Earth Warriors (Undergoing Revision)

Chapter 67 - Last Test

7 hours later. Unknown location.

Every wound remains on someone, no matter the time it passed.

Back to the quarters, Julian's time hasn't been a very smooth one. The table is full of sketches and notebooks with every sort of note written down, mainly from Zlocan orders he had to commit. While some in time had sharp and coherent handwriting, some would turn into lines that covered entire pages without rhyme or reason. And even when writing letters, most look too indecipherable to read in normal ways.

Not just the pages, but also Julian. His only action is to stare at them for many minutes with a bent neck and saggy posture with clenched fists on the table. And his eyes blink when they want to instead of blinking regularly, combined with dark circles formed around his eyes and lines on his face. Despite this, the muscle around his face remains intact, yet for how long? This servitude for something so foreign and unknown can only last for far too long.

I want... I want...

But before he can commit to something else that could distract him from this predicament, the door slides open, revealing a certain male figure with a black jacket and one gloved hand compared to the gloveless one. Boris Macek has entered, likely to deliver something Julian may never forget.

"Julian Garreth... Is that your name?" Boris asks. Julian only answers by slightly raising his head upward, yet doesn't turn to face him yet. All while breathing slowly and sighing too.

"Yes... It is..." he replies with a rough tone, almost to one where he can't bother to finish what he wants to say. Boris, however, remains unfazed by this.

"What are you doing at the moment?"

"Writing down all orders as usual. Orders are done in the name of the Zlocan way..."

"You sound like you're not pleased with them. Even though you don't have blood on your hands." Julian checks on his trembling hands. Aside from a horizontal scar on the index finger, there's not much else, figuratively speaking.

"Weapon or not... My responsibility lies only with me. I'm nothing but a lapdog waiting to be told what to do..." Without warning, Boris places his hand on his shoulder, yet Julian still doesn't turn to face him.

"And yet you have the will to be more than that. Perhaps if you accept that being a killer in this world is the appropriate path to live in."

"I'm not in the mood for all that talk about what are we really made for... Even though there's far more disgrace committed by us..." Boris merely nods while still observing the vacant Julian. Perhaps something more may be needed to get him to do something new for once.

"You know it well, disgraces happen when we don't admit what's true for ourselves. Lies and deceptions, all lead to locking ourselves from the truth. Perhaps I should show you something to prove it." With this, Julian slightly turns his head around to face Boris. Even if it's from the side, one can see a wet eye in Julian.

"I told you I'm not in the mood..." Julian mutters. Boris only raises one eyebrow in response.

"This is a step to open your eyes."

"What eyes? Everything that I see only results in pain and suffering without reason, both Zlocan and Human alike..." Without warning, Boris lifts Julian up to his feet, and despite his earlier protests, he doesn't make any other move to release himself from Boris' grip.

"Is this how will you contend yourself? Such insolence. To grow to be a man, you must set aside your own doubts and be part of the future that's rightfully ours." With those words, he pulls Julian away from the table as they head to the exit. Julian can only stare down at Boris himself as he leaves the room, still without making any effort to free himself.