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The battle of the Naadam raged on. The Dragoon noticed someone coming up, and he was quick to move to strike down the warrior before they could attack Lavender. Another strike, a dodge, a blow delivered to his arm that blood seeped out. Lavender conjured another flurry of magic that took down other Au'Ra, the Miqo'te holding her well. Ske'Dah let out a snarl and looked to his wife.
He looked across the battlefield over the Ovoo to where Magnai is with his battle-ax as Hien jumped away to avoid the blow. For some reason, after realizing that the Khan is his brother, Ske'Dah felt his chest cease up at any point when he wanted to say that they're blood brothers. But now, before more could die or even himself could, the half-breed felt that the time was now.
"Magnai!" He shouted. He cried out again to the Au'Ra as he avoided an attempt on his life. This time it caught his attention, and orange eyes narrowed, and it was like Ske'Dah heard the growl rise from the Marauder before charging at the troubled lance wilder. No avail.
With a final breath, he roared: "BROTHER, I DO NOT WISH TO FIGHT YOU!!"
Silence followed. The battle halted,, and everyone looked over with wide eyes and panting from the amount of adrenaline. Hien, Gosetsu, Lyse, and Cirina were stunned at what came out of their companion's mouth in disbelief.
"What."
"I don't want to fight you, brother. Mother and father would not have wanted this..."
Magnai sneered. "Fool! I have no brother! I was an only son with five sisters. And even if you were, my brother would not be some snot-nosed Raen!"
Ske'Dah's own eyes narrowed. He grabbed the edges of his shirt and yanked it open that buttons came undone to show the scales on his chest. Rubbing hard, black scales unveiled themselves meshed with tan scales, creating blotches in certain spots.
"I am no Raen. I am half Xaela. My mother was a Xaela of the Oronir, while my father was of Sui-no-Sato."
"Oh, so you're the child of that wench!" A male called out with a wicked smirk on his face. "I remember hearing about her from my mother, how she defied her tribe to make off with a fool of an Au'Ra."
Ske'Dah only growled at the man before turning his attention back to Magnai. "Please, brother, you must remember! Back when we were children, when you-"
"SILENCE!!" Magnai then let out a battle cry. The Lancer isn't prepared for something large to hit him in the chest and lodge into his very flesh. Blinking, Ske'Dah looks down to see the ax buried in his torso, blood leaking out from where it can. A cough as he scrunched his face up at the metallic taste in his tongue.
Magnai's breathing was harsh, but the scent of this Au'Ra's blood shot sudden fear and an odd form of realization in his mind. It was too familiar...
Ske'Dah let his lance fall to the ground as both hands rested on the weapon as he tried to gather his breath. His head rose to let his purple gaze meet with orange, a small smile gracing his pained features.
"Remember...when we w-were young... How the others teased...and pulled at me because...be-because of how much more of a Raen I looked..." He coughed a bit, his breath rattling in his chest. "You stood up... Told them off... I looked up to you despite being the eldest. I wanted to be strong, be brave like you without fear."
The Khan glanced around quickly after gathering his senses. Where was that Au'ra woman he saw? Magnai didn't have to look far since he heard her scream at the very sight of her husband with an ax in his chest. How calm the Au'Ra was as Lavender fretted over him in her fear that he might die. He hushed her gently as the strength in his legs faltered and stumbled to his knees. Magnai followed down shakily, so he didn't lean on the ax much, and it didn't dig in.
"When we left here... I didn't know why we left you... I was confused, worried.. wondering where my brother went. I didn't learn till their dying breaths... You were given up because you looked more Xaela than I, so they thought it was best that you stay to live out a better life and not get teased and shunned for having a Raen father and a half-breed brother... I vowed to myself then...that I would be strong for the brother I...n-never got...t...to..."
Magnai didn't know what to say. He watched as the Au'Ra worked her best to heal the wound as the three Hyuran did their best to ease the Dragoon off the blade slowly. He backed away, then jumped at hearing the Ovoo and looked to see that small Mol woman take it. Did he care? Not really. He found memories flooding his mind from years past, and it was like Father Azim had seized him by the throat that he couldn't breathe.
No orders could be given since screams of terror rose and echoed over the lands. Everyone looked up to see men in armor charging, killing warriors in their path. Lyse jumped to her feet in a panic. Imperials?? Now!? This was the worst time for them to invade! No time to hesitate either. Instantly she started to bark orders for those with weapons to attack to fend off the invaders. Those wounded made way to the home of the no longer Khan. Magna felt rooted to where he stood as his eyes watched the Garleans raid their homeland. Hien rushed over, took a firm hold of his sleeve, and jerked hard as the warriors of the Steppe swarmed the men in armor.
"Come now! We got no time to stand here and gawk!"
With a weak nod, The Au'Ra followed the Hyur to seek shelter.
-
Some days passed. Ske'Dah came to slowly, his head feeling heavy and pain slowly ebbing into his bones. The pain was more pronounced in his chest when he tried to sit up a bit, and a hiss broke from him. Looking over to the far corner of the room he's in, Magnai was standing there with his arms crossed and seeming huddled betwixt where the walls meet. His eyes trained on him. There was no anger on his face, only fear and worry. His orange gaze looks to who else is in the room, which promoted the Lancer to look where he sees his sleeping wife. He realized her hand was holding his, and he gave it a light squeeze, seeing as she rested her left hand over his where their rings are. She must've been worried sick...
"Any time I tried to get close, she would lash out at me, hissing and tears in her eyes... Almost got nicked a few times from those claws of hers. Little daggers..."
". . . Is that all you have to say? Not anything on what happened?"
Magnai found himself cringing a little at the tone. He moved away from his hiding spot before making his way over slowly, a bracelet with poorly done beads in his hand that he rolled around a bit as he sat down at the foot of the bed. Ske'Dah knew what it was since that was the one he carried around in his pocket all these years. The one Magnai made for him when they were children...
"If I knew... If I knew who you were upfront, none of this would've happened... I... I wouldn't have almost killed you... Azim, forgive me... I never wished ever to shed the blood of what is my blood..."
"Even if I did tell you that we're siblings, you wouldn't have believed me and called blasphemy," He chuckled a bit. A poor time to laugh, but he wanted to lighten the air.
Magnai just shook his head. He then held out his hand to where a bracelet was visible. He wanted to give it back. Ske'Dah stared for a moment, then was careful to sit himself up despite the pain stretching from his chest to his stomach where that blade was. Before the Xaela could act, the half-breed clasped a hand over the one with the bracelet. There were no words needed as the two leaned close and pressed their foreheads together, their horns on one side locking together a bit. It was Magnai who broke, a soft whine sounding as tears slipped out from closed eyes. Ske'Dah couldn't help but cry as well. It was a very horrifying way for a family reunion, but together they are again.
"If you two wanted some time, you could've asked."
They tried to look to the voice when they jumped, but since their horns curve inwards and down, it hooked the both of them together. Successfully unhooked, the two look to Lavender as she rubbed at her eyes with a slight smile.
"Even if I did ask, you would've clawed my eyes out," Magnai pointed out. This made the mage giggle with a nod. He wasn't wrong. She would threaten him the moment upon changing to Dark Knight. Placing a kiss to her husband's cheek with a soft "rest well" whispered, she left the room.
It was dusk when she went to check on them that she found Magnai had sheaded off his larger outerwear to fit on the bed better curled up to Ske'Dah's side. The two are sleeping soundly with breathing in time of each other. Like this, Lavender can see how similar they look. Almost like identical twins, but not. Either way, family is family.