The Other Earth by Derek Schumacher (ebook reader 7 inch TXT) 📖

Suddently, Marcus heard something. It almost sounded like crackling. But what could it be? He was at the top of the mountain, nothing should have been able to reach him there. He was higher up than practically anything in the entire region.

He opened eyes, and just stared. It was Neil, standing there, at the other end of the stone outcove. His body was charred, and sparking with flames around him. His eyes had become red, compared to the orange they were originally. Something seemed different, he almost seemed less like himself than before. Had something happened while he was down below? Marcus had no idea, especially as to how he got all the way up here.

The man rose up to his feet, rubbing his eyes, and then looking over at his brother, who seemed to be just standing there, staring at him. Those eyes were demonic, no mistaking it. Was his father right? Did his brother truly end up becoming a demon because of that condition within him?

"What do you want with me, Neil?", Marcus exlaimed. He watched his brother's every move, making sure he wouldn't pull any fast ones on him.

"Everything must be burned, purified. Nothing will be spared, not a single thing. Nothing must survive."

How did it come to this? His brother wants to kill him, and for what? There was nothing about Marcus that needed to be purified, he was a good person, a law abiding citizen. Or at least, he tries to be. He watched as his brother's eyes scanned him up and down. Then he noticed what he was looking at, the axe in his hand. It must have been Neil's before he had become a demon.

"Why would you want to kill your brother? Does that make any sense to you, Neil? Hello? Are you there?"

The demon just stared, cracking it's neck, continuing to stare at the axe. Marcus got the hint, and tossed it to the ground near it, coughing off to the side. He didn't need the axe anymore anyways, there wasn't a safe way to get down from the mountain anyways. So it really didn't matter in the long run.

"It doesn't matter the reason. You are weak, a human. You wouldn't be able to stop me if you wanted", the demon spoke. After saying that, it seemed to snicker, it's sharp teeth being shown. Obviously this thing didn't know who it was dealing with. Sure, Marcus didn't look like much on the outside, but it didn't matter. He knew something that the demon didn't.

"You know, Neil. I think it's finally time I tell you something. Something our father had known for a long time, and had passed down to me."

The demon glanced over, seeming to be intruiged, or at least interested in what the man had to say. Marcus smiled a bit. He wasn't supposed to ever tell this to Neil, but he didn't care. At this point, it was do or die anyways, so it didn't matter. If things didn't go in his favor, he'd have to apologize to his dad once he saw him again.

"Our father knew about your demon, Neil. He had pieced it together, your violent outbursts when you were young, the immense brutality when you were angry, the list could continue plenty. He knew that you couldn't be trusted with anything, let alone live along with us. He loved you, but he didn't want anyone else to get hurt because of you. Mother was scared of you, Neil. She was scared because she knew too, knew that someday you might become this, a mindless, destructive, monster. A demon, who only wants to kill everything in it's wake, no matter what it is. That's what you are, brother. You're a demon, a monster."

The demon snarled, and took a step forward. It didn't seem to enjoy when Marcus talked about it like that, but the man didn't really care either way. He deserved to know the truth eventually, and obviously mom and dad weren't going to say anything any time soon. So, he had to be the messenger to his brother, one way or another.

"You say like it's a bad thing. I'm no monster, I'm a higher being than you, dad, and mom. I'm more powerful than all of you, and I can chose what I want to do. I started with the shades, but now I realized just how pathetic the human race is. How they ruined their own home, and had to be forced to attempt to relocate, to find another place to live. And somehow, they ended up here, right in the middle of the territory of one of the most fearsome creatures ever discovered. They deserve every single little thing they get, and now, so will you, brother."

Marcus couldn't believe his ears. Somehow, this rage had completely turned his brother on his head. He had become an egoist murdering psycho. One that believes in non-human superiority. A man twisted by his own demons, and ended up being consumed by them, becoming one himself. It was a sorry sight, and it didn't seem like he was going to be able to get through to his brother. He feared that there may only be one way to end up solving this problem, and he didn't like it one bit.

Neil took one more step forward, and his face broke into a wicked smile. Fire began to grow around his body, and spread around the side of the room he had been standing in. It must have been some attempt to antagonize Marcus, or a taunt. Or maybe it was an attempt to scare him? Either one failed miserably. Because Neil didn't know something about Marcus and his father. Something that would be the determining factor in this fight.

"I understand that you feel almighty and much more powerful, Neil. But I had a trick up my sleeve too. You see, our father had discovered something mythical, something unbelieveable, while he was studying martial arts. When he had a close call, and almost was killed by a cheating opponent, he had activated some sort of internal power, an ability to channel his essence into a weapon. He stepped forward, and adopted a stance. But not any ordinary stance, no, this stance held an incredible power. The power of the wyvern, a dragon. The audience was captivated as our father rose back up, and defeated his opponent that day. He had discovered the power of semblance, or the ability to alter oneself from the inside out by using their very essence as a tool."

The demon before him was confused, pretty much at everything he was speaking about. This made sense, as he would never have been told anything about it. If he would have been taught the ways of semblance, he might have unlocked himself, and became something that could be indestructable.

"How does this make you any more threatening, brother? You speak highly of our father, and yet you show no signs of strength past me or him", Neil sneered. As the flames continued to build around him, so did his confidence. He was sure that no matter what, he could defeat his brother, and continue his destruction of everything.

Marcus had hoped Neil would have said something like that, because now he would have a chance to show him. To show exactly why he should be afraid, to be worried about this upcoming encounter. The man had been preparing for use of his own abilites for a very long time, and now, he finally would have a chance to show them off.

He then put his feet together, and stuck his chest out, his hands moving together at his waist, locking together. Marcus looked up at his brother, and began to smile himself. He then took a step foward, and thrust his palm outwards from it's locked position at his waist, the air around the attack snapped, and with the release, popped loudly. The force of the attack was incredible, and with that much force, it could be possible to knock opponents unconcious.

After that demonstration, Marcus went back into his locked position, staring down his brother.

"This is my semblance stance, Bolt. I used my strength to alter my stance, being able to have incredible maneuverablity, and the form to attack with air defying strikes", Marcus explained. His brother just glared and crossed his arms. He didn't care how flashy his brother got, he still knew that he had the upper hand, no matter what. He wouldn't lose, not again. There was no more death for Neil Bright.

The time had come, both brothers prepared for what might be the greatest conflict in their lives, pinned against eachother. One, a flaming, mighty demon whose desire is to burn everything around him. While the other, a man of great respect, who perfect his own unique techinque, plans to defend himself, and to defeat his brother, for the sake of others.

Then, both brothers stepped forward, and a rush of air began to flow between the two of them. They moved with such speed, and yet, they both kept eyes on eachother. The small outcove had become a battleground between two bloods, and only one would be able to leave and claim the title of the last survivng member of the Bright family.

Neil would ignite the ground around him, letting it glide across the floor at his brother. But, at the same time, Marcus would quickly evade to the side, being able to cover an impressive amount of distance while in his stance, his evasion skills almost seeming to triple while his hands were locked at his waist. After escaping the flame attack, Marcus pulled close and attemped to strike his brother.

The palm was just barely out of reach, and Neil grinned, grabbing his brother's hand and searing it, throwing him into the wall of the cove. Marcus cursed, and his made a fist with his burned hand. He returned to his stance, and moved his foot back, watching for the next thing his brother attempted to throw at him.

Neil was slowly walk towards him, the fire burning the stones beneath his feet, each footprint being profound on the ground below them. As he closed in, Marcus quickly sidestepped around him, and smacked him upside the head with his burned hand, making a fist at the last moment to grab a tuft of his hair, jerking his head to the side. His brother growled, and swung around towards him, fire blasting the area near him, causing Marcus to reel backwards, resetting his stance.

This time, Neil was going to attempt to engage. The man stepped into his brother's area, and thrust his fist forward, flames gathering around it, and igniting instantly, exploding outwards. Marcus dove through the attack, burns scarring his side, but he ended up behind his brother one again. Unlocking his hands, he lunged forwards and striked his brother in the back, his palm exploding with air, sending Neil into the wall.

Marcus quickly readied himself once again, this time jumping into the air, and kicking forwards into Neil's side, which he was still pinned against the wall from the first attack. Neil absorbed the second blow, and then grabbed his brother's leg, slamming him into the ground, his leg becoming engulfed in flames.

He tried his best to put it out, but it still caused an incredible amount of pain. But, this made it possible to be able to move even quicker, because of the massive adrenaline rush from the pain. Marcus zipped around back and fourth around his brother, who looked from side to side, trying to find him.

Then, from out of nowhere, Marcus appeares below his brother, and rises up with an uppercut with his palm, the energy exploding from his hand, and causing Neil's head to snap backwards, and his body to flip over. The man landed on his feet, and blood began to spill from his mouth and nose. But, even after that attack, he returned it with a smile.

Once