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Outside UTS Main Office
Rarely did Yudias find the time only to sit and think on times past. Or, rather, it was that he did not feel the need to . . . or, if he was really honest, that he did not want to. Maybe Yudias’ interactions with humans were affecting him. Maybe it was the effect of being with Yuhi and Yuamu in particular. Whatever the case, here Yudias was, sitting on the rooftop of the UTS building, on another warm night that surprised him.
Yudias smiled in spite of himself. The warmth did remind him of days past, days though long, long ago, he could recall as though yesterday.
Yes, it was a warm night like this when Yudias had the life-changing encounter with him. But, unlike the calm, the serenity, the stillness of the Earthen night, the warm night on Velgear was one of chaos, noise, discord.
In the Distant Past, in the Velgearian Cluster
Yudias could still smell the smoke in the air, see the bright sparks clashing in every direction, hiding the dark sky, hear the screams of his first teacher and his fellow comrades in combat training as they ran for cover, fiery rocks and dust falling on all sides. Eventually, they managed to find a cave to hide in as the surprise assault continued into the night.
Yudias recalled slowly sinking into the ground beneath him—no doubt effect from the huge rainstorm the day before. Darn it, and all his clothes just got washed! But, the thought vanished immediately as it came as Yudias scanned Teacher and his classmates. Everyone else was accounted for. Except . . .
“Teacher, one of our classmates is missing! I am going to look for him.” Yudias announced. His other classmates recoiled at the sudden statement, and Yudias covered his mouth immediately. He forgot he could be louder than necessary, which had gotten him in trouble many a time. “Ah-“
The teacher looked around and her mouth hung open in surprise. “Oh, right as expected, Yudias. This is bad! Has anyone seen Zwijo?”
A “ughhhh” pierced through the cave, and Yudias turned to another boy whose skin was half green, hair silver, eyes a piercing red as the currency of Velgear during the rare times of peace. Yudias clicked his tongue. It was impossible for Yudias to dislike anyone, but if anyone came close . . .
“Teacher, we should just leave him,” the boy said. “He’s always going off on his own during drills, anyway. We don’t need to waste our safety for someone like him.”
“Someone like him?” Yudias repeated, voice high-pitched. “He is one of our countrymen! What do you mean?”
“Oh, there Yudias goes again . . .” another boy chimed in, his red hair aflame, blue eyes piercing as though his laser eyes were active constantly. “Always defending Zwijo when Zwijo doesn’t even like him.”
Yudias took a step back. “Tha-That’s-“
Suddenly, a bright white light filled the cave and a couple of Yudias’ classmates screamed. Teacher shushed them promptly.
“Don’t give away our location! Remember your training,” Teacher said. “That said, we can’t stay here. We move.”
“But Teacher, Zwijo is—” Yudias started, but another explosion, followed by a flash of bright light cut him off.
“We will have to look for him later, Yudias. Everyone, move! Now.”
“Yes, Teacher!”
Yudias felt sick to his stomach. Either everyone escapes or no one escapes. Yudias was not one to disobey authority, but leaving Zwijo behind—it was not something he would accept.
“Forgive me, Teacher, everyone . . .” Yudias muttered as he pulled his hair in a ponytail and ran in the opposite direction from the safety of the night, into dangers of the fire.
Yudias crossed through several camps, searching for the familiar blond hair, the striking purple eyes, any sign for his fellow classmate. Sure, Zwijo was one to isolate himself and maybe he was a bit mean, but surely . . . surely he had his reasons. And when, if Yudias finds him, once and for all, he will find out why.
After all, it was because of Zwijo that—
Yudias, in his haste, had failed to see a huge tree branch until the world spun, upside down, right side up, upside down, over and over and over until Yudias’ stomach churned. Yet, Yudias could not stop though his arms were outstretched, grasping in vain for something on which to hold on until he fell face first into the dirt.
Ow, ow, ow, ow….
“You are . . . !”
Yudias immediately rose to his feet. This voice…!
“Zwijo!”
Zwijo’s face was covered in scratches, some wounds fresher than others, his junior youth dark purple military uniform—an indication of honor student status—stained in different hues of red, brown and green, strands of his long blond hair sticking out every which way with the bulk of his hair pulled back in a ponytail as well. Next to Zwijo was a young boy about no more than three, clutching Zwijo arm as though a life preserver.
Well . . . in such an environment, Zwijo quite literally was one. But all the more reason why Yudias was puzzled.
“Zwijo! What are you doing all the way out here?” Yudias yelled over the sound of explosions and crackling fire. “You and the boy are not safe here! We have to go back to our classmates—”
“You go back to your classmates, Yudias,” Zwijo said in a biting tone that sent a chill down Yudias’ spine. “They, Teacher—they mean nothing to me, I mean nothing to them. I’m taking this boy back to his village.”
Yudias stared at the boy, grey-skinned, brown hair, eyes dark green as the hair tie in Yudias’ hair. “But Zwijo, it is highly unlikely that village is still standing. You and the boy must come with us. There is safety in numbers. Teacher always says that.”
Instead of responding, Zwijo merely turned and walked away, the other boy in tow.
“Zwijo! Zwijo, please wait!”
But Zwijo only walked farther along, deeper into the forest, leaving Yudias with a choice. Go back to his classmates and Teacher or chase after Zwijo? Reason would say Yudias should go back to Teacher and his classmates. After all, what if his classmates, as mean-spirited as they were, were right about Zwijo? That everyone who stuck by him faced ill-fortune? That anyone who gets close to him will be struck down or will eventually leave him due to his “terrible” personality?
And the boy . . . what if that boy was a trap by the invading forces?
Yudias smacked himself in the face. And what if they are good on the inside, Yudias? Get yourself together!
After all, it was because of Zwijo that Yudias finally felt. . .
Yudias shook his head as he ran towards the pair who were now a considerable distance, barely dots against where the blackened land met the darkened sky, only to be lit by the explosives and fires. But, before he could catch up to them, Yudias’ worst fears had been realized. He saw the boy separate from Zwijo, only for him to take a step forward . . . with a sharp weapon of some sort.
No . . . he could not make to Zwijo in time . . . not from so far a distance.
Tears formed as Yudias willed his short legs to move, move like the wind, move like the wind darn it!—but he was still too slow. The boy took the sharp weapon, and hit Zwijo’s leg. And again. And again. And again as Zwijo tried to fight him off.
“Zwijo, no!!!” Yudias yelled. As the boy took a wide swing to attack again, Yudias lunged towards him, tackling him to the ground and yanking the sharp object from his hand. But the boy, it seemed, would not let that stop him as he got to his feet again.
“Enough already!” Yudias yelled. Muttering “Forgive me,” he whacked the boy hard in the gut, and the boy emitted a short gasp before hunching over, falling face first into the dirt. Heavily breathing, Yudias put the weapon in the belt of his brown pants. He quickly glanced towards Zwijo, his eyes widened—he could see blood spilling out from his leg in spurts. Forgetting his own injuries and tiredness, he rushed to Zwijo. Remembering his first aid training, he immediately ripped the sleeves from his shirt and took rubberbands from his pockets, putting them around Zwijo’s leg wounds.
Zwijo grunted, but did not say a word as Yudias continued to bandage. Yudias could sense from the vibrations on the ground that others were coming, others probably related to the one who tried to take out Zwijo.
They had to move.
Without much thought, even with Zwijo’s protest, Yudias picked up Zwijo as though he weighed nothing more than a leaf and ran. And ran. And ran, past the explosions, past the fire, past the screams, past the smoke . . . until, at last, an open flower field of oranges, blues, purples, yellows, and pinks came into view, the sounds of violence wiped instantly.
Yudias had heard about this place from Teacher. The flower field of which was said no conflict could touch, that only those pure of heart could step onto. Yudias looked down at Zwijo, who had passed out, then behind him. Yudias could not go back to that danger again, not in the condition Zwijo was in.
Flower field . . . please.
Yudias took a step forward, him and Zwijo enveloped by a light, a light breeze that Yudias could see circling them both.
The field . . . accepted them?
Yudias gently placed Zwijo in the midst of the flowers, then laid himself on the flowers. Yudias was unsure how much time had passed before the shuffling, heavy breathing, and his eyes snapped open.
“Zwijo! Zwijo, are you okay? Answer me!” Yudias immediately jumped up and knelt by the boy. Zwijo looked around before emitting a sigh.
“So noisy . . .”
“Zwijo! Zwijo, you are okay! Thank goodness . . .” A few tears threatened to escape, but Yudias wiped his eyes with his arms, now bare. “Truly . . . thank goodness . . .”
Zwijo, for the longest, said nothing. After the wind died down, only then: “Yudias . . . why?”
Yudias went from on his back to laying on his side, staring at Zwijo. “Why what, Zwijo?”
“Why did you help me?” Zwijo said. “You must’ve heard the rumors about me. Why risk your status to go out of your way for . . .” Zwijo took a deep breath. “ . . . someone like me?”
“Zwijo, what are you saying? We Velgearians need to look out for one another!” Yudias said.
“But . . . the rumors are true,” Zwijo sighed. “It’s better you don’t get involved with me. Nothing good will come if you follow.” Zwijo stared at his scarred hand. “You have a brighter future than I do. You should go back.”
“I am not going back to a world that does not accept you, Zwijo.”
Yudias sat up and pulled Zwijo into a hug, swallowing Zwijo’s gasp. Yudias felt Zwijo wriggling, most likely to free himself from Yudias’ grip, but Yudias was more capable than he looked.
Yet Yudias could understand. To be so talented and praised by others, yet so alone. Accepting affection would not come easy. Yudias had found it difficult, and it was clear Zwijo was finding it that way too.
“Yudias, Yudias, let go!” Zwijo said, shaking.
“Apologies, Zwijo, but I will not.” Yudias smiled. “I know this is hard to take in, someone genuinely caring about you.”
Zwijo huffed, a short hiccup following. Was Zwijo . . . crying . . . ?
“How would you know? Everybody’s always liked you. Nobody’s ever called you a monster, a freak.”
“Only because you were not there when they did.”
Zwijo straightened up then, his purple eyes widening, stray tears streaking across his bruised and cut face. “Yudias….?”
“I have been made fun of, just as you have. I am different, just as you are. But you . . . make it your strength instead of trying to hide it. And I admire . . .” Yudias shook his head, “No, not just admire. I like that about you.”
“Yudias . . .”
“I want to stay together with you, Zwijo.”
Outside UTS Main Office
“Oiiiiii, Yudias, are you listening?”
Yudias snapped his eyes open and found a pair of brown eyes staring at him.
“Oh, Yuhi! What seems to be the matter?”
Yuhi sighed. “Never mind that. You want dinner or not?”
“Ohhh, dinner. It is that time already?” Yudias rolled to his feet. “I do not feel the least bit hungry, but I will not let a single drop of food go to waste!”
“R-right . . . anyway, it’s getting late, so you should come inside.”
“UTS!”
Yudias looked at the sky one last time, his heart beating a tiny bit faster.
I wish I could experience this together with Zwijo . . .
He let the door close behind him.