Two team party heroes were chatting along. The two
Two team party heroes were chatting along. The two party heroes were two separate version of themselves. Because there was a ferocious beast that caused a rift where one original world were connected to another version of the world. The original party heroes met they’re other versions of themselves who’s live were different from theirs. Both teams worked together and defeated the beast. Causing the two world’s to be separated and return to normal. But the separation took time so both parties were chatting along before they say goodbye to their counterparts. One member of the original heroes were keeping distance as they chat along with their counterparts. He was one of the more serious member of the group. He has some bad anger issues. Back then he never wanted to join the party but overtime the party manage to get him on the team. He usually gives them a glare when the party tries to talk to him. But overtime, they managed to lighten him up a little as he was now more open to them. He always angrily berate his team over the stupidest things they did but also the one who keeps them on they’re feet when they’re down. As he was leaning on a tree in silence in a good distance away from the group. A person walked up to him. It was his counterpart. He was kind rather than the original being angry. He was clumsy rather than the original being serious. The two of them never really interact in the journey to the beasts before, because the counterpart was shy to approach the original while the original was keeping check of they’re surroundings for potential threat and the counterpart was in serious danger because of his clumsiness, the original was always there to help him. As such the counterpart was in awe as he sees the original do amazing things rather than him being all clumsy over the smallest things. The counterpart greeted him with his tone not hiding his shyness. The original ask him on what does he wants. The counterpart says he wanted to thank him for saving him countless times over the things that almost gotten him killed. The original says that they were a team fighting a common enemy. So it was natural for him to help him. He also says if that was all his counterpart wanted to say. The counterpart ask him on how he got so amazing where he never really do anything like him and wanted to know more about him. But the counterpart quickly apologize for asking the question and says the original didn’t need to answer. The original sighs and says that he will that shocked his counterpart. The original tells him that he was just an ordinary boy living in the village. When a large group of bandits raided his village burned it down. His counterpart, and the two original and counterpart parties that stop talking to each other and was listening to the story, gasped as he continues. His parents did everything they could to save him. Told him to run, so he did. When he tries to go back. The village was burnt. And he knew his parents was dead. So he was to fend for himself. Many years later after he trained himself to fight. He found the group that raided his village and his anger took control of him and murdered every single one of them. When he was about to kill the leader he ask why did they did it. they smiled and said it was for fun. It broke him as he killed him in the most painful he could give him. After that he treated everyone he sees as a threat. Never trusting anyone before he met his team and started to trust people a little. He then pulls out a locket in his pocket as he opens it and a picture of him with his family smiling brightly when his parents gave it to him and says that this was the last thing he has to remember them. His counterpart, who was very silent in the story, pulls out a locket that was the same as him as he opens it as a picture of him with his family smiling the same as his original. He says that this was the trinket that his parents gave him as a good luck charm before going on an adventure. The original looked at the trinket and put away his own trinket. The original admits that he outright hates him. The counterpart and the two teams was shocked and confused. The original states that it angers him the his counterpart’s family is alive while his family is dead. But, it brings him joy to know that his family was alive and well. Even though it was in a different reality. The original tells his counterpart to cherish his family with all his heart and do whatever it takes to protect them. The counterpart was in tears as he hugs his original. Shocking him, but didn’t pushed him away. The counterpart says his sorry of what happened to his original. The original hugs him back with one arm. He tells his counterpart that his life was tragic one. One filed with anger, sadness, tears and guilt. But in return. His counterpart’s live was perfect one. One filled joy, happiness and laughter. But it will never be perfect as danger will always be around. So he must become better and stronger so that it never ever happened to him.
The air crackled with tension as the two teams of party heroes chatted. Laughter and friendly banter filled the space, except for one figure standing apart, leaning against a moss-covered tree. His name was Kai, a man forged in fire and fury, a stark contrast to his jovial counterparts.
A gentle figure approached him, his hesitant steps a testament to his inherent clumsiness. It was Kai’s counterpart, a kind-hearted soul named Kael. Their paths had seldom crossed during their perilous quest, the original Kai too preoccupied with the threat of the beast, and Kael too prone to accidental mishaps.
“H-hello, Kai,” Kael stammered, his voice tinged with shyness.
Kai’s gaze, usually sharp and unforgiving, softened slightly. “What do you want, Kael?”
“I… I wanted to thank you,” Kael mumbled, his cheeks flushing. “You saved me so many times. I was always… well, you know.” He gestured at himself with a self-deprecating laugh.
Kai remained stoic. “We were a team, Kael. Fighting a common enemy. It was natural to help.” He paused, his voice devoid of warmth. “Is that all?”
Kael’s eyes widened. “I… I just… How did you become so amazing? You’re always so strong, so determined… I never did anything like that.” He fumbled with his words, his voice laced with admiration.
Before he could apologize for the audacious question, Kai surprised him. “I’ll tell you.”
A ripple of shock went through the groups, both sets of heroes turning their attention to the pair.
Kai took a deep breath, his voice a rough whisper. “I was just an ordinary boy, living in a village. Then, bandits came. They burned it to the ground, slaughtered everyone… I was just a child. My parents… they told me to run. I didn’t look back. I had to survive.”
He paused, his gaze distant, lost in the memories of that fateful night.
“When I returned, it was just ashes. I knew… I knew what had happened. I trained. I honed my skills. Years later, I found them. The bandits. And my anger… it consumed me. I killed them all.”
He spoke of the leader, his eyes blazing with a fire that had never died. “I asked him why… why he did it. He just smiled, said it was for fun. It broke me. I made him suffer.”
The silence stretched, thick with unspoken pain. Then, Kai reached into his pocket, pulling out a worn locket. He opened it, revealing a faded photograph of a young family, beaming with happiness.
“This,” he said, his voice cracking, “This is the last thing I have of them.”
Kael, who had been listening with rapt attention, pulled out a locket identical to Kai’s. A picture of the same family, smiling the same way, met his eyes.
“This,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, “This was a good luck charm my parents gave me before I left on an adventure.”
Kai’s gaze met his, a flicker of something akin to understanding passing between them.
“I hate you,” he said, his voice raw with emotion. “It angers me that your family is alive, while mine… mine is gone. But… it also brings me joy. To know that they lived, even if it was in another reality.”
He met Kael’s shocked expression. “Kael,” he said, his voice softer, “Cherish them. Protect them with your life. Don’t ever let them be taken from you.”
Kael, tears streaming down his face, threw his arms around Kai, hugging him tightly. Kai, taken aback for a moment, then returned the embrace, a single arm wrapped around his counterpart.
“My life,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion, “was a tragedy. Anger, sadness, tears, guilt. But yours… yours was perfect. Filled with joy, happiness, laughter. But it won’t always be. Be stronger. Be better. So that… so that you can keep it.”
As the two worlds slowly began to separate, leaving each party hero with their own versions of reality, they knew their lives would forever be intertwined, connected by a shared tragedy and a deep, unexpected empathy. They had faced a common enemy, but it was in their shared vulnerability that they had truly found understanding.
