He had realized what Belle was trying to do.
The entire sparring session was a stage set by Belle for Brandon to show everyone what he was currently capable of.
That much was certain.
He didn't mind it.
The people around them respected him, only because he was Omar's son.
Not because he was Brandon.
Raising Brandon's status in the family and to the people around them was the least he could do for the original Brandon Locke.
Hence why he went along with Belle's plan.
Belle…
She didn't question the threads, but she obviously noticed it.
He could trust her.
Her warm smile towards him during the entire session had made it clear to Brandon that she adorned her brother.
It tugged Brandon's heart knowing he wasn't the real Brandon.
A fake rely pretending.
But,
…He could take the mantle.
Lightning.
Ice.
Wind.
Curse.
Earth.
Water.
And… Fire.
He thought he was fine.
He was supposed to be fine.
That he had already co to terms with what happened in Everglade.
As the fire cascaded from his palms, an image overlapped with Belle—who stood in front of him.
"No…!"
Verina.
She was suddenly in front of him.
All of a sudden, the scenery shifted. He was supposed to be in the arena, sparring with Belle.
Yet.
Why?
He suddenly found himself back in Everglade.
Back to that night.
Voooosh—!
Flas engulfed the forest's edge as it tried to envelop the entire surroundings.
Dolls stood in every corner, their glass eyes reflecting the fire. Shadows flickered on their faces, creating an eerie scene.
"No, no…!"
He thought he was okay.
Thinking he had already convinced himself that he was already okay.
"Please…."
The dream from back then.
They…
The children.
They had already thanked him.
The children were free.
He had set them free.
That's what they told him. To be at ease.
He gave them closure, and they had given it to him as well.
But…
"Hahaha."
He stifled a laugh.
It was nothing but a delusion
A delusion just to give him any ounce of assurance.
But all along…
…This whole ti he was rely blinding himself.
But now he had finally realized it.
He had not moved on from Everglade.
As he looked at the dolls, they had started overlapping with the images of the children from his mories.
…Until there were no more dolls in sight, replaced by the children.
He lowered his head to look at his hand. Intense flas enveloped his entire arm.
Looking ahead, the children had started burning alive.
And the flas…
They ca from him.
He was the one burning them.
Killing them.
The flas were out of control. They started burning everything.
The children.
Everything just kept burning, and burning, and burning, and—
"Hyaaaa—"
All of a sudden, a child's scream echoed in the air.
Brandon covered his ears.
Verina.
Emma.
.
.
All of them.
"Get out of my head!"
He fell on both knees.
"Hyaaaa—"
And all the children had started screaming in unison.
Despite covering his ears, he could still hear the scream clearly, as if they were screaming right in his ear.
"Huaaaaa…!"
He scread back to drown out the sound. He couldn't bear it anymore.
"Please, stop…!"
"Hyaaaa—"
Thwack! Thwack!
He started banging his head on the ground.
Feeling a trickle on his cheek, Brandon paid no heed to it and continued banging his head.
Thwack!
Once more—
"Brandon!"
But before his forehead made contact with the ground, a sudden warmth enveloped his entire figure.
The screaming had stopped, as well as the sound of the flas crackling.
Lifting his head up, a figure blocked his peripheral view.
But that's when he realized.
Yet again, just like last ti, Belle had locked him in an embrace.
Realizing, he hugged her back tightly. His eyes started itching all of a sudden, and before he knew it he started sobbing.
"I never wanted to do it…"
His voice started cracking.
"They told it was okay… That I had already given them closure…"
Tears started beading down.
"Yet why… Why am I still being haunted by them…?"
And it flowed down his cheek.
"I can't live like this…"
No matter what he did to distract himself, no matter how convincing, even to the point where he had dreamt about them, he still couldn't find the peace within himself.
Sobbing, the two siblings were locked in a tight embrace for the next few minutes.
*
He had already proven his prowess towards everyone that was present, including Omar.
After Brandon's panic attack, the family dinner was abruptly canceled as he isolated himself in his room.
Seated on the floor, as his back was against the bed fra, Brandon took a deep breath.
"Hoo."
Using his fire affinity sohow triggered so kind of episode. Most likely, post traumatic stress disorder.
He needed ti.
Ti to co to terms with everything.
He had never even faced Sarah after the incident.
But most likely, she resented him now.
"Right."
Standing up, Brandon walked towards the balcony.
It was already 9:00 PM, and he had yet to eat anything.
Rumble…
A rumbling sound rang from his stomach.
Gazing outside, the night was beautiful.
There were no clouds, and the stars beca visible.
The gentle cold wind breezed on his face.
Knock. Knock.
Soone knocked on the door and a voice followed shortly after.
"Brandon, can I co in?"
"Yes."
The door opened, and a familiar figure erged. Her long pale-white hair ca into view as her ice blue eyes locked gaze with him.
Adorning a night gown, Belle slowly walked towards him and stood by his side.
With her hand on the balcony's railing, her soft voice reached his ears.
"How are you feeling?"
Looking at the distance, Brandon replied.
"Better than earlier."
"Hey,"
She grabbed his attention. Turning his head towards her, their gazes t.
Belle continued.
"What happened in Everglade?"
There was no room for hesitation.
Belle was the person he could trust the most.
That being said, he started to recount everything that had happened in Everglade.
Their gazes swept the entire courtyard.
Brandon continued speaking. While Belle silently listened to his story.
As he finished recounting the entire thing, Belle's eyes widened and she covered her mouth in a state of disbelief.
She seed to struggle in articulating her words.
The silence continued, but not until Brandon broke the silence as he opened his mouth.
"I know it wasn't my fault, and I know it had to be done. I just don't understand why I refuse to co to terms with it."
"Refusing to co to terms with it? It's because you're kind."
"..."
He didn't expect that reply.
Kind?
He had never thought of himself as such.
He was rely going with the flow, trying to achieve his goals step by step.
To change whatever the novel's ending was.
"You're a kind person, Brandon. And that stems from your experiences."
"..."
For all Brandon knew, Belle was probably talking about the original Brandon Locke.
Not him.
He was nothing but a fake.
His thoughts were broken as Belle continued speaking.
"I know I haven't seen you in six years. But these past two months of getting to know the new you, I could definitely say you grew up just fine."
Ah.
Two months.
The exact amount of months he had stayed in this world.
"You're only human, Brandon. Don't carry this kind of burden as if you're so kind of broken hero. Like you said, what you did wasn't your fault…"
Brandon was perplexed.
What was she even trying to say here?
"But if you truly knew that, then tell . Did you even realize that nobody had ever blad you for what you did?"
And that was when Brandon's eyes widened.
"Sure, that Sarah girl might resent you a bit. But I would've reacted the sa way as her, if I were in her position. If she was truly smart as you said she was, then she wouldn't bla you."
Brandon turned to look at Belle—who was already looking back at him.
"You did what had to be done. Those children… They're free now, you tell yourself that and yet you contradict yourself."
She shook her head.
"I'm not trying to invalidate your trauma. But please, Brandon, don't lose yourself along the process. You're only sixteen."
Brandon could only stay silent the entire ti.
Belle's words pierced right through his heart. Everything she said was right.
The fact that he had to convince himself that he was alright, and that he had to distract himself from thinking about Everglade was indeed contradicting himself.
Belle.
She wasn't speaking to the Brandon that she knew from the past.
Her words were in fact for the Brandon that she knew now.
The fake.
The transmigrator.
And…
The person she considers as her younger brother.
Right.
Even if he was a fake, he was still his own person.
Belle had made it clear to him.
'I'm not her real Brother, but she…. She's my Sister.'
The silence continued, and Brandon found himself smiling.
The silence… It was comforting.
That was until Belle spoke up.
"Hey,"
She grabbed his attention and he looked at her once again.
"Do you…"
She seed to struggle finishing her words.
"Yes?"
He tilted his head.
Belle continued, giving him an anxious look.
"...Do you still resent for leaving you back then?"
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