He flew around the corner. His footstep echoed across the empty stonewalls. He reached out to touch the next turn letting his fingers slide over the cold surface as if it may disappear and never return. It may have been true.

His golden hair blew in front of his face, but he ran on with his sword clinking at his hip. At last he reached the open throne room. Crimson flags hung throughout, rising and falling in the breeze. But the back was smashed. Rubble and stone remains littered the floor. Dim evening light warmed the room though the air was bitter and cold. Lounging in the throne was a boy. He played with a box. Rolling it over, examining every inch, but never touching the latch.

The boy who had entered was short of breath, but he put aside his own state and called out with rage, “Where is Flor?”

The boy in the throne didn’t look up but smiled with thin lips and replied, “In the dining hall, I believe. But if I were you I’d take a look around the corridors too. Not exactly sure where all of her is.”

The boy in the entrance drove his foot into the ground and grasped the hilt of his sword, “You’re a monster, Finn,” he spat, “Rot in hell, Finn. How dare you harm Flor! Your own sister! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

The boy on the throne sat down the box. His hair was the same gold hue, his face identical to the other’s and his age matched his down to the hour.

“Why all the anger, brother?”
“You’re no brother of mine, Finn.”

“Very well, Helis. I am no longer your brother. Just your identical.”

Helis unsheathed his sword, “ No more. You killed your own kin. This place is empty. Empty, you hear? Mum and Dad and Mayrn and Flor. Finn, you b******!”

Helis charged. Climbing up the stairs to the throne. Shoving his boot under his brother’s ribs and leveling the sword with his throat. Finn grinned.

“I have reasons, brother.”

“You are not my brother.”

“Don’t you want to know what they hid from us? There was a prophecy, Helis. You and me. They were holding back. Excess baggage.”

“Flor was no baggage. Neither was Mayrn.”

Finn managed a shrug, “Glory requires sacrifice.”

Helis wedged the blade deeper into Finn’s neck, “Then let God take you.”

Finn grinned, “God doesn’t want me. Not yet. You either. We have goals. Come now Helis, don’t you want to stop playing adventure boy and get out there and really be someone? This palace is a prison. A fancy prison.”

Helis’ sword wavered.

“You took Flor.”

“I saved Flor. They had uses for her. I granted her freedom, Helis. Happiness abounds in the fields of Heaven, eh? Isn’t that what Flor wanted?”

“I highly doubt she wanted to be murdered by her own brother.”

Finn stared into Helis’ eyes and whispered, “It had to be done. It was the first step. We needed to clear ourselves of the past. Start anew. Helis, there is future that awaits us!”