"This is stupid, return me this instant. You are nothing but a criminal. You have defiled my existence. You are—"

"Yes I have disobeyed the law; I stole your ass from its miserable state and it's obvious that you still want to sunbathe in your misery. Look otouto, you have been complaining for awhile now and have you not realized that your complaints have gotten you nowhere? Better have a new plan of action," he snorted at me.

We were still up in the skies with no signs of rescue sent by the royal family. Their incompetence to keep me safe was very well put out in display for everyone to pass judgment on. If they were not to be replaced by a better ruling their mediocre management shall be the downfall of our race.

How can they let this grot  enter  the castle?

If they only guarded me better then this wouldn't have happened to me and now I have to pay the price for their ineptitude.

Something heavy hanged inside my chest as my eyes latched on to everything they saw. The heaviness in my chest was causing me to shift on my place every now and then as this pressure kept my heart beating fast. I continued to look back to see if anyone was chasing us however, in every attempt to peek, my rapitore's (kidnapper's) face was there to block me with a smile and he would ask an amused "Yes?" at me.

If I was further exposed to this kind of environment the Higher Order would put me under the same process of training again.

Those things will happen to me again...

They will happen again and again until I finally reach the standard purity that every ancient must attain.

The world outside of the Great Tree of Genshi was brighter and far wider that everywhere you look there was land which extended to no bounds. The air was less thick and much lighter to breathe compared to the castle but despite the endless space to venture into, I couldn't see anything or anyone else moving.

In the midst of the vast greens of soil with areas tinted with orange and yellow there were also huge areas  which looked crippled and withered from below. As we flew through the skies there were visible lands floating with water pouring down from some of them creating a pool of water underneath.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him before shutting my eyes from further receiving anymore scenery.

"I will take you to a village that I have helped a year ago. I need to see how they are doing," he replied.

"It doesn't have anything to do with me. Take me back," I deadpanned.

"It does have something to do with you. A catastrophe is a dead ancient. It lives to cause destruction to others and without the presence of ancients for the last twenty years; the world has been in a horrifying age."

I scowled. "Say what you want but you cannot extract a single drop of sympathy from me."

Lucius let out a 'tsk' as a reply as if he was mocking me and the law that I was abiding before he arrived. Once Segreth awakens he will do everything he can to retrieve me and this man will rot behind the bars of what he deserved.

The kidnapper ordered Argo to descend and the pegacorn did what it was told in the most heedless way that I had to hold a gasp from the sudden drop.

We now stood in front of a community with mini huts that did not even reach my shoulders. The trees were bent into a dying position with their branches reaching up in desolation. An awful scent of rot lingered and Lucius gritted his teeth in anger. 

"It looks like one of them passed by just recently..."  Lucius gave me a stern expression before executing an order.

"Remove your gloves."

"I refuse. What is your purpose?" I asked him.

A look of distress was painted on his expression as he rubbed his forehead in an agitated manner.

"We will help them. 'Tis our duty as ancients," he replied.

What folly was he blabbering about now?

"My only duty is to stay in my room and maintain whatever purity I have left," I argued.

The man's eyebrows narrowed and fury radiated from him. His usual cheery face was now scrunched into a bitter state of disbelief. Silence connected us in deadly ends. My legs refused to move and walk away for I was pinned by his gaze. My eyes connected to him and my body stood still as if it was trying to avoid the needles that were threatening to hurt me.

"Then you are useless. You don't deserve to live. These people behind you have the right to life while you, the Prince of ancients, have no right to even walk freely. I should have known that I was dragging some deadweight. You are nothing but a scared little prideful scamp. After this, I'll take you back to where your sorry existence belongs to. Enjoy your so called 'life' otouto!" he snapped at me.

Lucius stormed away from me and bumped my shoulder in the process. He walked inside of the village deserting me into isolation which was always had been my everyday life except now, Argo was standing beside me scratching the soil with his hoof.

Why did I feel so little? Why was my heart stinging? Why was I even feeling?

My body suddenly ran cold and my mind was clouded with confusing thoughts which were overwhelming me.

What did he just say? How can he say such things? I was only doing the things that were meant for my existence. I needed to maintain my purity. My prime duty was to preserve it. I was trained to do so.

Why was he so angered by it? Why was he making me feel such negativity?

What was I doing wrong?

I nibbled on my bottom lip and walked hesitantly towards the dying tree.

Lucius won't seem to be talking to me anytime soon. It was obvious that he was severely angered by my principles and I did not understand why his words stung so badly.

Was all my training for nothing? How can he break me apart that easily? I worked so hard. I thought I can be numb to anything thrown at me and I raised this barricade to prevent any infiltration because I knew that they were behind me and that they were watching my every move.

I deserved to live just as much as these people. What made them so worthy of life?

Had they suffered enough to the point of numbness?

Had they suffered enough to the point of being a void of nothingness?

Had they attained that highest form of chastity?

How can I spar with my enemy when I had no knowledge of his reasons for his hostility?

I had to know.

I'll prove to him how much I deserved to live. He cannot just execute words which dare carry my efforts to waste.

I  removed my gloves and footwear and felt the soil beneath my feet. I placed my hand against the tree's trunk and slowly ran my hand against its dry surface. I raised my shirt and exposed the belt wrapped around my waist.

"Just this once..."I whispered to myself. I had never removed this belt for the past eighteen years that it was already a part of my body.

It was a smooth metallic white belt that had a black stone in the middle just above my belly button. I did not know what the stone was made of. They never explained much detail relating to it except the fact that it hindered me from using my powers. The stone was purple but black smoke continuously swirled inside.

I reached down and unclasped the belt from my waist. After letting it fall, green light spread from beneath me. It began to expand towards the village and an overwhelming feeling of something tickling my heart occurred and I slowly cracked a smile. The tree behind me rose to life and I began to walk to the village. Grass grew and plants sprouted with different kinds of offspring. The darkness looming was replaced with colorful life. The rotten smell became sweet. A foreign sound escaped my lips as I watched everything around me get resurrected and get replenished.

Lucius ran out of the village with wide eyes. Little men followed him out and they stared at me in awe.

"Otlichno Lucian! (Very good Lucian!)" He spoke proudly. "That's my otouto!" He shouted before scurrying towards me and engulfed me into a hug. "I knew you could do it."

I shut my eyes feeling the loom of regret. That was that. I will never do it again. It will...these emotions will destroy me...

I pushed Lucius away and I walked to where my belt before picking it up. The area under this belt was left untouched by my power. Lucius came up to me and pulled me close to his body. He placed a kiss against my forehead and I watched my toes curl at the tickling sensation of the grass.

"The villagers want to thank you..." He murmured. I darted my vision to the little men and women approaching me with teary eyes and happy expressions.

"Thank you Your Highness! We owe you our gratitude. My son will finally be able to eat something decent. Thank you so much!" a woman spoke out with a shaky voice before bowing with teary eyes. The rest of the small crowd followed suit and I lowered my gaze.

"I didn't do it for you..." I whispered.

"They were letting their emotions get the best of them. They should not express such things openly to people who they didn't even know well enough. This was the reason why people get easily betrayed.

I heard Lucius sigh and I found him possessing a saddened smile.

"You have a long way to go but I promise to be with you all the way. Je t'aime (I love you) otouto."

Why do you express such things?

Why do you entrust me with these feelings?

Love?

Suppress your emotions...they will lead you to your demise.

"Your love is meaningless.... Emotion will lead to your demise," I replied.

Stop caring for me...

Stop loving me...

I will not return them.

I cannot return them.

I had no capability of doing so.

"Otouto..." I heard my rapitore call me.

It was already nightfall and I cannot help but to stare at the big and round thing in the sky that provided light in the midst of the darkness of the night. It possessed an ivory color and it radiated with a cool and bluish luminosity.

Lucius sat beside me and had a huge leaf placed on his lap with sliced fruits settling on it.

"What is that?" I asked him before pointing at the object that I was staring at for awhile now.

"That? That's a moon," Lucius replied with fond latching on his voice.

"Moon..." I murmured. "And what are those surrounding it? Are those little moons?"

Lucius initially replied to me with a chuckle. "Those are stars."

Those must be the moon's children.

Despite what light that the moon and the stars already provided, the dwarves lit up what they called pyram (bonfire) which emitted a warm and orange hue. Wood was its fuel and many of the dwarves surrounded it and shared its warmth.

My eyes focused on the pyram. The fire rose whenever more wood was sacrificed to sustain its life and I can't help but think that the pyram was such a greedy thing just like the races in this world that let their greed chase them into doors of destruction.

"Lucian you haven't touched your food yet, are you not hungry?" Lucius asked.

"This food has taste. It is not for me," I told him.

Lucius released an exasperated sigh before saying: "It is for you. Please eat it; I encourage you to do so."

"Why?" I questioned.

This food will surely have taste. I may become as greedy as that pernicious pyram and I cannot break anymore laws.

"Because like that fire you need strength so that you can help others," he explained calmly.

"How is that tree eating thing helping me?" I questioned.

"It provides you warmth when you're cold," he replied. "Now eat, many more villages will need our help," he stated and continued on feasting on the fruits on his lap.

I looked down at my own portion and picked up a fruit that was a bit yellow but had a pinkish to reddish blush. I took a bite of it and my tongue welcomed a new taste that kept me on chewing until I finished everything of what was provided for me.

Lucius went to talk with some dwarves and I was left staring at the pyram. A detka (baby) crawled towards the pyram with no one noticing.

Will the pyram also devour the detka? He looked intrigued to touch it. Should I wait for the detka to be eaten before calling their attention or will the detka's obvious shrills catch their attention instead?

I placed the leaf on the fallen tree trunk I was sitting on and rose up. I sauntered towards where the detka was and picked him up. I almost dropped him when he let out a giggling sound.

Why was he suddenly giggling? How low was his happiness level? If I threw him into the pyram, will he continue to giggle? Should I dare test it?

I had never experienced carrying a detka before. We did not have one in the castle and they did not allow me to mingle outside. How do you carry one?

 I raised the detka by holding him by his two legs. The detka laughed as I figured out how to fix his position.

He was very tiny. His height was from my elbow to my wrist. I turned the detka and had his bum-covered leaf on my palm and had his head facing my neck. The detka placed his plump hands against my face and started to explore. The little curls on his head moved backwards as he clapped his hands from joy.

This detka was mad.

"Fara that is enough, time to go to bed. Give onii-chan a kiss," a woman from behind me called out. Fara did place a kiss on my cheek which left a trail of saliva but my mind didn't dwell much on that.

I was left blank.

"Onii-chan play with Fara!" he cheered.

My rapitore appeared by my side with a smile and he took Fara from me.

"Otouto, you look like you were enjoying Fara's presence. I was worried that you weren't going to rescue him," he chuckled.

His expression of his observation caught me off-guard and I swallowed the rising pressure in my chest. I was mindlessly executing actions which would further endanger me. How can I escape this when the stimuli were everywhere?

I realized that my mouth was ajar and I immediately snapped it shut.

"He was...he was going to be eaten by the pyram and..." I trailed off.

I couldn't explain my own actions. There was no excuse for this. The Higher Order will not tolerate this feebleness but they must understand that I had no chance against the real world. Everything that I was put through was all for nothing. They didn't teach me anything about this. All I knew and all my life I was contained in the castle.

"It's alright. You'll figure things out. I understand that this is a lot to take in and I want you to meet some people but I don't think you're ready for them yet," Lucius spoke.

I looked away from him and didn't reply. Everything before me was crumbling into rubbles and I did not have the slightest idea of how I can rebuild it.

Going out is like biting on death's tail. Stay here. Keep hidden. You'll live.

He taught me that but he never taught me how I can survive when I would be exposed like this.

"Aren't you afraid to die?" I asked Lucius.

Without a doubt he was an ancient and without a doubt he was an ancient who defiled the rules of our kind. Going out here was suicide. I heard everyone became feral once the ancients withdrawn from the world.

"Of course I am but why would I let something that hasn't happened yet stop me from living?" he asked me with a smile.

"So you take these risks because you know that one day you'll perish?" I questioned.

I was always taught from the beginning that death was a bad thing and it should be avoided at all cost.

"That's correct and aside from that, because I have life I want the things around me to have life too. You can't continuously purify yourself when the things around you are dead. When you see too much and when you have too much you'll want to help. I remembered a child named Lucian who idolized me so much but now he doesn't even know me."

I frowned at his words and tried to dig up my memories as hard as I can but I just could not remember him. My parents never said I had a brother but apparently that was a complete lie.

They were lying to me all this time.

What other lies were they keeping from me?

"My mind...everything is in jumble..." I murmured.

"You're confused. The things I'm teaching you are clashing with the things they brainwashed you with. Why believe on people who concealed memories of your own brother? Why believe on people who has too much faith on their sanctuary?"

"They believe that they're safe because they are safe," I reasoned out. No danger had ever entered the tree.

"No one is safe even if there are no catastrophes. You might as well live while you can and enjoy life given to you." Lucius rubbed my cheek with his thumb and smiled at me.

"Lucian...there's something that you need to know about yourself," he murmured with a grave expression on his face.

I pursed my lips; feeling nothing from the seriousness of his voice. There was nothing I did not know about my life. I was dull. I had no special activities and I had no purpose now since Lucius corrupted my purity. I was already feeling something and it only had been barely a day since I've met him.

"There is someone who wants to take revenge on you," he started.

Ridiculous...

Just ridiculous in all language translations...

"Was it because of the amount of bland bread I ate for the last eighteen years?" I asked him.

Lucius laughed before clearing his throat.

"No, it's not that. Twenty-four years ago, you were born in a way not exactly expected," he started off.

"Let me guess: I was a merry detka," I deadpanned.

He grabbed me and harshly rubbed his knuckles against the top of my head. "You're cracking jokes now huh?!"

"I have no sense of humor," I deadpanned.

He released me from his brutal grasp and I rubbed my head.

"Just listen to me. Twenty-four years ago you were born—" before he could finish his sentence, a dwarf tripped on a rock and the bowl he was carrying fell to my lap. The hot liquid from the bowl splashed all over my thighs and stomach and Lucius jolted up.

"Ah! Imi pare rau! (I'm very sorry!)" The dwarf said in a panicked tone.

Lucius picked up the bowl and removed my pants and shirt leaving me with the belt. He draped a blanket over me and stood me up.

"Tell me it hurts," he ordered and took me to a small hut.

I had to scrunch my body down to fit inside. There were multiple wooden buckets with water in the hut. Lucius removed the blanket and made me sit on the rocky floor. He poured the cold water over my reddened lap and I shivered. The small hut was lit with glowing mushrooms growing against the walls.

"That's cold."

"Instead of complaining that it hurts, you're complaining of how cold the water is," he grumbled.

Lucius looked around and saw a bigger bucket that can fit two to three dwarves.

"Submerge yourself in that bucket," he told me. 

He was fussing too much. There was nothing wrong with my skin possessing an angry red color from the soup. I was showing no signs of pain but here he was forcing me to show and express agony.

"You should say something," he cut me off from my thoughts. "That soup was newly boiled and you didn't even flinch. Showing that you're in pain doesn't mean you're weak."

"I am fine. Stop worrying," I replied.

"Lucian—"

"Aaah..." I faked an expression of despair in a monotonous way. "Are you satisfied?"

Lucius seemed like he was nearing the edge of amok but he exhaled the energy and patted my head. "I'll get you clothes. Rest for a bit little brother."

Lucius scrunched himself down and squeezed out of the tiny doorway.

With him out of sight, I was left with silence. I laid my head against the edge of the bucket and caught the sound of strings being strummed and deep voices putting their words in a rhythm. It must be called as "singing". I never heard anyone sing before until this day. The law had forbid music.

"Your Highness," a man nervously spoke from behind.

I turned to look at the tiny source of the voice and stared at him blankly. His hair fell on his shoulders and he only had some stubble compared to his hairy kind. He was rather thin and he looked young. 

Everyone did look thin here. Perhaps slightly malnourished. 

"My name is Narrack and I just wan' to thank ya person'lly for saving us from hunger," he said.

I nodded at him. I never did a favor for others therefore I did not know how to respond. Talking may just get me in trouble.

"And I just wan' to tell ya how belissimo (beautiful) you are. Would you like me to assist ya in bathin'?"

By this time he was fidgeting.

"No need," I dismissed him but he continued to stand there.

What did he want? A hug?

Lucius entered the hut and he gave us a look of curiosity. "Narrack what are you doing here?"

Narrack gave me a hopeful expression but I looked away seeing it as nothing. "I was...I was just seein' if he needs anythin'. I'll be goin' now!" he spoke hurriedly and scurried away.

"What did Narrack tell you?" He asked.

"He told me I'm beautiful," I deadpanned. "And asked me if I wanted his assistance in my bath."

Lucius breathe in some air and released it in one distressed manner. "When a dwarf or an elf tells you that you are beautiful while bathing, it is their way of asking permission of courtship."

What an odd method. So if one will ask permission you'll have to ask them to get in a tub of water first and confess? Waste of time.

"Call him back then," I stated.

"Why?" Lucius questioned.

"I'll reject him," I deadpanned.

"Cruelty runs within you otouto!" Lucius cackled

After bathing, I slipped into loose blue shorts and a loose blue blouse. The clothing had white edges and the edges had intricate markings of gold. The material was soft and non-constricting. I can move freely with these clothes.

But I had issues with it just as I have issues on every tiny detail for it could lead to a bigger hurdle.

"There!" He declared. "I thought the clothes I bought you would not fit. You were always a little small compared to the other kids and not only that but you were so cute!" Lucius complemented.

"These clothes expose me too much," I stated. The shorts were above my knees and these sandals had my toes out in the open air.

"Stop whining about the clothes. At least you aren't naked. Come on, we need to get to bed. We still have a village to visit tomorrow," Lucius chirped.

He led me to another hut that was stronger-looking and was definitely bigger than any other huts. We entered inside the empty space and there was already a carpet on the floor. It wasn't exactly the cleanest but I doubt the people here bothered for their hygiene when they were starving days before we arrived.

"Let's sleep now," he said. Once we lolled down Lucius took me into an embrace that pricked the trained resistance within me.

"Stop hugging me."

"Nope, this may be my last time giving you a hug. You never know when you'll die so might as well let the person you love know that you love them even though they are cold to you," he chuckled.

"I won't return your affection," I replied.

"It's alright. I just want you to feel my love and care for you," he cooed happily and kissed my nape.

I was getting suffocated. He was too much touchy. Why can't he just get a wife or a husband?

I sighed and let my eyes close. 

Today was a big shift in my monotonous life. As of this point, I was lost. I wasn't even showing much struggle against him. What will my parents say now? What about Segreth and the future of the Kingdom? All those times I was hiding because of death but I didn't know for how long. I never thought of it. I performed the same old routine. I never cared for anyone but this man was forcing himself to me even when I continuously push him away.

Lucius began to hum in a tune that seemed familiar to my ears but I could not remember where I had heard of it.

"Do you remember this?" Lucius asked. "Okaasan always sang this lullaby for you. She sang this to me when I was just a child and when she was busy, I would sing it for you," Lucius whispered against my ear.

"She never sang anything for me," I replied. "And I don't ever remember you being a part of my childhood..."

If you were...things would have been completely different.

"I'm sorry..." Lucius spoke. "I'm really sorry little brother."

For a moment no exchange of dialogues took place until I heard him softly sniffle from behind me as he embraced me tightly. "If only I was there...If only I was there..." he repeated remorsefully.

But you weren't.

"Sleep...Do not waste tears any further. There is not use crying for the past because no matter what you do, the past can no longer be undone," I told him.

Lucius sniffled a few more times before leaning his head against my nape and continued to hum the soft melody. In his attempt of lulling me, he fell asleep in the process and his snores emerged. Once his embrace loosened I turned to look at him and questions filled my mind.

You say that I was your brother?

Why did you leave me for eighteen years? Were these people that worthy of that much time? You were not there when all of that happened. You weren't there behind that barricade with me and now you return.

Do you really believe that you can retrieve me from behind that wall? They are watching me. They will never let me go. 

I placed my head against his chest and remembered Fara calling me brother even when we were not related. Fara was too oblivious to everything yet he already experienced this much tragedy while I lived in peace.

When you know too much and when you have too much, you'll want to help...

Fara...I want to help people like Fara.

"What have you done to me..." I whispered. "Onii-chan?"

=================================================================

A/N: YUS. HI.