Rain continued to cascade around them, as the swirling mist acted like a veil, obscuring the world beyond. The silence between the two was pregnant with emotions and past memories. Thunder rumbled softly in the distance.
Asher's grin transformed into a somber smile, understanding the storm raging inside his old comrade, "Have you heard the rumors?" Asher began, breaking the silence, "About Golden Prince, or rather his ghost, lingering around in this quest?"
Mikhail's stormy eyes searched Asher's face, still grappling with disbelief.
"That... was you?" he whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and trepidation, "Prove it... Show me your light."
Asher's gaze dropped, and he let out a sigh that carried a hint of sorrow, "I can't...not anymore. I had to use a powerful treasure, a one-time thing. I can't replicate that again."
Then, gathering strength from the memories they shared, Asher slowly began to close the distance between them, "Do you remember, Mikhail? When we were still young Hunters, just 16 years old, brimming with ambition and zeal? That fateful day when you and your sister got stuck in the demon realm, and you two saw me using demonic mana while saving you two. You looked at me, not with disgust or fear but with an understanding. You told me it didn't matter if I really was a demon. Your sister echoed those very words. That was the day I realized I could trust both of you with my life."
The weight of Asher's words was palpable. Mikhail's grip on his blade weakened, and it slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground.
His stormy gaze was unwavering as it locked onto this demon whose eyes carried a familiar gaze. A few heartbeats passed before, in a rush of emotions, Mikhail lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Asher in a firm embrace.
His eyes shimmered with unshed tears, "Andrei... Brother," he mumbled, his voice choked with emotion, "I can't believe it...Am I dreaming?"
A genuine laugh emanated from Asher, its sound tinged with relief and a touch of sadness, "This," he whispered as he tightened his grip on Mikhail, patting his back comfortingly, "is as real as it gets. But seeing you, like this...it's good, brother. It's really good."
Around them, the rain seemed to soften, as if nature itself recognized the profundity of the moment shared between two brothers, once torn apart, now reunited.
The rain's constant patter served as a soft background to their heavy conversation. Mikhail pulled back slightly, looking at Asher with eyes clouded in confusion and pain, "How, Andrei? How did all of this happen?"
Asher sighed deeply, taking a moment to gather his thoughts, "It's a long and complex tale," he began. He briefly recounted his experiences since his supposed death, weaving through the tales of betrayal, pain, and his transmigration. Every twist and turn, every heartbreaking discovery was laid bare.
Mikhail's normally composed face contorted in shock and disbelief. As Asher delved into the details of the treachery and how he'd been backstabbed, Mikhail's fists clenched tightly, veins bulging on his hands, "Those filthy WHA dogs... Using you and then discarding you like that! I am not even surprised," He spat the words out with cold fury.
But when Asher spoke of his subsequent experiences and the path that had led him to this moment, Mikhail's face went through a gamut of emotions – from horror and sorrow to eventual relief.
Once the narrative was complete, Mikhail looked down, regret etching every feature, "I'm so sorry, Andrei. I should've been there. I knew it…I always felt something was amiss. That damned WHA framing you as a corrupted Hunter... If only I had enough power to bring them down, I would have, and we are still trying. But if I had been by your side, together, we could have brought them to their knees and revealed their treachery."
Asher, sensing the guilt weighing down on Mikhail, gently placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing reassuringly, "Mikhail," he began softly, "you are the sole heir to the strongest Supreme Class Family in Russia. You've had your own battles, your own challenges. You couldn't have known. The WHA was clever in their deceit. You can't blame yourself for what was orchestrated so well to look like the truth. One of my biggest regrets is that I was a fool to stop you and Irina from bringing down the WHA."
Mikhail shook his head with a brief smile, "You couldn't have known, brother. You were blinded by their lies and because of how good they had been treating you since the beginning. But even then, you didn't give us up," Mikhail let out a soft chuckle as he gestured at his face and added," That is why even though you gave me this beautiful scar, Irina and I always were forever indebted to you for everything you did for us. I wouldn't be standing here if not for you. Even if you didn't stop us, we would have failed, and the WHA would have definitely ended us on the spot. It was a pipe dream of ours since the beginning."
The two brothers stood there, shoulder to shoulder, as they remembered the weight of their shared past and the trials they'd both undergone.
Asher's gaze hardened with a hint of pain and regret, "I'm sorry about Irina. If it weren't for her unwavering belief in my innocence, her pursuit to clear my name... she might still be with us."
Mikhail's eyes blazed with a mixture of pain and pride. He gritted his teeth, voice strained, "Irina died with pride, Andrei. She fought for what she believed in, for someone she loved. She wouldn't have had it any other way."
Hearing this, Asher's gaze became distant, lost in memories of times past.
The sorrow of the people he lost, the weight of betrayal, and the pain of deceit; it all weighed on him heavily. No matter how much time had passed, this pain would never get easier.
Mikhail observed him, a million questions racing through his mind.
Breaking the palpable silence, Mikhail inquired, "Why didn't you reach out? All this time, knowing you were somewhere out there, but never hearing from you...You have no idea how hard it was to live with the fact that not only my sister but my brother was also dead."
Turning away, Asher's silhouette was sharply defined against the bleak sky. He crossed his arms protectively as if shielding himself from the past, "After what happened...I had a hard time putting my life into the hands of someone else again. Not because I doubted you, but because I was afraid of losing the only chance I had left. The WHA, the betrayal... it was all so fresh. I felt like I could only depend on myself after waking up among demons. Other than that, I needed to be stronger, to stand on my own feet before dragging anyone else into the mess. I couldn't risk tipping off our enemies by reaching out to you. It was not like I could freely travel over there."
Mikhail's brown eyes, which had been shadowed with pain, suddenly gleamed with a renewed fire. He took a step closer, excitement evident, "Does this mean...you're planning on taking revenge? Specifically against the WHA?"
A cold, dark smirk danced on Asher's lips, "That was always the plan…ever since I woke up as a demon."
Mikhail's hand thudded against his chest, his voice deep and cold, yet filled with fervor, "You know where I stand, Andrei. My family, my people, we've been preparing. We're ready to stand with you, against anyone. I don't know how my family would react to your current situation, but they don't have to know. We have the same goal, and together, we truly stand a chance because I know you will become the strongest demon one day."
Asher's smile softened, genuine warmth reaching his eyes, "I always knew I could count on you, brother. But first, I have to survive and complete this quest... it is the only way of reclaiming the strength I lost."
Mikhail's brow furrowed, looking intently into Asher's eyes, "Tell me, have you and your team managed to forge the final Deviar Crystal yet?"
Asher let out a wry chuckle, the hint of amusement barely reaching his eyes, "Just a while ago, I almost met my end trying to complete a mini-quest for some shards. But 3.2 million? I'm nowhere near that, and I have just three days left," Asher said with a difficult look, realizing how bleak things were looking.
Mikhail paused for a beat, seemingly lost in thought. When he spoke again, hope flickered in his voice, "I can't guarantee you'll successfully complete this quest, Andrei, but...I might be able to provide you with a leg up," Without warning, Mikhail reached out, clasping Asher's hand.
A pulsating energy flowed between their palms, an ethereal aura illuminating the immediate surroundings.
Asher's eyes widened in astonishment as he felt an influx of Deviar Shards transferred into his own inventory. The numbers surged past 3.2 million, going well beyond 5 million. He stared at Mikhail with a look of disbelief, "Did you just... give me all of yours?"
Asher knew the rule said killing a Hunter would only earn him half of what they had. But if they willingly transferred, then, just as he found out now, he got everything Mikhail had.
Mikhail offered a brief smile, a mixture of pride and melancholy, "My people entrusted their shards to me. They achieved what they came for. They wanted me to have the Radem, but right now, you, my brother, need it more than I do. And I'll do anything to see you succeed. Don't bother trying to return it. I won't accept," Mikhail said firmly.
Asher chuckled and shook his head in amazement, the magnitude of Mikhail's gesture slowly sinking in. He moved closer and, with a gentle force, pulled Mikhail into a firm embrace, "Thank you…I won't let this go to waste," he murmured, voice filled with determination.
Mikhail smirked, squeezing Asher's shoulder reassuringly, "Regardless of the outcome, make me one promise: come back alive from this quest. We'll meet on the other side, brother. We have a lot of things to settle and catch up."
And in that moment, standing amidst the looming shadows of the floating islands and the cascading rain, two brothers, bound not by blood but by shared history, came together once again.
