The ashes before Strife

Episode 14 : a slackers life ; 1

I turned around seeing two 7-year-old girls one blonde-haired with mud brown eyes the other with brown hair and green eyes. "Lilly, Lucy... you should know I rarely play fair by now." I dispelled the shadows dropping them to the floor with a loud thump as I continued inspecting the sword handle.

The two stared up at me pouting but I remained indifferent "so what are you two up so early for? You usually don't wake up unless I zap you a few times." The two girls stood up staring into me like a pair of angry cats not saying anything. They obviously wanted an apology but feeling mean I turned back around placing the handle down opening the other box.

"Just because you're older than us Cayde, it doesn't mean you get to bully us as you please." I turned around acting surprised as I pulled out the second silver handle identical to the first but with a violet core instead "oh, really?"

I summoned several floating balls of water surprising them "guess I don't get to do this then." The two screamed joyfully as they ran from streams of bubbles chasing after them.

Turning back around ignoring my two sisters as they got barraged by bubbles I pulled out my void ring and necklace from my pocket and pulled out my two conductive blades with their old worn-out blackguards and handles. I could repair them with alchemy making it seem the damage was never there but I felt like an upgrade was for my swords.

Although in reality, I'm doing this so that principal elf, Weaver won't realize I'm the guy that punched him in the face two years ago when school starts next month and I'm forced to see him every day. Infusing mana into my finger I ran my finger down the handles loosening their grips on the swords allowing me to pull them off with ease.

I threw the two old blackguards and handles into a nearby trash bin and started fitting the new silver guards and handles onto the violet and crimson orange swords. "Brother what are you doing?" Lilly poked her head over the table as I just finished making sure the handles were locked in place "nothing of major importance. Just felt like changing things up really."

She looked at me questioning the real reason. One of the many things Lucy knew about me was that I may act free-spirited but I always have a motive in mind. "Sure~. Do they do anything special?" She poked the violet blade showing clear doubt. Making sure she didn't hurt herself I pulled it away from her taking a closer look. "I wish but no, unfortunately. They just look kind of badass really." Her doubtful glare stayed until Lilly came crashing onto her back laughing, covered in bubbles from head to toe.

"Beware of the bubble monster! Oooh!" Lucy came up behind us scaring Lilly screaming out in horror as she passed out onto the floor. Lucy and I both looked down at her with a worried look then looked at each other "we were never here." I grabbed the two boxes in an attempt to flee picking up Lucy putting her under my arm making a break for the door.

As I was about to charge through it quickly opened revealing my mother with an angry look across her face forcing me into a halt as Lucy and I filled with fear from her bloodlust. "We're going to survive right brother?" My sister clung to me hoping I could save us both but there was only one option if I wanted to survive "go! Sister attack!"

I threw my little sister to my mother whose face was no longer angry but filled with passionate love as she extended her arms to catch my sister "Brother, why?" My mother held her hostage as I made a break for another door bashing it open heading through the main hall to escape her but was chasing after closing the distance as she held both my sisters.

I made a sharp turn running up the staircase then jolted down the corridor running for the open window at the end "Cayde! Don't you dare jump through that window!" I turned my neck smirking at my mother affirming I would.