Chapter 25

A Brother Most Foul

The two entered the eyesight of the village, Sai hopped atop Albert’s back. Sai didn't want anyone to see his magic or his might. It must be said that unless you are at the advanced level or higher, unless you see someone use their strength, you will not be able to tell.

After a short run, Albert and Silent entered the limits of the small village, Sai noted that there were nearly twenty small huts including one larger hut that Sai assumed Albert lived in. The two headed up to to the largest house which was similar in size to Sai’s.

“Albert, why does your village not have walls?” Sai asked Albert, taking note that anyone or anything could enter however they wish.

“We used to, but my brother forced my people to tear them down saying that they were built to keep him out and threatening to kill all the people inside if the walls weren't removed by the time he returned. It took us almost a year to put up those walls, but they were torn down in just seventy days.” Albert was in a situation where his brother could control him too easily and the methods his brother used were monstrous. Albert continued, “The walls were taken down nearly two hundred days ago and we have already lost two children.”

“That will change when you all move over to my land. Extortion will not be tolerated.” Sai knew this promise would be hard to fulfill but made it anyway.

The two walked into Albert’s house and Albert turned to Sai, “When dealing brother, until we can all pack up and move, you should be known by all of our people as a lone child that I took pity on and brought home. You don't have parents, they died and I came to your rescue. Don't deter from this plan or my brother will kill you.”

“I'll do as you say,” Sai replied. In this world, strength was most important, so he currently had no right to be arrogant or make decisions that would alter other people's lives. So, Sai did what he was told.

After being told this the two went toward the end of the rim where a single chair stood facing the door. The room was decorated with nothing else. The walls were bare, there was no rug on the bare floor, only hardened mud. Sai could feel the amount of effort spent tamping the earth under his feet, it was meant to make someone's feet sore after a prolonged period of standing.

Sai then noticed that the chair at the end of the room was much softer, the person that was in it looked as if they could comfortably sit there all day. In some cases Albert might when he meets with his brother. Sai took note of this before he continued with Albert towards the chair.

Albert say down and looked toward Sai, “You can do what you would like in the house, but I have to remain here until my brother shows up.”

“That is an odd condition for your brother to set. Why would he require that?” Sai asked.

“My brother is hopeful that I will abandon my post here during a visit so he can tell me that the death of my village is my fault. He feels that if they were to die because of me that it would make me stronger,” Albert’s statement genuinely scared Sai.

“What kind of person believes that death could make one stronger? Death of those close to you only hurts you. I would know.” Sai said

“Whatever my brother's reason, I have to live with it until I'm stronger than he is,” Albert said resignedly. So didn't respond because he also knew that might was right in this world.

“Now we wait?” Sai asked Albert, the condition Albert was in currently had Sai worried. Albert had to wait patiently for his brother to arrive for up to five days. This amount of idle waiting was not good for Albert’s strength. Sai did not know much about cultivation other than what he has practiced, but he knew that if you let yourself go for several days and do not cultivate that you will become weaker. This entire plan of Albert’s brother’s seemed to be meant to control Albert’s cultivation.

“Albert, how old is your brother?” Sai asked.

“Probably your father's age, why?”

“I have a feeling that he is doing this to make you weaker but the only motivation I could think of was you being more talented than he is. How would your parents decide who is their heir?” Sai asked, hoping this would tell him what Albert’s brother was planning.

“The eldest son, so, not the brother you will meet soon, but the brother that you likely won't meet is the one who inherits my parent’s title,” Albert explained the situation, so unless his middle brother planned on killing both Albert and his eldest it was not fratricide.

Sai then opened his mind and intruded into Albert’s, “Do you have a secret person here, someone stronger than your brother protecting you?”

“Do not ask these things,” Albert said sternly, this confirmed Sai’s suspicion. That secret person did not care for the tribe, only for Albert. Albert’s brother knew about that person and refused to attack until he was sure he could kill that person too. Lastly, Albert’s brother also wanted to kill his elder brother and take the place of leadership of their family.

“I see how it is,” Sai answered respectfully, “does your brother have spirit power?”

“No, why?” Albert answered.

“I will keep watch for your brother while you train. This way you won't grow weaker while he is on his way over here,” Sai said.

“How does that work? Reaching into someone else's mind I mean.” Albert asked, he was hesitant to leave the seat even though Sai did not feel any new presences in the tribe.

“I'm not sure either, my grandmother have me this power as a gift, now she lives through me and I have her strength as well. Some people, such as my grandmother ate born with it, but my grandma said that if you absorb the consciousness of other people with spirit power it will become stronger, but I only know of one other person with spirit power, so when I reach basic level two I will be able to get stronger with my spirit.”

Sai felt his grandmother nod in approval, she had spirit power, but was unable to train much physically or magically, so she didn't grow powerful enough to learn anything about it at a higher level. “So you don't know, how large is the range on it? Albert asked Sai.

“Oh, I can cover your village with my spirit power,” Sai answered. He did not however tell Albert that he could only barely reach that far from his current position.

“Then I will train, notify me as soon as my brother gets here. There are only fifty-two people living here including myself and you. When you feel my brother here,” Albert made sure to let Sai know as much as he could before he granted his sword and went into a different room.

Sai looked around the house in that time, noting that there were less luxuries in this house than his old clan leader’s and far less nude women. Sai went into every room and saw that there was a single study and three bedrooms, the entire house consisted of only seven rooms including these and a kitchen. The room Albert entered and the room with a chair being the only others.

After nearly nine hours Sai felt the presence of a new person stride into the village. Sai particularly noticed how leisurely the new person was walking. It was as if the new person ran the tribe. If Sai didn't know better, he would have assumed the man was the tribe leader.

“Albert, he is here.” Sai said through his mind, Albert and him hadn't said any other words, Sai merely felt that Albert was angry. Albert rushed out of the training room, sweat was beading around his neck and back, his muscles were swollen and a vein in his head looked like it would burst. Albert the his giant sword into the ground and sat down once more.

The door swung open workout a knock, “Brother!” A deep but happy seeming voice yelled.

Albert replied in kind, he seemed to be happy, but Silent could feel how little happiness either felt. After exchanging this greeting Albert’s brother merely stood where he was and looked around then spotted Sai standing near the door with a throwing knife in his hand scratching a picture into the floor. Sai was doing his best to act like a child.

“Who is this?” Albert’s brother asked while walking toward Sai.

“I'm Silent Black. Your little brother saved me!” Sai looked excited and honest. It wasn't hard for him to believe his parents died, so he played his role well.

“Insolent child, only speak when spoken to,” Albert’s brother reprimanded.

“Gideon, he is only a toddler and his parents just died. Forgive him for speaking out of turn.” Albert attempted to help ease the situation.

“A stray dog that misbehaves deserves a beating.” It could be seen that Gideon was malicious and Sai didn't need spirit power to know he was going to be hit soon.

“I'm sorry Silent,” Albert said through his mind. He knew that in order to protect others, Sai would take this just-less punishment. Just then a large hand swiped past Sai’s face. Sai landed on the ground after being struck. Tears welled up in his eyes and shock was on his face. His brother barely held back at all, Sai would have to play as if he were knocked out from the slap so he didn't risk being caught cultivating at such a young age.