Same Soul, Different Identity

The forest's dark, cold, and suffocating air had turned into a calm warmth. Slowly, Shen's eyes opened. At first, his mouth was very dry, but then he realized he was still alive. He had somehow avoided the horrors of that night and lived.

He tried to sit up, but the pain from his injuries was too much for him to handle. A calm but firm voice broke the silence, and he groaned.

"Don't try to get up too soon. You still have open wounds.

Shen listened to the advice and moved slowly, trying to find out who had said it.

In front of him stood a tall man with broad shoulders who looked to be in his late twenties. He was definitely attractive, and his piercing, sharp eyes made it seem like they could see right through him. He looked threatening even though he was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest. He tilted his head a little.

"Why were you in the woods at night, Shen?"

Shen was interested in one impossible fact: this stranger knew his name. His forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"How do you know my name?" he asked.

The man's lips curled into a small smile. "You must have hit your head pretty hard for you not to know your own brother."

Shen's eyes got bigger. My brother? As he looked at the man's face, the word echoed in his mind. The short smile was gone, and in its place was a look of serious determination.

"Brother?" Shen said it again in a soft, unsure voice.

The man looked angry, and it was clear that he was losing his patience. "Shen, I don't have time for this crap. I'm wasting time arguing with you while the military garrison waits for me to get back to the main fortress.

Shen's mind was racing. The wounds, the forest, and this man all came together to make a sudden and shocking picture. This man had saved him. He was careful about what he said next because he needed answers.

Even though a lot of questions were racing through his mind, he calmly said, "I'm just trying to understand what's going on."

As the man looked at Shen's bruised body, his piercing eyes softened, as if to say that he had been through a lot of pain. His voice got less angry.

"Based on how badly your wounds are, it looks like you ran a lot in that forest."

Shen tried to smile in a sarcastic way. "Yes. I think I was breathing through my ears at one point.

The man's tough exterior broke for a moment when he heard the comment and laughed. But the comedy was gone just as quickly. He was deep in thought, and his eyes kept going to a nearby window.

"The more we fight, the longer we live." He turned around and looked Shen in the eye with a new level of intensity. "I didn't tell you to join the commander's battalion for no reason. As your brother, I've always known that you're more than just quick and smart. Shen, you are a strong person. I see it.

The words spun around Shen as he looked at them. Family. He had never been there before; it was a strange place. But as he talked, a strange, though not completely unwelcome, warmth grew in his chest.

Shen said in a soft but firm voice, "Thanks for the kind words, but I've never thought of myself as a soldier."

The man leaned in closer with a determined look on his face. "I know you don't like following orders, but the Takeda family has been serving the public for a long time. That's how we do things. That's what we'll keep doing.

Shen felt the name "Takeda" settling over him like a heavy weight. He could feel the pride and duty it held, even though he didn't fully understand what it meant. He wondered what kind of life went with that name.

In response, Shen nodded a little. "I understand what you mean," he said.

"Okay." The man got up and let out a slow, tired breath of acceptance. He stood up straight and walked to the door, but then he stopped. "I promised our mother that I would always look out for you. But if you act like this again, I might not be able to help you next time. Remember that, brother.

Shen's chest hurt when he heard someone say something about a mother he couldn't remember. Every piece of this new family puzzle just made me want to know more. But there is no doubt that this man put himself in danger to save him.

As the man pulled the door wide, his heavy footsteps echoed softly. He looked back one last time from the edge.

"In two days, I'll be going back to the front lines." If you don't want to join, you know where to find me.

He was gone when the door clicked shut behind him.

Shen was alone in the room, which was now quiet. He kept thinking about what the man had said about family, strength, and duty. He wasn't sure he could do any of it. The warmth of the room was very different from the cold realities he was starting to face. For the first time in his life, he knew he wasn't completely alone. This was both comforting and a burdening, uncomfortable thought.