(Ezra POV)
So many things went through my mind as the mask of Theron dropped to the ground. I couldn't believe what I was seeing before me."This can't be, this must be some sick joke. My brother would never do this."
"I assure you, little brother, this is very real."
"But why did you do such a thing? You killed our friends, our family—my wife. Why? I don't understand," I yelled out, not able to hold back my emotions.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes…"
"Ezra, our clan is not truly fulfilling its duty given by the pantheon. We are the strongest, and yet our oath forbids us from truly doing what is needed to foster the peace we desire."
"That's blasphemy, Theron."
"Not at all, little brother. The reason there isn't any peace is because our leaders have been too afraid to put our foot down. Too afraid to uproot the true problem. The eleven other clans know they can push the boundaries and get away with murder because they know Clan Solaris won't pass divine judgment. Think about it, Ezra. Think about all the things that would have been prevented if we just got rid of them."
"Theron… that's not the right way."
"How come it's not? We have the power to do what we please. Who is there to stop us? The reason the world is this way is first because of our clan, and then the other clans who abuse the weak and poor."
"You want us to play god? That wouldn't be peace—that would be oppression in just another form."
"We were given power from gods. Why not become them? They aren't coming down to make the world right anyway. Besides, no one would care about the new form of oppression if everyone is happy and peace is maintained. Who cares what it takes to get to that point?"
"Theron, we can't. It's just not right."
"See, this is the type of thinking that got Mom killed. If we did things my way, she would still be here."
"Is that why you went down this path? Because of Mom?"
"Yes. And because I failed the test to become an Astral Knight. My ideals were interfering with my connection. The constellation rejected me, and that led to the clan rejecting me as well."
"We didn't reject you. I didn't reject you."
"You might not have, but you were sent away. I was looked at as a failure. The first son of Zaire couldn't fulfill his duty. Father could barely look at me. Do you know how that felt? No, you don't. You were the young prodigy that everyone loved. And when you came back as an Astral Knight, there was no space left for me. I was cast aside."
"Theron, I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me? I would have done something."
"No, you wouldn't. You were and still are brainwashed by the ways of old, and you had too much on your plate. In all honesty, I'm glad you didn't. I would've never found my master, and I would've never gained this power. The reunion was nice, but I'm afraid this will be your final day. And I'll take care of Cyrus."
"So there is no changing you then."
"There is your problem, Ezra. That is your downfall. Some people don't need saving. Some people just need to be taken out. Your kindness will be the death of you," my older brother said.
Now there wasn't any room left for words. My brother was a lost cause, manipulated by darkness. Looking into his eyes, the man I once looked up to was no more. It was safe to say that Theron truly did die on the day of the massacre.
The pulsating solar energy from my domain surged throughout my body and soul. I knew what I had to do now, and it saddened me. I never once thought this is what the universe would bring to me. Not another word came from my mouth—the only thing that would speak from here on out would be our first clash.
In the middle of the radiant domain, a faint crimson glow manifested, glowing brighter by the second."Your domain means nothing. If you want a chance, you know what you need to do," Theron said as the now bright crimson glow burst into the atmosphere.
Sounds became muffled, as if time was tired of moving. The vibrant colors of the suns drained into greys, browns, and other desaturated hues. A thick, almost intangible pressure coated everything in my domain—almost as if the existence of it was collapsing inward. The surge of power that I was once feeling was starting to dwindle. Looking to my side, the very suns that powered my domain shrank. He was destroying my domain.
"The last Astral Trial was hell, but now it looks like it was worth it. How do you like it, brother?"I didn't respond. I knew this was bad news for me. Without having access to the almost infinite energy I was gaining from the domain, I was going to have a hard time dealing with his decaying ability.
While increasing the thickness of my layer of cosmic energy to slow down the effects of decay, I summoned Dawnbringer once again. Now that we were trapped in his domain, his archery skills were useless. The advantage was mine now—but only for a short period of time. Not wasting a single moment, I went on the offensive, my blade aiming for his core.
"Did you think I wasn't prepared for this?" Theron said as he slowed down my attack with a blade made out of solar energy, while he summoned his forge with the other hand.
"Close range was never your thing, if I remembered correctly."
"Oh, little brother. Just because I didn't prefer that style doesn't mean I wasn't good at it. In honesty, I'm better with a blade—I just didn't like to get my hands dirty. But I'll make the exception," he said as he took out his bow once more. "You know, I got the idea from Adam—to give my soul weapon the ability to shift. It's a shame Cyrus killed him. He was really valuable to me," he said to me as he commanded his bow to take the shape of a black katana, etched with the symbol of a sun surrounded by a serpent.