Ellie Leywin
"Oh my god!" My mother exclaimed as Elder Virion brought in Veer's body. He was unconscious and wrapped in bandages. "My poor boy." My mother ran a hand through his ashy brown hair, as Elder Virion placed him on a bed in a little hut that was inside the cave, we were staying in. The cave wasn't small, there were two huts, and Elder Rinia's home.
Elder Virion and Elder Rinia told us to hide out here until everything was figured out with Arthur, there wasn't any news on how Veer was doing except that he was at Xyrus Academy during the attack, so seeing him in this state was hard.
"He's fine." Elder Virion spoke. "Mrs. Leywin, he should wake up in the next couple hours."
"You should move him to my bed in the house." Elder Rinia told Elder Virion, as my mother and father sat by his side, and held his hands. I felt a tear fall from my eye, as I looked at him, my little brother.
"Thank you, Elder Virion, for everything." My father bowed to him. "My family owes you."
Elder Virion waved his hand at him. "I don't think that's true, from what I have been told, this son of yours protected Tessia, and Arthur saved her. You owe me nothing." My father smiled wearily and nodded his head.
Elder Rinia placed a hand on my shoulder, she must have noticed me tearing up. "You don't need to worry little one, both your brothers are going to be fine." She took her hand off of me and spoke to Elder Virion. "Are you heading back right away?"
"Yes, I probably won't be back for a while, until this all is cleared up." The two elders stood at the entrance of the hut. "Mr. and Mrs. Leywin, this son of yours saved a lot of lives during the attack, you should be proud." He smiled at Veer, and the two elders walked out.
I moved to be next to my mother, on Veer's side. "Why are my sons always hurt." My mom was still holding Veer's hand. "Veer, should have never been there."
"You heard Elder Virion, honey." My father sat down on the other side of the bed. "Our son fought and protected other people, and he is going to be fine. We should be proud of him."
"I know." My mother ran a hand through his hair again. "I can't believe the state he is in."
I wiped my tears away as I leaned into my mother. "He's just like Arthur."
"We knew that already." My father laughed. "I still can't believe Xyrus was attacked."
"Me neither." My mom was holding Veer's hand and had her other arm around me. "What does this mean for Dicathen?"
"I don't know, nothing good." My dad sighed. "I'll go make us some food while we wait for him to wake up." My dad got up and walked out of the hut we were in.
"Are you okay, Ellie?" My mom turned to me.
"I'm not the one in the bed, mom." I'll admit it, seeing my twin brother like this didn't sit well with me, but I wanted to act strong for my parents.
"Alright." My mother turned and smiled at Veer. "Hopefully he wakes up soon."
"He will." Elder Rinia came walking in. "And Arthur will be fine too, you just have to wait." She sat where my father was sitting. "From what Elder Virion tells me, your Virion fought Lucas before Arthur showed up."
"Is Lucas the one that did this to him?" My mother asked, we didn't know everything that happened, so this was the first time we were hearing about this.
"No, Virion was protecting people beforehand, and when he got to Lucas his mana was almost already depleted." Elder Rinia slipped something into Veer's mouth. "This herb will help ease his pain when he wakes up."
"Thanks, Elder Rinia." My mom was always worrying about my brothers. "I'm happy that Veer helped people, but he is too young to be doing that, he should not have to risk his life."
"Mom, Veer wasn't going to just sit in his room, you know he felt like he needed to do something." Veer was most likely one of the most powerful students at the academy, even at our age he was able to keep up with Arthur when they trained. I always wondered why he got three elements and I got none, I did have pure mana manipulation though.
"I know Ellie, we should have had him come home when Arthur did, then this wouldn't have happened."
"That's true, mom, but how were you supposed to know this was going to happen?" I tried to make her feel better, I could see she felt responsible for what happened to Veer. "And from what Elder Rinia and Elder Virion told us, if he wasn't there, a lot more people would have died."
"She's right, Alice." Elder Rinia spoke. "Your sons will have a challenging future." She looked at Veer and rested her hand on the bed. "But they will safe countless lives."
"What do you mean challenging?" My mother asked bitterly.
"That isn't for me to discuss." Elder Rinia looked up at my mother. "I'm sorry."
Challenging future? What did she mean by this? Is something going to happen to them?
"Here!" My father walked in with food and distracted my mother from Elder Rinia's statement. "I made everyone a plate, so eat up." He handed out the plates, and everyone started to eat. "I hope I didn't over cook it."
"It's fine, dear." My mother sent him a tired smile.
"You really didn't have to cook, Rey." Elder Rinia said as she picked up a piece of meat. "I should have been the one to prepare dinner."
"You are keeping us safe here, the least I could do was prepare dinner for everyone."
"Well, thank you." Elder Rinia ate the piece.
"I like it, dad." I gave him a warm smile.
We ate and waited for Veer to wake up, my mother didn't leave his side the whole time, it's now been about two hours. I was sitting at the fire we had going on outside the hut across from Elder Rinia. My father was holding my mom, as they watched Veer rest.
"Ellie, is everything all right?" I looked up off the ground and at Elder Rinia.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking."
"About what?"
"Everything that is going on, Veer, Arthur, and the attack. It's all just so crazy, I want to see my older brother."
"You'll see him again."
"I know, I just hope it's soon." I paused and I was planning on asking a question I knew she wasn't going to answer. "Elder Rinia, can you tell me what you meant about my brother's futures being challenging."
She smiled. "I cannot little one, but I can tell you this." She paused as she placed a cup to her right. "Your brothers will do whatever they have to, to make sure you are safe."
"I knew that already." I told her honestly.
Elder Rinia laughed. "Well, that's good to hear."
"How long do you think we'll have to stay in this cave?"
"Not long, dear." She picked up her cup of water and took a sip. "You just need to have some patience; everything will be alright."
I picked up my bow from the stone seat next to me. "Do you mind if I practice in here?"
"No, go ahead."
I walked over to the wall and started to practice shooting mana arrows at a certain spot. Helen has been teaching me how to shoot, and I have been getting better and better each day.
I released the first arrow and I hit the wall in a spot I didn't want to, then I released another, and another.
"El." My father walked over to me. "How is it going?"
"I'm just practicing."
"You need to keep your shoulder up." He told me as I tried again and got closer this time. "See."
I sighed. "I wish I was like Arthur and Veer."
"I know, but you'll become strong just like they are." I doubted that, Arthur became an adventurer at my age, Veer was attending Xyrus at my age, they were both prodigies.
"You don't need to lie to me dad."
"I'm not Ellie, you will." He smiled at me; I don't know what I would do if anyone in my family died, because I couldn't help them.
"Thanks, dad." I knew he was just trying to make me feel better.
"Let's see you shoot some more."
I continued to shoot arrow after arrow, my dad gave me advice whenever he could, that was until my mother spoke up.
"Veer!" I turned to see her hugging my brother. "My baby boy!"