BXBX NOVEL Chapter 600 Meeting The Brother
Keng followed Akali into the faded brick building. What was once red, was now a solemn color. Akali opened the door and waited for him to walk through. Keng stepped into the warm room. Despite it's outwardly appearance, the faded brick building was well taken care of. The inside was a pristine lobby that spoke of humble beginnings. It still managed to reflect that well.
Akali moved past him and towards the stairs to the side. Keng climbed the stairs, following Akali up to the last floor. Neutral colored trims and wallpaper moved throughout the hallway as Keng and Akali made their way to the sixth door on the left. Akali stopped and raised her hand to the scanner.
The door clicked, unlocking as Akali pushed through. She steeled the emotions inside of her, leaving the door open for Keng to step in. It was warmer in here than it was in the hallway as Keng closed the door behind him. He could hear the TV going as Keng slipped his shoes off like Akali had done. Akali made a beeline for the cracked door with lights flashing.
"Akio." Akali called out to her brother in Japanese. The door opened wide, revealing the darkened room. Akio's back rested against the headboard as he clutched at the throbbing black thing attached to his side. He groaned as he acknowledged his sister with a nod. "Are you doing okay?" Keng slowly came to a stop before Akio could see him. He wondered if he should show his true form or not.
"I'm fine…" Akio lied. Akali took a look at the wound and sighed.
"You're not fine. It's getting worse." She whispered. Her eyes went over to the open door. "Come in."
"Y-you brought someone here?" Akio stuttered looking at the door.
"Steel your resolve. Looks can be deceiving."
"W-what—" "Lee Seng" stepped into view. His backpack strapped to his back with his winter coat and school uniform on. Akio began to squirm as Akali tried to stop him. He groaned in pain.
"Lee Seng, w-what're you doing here?" Akio asked in Japanese. Keng sighed and took off the backpack and set it outside the door.
"Should I…?" Keng asked in Japanese. Akali narrowed her eyes at that. She should've assumed he probably knew the same languages as Lee Seng, but it was strange to her brother's doppelgänger in front of her still.
"Come in." Akali motioned with her head. Keng nodded and stood at the foot of the bed, in front of the TV. Akali turned to look at Keng, confusing Akio more.
"W-what? They found our little brother already?" Akio asked. Keng shook his head.
"I'm not your brother." Keng's form shimmered and Akio squirmed more. He groaned as he watched with large eyes like Akali as Keng shifted into a small Fox.
'This would be the best way to trigger his memory of me.' Keng thought. The "Lee Seng" that was in front of them was gone. A small white Fox hopped onto the bed and Akio looked at Akali. She was just as surprised as him.
"W-what's going on? W-who is that, Kali?" Akio asked. Akali let out a heavy sigh. It seemed she had held her breath.
"Do you remember me? The little Fox with your brother, Lee Seng?" Keng asked Akio. Akio studied the small Fox for some time.
"I… I don't really…" Akio reeled for quite some time before shaking his head no. He didn't have the best memory when it came to things like this. "No, I don't. Have we really met before? W-why are you like my brother? What happened to Lee Seng?!?" Akio's fist hit the bed and Keng turned. He jumped off the bed shifting into his own humanoid form. Five tails sprouted from his back as Fox ears rested on top of his head. He turned and revealed the slight differences in him and Lee Seng.
"'Kali what's the meaning of this?" Akio asked. He looked at her for an answer but it seemed like she was taking in Keng.
"So you do have five tails…" Akali whispered. "You weren't lying."
"If I lied to you, you would've killed me." Keng answered, turning to face them fully. He nervously stuck his hand into his school jacket pocket as his tails nervously swayed around.
"W-what's going on? Someone fill me in." Akio asked in English. He looked over at the stranger who looked slightly different from Lee Seng. He would've never guessed it right unlike his sister.
"My name's Keng." Keng introduced himself in English. "I'm the reason why Lee Seng got powers. I'm the reason why he looks like a Fox. Well, a Fox Spirit to be precise. Unfortunately, some things happened and I was forced to be away from Lee Seng… I'm back only to find him before our ill-fate of a curse takes over."
"Curse? You didn't tell me this in the car." Akali stood up.
"What?" Akio looked between them. His sister was on edge in front of this mysterious stranger named Keng.
'Keng… I've heard that name before.' Akio thought. Keng sighed and nodded.
"What's the curse?" Akali asked. "Why does it involve you two?"
"I wanted to wait until you two were here so I could tell you." Keng told her. "The summary of all of this is that my father, a god, made a deal with your brother, Lee Seng. He would give him power in return for bringing me to life. I shortened it more for you, Akali, but I guess I should've just said the whole thing as it was…"
"A god? What?" Akali stuttered. She moved forward but Akio grabbed her arm. "What? Doesn't that seem ludicrous to you? I shouldn't have trusted you! You're just some weird dude on drugs!"
"It's the truth. My father is the god of… Another Realm. Daros. God King Dathros really did put me into Lee Seng after he consented to you. It's why he got more powers even though he already did have one."
"What?" Akio looked at Keng. "W-what do you mean by that?" Keng sighed and adjusted just stance.
"Lee Seng always had a power. It just couldn't do anything or be read because it had already done its job. His immense strength, speed, intellect, healing was because of it. It sapped all of his Dark Matter to give him that." Keng explained. "Where did he get this from? The Protocol serum."
The two twins tensed up at that. A light dagger appeared in Akali's hand and the shadows seemed to bend at the mention of that.
"How do you know about that?" Akio asked.
"I came from Lee Seng. Of course, I would know everything. I watched all of his memories. The time you two trained him constantly for hours on end because he wanted to learn martial arts."
"Anyone could've known that." Akio interrupted. "If you really know everything then tell me something he wouldn't have told us."
"You'd just think I'm lying." Keng replied.
"Then tell us about what happened four years ago on Winter… If you know then you should be able to tell us." Akali adjusted the requirement. Keng sighed. He had gotten the sister to not kill him in the car at the point of him healing himself and now he was back at square one.
"Four years ago? Winter?" Keng looked up. It was a risky play but the Fox Spirit had an odd trust with these two that stemmed from Lee Seng. Even if he knew better, he shouldn't have done it in the first place. Keng's face shifted into something much darker. He looked at Akali. "Y-you want me to—" He shook his head and took a step back. "I shouldn't."
"What do you mean?" Akio asked. "What happened four years ago? Kali." He tugged his sisters arm. She didn't look at him. She steeled her emotions.
'This is the only way I'll know for sure. Akio doesn't know about this.' Akali thought.
"Tell me what happened that Winter's day. What happened to Lee Seng that day." Akali ordered.
"I-I can't… H-he said—" Keng flinched as a light dagger landed into the wall behind him. It barely missed the TV as it continued to play an ad.
"Do it." Akali demanded. Keng gulped and nodded. He scratched his neck, trying to pull the collar away. It was getting uncomfortable being tied to all of this clothing. He loosened the tie and pulled the coat off and hugged it. Keng's eyes raced from left to right as he avoided looking at Akio and Akali.
"What happened?" Akio asked Akali. She didn't look at Akio as she answered him.
"He'll tell you if he truly knows." Akali motioned.
"Just…" Keng looked up at Akio. Akio looked at him with confusion and longing to know. It hurt him even more that he would be the one to share this secret with Akio. "Just listen until the end, okay?" Keng's pained face waited for Akio to answer. Akio slowly nodded in with a confused look attached to him. "Okay… Four years ago…"