~Sean

       "Who are you?" Mark repeated, voice growing stronger as I stopped in my tracks, breath caught in my throat. I felt my heart break as I searched his eyes for any signs that he was joking. All I found was pain masked with genuine confusion. "It's me, Sean. You remember, right?" I begged. He frowned thoughtfully, then shook his head. "Should I know you?" I continued walking, not looking him in the eyes as tears sprang into mine. "No." I whispered, detouring from my home to the Lupius clan village. It was dark, meaning that it was evening, the rain letting up some as distant thunder boomed, a bolt of lightning piercing the gray cloudy sky. There were wooden cabins much nicer than mine scattered across the once tree infested area. I found the biggest one I could, assuming it was Mark's and knocked on the door, helping Mark stand. Before I could retreat, a man that vaguely looked like Mark with shoulder length black hair opened the door, eyes narrowing in anger. "What did you do to my brother?!? Why did you take him?!?" He roared in anger. "I-I didn't-" "You will pay Oclemora scum!" He brandished a long sword from his belt, shoving past Mark towards me. Eyes widened in fear, I retreated a few steps back before turning around to run, not moving fast enough to avoid the blade slicing through the bare skin of my left shoulder. I stumbled, but didn't fall as I continued, praying he would give up soon. He stopped at the edge of the forest, turning away to go back home. Panting, I skidded to a halt, pressing a hand to the wound he inflicted, my hand coated in my own blood. Grimacing, I looked up at the sky, tendrils of light gray some rising into the air. Only it was coming from my home. Despite the pain, I ran the rest of the way home, only to find that there was nothing left of it. It had burnt down to the ground. "Why?!?" I shouted at no one in particular. Then I remembered. Dinner. I had left it over the fire unattended. I sifted through the ashes for anything that could've survived, but found nothing. Feeling too hollow for tears, I gently removed Seipteach, tossing it in the ashes, then glanced back at Mark's house one last time before delving deeper into the forest, hoping to never be found again.

One year later

~Mark

        "Mark!" A vaguely familiar man's voice behind me called out desperately. I ignored it as I ran as fast as my feet could carry me out of the small wooden house I was in and into the pouring rain. I felt like my world was crashing down around me, a sense of betrayal squeezing my heart, but I didn't know why. All I knew was that I had to run. I was crashing through tree branches, earning a few lightly bleeding scrapes trailing down my arm as suddenly I tripped over a root, ramming head first into a tree as pain exploded in my head.

         I woke up with a gasp, breathing heavily as I regained my bearings. I sighed in relief when I realized it was a dream. I was back home. It had taken me months to remember my brother and my place here, but I still felt like I was missing something. Something important. "Good morning brother." Thomas smiled warmly, leaning against the doorframe to my room. I attempted to smile back as I climbed out of bed, beginning my daily morning routine. "Something wrong?" He asked. "Just thinking." I assured him, combing my fingers through my faded red hair. Even my appearance betrayed that part of me was missing. "I'll meet you at the training grounds." I promised Thomas as he left. As I started to follow him, I saw a flash of green. Since it was spring it was probably a leaf. Yet memories flashed through my head, none of them lingering long enough for me to understand. I staggered, clutching a hand to my head. Who is the man I keep seeing?, I wondered as the memories subsided. Instinctively I neared the edge of the forest, letting my feet guide me further inside. I had no idea where I was going, but I pressed on until I spotted blackened ruins of what I assumed used to be a house. What surprised me most was the glitter of gold I found buried in the black. I bent down and sifts through, gently blowing on it. It was an amulet that looked like a bloodstained fang with a small green eyeball strung on a cord of black leather. "Seipteach." I mused, then paused. How did I know what it was, I'd never seen it before....have I? I closed my eyes, concentrating on trying to remember anything about this home. Images appeared, me shooting a sparrow, a man with green hair doing yoga in front of a small wooden house covered in moss, fire, and then cold rain, opening my eyes. The man's voice rang in my ears as a single name echoed in my mind. "Sean." I whispered, quickly standing up with Seipteach clutched in my hand. I had to find him.