AfterLife (countryhumans)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Them (C2)

Continuing my past, we found something at fault. It turn out that my brother don't know anything about mother's death, someone definitely didn't sent the news to him. And further, they confess. Its the general's order not to, afraid the winning battle to turn over.

Those bastards that only thinks of power and position, they clearly used him for their benefit. It angers me. But, I'm more angry to know how brother think about us those times, not even a piece of letter, why?

It funny, calling him brother still that time. I call him brother until now cause he did became one for me, but... not as I used to think. My perspective as grown child changed thanks to reality.

And because of the time we spend without each other, we have this distance between us and we don't know some of us. Why did he become wary? Why did I become colder? Why was he wearing mask not suitable for him? And why did I too? I wonder, is it suits me? The answer, yes.

But after mourning for days, he try gaining back the past. I too dream for such but things are not going well the more he tries. Dirts he try hiding, keeps showing staining him more. That's why, I cannot bring myself to look in eyes, no longer. It disgust me...

And the last time we made contact, its the worst encounter that completely destroyed the bridge between us. We never talk after that. Its not normal for me to lush out, does that mean he's still special? Yes, as he was the one that gave me feeling that I love to have.

Years passed, I didn't join for the battle of the thrown the madman emperor made. He enjoyed the game: blood, fire, poison, fights, and death; various incidents happened since then. He, too joined, that guy- brother.

Slowly, princes and princesses dye the imperial palace red. All children who didn't join are busy protecting themselves from the battle. You see, some bastards and their tricks made intentionally steps to eliminate who they hated. Some on the other hand target us for the 'weakness' of other candidate, like me. They thought I was brother's weakness and aim at me. I learn self-defence so I managed, but there are time I can't, he dealt with it leaving no trace letting no one know. But already noticed it, but let him. I'm too tired to deal with things.

And the finalists are total of five, and an all out war is expected to settle it all. And maybe you're thinking about the succession if ever it fail. It is guaranteed that who ever wins will get the throne, the madman emperor is dying after all. And so he bother to write a decree to settle all doubts from this game of his, marking the settlement.

The game last for years as expected, they are all cunning after all. They are produced by the madman emperor and reality of the castle, after all. But above all else, power. They are drown to it, and the throne is the key to hold that power. I mean if you do, no one will defy you, only that it teach them disciple not to cause trouble. Rule them with fear, and we all know it, he teach us how to. So...its fair to say, no one is innocent in this place. Somehow, I kinda get what he mean when there's no innocent child...

And this battle thought me a lot of things. How to be cruel, disciple, to punish, to be more cunning than your enemy, and to kill. I actually learn a lot, but of all to learn, the feeling of lost hit me harder than never expected. A trigger to join the game...

Before the full fledged war, he lost. And when said lost, its death. This is the price of seeking such power. It's not that I'm not interested like others but I'm coward that time and more than that, I love watching them struggle. A disgusting thing I inherited from him. It just got me one day, I don't know when and how, but...I felt pleasure watching the play. I only came back to my senses when he...died. Unfortunately, it's a trusted aid stab him in the back.

Having enough of watching, I let the trigger go and shot whoever my emotion pointed at. I'm not sure why I did that, I can't remember why and the feeling of that time is blurry like other memories that starting to fade. Like a blurry screen, I watch the past of how I did things.

I took command at his army, it's a messed when I got the position. I, too, as a problem who force himself to took command- a nobody. But I shut their mouth pretty neat, I only cut his neck to shut up and spoke pretty cool with freezing voice. Thankfully, they listen.

I only announced my existence as their new commander in few high ranking personnels. Its a grant show, a surprised. As the four princes and princesses busy themselves growling and biting each other, I fixed the crappy army. Plugging out the useless and executing secretly the spy. Gathering informations. And building power.

At the last banquet, the emperor watch me. I notice his gaze as I sip my tea, and smile underneath. 'Cunning bastard. For you to still have eyes with your dying state' I whisper my mind.

And that was the last time we seen the emperor. Guess he's bedridden, that's normal after all his body is inflicted with poison. A poison he slowly gather with many women he bed, karma I guess.

As I continue watching the bloody fight, my army is all ready. Indeed, watching from the side while playing them is fun. Something I never known to be good, something entertaining.

The feeling woke up from its slumber with the environment we group up with. It is. I'm not the only one who enjoys watching, you see. If you glance to other direction, the sit was occupy with different people but almost are people of the palace, watching the play they amused. Yes, no one is innocent...

And with the cue, I stand up in my sit from that theater and walk away. Away to enter the stage, smiling from that memory, I keep replaying it.

That is, after all, my beginning will be known as the me of all this years...
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This is... good. I can go with pace, which is good.

And...its true that he cannot remember the feeling and exact details in his past because... he's mad. Sorry.

Have a nice day, reader/s~