The Imperial Warrior

Chapter 13- Higher Ground

After standing in the same spot for what felt like a really long time to Kyle, he headed off back to the arena to find where Liam was. He knew he had had a bad start with him, so he was mentally thinking of ways to make up to the lot of them when he saw Derek looking at him. He hurried his pace and stumbled over his own legs on the way back. He regained his composure with as much dignity as he could muster after tripping over literally nothing. A tiny smile was on Derek's lips by the time Kyle reached to where he was.

It was a cold day in Arcane and Kyle was glad for his jacket. He pulled the zip all the way to his neck and asked, "Aren't you cold?"

"Do I look like I am cold?" Derek raised one of his eyebrows and flexed his muscles. Kyle wondered how Derek's cockiness didn't want to make him punch him in the face anymore. He laughed it off and asked him, "Do you know where Liam is?"

"Do I look I know where Liam is?" No, he definitely still wanted to punch him.

"He is to give me a tour of this lovely compound, D." Kyle said trying to remind him of the fight he so terribly lost against Khia less than an hour ago. It didn't have the effect he wanted but at least he got an answer, "Check with one of the archers." Kyle walked towards the direction of the round targets as he heard Derek say, "This should be interesting."

He made sure to walk with extra care as he made his way around the flying arrows. He didn't want to give Derek any more fodder to make fun of him. He saw three boys with bows in their hands, angling their arrows towards the target, all in unison. The arrows left their bows at the same time but only two of them reached the target board. The third hit a tree and fell with a soft thud. They boy whom the fallen arrow belonged to yelled angrily. His entire body had begun to tremble with it and Kyle saw black veins run down his arm. Panic immediately seized him and he was going to shout at the other two boys to run when he saw that Liam was already there talking to the boy in hushed but strict words. He took a few steps forward to listen what he was telling him, "Deep breaths, Roy. 1. In. 2. Out. 1. In. 2. Out. Come on, say it with me."

The boy repeated what Liam said over and over again until his shivering subsided. He then dropped the bow and fell to the ground. "I can't do it, Liam. It's too much- the voices, they don't ever stop."

Kyle thought Liam would yell at him or tell him to get himself together, remembering their little encounter in the locker room but to his surprise, Liam sat on the ground beside him and rubbed the boy's back for a minute.

"I know, but we can't give up so easy, can we?" His tone was gentler than Kyle would have thought was possible. Roy took another minute to collect himself and then he asked, "What can I do to be better?"

You could see the pride Liam had for the boy after he heard those words. He stood up and offered him a hand, "You stand up and you fight."

"I fight." The boy echoed.

Kyle thought he should leave and come back later but it was too late, "Going to stand there and stare at teenage boys all day, Jones?" Liam's tone was even harsher than usual, like he had to cover up for his recent bought of kindness that Kyle had witnessed.

"Alan told me to get a tour of the compound from you, but I can come back later." He told him.

"Of course, he did." Liam sighed and ruffled Roy's hair. "You can manage until I come back, right?" He asked boy. Roy nodded his head.

Kyle waited until Liam was beside him and then offered his hand, "I know we got off on the wrong foot, so I just wanted to clear the air." Liam scoffed at his hand but shook it nonetheless.

"Consider it clean then," He said but his tone implied anything but. Kyle tried to rein in his temper at that. If everyone had already made up their mind about him then there was no point in trying at all. But he had to, for Anya's sake, for his own sake, he had to.

"Come on then. We'll start from the top." They went back into the building from the same door Kyle had come in. He promised himself he would memorize the way this time around so he was keeping his eye out for all signs or boards that would landmark the places for him. Like assured, Liam took him to the top floor first. Much to Kyle's demise, it was the 10th floor and he had begun panting from the 4th itself. Liam smirked at the sight and said, "Oh, Drake is going to eat you alive." Kyle was too tired to ask him what Drake had to do with any of it so he let it go.

"Don't—" He took a large breath through his mouth. "Don't you have elevators in this thing?" Kyle asked when they had reached the 7th floor. Liam didn't bother answering and increased his pace even more, taking two steps at a time. By the time they reached the top floor, Kyle was clutching his stomach, struggling for air while Liam hadn't even broken a sweat.

Kyle glared at him angrily and stubbornly slumped down the nearest wall. Liam gave him a minute before hauling him to his feet, "Oh come on, Jones. You had so much fight in you that day or was it all just a show for Anya?" Her name was like a trigger, sending a fresh jolt of energy into him. He got up and said, "Don't tempt me, Liam. I'm a wild animal on lose remember? You wouldn't want to get that pretty face all messed up, now?"

Kyle knew he was baiting Liam for a fight he didn't have the power to even start but it gave him satisfaction anyway. Liam didn't care for it and opened the only door on the floor. Fresh breeze hit his face and Kyle realized that it was the roof. He gave Liam another pointed expression, "You brought me all the way up here to show me the roof?"

Liam shrugged, "You asked for the tour."

He would have picked up the brawl after all, but the afternoon sun was too pleasant to miss. Days in Arcane were always cold and there was never enough sun. He went onto the roof and picked the place with the maximum amount of sunshine and went and sat there. Liam could leave him up there for all he cared.

He didn't make him get up this time but came and sat beside him. They looked down to the arena and Kyle could see Liam glancing around for Roy.

"Is he your brother?" Kyle asked.

"No, you'll find out that most of us don't have siblings."

"What about Derek and Khia?"

"They are half-siblings. They share the same father and before you ask no, I don't know their story. I don't really concern myself with other people's business." Kyle ignored the taunt and said, "Drake and who's the other one, ah, I don't really know his name, the twins. They are there too."

"Drew," Liam's eyes narrowed. "Right, I said most, Jones. There are always exceptions." His voice was suddenly tired. Kyle recognized that tired all too well. It didn't come from physical exertion but something deep in the bones. He didn't want to poke any further so he stayed silent. He was doing that all too often. All Imperials seemed to have their own baggage. Scars too fresh to be touched.

"It's a privilege for us." Liam explained after a while.

"To have a family, to have siblings, to have any semblance of a normal life. We don't get that here. We can't afford to have it. So no, Roy isn't my brother." Kyle could hear the unsaid words "Even though I wish he were."

He didn't know what he was supposed to do with Liam's sudden honestly. Liam noticed it too, so he asked, "Have you chosen then?" Kyle knew he was talking about the choice between the pit and training.

"I have." Liam wasn't really listening to Kyle anymore as he said, "It isn't a choice. You are just trading one cage for another."

"Why do you say that?"

"In the pit, you have submitted to your raw senses and desires. You do whatever you heart leads you to. Here, you hone yourself into ignoring everything your heart wants. Tell me, which one is true freedom?"

Kyle was shocked to hear such words come out of Liam's mouth. During all their time in Arcane High, all he had seen was Liam's sneer as he proceeded to macho his act through the school, and now, here he was- sitting on a rooftop with Liam Hammers talking about the desires of their hearts.

Liam got up and walked out of the door, reluctantly Kyle followed him as the door slammed shut behind them.

They make their way back down with occasional stops on other floors to show him the living quarters which made up the four floors below the roof, the main hall which was on the 5th, the library and computer room on the 4th, Khia's cafeteria on the 3rd along with the main café and the lounge room which was mostly used as the infirmary. The first two floors were mostly offices and working rooms of the residents.

On their way, they stopped at the café to get some breakfast. Kyle wished he could go to Khia's little cafeteria instead. The main café was filled with people. Most of the kids from the arena had come up for breakfast as a line had already formed around the buffet tables. Eggs were on the day's menu.

Kyle spotted Khia chatting to Alan and Derek about some new moves she had picked up. He went over to their table told them that he was ready with his decision. Alan insisted to let him take the rest of the day to think it out but Kyle had made up his mind. He was going to train.

"You know the pit isn't as bad as it sounds. It's actually a really sweet deal. You have food, drinks, Netflix, an unlimited supply of Wi-Fi—" On hearing the word Wi-Fi Kyle remembered his issue with network yesterday.

"Speaking of Wi-Fi, why doesn't my phone have any network here? We are still within Arcane's geographical territory, aren't we?"

Khia looked at Alan for that and once he gave a nod she said, "About that, your normal phone won't work here. Security issues." Said she.

"Can't have you i********:-ing our location now, can we?" Kyle scoffed and used Derek's earlier words, "Do I look like someone who Instragrams?"

Derek was definitely on his way of saying yes to that when Alan told him, "Okay, since you have made your decision, there are a few things you ought to know. One, you can't leave the compound until you are given the level 6 badge. That means only when you have completed your training enough that we trust you won't be running around the city hurting the citizens of our adorable town. And two, the Wi-Fi password is IMPERIALSARETHEBEST, all caps no space. You will collect your new badge, a compound issued laptop and cell from the reception once Liam is done showing you the place."

"Where is Liam anyway?" Derek asked looking around the café.

"Where do you think? He is subtle-stalking Drew again." Khia pointed towards the omelet station line which had almost dwindled to Drew and Liam following a couple of paces behind.

"This is why I don't do relationships," Khia told Derek. Alan chuckled murmuring something about teenagers and young love before he left the table. "Either you end up a love-sick puppy or a heartbroken poet, there is no in between." She carried on.

Derek had gotten up from the table and was pulling Liam there as well. "What did we tell you about Drew, Liam?"

"I know, I know. But how can he just go around doing his business just like that. Like we weren't completely in love with each other just a few days ago."

"It was over six months ago, Liam. Get over it already." Khia scolded him but something in her manner told Kyle that she knew all too well that some things you never really get over. No matter how much time has passed.

Liam hadn't noticed Kyle at the table until then and positively glowered at him. Clearly, he wasn't meant to hear all that. Liam ignored him for the rest of their meal. Only when Derek and Khia left the table, he told him, "So, you have seen the compound, and you have seen the arena. I don't feel like going to the pit so our tour ends here." Saying that, he left the table too.

Kyle once again speculated on what he had done to make Liam hate him so much. He went out of the café, and jogged ahead to catch up to a wandering Khia, "So, how come you get your own cafeteria?"

"I like cooking." She said as an answer.

For a while, their footsteps and the hum of electricity was all Kyle could hear. When he had enough confidence in himself that he wouldn't lose control, he asked her, "What do you know about my parents, Khia?" She glanced at him sidewards but didn't say anything, her blinking the only sign that she wasn't comfortable with the topic.

"I know you guys aren't telling me the whole story for whatever reasons you have. But you have to understand, it's still my story. I deserve to know."

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to, Kyle." She told him.

He knew he wasn't going to get anything from her then so he didn't bother to put up an argument. He would definitely bring it up later though. He was nothing if not consistently annoying.

The weird old man was still at the reception with the same expression of perpetual distaste for the world on his lips. Kyle was thankful that he had asked Liam his name before.

"Cal?"

"Mr. Jones." The man said in acknowledgment. He then removed a badge that said Level 1 on it with another bar code on the back.

"Room 807 has been assigned to you. You will find all your required things and belongings there. Drake will require your presence at 6 AM on the arena tomorrow." Cal's voice was crisp and marked no room for questions.

Kyle groaned; it was just his luck to be assigned a room on the 8th floor.

***

Alex was waiting in the car in front of the Jones' house. The weekend had passed by in a blur and the woes of an early Monday morning were already drilling into him. With Kyle gone, he didn't really know what to do about their whole situation anymore. The others had left soon after him too. So, at least he knew there weren't going to be any surprises at school today. Not that he wanted any either.

Every moment with Anya kept him on his toes. He wanted to be there for her when she broke down so he tried to stay around her as much as he could. If that meant he fell behind on a few classes, then so be it.

She opened the door of his car, well, it was really his mother's old one, but it did the job, and gave him a bright smile. "Hi!"

"Hey," He still couldn't wrap his head around her being so bright and normal around him. Her parents had died not less than a week ago and she was acting like nothing had happened. She even bent forward to kiss him before he started the car.

At first, he thought she was in shock so he let her have her space and deal in her own way. Will kept reminding him that suffering was a very personal process so he didn't want to push her in any way but he couldn't help it. She hadn't taken one minute to think about what was happening in her life.

She must have noted his silence as she asked, "Something on your mind?"

"Not really, is there something on yours?"

"Nope!" She shook her head at the same time and resumed staring out the window humming the tune of the pop song he was playing in his headphones the other day. He had to suppress his smile at that.

Anya turned up the volume on the radio as he took the road to the school. He wished they would have Spring Break already. There was so much do and so little time. He told so to Anya but her eyes clouded up at that.

"I like keeping busy," She told him faintly.

Of course, she did. Alex couldn't believe how stupid he was being. Anya was drowning out everything that had happened to her focusing on the small tasks at hand. He wished she didn't do that but it wasn't his grief. So, he said playfully, "Don't worry, luv, you'll have your hands full with me."

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that Anya hadn't heard him. Or didn't care if she had. She was resting her head against the window panel with her eyes closed. Alex could see that she wasn't getting any sleep lately, so he circled around the school twice before he finally pulled over. Any more time and they would barely get in the first period.

Anya woke up when they had stopped and put up that smile again. That annoying smile she put which was too enthusiastic to be real. And Alex loved her for it. He hated himself for not being able to make it real, but he loved her for it.

"Hey, I almost forgot, I won't make it during lunch okay. I have something to do in the library." Alex just nodded, kissed her on the cheek and said, "See you on the other side then?"

Anya smiled widely at Alex and this time he knew it was real. He almost pat himself on the back for that. He saw Will waving at him from their Biology class and darted to their lab table.

"Took you long enough." Will said once Alex had taken a seat beside him.

"I got distracted, sorry." He scratched his head, trying to make out what was written on the board in front of them. "Clearly," Will passed his book to Alex and made him note down the diagram.

"Where are your glasses?"

"I forgot them in the car." Will gave him a look of disapproval and resumed reading something from their text book. Alex was just finishing up his work when he realized someone was standing over him. He looked up to see Olivia Cook glancing around hesitantly at them.

He had never really spoken to her before. Other than her coming first in almost all of their tests, and Kyle's little crush on her, there wasn't much he knew about her. "Hi." He offered politely. She looked uncomfortable enough as it is.

"Can I talk to you guys for a minute?" She asked looking at Will.

"Sure, What's up?" He nudged Will with his elbow to make him realize that someone was talking to them, "Ow! What?" On noting Olivia's presence, he smiled and said, "Hey, Oli. Everything okay?" Olivia gave him a small smile in return. Alex narrowed his eyes at Will. Since when was she Oli to Will?

"I just wanted to ask you guys about Kyle?" She told them. They exchanged glances but didn't say anything so she continued, "Well, um, I tried his phone a couple of times but it went straight to voicemail."

"He isn't in town." Will told her.

"Oh, alright. Is he okay? He seemed out of it the last week."

Their faces must have told the story because Oli didn't ask them anything more. She just explained, "He just left some things at my house and I wanted to return them. Can you tell me when you get a word from him?"

"Of course." Will told her with a kind smile. She went back to her seat and Alex turned towards Will and asked, "Oli? When did you get on an Oli-name basis with her?"

Will looked back at her and whispered, "I helped her out with something with her family once. That's all."

Alex knew he wasn't telling him everything but let it slide, "He was staying with her?"

Will shook his head, "I don't think so."

When Alex kept pressing him with his expression he said, "Things are complicated at her house, Alex." Will sighed.

Alex understood why Will was being so evasive then. Things were complicated at Will's house too. A strange kinship mutual sorrows form, he thought.

Aloud he said, "Will you tell me as well, if you get word from our golden boy?" He knew very well that after their last outburst Kyle wasn't going to be contacting him anytime soon. Will nodded and went back to his reading. Alex had just completed his diagram when he heard Will say, regret clear in his tone,

"I don't think any of us will be hearing from him."