Brothers

by Viktor Zólyomi

  `Tano, I'll be in the Replica Room. If she sends a message, you come and tell me immediately. Got it?'

  `Yes, Master.'

  `Good. Now why are you looking at me like that?'

  `Well...'

  `Well what?'

  `Why is your hair wet, Master?'

  I sigh and rub my eyes.

  `Mind your own fucking business, Tano...'

  Promises

  Somewhere above Draconia, present day (12 hours after Twilightfall)

  `So, this is how it happened...' I tell him, as he finishes the tale. `The way she betrayed you.'

  `Yes... You heard of it from Zack, I guess.' he replies, as he looks down to the distant earth, and then glances at the stone in his hand and looks forward towards the mountains in the distance. The demon is quite apparently still under his control. It would seem we have not yet reached our destination, wherever that may be.

  `Yes, but he didn't speak of the details.' I tell him.

  `Oh, I am not surprised. He sees only one side of this story, you know.'

  `What do you mean?'

  `Well, he thinks Mel' used me all along. He does not understand that she truly had feelings for me.'

  `Did she?'

  `Yes. Otherwise she'd have killed me when she had the chance. Zack doesn't understand that. Of course, he and Mel' have had a grudge for a long time, so maybe that had something to do with his anger.'

  `Yeah, I heard all about how he seduced her just so he could steal something from under her nose...'

  `What? Oh. Yeah... Well, seduced isn't the best word, you know. Him and seducing Mel'... Ha! That's really funny!'

  `What do you mean?'

  `Well, you know, Zack is good with words, but now with flattery. He used magic to spark Mel's interest from the very beginning. You might call that seduction, but it was a kind of magical charm spell in reality. Of course, let's not forget the intimate part of it. Zack had absolutely no feelings for her. It's impossible to fake true passion in a woman's bed like that, you know... And Zack's not stupid, he knew it well enough. So what he did, was the following. Just as the two of them started getting in bed, he secretly cast a spell on her that made her fall deeply asleep. Then, he projected a vivid dream into her mind, a dream in which the two of them had passionate sex. The next morning, when she awoke, she thought it was all real...'

  `Are you... kidding...? Zack did that, and she couldn't tell that it was a dream?'

  `Yeah! And he did it four times! He's good with magic, you know.'

  Meliorath did say that it was an illusion, but this... This I never imagined...

  That son of a bitch really is the king of deceivers...

  `Yeah, I can see that...'

  `When he told me all about it, I laughed so hard I almost crapped my pants! Of course that was long before me and Mel' got together...

  Anyway, as I was saying, Zack was very pissed off at Mel' when I told him about how she had locked me in a dungeon with a bunch of zombies and all that. You should have seen him when I told him about what had happened.'

  `How did he react?'

  `He was furious. He was swearing. Well, he does that all the time, but when I told him about this, a variant of fuck was his every other word. Literally. He was extremely pissed off at Mel'. He wanted to kill her, but I didn't let him. I made him promise that he wouldn't kill her.'

  `You made him promise that?'

  `Yes. Believe me, it wasn't easy.'

  `I believe you, but I don't understand. What's the point of making him promise anything, especially if it's something that pisses him off?'

  `It's simple. I didn't want him to kill her, and I still don't.' he says, shrugging his shoulders.

  `That's not what I mean.'

  `What do you mean then?'

  `That Zack doesn't seem like a guy who keeps his promises. What's the point in making him promise anything?'

  `Usually he doesn't keep his promises. He lies and cheats and steals without hesitation in order to get his way. Just remember Matuak's spellbook... But, if it's about his friends, he always keeps his promises.'

  `Does he?'

  `Oh yes. All the time. I've seen that very well. For three centuries we've been the best of friends, we've gone through difficult situations together like you wouldn't believe, selflessly risked our lives for each other without thinking on countless occasions. After all is said and done, I have to admit, that even with all his flaws, his conceitedness and limitless carelessness, he is like a brother to me. Sometimes I truly miss the times when he and I used to travel together.'

  `You don't meet often any more, do you?'

  `No. Since I settled down in Draconia two centuries ago, we met only once or twice a year, and we only adventured together once every couple of years. We did meet at least once every year and we talked a lot during those times, speaking of each other's exploits. Now, since I made him promise that he wouldn't kill Mel', we've met even less. In fact, last I met him was about two whole years ago...'

  Brotherly duel

  Keehmor Keep, two years ago (2 years, 3 months, and 1 day before Twilightfall)

  I was standing by the window of the library in my Keep when he knocked on the door. I knew it was him, he has a very characteristic way of knocking, like he means to knock the door down.

  `Come in!' I exclaimed, and he opened the door. He opened it using the doorknob. Most of the time, he opens doors by kicking them open, but in my Keep, he's almost behaving politely, I don't know why.

  Anyway, he opened the door and stepped inside. Dressed in black, as always, wearing his favorite black longcoat. Just like a true black magician!

  `Hi there, Danny Boy!' he told me, as he slammed the door shut behind him.

  `Hi Zack!' I greeted him in turn, and we shook hands. `I was starting to think you wouldn't show up.'

  `You called. I had to come.' he said, smiling. With that typical Zack Sands smile of his. The smile of a cunning bastard, haha!

  `Well, how are you, old buddy?' I asked him. `We haven't seen each other in a while. Guess what, I ran into Aaron Chraem a few days ago. I haven't seen him in... well, a long time. Anyway, Aaron still doesn't seem to like you much.'

  `Yeah, and I really don't know why. I'm one of his best customers!' he said, shrugging his shoulders.

  `I'm sure of that! How are things in Coldrock?'

  `Fine. The band is doing great!'

  `That's good to hear.'

  `And what's up with you?'

  `Oh, all is going well here! I'm in a very good mood right now!' I told him proudly. You see, I called him there that day to show him my newest creation, the sword you've seen me wield in battle. It was no easy task to create, and I was quite proud of it, I just had to show off with it to him.

  `Why?' he asked. `You said you wanted to show me something. I take it it's something that makes you proud?'

  `Damn right it is! I picked up a handy little tome in Re'Cas three days ago. I haven't been able to take it back yet, there's some fuss in Gatestown. Or what's left of it, anyway. Well, whatever. What I was starting to say, is that there were some very interesting enchantment spells in that book. I used them for inspiration, and finally added the finishing touch to the sword I've been working on for the past six years! Now... it is done! Come, take look!'

  I walked out of the library and motioned him to follow me. I lead him through my Keep all the way to the workroom where I created the sword.

  `Here we are!' I told him, as we arrived. `I made this special workroom just six years ago, specifically to be the womb where my new sword would be born. Step inside, Zack! And be honored! I don't let anyone in there, but myself. No-one who lives in the Keep is allowed to enter, but me!'

  `I am honored, Danny Boy!' he said, and he followed me inside. The workroom was small, but well decorated. I had countless tapestries on the walls, and a large chandelier served to illuminate the workroom. When I designed it, I made certain that it would have a glamor fitting to the greatness of my
creation!

  The sword itself was resting on the anvil in the middle of the room.

  `Here it is!' I told him, pointing at the sword.

  `Did you forge it here?' he asked.

  `Nah. I had some dwarves forge it for me in Arudden. I just did the enchantments.'

  `Then why the anvil?'

  `I bought that from the dwarves that forged the sword. This is the anvil upon which it was crafted, I wanted to have it for myself!'

  `It looks like a nice piece!'

  `Yeah, but forget the anvil. Just look at the sword! Come on, pick it up!'

  He picked the sword up and examined it. I could see that he admired the size of it. I'm sure he remembered what I always told him: I love big swords, and I cannot lie!

  I'm pretty sure he noticed that the sword was basically a double edged claymore, reminiscent of an old sword I had long ago, a weapon that was very dear to me back in the day. He looked up and down the silvery blade in awe, and examined the rune-etched hilt as well. After a while, a thinking expression spread across his face.

  `It's impressive, Danny Boy! What's this thing made of? It feels pretty damn heavy for an enchanted sword.'

  `It's made of an alloy composed of steel, and a special material. Something called plutonium.'

  I don't know if you ever heard of that material. It is a rare metal, and it is extremely dangerous. Zack knew that well. He blinked at least ten times before he responded.

  `Plutonium?' he asked finally, slowly.

  `Yes.' I told him, nodding.

  `Are you fucking with me?!'

  `No. It's like I said. The sword was forged from a metal composed of steel and plutonium.'

  He slowly put the sword on the anvil, and then he stepped away from it. He looked at me and started talking, in his typical style when he's angry: eyes bulging, and swearing in every sentence. Or as he would say, every fucking sentence, haha!

  `Do you have any fucking idea how fucking dangerous plutonium is?!' he asked. `It has a motherfucking natural aura around it! It's lethal! You stick around it for long enough, blisters start appearing on your skin, you start losing hair, and eventually, you end up pretty fucking dead! And you made a sword out of fucking plutonium?!'

  `Calm down!' I told him. `I know all this. Don't worry, I took care of that.'

  `You took care of it?! What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!'

  `Why don't you examine the aura of the sword?'

  He just kept staring at me, like he didn't understand what I said. So I nodded him to just do it. He shook his head, but he did what I told him. With his magic, he probed the aura of the sword. Then he shook his head again.

  `Danny Boy, there's no plutonium in this thing.' he told me.

  `Yes there is!'

  `It doesn't have a fucking aura!'

  `Of course it doesn't, because it's blocked by one of the enchantments!'

  `Are you telling me, you managed to create an enchantment that completely blocks the aura of plutonium?' he asked. He doubted me. Of course he doubted me. Plutonium is one of the most dangerous materials in the Multiverse, and blocking that lethal aura is extremely difficult. But I found a way!

  After it was forged.

  Which is a bit of a shame...

  Anyway...

  `I told you I took care of it!' I told him, and winked at him with a smile.

  `Now that's motherfuckingly impressive, buddy!' he said, and I heard it in his voice that he was impressed.

  `Am I good?'

  `No! You're fucking good!'

  `I know!' I told him, laughing. `Shame about the dwarves though... Anyway, there's more than that, of course. Lots of other enchantments. It's very powerful.'

  `Yeah, I see all the runes on the hilt.' he replied. `You've really outdone yourself!'

  `Do you know what I call it?'

  `Keehmor's Plutonium Sword?'

  `Nah, a name like that sucks. It also gives away the key aspect of it, which I don't want. I want this weapon to come as a surprise to those that face it.'

  `A surprise, huh?'

  `Yeah! That aura... sure, it's blocked, but it's still there. On touch, it still effects anyone who is not properly protected against it. When I cut into someone with this blade, they get a piece of that aura. I made some enchantments that actually enhance the effects of that aura. Upon contact, this weapon causes unimaginable pain. Much greater pain than a Riftblade.'

  Actually, I didn't quite explain that to him well, but I'm sure he figured it out on his own. One of the enchantments is powered by the blocked aura of the plutonium in the blade. This particular enchantment takes effect every time the sword cuts into someone, and unleashes terrible pain on the victim. It's a relatively simple enchantment that can be used on any weapon, but the plutonium empowers this enchantment by a hundred fold. That's why it stings so much, haha!

  `Greater pain than a Riftblade?' he asked, sounding impressed. `Now that is truly an achievement, my friend...'

  `Yes... Well, I gave it a name that fits to it well. The Sword of Pain!'

  `Yeah, that sure fits. And it sounds fucking cool!'

  `Yes it does! Now come on, let's try it out!'

  I took the sword and left the workroom, and he followed me. I lead him all the way to the top of the largest tower of my Keep, a chamber where I often used to practice. A large circular room covered by a dome full of large, wide, glass windows. I designed it to be a place from where I could overlook the surrounding area, and it certainly served this purpose well. It was also a perfect location for a duel.

  `Here we are!' I said when we arrived, and closed the door behind us. `Have you seen this room yet?'

  `No.'

  `How do you like it?'

  `Well, nice view!'

  `Yeah. I was thinking of taking the room higher, and build a very narrow column of stairs leading to it, then make the floor out of glass, so I could look down as well. But I thought, you're afraid of heights, so you probably wouldn't be able to focus when we fight here, so I left it like this.'

  `Fight?'

  `Yeah! Just for fun of course. Like when we used to practice, when I taught you how to fight, while you were a beginner with those knives of yours. Remember that?'

  `I suppose, you wanna use that sword, right?' he asked, pointing at my newly crafted masterpiece.

  `Yeah, that's why I called you here. I want to test it, who better to test it on, than you?'

  `You wanna test it on me?'

  `You're the baddest motherfucker I ever met! If anyone can stand up against it, it's you! You and that wicked sword of yours...' I told him.

  He sighed, signaling that he didn't like the idea, but I wouldn't let him even try to talk me out of it. Ever since I conceived the idea of the Sword of Pain, I knew that when I completed it, I would have to know whether it was better than Zack's sword. His weapon, the Sword of Fury, is one of the most powerful swords ever created. Ever since I first saw him wield it, I desired to have a sword better than his! To be the guy with the bigger sword, so to speak. I knew, that I will only ever know whether I have succeeded in creating a grander weapon, if I fight him in a duel one on one. I would not let him talk me out of it...

  `That's what I had in mind.' I told him. `The Sword of Fury versus the Sword of Pain! This is going to be the duel of the century! In fact, the duel of the millennium! More, the duel of ten millennia! This will be bigger than the final fight at the end of the Great War, bigger than Kurt Aurach versus the Dragon Lords! Bigger than the separation of night elves and wood elves! Bigger than the legendary Th'Mesh versus Sark de Haro battle in the Hellish Planes three thousand years ago! In fact... It will be even bigger than a tavern fight between two drunk orcs! This will be the biggest duel ever! What do you say?'

  `Danny Boy, are you cra... errr... serious?'

  `Of course I am serious! What, are you chicken?'

  `Do I fucking look like I have feathers?' he asked. Then I knew that he realized that he couldn't talk me out of it. So I asked
him the big question I so often asked him at times before we entered a great fight.

  `So, are you ready?'

  `I didn't hear you!' he responded, as I expected him to.

  `I said, are you ready?' I exclaimed, and I swung the Sword of Pain in a circle above my head.

  `I was fucking born ready!' he said, and he reached out his arm and called forth his wicked weapon, the Sword of Fury. The black blade slowly materialized in his hand, and he swung it above his head, mimicking my own movement from moments ago.

  `Then it's time to kick some ass!' I screamed, and I charged him, thus commencing our great duel!

  *

  Holding my sword in a steady, powerful two-handed grip, I struck towards his head with all my strength. It seemed like he wasn't prepared for it. He parried, but he was too slow to react, and I was able to cut towards his side right away. He somehow managed to jump out of the way, but my sword was only an inch away from him. I felt for certain that he was not focused, almost like he was half asleep, and so I swung around and gave a huge momentum to the sword, and finally rushed him with the intent of inflicting a high impact strike upon him. He jumped out of the way, and I almost crashed into the wall. Finally, it seemed like he was waking up, and our duel could truly commence!

  Indeed. As I charged him again, he started doing what he does best: he started employing magic. He magically increased his strength, and blocked my powerful chop to his head with his sword with seeming ease. I thought I'd show him just which of us was stronger, and slowly forced my blade closer and closer to his face. As he realized that I was still stronger than him, he jumped aside. I turned after him, and swung my sword towards him. He was indeed starting to wake up: he swung his own sword towards mine, and managed to knock it aside. I immediately struck towards him once more, but again he knocked my blade aside, and for the first time in our duel, he attacked me. He cut towards my face, but I was able to block his sword with mine.

  It was like having traded places from just moments ago, when he was blocking my strike to his head. Unlike how I tried to overpower him earlier, he pulled his sword back swiftly. Then he struck towards my leg. A cunning move, I must say. I was able to parry though, mostly out of reflex. Then he pulled the sword back and stepped away from me, like he was waiting for me to charge him.