Post by iCaramelBird on Jul 4, 2016 19:25:21 GMT
I OF REIGN
LEAD NO SHELTER
- PROLOGUE -
The dying rays of sunlight illuminated the inner workings of the factory, the interiors lit by a red light that accompanied the pungent odour of paint that emanated from seemingly every aspect of the interiors. Luke watched shadows reach new heights before they were slowly swept away into the darkness, the night sky now hanging overhead. It had been a day, and already he only seemed to cause even more trouble, as usual, being nothing more than a burden on other people's lives. He was sat down on a rickety bed, identical to the many rows that filled the room, and Luke was assured filled more judging by the amount of people he caught glimpses of, 'Outsiders' they called themselves. He heard their dull voices from afar, catching snippets of his name in the tense conversation but instead he tried to blur them out, focusing on what he would do now, where he would go, clutching the water bottle in his hand. He then stared at the man opposite him, their feet planted firmly on the ground as they sat on a bed, Luke had never seen a man so tall in his life, big and bulky with a thick frame of muscle, rich dark skin and light brown hair tied back into dreadlocks, none of them reaching his shoulders but looking more so like a ponytail. Luke barely heard it, but heard the others call him 'Hawk', wondering if it was perhaps some code, yet with the way, his powers were diving in and out of his life, his perception could hardly sometimes tell any more. Iotas of space and time filled the chasm between them, an unmistakable silence that could only be shaken by words, and so the shaking began.
“That's one hell of a burn,” Hawk commented, Luke liked to believe it was more so out of concern as he saw the man's eyes trail down to his arm, looking down he had seen the sleeve of his grey shirt which stuck close to his skin, had moved up slightly, revealing the horrific burns on his left arm that he endured. He slowly pulled his sleeve down, watching pity take over Hawk's expression. “Sorry.” Luke glanced at the bed, his backpack and his sword laying next to him before he managed to quickly look back at the man.
“It's fine,” said Luke plainly. Hawk shifted, clearly uncomfortable as he tried to search for a new avenue of conversation, the chasm did not get any smaller between them.
“How are you feeling? I haven't had to heal someone like that in quite a while so if you're dizzy or feeling a bit sick, just let me know,” explained Hawk, smiling slightly as if a sign that things would be okay. Luke was at least thankful one thing seemed to go right in his life recently, even if it meant virtually nothing.
“Thanks,” replied Luke, he looked at the chipped walls and the steel doors, hearing the dulled voices come clearer, their voices raising as the conversation seemingly took another intense turn.
“That's a nice sword you got there, did you make it yourself?” inquired Hawk, Luke saw his eyes focused on the sheathed katana next to him, Luke smiled but only weakly.
“Not really, no,” answered Luke, similar to the bow he no longer had, he knew that even he couldn't think of ever making his own katana blade for himself. Hawk almost looked disappointed.
“Oh, well does it have a name?” asked Hawk. Luke shrugged, only having one answer in mind.
“Lilly.” He said, and Hawk smiled.
“Lilly's a nice name,” complimented Hawk.
“Yeah, I guess it is,” replied Luke before he took another sip of his water bottle, trying his best not to look at the sheathed katana. There was another pause, and Luke could hardly tell if the chasm between them was growing, the conversation only helping him clear his mind as he wondered what to do next, slightly appreciated by the concern and interest of Hawk.
“So, why were you out there alone, if you don't mind me asking?” questioned Hawk, but Luke did mind him asking, not bothering to make the strain of simple conversation appear less annoying than it actually was. But upon looking at the clear concern from the man, Luke relented, appreciating it somewhat.
“I just...” His voice trailed off. “I tried to get away. I don't really have anybody, everybody I know is gone. I'm alone now.” And at that, Luke felt his heart skip a beat as if his words confirmed his worst fears were a reality, not a temporary adjustment in his life that he would or could overcome, but the hard truth he would have to confront, at this point it felt like facing giants.
“I'm so sorry. But what about other people? Friends? Siblings? Parents?” As the list went on Luke said nothing, failing to meet the eyes of Hawk. “Jesus...” Hawk muttered, letting his voice trail off. “I'm so sorry, how- I mean what happened?” Luke could see how uncomfortable the man was with asking these questions, and for a moment he wondered if he was simply trying to gauge the type of person Luke was, maybe to appeal to the others, maybe to appeal to himself, he didn't know.
“My parents kicked me out, told me they didn't want me. After that, it's just a long story but...” Luke stopped. Hawk glanced at him, silently urging him to go on, and so Luke did. “People die sometimes, because of me.”
“I'm sure what happened wasn't your fault,” replied Hawk. Luke quietly sighed.
“Maybe,” said Luke. There was another pause, the conversation stilted to a halt before Luke carried on. “I'm thinking of moving on, going somewhere else.” Hawk nodded.
“That's fair, for now though you can stay with us, just so you can rest up, and maybe sort some things out,” explained Hawk, Luke looked up at him, reminded of the intense voices from afar.
“What about everyone else?” questioned Luke. Hawk smiled.
“I'm sure they can deal with it,” he assured before he got up, stretching and grunting as he headed towards the door. "I should probably go see what they're talking about, they should get to bed soon.” He reached for the door, and Luke watched it open, revealing the larger room of the factory beyond Hawk, “I'll see you in the morning then, Hunter.” And with that, the door closed.
“That's one hell of a burn,” Hawk commented, Luke liked to believe it was more so out of concern as he saw the man's eyes trail down to his arm, looking down he had seen the sleeve of his grey shirt which stuck close to his skin, had moved up slightly, revealing the horrific burns on his left arm that he endured. He slowly pulled his sleeve down, watching pity take over Hawk's expression. “Sorry.” Luke glanced at the bed, his backpack and his sword laying next to him before he managed to quickly look back at the man.
“It's fine,” said Luke plainly. Hawk shifted, clearly uncomfortable as he tried to search for a new avenue of conversation, the chasm did not get any smaller between them.
“How are you feeling? I haven't had to heal someone like that in quite a while so if you're dizzy or feeling a bit sick, just let me know,” explained Hawk, smiling slightly as if a sign that things would be okay. Luke was at least thankful one thing seemed to go right in his life recently, even if it meant virtually nothing.
“Thanks,” replied Luke, he looked at the chipped walls and the steel doors, hearing the dulled voices come clearer, their voices raising as the conversation seemingly took another intense turn.
“That's a nice sword you got there, did you make it yourself?” inquired Hawk, Luke saw his eyes focused on the sheathed katana next to him, Luke smiled but only weakly.
“Not really, no,” answered Luke, similar to the bow he no longer had, he knew that even he couldn't think of ever making his own katana blade for himself. Hawk almost looked disappointed.
“Oh, well does it have a name?” asked Hawk. Luke shrugged, only having one answer in mind.
“Lilly.” He said, and Hawk smiled.
“Lilly's a nice name,” complimented Hawk.
“Yeah, I guess it is,” replied Luke before he took another sip of his water bottle, trying his best not to look at the sheathed katana. There was another pause, and Luke could hardly tell if the chasm between them was growing, the conversation only helping him clear his mind as he wondered what to do next, slightly appreciated by the concern and interest of Hawk.
“So, why were you out there alone, if you don't mind me asking?” questioned Hawk, but Luke did mind him asking, not bothering to make the strain of simple conversation appear less annoying than it actually was. But upon looking at the clear concern from the man, Luke relented, appreciating it somewhat.
“I just...” His voice trailed off. “I tried to get away. I don't really have anybody, everybody I know is gone. I'm alone now.” And at that, Luke felt his heart skip a beat as if his words confirmed his worst fears were a reality, not a temporary adjustment in his life that he would or could overcome, but the hard truth he would have to confront, at this point it felt like facing giants.
“I'm so sorry. But what about other people? Friends? Siblings? Parents?” As the list went on Luke said nothing, failing to meet the eyes of Hawk. “Jesus...” Hawk muttered, letting his voice trail off. “I'm so sorry, how- I mean what happened?” Luke could see how uncomfortable the man was with asking these questions, and for a moment he wondered if he was simply trying to gauge the type of person Luke was, maybe to appeal to the others, maybe to appeal to himself, he didn't know.
“My parents kicked me out, told me they didn't want me. After that, it's just a long story but...” Luke stopped. Hawk glanced at him, silently urging him to go on, and so Luke did. “People die sometimes, because of me.”
“I'm sure what happened wasn't your fault,” replied Hawk. Luke quietly sighed.
“Maybe,” said Luke. There was another pause, the conversation stilted to a halt before Luke carried on. “I'm thinking of moving on, going somewhere else.” Hawk nodded.
“That's fair, for now though you can stay with us, just so you can rest up, and maybe sort some things out,” explained Hawk, Luke looked up at him, reminded of the intense voices from afar.
“What about everyone else?” questioned Luke. Hawk smiled.
“I'm sure they can deal with it,” he assured before he got up, stretching and grunting as he headed towards the door. "I should probably go see what they're talking about, they should get to bed soon.” He reached for the door, and Luke watched it open, revealing the larger room of the factory beyond Hawk, “I'll see you in the morning then, Hunter.” And with that, the door closed.