"Here's something we haven't done in awhile Sloan...you, me, no armies between us. Heh, brings back old memories." Jag said in a low growl, though his voice could carry across most of the battlefield.

Sloan snorted. "Yes I remember, how father would always pit us against each other." He managed a smirk. "And how I would always come out on top."

Jag bared his fangs and charged, the scythe atop his head glowing brightly. He whipped it in a slicing motion, the glow transmitting to a Razor Wind attack that made it look like a crescent moon of blazing white energy was rushing for the other Absol.

Sloan easily dodged the attack and let loose his own Razor Wind, the attack smashing harmlessly into the ground to kick up dirt and grass from the minor explosion the force of the attack created.

A resounding clang was heard in the air as the scythe blades met, sparks flying as the two powerful males pressed against the other, trying to bull the other into taking the defensive. But neither would budge, both sets of green eyes glaring at the other's, both trying to get the upper paw. But they were too evenly matched, and they jumped back to release a shadow ball attack.

The two strong hits canceled each other out, but Jag didn't wait, and rushed to make a quick swipe of his claws against Sloan, who had waited until the move cancelled. Three long red lines scored on the Absol's chest, the older male crying out and jumping back while his scythe blazing to release a close range Razor Wind. It connected, and Jag flew back to bounce once, then quickly roll to his paws.

They were both one for one, neither showing signs of tiring. They stood there, scoping out the other to see if their attack had caused any weakening damage; neither was even breathing hard. Tense moments passed before they went back to squaring off, circling slowly, prowling, glaring at the other in hopes of finding a weakness.

This time, Sloan made the first move. His body grew an after-image as he jinked, rushed, and feinted to the left. Jag fell for it, and Sloan quickly made him pay for the mistake, his scythe slicing forward to rip a long line in the Absol's shoulder. The younger male snarled in pain and quickly whipped around, his teeth sinking into the other's leg, using the momentum of Sloan to swing around and throw the other, tearing a good chunk of flesh in the process.

Sloan hit the ground and rolled, standing up and wincing a little whenever he tried to put weight on that leg. Jag wasn't in much better shape, for the scythe had cut deep. Not deep enough to get a muscle tendon, but close. Jag decided to play it smooth, pretending the wound didn't hurt. He set his leg down and schooled his face not to display the pain this caused.

"Heh, looks like I got you good that time, Brother." He said, shifting a little to try and ease some of the pressure off his now bad leg. It didn't help much...

"You don't look like you're doing too well either, Jag." Sloan called out, flexing his leg a little and managing to put some weight on it. "But lets stop holding back huh? Else this will go on forever." He said, immediately rushing the mercenary Absol the moment he'd finished speaking.

Jag braced himself for the hit, but looked up in surprise as Sloan leapt into the air and opened his mouth. A ball of water shot towards the Absol on the ground, the Water Pulse attack ramming the surprised dark type and sending him spinning backwards.

Once more, Jag bounced on the ground and quickly rolled to his paws, skidding the rest of the way with his claws digging up furrows in the dirt. He growled, glaring at his older brother, the scythe atop his head crackling with blue lightning before it shot at the still air-born Sloan.

Sloan was a perfect target, and the Thunderbolt connected easily, shocking him until he fell to the ground with a painful thump where he was left smoking slightly. Jag was already rushing towards the fallen Absol while Sloan was still getting up, his fur slightly frizzed out from the electric attack.

Once more their blade's connected with a resounding *CLANG!* and they went back to the stand-off, both digging their claws into the ground to keep their footing, neither one giving any ground, nor taking it. The battle, though short in length so far, had been taking its toll from each strong hit connecting with the other, neither used to such a savage attack from one source.

Syon was watching all this from the sidelines, his little forepaws wringing each other with anxiousness, blue eyes watching his two fathers battling it out. He didn't know who he wanted to win, the one who had raised him despite all that had happened, or the one who was his actual father and could promise him a normal life for a young Eevee like himself. He just hoped that when one of the two males won...that at least he would be happy. But what if Sloan lost? Would the troops rush in and kill Jag? Would Sloan actually kill his younger brother?

Sloan and Jag were still standing there, dug firmly into the ground and neither budging an inch. Their blades kicked up sparks whenever the two shifted position against the other, though Jag wanted this to happen. His scythe had many nicks and cuts in it, some of them deeper than others, one of which he'd intentionally had put in.

When he heard a faint click from Sloan's blade slipping into that nick, he grinned and wrenched his head to the left. His blade twisted, and caught Sloan's, yanking the other male's head to the side. It was a move Jag had used to kill many Absols, and it wasn't any different this time. Once Sloan's neck was exposed, he quickly yanked out of the grapple and sliced.

Sloan cried out in pain, then went silent as he dropped to the ground, his jugular having been torn open by the younger Absol's pitted scythe. Blood sprayed out from the opening at high pressure as Jag stood there on all four paws, looking down at his brother's fallen corpse. "I won this time, Brother..." He said with a cynical grin.

There was a resounding silence from the assembled troops surrounding the scene, all of them had born witness to the murder of their commander. None moved, all too shocked to do much more than stare, some with mouths agape. They couldn't believe it had happened. One of the greatest warriors that they knew of had been killed by a mercenary!

"Syon!" Jag called, not looking up to the Eevee. "Get over here." He said.

Syon felt his paws move of their own accord, carrying him over to the victorious Absol.

"Look. Your father is dead now. This is what he got for abandoning you." Jag said, growling faintly. "This should have been your kill. But you trusted him, and allowed yourself to become weakened by his lies. I should call you traitor and kill you were you stand..."

Syon looked up with a fearful look at Jag. "W-what..?"

The Absol snorted. "I should...but I won't. It would be a horrible waste of effort to slay you here and now. No...but you will not be allowed to return home with me."

"But...but, Jag..." the Eevee said, whining softly. "You said you fought to take me home..." he mumbled, ears folding back. He was being thrown out?

"I came back for you because I thought they were holding you prisoner. But instead I find out that Sloan wanted you back as his son, and you gave your family up for him. Me, Ruby, Arcanis, everyone...you gave us up for this. The 'better' life." He said with a sneer. "You do not deserve to be a part of the Bloodgrass anymore. If I ever see you back at my home, I [i]will[/i] kill you."

With that, the victorious Absol turned, and headed home, the soldiers baring his way immediately stepping to the side to let the slightly limping Jag pass and disappear into the forest. Syon was left with Sloan, the Eevee looking down at the blank face of the Absol, at the blood pooling on the ground below him.

A deep seeded sadness began to bloom in his small chest, the young Eevee realizing that now he was completely alone in the world. His father dead, his home calling him traitor...no one would accept him anymore. He hung his head and shuddered, but nothing came out. One would expect tears to be poring from the Eevee's eyes, but nothing would slide free, all he could feel was sadness and...something else. An inner rage that blossomed like a lotus flower.

A voice in his head spoke out in a whisper 'Let it go boy...let me take over' and he let it. He felt like he was suspended in the air, floating in a sense...all the pain he had felt a moment ago was gone, replaced with anger and hate. It gave him strength, the power flowing through his young, small body to put energy in his limbs.

His paws turned him around, and set him off at a run into the forest, after the Absol that had killed his father. Once more his eyes were nothing but a blazing red, the pupils gone and the red color glowing a faint bit, allowing him to see in the slowly darkening woods. He ran as if he knew the way, catching swiftly up to Jag, who turned around and whipped off a Razor Wind straight at where Syon was a moment ago.

"I told you not to follow me!" he shouted, then snorted. "Hmph...couldn't even withstand one hit."

But then he got a surprise as a small blur shot past his side, ripping open the white fur in a long, jagged series of lines from small but sharp claws. He cried out in pain and dropped onto his side, looking up to see the Eevee rebound off of a tree and land on the ground in front of the Absol. Syon looked nothing like he had before; his fur was a deep black color with his mane and tail-tip being a dull, bloody red hue, wet, as if it had recently been soaked in blood.

His eyes blazed angrily at Jag, unusually long fangs bared at the fallen Absol. The male's eyes widened, he had never seen anything like this before. "Syon...what...what are you?!" He shouted, quickly struggling to his paws.

The Eevee before him grinned darkly, and spoke in a voice that was anything but Syon's. "Syon isn't here. I'm in control now." Came the sinister voice.

Jag took a hesitant step back. "What? But..." He growled and released another Razor Wind attack towards the Eevee, who merely laughed and vanished, leaving the laugh echoing in the suddenly strangely dark forest. It was as if Jag had been teleported into a nightmare; the trees were nothing but dark black outlines with a blood red light illuminating everything.

"The boy has given himself to me, for now. You should have forgiven him, but now you will know the price of your crime." Said the voice, that echoed throughout the entire forest.

"He chose his fate!" Jag shouted, releasing a Thunderbolt into the darkness from where he thought the voice had come from, then whipping around and firing off another one as another laugh resounded from behind him. "Show yourself you coward!" he yelled, his voice becoming slightly shrill with fear.

"Very well..." Came the voice, the Eevee suddenly leaping out into the open with a feral smile. "Surpise!" it shouted.

A scream of horror and agony echoed through the forest, before all went silent once again.Chapter End Notes:-------------------------------------------

Phew! Alright kiddies, that's all for now until I figure out where it's going next. Sorry I didn't upload these earlier. Technical difficulties.

*Holds up a router broken in half*

But yes...glad to see more reviews, finally! Thank you all who reviewed for your comments, it was quite the confidence booster