As Ten walked the streets of IGNO City in the extreme heat of summer he couldn’t help but think about what a crappy week this had been for him. First, because it was summer, little kids were at the park with their parents feeding his duck friends. It’s not that Ten was happy his friends were getting attention, he just liked being the one to give them attention. Second, he and his brother Tru had a fight. They wanted to try and spend the summer together to become friends but Ten had found out about his “extra-curricular” activities. When Ten tried to confront Tru about all of this Tru told him to fuck off.
Worst of all, Ten couldn’t figure out why his boyfriend was in such a bad mood. He knew Azaran was often in a bad mood, that was just his personality, but lately he seemed less standoff-ish but instead sad. Ten tried to ask why Azaran was so sad but he just brushed it off, but Ten was determined to find out what was going on. That’s what brought him to his destination, The Sanctuary, Azaran’s favorite place to be.
As he walked in he was greeted, as usual, by some of the homeless people taking refuge there. Ten has become quite popular there due to him mother baking treats for the shelter when he would go to visit. All of the homeless knew that he was really there to see Azaran but usually he would spend some time playing cards or helping them with the chores of the shelter. Today he was not there for that kind of visit, though his mom did make some cookies which he dropped off at the front desk; no today he went to find Azaran right away. Surprisingly, today Azaran wasn’t working directly with the people taking refuge at the shelter, rather he was in the back sorting supplies by himself.
When Ten walked into the back room his boyfriend noticed him right away. He gave Ten a halfhearted greeting and continued to organize the room. Ten found this odd, normally Azaran was happy for Ten to come and visit him here, but this did fit in with the narrative of the week. Ten would send a scan mail and Azaran would send a short response. Seeing him in person wasn’t better because Azaran seemed to be mentally somewhere else.
“Hey,” Ten said clearing his throat, “I was hoping we could talk. I brought lunch, even your favorite sandwich, tuna. Can you take your lunch break?”
Azaran forced a smile and said, “Yeah I guess I should.”
Both sat down on the couch in the room and Ten pulled out the two lunches he had prepared at home for them. It was quiet as the boys began to eat but finally Ten broke the silence by asking Azaran what was going on.
“What do you mean? Obviously I am sorting the backroom,” Azaran explained with a condescending tone, “You can’t trust other people to do it right.”
“I’m not talking about that,” Ten sighed, “I mean what has been going on this week?”
“Nothing has been going on,” Azaran told him with annoyance.
“Obviously there has been something going on,” Ten asserted, “You haven’t been you all week, senpai. You barely answer scans and when you do it is nothing!”
“Just drop it Ten!” Azaran barked.
“No. Tell me what’s going on! You told me you liked me so open up!”
“I miss my brother okay!?”
The room went silent. Ten knew very little about Azaran’s brother besides the fact that he was a victim of an organization called the Collectors, a group of individuals that collected what they defined as the most beautiful objects in the world including Zedkiel feathers.
“I’m sorry,” Ten said hanging his head, “I didn’t know, you don’t have to tell me.”
“No, it’s okay, I kind of want to tell you,” Azaran said quietly, “but as you know this isn’t a happy story. I guess it is why I’m here though.
When he was growing up Azaran actually was a happy child. His home village of Normount was the ideal place to spend his childhood, at least Azaran thought so. He lived in a tent-like home made of seal skin and poles, called a tupiq, with his mother, father, and little brother Rafi. Azaran spent a majority of his time with Rafi. He spent this time with his brother because it was what was expected of him. In the village children had few responsibilities that they had to follow. In the morning they would have to go to the spring and fetch the water needed for the day. After that that they would attend school, which was a year-round activity. The final activity for the day was that the older kids would look after the younger ones, and that is what Azaran did often and would until his training would begin.
Azaran was on the cusp of starting his training in the village, which would begin at age 11. This training would help young Zedkiel come into their own under the guidance of professionals. His whole life Azaran knew exactly what he wanted to do, follow in his father’s footsteps to become a healer. His dad would often show him the basics of herbal medicine and when he was younger he would tag along to help his dad with simple procedures. He knew that being a healer meant helping people and that is all he ever wanted to do.
Even though Rafi was younger than Azaran, 7 to Azaran’s 10, he also had his own dreams of following one of their parents. Their mother was a skilled hunter and fisher and Rafi so desperately wanted to be part of her hunting party. Azaran never showed much interest when his mother would be trying to teach him and Rafi the art of archery, but Rafi was a natural and loved every second of the practice.
Spending so much time with Rafi meant Azaran got to know some other “friends” very well, the penguins. Rafi loved to go see the penguins and would always try to wattle up to them and play. Azaran couldn’t help but laugh at his brother’s antics and occasionally would join in and romp around with the penguins.
Having to look after Rafi also meant having to help him with his homework.
“So all you have to do there is carry the one,” Azaran explained.
“Oh and if I do that I get the answer 768,” Rafi stated starting to understand.
“That is exactly right!” Azaran ruffled the dark mop of hair of his brother as he received the toothiest smile imaginable. “Guess what I got today Rafi.”
“I have no idea, what is it?”
Azaran pulled a book out of his walrus skin messenger bag, “It’s a new book,” he explained, “the runners got it from the nearest town.”
Though Normount was a pretty isolated village they still had a group of Zedkiel that would go to nearby towns to buy basic supplies, such as materials for the school and medicine. Books were Azaran and Rafi’s favorite things. They were essentially a portal to the outside world for them, something they had never seen not going out of sight of the village.
Rafi bounced with excitement, “What’s this one about?”
“Well, this is about IGNO City the most wonderful place in the world,” Azaran explained with stars in his eyes, “There everyone is smart and has the chance to make money. It is full of people and opportunity and it’s watched over by the strong merciful ruler Bones.”
Rafi listened closely to his brother’s ramblings about the distant utopia he was describing. In their child-like wonder they had no idea that if it seemed too good to be true that it probably is. The pair made the promise that one day they would travel there together to experience city life, even if just for a small while. Little did they know that promise would not come through.
The next day, which would be remembered as the darkest day for Azaran, started like any other. He and Rafi took their buckets and went to the spring to collect the water for the day. Little did they know that they were being watched by creatures just behind the nearest snow hill.
“Beautiful aren’t they,” the reptilian leader told his men.
“Should we capture those two and get the feathers boss?”
“No, we will follow them back to their village where we will get the whole treasure,” the boss sneered with a malicious look.
From there things went downhill fast. The reptile creatures, which would later be known as part of the collectors, followed the boys back to the village and staged an attack. Their weaponry was far more advanced than the Zedkiel’s and most of them were able to catch their prey off guard. Azaran and Rafi stayed safe hiding in their tupiq but soon they heard an all too familiar cry for help.
“That’s Dad!” Azaran exclaimed, “I have to go help him.” As he tried to get up a small hand grabbed him.
“No Azz, please stay with me,” Rafi begged with tears in his eyes.
“It will be okay, you’re safe here Rafi,” Azaran told him in a calming voice, “I just got to go get Daddy and then I’ll be right back. You know I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you, but I just need you to be brave.”
“I can be brave,” the younger brother sniffled.
“Good boy,” Azaran said ruffling his brother hair and then ran out.
When he got outside Azaran was sick to his stomach at the sights he saw. Many of his neighbors were laying in the snow, dead, wings clipped off. The boy had to resist every urge he had to run back into the tent but he knew his father needed him.
As he ran towards his father’s healing shack Azaran noticed a lack of the creatures that had been attacking. He would find out later they left due to having too many wings to carry. When he finally found his father he knew he was too late. His dad was face down in the snow, blood trickling out of where his wings were meant to be. Azaran couldn’t move, total and complete shock will do that you.
Soon he had to move because the he felt the heat from all of the homes behind him being set on fire and burning.
“Rafi!” Azaran cried as he ran back to where he had left his brother. He rushed in to find the 7 year olds body bloody and lifeless. As quick as he could he pulled the body out of the burning tent and held his brother in arms for the last time crying.
He noticed that one of the creatures was looking back at the village laughing, arms full of Zedkiel wings.
Later Azaran would find out that the collector had come for the wings because Zedkiel wings were one of the most beautiful sights in the world. When it came time for him to begin his training he decided not to be a healer but instead become an archer. Next time he would be ready for them. Thus he started his training under his mother, whose hunting party was out of the village during the attack.
Ten sat next to his boyfriend unsure what to say after hearing that awful tale. All he could do is give him a hug when he noticed his senpai letting the tears start to flow.
“I’m sorry,” Ten told him as he began to sob.
“I promised I would protect him, I failed.”
The boys held each other as tenderly as possible. In that moment nothing else mattered, they were together feeling the same thing.
“That’s why I did it,” Azaran whispered.
“Did what?”
“At Christmas I killed the collector,” Azaran paused, “I never wanna kill again. I still dream about it. This week is the anniversary of Rafi’s death and he’s all I can think about. Him and murder.”
Ten’s heart sank. He thought he had a bad week but now hearing Azaran’s story he knew what a bad week actually was. The boys remained there together holding each other until it was time for Azaran’s shift to be over.