Dylan ran as fast as he could. His teeth were gritted, his right arm going around and around with his left holding his sheathe still. His short reddish brown hair was being blown back by the speed of his gait.

"Please let me make it in time." he said to himself.

----------

"GUWAAAAHH!"

The First fell on his knees gripping his missing left arm. Just above the elbow, a little more than a stump was left. More than half of his arm had been seared off. His breath was heavy and his sight hazy, he could only try to focus on the person before him. Rainen, had launched a powerful mixed affinity spell, the First couldn't believe this, no one should be capable of performing that by themselves. Unless... they were an oddity.

Unlike many other people who dismissed these beings as myths and a part of fiction, the First didn't. He wasn't obsessed with them nor was he particularly interested, he had merely read about them before and kept it in memory. Seeing one before him, almost couldn't believe it.

The First readied a paralyze spell, his intent was no longer to kill the boy. It was requested that he kill all those who came but he knew that the sum that he would receive from the empire would be significant. He stared hard at the still standing Rainen, Can I really win like this? he thought.

The First slowly got to his feet, keeping his unblinking gaze on the oddity. He furrowed his eyebrows and scrunched up his nose. Why isn't he attacking? He took a careful step forward with his arm out, wary of the boy's teleportation abilities. In close combat, right now, he wouldn't be able to win, he was down an entire arm. As he got closer he saw the glazed look in Rainen's eyes. His body stood rigid and his knees were bent slightly, his whole face pale with sweat dripping down.

He was out of mana.

A smile spread from the First's face, it reached from ear to ear, unnaturally bright for a man who just lost his arm. His body relaxed and he moved his hand back to throw the spell that needed no throwing. His mind was already fantasizing about all the money he would receive, the once poor village boy would become as rich if not richer than the nobles in the city. Of course he planned to share his wealth with his allies, without them he wouldn't have been able to make such a discovery.

One of the reasons why he came to the city was to get money. His village wasn't the poorest around but they had a hard time making ends meet, many of his friends had been sold away to slavers in order to feed their families. The First didn't have much of a goal except to make enough money so that he could live an easy life.

The small ball of green light flew at the mana depleted boy. Rainen fell to his knees dodging the spell and with all his strength threw a knife. The First hurriedly put up a barrier just barely saving his chest from having a knife in it. The First readied another spell, a little bit afraid that he might have to end the boy's life.

"Fuck..." the boy yelled weakly.

The First looked on without doing anything, his attention focused on the struggling boy in front of him. The boy's hands were shaking as well as the rest of his body, the sweat around the ground seemed like it rained.

"G-get up. Stand up Rainen." he said to himself. The First did nothing. "Stand, the fuck, up."

His hands shook violently as he forced them to push himself up. The First's mind could not comprehend the scene before him, it's only natural that someone fight their hardest for their life but to him it looked as if the boy wasn't doing it for himself.

"Hey kid." the First said. "You can rest, I won't kill you."

"S-stand, stand... up."

The First could tell that he was slowly fading, only a little bit more before the boy would be unconscious. He waited patiently, watching with a small desire to help. The First knew that someone without mana would soon be rendered unable to do anything, he didn't want to take down the boy like this, while he was trying his hardest. A little bit of him wanted the boy to succeed.

"I, I've... her...." he fell to the ground.

The First walked over slowly, still wary about if the boy would wake again. As he reached down to drag the boy, his face no longer had the smile before, it was a serious expression, one that hinted at respect.

"Good try." he said.

"Stop right there!"

The First turned to see another boy, he wielded a sword and was dressed in some light armor. His amber hair was disheveled from running too much.

"Don't touch him." he said.

"And who are you?" the First asked.

"I'm Dylan. Dylan Yurfray."

----------

Dylan, still wanting to assist in a different way, went into Aisha's room. Over the last eight years he didn't treat her very well, and since her brother had stood up for him and given him some sort of voice, he felt guilty for entering her room. Yet, he still looked. After checking almost every nook and cranny, he finally found a small leather bound book.

He took it out and began reading. Going through each entry with lightning fast pace, he had finished reading it within ten minutes. After finishing it, he moved his thumb and middle fingers to his eyes and dragged them across, stopping at his nose. He rubbed his wet thumb and middle finger together, "He'll find you."

Dylan rushed out of the room with the diary in hand, whether or not Aisha hated him was not his problem, if it would help Rainen he wouldn't hesitate to do it.

Returning from Aisha's room, he laid his back flat against the door to the waiting room with one ear pressed gently against it. His body was tense as he leaned on the door, waiting for the words that he knew would eventually come.

"Did you really have to do this?" his grandmother asked in a voice just loud enough to hear through the thin door. "Why must Rainen disappear too?"

Dylan crinkled his nose.

"They... those two are troublesome."

"But they're your grandchildren."

"They are yours as well!" he says loudly. A silence permeates the room, finally being broken by his next words. "I didn't want to do it." he said.

"Then why?" Juliana asked.

"Because... I already chose this path. You have too, that's why you didn't stop me."

Another moment of silence.

Frederick spoke, "It's far too late to go back now, I've already made my choice when I let Ayleth run away. For the good of this house, her children must be gone as well."

Dylan gripped his hands together tightly. His grandparents were planning on disposing of both Rainen and Aisha. Why? he thought. Couldn't they have just lived normally? At the very least, he wanted Rainen to.

"Why then? Why are you selling Aisha off? Didn't we agree that they would simply take her looks away and we would continue providing support?" Juliana asked. "You didn't even discuss it with me."

"Because I can't." Frederick said. "She looks too much like her."

"Then why does Rainen have to disappear." she asked.

"Because he's a danger to Dylan!" Frederick yelled. "I've given up so much and he came in and almost destroyed his life. Yes, I didn't want Dylan to become a knight but I don't want him crippled! How will he be the next head if he, a knight, lost his arm to a commoner!"

Dylan felt his right arm and didn't feel much despair at the thought of never being able to call himself a knight again. He never wanted the title in the first place, but he also never wanted to become the head of the house either. His thoughts went to his mother, Is this why she made me into a knight? Why do I never have a choice?

"Then what was the point of having him come here?" Juliana yelled.

"So he could help Aisha! I didn't know how much he would harm us." he said harshly.

"Is it because he looks like him?" she asked.

"..."

"Is it because he looks like his father?" Juliana asked once again.

"..." once again, Frederick did not answer.

"I," she took a deep breath. "I will stand by you, no matter what."

Dylan felt his heart sink, his grandparents had been manipulating him and everyone else in the household for years. His hands tightened around the sword at his waist, even if he hated it, if he could use it to help the person that stood up for him then he would be happy to have spent all those years learning it.

He ran off into the streets, he already knew the way, all he had to do was make it in time.

-----------

"Haaaah... haaaah..."

"Haaah. Getting tired already?" the First asked Dylan. Dylan stared hard at his missing left arm, even without it he was still more than a match for Dylan.

He reverted his eyes back to meet the First's, "I won't let you take him." he said.

"And I can't let you live." he responded.

Both were on the edge of their ropes. The First, tired from his battle with Rainen and with a massive injury, was feeling faint. Dylan, who had never been in a death fight before, had every nerve in his body yell at him to get away, his muscles ached and so did his spirit. How can he be so weak as to lose to a man with a missing arm? How could he be so weak that even with a cause to protect someone he couldn't put the enemy before him down?

The First shot out spell after spell, seemingly with endless amount of energy. Dylan, who didn't have enough magic to even be noticed, dodged out of the way each time, only escaping by the skin of his teeth.

The only magic that people like him could use were basic tier one spells of the healing kind. He quickly used it between every volley to heal the small cuts and burns on his body. I have to stall, stall long enough so that someone else can come... no, I have to be the one to win. I can't be relying on others for this. They could all be down. he thought to himself.

He stood firm and held his sword in front of him. As a fireball came he charged forward, "[Enchantment: Spell Parry]!" a single flick of his wrists and the spell bounced away, hitting a nearby building instead.

The First's face was filled with shock at the sight, he quickly raised his hand seemingly to cast a barrier around himself.

"[Enchantment: Wind Blade]!"

A gust of concentrated wind flew at the First.

"[Reflect]!"

*SHINNNNNG*

Dylan slumped onto his knees, a large cut which went from his right shoulder all the way down to his stomach. His torso felt like it had been hit and covered with a giant chunk of ice, he could no longer feel most parts of his body. His breaths were short and raspy, when he coughed the pain worsened. He struggled to keep himself up with his left hand, he stared at the ground longingly, wanting to take a rest.

"N-no..." he said to himself. "Not, not yet. At the very least... he has to know."

Dylan began his journey over to Rainen, constantly falling to the ground, constantly wanting to rest, constantly wondering,Why did I come? he would think to himself.

It's because of what he did for me. That's right. It's been so long since I saw anything else other than a stern look on my mother's face. Seeing her tear up after what he said, I was glad, glad that she was still the same caring mother I knew. I haven't repaid him yet, I need to, he stood up for me and showed me that my mother's still alive inside.

He took out the diary tied to his side and slide it to Rainen.

Ah, I still haven't said thank you.

His body fell limp to the ground.

----------

Entry #1

Dear big brother,

This is my first entry to you. I plan to tell you all about my life here with our extended family. So far, everyone's really nice to me, grandfather is very strict but I can tell he wants the best for me. Even if he dismisses all my teachers I know that he's doing it for me. I don't really have any friends yet but I'm sure I'll make some pretty soon. The magic classes are hard, I'm no match for my teachers and other students but I'll try my best.

Love, Aisha

Entry #10

Dear big brother,

I'm sorry for being so rude, I haven't asked how you've been doing yet. So, how are you doing? I hope that you're well. Lately, everyone seems much happier. Grandfather and grandmother's smiles seem much less fake lately, I think they're happy I'm doing so well. I still haven't made any friends but I don't get out much. Have you made any friends? Do you like them? One day, I'd like to meet them and ask them about you. I know that you could tell me but hearing another person's perspective is really interesting. I don't have too much time left so I'll write again tomorrow.

Love, Aisha.

Entry #20

Dear big brother,

Today I made a new friend! Her name's Near, and she's really nice. She's just a little bit older than me, she's a little bit like you, hard headed and very caring. She always tells me stories of what she's done. She also listens to me, I really like having her around. I think that it would be great if you two one day met, I'm sure you two would be the closest of friends. I have to go now, good night.

Love, Aisha.

Entry #30

Dear big brother,

A crisis has happened. Today, when I went down to leave for Near's house, grandfather told me that they moved away. He said it with his fake smile, I think that he got her family to move away. This all happened because I didn't want to marry a person I've never met before, it broke up some of the family too. I'm feeling really hopeless, it would be nice if you visited soon.

Love, Aisha.

Entry #35

Dear big brother,

Everyone in this house has gotten meaner. Our aunt and uncle who live here don't talk to me anymore, even aunt Millicent's kids are avoiding me. Grandfather and grandmother are making me work harder than ever, I can't disobey because I don't have anywhere else to go. I'll be waiting here for you.

Love, Aisha.

Entry #41

Dear big brother,

Where are you? It's getting harder to live here. I feel like everyone hates me. I wish that Near was still here. You're coming for me right? I know you will. Just like that time when I got lost in the forest and you came to look for me.

Love, Aisha.

Entry #45

It's been twenty days since I last wrote to you. I feel so broken here. There's no one who will talk to me except the servants and our grandparents. Why haven't you made it here yet? Do you hate me for what I did that time? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings by bragging. I'll apologize to you right now, I'm sorry.

Entry #47

I hate you! You're probably just playing around somewhere with those stupid friends of yours while I suffer here. You're excluding me from everything like you always have! You don't even care about your own family! You're the worst big brother ever, I wish that we weren't related.

Entry #48

Dear big brother,

I'm sorry. Please, please, come get me. I don't want to be here anymore. I didn't know that everyone hated me so much, aunt Millicent said that if I had only just disappeared in the fire she'd be so happy. I want to leave this place. I'm sorry for everything I said before.

Love, Aisha.

Entry #49

I don't have anyone else. I just... want to see you again.