“Where is Carnadine?” 

The woman under Toulou’s grip choked and gasped, making out the words, “S-she left a few days ago for Fort Blood. Been on a journey to reach all the major Spiller strongholds. She has Teptrite with her.”

“What?”

A smirk crossed her face, and her voice grew in confidence. “I’ve seen it for myself. You won’t stand a chance against her. She knows you’re coming. Heard of you and what you’ve done. You will fall. We’ll finally be rid of all magic users once and for—”

Her words were cut short as Toulou sliced. There was shocked silence as her bloodied corpse crumpled to the ground in a heap.

“Teptrite...” Adrian whispered to Emelri as they both stayed concealed from sight. “Here, in Yayma?”

“You see now why I have to do this?” Toulou shouted, turning pupilless, glowing eyes on Pepin who stood a fair distance away from them on the other side of the clearing. “Carnadine can’t be allowed to bring Teptrite here. She must be stopped at all costs, for everyone’s sake.”

The young man watched his sibling unsurely. “She... really brought Teptrite? Maybe that Spiller was just saying—”

“No, Pep.” The light went out, leaving brown eyes behind. “You and I both know it must be true. Why else would she be so renowned among many? She has something no other Spiller here does. I’m not leaving until her blood spills, as well as every last Spiller in Yayma.”

His mouth fell open, eyebrows arching in distress. “Toulou... I don’t... That can’t be the answer to this.”

“Then what is?”

“Something where you aren’t taking this entire burden on yourself. I can’t watch you do this.”

“Then help me.”

Reluctance shown across his features as well as doubt and he said nothing.

“Oh, right,” Toulou added irritably, letting out a big sigh. “Forgot about your self-righteous no-killing ideology. The truth is, Pep, you don’t have the guts to take a life to do what needs to be done. You want this all to be solved neatly and cleanly without having to do anything difficult or uncomfortable. You’re the same little kid you’ve always been.”

“I am not a kid,” he said darkly. “I just know when and how to use restraint, Toulou.”

“Just admit you’re too weak.”

“I have killed,” he burst out, face screwing up. “More than once, so don’t tell me—”

“You have?” There was silence. “Who?”

Shame crossed his features. “Spillers.”

Toulou stared, looking him up and down in surprise. “I never thought you’d actually do it.”

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter—”

“Doesn’t matter?” They breathed out a laugh. “You are such a hypocrite. How can you stand there and condemn my actions when you’ve been doing the exact same thing?”

“No. I haven’t. I-it’s not the same...”

“Oh? How so?”

“The intent behind it.” Emelri could see him visibly shrinking into himself. “I-I wasn’t seeking out their deaths...”

“You won’t even own up to what you did. You’re in denial, Pep.”

“No,” he shot back angrily. “No, you’re in denial. You’ve somehow convinced yourself that abandoning your family is actually saving it. All you’ve done is put all of us, including yourself, in danger by coming here.”

“I never asked you to follow me.” 

“Well, maybe we care about you, Toulou. Did you ever think of that? Everything you’re doing... It’s so selfish. This is your revenge. Not mine or anyone else’s. Do you even care about how your actions are affecting all of us? No, of course not. It’s always about your mission, your goal. It’s never about any of us, and it was never about me when it was just the two of us on our own when we were kids. I just had to go along with what you wanted, or I’d be left behind.”

“So then, you don’t care at all what happened to our mother or what happens to the Alchemists out here?”

“Of course, I do! I don’t want this revenge though. That is and always has been your agenda.”

“Then why are you still here, Pep?” They breathed out an exasperated sigh. “Just let me go. This is my decision. Aren’t you being selfish trying to mold me to your wants? I’m allowed to choose things for myself. I don’t need your approval or your blessing.”

“No, you don’t.” He looked away. “Not that you’d ever actually care to listen to me anyway.”

“Are you pouting now? Look, if you’re quite finished...” Turning from him, their body shimmered the way it had in Zmeyal, their limbs beginning to blend in with the background.  

Pepin was gone in a flash of light, appearing in front of them with a livid expression on his face as he gripped his sibling harshly by the arm, preventing them from disappearing. “You’re not going anywhere.” His voice hummed with energy.

They considered him. “When did you learn how to do that?”

“Jacques.”

Their face fell. “Of course. Yet another thing he kept from me.”

“He kept it from both of us. Stop blaming him for everything.”

“Only if you stop defending him. Let go of me, Pep. I’m warning you.”

“No.”

“I have business to finish here.” They grabbed his wrist roughly and wrenched the hand off. “Why don’t you go back to hiding behind our parents like you always do?”

Pepin drew his knives as his eyes glowed brighter with magic. Emelri had never seen such an intense expression on his face. “No one is hiding. You’re coming back with us whether you want to, or not.”

They chuckled, throwing long black dreads over their shoulder as light returned to their own eyes; dual blades drawn. “That so?”

Pepin rushed forward, his knives now coated in magic that extended out, acting as mock swords as the siblings clashed. 

“Well, now!” An excited and amused glint shown in the eldest’s eyes. “Let’s see what you’ve been working on then, Brother.” Toulou pushed him back with one sword before swiping with the other.

Ducking, Pepin side stepped then lunged. The first burst of magic escaped Toulou’s palm, shrouding them both in hazy, green mist. Only their silhouettes could be seen now as they fought.

There was a fierce focus between the two of them as their outlined shapes flickered in and out of the smoke. Adrian and Emelri glanced at each other, seeming to share the same thought. If either were to interfere, they would surely be caught in the middle. It was better to stay put.

Her hair stood on end when lightning left someone’s hands. It was difficult to tell who’d shot it, but the air now prickled with charge.

Toulou swung both swords at nothing, appearing outside of the green cloud. Pepin appeared behind them in an instant and brought a knife downward. The eldest barely blocked it and fell backwards. 

Irritancy decorated their face as they got to their feet, but Pepin was waiting for them. There was a crack of light and the youngest stood in front of them with both of Toulou’s swords now in each hand, a triumphant look on his face. The expression melted when Toulou disappeared into the background. 

Pepin thrust one of the swords forward but reached nothing. He looked around in a panic. “Shit,” he hissed, turning in a circle while looking around.

“Can’t he sense Toulou?” she asked Adrian.

“I’m guessing there’s too much magic in the air for him to pinpoint their exact location.”

To emphasize his point, Pepin swung again and missed, his eyes filling with distress.

“I’m impressed, Pep,” Toulou’s voice rang out, and the youngest turned and swiped, but instead of hitting, he yelped as his feet were swept out from under him.

He dropped the stollen weapons when he hit the ground. Reaching for them again in a panic, he cried out when something hit him in the stomach and he curled up into a ball, groaning.

One of the dual blades picked itself up, tip pointed at Pepin’s throat. “Stand down if you know your place, little brother.”

Fury danced in Pepin’s glowing eyes as he scowled up at them. “Fuck off.” He thrust out a hand that was spitting with green electricity and shot a lightning bolt.

Toulou’s body reappeared as they placed a confident hand over Pepin’s wrist and directed the blow directly into their chest. Emelri watched in horror as their eyes glowed impossibly brighter and a green, gleaming aura spread and outlined their figure.

“You really didn’t just shoot lightning at me, did you?” Toulou mused with a radiant green smile. “You’ve only gone and made me stronger.”

Pepin wrenched his hand back and threw several magic covered knives at the now souped-up user. The knives were thrown easily back at him, tearing through his arm, leg, and barely missing his head. Toulou lazily lifted a hand up and their brother was sent flying. Pepin barely had time to pad his landing with a puff of magic before he slumped over a jagged stone.

His chest heaved up and down as he struggled to his feet, but Toulou was already at his side, crushing him under another heavy blow. Electricity coursed through his contorting body. Pepin’s screams rang out and Emelri made to move when Adrian’s hand was on her shoulder, stopping her.

“Stand down, Pep,” Toulou ordered, glaring down at him. 

“N-no.”

He was lifted by the front of his shirt and slammed into the rock behind him. Toulou held him there, inches from his face. “Say it. Say you give up.”

“I...” His voice was strained. “I... won’t.”

“Damn you!” They electrocuted him again, but this time Pepin’s sounds of complaint were more of a pathetic whine than anything else. His eyes were hazy; the look in his face clearly one of someone who was desperately holding onto consciousness.

“You told me...” Pepin muttered breathily, “everything would be alright... You told me… as long as we were together… You promised... to protect me.”

Something flashed over their face, then they frowned. “Stop being dramatic. You’re not going to die. I need you to stay the fuck away from me. This is a lesson, Pep. Stop following me if you don’t want to get hurt again.” Letting go, they stepped back and watched him slump down into a sitting position.

“You p-promised...” he mumbled, pain flitting over his features before his head lulled to the side and his eyes closed.

There was something unreadable on Toulou’s face as they stared at their brother’s softly breathing, silent form. Taking up the other dual blade, they turned to leave; their body beginning to disappear.

“Toulou, wait!” Adrian yelled, finally allowing Emelri and himself to rush forward.

“Keep him safe,” Toulou’s quiet, disembodied voice ordered, “and forget about me.”

“Don’t go,” he pleaded. “We’re never going to forget about you or leave you behind. Do you understand?”

There was a pause, and Emelri thought perhaps they’d already left when Toulou finally spoke again, saying, “Then you’re fools.”

Sounds of footsteps echoed off the stone floor. Father and daughter both yelled after them but it was no use. A small sigh escaped Pepin’s mouth and Emelri turned, not hesitating to rush to his side.

She looked over his wounds as his eyes heavily slid open. “W-where...” He winced when she accidentally bumped the gash over his leg.

“Sorry,” she breathed out, grabbing some cloth from her bag to wrap around the bleeding laceration on his upper right arm. “You’ll be alright, Pep. You just need to heal.”

As his eyes came back into focus, a furious expression crossed his face. “We need to go after them. They can’t just leave again.” His body started glowing with magic as he self-healed. He took several ragged breaths as he attempted to stand up, but Emelri pushed him back down.

“Stay still. You’re no use to anyone if you bleed out.”

“I’ll be fine. I can heal it myself.”

“No.” She tied a knot at the end of his arm bandage, making him wince again. “We need to stop the bleeding first then it needs to be cleaned properly. Your magic just speeds up the healing process. There’s an order to these things.” As she went to start on his leg, he grabbed her arm.

“Stop. We’re wasting time.” He made to move again when she prevented him.

“I’m not letting you walk out on injuries. You passed out, Pep. Not to mention the amount of electricity you sustained... You’d be handing yourself over as a corpse if you go after them now.”

“Magic users can take more lightning than non-users.”

“Pep, just one lightning bolt usually kills a non-user.”

“I’m fine. Let me go.”

“No. You’re staying put.”

“Emi, enough! Only I can stop them.” Emotion filled his voice as he struggled against her. “I’m supposed to be better than this. I was supposed to have improved.” His body slumped back down as he gave up. “We had them, and I fucked it up again.”

“No, you didn’t,” Adrian said calmly from his other side. “You did everything you could. This wasn’t a failure.”

“Then why am I wounded and laying in the dirt right now?” He ran a hand stressfully through black curls. “Carnadine and everyone else knows who they are, and they’ll be after them. There’s nothing I can do.”

“That’s not true.” Adrian placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll regroup and try again. You almost had them. We’re not giving up. We just need you to rest and recover right now. Emi is right. You aren’t of any use if you push yourself on injuries.”

His body was losing energy as he sank further. “I’m supposed to be better than this... We had them...” 

“I know, Pep.”

“No...” His eyes were starting to close. “We had them...” The words turned into a soft exhale as he went limp. The glow around his body fizzled out.

“Move him upright while I stop the bleeding on his leg,” she ordered softly, working quickly.

“Will he be okay?”

“Yes. They’re not lethal injuries but still serious. We need to take him back to the campsite where the rest of my supplies are.”

“Of course.” He gently put Pepin’s arm around his shoulders as he hoisted him up into his arms.

“Careful. Don’t jostle him too much. I’m pretty sure he hit his head.”

“How long is his recovery period?”

“I don’t know. A few days with his self-healing? He does need to be conscious to heal though.”

They made their way out of the ruins as they talked, being careful not to walk too fast. “When will he wake up?”

“I don’t know, Adrian. He used a lot of magic just now. He’s drained.”

“Oh no, Emi, he’s bleeding.” Adrian looked down at Pepin’s bandaged arm which was soaked and dripping.

“Quickly now. The campsite is just around the bend. Just keep your hand tightly over it if you can until I can tend to it.”