A World With/Out Home

Chapter 6: What can and can't be done. (Part 1)

Chapter 6: What can and can't be done.

The door opened without warning, "Delivery for one Kyle Barker." Valandus entered his room unceremoniously and dropped several bags onto the floor. He looked around, "So they stuck you in the usual room. It's... bare. When you get some free time let's go shopping and get you some things to liven this place up. Despite my looks I know some good décor- Hey you alive?"

Kyle had barely registered him coming inside. Instead his eyes were pressed downwards to the wooden floor, his hands clasped in front of him in thought.

Valandus scratched the back of his head and sighed, "You went there didn't you?"

Kyle nodded. They both knew what he meant.

"When the Captain told me where you were going to be working I thought this might happen," the driver took the nearby chair and swung it around to face Kyle before sitting down. "Not a pretty sight is it?"

"No... it's not."

"What are you going to do?"

Kyle was silent. Since they had returned he could barely look the children in the eyes and headed to his room soon after.

"Half a day ain't bad you know." Valandus looked at the young man understandingly. "A few of us in the Hero's Guard know the truth. Most of them never come here. They can't handle it. Knowing what sacrifices we make every time we face the demons... they'd rather see the children as disposable weapons. For them it's better to never see their human side."

As dark as Valandus' words were, Kyle understood, but for him it was too late. The moment he came here... the moment he met Jana and Lillia, he could never see them as mere weapons to be trained and sacrificed.

"There's the other thing some of us have done too," Valandus' voice became gentle. "Forget it all." He put a finger to his head and mouthed a bang. "Memories gone and replaced. If you want, I can even get the Captain to send you back ho-."

"No!" Kyle suddenly stood and stared down at him. His heart beat heavily and he had to pause to calm himself. "No... I-I don't want to forget. I don't want to leave. I'm just.... It's all just a bit more than I expected."

"So you're going to stay here?" Valandus was surprised. "Even knowing what these children you're taking care of are? What we're using them for? You're weak Kyle but over the past few days I already know you're kind. I don't want to play down your determination but I'll say this, I couldn't do it. It would be like I was sending my own child to die month after month. The only person I know who's stuck with it is Maila. I can't even fathom what she's been through."

"I'm not leaving," Kyle said the words again. More than anything Valandus' warning spurred him further to not run away. Especially after he mentioned Maila. In only half a day he understood how much she cared for each of the children. It wasn't just Lillia and the other Hero candidates. He also wanted to help reduce her burden even by just a bit.

"Lillia was right. You really are a weird one." Valandus stood up. "I like it. So if you're not going to sit here all day, how about you come with me and I show you something?"

"Let's go," Kyle stood up as well, determined. In truth his nerves weren't quite ready but if he left it alone they might never be.

Valandus led the way out the room and upstairs. It was the first time Kyle had been this way and they passed by the rooms of the children. Each one had a name hanging out the front, some with two as the smaller children shared. Most were closed but a few were open and many of them a mess. Halfway down the corridor Valandus turned and moved towards the back of the house. They reached an inconspicuous door much like any other and passed through. The room on the other side was ordinary. There were several spare boxes for storage and knickknacks lying about but it was the clear sliding door at the end they headed towards. Valandus gestured for Kyle to lead the way. The cool breeze refreshed him as he slid the door open with a creak. Outside he quickly saw what Valandus wanted to show him. From the house's second floor he had a full view of the children training below.