Today wasn't supposed to be like this. They weren't in an area where a Mirage stronger than a red ringed Feral should spawn. However, the truth was rather sour today.
Darvin trembled, locking eyes with the golden-eyed boy… no… the Mirage opposite him. A Mirage that had shape-shifted into human form—unheard of in this region.
The weakest of such monsters would be a Feral with orange rings. But this little boy's eyes gleamed gold… was he one with yellow rings? The chubby boy shivered in horror.
He couldn't retreat now. The lives of his sister and brother depended on this sacrifice. He remembered Brother Chen's words:
'Whatever the reason, a good brother will sacrifice for his sister…'
Darvin bit his lip harder as he stepped closer to the golden-eyed Mirage. Upon closer inspection, the creature looked nothing like the gruesome monsters hiding beneath human skin.
An adorable little boy. Probably ten years old. He slowly reached for his spear, then glanced fearfully at the monster.
"C-Can I…?"
The Mirage narrowed his eyes at him. Darvin nearly dropped to his knees under the intensity of that stare.
"Can I take it?" he asked again, pointing at the broken spear lying at his feet. As a spear user, he couldn't fight without it. He hoped the Mirage would allow him a fair fight.
"Why can't you?"
Darvin blinked, caught off guard by the answer. This answer could be considered as a yes, right?
Too easy. What an upright Mirage… He silently praised.
His round fingers trembled slightly as he reached down and picked up the spear. Upon his touch It snapped in to two. Darvin felt his heart sink at the sight.
It was forged from the bones of an orange-ringed Feral. For it to break from a simple swipe of a hand—how strong was this monster, truly?
Was it even with only a yellow ring?
Could Brother Chen fight against it? His brother Chen was a yellow ringed mirage. If this little monster was someone above yellow ring, then…
'Brother Chen will be in danger..'
That thought deepened his resolve to sacrifice himself for his siblings. He peeked over his shoulder and almost cursed aloud. His sister had stepped from the bushes, followed by his foolish brother.
The Mirage was now looking at them…
"Thanks…" Darvin said, blocking their view from the creature and drawing its attention back to himself.
"Eris, when I say 'let's fight fair and straight', run. Don't look back."
He pointed the broken spear at it, ready to fight his last battle.
"Let's fight fair and straight…"
"How boring…" was all Darvin heard before a mass of red liquid swallowed him whole.
*
* *
Dimitri yawned, glancing at the chubby boy trapped in his blood. The fights in the Endlands had helped his body to store blood nearly five times his own body mass.
Considering his size, it wasn't that much, but it was enough to fully engulf a teenage boy. His pupils flickered for a moment before he narrowly dodged another sharp object flying toward him.
Dimitri cast a cold glance toward the girl and the other boy. The boy had a few dark objects hovering around his body.
"You… leave my brother…" he howled, voice quivering with rage. Despite his legs shaking and a suspicious liquid trailing down them, the boy didn't run.
His face held an expression Dimitri recognized instantly—ready to sacrifice. Ready to fight to the bitter end. For…..
Dimitri's gaze drifted back to the chubby boy still trapped in his blood.
….for him.
How wonderful it must be… to have such a brother.
Dimitri envied the chubby boy. He wondered, why didn't he have someone like that? If he'd had a brother… would he still have been expelled to this hellish place?
Would he have needed to fight against abominations here?
Would he still have to fear death in everyday here…?
Wait. 'Fear death?'
Dimitri's eyes snapped open just in time to see a huge wooden block zooming toward his face.
Bang.
A sudden impact on his forehead knocked him straight into unconsciousness.
*
* *
Eris staggered back. If not for Lux catching her at the last moment, she would've collapsed to the ground. Blood trickled from her lips, but her eyes never left the mirage… no… the little boy lying on the ground.
"Eris, are you okay?" Lux quickly retracted the wooden lance from her hand, looking at her worriedly.
After the little monster was knocked out, its Mirage power vanished, freeing Darvin from its clutches.
"Cough…" Darvin gasped, kneeling on the ground. He looked up to see Eris's condition and rushed toward her.
"I told you to run," he muttered. "You could've lost your life."
Eris gave him a weak smile, then turned her gaze back to the little boy on the ground. Darvin followed her eyes and his widened at the sight of Dimitri.
He immediately leapt from his spot, grabbed the lance from Lux, and dashed toward the unconscious child. He raised the weapon, ready to finish the monster before it regained consciousness.
"Brother, what are you doing?!" A shout from Eris stopped his every movements.
But it wasn't her voice that stopped him, it was her power. It froze him in place.
"E-E-R-R-I-S…" Darvin stammered, struggling to speak. His eyes welled up with tears as he looked at her in disbelief.
Why? Why had his sister used her Alignment power on him? Why did she want to protect a Mirage?
Even Lux stared at Eris with the same question burning in his eyes. Eris looked between her two brothers, then stood on her own. She walked over to the little boy, knelt down, and gently pressed her fingers to his neck.
"Thank god… he's alive," she breathed.
Then she released Darvin from her ability and spoke softly, her voice tinged with apology.
"Sorry, brother."
"Why?"
"He's human."
"What?"
"Yes, brother. He's a walking, breathing human. May be a bit scary… but definitely human."
"NO WAY!" both Lux and Darvin shouted at once. But seeing the seriousness on their sister's face, they looked at each other, then turned back to the unconscious little boy.
"In what world do you think this little demon is a human?"