What Makes Us Human {on hold}

Chpater 8- Brother!?

Brother!? He had a brother? a brother who was a Ra'ac?

"Brother?" I sputtered out, very confused.

Now Kristoff looked very sheepish indeed, and he said, "Uhhhh... yeah.. Didn't I mention that?"

Now I was growing slightly irritated and I narrowed my eyes saying, "No. You didn't. Awful big thing to leave out, don't you think?"

Then he used one of the oldest lines there is,"Well....,you didn't ask!"

I just cocked an eyebrow and he said,"yeah....I didn't think you'd buy that."

now I turned my head to focus on Kristoff's brother. Now that I had this information even more similarities popped out at me. He had Kristoff's startling black hair, as well as a similar face. Not anything specific, but rather just in general. And while he had bright green eyes to Kristoff's blue ones, they both had the same intensity and windows to the soul feeling. As I stared into his eyes, I found it disconcerting, for he had no emotions in his face. The only time if ever looked into a Ra'ac's eyes was when I was killing them, and he had the same amount of indifference and apathy as the one I'd killed.

"What is your name?" I said slightly slow, unsure of how intelligent he was.

"Gabriel. My name is Gabriel. And I'm not dumb," he said, all of it in a monotonous tone.

"Sorry. I've never spent much time around Ra'acs," I replied.

"Ra'ac is not necessarily the correct term for me, as I have never been, and never shall be, in His army," he said back, it seemed with almost a note of irritation in his voice, but I quickly dismissed the notion.

His eyes were still glued to mine, never leaving my eyes for a single moment. While I had not spent much time around Ra'acs, he obviously had never been around humans much before.

"Then what is the 'correct term' for you?" I replied, slightly snarkily.

He merely blinked his eyes at me, and replied, monotonous as ever,"I have no correct term, but you may assign me one if you wish."

"How about Aleen? In the tongue of my ancestors, it means 'he who stands alone.' "

"That seems appropriate," he replied in turn.

My heart seemed to soften a bit on his last remark. I have never considered it, but I wonder what the process feels like. is it painful? how does it feel to have no emotions? While many people often wish to be free of the sometimes burden string emotions can bring, I doubt anyone would truly want to be without them. They are what make us human. They set us apart from the other creatures: the goats, the cows, the horses. Emotions coupled with our higher intelligence make us human, but what is left when one is removed? That is a question that should never have been answered.

I began to ask, but quickly realized my mistake,"How does it feel to have no..." And the worst part is- his face and body language are exactly the same. My question no more fazed him than if I asked for his name.

I begat to apologize for such a careless question, but stopped short again when I realized that he wouldn't care. I could curse him with the foulest words I knew and he wouldn't even bat an eye.

"I....I'll just go over there so you two can catch up. All right? Bye," I said, beginning to get the bull in a china shop feeling again. I thought it best for me to leave them alone for a while. After all they are brothers.

******** 

Jeez! those two chatter more than magpies. I tried not to eavesdrop, I swear I tried, but it was so hard! they talk so loud.

What I heard from their conservation- the one is was not eavesdropping on- they were simply exchanging pleasantries at first, asking on e another how they'd been. they they began to discuss their father. Kristoff began by asking how he was...

"So how has our marvelous father been faring recently?"

"I haven't seen him in a while, but last time i was there, he was the same as usual. Grumpy. Controlling. Why do you think I am here and not there?" Gabriel asked.

How curious. He can't feel emotions for himself but he can still recognize them in others.

"Where have you been these past few months?" Kristoff replied.

"Here and there. Nowhere special. How about you? And where did the girl come from?"

Kristoff snorted to himself and said,"Ah. The girl. I found her after she killed Dugal, who, coincidentally, I've been trying to find for the past month."

Wait. He knew that Ra'ac? how?

"What a shame. Of course,I only jest. Dugal was always too sullen for me. I guess it was just the way he carried himself," Gabriel replied, sounding as bland as ever. 

But then, just my luck, they both looked over at me. I quickly dropped my head and pretended to be fascinated by the floor, but when I peeked at them, they were both still staring. They leaned closer together and began to whisper so softly I couldn't make out anymore words.

Then after a few minutes of hushed whispers, Kristoff turned back towards me and announced, "Let us go now!"

"When you say 'us' do you mean me and you, or all three of us?"

"well, he is my informant, and knows other Ra'acs who can point us in the right direction."

I beckoned him closer and asked him quietly, "Are you sure we can trust him?" I looked down into his eyes with an earnest expression on my face, but he just furrowed his brows together, looking confused.

"He's my brother. I grew up with him by my side. He was there for me when no one else was. Of course I trust him."

I just gave a smile that felt more like a grimace, and asked, "Where to next?"

"The badlands," Gabriel said with an odd expression in his eyes I couldn't quite figure out.

Well, that doesn't sound good. "Why is it called the badlands?"

Once again, Kristoff looked slightly guilty. He said, "It's called that because its where all the Ra'ac deserters go. And they usually require some sort of......sacrifice, merely to enter."

"Then why are we going there!"

"Because a loyal Ra'ac would never reveal the location of Him, whilst a deserter might."