Balthor's heavy boots echoed against the stone floor as he stepped closer. His broad shoulders were tense, his hands curling into fists at his sides. He looked down at the broken figure of his brother, chained and bleeding, and for a long moment he said nothing.
When he finally spoke, his voice was low, heavy with disappointment. "So this is what you've become, Torwan. A murderer. A coward. Someone who turned his back on our father, on Tharvaldur, on our bloodline." His jaw tightened. "I thought… maybe, beneath all the rumors, there was still something left of the brother I once knew. But I was wrong."
Torwan gave a weak laugh, his lips curling into a sneer despite the pain. "Spare me your dramatics, Balthor. Family? Legacy? Loyalty? All worthless words. I don't care what you think of me."
Balthor's teeth ground together audibly. "You've shamed everything our people stand for. You've shamed me."
