Interlude: The Brother

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“I have two brothers.”

The Duke’s eyebrow twitches. The wistful voice is a reminder of his broken solitude. Under other circumstances, the Duke would be glad to have company. Staring at the rust-colored earth grows incredibly tedious after the first decade. Any break in the monotony is a welcome one.

However, this annoyance has come in search of guidance. That is something the Duke refuses to give. It has been several weeks since he first denied him, and he’d hoped the boy would have given him up by now.

He should have known better. Meek acceptance of futility is not a quality possessed by anyone in the Renegade Realm.

“Must you keep doing this?” the Duke asks before the boy can continue. “This Duke has already told you he has no desire to teach you.”

“Senior,” the boy called Xiao Nan says, “this junior in the ways of being a Renegade hears and understands your words,”

“You say those words. This Duke is not convinced you know what they mean, boy.”

Rather than looking offended, the boy smiles with confidence that does not suit his situation. Such enthusiasm and cheer are utterly out of place in the Dead Plains. However, the boy would have never made it this far if he wasn’t at least this confident.

What a conundrum. The qualities that make him a decent conversation partner also make him unlikely to heed his words.

“On the contrary, Senior,” Xiao Nan replies. “If you do not wish to instruct me, I have no choice but to accept. However, you have not yet told me to leave, and it’d be rude of this junior to subject you to the company of a stranger. Thus, I must tell you about myself.”

The Duke hides his smile by turning his back to the boy and looking at the empty horizon. There is nothing around them for miles. All the nearby Spirit Beasts have fled due to their combined aura. Lacking even the distraction of violence, there is nothing else for the Duke to do but to listen. It does not matter. The boy can try as much as he likes. His mind will not be swayed.

Still, he is far too daring.

Is this what today’s youth is like?

“Try not to bore me,” The Duke says at last.

“That would be impossible, Senior. My younger brothers are far more interesting than myself,” Xiao Nan promises with absolute confidence. “Well, I call them my brothers, but only one is related to me by blood. We were cousins, so I never had a reason to call him brother. Perhaps I should have, so he’d know. I thought about it… but… I thought I’d always have time…”

The boy looks up at the sky, his smile replaced by something deeply melancholic and full of yearning. The Duke understands all too well. He has worn that look countless times in the past. Most Renegades eventually feel the same. The need to end their solitude, the desire to return to the place where they were happiest.

And yet, they cannot. Not as they are. Not as Renegades.

“An all too common folly,” the Duke replies. “Listen to the words of someone who has lived centuries. Time is the only thing we do not have. It slips through our fingers and mocks our best efforts.”

The boy smiles sadly.

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“As expected, Senior’s wisdom is undeniable…I just wish…” The boy cuts himself off and shakes his head, as if that would shake off the sadness from his person. “Never mind, where was I?”

“You were speaking of your cousin.”

“Right,” the boy says, nodding. “I… I always thought he was the one I had to worry about the least. His temper was never the best, but he was talented, bold, and born with every advantage. He had his father, and he had the Elders. I only needed to give him some advice every now and then.”

“And that was not the case with your other brother?”