Chapter One _Unknown_

Chapter One


"I am so sick of being here, Mikael." whispered young Neveah, curling up in her brother's arms.
"I know, Ne-Ne." he sighed, holding her small body to his chest.
Mikael Kattalis was a boy of seventeen years. He was a man of muscled build. Mikael was strong and well able to do just about anything physical required of him. He had a charisma that enabled him to talk just about anyone into doing what he wanted them to do. Mikael's mahogany eyes told the stories of his life, especially since his one right eye was devoured by a scar running from his forehead to his jaw, a scar he was well known for. This scar also blinded that eye. He was truly the polar opposite of his twin brother, Riku.
Neveah looked similar to Mikael. Her short deep brown hair was cut into a bob and her hazel eyes had flecks of mahogany. She was only a child of seven, but at times possessed the strength and maturity of a teen in this place.
"I miss mommy and daddy, Mika." she said quietly, as her her eyes pricked with unshed tears. All Mikael could do was hold his little sister as he felt her shake. Shedding his black leather jacket, he covered her to keep her warm. Feeling his sister's silent sobs, Mikael's own eyes began to burn.
This moment came to be most nights. It had only been a year since the last riot in the city claimed their father's life, leaving them orphans. All the possessions of the rioters were gathered and burned to essentially erase their memory and put an end to the waning resistance. Their brother, Riku, had barely made it out with an armload of memoirs before the Copperheads came. The black leather jacket that Mikael oftentimes wore more than not, two photographs, one in each of the boy's rooms, and a journal their mother had written with remedies and how to stay healthy.
Mikael and Neveah tensed as the door creaked open. Slowly Mikael slid the W.A.S.P. blade from his boot as heavy thuds resounded as the unknown intruder walked through their home. Giving Neveah the signal to stay silent and stay put, Mikael stood and flattened himself against the cracked drywall and silently inched his way towards the his bedroom door that led to the living room, and to the footsteps. Just as Mikael whipped open the door, blade held high, did he realize it was just his brother, Riku.
Riku was starlight blonde, his hair almost white. he had cerulean eyes that turned to jade when he became emotionally excited. His body was smaller built, but still very much masculine, providing his hair was to his abdomen in length. Riku had a wicked way about him as he was a very ingenious man.
"Jesus Christ, Mikael!" Riku yelled, shielding his face and in the process dropping all three bags of goods on the floor.
Shoving his blade back into his inner booth sheath, Mikael slammed Riku into the wall.
"You never walk into this house without saying it's you. Next time I might just follow through." growled Mikael.
"Get your hands off me!" roared Riku, shoving his twin away.
" 'Ku!" neveah yelled, as she recognized his voice. She ran into the living and slammed into Riku full force, wrapping her little arms around him in a loving vice grip.
"Hey, Ne-Ne." He grimaced. Noticing her brother's subtle cringe, Neveah looked up from her four foot two stature to see crimson on her arms.
"Riku?" she whispered, pulling away to stare at her little arms covered in red. Riku slowly bent over to retrieve his fallen items and took them to the kitchen while Mikael led Neveah to the collection basin of water on the balcony. Mikael cleansed her arms with a cup, some water and a part of his black shirt.
Riku stood in the kitchen, bent over the sink, just breathing through the pain. He stripped off his own black tank top to reveal the large gash across his abdomen. He opened the cabinet to reveal the sewing needle and thread. Bracing himself, Riku slowly slid the needle, with thread, under his skin, and slowly out the other part. He exhaled and repeated this for all eighteen stitches. As he finished, he felt his brother's stare in between his shoulder blades.
"What do you want, Mikael?" Riku grumbled, putting away his tools.
Mikael leaned against the wall as he contemplated what to say. In the end, he said nothing.
Furious, Riku spun around, only to find himself almost collapsing from the blood loss from the day, leaving him dizzy and lightheaded. Hearing Neveah's footsteps, he turned and replaced h is shirt back on his body. He forced himself to remain upright as he heard her and Mikael whisper.
"Is 'Ku okay?" she asked.
"Riku is fine."
"What was on my arms?"
"Paint. Some water color paint he spilled on himself."
"Oh," she said, as she naively believed her older brother.
"Night, 'Ku." she mumbled, as she pattered of to sleep on her bed of the boys' clothing. Hearing her leave, Riku, finally sat down on the floor.
"So," said Mikael, uncrossing his arms.
"So, what?" rebutted Riku, his faced scrunched from pain, and in no real mood to converse.
"What happened?"
"Nothing. Obviously." sneered Riku, referring to hiding the entire scene from Neveah, as they always did whenever one was injured.
"Nothing?" Mikael choked on a laugh, "Yeah, okay, this is not 'nothing'."
Riku's eyes burned jade as he glared at his brother, who obviously was enjoying his pain. Mikael had always considered himself "better". He was stronger, smarter and a master when it came to identification. Riku was just Riku, essentially a house maid, the cook and the babysitter.
"So, when is little baby Neveah going to finally be gifted with the chance to see how this beautiful world really works," Riku said sarcastically, "It's so pretty and oh did I mention bloody?" he growled the last part.
"She's just a child, Riku."
"There are no children anymore. She needs to learn how to fight and fend for herself. Kill or be killed. You should know this, Copperhead." Riku spat.
Mikael fought every urge not to strike Riku for his crude reference of Mikael's time spent serving in the militia surrounding the city.
"You disgusting little man. You know why I did that. It was supposed to keep you all safe and fed." Mikael countered.
"What's little Neveah going to do when she finds out her favorite brother used to be the very thing that haunted her nightmares?"
This time, Mikael walked over and wrenched Riku off the ground and into a semi standing position by his hair. He balled his fist and was just about to strike when a light feathery voice interrupted.
"Mika?" Nevea whispered, her hands hovering over her mouth, "is that true, Mika?" as the first tears fell from her eyes. She ran into Riku's room and slammed the door.
Mikael stared at where Neveah's feet had just stood and could only image how his baby sister saw him and what she hear. He realized how he looked in that moment.

He looked like a monster.






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