Chapter 1

The desert of Gobi stretched on for miles and the night was cold, dark and dusty. No sane creature dared roam the desert under such conditions. Off in the distance, a pack of camels bravely trudged their way through the bogs of sand. It wasn't that they wanted to, of course. It was because of the lazy good for nothing humans on their backs that were part of the 1st Unit of the Red Warriors. Each and every one of them held metal pointy sticks and they used it to pick fights with other clans. Oh how heavy they were!

And how selfish too! Did they care about the poor hungry tired creatures slaving away in the sand? Nope. Not even the tiniest bit of respect for the hardworking. The camel at the front of the pack spat out a mouthful of sand and slowed down ever the tiniest bit.

"HEEIGH!"

A bored voice followed the vicious kick, "Slacking off, are we? We can't stay in the sand all day, Stew. Let's get it going."

The camel named Stew neighed mournfully in response and trying to ignore its throbbing side, picked up its pace.

After a few minutes Stew stopped again, bringing the whole procession to a stop. The young man frowned and yanked at the rein irritably. "What is it now, Stew?" But no matter how much he urged the camel, Stew refused to move.

"You'll be one fine, fine stew one day." Grumbling under his breath, the man motioned for the youth on his right to see what the problem was.

"Yessir."

A young sprout named Tidus jumped nimbly off his camel and went to see what the problem was.

"Um sir, there's this um… large dark bundle… I'm not sure what it is."

"Poke it with caution."

"Yessir."

Keeping his distance, Tidus poked the large dark bundle in front of the camel with his sheathed broadsword. The bundle yelped in surprise and rustled around.

"Sir, it's moving."

"Kill it."

"Yessir."

Tidus unsheathed his sword. Just as he was about to strike down, the bundle rose and scared the shit out of the onlookers.

"S…Sir? It seems to be a human boy."

"Yes Tidus, I can see that."

A boy that looked around sixteen held a child that was a few years younger tightly. The boy's eyes darted back and forth until they finally settled on the man in front. He tried to speak, but his cracked lips refused to part. He wet his lips with saliva and managed to croak out a word.

"Help."

"Well, we were planning to kill you."

"Please. He's dying."

Upon closer examination, the child in the boy's arms was sweating profusely and had cheeks as red as a hot iron. He was shaking uncontrollably.

"And if I help?"

"I'll do anything you ask. Please."

The man scrutinized the boy long and hard. What he saw surprised him and sent a jolt up his spine. A look of amusement flashed across the man's face.

"Set up camp and call the clinic. The child's got dehydration and fever." He turned to Kai. "And you… pretty boy, come to my tent after your brother is seen to." The man yanked his camel back.

'Thank God.'

Pretty boy collapsed to the ground.

A lean silver haired man rode up to the man and grabbed his arm.

"Sora? We were supposed to make it to the plateau by sunrise…"

Sora waved it away. "It was impossible anyway."

"But you know this means –"

"Ah, whatever. Let the old man have it at me, I'm tired, you're tired, Stew's tired. We needed this break."

With complicated thoughts, Riku nodded and let go. Although Riku was two years older than Sora, he had been Sora's best friend and closest confident ever since Sora was a bawling baby. Riku had been the mastermind behind all the pranks pulled with Sora when they were mischievous brats. He had been the one who had seen Sora when he was a gangly insecure teen, and he was the one who had given Sora his first sword after Sora passed the Test of Warriors. A full twenty-three years together, and this was the first time he had seen Sora not follow through on orders from his father, no matter how unreasonable. Perhaps it was long time he had.

Riku turned his camel back to the front. After ordering the clinic's tent to be built before the others, Riku approached the boy. When he was close enough to make out the boy's face in the darkness, he froze.

Sora had been apt in calling the boy pretty; despite all the grit on the boy's face, the boy was still breathtakingly beautiful. He had a slim build and a slender neck that connected to a prominent jawline. Above the stubborn chin were full lips, a delicate nose, and long eyelashes. Auburn hair was held in a simple braid while crudely cut bangs were kept from the face by a thick band of cloth that ran across the forehead. Just then, the boy opened his eyes and their eyes locked. His eyes were cobalt blue. They sparked in the dark.

Riku was the first to break eye contact. He kneeled down to pick up the feverish child. "It'll be faster if I take him to the medic than waiting for her to come here. Give him here, I'll carry him." He glanced at the nervous boy and flashed him a smile. "But you're not so better off yourself… I can only carry one at a time. Can you walk?"

The boy nodded and tried to smile back. Wobbling dangerously back and forth, he managed to stand up.

"Good enough. But grab on to my elbow just in case."

The boy lightly perched his fingers on Riku's right elbow.

"There you go. Your name?

"Kair- Kai, my name is Kai."

Riku raised an eyebrow. "…Okay Kai, let's go."

Riku started walking towards the center of where fires were being lit and tents were being built. He entered the only tent that was complete.

"Aerith, you have patients."

A middle aged woman who seemed to be foreign to the region glanced up slightly before turning her attention back to the concoction she was brewing. She sighed. "Dammit Riku, How many times do I have to tell you, no matter how brilliant I am, I can't revive the dead."

"I'll just lay the kid down here."

"You think I'm a witch or something? Stop bringing me dead people!"

"... Aerith, you're practically a witch; I've never seen any of your patients die."

Aerith rolled her eyes and ladled two cups of the brew. "That's why you're beginning to take me for granted."

Riku started to object, "Aw Aerith, you know that ain't true, you're treasure!"

She ignored him and continued to rant. "You'd have thought these so called warriors wouldn't ever get hurt. No, no, they seem to hurt themselves more than they hurt the other person. Is that what warriors are? Official punching bags? You child, come here" She beckoned Kai to come closer.

"When will you buffoons realize that waving around big metal sticks and seeking glory isn't all there is life?" She sighed, "Oh what's the point? You muscleheads wouldn't listen to the words of an underrated herb lady. Which reminds me." Aerith pointed a cup at Riku, "What you're paying me right now is downright insulting. I better get a raise soon." She handed the two cups to Kai. "Sit down and drink the first cup. Try feeding the other cup to your brother only after finishing yours."

Kai yelped as the hot liquid burned his tongue.

"Of course it's hot, stupid. Be careful."

Riku smiled and turned to leave. "Well then, I'll leave them in your capable hands."

"Just raise my wage."

"I'll see what I can do."

"And bandages are running low."

"Sure, sure."

Before he left, Riku winked at the boy sipping awkwardly from the mug, "Don't worry Kai, Aerith's a charm. She acts all gruff and tough, but inside, she's nothing but an old softie. You and your brother will be fine. Rest here for today, kay? I'll come check on you in the morning."

"Fool, who are you calling old and soft!" A book aimed towards Riku 's head drew a beautiful arc as it flew across the room. Riku caught the book easily. "Beautiful aim, Aerith!" He gently tossed the book back to her and slipped out of the tent before she could say another word.

Aerith caught the book and turned a curious shade between purple and scarlet. She huffed, "That boy… What are you staring at, child! Go get me two towels." Kai shot up from his seat and slowly made his way to the stack of towels on the chairs. By the time he brought the towels to her, Aerith returned to normal and she was now looking worriedly at the sweating child. "Set those down here and fetch me the water on the table."

As Riku walked away from Aerith 's tent, he touched his right elbow. It was still tingling.

...tbc

*A word from you is the world to me*

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