“Who's Alistair?”

His vision cleared... to find that it was Kaylie.

Oh no... now she's going to hurt Alistair.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, sitting up.

“Look around you. What do you see?”

I see danger sitting right in front of me. I see a girl who could hurt me more.

“Forest, leaves, truck tracks, boot tracks, you, and me.”

“Using that brain of yours, you can guess what happened.”

“Did you save me?”

“I already told you. I'm Chrision's secret weapon. I can do a lot of things you can't imagine.”

“Are you even human?”

“If I answer much more of your questions, you'd figure out more about me. I know that now,” she laughed.

“What are you going to do? My fate now lies in your hands.”

She doesn't know about Alistair. Calm down. She can't hurt him. She can't.

“I'll think about that after we get you some place safe.”

She... will trap me. She's their secret weapon after all

“You'll never be able to stand someone mentioning that incident last night. I know you more than you think. I'm not going to kill you, so don't entertain those thoughts now.”

Let's play his game, girl. You're Chrision's secret weapon after all. (Kaylie)

“How do you know? Your attitude has totally changed since last night. Why is that? Do you pity me like you pitied your brother?”

Kaylie swallowed, “Yes, while you were unconscious, something happened. No more questions now. Let's get you cleaned up first.” She stood up and turned her back.

Did she... perhaps..? Did I say anything unconsciously?

“What did I say...” he asked, stopping her in her tracks, “to make you change your mind?” she turned.

“You were protecting someone, it seems,” she lied, shooting in the dark.

The shot hit it's mark. Afton pursed his lips and tried to stand.

His face twisted in pain as he fell back to the ground.

The sounds from last night came back to him and he felt a sudden urge to protect this sister.

Taking a deep breath, he tried again. He put all his weight on his right leg, but that didn't stop his left leg from hurting. He bit his lip so hard that it bled. Even then, he didn't appear to notice.

Try again! Don't give up! (Afton)

This boy... is different from some others. Can it be... that he's been forced to survive? Stop thinking about nonsense like that. He's an actor, a spy! (Kaylie)

He crumpled to the floor again.

No matter how much life gets you down... You can't ever give up, Afton! You have someone to protect now! Your sister... she's out there somewhere. She's getting hurt and you're not there. You have to get to her. Promise her you'll never leave! Promise her you'll never let her shed another tear! A stab... Three hundred... One million... you must never give up! Your life isn't yours anymore. Your sister needs you.

He tried putting pressure on his left knee, but it only resulted in a renewed flow of blood and more pain.

It hurts... It's so painful... but I'm going to do it... for you, my sister.

The blood continued pouring out from his leg, staining the dirt a blood-red. Looking at it only made Afton nauseous.

Don't think about it. Just stand up. (Afton)

He... is hurting but he's not screaming. Who cares anyway! He's supposed to be used to living like that! But... is it because he's been hurting ever since he was born? No. Definitely not. As a spy, he's trained to take everything without making a peep. (Kaylie)

He fell forward for the third time, crushing his left thigh. He squeezed his eyes shut to let out any tears that had tried to pool up.

Are you crying? That's weak! That's easy to crush! You've got to learn to be strong or you'll forget again. You'll be at the mercy of anybody. You'll never be able to protect anyone.This precious revelation... must be treasured. It was revealed to you for a reason. Stay strong, Afton! (Afton)

He's really going to do this all day. Looks rather determined. So he's definitely not what I was thinking. His spirit would be in ashes by now if he was really a boy who's experienced the harsher things in life. (Kaylie)

Afton sucked in his breath and used his palms to give a push-start. His right leg held all his weight and he got up.

Finally... I did it! (Afton)

That took long enough. (Kaylie)

This is only the beginning. She... will need more from me than just standing up. (Afton)

“Does it hurt a lot?” she asked, curiously.

“Not really. It's better.” Contrary to this statement, the wound seemed to have gotten worse. The tear in his trousers revealed a deep cut to the bone. Puss was oozing out together with a steady stream of blood.

He's losing so much blood... We have to get it stitched up before he dies of blood loss.

“It hasn't stopped bleeding, huh?” she muttered, “where's the nearest lake?”

“I... I...” his eyelids fluttered and he felt himself falling again, “I'm...”

Don't... Afton... you're a loser. (Afton)

“Stop talking. You're experiencing the effects of blood loss. Don't move any more. I'll take care of things, just stay here. Don't worry, I have no intentions of harming you.”

Afton gave no reply, he had already fallen back into unconsciousness.

No matter how much I think about it, he seems like my brother. He... Who knows... But he's not! My brother would never kill without a second thought, kill like an assassin.

With thoughts swirling in her head, she picked her way through the forest, looking for a water source to save a stranger...

Every step from him was another step from the person he longed to protect. They were parting again, these two whom fate loved toying with.

****

It was in the forest... it was nearing autumn. The orange, red and yellow fluttered overhead, giving the sleepy rays of the sun a peak into what went on under. A few red leaves had been littered around. (Thus was the setting of Afton's dream.)

The wind blew lightly at a little boy's dark brown hair, that shone in the sunlight. He looked only 12 from his height and build.

Soon, four others came upon the scene. He was a dwarf compared to them, but he showed no sign of fear. He had a little fire in his eyes as he spread out his little arms to stall them.

“What's this kid. He'd dare to block us?” the tallest one scoffed.

“He's a mute. A weakling too,” boy #2 said.

The little boy was resolute in disallowing these boys from passing him. He glared at the boy #leader with an expression that screamed 'You will regret it!'.

“Just get rid of him already. He's annoying,” the leader said, flicking the little boy's forehead. Boy #leader pushed the little boy aside and walked past him.

Thrown onto the ground, the little boy skinned a knee. It hurt from the face he made, but the little boy stood up and ran after the boy #leader. He clung onto his leg and bit it.

“Little monster!” he screamed, kicking the little boy away, then, flustered, he added, “Boys, everything you learned, take it out on him. He's your new practice punching bag.”

Lying on the floor, blood pouring out from the gash at his chest, where he was smashed against a tree trunk, the little boy gasped for air. Three of the boys crowded out his vision of the danger walking away.

Kick after kick, punch after punch, he took it all.

“That's what you get when you try to stick your nose into other people's business,” boy #2 spat, kicking his face.

The little boy rolled over, coughing out blood, to the amusement of the three boys who laughed at this pitiful mass of blood.

They quickly resumed, cruel kicking his face and stomping on his legs. The pain was definitely excruciating, no other child his age could've taken it without so much as a scream.

They each gave him one more kick before checking his hand for a pulse.

“He's dead.”

“Check his pulse! Make sure there's no life in him.”

“I did. He's really dead.”

The little boy was picked up by his hands and legs. His head hung backwards, his blood dripping from a clump of his fringe as well as other places on his body. He was thrown into a ditch and covered with bright red and light brown leaves. But even the earth smell did not completely cover the smell of blood.

The little boy, gotten rid of, the three boys washed off the blood in the nearby lake and followed after boy #leader 's footsteps.

“Don't... don't hurt her... don't touch my sister,” the little boy whispered...

****

“Gah!” Afton sat up abruptly to feel the pain in his thigh. He instinctively looked down at it.

What's this? Who? Did Kaylie?

The wound was already stitched and cleaned up. He was changed into a new set of clothes.

Kaylie?! Did this?!

He felt a completely violated and he hugged himself reflexively.

But... we're not in the forest... Did she turn me in? Where am I?

“So... the mute lives,” a voice came.

“My lord, the king!” Afton said, trying to bow. (The pain, however, allowed no such acrobats in his current state.) He ended up just falling with his face to the bed.

“Do not speak. You need rest, Afton. Do not move, either. You have lost a lot of blood. It's a miracle you're actually alive. Don't mind me. I'm just here to check on you and tell you a few things of importance. I repeat, do not speak, Afton,” the king said.

Is it about Alistair? Or Kaylie? Did they catch her?

“You have made it back in four days. In other words, you have completed your mission. You haven't failed me.”

The king is in a good humor. Did he really catch her, like I thought?

“Afton, you were left alone in the woods with this big wound, however you escaped piques my interest and tortures me but I shall have to wait until you are well.”

Whew! She wasn't caught.... wait, why am I relieved? She's a danger! Should I tell the king about her? Should I keep it a secret? Apparently, she saved me... that means I have to think of a good story... Gah! Whatever! Kaylie, I'm working this brain just for you!

“I'm sorry. I believe I should take my leave, lest I should somehow incite in you a desire to speak,” the king quickly turned and disappeared from his sight.

Afton found himself alone in the room.

So... judging from what the king said, I was found alone in the forest... but by...?

“Hey, Afton! P.S. Here!”

Turning, he saw a little boy climbing in through the window. He dropped into the spacious room, cheeks flushed pink with exerting too much energy.

“Afton! You were gone for only four days but it felt like eternity!” the little boy puffed, throwing himself onto Afton's bed to catch his breath. A few spots of wet mud from his clothes stained the snow-white sheets.

Afton was speechless! Why wouldn't he be... it was Alistair!

“Afton! Tell me... all... about it,” he said between gasps, still catching his breath. His hair was all upset, he had little rings under his eyes, depicting the lack of sleep.

“You know... I had... a... hard time... finding out... where you were...” he continued, breathing deeply. And without waiting for a reply from Afton, (Alistair was used to talking to himself) Alistair went on about his adventures.

“The first... night... I was... so scared that... you wouldn't make it. You know that even though I know you would always return, I always have a big block of doubt taking over my faith before you go,” Alistair said.

By this time, his heart rate had gone back to normal, and his sweat was starting to break. Little salty droplets had begun to drip onto Afton's bed, soiling it further.

“This time, when you left, the big block was there as usual. But then, when you didn't come back, I thought you really died. Only half of me thought you were actually still alive. After the first night, my conscience kept me awake, screaming at me and scolding me for thinking of sleeping when I didn't know if you were dead or not. I didn't get any sleep for two nights already!” he sighed.

Alistair unconsciously began flapping his hands and legs up and down, commenting on the texture of the bed, “It's so soft. Our beds back home are as hard as rocks and here, this king has enormous, uninhabited bedrooms with such big beds. It's really a waste.”

Alistair began drifting further and further away from the subject... and soon, the little speeches broke down into phrases of unintelligible gibberish, and finally fell silent.

Alistair had fallen asleep so quickly that he didn't notice he was lying on Afton's leg... his left one at that.

Yeouch! That hurts.... ow ow ow ow ow! Alistair!!! Please...

Fortunately, Alistair only had his head on Afton's shin and not on his thigh. Afton didn't dare move. This little boy, so young, had worried sleepless nights away for him.

Thank you, Alistair... but... it's going to burn later when I wake up. The blood's not flowing... Argh!

Alistair slowly lifted his head and drowsily patted the quilt as if looking for something. Then, finding Afton still around, he went back to sleep.

Relieved of Alistair's crushing head, Afton felt... better.

Alistair. You silly boy! Don't worry about me. I'm a big boy, now. I'm going to take care of you.... and... my sister.

Afton bent over as far as was bearable (which was only into a 56 degree angle) and brushed stray clumps of sweat-dried hair away from his face.

Alistair... you're a good boy. Don't ever grow up into my life. Don't follow in my footsteps that lead to destruction. As long as I live, I will protect you from the outside. Just wait, I'll end this war and we can live happily. Start over as brothers in a peaceful land...

Alistair moaned and mumbled something about pretty stars before settling back to sleep, inciting a smile from Afton.

I'll make sure the terrors of the war would never reach you. You are my little brother after all...

Suddenly, there was a knock on the room door.

Ah... my old nemesis, fear, is back. Alistair... now what should I do with you?!

The doorknob turned and the door opened with a creak...

Now... we're dead... both of us...