Post-Calamity: Sunset
Rurutani felt his blood go cold at the menace being emitted from Nonotano. He stepped back a bit as his brother glared at him. "Stay back, Nono..." he said with an edge of tension in his voice. The breeze coming across the rocky desert and setting sun gave the scene an atmosphere of dread.
It happened in the snap of one's fingers; Nonotano leapt at his brother, with the dagger extended toward him, as he seemingly was moving for a quick kill. Rurutani gasped and leapt to the side as fast as he could, but not before the dagger scratched his left arm deeply. As he scrambled in the dirt to get his senses together quickly, he heard Nonotano roar with rage as he started to move to his feet. In anticipation of a second attack, Rurutani lunged at his brother and engulfed him with both arms, throwing him to the ground again. As Nonotano struggled, Rurutani deftly smacked the dagger out of the struggling hands.
As the two grappled on the ground, Rurutani managed to land a few quick strikes to the face of Nonotano, while the elder brother kicked wildly and landed a few blows of his own. The two were dusty and bloody after a few minutes of fighting and both had hoarse breathing as they finally managed to separate themselves and stand again.
"Why? Why did you do it?" Rurutani said through painful breath. He could feel the blood flowing down his left arm and wondered quickly how much longer he could stand. The wound wasn't painful but the bloodflow concerned him.
Nonotano glared at him and replied "Mother did the impossible....she nearly single-handedly dismantled everything Father had worked so hard to accomplish. And she allowed her ignorance of the world blind her to the reality that we are going to lose. When the Garleans come, at least I will be safe."
Rurutani uttered a broken laugh which was followed by a coughing fit. "Safe? So you give them what...information? Goods? And they just leave you alone....how long do you think that would last?"
"Longer than you think, brother. And Mother, fool that she was, would have spoiled it! Her mouth always got her in trouble and I merely took preventive measures this time," Nonotano said with a smile. He stretched a bit and moved toward the dagger near the cliff edge. He leaned down, groaned and picked it up and turned to face his brother -
**THUNK**
The arrow slammed into Nonotano's chest so quickly, he hadn't even had time to react. He glanced down and saw the wooden shaft sticking out in front of him and he gasped for air that wouldn't come. He looked up and saw Rurutani, glaring at him, holding his bow tightly with another arrow notched and ready. The dagger fell from Nonotano's hands as he reached down to try and pull the arrow from his chest. But by that point it was too late and one of his feet had gotten too close to the edge of the Nophica's Wells cliffside and with one last desparate, enraged look on his face, stumbled over the edge of the cliffside.
Rurutani sighed and lowered the bow to his side. He realized he was still bleeding and needed help quickly as the Garleans may not appreciate one of their informants being killed. He took a second and sighed heavily as he realized he was alone for the first time in his life. "I'm sorry Mother...Zezeri....Father....I failed you." He hung his head, picked his bag up with a groan and began to walk toward Black Brush Station. He wept silently as he glanced to the west and saw the sun had finally set, leaving him in the welcome arms of dusk.
Rurutani felt his blood go cold at the menace being emitted from Nonotano. He stepped back a bit as his brother glared at him. "Stay back, Nono..." he said with an edge of tension in his voice. The breeze coming across the rocky desert and setting sun gave the scene an atmosphere of dread.
It happened in the snap of one's fingers; Nonotano leapt at his brother, with the dagger extended toward him, as he seemingly was moving for a quick kill. Rurutani gasped and leapt to the side as fast as he could, but not before the dagger scratched his left arm deeply. As he scrambled in the dirt to get his senses together quickly, he heard Nonotano roar with rage as he started to move to his feet. In anticipation of a second attack, Rurutani lunged at his brother and engulfed him with both arms, throwing him to the ground again. As Nonotano struggled, Rurutani deftly smacked the dagger out of the struggling hands.
As the two grappled on the ground, Rurutani managed to land a few quick strikes to the face of Nonotano, while the elder brother kicked wildly and landed a few blows of his own. The two were dusty and bloody after a few minutes of fighting and both had hoarse breathing as they finally managed to separate themselves and stand again.
"Why? Why did you do it?" Rurutani said through painful breath. He could feel the blood flowing down his left arm and wondered quickly how much longer he could stand. The wound wasn't painful but the bloodflow concerned him.
Nonotano glared at him and replied "Mother did the impossible....she nearly single-handedly dismantled everything Father had worked so hard to accomplish. And she allowed her ignorance of the world blind her to the reality that we are going to lose. When the Garleans come, at least I will be safe."
Rurutani uttered a broken laugh which was followed by a coughing fit. "Safe? So you give them what...information? Goods? And they just leave you alone....how long do you think that would last?"
"Longer than you think, brother. And Mother, fool that she was, would have spoiled it! Her mouth always got her in trouble and I merely took preventive measures this time," Nonotano said with a smile. He stretched a bit and moved toward the dagger near the cliff edge. He leaned down, groaned and picked it up and turned to face his brother -
**THUNK**
The arrow slammed into Nonotano's chest so quickly, he hadn't even had time to react. He glanced down and saw the wooden shaft sticking out in front of him and he gasped for air that wouldn't come. He looked up and saw Rurutani, glaring at him, holding his bow tightly with another arrow notched and ready. The dagger fell from Nonotano's hands as he reached down to try and pull the arrow from his chest. But by that point it was too late and one of his feet had gotten too close to the edge of the Nophica's Wells cliffside and with one last desparate, enraged look on his face, stumbled over the edge of the cliffside.
Rurutani sighed and lowered the bow to his side. He realized he was still bleeding and needed help quickly as the Garleans may not appreciate one of their informants being killed. He took a second and sighed heavily as he realized he was alone for the first time in his life. "I'm sorry Mother...Zezeri....Father....I failed you." He hung his head, picked his bag up with a groan and began to walk toward Black Brush Station. He wept silently as he glanced to the west and saw the sun had finally set, leaving him in the welcome arms of dusk.
