Epitome of a Hero

A Memory

“The rebels had been building their forces on the north and south areas of the kingdom. They should be eradicated completely before their numbers grow more than what we are expecting,” Uncle Lumiere mumbled as he oversees our plans on our base. We are bound to attack the rebels by dawn, but Uncle Lumiere went completely silent after hearing that the rebels knew of our plans and decided to pull new forces together, number far greater than ours.

“What do you think they seek in this war with the king? What kind of reform did they say they wanted?” I asked as I looked at the drawn map at the table.

Uncle Lumiere seemed answerless about the question and his eyes were filled with uncertainty.

“Uncle?”

“Whatever it is that they might want… my loyalty is to the kingdom. Even if you know how tyrant the king is… he is still my brother.”

That was all he ever said that day but what he said right after was the most intriguing.

“But you Damian… if you want the Cyprus to change, it will always be your decision and whatever happens to me, you should know what to do…”

I stopped to look at him for a moment, clueless of what he meant.

What should I do…

“I stay with our kingdom… He is still my father…” I answered but a band in my heart was breaking as I did. But why?

Uncle and I fell mute after that before I asked my inquiries once again.

“Do you know who the leader of the rebels are?”

“The rebels have been going on for a long time. A cycle of leaders which we never found. But the one right now might be a young one, maybe at your age too… A rumor said that his name was Alexander Grey…” Uncle Lumiere answered.

Alexander Grey… I will remember that name…

****

“Is he the one who killed you?” Michael asked as we sat alongside one another at the bus.

“I don’t really know… but the rebels ambushed us…” But how did they know where we were… the village that the king told us was also empty…

“You said the King was the one who ordered you to go there, right?” he asked and I felt quite amazed. What a great attention to detail, this boy. I huffed and he just stared at me.

“Well, yea. Technically, we always received our mission from the King but it seemed that he was also the one behind it…” But how is that possible…

Well, come on, he’d been planning to kill me ever since I was born anyway so it is not impossible. I smirk without me knowing and Michael raised his brow at me.

“Don’t you think the King ordered the rebels to do it beforehand?” he asked again and I shook my head.

“If the King ordered the rebels to kill us then why would the feud between the rebels and the kingdom last for longer years. That is impossible… unless…”

The ones who attacked us aren’t rebels to begin with…

“The ones who attacked you aren’t the real rebels,” Michael synced with the voice inside my head and I gaped at him.

“How did you get that idea?”

“Watching strategic war and movies…” he shrugged and I laughed at him. He smiled a bit and it made him look kind of alive than how he always looked.

“Well... I’m already dead anyway… I shouldn’t bother thinking about it.”

“At least you have an idea… it’s better to know what killed you than being bothered about it in death.”

“You have such a wise tongue, you know that?” I giggled and he rolled his eyes off me.

Our conversation was cut off when a beep went form my phone and as I looked at it, it was Kyle. We have been kind of text mates. The kid was kind and I don’t know what to feel but this heart knows pretty damn well.

“Are you done training? Drink lots of water right after. Take care on your way home…”

I read the text and my heart went crazy after that. Come on kid, you get hearts in your eyes for this simple text? I giggled and then sent him a text back.

“Thank you. Drink lots of water too… J “

I huffed at the emoji and it kind of made me think. Somehow, I can feel her here when she’s talking with people… especially to Kyle… I remembered her voice that told me to help him, the time when I saw Kyle being beaten up by those damn strangers.

“Tricia’s boyfriend?” Michael’s question startled me and I realized that I spaced out again.

“Well, she likes him.”

“How about you?” he asked and I began laugh absurdly as he asked me.

“What the hell are you asking me? I’m like 9 years older than you guys. That’ll sound so weird.” I laughed and he just huffed before shaking his head lightly.

I glanced outside the window and realized that my stop is near.

“I’m going now,” I gave him a tap at the shoulder and hurried my way out of the bus. I turned around to give him a quick wave but got surprised when I saw him behind me, still with an emotionless expression.

“Are you following me?” I jested and he walked towards me with his ridiculous reaction.

“I’m her neighbor, dummy.”

“Oh.” It took a couple of minutes before it sank into my mind, and so I gaped at him again.

“And you didn’t even bother to tell me this whole time?” I asked and his eyes narrowed.

“You didn’t ask me. Is her memory not working for you?”

He had a point there.

“You’re not in her memories or maybe I just can’t reach it.” I said bluntly and his eyes twitched a little. Or did they talk already before?

“Nope. I never talked to her before.” He answered and so we continued talking until I reached my house and apparently he was really my neighbor. His house was just right beside mine.

“We’re really neighbors, huh?” I looked at their house beside ours and he was just silent, like always.

“See you around, Damian.” He smiled and I waved him a hand before I entered the door.

That was a nice day.

I laid my body on the couch and stretched my body. It was a long and tiring day…

Dad isn’t here so I guess he did groceries. He doesn’t have any work at Sundays at the clinic.

I closed my eyes but then realized that my body was moving on its own. I was holding my phone and ready to send a message to Kyle. Did I do that…?

As I was holding the phone right now, I just texted him and said that I was home before I drowsed off on the couch.