I'm grateful for all the reviews and to those who prayed. I guess the sun is finally beginning to shine through the storm clouds.
Fall in the Fires, Rise from the Ashes.
Chapter 6: Live Free or Let Me Die.
"Who's you grandfather?"
The question caught Kai off guard and he blinked, "What?"
"Who is your grandfather Kai? What's his name?" Tala repeated.
"I...I'm sorry." Kai muttered before turning away from the red head.
Tala looked at Kai's back for a few moments before placing a hand on his arm, facing up. When Kai turned around, Tala was surprised to see the boy's face wet with tears.
"I'm...I'm sor-ry." Kai sobbed before rubbing his eyes.
"Oh Kai...I didn't mean to upset you." Tala regretted asking that question. He threw his arms around the boy's shaking shoulders, pulling him in an embrace, "I just wanted to know."
"Vol-Voltaire." Kai told the red head in a shaky voice. The name triggered countless painful memories.
Tala gasped at the name and hugged the boy even tighter. That name...was the only reason as to why they were here, in the abbey.
Kai shook violently, "Please don't hate me."
"What are you talking about? Of course I wont hate you...never." Tala scolded the boy and patted his back, "I promise."
Kai only nodded, resting his cheek on his best friend's shoulder.
The door unlocked suddenly.
"Lord Voltaire wishes to see you." A guard was glaring at Kai, who glared back with equal hatred.
"Please don't do anything stupid Kai." Tala whispered as he saw the boy getting up, off the bed, "Don't be so reckless."
"I'll try." The silent words revealed their face in Kai's crimson eyes before he left.
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Standing in the cold, dark office, Kai shivered involuntarily. The room held an aura of watchfulness.
"Kai..."
The chair in front of his spun as Voltaire came face to face with his grandson.
"Voltaire." Kai simply loathed the name but he couldn't bring himself up to call the man his grandfather.
"Being my grandson is an advantage for you." The elder stated.
"More like disadvantage." Kai muttered under his breath.
Voltaire chose to ignore the words, "That's why you are going to aid me in fulfilling my plans."
Kai's raised his head with a sharp jerk, "I'd rather die." He hissed in a venomous voice.
"Watch your tongue boy." Voltaire glared at his grandson, " You will help me."
"Never." Kai snapped back.
"We'll see about that. I'm sure you'd love to see your precious little friends serving as my whipping posts." There was a malicious smirk on the elder's face.
Kai's eyes widened as he paled drastically, "What do you want?"
"I want you to break them from the inside Kai. Tear their souls apart. Drain their spirits."
"And why should I help you in your world domination?" Kai narrowed his eyes.
"I have my reasons. I want to know whether you are helping me or not." Voltaire bore his eyes in his grandson's.
"No." Kai shook his head furiously, "I'd rather die than betraying my friends. I damn care about what you want."
In a flash, something happened. Voltaire pressed a button and the door opened. In came a few guards. One of them was dragging...
"Tala..." Kai gasped. He felt suffocated...like his fate had turned against him. His life was a mess already and here he was, on a situation of dilemma.
"Kai?"
He didn't look up at the familiar voice. He couldn't. But he couldn't obey his grandfather's orders either.
"Such a lovely reunion. Now then, let's see how much will it take to bend you, my grandson." Voltaire gestured the guards.
Within no time, a guard was holding Kai and two others were on Tala. Voltaire took out a whip, "Let's see how you deal with this, young Kai."
Soon the room echoed with pained screams of a certain red head. Being bound, Kai couldn't cover his ears but that was the only thing he wanted to do. So he closed his eyes tightly.
"Open those bloody eyes of yours or this boy wont live to see the light of a new day." Voltaire brought the whip straight on Kai's chest who snapped open his eyes at the sudden impact.
"Tala..." He forced his tears back as his eyes began to burn at the horrid sight.
"K-Kai?" Tala tried to see past blood and saw a lashing whip aimed straight for his face. Ice blue eyes were screwed shut as he waited for the blow to land. To his surprise, it didn't connect with his skin. Looking up, he gasped, "Kai, no..."
The boy had over-powered the guards holding him and had taken the blow on his arm instead.
"YOU FOOL..." Voltaire thundered.
"I wont...let you...harm my...friends." Kai panted as another blow landed on his back.
He was pulled back and as he saw the whip coming down on his best friend, the thread finally snapped.
"THAT'S ENOUGH..." He couldn't take it anymore. His mind leaving his body, Kai latched onto Voltaire's arm and before he could think, he bite down hard on the clothed arm.
With a howl of pain, Voltaire jerked his arm and slammed the boy in a near by wall.
Seeing that his grandson was getting up, Voltaire pulled out something from his desk's drawer and aimed it at the now unconscious red head, "One more step and you'll regret it boy."
Kai bit his lip and a single tear made it's way down his face at the sight of a sleek gun pointed at Tala's head. All the pros and cons were against him.
With a shaky breath before losing consciousness, he finally choked out, "I...surrender."
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Bryan blinked his eyes open as the door of their room was unlocked and slammed open. Some one had entered and there was the sound of dragging something. With a clenched heart, he waited patiently until the door was closed and locked again.
Getting off the bed, he could make out two outlines. Before checking on them, he went and shook Spencer awake.
"Look. I think they're back." He pointed, showing the prone figures to the blonde.
With a sigh of relief, Spencer left his bed too. Coming close to the unconscious boys, they gasped at the blood...even though it was nothing new.
Spencer went for the closest one which happened to be Tala, "Tala? Hey Tals?" He shifted him in a more comfortable position.
Bryan was shaking Kai gently, "Hey, wake up." When he got no response, he looked at Spencer, "Now what?"
"Hm...can you help Kai? I'll take care of Tala." Spencer formed the plan.
Bryan nodded and went to get the equipment. Ian kept sleeping peacefully as if nothing had happened. His young mind wandering in the dreamland.
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Kai woke to a sudden burning pain. Gasping sharply, he sat up abruptly, causing the whip lashes to stretch and reopen and his head banging against another. With a low hiss of pain, he grabbed his head.
"Ouch Kai! You mind slowing down a bit?!"
Kai turned his head at the lilac haired boy, "Bryan?"
"No way, really?!" Bryan rolled his eyes before picking up the wet cloth again, "Hold out your arm."
"Huh?" Kai finally realized that his lilac haired friend was tending to his wounds, "Sorry."
"What was it this time?" Bryan questioned as he pulled back Kai's sleeve to expose the wound.
Kai lost his voice. Memories crashed down on him and he forgot to breathe.
"Kai?" Bryan noticed the sudden change in Kai's mood and patted his shoulder, "Is something wrong?"
"N-no." Kai swallowed, "Where's Tala?" His voice was shaking.
"He hasn't woken up yet." Spencer told from his place, "How're you feeling?"
"Fine." Kai glanced at the red head who was lying on his stomach since his back had faced the whip. Spencer had cleaned up the blood pretty much.
Kai averted his gaze and sensing the boy's pain, Bryan didn't push him further for answers. He simply dabbed the cloth on his wound gently, making Kai wince but stay still.
A few minutes passed in an awkward silence since no one knew what to say. Bryan finally finished cleaning the cuts and wrapped them in some make-shift bandages.
A groan was heard and they all turned towards the red head who was waking up.
"Hey." Spencer greeted as intense blue eyes were fixed on him. Bryan got up from Kai's side and went towards Tala. Sitting beside him, he whispered something. Tala turned towards Kai. Kai averted his gaze, looking at the now very interesting floor.
"Kai?" When he still didn't say anything, Tala continued, "Kai, what was all that about?"
Kai looked up into his best friend's eyes.
"Say something." Bryan became impatient.
"I'm sorry." Kai didn't raise his head this time...he couldn't.
"Sorry doesn't cut it. Why did your grandfather call Tala? And not just call him, he sent him back in this condition." Bryan spoke up angrily.
"I...I tried." Kai almost whispered.
"No, you didn't. If you had tried, Tala would've been in a better shape." Bryan clenched his fists.
"Kai, what was Voltaire talking about?" Tala looked at his best friend intensely.
"I...I can't tell you. That's why, I'm sorry." Kai finally spoke up, his eyes filled with emotions.
"Oh hell no...you have to tell us." Bryan stomped his foot on the floor, causing Ian to wake up and jump out of the bed.
"I said I can't and I wont. Leave me alone." Kai finally snapped.
"Angy Aye!" Ian shook his head, "Aye is a Angy Bird!" He remembered how his parents showed him the game of 'Angry Birds'.
Spencer smiled sadly but said nothing. He wanted to know the answers too. It was only natural.
"Oh yeah...I think you need some good beating to remind you that we're friends." Bryan gritted his teeth.
"You'll regret it." Kai stood up shakily.
"Oh yes, we will. Because I forgot whose grandson you were. No wonder you're so happy to live in this abbey in the first place."
Kai's face became red with humiliation and anger and he glared at Bryan.
"You're going to end up corrupting us as well. Why don't you stay away from us..."
At this, Kai flared up and was about to hit the boy when he felt someone tugging at his scarf. Looking back, he realized it was Ian, standing there with a teary face, "Don't fight Aye. Be good boy. Byan don't love you. Ian love you."
Kai blinked at the innocent words.
"Who cares. He's got enough love from his grandpa already." Bryan spat back. This jealousy was finally blinding him.
A single tear leaked from crimson eyes at the words. Kai was left speechless. His friends were already falling apart. He was obeying Voltaire's orders.
"You were faking from the beginning." Bryan had hammered the final nail. Before anyone could say something or stop him, Kai stormed out of the room.
"Forgive me my friends, I have no choice."
R&R please, thank you.
Rose out until next time.