Chapter 40: Elben

A loud clank resonated through the room as Elben countered another of his brother Avris’s blows. He’s too fast! Elben ducked under a wide slash and kicked Avris’s shins.

“You’ve weakened, brother,” Avris called out, ducking under a thrust from Elben, and punching Elben in the chest.

Elben flipped over another attack from Avris and stabbed his brother's shoulder.

The two brothers skidded back and charged back at each other, countering each other blow for blow. Elben knew he was at a disadvantage, he was missing an arm and already had several wounds. Avris had been cut up by Yoru and Josh, but he knew that those weren’t more than papercuts.

“If I’ve weakened then you must have stopped training!” retorted Elben, dodging a blow and impaling Avris with his sword. In Avris’s frayed state Elben managed to get in a few more hits, before dashing back to avoid getting hit.

Avris sprinted toward Elben, “You’ve always had a blunt tongue, brother!” he taunted dodging to the right of an attack.

Avris ducked under another attack from Elben and dealt an open-palm attack to his stomach. Elben was sent flying back and slammed into a wall.

Every bone in Elben’s body ached as he stood up. The pain resonated through him, almost fusing with him. The pain in his arm was a constant reminder of what he had lost in his pursuit for justice.

The brothers gazed at each other, they both knew the next attack would be the last. I have to approach this strategically. As Elben started considering every possibility, Avris was already charging towards him.

“As bullheaded as always I see,” Elben called out, bracing for death. Elben ran at Avris and as the two brothers met each other, there was a sharp pain in his stomach. Elben looked down and Avris’s blade had penetrated his chest, and so had his.

Elben looked up, and so did Avris. Their eyes met, and tears climbed out of the well of emotion they had both buried so deep, and so long ago. Elben remembered the time he was in that jail, that horrible horrible jail. Although he felt death, he felt… peace.

***

The cold breeze hit Elben’s face as he sat in his cell. Avris was beside him, his younger brother by ten minutes. They were in Heaven’s Hell, a jail where people who defy the Aternum were sent. Their parents had died two weeks ago, and Elben didn’t want to admit it, but right now he didn’t feel anything, just boredom.

“Elben?” asked Avris, waking up.

“Yeah Avris,” replied Elben, turning to face his brother.

“Is this our fault?” continued Avris.

“What, what do you mean Avris?” inquired Elben.

“I think it’s our fault we were sent here. We were the people that stole from Mr.Dinsbury, not mom and dad,” said Avris.

Elben winced, he didn’t like hearing Jovress Dinsbury’s name, “Don’t blame yourself, Avris, it was my idea, not yours,” replied Elben, trying to comfort his brother.

“Then why’d they put mom and dad in jail too?” asked Avris, innocent as ever.

Elben didn’t like that question either, but he knew he had to answer his brother, “Because the bastards called the Aternum don’t care about us. They just like watching people suffer, because it makes them feel strong,” vented Elben, feeling the cold, damp stone under his feet.

A banging on their cell bars alerted them that it was time for lunch. A guard approached their cell and unlocked it.

“Time for lunch, you ingrates,” said the guard.

“We know, Jolyien,” said Avris, sulking as he walked out the cell. Jolyien was the guard assigned to them. She was nice enough before she figured out their crime. Her full name was Jolyien Dinsbury, Mr.Dinsbury’s niece. Now she wanted nothing more but the two thirteen year-olds to die a painful death.

Elben looked up at their guard as he walked to the cafeteria, “Thanks Jolyien,” he said, trying to mask his anger.

The twins walked to the cafeteria, or as Avris called it the Slop Factory. It was true however, the food they served would make even the people with the strongest stomachs would surely vomit their first time eating the glorified garbage they served.

They sat down at one of the rows of benches. On the table was a stinky pile of grey goo. It was a grey glob with dark green hints, and red swirls. On top of the pile of poison was a single basil leaf. A pig is still a pig, even with makeup on.

Elben grabbed the mangled, rusty spoon next to his plate and began eating. It stung as it crawled down his stomach. The glob all started to go down, even though he had only had a little bit. Gross. His stomach lurched as the slop hit it.

“Tastes as vile as ever, I see,” commented Avris, the goo dropping from his spoon.

“What is this even supposed to be?” asked Elben, looking up from the disgusting mess on his plate.

“Pasta, I think,” replied Avris, swallowing a spoonful of poison.

After three bells rang, the twins headed back to their dismal cell. It smelled of mouldy cabbage and dirty water.

Jolyien walked up to their cage and opened the door. “Yard time, one hour,” she growled.

Avris stretched his arms and walked out of the dirty jail and into the small stretch of land that was the yard.

“Drat, he’s here,” muttered Elben. In the yard there were several other people with them. Three men and two women. One of the men was Karmak Dellvien, the man who beat their father to death. Sure, Elben and Avris didn’t love their father very much, but Karmak was still considered an enemy to them. There were even some rumours that Karmak wanted the two kids dead.

Noticing their presence Karmak approached the angel twins. “Hey you two,” he said, his voice full of malice, “I think you have a meeting with my two friends over here, Smasher, and Basher, ya ass-hats,” finished Karmak, gesturing to his fists.

Avris simply laughed and walked forward, “At least I’m not a fatass dickhead who names his hands.” despite being the younger brother Avris was always the braver of the two. He often picked fights with people twice his size, just to prove his strength.

“Punk,” said Karmak, raising his fist. He drove his fist toward Avris, who hit the deck, dodging the attack.

“Woah there, big guy! I might have to report you to the guards,” said Avris in response.

Elben approached Avris and placed his hand on his

shoulder, “Avris, you can’t take this guy.”

Avris looked behind himself and replied, “Leave me alone, I’ve got this.”

Elben watched as Avris got back into the thick of things, dodging Karmak’s wide swings and countering with his own straights.

Karmak stumbled back a few feet, before charging at Avris and attempting to smash his face in. Elben saw that Avris couldn’t dodge the attack, and skid in front of him at the last second, saving his brother but sacrificing himself.

“You want to fight too, little ass?” said Karmak. “Perfect, I don't know what it is about it, but killing kids just makes me feel alive.”

“Bastard,” growled Elben, ducking and laying a brutal combo on Karmak’s stomach.

Avris came in from the side and smashed Karmak’s head in with a kick. Elben punched Karmak in the face again, while he was recovering from Avris’s kick. Karmak stumbled up, shaking as he recovered.

Karmak roared as he ran at the two young boys. Karmak smashed his bloody fist into the ground, missing both of them then spreading out his arms, smacking the twins, and knocking them to the ground. Elben rolled on the dirt ground of the yard. He realized a crowd had gathered, watching the fight. Guards were also posed, ready to step in, but Jolyien was holding them back, silently hoping the boys would die.

“Avris? You got this?” asked Elben, standing up.

“I got this!” said Avris, bringing his arms up to continue fighting. He turned to Elben, “Are you?”

“Yeah. Let's crush his jackass,” said Elben, readying himself as well.

***

The boys sat in their cell, I can’t believe we killed him. They had killed Karmak, blunt force trauma to the skull.

“We really did it, huh Avris,” said Elben, going over his act in his head, trying to see what he could’ve changed, what he could have done to save Karmak’s life.

Avris seemed unfazed by Karmak’s death, “He deserved it. Karmak was a bastard,” Avris turned to Elben, “he killed dad, remember?”

“I- I know, but we still killed a person,” protested Elben, his palms sweating.

“Just don’t think about it, that’s what I do.” There was noise outside their cell.

A man was standing outside the cell. “Hello boys, my name is Arch-Duke Ballgraid. I work for AMPA, also known as the Anti-Magi poet Army. We work to keep magic in the shadows, and enforce the Aternum’s will, and we want you to join us.”

“Why us?” asked Avris, skeptical of the man’s offer.

“You two are proven fighters. Surviving in a place like this at the young age of thirteen, and fighting and defeating the convicted killer Karmak Dellvien, famous for beating his victims to death! You two are plenty strong for the army,” the Arch-Duke boasted, as if he was the boy’s father. “And you know, if you don’t join us, you will have to stay an extra twenty years for Mr.Dellvien’s death.”

“I’m in,” said Avris, without missing a beat.

Elben pulled Avris aside, “Really Avris? You hate the Aternum, and now you want to work for them, really?” he asked.

“Elben, this is our only chance out of this place, and even if it is the army, it’s still gotta be better than this place,” Avris retorted. Elben had to admit, his brother had a point.

Elben was at a loss for a counter, “If you're going, I’m coming with you,” said Elben, “we’re in.”

The Arch-Duke looked pleased by their answer. “Wonderful,” he said, “you start tomorrow.”

***

Elben looked into his brother’s bloody eyes. He knew that his time had come, and so had his own.

“I’m sorry Elben… I never should have betrayed you,” sobbed Avris, “You were always there for me, and I crushed you.”

“It's okay, Avris. I love you anyway,” replied Elben, crying.

Elben was content knowing that in his last moments he made peace with his brother. And as life slipped from his grasp he didn’t feel like he had anything to regret.