Abel cried for the first time in years. He was awoken in the middle of the night to the cries of the castle guards as they ran through the halls. Shortly after the cries died down, his door was thrown open as two guards rushed in. Once they saw, him they gave audible sighs of relief. They called out into the hall and a familiar figure entered the room. She was a middle aged women with black hair, and her usually kind face was stained with tears. “Marie,” Abel asked, “what’s happening?”

She ran and embraced him while sobbing, “Thank God you’re okay, I was so worried.” Abel hugged her back and repeated his question. She let go of him and looked into his eyes. “I’m so sorry my boy,” she gasped, “Your father was murdered by an intruder, we weren’t sure if you were alive because he escaped.” She put him back in her embrace, and he felt the tears stream down his face.

The next morning bells tolled throughout the city, and in agreement to their proud reverberations, they represented the passing of a great man. That man was Duke Gerald, ruler of White City, one of the two cities in the Twins. The other city being Red City. The Twins are identical in their construction, built on opposite sides of the national road and terraced upwards. The slums can be found at the bottom, the common area and marketplace found in the center, and the nobility and castle at the top.  Duke Gerald made peace with the ruling family of Red City, which long ago ruled both White and Red City. The idea behind the construction of the Twins was that they would stop enemies from marching down the national road and towards the capital. Another deed that testifies to his noble character was the law he passed which allowed all races to reside inside the city. This meant humans, elves, dwarves, and all other sentient beings. Few cities had done this before and it won him the respect of the common folk. Now that he was gone there was much unrest in the non-human communities, because few people shared the old Duke’s thoughts about equality of the races.

Later in the day Marie brought troubling news to Abel. “We found something that the assassin must have dropped as he escaped.” She showed him a metal pin that was shaped in Red Cities emblem.

Abel stared in disbelief. “Red City? But that would mean Cain is involved.” Marie looked at him sadly and Abel felt something rising in his chest. He stormed from the room and called for a messenger, “Send word to Red City, I demand a meeting with Cain.” The messenger ran to the stables and departed soon after. Cain… Abel recalled when they frequently played together as children, their fathers had been close friends. Cain’s father was the late Duke of Red City, meaning that Cain was now the Duke. The messenger came back five hours later and gave word that the meeting would be tomorrow at noon, in Red City.

The day crept slowly to night, and the night slowly to day before the promised moment had arrived. At noon Abel entered Cain’s study and without a word dropped the pin on his desk. Cain looked at it, his normally calm face puzzled. “What’s this?”

“Don’t feign ignorance, I’m not here for pleasantries, murderer.” Abel said with scorn.

Cain stood up and his face darkened. “I understand you’re grieving, but you go too far. Leave and come back at a later date when your head is clear.” Abel stared at him, his eyes burning, his muscles tense, and then suddenly relaxed. The tension in the air lessened. Cain dropped his guard and rested his hand on Abel’s shoulder. “Get some rest, you’re not well,” Cain said with a look of sympathy, “I will-,” His voice stopped as his breath left him. He looked down to see the dagger Abel rammed into Cain’s stomach. Distracted, he didn’t notice when Abel pulled the steel from its sheath a second before. Cain feebly grabbed at Abel but only grasped air and fell to the floor as Abel let go of the blade. Abel took a final look at his former friend and walked from the room. He told the guards that Cain wished to be left alone for awhile and left Red City without a single alarm raised.

Later in the day Cain’s body was found, and Red City sent many messengers demanding to know what happened. They received only silence. The whole time the Red’s were confused and disoriented, White City was organizing its forces, and soon began marching on Red City. Abel would use the confusion to his advantage and lay siege to Red City. Or so he had planned, but they were more organized than he anticipated. In Red City they served mandatory service terms in the military, for every resident. With their defenses bolstered by men and women of every race the battle was drawn out. But Abel was determined to win, no matter the cost. For the revenge of their beloved Duke, the white forces fought with fervor. Each loss strengthening their resolve. After a month of battling with the crazed soldiers, the Red’s defense finally crumbled. At the end there was no proud bells tolling, nor joyous fanfare. After the bloodlust passed, there was only the cries of scavengers as they circled the road that was once paved with stone. Now it was paved with blood and marrow. But instead of seeing the battlefield as a travesty, Abel only saw victory. He avenged his father. But his false victory was short lived, for on the following day the now common shrieks of crows was interrupted by marching. A large number of soldiers were spotted, coming towards the Twins. Abel felt his stomach sink when he saw them on the horizon. Doubts began to fill his mind as he remembered the night before he commited his crime. Marie coming into his room, holding him, whispering about how Cain was greedy and jealous of Abel’s father. He thought of the pin Marie showed him, had he seen anyone wear one in Red City before? He sent guards to bring Marie to him, but she was gone. She was last seen heading in the direction of the incoming enemy. Abel fell to the ground, thinking of the ruin he brought to the city. He was blinded by grief and rage, and betrayed his old friend after being betrayed himself. His vision grew dim, and the ground rushed to meet him. When he awoke he was clasped in iron. The Twins must have been taken over by the enemy forces who deceived him, leaving the capital open to attack. Abel rested his head in his hands and cried for the second time in a long time.