~3 weeks later~
Red couldn't see him anymore. Normally he could spot Ja'ren's aura from the edges of the camp, it had been slowly turning more and more black each day, but today, it just...wasn't there. Red circled the camp, keeping to the shadows so the guards wouldn't try to shoot him like they usually did, but could still not see any signs of his brother's usual vibrant colors. He was just about to finally work up the courage to go ask at the gate, when suddenly the entire tribe started flowing out, carrying a body.
"Gods..no..nonononono. It can't..not him. No. Please..not him too.."
It was all Red could do not to rush towards the body to see for himself, but he knew he couldn't step out from the shadow of the rock overlooking the camp. If he did, the tribe would try to kill him. The guards had their bows, lances, and swords - something they never carried when going to burn a body in the normal fashion. This must have been the last straw. To them, the "Cursed Boy" had now claimed 3 lives over the past 3 years. Along with supposedly being the cause of a food shortage and no new children being born. Every little bad thing they had begun to blame on Red, and this was no exception.
"Why? Why..didn't you take it off..how could this..why you..wh-"
Red froze. A guard had turned, looking right at him. The man's face slowly curled into a snarl, he raised his lance and yelled at the other guards. ""There he is! GET HIM." Collectively, the guards turned, and each bolted towards the young boy, who turned and ran for his life. Past the spring. Past the log where he and Ja'ren had sat every night, one boy playing music while the other danced, and finally past Red's small shack. As the guards came upon the shack, two stopped to tear the thing down, growling as they did so.
Red continued running. Eyes blurry with tears. He couldn't say goodbye. Couldn't watch his brother's ashes fly to the winds as his mother's and father's had before him. Couldn't say goodbye to the one person who had meant so much. Who had stuck with him even after losing both parents. They had been brothers. In every sense of the word.
And now Red couldn't even say "I love you." one final time.
That thought made the tears flow faster, more freely, and Red had to continually wipe his face so he could see where he was headed. He couldn't stop. Couldn't pause or the guards at his tail would be upon him, stabbing and ripping him to shreds in mere seconds. He'd be dead. Dead like Ja'teeh. Min'iah.....Ja'ren...
He ran. Faster than ever. Leaping over rocks, logs, ducking under branches, weaving through small passageways, until finally..he stopped. The sounds of pursuit had vanished. They had given up, but only after chasing him far out of their territory. So far, that Red was now standing on the coast - staring out at a vast sea of nothingness.
He collapsed. The emotional and physical weariness suddenly hitting him all at once, and hugged his knees to his chest, burying his face into them. His whole frame shook as he sobbed. Deep heart-wrenching cries that said it all.Â
Ja'ren was dead, and right then, Red wished he was too.
Red couldn't see him anymore. Normally he could spot Ja'ren's aura from the edges of the camp, it had been slowly turning more and more black each day, but today, it just...wasn't there. Red circled the camp, keeping to the shadows so the guards wouldn't try to shoot him like they usually did, but could still not see any signs of his brother's usual vibrant colors. He was just about to finally work up the courage to go ask at the gate, when suddenly the entire tribe started flowing out, carrying a body.
"Gods..no..nonononono. It can't..not him. No. Please..not him too.."
It was all Red could do not to rush towards the body to see for himself, but he knew he couldn't step out from the shadow of the rock overlooking the camp. If he did, the tribe would try to kill him. The guards had their bows, lances, and swords - something they never carried when going to burn a body in the normal fashion. This must have been the last straw. To them, the "Cursed Boy" had now claimed 3 lives over the past 3 years. Along with supposedly being the cause of a food shortage and no new children being born. Every little bad thing they had begun to blame on Red, and this was no exception.
"Why? Why..didn't you take it off..how could this..why you..wh-"
Red froze. A guard had turned, looking right at him. The man's face slowly curled into a snarl, he raised his lance and yelled at the other guards. ""There he is! GET HIM." Collectively, the guards turned, and each bolted towards the young boy, who turned and ran for his life. Past the spring. Past the log where he and Ja'ren had sat every night, one boy playing music while the other danced, and finally past Red's small shack. As the guards came upon the shack, two stopped to tear the thing down, growling as they did so.
Red continued running. Eyes blurry with tears. He couldn't say goodbye. Couldn't watch his brother's ashes fly to the winds as his mother's and father's had before him. Couldn't say goodbye to the one person who had meant so much. Who had stuck with him even after losing both parents. They had been brothers. In every sense of the word.
And now Red couldn't even say "I love you." one final time.
That thought made the tears flow faster, more freely, and Red had to continually wipe his face so he could see where he was headed. He couldn't stop. Couldn't pause or the guards at his tail would be upon him, stabbing and ripping him to shreds in mere seconds. He'd be dead. Dead like Ja'teeh. Min'iah.....Ja'ren...
He ran. Faster than ever. Leaping over rocks, logs, ducking under branches, weaving through small passageways, until finally..he stopped. The sounds of pursuit had vanished. They had given up, but only after chasing him far out of their territory. So far, that Red was now standing on the coast - staring out at a vast sea of nothingness.
He collapsed. The emotional and physical weariness suddenly hitting him all at once, and hugged his knees to his chest, burying his face into them. His whole frame shook as he sobbed. Deep heart-wrenching cries that said it all.Â
Ja'ren was dead, and right then, Red wished he was too.
