lay face-first on the ground. True to his prediction, even a wooden sword wielded by his sister had felt like the sting of a thousand crazed hornets.
“I told you I’d kick your ass… Now, uh, can you get up?... Cause I’m starting to feel bad.”
Lucian staggered to his feet, his back crying out in protest. Ophelia grimaced at the sight as regret began to find its way to her face.
“…Umm…I-I should’ve have done that… I’ll…take care of the tribute.”
Forcing a smile, Lucian shook his head.
“What’s up with you Ophelia?! Don’t take me as someone so pitiful. You won fair and square and that’s that.”
“Are you sure, I-”
“Yep! I told you I needed a distraction, didn’t I? I think a solid welt to my back’ll do the trick just fine.”
Ophelia laughed as her expression shifted to a positive one.
“Fine, I’m happy I could assist then! Just don’t you turn into a masochist on me, you hear?”
“Haha, what?! I wouldn’t even think of it!”
“Yeah, that’s what they all say! Believe me, I know a couple of veteran adventurers who-”
“Ugh, I don’t want to hear that! Ophelia…stop!”
The siblings laughed as the earlier mood fully dissipated. For her strangeness, Lucian knew he could always count on Ophelia to brighten his mood. It was the main reason he’d decided to duel her in the first place, despite his knowledge that he would surely lose. Besides, in truth, it was his turn to take the tribute. He just really didn’t want to go.
Lucian’s good spirits were abruptly ended when a sudden snobbish clearing of the throat pierced the air.
“Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to be the exquisite Ophelia Faust would you?”
From the entrance of the alcove, a putridly haughty voice called out to Ophelia. Lucian flicked his eyes in the voice’s direction and was nearly blinded by the obnoxiously radiant presence before them.
“Greetings m’lady, my name is Edgar Baron. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Whoever this Edgar Baron was, Lucian hated the look of him. His hair was radiant blonde and well-kempt, a characteristic found throughout his appearance. He was utterly flawless, but that was what made Lucian uneasy to him in the first place. There was no light behind the green in his eyes and his toothy smile exuded nothing but insincerity.
Ophelia tossed her splintered blade to the side before she smiled sweetly and performed a polite curtsy.
“Oh my, how unexpected. I never expected to be found out here. As you surmised I am indeed Ophelia Faust.”
“Ms. Faust! I have heard many tales of your beauty, but none can properly describe just how stunning you truly are!”
Ophelia placed her hand on her mouth and giggled.
“What a gentleman! Thank you for saying so. Now, might I ask what you’re doing here?”
“Of course! I come to you today with a proclamation, a plea if you would!”
“Hmm… Let us hear it then.”
Edgar Baron cleared his throat before dropping to a knee and reaching his arms out toward Ophelia. Lucian had seen this song and dance before. His sister had no lack of suitors, but none were quite so over the top as this one.
“Please! Spend the rest of your life with me! A woman like you need not slave away with the blade! Leave that to the tramps and barbarians. Your beauty cannot be ruined by blood, I won’t allow it! Sparring against depressive creatures like that one will only spoil your beauty!”
Baron gestured to Lucian with that last remark. In the confusion of the snob’s appearance, Lucian had forgotten he was currently lying flat on his stomach. Scrambling to his feet he glared daggers at Baron.
“I’ll give you one second to-”
“Lucian.”
Lucian froze.
“Aha, thank you, m’lady! You are truly-”
“Shut your damn mouth you disgusting pig. You have exactly one second to take back what you said or I’ll kill you, I swear.”
“Huh?! What on earth are you-”
Lucian had known his sister had been faking her interest from the start. Her sweetly sarcastic words were a dead giveaway to anyone who wasn’t a complete idiot. But when she uttered his name in a tone chilled to the core he knew things were about to turn bad for Edgar Baron.
Ophelia lunged toward Baron and cocked her right leg back before kicking him directly in the one place no man ever wants to be kicked. Baron screeched as the force of the kick launched him out of his shoes and sent him tumbling to the ground.
As the once prideful Baron gurgled from the mouth and twitched Ophelia scrunched up her face and spat on him.
“That’s the closest you’ll ever get to me, bastard. Go rot in a hole.”
Ophelia turned to Lucian and smiled.
“I’ll see you at home, Lucian!”
“Y-Yeah, sure thing. What about him though?”
“Eh, don’t worry about it… I know I won’t!”
Ophelia laughed out loud, then left the alcove, stomping on Edgar Baron’s stomach as she stepped over him. Lucian could hardly believe the interaction he’d just witnessed. Normally, his sister would nonchalantly turn her suitors down or lead them on a tale with no end, but he’d never witnessed her use such a direct means of problem-solving. It was just another mask in the many faces of Ophelia Faust. Every time Lucian got closer to knowing what she was outside of her personal life, another wrench was thrown in his way.
“I wonder if she’ll ever tell me what she’s been through.”
Shrugging his shoulders, Lucian delivered a swift kick to Baron’s stomach before heading off to collect the mage’s tribute.