Skies of Blood

Chapter 9

Almost immediately after the door was slammed shut, Tobias began shaking. "Lysander! She could report us now! The Cyclonians! They're going to kill us!"

Lysander shook his head. "No... Rhea wouldn't do that... She wouldn't report us to the Cyclonians. She hates them."

"No, but she could tell Lynn, or her father," he argued. "Which might as well be telling the Cyclonians."

That made Soren and Lysander straighten. Lynn and her father were known to be compliers for the Cyclonians, reporting others who had broken the Cyclonian's ridiculous set of rules. They were well paid for this information, making them one of the only families on the terra that didn't have a problem with money. Rhea was always known as denouncing this practice and had numerous fights with the rest of the family.

The blond studied Tobias's face for a few moment. His friend was panicking, and looked to be on the verge of hyperventilation. "Tobias... Calm down.... You just need to calm down."

"How could I possible calm down? Rhea... She might not report all of us, but... If she wanted revenge... She'd... She'd report me! I'm the only one who has acted on my own, so if she wanted to scare you into showing she was serious..." He paled, swaying slightly on his feet. "They'd lock me up with my father! Or worse! They'd just kill me on the spot! I-I-I..."

Soren's eyes widened slightly, and he jumped forward to catch Tobias when his knees gave out. His thin frame was shaking in his arms as the hyperventilation began. He crouched down, still holding his friend in his arms. "Shh... Tobias... It's goin' ta be a'right... Jus' calm down... Nothin's goin' ta happen..." When he didn't rely of calm down, the larger man looked over to Kael, who was still just staring at the ground, guilt written all over his face. "Lad, fetch me the flask I keep in the drawer."

It took him a moment to comprehend, but he nodded, opening a small draw in the counter. After rummaging though it, he withdrew a small metal flask and handed it to Soren. Lysander was crouched beside them now, trying to calm his friend down, rubbing his back soothingly.

"Shh... Drink this, Tobias... It'll make ya feel better..." He uncorked the flask, holding it up to his friend's lips.

Tobias took a few gulps, his nose wrinkling in disgust, but it seemed to calm him down, his breathing returning to normal.

Lysander took the flask and gave it a quick whiff, blinking in surprise at how concentrated the scent of alcohol was. He looked over at Soren, his brow quirked.

He looked away and shrugged. "It's somethin' I need sometimes... Haven't you ever had a drink before?" When Lysander shook his head he gave an amused snort. "'Course you haven't..." He stood up, bringing Tobias with him. The latter was silent, his eyes unfocused. Soren let out a small sigh. "Lysander, take 'im home, would you?"

Lysander nodded. "Of course... Come on, Tobias..." He gently tugged on his friend's arm, snapping him back into reality. Silently, he followed Lysander out of the house, staring at the ground, just trusting his friend to lead him.

Soren watched them go before turning his gaze to Kael, who had lapsed back into his uncharacteristic silence. "C'mon Kael, don't be like that..."

Kael looked up at him, flushing slightly. "This is all my fault... I let Rhea trick me... Now if something happens to Tobias..."

"Nothin's goin' ta happen to Tobias... Rhea hates the Cyclonians, and her family, too much to turn 'im in... She's goin' ta blow off some steam, then forget all this happened... He's worryin' too much. He always does..."

He nodded. "Yeah... I guess so... I should make him some raisin bread. That always makes me feel better..." He lit up at that. "Yeah! That's what I'll do!"

Soren smiled slightly, amused. "You do that, lad. I bet he'll appreciate it."

Nodding, Kael went back to sitting on the stool, resting his elbows on the table. "Soren... How come I'm allowed to fight the Cyclonians, but Rhea isn't?"

"Well for one, yer two years older. Then there's the fact that yer family doesn't turn people in ta the Cyclonians."

"But... You said yourself that you think I'm... immature." He glanced at the ground for a moment. "Am I really?"

He smiled at him. "Kael, do you really not know the answer to that?"

Kael frowned slightly, spinning around on his stool as he thought. "Guess I never really thought about it... I'm just... me." He was quiet for a moment before asking. "So if that's true, why is it okay for me to fight?"

"Personally... When Lysander brought it up... I thought it was a bad idea," Soren admitted.

He looked down. "Oh..."

"But-" He looked up when he continued. "I think... That this could be good for you... Because, no one has ever let you grow up before, so I think that this'll be a good experience for you... If you want it, that is. We're not forcin' ya ta do anythin'."

"What do you mean that no one's ever let me grow up before?" Kael blinked, confused.

Soren stared into his wide child-like eyes and sighed. "You wouldn't understand... You couldn't understand..."

He frowned, his brow furrowing. "People say that to me a lot."

He sighed. "I know, Kael... I know... One day, you'll understand, and you'll understand why people don't want you to understand."

His look of frustration vanished as he nodded. "Okay, Soren. I believe you." He smiled. "You know a lot more about how these things work than I do."

Soren smiled, a bit amused by his naivety, and yet worried at the same time. He had known Kael for twelve years now. He knew him well enough to know that the boy would follow him blindly. That meant he had to choose the path not only to be the best for himself, but the best for Kael as well. He suddenly found himself filling with doubt. Fighting the Cyclonians... It was something he wanted to do. Something he needed to do to avenge his family; to avenge the entire terra... But Kael... He had no need for vengeance. No need for anything really. He was perfectly content with his life... Of course, that was probably because he knew no other... So was this the right choice for Kael?

"Soren? How come you're looking at me like that?"

Or maybe he just had to let Kael make his own choices... But it wasn't like he told him to follow him blindly... He just did so on his own...

"Helllooooooo, Atmos to Soren, are you still there?"

Soren blinked, looking over at Kael. "I'm jus' thinkin' lad. No need to shout."

"Oh right, sorry..." He looked at the older man curiously, as if trying to fathom his thoughts. When that didn't work, he took the flask in his hands, turning it over and over in his hands.

"Put that down, lad. Yer not goin' ta need that any time soon."

"Yes, Soren," he replied, doing as he was instructed. He eyed the offending flask for a moment before looking back at Soren. "Is Tobias going to be okay?"

"Course he is... He just worries too much," Soren replied. "Puts himself into a panic, is all... Lysander'll calm him down... He always does."

Kael nodded contently. "Good... I wouldn't want him to be upset... I hate it when people are upset..."

He smiled slightly, amused. "I know Kael... I know..." He turned to stare out his small window, his smile fading as he noted the position of the sun. "You should really be goin'... It's gettin' near curfew."

He looked disappointed. "Awww... Do I have to?" Nevertheless, he got up and headed toward the door. "Bye Soren! See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah... See you, lad..." His eyes followed him out the door, then turned to the flask on the table. Picking it up, he allowed himself a swig, trying to calm down the torrent of thoughts swirling through his mind. "Kael's goin' ta be fine... Don't worry so much..." He snorted. "I'm startin' ta worry as much as Tobias... That's not healthy..." He took another pull from his flask before corking it again. "Then again, neither is this..."


Lysander walked in front of his friend, holding onto Tobias's arm as if it were a leash, gently leading him towards home. It made him feel uncomfortable, the silentness of his friend. He looked back at him, the worry clear in his expression. "Tobias..." He felt the urgent need to use words, to express the feelings of anxiety that rested in his chest, but found that he had none to utilize.

This wasn't the Tobias he knew seven years ago... He look so nervous, so fragile... Was it really possible for someone to change so much? He stared into his friend's dull gray eyes and pale freckled face, starting to feel a nagging doubt in his mind. Could he really ask his friend to do this? To risk his life, when he was so obviously terrified to do so?

"Tobias," he began again. "You... You don't have to do this... If you're too afraid..."

Tobias didn't reply, refusing to meet his friend's gaze, instead staring intently at the ground. It wasn't until he reached the door to the house he shared with his mother that he spoke. His voice was so quiet, that Lysander had to lean in close to hear him. "Do you think me to be a coward?"

"Of course not!" he was quick to assure him. "It's perfectly natural to be afraid."

"Don't lie to me, Lysander. Deceit doesn't suit you." He finally looked up to meet his friend's blue-eyed gaze. "You don't think I'll be able to fight when the time comes, do you?" When Lysander hesitated, he laughed bitterly. "That's okay... I don't think I'll be able to do it either. In fact, the only one who has a shred of confidence in my is my father... And what does he know? He's been spending the last seven years ignoring my existence..."

"You know that's not true," Lysander protested. "Tobias... If you keep talking like this, you won't be able to fight when the time comes. You just need to relax and stop worrying about everything... You're stronger than this. I know you are."

"Am I?" Tobias asked quietly. "I've been afraid for seven years. Does that make me strong?"

"Everyone has been afraid... Even I have... You just have to..." he trailed off, unable to find the right words. How could he explain to his friend that even if he was afraid, he didn't need to be paralyzed by it? It wasn't something he could just tell someone and have them instantly believe it. No, it was something Tobias would need to learn on his own. "Sneaking out at night to visit your father... That took some courage, Tobias. It's not something everyone could do."

"That wasn't brave... I was terrified the entire time... Terrified of getting caught; of getting my father killed..."

"But that didn't stop you from acting," he argued. "And that's what's important. Don't you understand? You're not as afraid as you think!" When Tobias began shaking his head, he let out an impatient sigh. "What do you want, Tobias?" he demanded harshly. "Do you want me to stand here and tell you that you're a coward? That I don't think that you can fight?" His friend flinched at his irritated tone, but he kept going with it. "But I won't, and do you know why? Because you told me not to lie!" When Tobias went back to staring at the ground, he took his friend's shoulders in his hands, giving him a shake. "You need to stop pitying yourself, Tobias. It really doesn't suit you."

That made him look up. "Lysander... I'm... I'm sorry... I... I don't mean to be this way. I don't want to be this way! I don't want to be afraid all the time! I just... I just am, okay?"

"It's okay," Lysander replied soothingly. "I know it's not your fault..." His friend looked upset, but he wasn't entirely sure what else he could say. Right now, he looked more tired than anything else... "Come on, let's get inside... You need some sleep. That's probably part of what you're feeling right now; exhaustion."

Tobias nodded wearily, allowing Lysander to lead him inside to his room. He sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I can't sleep now... I need to make dinner for Mother..."

But Lysander shook his head. "No, let me do it. You need your rest right now."

A tiny hint of amusement shone through his features. "Lysander, we both know that you can't cook to save your life."

He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I was actually just going to go home and bring back whatever my mother cooked."

Tobias bent down, pulling off his boots, smiling slightly. "I guess that would be okay then... As long as your mother doesn't mind..."

"You know that she won't," he reminded him gently.

"No, I suppose not..." He yawned before laying down, pulling his blankets roughly around himself. "Thank you, Lysander.... You're a real friend."

Lysander smiled softly as he watched Tobias's eyes slide shut. "Anytime..." Backing out of the room, he left the house, heading back toward his own. If he hurried, he would have plenty of time to deliver the meal and return home before curfew...

He was about halfway to his home when he spotted a figure moving determinedly toward him. He took a step backwards as he recognized Lynn; Rhea's sister and Cyclonian sympathizer. He couldn't even begin to hide the sneer of disgust that formed on his lips as she ran up to him.

She hardly seemed to notice as she ran a hand through her black hair nervously. "Lysander... I know that you hate me and my father, but..." Her magenta eyes darted around for a few moments to make sure the area was clear of others before she continued. "Rhea's missing. And I think... I think she's about to do something dangerous."

A/N For anyone who reads this story and likes it, there's a poll/ announcement on my profile that might interest you...