Chroma and Achromos

Chapter 26: The Trouble

Cain stared at the ground below him which was about ten meters away from where he was standing. His face was wet with tears and his heart had been broken beyond silence. He wants to give up. He was unable to endure all that had happened. He felt so sorry and desperate.

"Sister.. Chlars.." Whisper Cain.

Just as his feet were about to step on the air before him, suddenly a hand pulled his hand. The big hand felt cold and trembling. When Cain turned his head, he found Achromos standing with a deathly pale face. His breath was wheezing and sweat was pouring down his face.

"What are you doing?" Achromos asked with a heavy voice on the sidelines of his breath.

Cain could only look at Achromos' black eyes without being able to say anything.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK CHARLI SAVED YOU FOR??"

The cry of Achromos made Cain flinch and the tears melted back mercilessly. There is no anger in Achromos' eyes. There are only wounds and sorrow so deep. And fear too. Achromos then pulled and hugged him with a shaky shoulder.

Cain recalled that Achromos was also there, witnessing the same thing as him. Achromos also felt the pain he felt. Why did he leave Achromos alone? How stupid is it. He did not think of Achromos who must have felt extraordinarily hurt by the departure of Chlari and Aram. Chroma left him too.

The pale hand slowly hugged Achromos' back. He sobbed in his brother's arms. They both cried—sama-sama felt unparalleled pain.

"Cain. please don't even think about dying.don't leave me alone.." The scales of Achromos.

"Sister.pardon me.." Reply Cain. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.."

The two sisters both have hearts that have been broken, both lost, and both feel hopeless. But they just realized that they can still support each other, can still support each other, can still walk together. They only realized that as long as they were still breathing, they could still change things.

The two then just sobbed all night— vented all overflowing feelings until their hearts could not contain it.

•••

Achromos dropped his body on the bed limply. Her eyes felt so dry after crying last night. Cain was already asleep in his room after being satisfied crying.

Achromos' heart was almost dislodged as soon as he saw Cain's window open and his sister standing there. If Achromos had not gone out of the palace in search of a fresh breeze, no one would have noticed. Achromos was almost frozen. It was fortunate that his instincts made his body move and immediately shot into Cain's room. If he was a few seconds late, he might not be able to save him.

"I have to be strong.." Mumbled slowly.

Tok tok!

The sound of knocking on the door and the sound of Mysha made Achromos rise from his sleep. Before long, Mysha appeared from behind the door and immediately saluted.

"Your Excellency Achromos, His Excellency Braz calls you into his room." Mysha.

Achromos raised his eyebrows in surprise. What does that person want to talk to her about? Will he ever tell me about his mother? Achromos only nodded at a glance and immediately set off towards Braz's room.

Arriving in Braz's room, Achromos immediately looked at Braz with a gaze asking for an explanation. Braz just grinned while throwing something on the table in front of him.

"Look." Command's short.

Achromos approached and reached for the sheet of paper. The paper is a portrait of a woman wearing a fancy dress. Achromos turned his eyes to Braz with furrowed brows.

"She was Princess Mirria, the first princess of the Kingdom of Exeta. You're gonna marry her in a month." Braz Limbs.

Achromos's eyes immediately widened and he kicked the table with a growl.

"DON'T KIDDING!!" Exclaims.

"Wuah, it's so scary." Ejek Braz shook his head. "Achromos, you don't have to wait for the woman to come back. He's not coming back. You have to think about Chraz being tattered. A marriage to the daughter of Exeta would add to Chraz's power. Think about your position now. Do you want Chraz to collapse because you keep waiting for that girl?"

"You..." Achromos said as he clenched his teeth. He felt so angry at Braz. When Braz asked her to marry Jane, Achromos accepted because he did not care about her life. All he thought at the time was to become the real king of Chraz and take revenge on Braz and Chlari. But this time is different. He found the person he loved. He is not obsessed with getting his revenge. And Braz doesn't seem to care about any of that.

"I will not obey your orders!!" Grumpily Achromos while out of Braz's room with a grim wind, making Braz lean his back to the back of the chair tiredly.

"The child who is not obedient." Mumbled Braz.

"Well, but how else," Braz sighed with a wry smile. "he doesn't know my time isn't much and I don't want him to be let down by the silver-haired girl."

•••

Achromos sighed while sitting on the side of Cain's room window. The light rain dripped slowly from the sky, forming a pattern of clear dots on the clear glass. All day his mind was screwed up. He was really made dizzy by Braz. I just want to ask him to get married. Whose life is this?

"Cain, are you awake?" Ask Achromos while approaching Cain.

Cain immediately lowered his head in sadness. "Sister.. I'm sorry, yeah.." Said slowly.

Achromos smiled knots while patting Cain's head gently. "Originally you promise never to do it again, I'll forgive you." Said.

Cain raised his face and nodded. He then stared fixedly at his brother's face long enough, making Achromos a little disturbed to imagine what was in Cain's mind.

"W-What's up, Cain?" Ask Achromos.

"Sister.." Cain. "Sister's eyes. swollen like donuts.."

Achromos immediately toppled a little so mendengdung Cain speech. He looked at Cain sharply.

"You... Do you know what your eyes are like now??" Excited annoyed. "Puff like an elephant!"

"Pff!" Hearing Achromos' reaction, Cain chuckled lightly—showing his faint dimples.

Achromos smiled as he watched Cain laugh. Rarely did Cain want to play that particular laugh.

Thank goodness he's back. Achromos.

"Basic brother is impolite!" He said while still smiling.

"Oh yeah.." Cain said, stopping laughing and putting on his flat face again. "Sir.. is there a problem?"

The look on Achromos' face turned sour as soon as he heard Cain's words. He recalled Braz's stupid orders. Achromos looked at Cain with a bad look and then took a long breath.

"Braz told me to marry the princess of the Kingdom of Exeta." Answer Achromos with a little ogah.

"Married..? Who told you to?" Ask Cain.

"Yes! He's a real person! No feelings!" Gerrutu Achromos.

"Sister.how about.. Miss Chroma?" Asked Cain with a bit of hesitation. Achromos could only shake his head weakly.

"I haven't found him yet. He really is like a fox. So easy to go and so hard to find."

"What Brother. will keep looking.. Miss Chroma?"

Achromos heard Cain's question. He doesn't know what to answer. If he complies with his wishes, of course he will look for Chroma until anytime. But he is a king. He has an obligation to pass the throne to his son someday—hal whom he honestly hates. He also had an obligation to take care of the kingdom which was very time consuming. But he had no other choice. Chraz's affairs are not only about him and his family, but also the affairs of the entire people who depend on Chraz.

"I don't know.." Achromos finally answered. His eyes implied sadness as his mouth spouted out those words.

Cain was aware of that and could only fall silent without responding or asking further. He was afraid that Achromos would be destroyed and explode if he forced his current thinking. Achromos still needs time to make a decision and Cain will wait until then.

•••

Chroma was silent as she stared at the starless night sky, spending her time at the temple before leaving at dawn. The rain had just ended and the grass around him was still wet, but he still lay down on it—no matter the clothes and his body was wet and full of mud.

Slowly, Chroma raised her hand as if she wanted to reach an endless darkness upon it.

"Pristin.." His whisper. "Are you there?"

In the middle of the darkness of the night, suddenly a glimmer of light appeared from Chroma's palm, making her tiny body instantly rise in shock.

"W-what's this??" Pekik surprised.

Before long, a stinging sensation spread in his stomach. Chroma immediately curled up while holding her stomach tightly. A red mandala-shaped light radiated through the cloth covering his stomach. Chroma's eyes opened wide as soon as she realized that light was something that should have been lost along with Aram.

"I-this.don't say.."

"Xerra..?"

———