Chapter Seven

Rain

"What are you waiting for, Aresty?" Akantha asked as she jumped on a rock.

Sam rolled his eyes at his sister's unusual energy and simply answered:

"I can't just leave."

Akantha scoffed and said:

"Sure you can."

After that she jumped off the rock and went next to her little brother. Sam was dubious about her actions and groaned when his suspicions had been confirmed. His sister was currently trying to drag him to their spaceship, but that wasn't going to happen. Sam was stilled to the earth and didn't even budge. After several attempts Akantha huffed and gave an exasperated sigh.

"Why are you so stubborn?" She asked.

"Because I am a lot like my gullible little sis."

"Call me gullible one more time and I'll make you regret the day you were born."

"Well, good luck with that."

"Why?"

"You've already made it hell the day you chose dad."

"Will you let it go? That was five years ago, Arestius!"

"I said my name is not Aresty or Arestius or anything of the like! It's Sam. My name is Sam Alexander!" Sam screamed and started panting. He then looked up and saw the fear in his sister's eyes. Even though she was the older one, sometimes he felt the surge to protect her from everything and anything in this world like an older brother would. He was about to apologize when Ademus came out of nowhere and asked:

"Are you two fighting again?"

Both Sam and Akantha looked away in shame, readying themselves for the upcoming scolding. Fortunately, none came. They did hear a reaction, however. It was a long and exhausted sigh one that old people give when they had to deal with problems they shouldn't be obliged to settle. Akantha looked sympathetically at her brother and motioned for Sam to go to him. Nova was reluctant at first but soon complied after being persuaded by his sister, of course, or rather threatened with being hit with a fire ball where the sun don't shine. He hadn't heeded the warning once. He wasn't going to be an idiot and not comply with his sister's wishes twice.

Once the three of them were sitting in a circle, Akantha asked:

"I suppose Father has just told you something."

Ademus looked into her eyes and then away. He simply nodded. Sam cringed at the sight before him. He had never before witnessed his brother having his head held down. Even when they were younger, he would always look straight at what he was about to face. He was never one to hide from a problem. Apparently what he had been given was definitely bad news. Sam could only wonder what it was. He only hoped his father hadn't died because no matter how much he disliked him and didn't approve of his ways of running the kingdom, he was still connected to him in some strange way no one, not even he and his dad could comprehend.

"Are Mother and Father alright?" Sam asked concern lacing his voice.

Ademus looked up with his eyes slightly widened. After a second a warm smile graced his big brother's face and Sam could only smile in return. Akantha rolled her eyes and answered Sam's question instead of her brother.

"No, they're both fine. Mother is hiding right now because the war has expanded its range."

"Don't tell me it's reached the imperial city." Sam nearly screamed.

"No, it is still fairly away but if we don't do something soon, it will come to our home… Sam… and it will destroy everything."

Sam couldn't believe it. He knew that a war was inevitable. Even though he was five when he had left his home planet, he had it engraved in his memory – the fear and despair in the eyes of the common people, the sadness in his mother's eyes, the relief in others, the happiness in those of the soldiers, the resoluteness in the eyes of his father. Sam sighed and asked:

"Is there anything you can do about it? You are a General after all. You should better than any of us what to do in order to prevent it from happening."

Ademus smiled fondly at his little brother's lack of grasp of the situation while Akantha face palmed. Sam laughed when his sister moaned but his serious expression returned soon when his brother replied:

"It doesn't matter who I am, Sam. The enemy is numerous. They are now around…."

"40000?" Sam tried to guess.

Akantha face palmed again while Ademus simply said:

"Try one million."

Sam gasped. That was a legendary and merciless army. He knew his father's army was quite huge. It had been around 600.000 before Sam left, but apparently it had found its match soon. He sighed as he thought of how worried and exhausted everyone was. Sam knew this war started around a year after he came to the Earth, which meant this had to be going on for about five, maybe six years. It wasn't much, but it was still long enough to exhaust both sides. A scowl formed on his face as another question came to mind.

"Are the fire tribes still our allies?"

"Of course, they are! What kind of question is that?!" Akantha asked or rather yelled.

Sam cringed at the loud voice. He couldn't help but tease his sister about her inconsistent behavior.

"Why are you so bipolar today, sis?" Sam questioned.

"None of your business." Akantha answered every word laced with as much venom as her voice could produce.

Sam cringed at the spiteful tone, but continued anyway.

"Don't tell me it's that time of the month." He said.

Akantha fumed. Her fists became surrounded with fire and she was ready to strike when Ademus yelled:

"Enough! Both of you! Our planet is being ripped apart because of a civil war and now is not the time for the other heirs to the throne to be fighting!"

Sam's eyes widened. No, it couldn't be.

"Don't tell me. You came back here not to kill me as Father said all those years ago when he banished me. You came here to seek my help."

Ademus simply nodded while Akantha looked at the black sky. She sighed and said:

"We have to get back there soon, Sam. We're giving you three hours. Come back here at midnight and we'll pick you up. If you don't, then consider yourself responsible for the fall of your home."

After that she started walking to where the ship was kept hidden while Ademus simply followed. He wanted to reassure his brother that it wouldn't be his fault, but he knew that it would be partially his. He also wished he could give him more time, but they couldn't afford to waste more precious time. They had already spent more than a week on Earth, trying to make him come willingly. Right now, everything depended on what Sam was going to choose. Ademus could only hope his brother would follow his duty, not his heart as selfish as it may sound.

Sam stood there for about an hour before losing it. He screamed. It was long and shrieking. It held all those pent up emotions he had been hiding and keeping locked. He thought he had been free. He had considered the possibility of being able to lead a normal life or at least a partially normal one. But as many things, this had to be taken away from him as well. With a heavy lump in his throat and a cage around his heart, he set out to his previous home to collect his things. Despite his love for this place; despite the bonds and friendships he had formed; despite the love he had developed towards a certain team member; in spite of all that, he was and always would be his father's son. And like one, he had to fulfill his duty and go back to his home.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Thank you wonderful people for reviewing.

Empress and Protector: You'll find out soon enough and thanks for reminding me of this story. :D

Sora: I don't think I've mentioned it but Ademus and Akantha are Original Characters.

TheGirlInTheBlack: Thank you. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

I hope you guys liked it. Anyway….this story is getting a bit too complicated but with time I think everything is going to become clearer….I hope….yeah, hope does die last. :D

Until next time I update and/or post a story my fellow readers,

~ QueenofRhymes ~