Chapter 14

The voice had been inhuman, strained and stretched and hoarse from misuse.

But it had answered. Just two simple words had Kratos' mind wheeling out of control. He reeled, shooting up out his sitting position.

"Lloyd?"

The honey coloured eyes blinked passively.

"Yes."

"Your name is Lloyd." He stated.

"Yes."

It was like a blow to the gut, one that left Kratos sliding down the cold stone wall in defeat.

"Lloyd."

There was no answer this time, the honey eyed boy simply cocked his head to the side, as if he couldn't believe that this strange man who had been placed in his cell, was stupid enough to ask the question again.

Silence reigned, it was long and uncomfortable.

"How long have you been down here?"

The boy shrugged, hissing as he did so. Was he in pain? Kratos thought, frowning at the condition of his body.

"Not too long. A year maybe. Maybe I'll be moved soon. I don't like it here." His voice was monotonous, lacking any rise or fall of emotion.

Kratos' heart wrenched. "And how long have you been in a desian camp?"

Again the boy blinked, the small amount of light that seeped through the bottom of the door reflected off his eyes like glass. They were dull and lifeless.

"Always. How did you know my name? I haven't been called that in a long time."

"You look like someone I know..." Kratos sighed.

"I've never seen you before."

Kratos nodded, heaving a great sigh. What had he done to deserve all this confusion?

He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the cool wall to settle the headache that was forming. When he righted himself again, he was greeted with a gleam in those eyes, one that unsettled him. It was one of triumph, the first sign of emotion he had seen, besides the brief shock before.

"So." The boy chuckled, the motion sent him into a hacking cough. He recovered quickly enough. "He made it out then..."

"Who?" He leaned forward, wondering if this boy, this half dead boy held some answers. "Who made it out?"

But the boy only chuckled, and shuffled back into his corner. "I'm tired. They come for me tomorrow, I need sleep."

"No – answer me! What's going on here?"

His only answer was a contented sigh.

--

Lloyd was frantic, almost.

He managed to stay relatively calm, backed into a corner, like a mouse cornered by two cats. They had locked the window, snipping it shut before rounding on him. They; the doctor and her secretary. The doctor smiled sardonically, slipping her pruned hand into a pocket and slowly stepping forward.

"I see you managed to shake off the Desians. Well done child – I hope you're not hurt?" The old doctor cooed, sickly sweet. "You don't look too hurt – but would you like me to look at your leg for you? You don't want it to get infected." She held out her hand, smiling, beckoning him to take it.

'She thinks I'm a complete fool.' He thought, stiffening against the wall. "Don't come near me." He hissed.

She took a step back, mocking hurt. "Child – I'm a doctor – there's no need to fear."

Snorting, Lloyd edged himself out of the corner, noticing how her eyes tracked his every movement. He forced himself to relax, nodding his head as if in defeat.

"It does hurt I guess..." He risked a glance at the appendage, blood soaked his trousers, he'd torn the skin while he ran from the desians.

"Why don't you let me put something on it – it'll stop the pain."

He nodded. 'I just need to get some space.' He feigned a limp, dragging the leg across the ground. It didn't really hurt; he supposed he was too worked up to notice it.

"That's right child, jump up here on the bench, I'll just give you a small injection to help..." She watched him haul himself onto the bed, backing slowly to where she kept her medical syringes.

Lloyd only had to wait for a moment, just until she turned her back.

'There!' She turned her eyes away for a second, and Lloyd took the moment to act.

He was up off the table in a moment, swinging his leg around the other side. The doctor swung around again, crying in anger as the table became a shield between the both of them. He wasted no time, throwing himself to the now closed window, she'd latched it shut, and he spent a moment fiddling with the clasp before he could throw it open. Both of the women were on him however, he felt their hands grab his shoulders and pull him back.

"No!" He cried.

The armour boy before him fell to the ground, his neck snapped, dead. Around him were corpses, and half the number of boys stood, victorious. But what was wrong? Why had no one called for the exercise to finish?

Oh. The last one standing was the winner. The last one standing was to survive. Without hesitation, he turned to the child next to him, turned to the next warrior, the next soldier, grappled his head, and snapped his neck.

One down – a room full to go.

Whatever had happened in the moments that followed was lost to him, some feral instinct took over and he was thrown into a void in his mind where it was safe and he was free from capture. It was brief, for he awoke from his stupor moments later – and blinked at the carnage.

The two women were dead, if they were not – they would be soon. He'd found his hunting knife in his daze, it was lodged in the stomach of the secretary, when he had pulled it out of his belt he did not know. The doctor was several feet away, her eyes still open, grey glass orbs observing the room with a deathly stare. He head lolled on her shoulder, she was propped against a wall, staring silently at something only she could see.

Surprisingly, the sight didn't sicken him, and he checked they necks for any sign of life. They were both broken, both undoubtedly dead.

'That's one less problem.' He thought, retrieving his knife and wiping it across the doctor's white uniform. She stared at him accusingly, but he only shook his head and sighed.

"Look at me like that all you want." He said. "You brought it on yourself."

He took the time to raid the cupboard, taking his choice of bandages and gauze. His leg still bled.

Using the door, he left the building, heading for his hiding place under the bridge to retrieve his things.

It was still dark, but the first signs of light were on the horizon.

He sat a moment, thinking of what to do – there were desians still about, so staying in the town wasn't such a good idea – soon the city would bustle with life, and the two dead bodies he'd left would be found.

Slinging his pack to his back, he headed off, hoping to run into a certain blonde haired boy as he fled the city.

-

Kratos opened his eyes, it was morning – although the constant darkness of the room wouldn't indicate any time had passed at all. Having lived over four thousand years, he was very much in tuned with the passing of time.

The boy across the room stirred, groaning as he brought himself to life. He turned over; blinking owlishly at his cell mate, as if he couldn't believe that there was someone else in the room.

"Wasn't dreaming then." He said, pushing himself up into a sitting position. His joints cracked, and Kratos was reminded of trying to move a very ill-oiled hinge.

"No, you weren't." The mercenary offered.

They sat in silence for a few moments, broken only by the laboured breathing.

"Your name is Kratos." The boy coughed, shifting to make himself comfortable.

"It is."

"They've never put me with someone before."

"Do they not work you with the other humans?" He asked, curious.

Something glinted in those honey eyes, a smirk. "No. They need to keep me alive."

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I." Came the barked reply. "Why are you down here anyway?"

"... I'm not quite sure."

"Oh." He shifted again, hissed in pain. "Nice to have someone to talk to though, I've never had a cell mate." Lloyd smirked wily, and chuckled to himself.

--

Luck was with him, he stumbled upon Cody on the outskirts of Palmacosta, walking slowly along the main road. The honey eyed boy sighed in relief, breaking into a limped sprint.

If he startled the other boy, it was well hidden, for he only grunted. "Got out then."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh."

"Are you hurt?"

"What do you care?" Cody snarled.

They walked in strained silence, leaving the city as the sun peaked over the rooftops.

"Where are we going?" Lloyd asked, subdued by the ferocity of the blonde.

"Like I know."

"Are we going to find the others?"

"Suppose so."

"Do you know where the desian camp is?"

"No."

"Then how do we know where-"

He was silenced as a heavy handed fist collided with his cheekbone, sending him spinning to the ground.

"Stop asking me questions! Stop it! I don't know! I don't care!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Lloyd cried, throwing himself to his feet.

"Just shut up! Stay away from me! Don't come near me!"

Lloyd blinked at the retreating boy, too stunned to call for him to stop.

-

They had said little to each other for over an hour, the boy had simply sat, finding the energy to breath.

"You're unwell." Kratos finally stated.

"I'm dying." The boy coughed.

His heart shifted uncomfortably in his chest, those two words had been spoken simply. "I'll get us out of here." He promised. Lloyd chuckled, turning soulful eyes to meet with the mercenaries face.

"I haven't been outside in years – I'm kept here, kept alive because they need my blood for some experiment. They don't come so often anymore, don't think they need me."

"An experiment?"

Lloyd nodded, but didn't answer.

"Where were you before you were with the desians?"

"That's a long time ago. I can't remember what it was called; I just remember being with a dwarf called Dirk."

His heart stopped beating for what seemed like an age. "Iselia."

"Yeah – that was it. We lived in a house in the forest, high in the hills overlooking a temple. It was a nice place. I still remember it, a little at least."

"How did you end up here?"

"I was playing with some children in the village when the Desians came. They took me to the ranch. I've barely seen sunlight since."

-

Raine sagged against her staff, taking a momentary break. The chosen and her brother did the same, using each other as support. The ranch was a maze of twists and turns, and it was taking all their effort not be overcome by the sheer number of desians and security bots that occupied the ranch. Victory was near, all they needed was to find Kratos – he'd know what to do.

-

Cody had long since disappeared from Lloyd's sights – springing into a thicket of trees and weaving out of sight.

"Cody!" Lloyd cried into wood. "Stop being stupid and come out... We have to find the others!"

"He won't come out."

Lloyd spun on his heels, tripping on a loose root and crumbling to the ground.

"Slick."

It was the purple clad woman from the Ossa trail. She stood over him, her hands on her hips. Finally, she held out her hand, pulling the fallen boy up off the ground with a grunt.

"You're one to talk." Lloyd hissed back.

She cocked her head, raising an eyebrow.

He coughed uncomfortably, shuffling his head. "My name is Lloyd."

"My name is ssSheena."

-

"What's going on in this ranch?" Kratos finally asked.

"It's not just this one."

"But what is it?"

"You seem awfully interested for someone who doesn't know why they're here."

"You don't know?"

"I hear bits and pieces."

"And what are they?"

"Something about reviving Martel, creating an army." He shrugged. Kratos paled.

"How?"

The boy laughed bitterly.

"Tell me!"

He only grinned.