Rylzeana's Pov

"Being loved can be a beautiful beginning, but the journey lies in making it an everlasting story."

These words among a few are cherished most by all my family members. Being both orphans and having raised themselves in hard times to prestige, our parents were deeply acquainted with the significance of a loving household. Naturally, these values were passed on to all four of us siblings. Yet whatever was imbibed was surely far away from the idea of it which floated in my circle.

Growing up, I came to realize just how much contrast there could be between reality and social fantasies. Being the youngest in an affluent family, I couldn't remain a stranger for long, before off-handed remarks started to follow me wherever I was.

'Oh my gosh! Being from Wazenzilch family and having three older brothers on top of that...how envious."

"Huh! What are you whining for , because of a little scratch? You must get pampered so much if you develop as much as a cold, brat."

"Oh. Stop with your wallowing already. What does it matter if you are alone in house. You probably have million different rich-people contraptions to cajoule yourself. Look at my clothes. They are already two month old and yet my old man can't even bother to bring new ones. I bet you never have to wear a cloth twice."

I couldn't bother to tell them at the time that the clothes I had worn were a year old. I couldn't bother to clarify and assuage them that wasn't the case. 

I couldn't care, for I knew even if I did, they would set their eyes instead on my family's reputation and have me convinced that I was far more lucky than anyone for having elder brothers who all were charged with protecting the city. 

All that would have changed is their assumption, and iron conviction of my safety privilege, which negates any right of mine to ever cry or sigh.

But I had long placated myself of these worries. My mother, always wise in her years, knew just well about the kind of social mud one expects to get their shoes sunk in , on stepping outside of home. So she had given me one simple advice that I always reiterated to myself . 

"Never be upset by what others think you are having or desire what others feel you lack."

So I kept my heart strong, averse to any remarks and fortunately, it was made easy by my loving brothers. I was certainly not as pampered or cared as much as they thought but however I had been, was enough to treasure our bond like no other in world. The exaggeration of such a bond being tied to materialistic things all seemed to envy me for, was like a blemish on sacred relation I wasn't willing to accept.

For as far as I could remember, they always used to take their time out for me, keep a watch out for any danger and participative actively in the weird games my little brain used to conjure at that time. Their constant sitting by my side as I used to chatter idly without anything to rant on

In the winter of 2014 when I turned seven, it all soon changed in an instant. In wake of rising number of supernatural threats in the city of Mezina, a conscription policy was brought by state government. Earlier, only people who were naturally were born with powers itself were given preferences and that too on based on their voluntary choice. 

People trained through artificial means in lab had a marginal share in superhero association i.e. Integritas  Rei Publicae Protectorum (IRPP) but from  on, it started to grow further each year until they constituted 50 percent. My brothers who were born with potential were thus naturally called upon to serve the state. By sheer discipline and training, they soon rose to ranks within association and became a formidable trio which had no parallel.

It was hard to adjust myself to sudden absence of three parts of my heart but I knew it couldn't be helped. Keeping up a thick head had never been approach in life. Plus, they used to visit me turn by turn whenever they could, at least for the next three years. Subsequent to my twelfth birthday , it was hard to even recall their rooms which laid there like a dead empty log, unsuited for even burning. They seldom came for dinner and even when they did, they were gone by the morning before I could even wish them good morning.

I held on. For what heart could I ask of then any time, when I knew they had none? Putting them in state's defiance and in danger was a kind of selfishness I couldn't step down in. If they were striving so hard to protect each one of us, by toiling in sweat and blood long hours, then I could surely keep my expectations at bay, as a small token of respect for their selflessness.

But I was ignorant. Like an ignorant little fool, I was weaving magical dreams of the day when they would come to realize their other responsibilities and come back to me. That the day would come when I could finally escape from the same old memories which yet burned like the everlasting flames in my mind, as an imperfect substitute to forget the emptiness that was my sole companion now. The day would come when I could once again carve new ones with my loving and endearing brothers.

But it didn't. 

The threat so spoken as an excuse , had dwindled much long ago. Since past two years, the state had given extended leave to its recruits whenever they desired, reverting back to old mechanism but my brothers were the busiest people in the world.

Oh yes , they were far too busy!

Far too busy in gloating about their past victories in front of reporters.

Far too busy catering to stupid internet trends and making girls fawn for them.

Far too busy to give a damn about their vain little naïve sister certainly. 

But now as I approached my seventeenth birthday, I could see lucidly the state my brothers had painted so vividly in eclipse. The curtain had been pulled up and the path to bring them back to where they should have been, was more than clear in my mind. So when my mother, the only person who had stayed by my side without the lies, asked, "Hey sweetie, make your wish."

I felt guilty for first time as I lied to her face by the nod. I simply proceeded to cut the cake , the echoing sounds of my mother clapping and the silence of my brothers who had bailed out by a simple text. 

I couldn't listen to the pathetic excuses she read aloud , of my brother's. In my eyes, the path ahead was already gleaming brightly just like the stars in night sky to follow. I didn't need to wish any longer or wait so humbly for a charity from my own kin.

I knew just the right way to put sense into those numbskulls. Unlike me, they read the book so faithfully each day still yet they also couldn't keep away from indulging in worst sin of all, the pride. The very same sin in whose arms even God's favorite son Lucifer had fallen from beautiful angel to a mere temptress of evil to humanity which he had abhorred so deeply from heart.

If they couldn't bother to come home, I will make sure to send them home, whether by hook or crook. My eclipse was finally over and theirs had been long due. So how could I not give it to them in full, being the sole pampered empress that common masses already envisioned me to be?

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