A Bouquet of Crocus

Prologue

The edge of Tortas mountain was already filled with thousands of Orcs, and the elves have already lined up outside the gate of the palace up in the mountain, ready for the raid of the orcs.

"Vile traitor" Aranel gritted his teeth, brows frowns hatefully, hands grips the sword that perched on his back strongly.

Venrie glances at him by the corner of his beautiful blue eyes. As a matter of fact, the resentment and disappointment felt by him was much more severe than his aides and subordinates behind him felt, but he tries to keep his face calm and maintain his dignity.

Cystenn, his most trusted and admired older brother, has betrayed Tortas. He works with the Orcs to invade his own kingdom, and even kidnaps Venrie's fiancee, Soliania.

"They arrived!" exclaimed someone behind Venrie. 

The whole elven army are on the right formation and stance, and are ready to advance anytime, as the sound of thousands heavy and rough footsteps getting closer and closer.

At last those horribly ugly silhouette finally gets close enough to see, and one can see that they're even uglier than their silhouette, enough to make one vomit their dinner. Those disgusting and hideous orcs stops their steps around 200 meter from the elven troops.

In the middle of the orcs frontline, there were 2 striking figures. One is an exceptionally huge orc that is about triple the size of an ordinary orcs. And the other one was definitely not an orc, in fact, he's so exceptionally dazzling and gorgeous with his slender and elegant built, he wore a white long elven robe, his face is so beautifully defined like a god's carving masterpiece, he has a long blonde hair that resembles a stream of gold, and Venrie knows him well, it's Cystenn.

Upon seeing the figure of Cystenn, Venrie, who had been suppressing himself cannot stand it anymore and shouted,

"Brother! Explain yourself! Where's Soliania!?" His voice hoarse from anger.

Cystenn remain silent and his face solemn with no change. He looks at Venrie with complicated meaningful clear eyes. He glanced at one of the orc beside him, that orc getting the signal, it holds a quite big box in its hands. Then he and the orc walked up until they are about 70 meter near the vigilant elves frontlines. Next, he takes the box from the measly orc and toss it lightly to Venrie.

The elves were all surprised and confused. Venrie himself was so surprised he became tense, but what he knows is that its definitely not something good.

"Open it" said Cystenn, his voice was as clear as a bell in the middle of silent surrounding.

Venrie gulped, he don't want to listen to Cystenn anymore but he doesn't have any choice now. Thus he opened the box in front of him, and his eyes widened. His complexion was becoming very pale, he trembles that his shoulder was nearly shaking.

Seeing his prince falls on his knees, Aranel walked up to him. And close enough he sees whats inside the box, it immediately made him engulfed in anger and sadness. Inside the box was a head with long wavy blonde hair, its face was so clear and beautiful like a porcelain doll, its the head of his prince's fiancee. 

"What.. what have you done to Lady Soliania!?" Aranel exclaimed in anger.

All of the elves were shocked, to think that its former prince dares to kill its own brother fiancee, considering the the size of the box it can only fit a head, so they assume that Cystenn beheaded Soliania. they cannot believe that such a heartless person was once the person they all admired. Thus, the respecting eyes they used to look at Cystenn is now completely gone, replaced by glaring eyes filled with deep hatred and disappointment. 

The few elves who were still harboring hope for Cystenn to explain himself were now reduced to none. They just couldn't comprehend about what Cystenn really want. He was already the crown prince, so there's no need to work with the orc to own Tortas as he will eventually become the king himself. And where was the need to kidnap and kill his own brother fiancee, what merit does it made. He was the king's pride and joy, he was exceptionally close with his brother, he has a gentle and beautiful sister-in-law, he has trusted friends and subordinates, he has people to love and look up to him, he always look like he was very content with everything. The very least anyone would expect him to betray the kingdom yet now its the undeniable truth.

Venrie finally able to stand up, he finally stops trembling. He glares at Cystenn with the coldest look possible as if it could create ice. Then he shouted with clear and loud voice everyone in the mountain could hear.

"God, Goddesses, Fairy, and Spirits, Bless us in this war to protect our land and our people from loathsome evil!,

 Attack!!"

With that battle cry, all of the elven  troops advance accordingly with the signal of each respective generals, so do the Orcs. 

The Beautiful and elegant Elves clash in contrast with the ugly and disgusting orcs. In the middle of the battlefield, no one dares to go near Cystenn for some reason, both the elves and the orcs. Therefore, Venrie thought it was his chance. Venrie has never won once against Cystenn, but now he could careless with that percentage and run up to him with gleaming saber in his hands ready to give it his all.

But contrary to the expectations, before Venrie could even reach Cystenn, he was stopped forcefully and later just realized that he was stopped by a sword that pierced through his stomach. Cystenn supposed to be 10 meters ahead yet he suddenly appeared right in front of him by less than a blink of an eye, stabbing him mercilessly.

Venrie looked at Cystenn in shock. He knows his brother was fast and strong but he was not this fast before. Pain gradually spread through his body and he became pale and limp. Cystenn pulls his sword out of him, and blood gushes out awfully from the wound. Venrie became so dizzy he fell on his knees.

Realizing that he will reach his end, he tried to look up and see the face of his brother that still stands in front of him. His eyes widened as he see Cystenn, that face of his brother was expressionless yet tears keeps dripping from the corner of his eyes.

Venrie cant even hold his body anymore and fall to the ground, his brother kneels beside him. Some elves who notice this keeps shouting Venrie's name in panic though its too late.

"Why, brother? are we.. disappointing you? ..do you.. hate us?" asked Venrie as his sight dimmed.

"I love you" Cystenn said faintly. 

Venrie was already unable to see his brother expression as everything looked so dark to him. "Then.. why?" finally everything became black, he sees nothing, hears nothing, and feels nothing no more.