Kabul forced himself upright, his body still aching from the impact. Instinctively, he snatched up his shield and spun around, eyes darting across the Garden of Echoes.
"Meathead! Where are you?!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the shifting flowers. "Don't tell me you're scared of me—"
A soft laugh drifted from behind him.
Kabul froze.
Abenator stepped forward, a faint smile resting on his lips, relief softening his expression. "Enough of the drama," he said lightly. "It's gone."
Kabul blinked, confusion flashing across his face. He lowered his shield slightly, still tense. "It's… gone? Just like that?" His brows furrowed. "How?"
Abenator exhaled slowly, glancing around the garden as if searching for something unseen. "I don't know," he admitted, though unease flickered beneath his calm tone. "Maybe something in this place scared it off."
The air grew still for a brief moment, as though the Garden itself was listening—hiding something neither of them could yet understand.
Kabul finally relaxed, his shoulders dropping as the tension left his body. "Whew…" he muttered, letting out a breath. "Good." His voice softened. "It's… good to hear you're okay."
Abenator stepped closer, his expression gentler now. "Same here," he said quietly. "For a moment… I thought I'd lost you."
Silence settled between them.
Then suddenly—
Kabul clutched his throat and collapsed dramatically to the ground.
Abenator's eyes widened in horror.
"Kabul?" he called, panic rising instantly. He rushed forward, grabbing him and shaking him harder. "Kabul—? No… no, no, no—!"
Without warning—
Kabul sprang up.
"Boom!"
Abenator let out a startled scream, stumbling backward in shock. "ARRHHH! Screw you!"
Kabul burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. For a moment, Abenator tried to stay angry—but the tension broke, and he found himself laughing too.
The two brothers fell back onto the soft ground, surrounded by glowing flowers that shimmered faintly in the dim light. The wind passed gently through the petals, carrying a quiet warmth that soothed the chaos they had just endured.
For a brief moment—
Everything felt peaceful again.
Kabul turned his head slightly, his expression shifting as guilt crept back in. "Hey… about earlier, I'm—"
"I know," Abenator cut in, his gaze fixed on the sky above. "And… you proved to me that I can trust you."
Kabul blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his brother's voice. He swallowed, his tone lowering. "You know… it's always been my dream to become a Knight."
Abenator turned toward him, a teasing glint returning to his eyes. "That explains the toy swords in your room."
Kabul shot upright in disbelief. "You knew?!"
Abenator chuckled softly. "Of course." He paused, then added, "And I figured the story of Bobi and Chayou was a lie."
Kabul rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Okay, okay—I twisted it a bit," he admitted. "But the core was real… just not about Knights."
Abenator nodded, the earlier tension now completely dissolved. "Well… it was still a good story," he said. "You fooled me completely."
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, his tone shifting—gentle, but firm.
"Just… don't ever keep something from me again," he said quietly. "If you do…" He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "That would be the end of the bond we have."
The wind stilled.
Even the flowers seemed to listen.
Kabul lowered his head, taking the words seriously—more seriously than anything his brother had ever said before.
"You have my word," he replied.
And for a moment—
Their bond felt whole again.