To See the Sun

Beep…

Beep…

Beep…

To live in a world as cruel as this one..

We must be ready to make sacrifices for that which we treasure most.

Beep…

Sacrifices for things that hold greater value as a whole to the rest of the world.

Beep…

Beep…

Beep…

That’s another ugly truth I've come to realize, had already been embedded into our very souls the moment we stepped foot into this world.

Beep…

So why…

“Leith?”

“Leith!”

“Docter!”

“He’s finally awake!”

His eyes opened to the blinding white lights above him.

His vision so blurry, he could hardly make out the figure next to him

His mind numb from the scars engraved into it.

“Lior?”

He muttered quietly

“Yes!”

“I'm so glad you made it!”

He said, as his eyes lit up.

Though through that light, they couldn’t hide the look of lethargy and sorrow.

“Where–are we?”

“We’re-”

“And did the people near the outskirts manage to evacuate safely?”

Leith questioned once again, impatient to hear Lior’s answer.

Lior’s mouth shut slowly upon hearing the second question.

The light in his eyes seemed to slowly fade away.

“No.”

“Not a single person except you and Lior here, managed to survive the attack.”

Interrupted a voice, standing at the door.

Its gaze–judgemental, dug deep into Leith’s as they met each other's gaze.

Leith’s expression shifted to one of both shock and empathy, astonished at the revelation.

“No way…”

He said, his mouth quaking and his eyes wide.

“Hey Leith..”

“I'm sorry about what happened back there.”

Lior whispered, unable to look him in the eye.

Leith’s sight was planted on the palm of his hands.

“There’s nothing to apologize for..”

He said through trembling lips.

“There was nothing we could have done to prevent any of this, so don't apologize Lior..”

His face twisted with agony.

His cheeks shivered with despair.

And yet, not a single tear streamed down.

Not a single one…

“You're at a GAPP nursing unit.”

“Specifically, the one stationed at the 10th Division headquarters.”

The voice spoke firmly, adjusting its white coat.

“GAPP?”

“Yes, that's correct.”

“The Global Atheris Protection Project.”

“Now if you’re done wallowing in your misery, please hurry up and clock yourself out of this unit, we have other patients in more need you know.”

Answered the doctor, turning to leave the sickly room of plain white and monotonic beeps that sounded endlessly.

Silence entered the room after the doctor.

Leith pulled the thin blank sheets to the side of the creaking bed.

“Where are you-”

“For a fresh breath of air.”

He said, his expression turning blank as he approached the door.

The halls swarmed with staff rushing to and out of rooms with equipment or beds occupied by wounded patients.

The squeaking of wheels and the loud commands of doctors demanding certain apparatus rang through the narrow corridors of the nursing unit.

Leith ventured forward, bumping into rushing personnel.

His white hospital gown, stained with blemishes of red, scraped the cold white tiles under him.

The resonance of noise died down the longer he walked forwards, as a cold gentle breeze grazed his exposed neck.

He stepped into the balcony at the right of the corridor.

The hue of white transitioned into a vivid, gentle blue as night engulfed the skies.

He stared out into the dark expanse of clouds above–moonlight bled through the thin gaps they left behind as they flew together, conjoined yet separated.

“Not a single tear..”

A firm, deep voice behind suddenly manifested.

Leith didn’t bother turning around or questioning the voice.

“You couldn’t shed a single tear despite all that's happened to you, according to the doc at least..”

The voice spoke again, a young man in military apparel fashioned with a long black cloak decorated with a single strip of red.

He stood next to Leith, resting his arms on the balconies railings, a cigarette planted in his right hand.

The man took a puff of his cigarette, the smoke spiraled upwards in the cold air.

He spoke again.

“Tell me “Print of Calamity”, why is it that you don't cry?”

“That is what they used to call you, yes?

“Perhaps I'm still in shock of it all, who knows.”

Leith answered, his gaze still fixed onto the horizon.

“Is that really so?”

“Then what happened to that apparent look of grief the doctor claimed you wore?”

“Looks are entirely subjective, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Maybe you're right..”

The man said, turning his head to face Leith.

“Because from what I can see right now, you’re wearing the look of someone who’s awfully alright.”

“Almost too alright, if you ask me.”

The man remarked, before taking another puff of his cigarette.

Leith remained silent, his gaze still planted where it was prior.

“Who really are you, Leith Laziel?”

“I am who this world defines me to be.”

“A monster, then?”

Leith’s gaze remained steadfast as he took a moment to reply.

“If that’s how the world views me, then maybe I am a monster.”

“And you’re content with that title?

“What other choice do I have, commander?”

He asked.

They dwelled in a small moment of silence, broken by the whoosh of a cold breeze.

“I think you’re quite special, Leith Laziel.”

The commander remarked, tossing his finished cigarette off the balcony before looking up at the sky.

“It’s incredibly uncommon for someone lacking atheris to make it out of a purge in one piece, especially one as brutal as this one.”
“In fact, you’re one of the first in years, my friend, despite your buried body being recovered at the very equator of the massacre.”

“Say, Laziel, were you the one behind this?”

The commander asked abruptly, still looking at the sky.

Leith finally released his gaze to look at the commander, his face remaining stagnant and expressionless.

He didn’t answer right away.

“And if I was the one behind it, what would you do to me?”

“Kill me?”

“Imprison me?”

“Subject me to a fate of endless torture perhaps?”

He questioned with sharp eyes.

“If I was capable of massacring a town in one fell swoop, with a meteorite of flame, how do you suppose you’ll do anything about me, commander?”

“Have you ever wondered what’s waiting for us beyond those clouds, Laziel?”

He asked, staring up at the sky above, clenching his grip on the railings.

Leith, confused, allowed him to continue.

“Light so bright, its radiance could engulf our world whole perhaps?”

“How about the touch of warmth that might come with that light, we would finally be able to experience a world colored with something other than the boring white of snow, wouldn’t you agree?”

“What’s your point?”

Leith asked.

“I want to see the sun, Laziel.”

He answered as he sighed, his breath manifesting in the frost.

“But..”

“As long as this world remains the way that it is, no one will ever get to experience those things.”

He looked at Leith.

“If it was you, Laziel, who was behind the massacre, then that'd make you one of the worst–no, the worst monster alive.”

“A monster that lacked any sense of empathy, so much so, that it would rip away dreams without any hesitation, just so it could achieve its own.’

“A monster that hid behind a mask, so gently crafted–it could deceive anyone and anything it so desired.”

“A monster that could tell a lie, so easily and so potent, it could fool both itself and others alike.”

The commander said as his grip tightened, his gaze troubled.

Leith stood silent.

“You’re right Laziel, if it were to be you who caused the massacre, we couldn’t stop you, it would be beyond our power to do so.”

“And…”

“That's–precisely just proof of how hopeless this world is.”

The commander added, before going quiet.

“But then again..”

“If you really are that monster, you’d have a perfect comprehension of every other monster this world has to offer.”

“Fighting fire with fire?”

“Is that what you're insinuating here, commander?”

“If it were to be the smallest glimmer of hope, I want to believe in it–I want this world to change.”

He replied with a sturdy voice, and a determined look in his eye.

“You would really tolerate such evil, for a sliver of hope?”

“Even if blood were to be spilt on your behalf?”

“Would you actually be okay with sitting back intentionally under the notion of it all being for the greater good, commander?”

Leith questioned with a steady tone, staring the commander in the eye.

The commander turned to face the entrance of the balcony, breaking eye contact with Leith.

“If that’s what it takes to see this world change, then yes..”

He replied.

His voice didn’t sound like one of shame, but one of acknowledgement for his very own ideology.

He began to walk away.

“If I were that monster..”

“I’d want to see the sun too.”

Leith said abruptly, with a voice of intrigue and wonder

The commander came to a halt, before turning around to face Leith once more.

“Become an ASP, Laziel.”

“You say that knowing I have no atheris, you really are quite strange.”

“The way you think is intriguing, we could use someone like you down there.”

He replied with a slight but noticeable smile.

“I'm sure you’d find a way to contribute eventually.”

“Ideals alone can’t change this world, commander.”

“But they’re a start, wouldn’t you agree?”

He stubbornly replied, reaching his hand out.

Leith gave a small smirk as he stepped forwards, and shook the commander's hand.

“Maybe you’re right, there’s only one way to find out.”