Asylum

Aoi Owari

Simultaneously, both of us gasp, "...the hell?"

"No matter," Xavier assures himself. "It doesn't make a difference. I'll crush you, anyways."

Giving it all he has, Xavier swings his katana more like a baseball bat than a weapon. Before the edge of his blade even nears my skin, I blast it with my newfound tainted power. Though, rather than be tainted with darkness, it's almost like my flitting death sparked some sort of energy reawakening. My fire is so intense that it completely melts Xavier's blade, which seemed infallible all the way up until now.

With Xavier's metal disfigured and useless, Xavier himself is just about defenseless. Taking advantage of this moment, I deliver a high kick, my foot crashing across his face and bringing him down to the ground. He topples on his knees, defiant mismatched eyes staring up at me in infuriation. I position my own bright blade over his head, ready to swing it like an axe and finally end all this nonsense. "Go ahead," Xavier eggs on. "Kill me like you killed Father. Like you tried to kill me two years ago."

"If I were to kill you like before, or like your father, then this would all be an accident," I correct him, hands nearly shaking with pent up rage for all the terrorization Xavier's caused me, for the things he's said, for what he'll do if I let him get away. But I can do a lot of things, too. "Right now, if I were to end you at last, this would be my first intentional murder."

"Well, baby brother..." Xavier sighs, looking up at me with something hidden behind his eyes. It's a sort of confidence and arrogance that tells me he has a good idea about how this is going to end for him. "What are you going to do?"

I've spent all these years yearning for the life of my elder brother back, and here he is, kneeling in front of me, waiting for his fatal attack. If I kill him now, then I'll really be dwelling on a real corpse. But more importantly, I'll be doing nothing but repeating the past. If I really want to be someone altruistic and improved – if my coming back to life was truly representative of an inner rebirth – then it can't start out this way. A life full of more compassion and mercy cannot begin with death, let alone hands bloodied by family.

Adjusting my grip on the katana, tightening my clasp, the golden light muddles with the bright blue fire that curls along the blade, igniting with my final decision. Raising it high over Xavier's head, I slice through the air, aiming for the soft spot between his neck and shoulder. He's shocked that this is what I'm doing – gasping and widening his eyes.

I stop short, letting the flames dance right by Xavier's skin. Though they don't touch him, the heat is enough to burn him, considering it's so concentrated in power. He grits his teeth in pain, sweat instantly beading on his skin and pouring down his body. Even in the rain, the water does nothing to cool him off. There's even the sizzling of drops evaporating only when the liquid gets close to the fire.

"Finish it, Ren," Xavier provokes. "Or are you still too weak?"

"Leave us alone," I demand, tone grave and absent of emotion. "Stop causing us trouble, or the next time I see you, it won't be a battle just between you and I; it will be all of us against you. Our warring ends here, Xavier. I'm not going to hold a grudge against you for something that happened two years ago, even if that thing was trying to murder me. But if you don't leave this place immediately, then that is something I will remember."

Tentatively, I withdraw my katana, sheathing the katana and stepping back. Xavier's eyes scan my body up and down, as if wondering if I've gone mad. Slowly, he stands, balance spot-on. "You realize that letting me go now is a mistake, right? I'll be back eventually."

Scowling at him, I repress the urge to punch this guy in the face. Call it my "turning over a new leaf" project. But if Xavier doesn't get out of my sight soon, I might just burn that leaf to nothing but ashes. "Do you want to die? Are you telling me this because you want me to end you before something else begins? Has the weight of carrying two powers finally brought you down?"