A Gorgeous White

Chapter 88: These Brothers Are A Pain In The Ass

"Moulin!"

A figure almost tumbled as he ran towards his brother that he hasn't seen for days. He panted heavily as he ran. His dark brown hair was blown by the wind as he pierced through the air. He swiftly jumped off several steps of the front of his guild and landed skillfully on the ground. The dust settling in the air around his feet as he touched down. The second young master of the Grand Fraunces household stood cooly with a hint of enthusiasm on his countenance. It broke when he set his eyes on the man standing sternly behind Moulin.

With a frown, Emlen squinted his eyes, "Eldest brother..."

"Emlen..." Maxille nodded at him. "Mother and father sent their regards."

With a tsk, Emlen nodded. With all the letters mother and father had sent him, do you think he didn't know? Calmly shifting his gaze, his eyes brightened as he turned to Moulin. "Let's has some tea, shall we?" Of course, he didn't forget to flash a glare at Maxille.

"Of course. That would be delightful." Moulin smiled, making his two brothers softened their gazes. Moulin then shifted his attention to his eldest brother, standing behind him. Moulin smiled happily at Maxille. To have both his brothers with him, Moulin was beyond happy.

A few minutes later...

Emlen gnashed his teeth. "Why are you here?"

Under the gentle light bathing the whole office from the tall windows, three sat around a table. Two calmly drinking while the other was seething as he lowered. The slim porcelain handle of his cup slightly cracking between his fingers. Emlen drank, suppressing the annoyance in his mind.

"Moulin invited me..." Maxille serenely picked up his teacup, savoring the flavor of the tea on his tongue. "Your taste in tea hasn't changed... It's still sweet."

Emlen raised an eyebrow, "If dear brother finds it distasteful, there are other tea rooms within the Guild that might suit your taste" He was obviously stating, 'If you don't like, it get out!'. It has been a long time since Emlen spent time with Moulin. He missed coddling his little brother and rubbing his head like the adorable kid Moulin once was.

"It's fine. I longed for the three of us to spend some time together. Although the tea isn't suited for such occasion it is satisfying." Maxille smiled as he stared at his reflection on the still liquid in his cup.

Moulin paused slightly as he sipped his tea. His lids lowered. Yes, Maxille was right. It's been so long. It was no wonder Maxille missed it. His silver eyes gazed at the daylight beaming through the windows. A heavy sense of impatience washed over him but he knows he should wait for the right time. When the mood was mild and the emotions of his brother's expression were either calm or playful.

Moulin doesn't' know what time was supposedly deemed as right. He will wait.

As the three continued to converse and discuss, the atmosphere turned comfortable with a slight calmness. Moulin didn't waste the chance. He parted his lips and opened about his long term mission to Meian.

...................

The sun shined brightly over the City of Sentinels. It looked as if it could bathe Azuran with scorching heat. However, in some parts of the land, a wave of freezing coldness swept the whole area of the Elder guild.

People paused and shuddered. Birds fled from the cold despite under the bright light of the sun. The change caught the attention of numerous sentinels within the area. It was suspiciously unnatural.

Bang!

The doors slammed open. Hinges creaking painfully from the force. Splinters flew from the ends as the front of the doors cracked at the impact. It's sound startling every person within the vicinity of the Elder Guild's training grounds. A man, heavy with violent emotions, strode with large steps. His feet leaving indentations on the earth from his heavy steps.

Emlen exhaled sharply as the people made way for him out of fear and confusion. As he passed, he left a frosty mist behind. The cold sweeping across every person he passes making them shiver. What was going on?

"Brother..." Moulin calmly called as he chased Emlen. Maxille trailed behind him with an expression slightly cracking.

"Move..." Emlen snarled at a junior sentinel who immediately staggered away out of fright. Emlen didn't stop as he arrived within the place where he always relieved his frustrations. A desolated area. Smooth ground, still air, and treeless, stretching several meters.

Moulin helplessly walked. His brows furrowed. He sighed as he decreased his pace.

"Emlen, stop, and talk. Instead of walking away." Maxille spoke as he shot Moulin a silent look. His deep authoritative tone was something Emlen was very familiar with. A tone Maxille always used to reprimand him for his immature explosive behavior.

Emlen scoffed. He stopped and looked back. His steel-gray eyes deeply starting at Maxille. He didn't pay a bit of attention to the small people crowding so far behind his two brothers. The temperature around him fell even further as he spoke. "I see not an emotion revealed from your face. As if you don't mind that Moulin will be partaking in a mission beyond the borders of Aurona where the possibility of death lies threatening! The Kron still revolves! People have died! Do you think I would just nod and accept that?"

Moulin remained calm.

Maxille narrowed his eyes, anger finally exposed from his eyes. "You have to calm down and ebb your anger. You know more how I care about our youngest, brother."

"Lies. You care about nothing. There isn't a bit of remorse and anger on your fucking face" Emlen hissed. His fists clenched, "You think I don't remember what you said to Moulin before?! 'Shame of the family', 'Useless no good who squander money!"

Colder and colder, the temperature went.

"Don't even dare to throw your blame to me. You weren't even the least better than me to Moulin." This time outrage and shame roared inside Maxille. His stern expression revealed turmoil. "I regret for a thousand times. And I changed as well as Moulin did. You don't even understand, do you? You always let your emotions overwhelm your mind. You can't even think about the current situation"

"Shut up! Don't give me that trash!" Emlen snarled. Ice shards forming and gathering behind him into tiny crystals. A freezing mist surrounded the area, the coldness well below freezing. His eyes glowed fiercely. "You think you are better than me? Look at Moulin! You don't even realize something wrong in the beginning before he came back to us!"

"Nothing is wrong with him!" Maxille raised his voice. His face contorting furiously the longer they spoke.

"Keep denying that to yourself! You know more than I do. No matter how much you look at him there is always something that bothers you! Don't fucking deny it!"

Crystals formed and charged with deadly intent. Something that had always occurred with the second young master's burst of emotions. Eyes glowing wildly, Emlen attacked his own brother with his ability.

"How about I open your fucking eyes!"

Maxille didn't move. However, there was a look of disbelief on his face. A colossal amount of emotions exploded. The young heir swiftly lifted his hand as he furiously conjured swords of ice to deflect the crystals.

Their distance wasn't too far and it was obvious their attacks would only cause the other pain.

...

Not less than second, silver eyes glowed.

...

From where the two brother's attack would meet, Any enormous explosion of cold mist spreads outwards fiercely.

The force was too great, instantly knocking down the onlookers from far away. The mist forcefully pushed both Emlen and Maxille back as both tried to hold their ground. Feel planted on the earth as their arms shielded their faces.

It lasted for mere seconds. Silence then descended around the area. As the cold fog dispersed and lifted, the area was now clear and visible. The people on the ground stiffened. Gaping in shock. Eyes widening.

Huge crystal-like ice protruded from the ground. They were as thick as the pillars of the temple of Thaeria. Reaching up to tens of meters. What made it breathtaking was their dazzling color of white. There was an opal hint of color and chilling smoke wafted from its surface indicating its perilous temperature that could freeze flesh with just a touch.

Emlen and Maxille froze in their place. The ice was something Maxille had seen long before he found Moulin. When he was searching for his brother in the woods of the northern mountains, he found the exact type of white ice piercing and destroying the trees that surround it.

Maxille's gray eyes slowly turned to his brother who was calmly standing beside him.

Moulin lowered his raised arm and clenched his open palm. There was disappointment in his eyes as he gazed at Emlen and Maxille. It was the first for the two elder brothers to see such expression given to them from Moulin. Dread sank in their stomachs as their grey eyes turned unfocused. Emotions swirling. Panic, fear, shock, regret, and more.

Moulin sighed. He lifted his eyes and spoke. "If you two will not accept it then I can only apologize. I did not meet you to gain your approval. Whatever is the outcome of today's events I will be leaving after three days." He turned to Maxille and slightly bowed his head before turned and walked away.

"Moulin..." Maxille hastily called but his little brother didn't spare the both of them a look.

The crowd of people parted to make a path for the silver-eyed youth. There were awe and admiration in their eyes but Moulin ignored all of it. He was pissed and disheartened.

As the youth left, the large ice instantly thawed, disappearing into a flurry of pure white snowflakes in the air, carried by the passing wind. It was beautiful and wondrous.

Emlen expression immediately fell. His eyes turned glazed as anguish sank into his heart. He made his little brother sad. Seeing that look was more painful than when he was stabbed in the gut. It was painful.

"Moulin..."