Fall in the Fires, Rise from the Ashes.
Chapter 8: Spirit of Life.
"What do you mean who am I?" Bryan snapped, "Stop playing around."
"This isn't the best time for joking Kai." Spencer cautiously stepped forward.
Cold crimson eyes turned towards them both as Kai looked at them blankly, his face void of any emotions.
"Kai?" Tala went to place a hand on his shoulder but his hand was slapped away, "Kai, what's wrong?"
"I don't know anyone of you." Kai got up, leaving the bed and going for the door. But before he could do anything, Bryan jerked him back, his grip tight on the boy's collar.
"Let go." Kai's voice was cold and indifferent.
"Take one more step and you'll regret it." Bryan hissed.
A bitter smile danced on Kai's face as he glared at the lilac haired boy without saying anything.
"What the hell is wrong with you Kai?" Bryan shook him roughly.
"Bryan, stop it." Spencer tried to calm him.
Tala had an unreadable expression on his face as he looked at Kai, "Don't you..." he whispered, "Don't you remember us Kai? Don't you even remember me?" His voice was pleading.
Kai turned his gaze at the red head, pondering over the answer, "I don't know."
"Stop kidding around Kai." Bryan glared only to receive a death glare himself.
"Aye..." A tearful Ian came forward and hugged Kai. With Ian being short and hugging a tall Kai , it was quite a funny scene but not at the moment. Kai hesitantly placed his hand on Ian's back. His face remained impassive.
"Aye know me?" Ian asked expectantly, looking at Kai with wide eyes.
Kai pursed his lips, "Not your fault." He finally managed to say.
"Huh? Aye not Ian's Aye? Ian love Aye." Ian tried again.
Kai sighed, "I'm sorry."
"Look Kai," Tala took hold of Kai's shoulders, not letting go even when Kai tried to get out of the grip. The red head was looking at him square in eyes, "You know what Bryan said was wrong. It shouldn't have happened. But you have to forgive him. You must forgive him. I know it's not easy for you but still...you have to come back Kai or this abbey will break you."
After delivering his speech, the red head searched his best friend's face for some sort of reaction. He found none except a sharp intake of breath when he mentioned the last part about the abbey.
"We wont press you to tell us what happened back there between you and your grandfather." Tala continued. He could feel the shoulders slumping under his grip, "You might hate us Kai but we have to stay together if we want to live through..."
"Why don't you understand?" Kai snapped, lifting his head up sharply, "I can't stay with you guys."
"And why is that?" Bryan asked in a venomous voice.
"Because if I stay, I'll be breaking you guys apart. Can't you see...I'll harm you all. As long as I stay, I'm a threat for you...each and everyone of you. I'll just leave you guys and..."
Before Kai could finish his sentence, he felt himself being pulled into something warm. Stopping abruptly, he felt his chest tightening as Tala hugged him close, placing a hand on his neck and guiding his head on the orange covered shoulder.
"I...I'm not worth anything." Kai's muffled voice clenched Tala's heart.
"Don't say that. You're worth more than you think. You just don't know yet." Tala's voice was soothing as he gently rubbed his back.
"Ian love Aye!" Ian piped up again.
"Not just you Ian, we all do. No matter what you do or say Kai, we'll always cherish our friendship. I'll always cherish your companionship, my friend." Tala smiled as he felt his shoulder being soaked by something wet. The body in his arms shook as Kai sobbed, losing all his self-control.
"And besides, you're the one who..." Spencer started but was cut off by the presence on his left side.
"I'm sorry Kai."
"Bryan?" Tala didn't expect the lilac haired boy to apologize so easily.
"Yeah, it was my fault. I shouldn't have said that. If I kept my mouth shut, none of this would've happened."
Kai just cried silently in Tala's shoulder. He slowly sank to the floor, Tala still holding him.
Stroking his hair, Tala looked up at Bryan before looking back down at the boy in his arms, "Will you forgive him Kai?"
Kai shook his head.
"Why not?" Tala asked in the same comforting voice.
"Do-n't...wan-t t-to...bet-betray y-you." Came the answer in between sobs.
"No, you wont. We wont let you betray us Kai." Tala tightened his hold on the shivering boy.
"Really?" Kai slowly lifted his head to look at the red head who smiled in response.
"Of course. I promise Kai, I wont let you do it. I'll stop you just in time." Tala assured.
Spencer pushed Bryan lightly towards the two and with a defeated sigh, the lilac haired boy stepped forward. Reluctantly, he place a hand on Kai's back before hugging him from behind.
"I really am sorry Kai. I didn't mean what I said." He muttered.
"Aye san-wich!" Ian cheered.
"Huh?" Tala failed to translate.
"He means Kai has become a sandwich between you two!" Spencer interpreted.
Tala burst out laughing as well as Bryan who hugged Kai even tighter.
"Which sandwich Ian? There are many types of sandwiches." Tala asked the young boy, amused.
Ian thought for a while before replying, "Ice-keem."
"Ice cream? More like Aye cream!" Tala laughed harder.
Bryan breathed out while laughing, "Of all the chicken, cheese, eggs, lettuce, mayonnaise and butter, you had to make him an ice cream sandwich?!"
"Ian love Ice-keem and Ian love Aye!" Ian told him seriously.
"Can't...breathe!" The quiet voice appeared from between Tala and Bryan making them laugh even more. Bryan quickly let go and Tala loosened his grip on Kai who took a deep breath and looked around, murmuring a 'Thank you.'
"Well, now then that's settled, what should we do now?" Tala looked at the others.
"My Aye play with Ian!" Ian told the red head before grabbing Kai's arm, "Aye happy?" He looked up into crimson orbs.
Kai blinked, "I...guess so."
"He's not a possession or something Ian." Spencer tried to reason with the young boy.
"No." Ian shook his head furiously, "My Aye! My Byan! My Tara! My Pencer! My Ian!"
Bryan looked at the youngest skeptically while Tala began to laugh like there was no tomorrow.
"I'm not yours." Bryan scowled.
"My Byan! My Byan! My Byan!" Ian pounded his foot on the ground.
"Okay okay, he's yours!", Tala laughed under his breath.
"What? Of course not!" Bryan glared at the red head only to change the glare in a sigh at the happiness in ice blue eyes.
"Okay, so what should we play?" Tala asked the youngest.
"Hm..." Ian furrowed his brow in concentration, "Hide and seek!"
"You know the only place to hide in this room is under the beds Ian." Bryan pointed out.
"Tag?" Ian tried.
"There's no space to run."
"Cards?"
"We don't have any cards."
"Chess?"
"Do we have the equipment?"
"Foo-ball?"
"How can we play football in this room?" Bryan face-palmed, "Right, let's play football, bed would be the goal post and you'll be the ball!"
Ian pouted, "Ian no ball. Ian...Ian...Ian Ian!"
"Yes, Ian is Ian Bry! How could you forget that?" Tala looked at Bryan in mock seriousness.
"I know! Play bouncy horse!" Ian announced happily.
"What?" Bryan looked at Ian skeptically, "I'm definitely not going to be your horse!"
"Aye be Ian horse!" Ian told the lilac haired boy as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world.
"What did I do?" Kai begged for mercy on his poor soul.
"We'll do rock, paper, scissors." Tala told the others, not wanting to miss he spectacle. They could do with some funny moments to keep living.
"Fine." Bryan grumbled.
So it began and the score was as follow:
ROUND ONE:
Bryan vs Spencer...
Paper vs rock.
Winner: Bryan.
ROUND TWO:
Kai vs Tala...
Rock vs scissors.
Winner: Kai.
ROUND THREE:
Kai vs Bryan...
Scissors vs paper.
Winner: Kai.
"Looks like you lose Bry!" Tala smirked.
"What?! You cheated Kai!" Bryan frowned.
"Accept your fate Bry!" Kai smiled lightly.
"Okay Ian, your bouncy horse is ready!" Spencer told Ian with an amused smile.
"Yay!" Ian cheered and within seconds, the three older boys forced Bryan into a crouched position and Ian was settled on the lilac haired boy's back.
The room was filled with laughter as Bryan had to move against his will. Ian was more than glad to have such a strong horse and every now and then, he commanded the poor horse to turn, speed up, slow down, or jump.
Bryan suddenly got an idea and while walking at a normal pace, all of a sudden, he stood on his legs, using his hands to grip Ian's small arms around his neck.
"Horsey?!" Ian gulped as he was lifted higher, sticking on his horse's back.
"Sorry Ian, the horse is out of control!" Bryan told Ian, "Neeeeeeehhh!" With the battle cry, the horse began to run and jump across the room.
Tala was rolling on the floor with laughter. Kai was sprawled on the bed in a fit of giggles. Spencer was smiling broadly, amused by his brother's antics.
"Haut horsey! Haut horsey!" Ian ordered.
"Horsey can't halt Ian! Horsey lost control! Horsey has gone wild!" Bryan told his rider.
Ian gulped before looking around for help. When he found none, he finally looked at Tala, "Tara, help Ian!"
"Alright! Here comes Tara the knight!" Tala jumped into action.
Bryan froze. Knight? Did he hear the word right? Knights were meant to sit on horses. Did this mean his poor back was going to...
"Oh no no no no no no no no no no no! Of course not! You're not going to crush my back Tals!" Bryan searched for an escape.
"Not just me! Knight Tara has help too! Here comes...Warrior Kai!" Tala pulled Kai off the bed, taking the boy with him.
Not just Tala...but Kai too?! Bryan's mind screamed at him to find an escape route soon. But before he could do anything, he was practically being crushed by Tala and...surprisingly Kai too who had simply collapsed on him as he tripped over.
"Who's the sandwich now Ian?!" Spencer smirked from where he stood.
The jumbled heap of mass was laughing endlessly, out of breath.
After helping each other up, they all decided to sleep now. And sleeping contently, they never knew how deep their friendship was going to be, engraved within their hearts and souls. They sure were going to learn to keep their spirits alive.
So here it is! R&R please! This was just a random chappie which you peeps hopefully enjoyed.
Rose out!
Until next time!