Colter
The Great Hall, Kingdom of Howard
"Brother,"
Colter approached his brother on the balcony of the Great Hall. Gian was staring off into the distance, watching the sunset on the horizon. Days had passed since the war against Havocc took place. The Kingdom of Howard has been slowly rebuilding itself from the wounds of the attack. What was left of the Royal Guards helped the citizens rebuild their homes and establishments until they had a sense of their lives back.
"Colter," Gian said, nodding.
He settled in to stand beside his brother and looked at what was once a thriving capital below them. Colter knew that the entire Kingdom would be back to its former glory in no time.
"What an experience," Gian said. "All my life, I have always thought Howard to be untouchable, a haven, that no harm would ever befall it. Seeing it being razed to the ground is something I will never forget."
"I could say the same," Colter said.
"But we're getting through it. Just look at how fast the Ecanus bounces back from the ordeal. Our resilience is something to be commended." Gian said. "What I worry about though, is how we'll be able to grow our forces again. Most of our ranks have perished. Vergil reported to me the other day. He also said that most of the men among the citizens are a bit hesitant to enlist as part of the Royal Guard. I would too if I had seen my worst nightmares come to life."
"No matter, I'm sure that you'll be able to figure something out. You know, encourage the young boys to join the forces." Colter said.
"I doubt that," Gian sighed. "I'm still awaiting my trial, Colter. If you have not heard, Father had given me leeway for my crimes against the Crown."
Colter had indeed heard about it. Gian was the one responsible for giving out Colter's location. That was why they were able to follow Colter on Earth. That was why they were able to plan the attack on Howard. They waited for the perfect time to strike.
He cleared his throat and said, "About that, I have some news."
Gian turned to look at him. "Did Father come up with a decision? He explicitly said that he'd make one once we survived the war."
"I have spoken to Father about your case. He has decided that he'll spend the rest of his term as the King in the restoration of the Kingdom. He'll be stepping down as its ruler."
Gian looked confused. "And I have faith that you will do well as a King, Colter."
Colter smiled as he rested his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I have decided to leave Howard."
"What?" Gian asked.
"I also forgot to give this back to you." He held his brother's hand in a firm grasp. He willed the Earth's power to travel from his body to Gian's hand. Colter felt a small weight lifted off of his being.
"Though you'd forgotten." Gian teased.
"How could I? Carrying all four makes my head spin." Colter laughed.
They fell quiet for a while. Gian broke the silence by asking quietly, "How did it feel?"
Colter thought about it. "It feels scary, to be honest. It felt chaotic inside. Here," Colter pointed to his chest. "And here." Then to his head.
"It does take a lot of control to wield all of them. I can tell you that it's not for the faint of heart." Colter stated casually.
Gian laughed. "It looked pretty damn cool, though. You throwing all those shards of rain! Vergil nearly shit his pants."
"Yeah, he pretty much looked dumbstruck after it all died down," Colter said.
They shared a chuckle about Vergil throwing a tantrum. Colter could remember how he ran to him and demanded Colter give his powers back.
"Return it to me, you must not wield this ever again!" Vergil said frantically.
"But what did you mean by what you said earlier? You're leaving Howard?" Gian asked.
Colter gave his brother a sad smile. "I have decided to live on Earth, with Vida. I found my life there to be something I had been searching for my entire life. Earth is simple and I like it."
"That is why I entrust you with this," Colter summoned the entire power of Fire in his being through a small flame. He directed his fingertips toward Gian's heart and watched the flame travel through his chest. The flame flickered before glowing inside his brother, making Gian gasp. His brother's eyes flashed amber, meaning that the power had settled in its new host.
"Why?" Gian looked at him bewildered. "You didn't have to. You have stayed on Earth with it, so why give it to me?"
"The new King of Howard should have at least two elemental powers to master," Colter winked. "Don't worry. I'll still be able to fly, which I think is more needed on Earth. I don't want to accidentally set Burn's on fire."
Gian looked worried about how the events were turning out. "New King of Howard? But I have committed treason. I am not worthy of ruling the Ecanus. I have betrayed our family."
"Oh, come on, Gian. We have seen how you held me off during our duel. It's commendable how you managed to last that long." Colter said. "I think your mistakes in the past should, well, stay in the past. What matters most is what you're doing to make up for it. You fighting for the Ecanus is enough for you to prove yourself."
"But --"
"Just take it, man," Colter said exasperatedly. "You are worthy of being the King and that's final."
Gian laughed at Colter's antics, reminding him of a certain Oracle. "Tessa is rubbing off on you."
Colter shuddered at that thought. "I hope not. I wouldn't want Vida to suffer all her life."
"Do Father and Mother know about this?" Gian asked.
"Yeah," Colter replied, sadness evident in his eyes. "They were sad about the news, but they relented. They said that they fully support me and that they respect my decision. Mother was emotional about it as usual. But it was Father's reaction that caught me off guard. He was crying as well. He kept apologizing to me for being a bad Father."
"He's not the only one that needs to apologize," Gian said.
Colter clapped Gian in the back. "I've long forgiven you, Gian. So don't beat yourself up for it. We could have avoided our riff, but where's the fun in that? It's normal for siblings to have those rivalries. What we didn't have was a parent who should have acted like a referee. Nonetheless, that's all water under the bridge now."
Gian took Colter by surprise by enveloping him in a tight hug. Colter did not hesitate to hug him back even tighter. "Thank you, brother."
"You'll come to visit?" Gian asked as he pulled away, his silver eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Of course, you think you've seen the last of me?" Colter asked. "I'll be back for a couple of bottles of beer from Prunee, and maybe even a duel session."
"I'll look forward to that." Gian smiled.
"You should! I'll be checking on you as King of Howard."
Gian's face looked somber all of a sudden. "What if I mess up?"
"Then I'll come barging in and knock your head to set it straight." Colter joked. When he noticed that Gian had not responded, he said, "You'll be fine. Father will be there to guide you. You have Mother to remind you to stay compassionate. You have Vergil as your Captain. You have Tessa, as much as she's annoying, as your Oracle. What could go wrong?"
Gian nodded. "I'll do my best."
Colter hollered. "That's the spirit! Remember, that's what matters most: you keep trying!
The sun was low in the sky as dusk was approaching. He closed his eyes as he made an imprint of the spectacular Howard sunset.
"When do you leave?" Gian asked, interrupting his sentimental moment.
"Actually, right about now," Colter said. "They're waiting by the portal."
"Then what are we standing here for?" Gian asked.
Together, they flew towards the clearing where the portal stood waiting for the travelers to cross.