Family Matters -a short prompt-like story
So, I was bored and wanted to write, however I cannot write my current book as my beta reader is proofreading the first part. So I made this short little prompt-like fantasy story.
So enjoy!
The dark and empty hallway echoed the clanking of metal boots against the marble floors. Bright green armor making no more than a slight swishing sound as [Hero] marched. His silver sword in hand and still dripping the blackened blood of [Villain]'s minions from the tip of the blade down to the guard.
As [Hero] approached the large doors at the end of the hall, he couldn't hear anything but his own breathing and heartbeats. Sheathing the sword at his side, he put both hands on the doors and pushed them open. The grandiose room was wide and open--perfect for a personal combat arena. The same as [Villain]'s other captains' forts, yet they fell under [Hero]'s feet all so easily.
[Villain] sat at the end of the room in a dark throne that towered over the both of us. He stood and clapped his hands together. Their hands were covered in white, formal gloves, and they wore the darkest of garments with gold fastenings. It was almost like the twk were meeting for a proper sit-down instead of a turning point of a war.
"Well..." [Villain] said in a surprisingly calming tone, "It appears you've annihilated my captains on a bloody path towards my throne room."
[Hero] remained stoic and even drew their sword, holding it ready to counter whatever [Villain] threw at him. They simply laughed and slowly walked towards [Hero], "Oh, [Hero]. You're so serious. Are you telling me that you aren't even having a little fun? Your display outside says otherwise. I never knew one could kill so many with a flimsy piece of metal on a handle."
[Hero] smirked, but kept his guard up, "I can do a lot with a sword."
[Villain] walked past him, their dark red cape flowing elegantly behind them, "I knew you were enjoying yourself. Nobody eviscerates that good without some pride in their handiwork."
[Hero] relaxed, holding the blade at his side, "I only do so because I know your demon minions. They cheat death at every turn."
"Perhaps you could be convinced to join me then, since you didn't attack me immediately yet obliterated my army to get here. I can give you power, fame, fortune, freedom, and you'll always have your dearest sister by your side. These are the things your 'kingdom' have taken away from you."
"You've enslaved most of its population! They've had to change their ways to survive!"
[Villain] turned back to face [Hero], "Don't be so naive. It's what they convince your generation so that they'll give their lives fighting me so that they can stomp on the common-folk without stop."
"You're enslaving people! How is that better than what my kingdom 'might' have done!?"
"Because I give them lives! I can't give them the best, but I'm not actively destroying them!" They sighed and held their nose bridge with their hand, "I don't wish to be the villain, but if I must I will."
"Enough of this idiotic debate! What did you do with my sister!?" [Hero] leveled the sword at them. [Villain] simply shook his head.
"She's peacefully living in my kingdom. If I remember correctly, didn't she want to be a royal guard?" [Villain] then clapped their hands, "[X]! Would you come here for a moment?"
Then, from a balcony above the room, [Hero]'s own sister jumped down into the middle as though it was only a foot drop. She was covered by a uniform in [Villain]'s colors. She looked up to [Hero] with dark red pupils and smiled, "[Hero]!?"
[Hero] had almost dropped his sword, "[X]..." He ran over and pulled her into an embrace, "I never thought I'd see you again!"
[X] pulled away from him and looked at his armor, "Is that the uniform of [Kingdom]?" She looked up into [Hero]'s sky blue eyes, her mouth agape, "You're part of the army attacking the castle."
"I'm leading it, I came to save you from them!" [Hero] said, gesturing to [Villain] with an open palm, "But... you're part of his army... aren't you?"
[Villain] stepped forwards, "[X] is one of my generals. You can serve alongside her, if you join my army. Fight with the people who deserve a better kingdom."
[Hero] looked between [Villain] and [X]. His gaze stopped on [X]. [X], the girl who only a few months ago was complaining about her chores on the farm was now a general in his greatest enemy's army.
[Hero] turned to [Villain] and began stomping towards him, his face red and his teeth gritted together, "You... you turned my sister against me! You captured her and made her join your army!"
[X] jumped in front of [Hero], "[Hero], I came of my own accord. The day I left, I came to join their kingdom. What your kingdom is doing is terrible! [Villain] hasn't harmed anyone who wasn't threatening innocent people!"
[Hero] raised his sword, "[X], get out of my way! I'll kill this tyrant and free you from their twisted control!"
[X] drew her sword as well, "You will not destroy what we have sacrificed so much for! I don't wish to kill you, but I will if I must."
[Hero] took a step back, his eyes widening and his grip on the blade strengthening to the point if his knuckles paling. He closed his eyes and raised his sword, "I will free you from his control, [X]. In any way possible. Forgive me, if you're still in there."
With that, [Hero] lunged at their sister, only for her to not only easily block it, but counter it and knock them on their back. While they were on their back, [X] propelled herself forwards at an inhuman speed, slamming the sword down at her sibling's torso.
[Hero] rolled away, forcing himself onto his feet as their sister struck nothing but the marble floor. [Hero] stabbed at her, forcing the blade into her side and summoning blood at the laceration.
[X] began to thrust and swing her sword with a strange elegance that [Hero] lacked. Each hit could have been fatal, but both [Villain] and [Hero] knew she was holding back.
[Hero] dodged or blocked most of her blows, only getting slight wounds from those that didn't fail against the armor. As they saw the opportunity, they began chipping away at her defenses. They grabbed the blade with one hand and the grip with the other as they tried to stab between the cracks in her armor.
[X] took advantage of [Hero]'s movements. Countering one of the strikes and forcing [Hero] to let go of the blade as his palm was cut into by the blade. Then, in an effort to incapacitate [Hero] instead of kill, [X] began the technique known as murder-stroke, where she grabbed her sword by the blade and used the guard and pommel as a makeshift mace.
The first swing was easily dodged, but [Hero] wasn't so lucky on the second. The fatigue from the fight outside of the room as well as attempting to keep up with [X]'s supernatural abilities was beginning to show. The second swing hit him across the face, staggering him and as he turned back to [X], she swung again and made contact with extreme strength. [Hero] didn't stay conscious for long and eventually passed out in the floor of the room.
[X] stood tall, the victor of the fight. She sheathed her sword at her side and walked over to her brother's unconscious body. She heaved him over her shoulder and turned back to [Villain], "Tell the troops to capture the remaining army and to tell of their commanders capture. They should be co-operative afterwards." Without so much as a second word, [X] took her brother to the cells, leaving [Villain] behind in the throne room.
[Hero] stayed captive for months, [X] visiting him every few days. Eventually, [Hero] caved and let himself become part of [Villain]'s armies. Serving as another general by his sister's side.
With the aid of [Hero], [X] and the armies they commanded, [Villain]'s kingdom was unstoppable. The other kingdom soon bent the knee to them. A new nation, with an uncertain future...
