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“You have to watch out for your footing, Lord Rosfield,” Commander Murdoch said with a stern voice as he swiftly swept with his wooden blade at the back of Clive's legs, sending the eight-year-old boy into the dirt rather ungracefully. Clive groaned as he breathed heavily. The old man knew no mercy at all and if he did, something Clivle highly doubted, he didn't show it.
The ground underneath Clive was nothing but wet soil from last night's rain, making properly standing itself a hard task already. Yet, his training with the sword took place like it always did, going on for hours with only a few breaks. Clive was covered from head to toe in mud and dirt, making his body feel even heavier than it already did. But Clive understood that his body had to be steeled so that he could wield the power of the Phoenix once it awoke within him.
It had been ages since its last Dominant had walked across the earth of Valisthea, so it was more than likely that Phoenix would emerge again in this generation. As the firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria, the duty to awaken the firebird's power fell upon Clive's shoulders.
At first, Clive hated the burden placed upon him, acting rebellious whenever it was time for training. He liked the lessons about history and culture but loathed each teaching that involved physical struggle. However, everything changed when he was five years old and was gifted with a younger brother.
Clive will never forget when he first heard Joshua's cries or how his baby brother calmed down the moment they saw each other for the first time, their eyes of matching blue not daring to even blink, afraid of breaking the moment.
Suddenly the burden felt so much lighter because Clive understood why he was training. He found the reason to perform his duty as the future Dominant of Phoenix he was lacking before that day. Everything he did was for the sole purpose of protecting his baby brother from every evil in the world, including harsh training as tough as his.
“Clive,” he heard someone call his name worriedly before said person coughed rather badly. Turning his head, he found his baby brother on the other side of the fence, clinging to one of their father's legs. Joshua had insisted to watch his brother train today and Clive knew that their father would give in.
Elwin Rosfield was feared as a fierce combatant across Valisthea, but all his strength meant little to nothing when Joshua was giving him a pleading look. Clive couldn't blame his father though because he has learned how effective and potent Joshua's weapon was. One look was enough and Clive would gift the world to his brother if he wished as much because that was how much he loved his little brother. Not that Joshua would ever demand such a thing.
Therefore, Clive disliked the worried look in his brother's eyes of azure blue. Taking a few breaths, filling his lungs with much-needed oxygen, he stumbled back to his feet and readied his sword, preparing for another bout of training with the commander. He felt the approving look of his father and the look of pure relief of his brother on his back, making all of his exhaustion go away for the moment.
In response, Commander Murdoch stared at him for a few moments, his face not giving away what he was thinking until a smile found its way on the old man's lips. “Very good, Lord Rosfield. Very good indeed. You have the fire one needs to survive a battlefield I can see it burning fiercely in your eyes.”
The commander sheathed his wooden training sword, nodding to himself. He was clearly satisfied. “This marks the end of today's training session. You did well, Lord Rosfield,” he added, looking proud about Clive's progress.
“But-” Clive tried to protest but was cut short by the commander.
“Your father put me in charge to supervise your combat training, so it's up to me to decide when the training ends,” Murdoch said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. It was obvious that he wouldn't hear anything else after he had already made his decision.
Clive had nothing to say in return, so he only nodded slowly, exhaustion suddenly catching up to him. He fell back into the dirt, his body feeling sluggish, zapped of any strength he had left.
“Clive,” Joshua's voice sounded across the training ground again, uncertainty lingering in his gentle tune. Clive realised his baby brother didn't know if it was good or bad that the training was over, too young to comprehend all the things happening around him.
Clive mustered the best toothy smile he could and gave Joshua a thumbs up. “Don't worry Joshua! Everything is fine. I'm just exhausted.”
His motions must have done the trick, because Joshua beamed at him, nodding eagerly. His brother then turned to their father, saying something Clive couldn't hear. Seeing how excited Joshua was, he doubted it was anything bad.
Clive remained a little longer on the ground before he felt recovered enough to stand again, dusting himself off the best he could. Not that it made a great difference but he could as least try to make the attendants' work a little bit easier.
“Brother, can we play together later today once you have cleaned yourself?” Joshua asked, not standing by their father anymore and instead grabbing the wooden fence, his head sticking out from the space in between.
Honestly, Clive was beyond exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to take a hot bath and wash off the grime and dirt and then go straight to bed. But the prospect of playing with Joshua was very alluring. Nothing cheered him up more than listening to Joshua's laughter filling the air.
“Sure. I see no reason that speaks against it.” Clive responded, his answer enlarging Joshua's smile. Just to be on the safe side, he looked at his father Elwin, but the old man only gave him an approving nod. Clive figured that Joshua had asked beforehand before he made his suggestion.
However, when Clive took a step forward, fully focused on his family, he didn't look where he walked. His foot sank into an especially deep part of the training ground and he lost his balance and fell, something he had done today a lot. Yet, this time was different because his foot was still caught in the mud.
The sound of his ankle snapping in two echoed across the yard, followed by a sharp inhale from him. He wanted to scream from the pain flooding his body from his broken bone, feeling like fire was coursing through his veins, but he didn't dare to. Not when he could see how the cheerful expression on Joshua's face all but vanished and was replaced by a pure look of horror.
“Clive!” Joshua yelled, climbing through the fence, his short legs barely managing to keep him upright. Unsurprisingly, his baby brother fell before long, soiling his clothes but that didn't stop him. Instead of walking he simply changed to crawling.
“Get a doctor at once,” Elwin barked in the background, but Clive couldn't really focus on the man he admired so much. His attention was solely on Joshua who had arrived by his side now and began digging out his broken foot.
“Don't worry, Joshua. It will be fine,” Clive forced out through gritted teeth while he patted his brother's shoulder, failing miserably to sound or act confidently. He only managed to get Joshua even more dirty than he already was. It was safe to assume that their mother was going to make a fuss about their appearances once she got notified about the events. The only good thing about the whole ordeal was that he and Joshua needed a bath now and would take it together as they often did.
“You are in great pain brother, I can feel it,” Joshua merely answered, sounding far too mature for his age. Clive wanted to say something, anything in return, but nothing came to his mind. Joshua had freed his foot by now from its muddy cage and carefully lifted it. Clive winced at the sight because it was twisted in a way it shouldn't be. This would take weeks to heal – even if magic.
Despite the gruesome image of the twisted limb, Joshua remained perfectly calm, softly placing his right palm on Clive's foot. The feeling was comforting and calming at the same time, almost as if everything was going to be okay.
“Go away,” he whispered, so quietly that even Clive almost didn't hear his words.
“Move aside, Joshua! I will-” Elwin who appeared at their side, ordered, trying to grab Clive's injured limb, but Joshua did the unthinkable. He slapped his father's hand away, shocking Clive and Elwin alike.
“Go away,” he repeated, albeit louder this time. A moment later he said the same words again and then again, falling into a chant. Each time the words passed his lips, they grew in their volume.
“Joshua, you have to snap out of it. I will be fine,” Clive tried to reassure, hoping his voice would get to his brother and pull him away from whatever dark place he had gone. Seeing his baby brother losing himself in such a way was utterly heart-wrenching and Clive blamed himself for it.
“Joshua please-”
“GO AWAY!” Joshua shouted from the top of his lungs, stunning the already quiet courtyard observing the event even more. The noise sounded so foreign because everyone knew how kind of a child Joshua was. Clive was close to tears and he might have even allowed them to fall, but he had felt how his life just changed forever and was too shocked to show his emotions.
The aether in the air became thick and heavy. Any more and Clive was certain he could grasp the source of magic with his very own hands, but that wasn't what shocked him so much. It was the little bright flame that had emerged on the back of Joshua's hand. Its centre was a soft hue of blue while the edges were a mixture of red and orange, flickering from side to side.
Comfortable heat surrounded his foot and Clive could feel how his broken bones were put together. The pain subsided rapidly and not even thirty seconds later it was gone entirely, almost as if nothing has happened. But something happened and it would change everything.
The Dominant of Phoenix had awoken in their generation just as it was expected by wise man, but it wasn't Clive the divine beast chose as its vessel but his beloved younger brother Joshua, his baby brother whom he had sworn to protect from such a fate.
And here he was now, sitting in front of his broken promise and feeling utterly helpless because all the burdens would be passed to Joshua from now on. Yet, the only thing Joshua did after the deed was done was smile at Clive like he always did, happy that he was able to help his brother.
“Are you feeling better, Clive?” Joshua asked as if nothing had happened, as if everything was still as it used to be moments ago. Maybe it even was. Only the circumstances and their roles had changed, nothing more.
Instead of answering, Clive pulled Joshua into his chest, his brother happily accepting the surprise hug eagerly. Clive had sworn to protect Joshua and protect him he would, Dominant or not.
“Joshua, no matter what happens from now on, I Will Protect You.”