The Garden of What Once Was

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - FLASHBACK

The day Landon became nothing but a mistake in the eyes of his father was also the fateful day in which Landon had laid his sights on Jared Badar at the first-ever Tier Rankings. Landon, at only the young age of thirteen, had been pressured into participating in the grueling tier battles against other High-tiers across the world, all to gain his rightful ranking. Every fight was the same as the other. He, along with his opponent, would lose the ability to use their special power and healing abilities, and then, the awful sound of the starting buzzer would pierce through the arena. Once that buzzer came, he set aside all his morals, forcing himself to meet every attack his opponent sent his way. It didn't end until one of them was unable to continue. For more matches than he could count on his own two hands, his opponent had lost horribly. That was until he reached the fight for the last bracket. This match would determine who would be granted the chance at fighting to be ranked the most powerful High-tier in the entire world. It was crucial that he punched to break bones and if need be, bring them to the verge of death, as his father had told him. The words of his father ran in circles around his head as he stepped into the ring. His eyes narrowed under the glow of the blinding lights from above. Once he adjusted to the abnormally bright setting, he finally gazed upon the vampire he was supposed to destroy. That vampire, unlike all of Landon's forgettable opponents, was meant to be remembered. He was so bright, just like those lights. In his wide smile, in his glittering purple eyes that judged every inch of Landon, in every part of him was confidence. It was not a disdainful type of confidence but a beautiful one that Landon admired wholeheartedly. So much so that Landon had smiled for the first time in the ring. He was going to enjoy fighting with Jared, as he knew that Jared was not weak in the mind or heart. Rather, he was strong. That strength of his prevailed over Landon's, ultimately ending with Landon losing to Jared. Nevertheless, Landon left the ring with a smile and thoughts full of the vampire that had just beaten him senseless. Those thoughts were interrupted when his parents bombarded him with a suffocating embrace.

    "Thank God, thank God," Mrs.Gray whispered into Landon's hair as she cried, "I couldn't bear to see you fight in that ring any longer, Landon." She, along with Mr.Gray, pulled away from Landon. "Third place is enough for us both. Right, sweetheart?"

    "It's a pity you couldn't go all the way," Mr.Gray admitted honestly. Although he wanted Landon to get second place, this was what he had to settle with. At least third place still reaped plenty of benefits. With that in mind, a smile partook the frown on Mr.Gray's face as he placed Landon into a headlock, much to Mrs.Gray's displeasure. "But, you're still bound to have all the girls tripping over themselves to get a piece of you! You're going to have to beat them all off with a stick, Lan."

    Immediately, Landon stiffened under his father's hold. His father was as oblivious as ever to Landon's sexuality, not that he was to be at fault for his ignorance. It was Landon's wish to keep his sexuality a secret from his family, as he was never confident nor brave enough to correct them during times like these. For a moment, he considered playing along with this never-ending charade, but the thought of Jared wiggled its way into his mind. Like Jared, Landon wanted to be confident in himself and everything else. Maybe, just maybe if he finally corrected his father, he would gain a shred of that confidence he lacked.

    Swallowing, Landon wiggled out from the headlock his father had held him in before he willed himself to speak, "It's not girls that I care about."

    The second those words left his lips, the smile on his father's face faded. Slight darkness edged its way into the brown of his father's eyes which made Landon realize that he had made a mistake. He could practically feel all the love his father held for him slip away. In its place laid some horrid mix of hatred and disgust.

    "Oh, so girls aren't enough for you then," Mr.Gray began twisting Landon's words into the meaning he wished for them to hold. "I guess you want women then, huh?"