Dust In The Wind

[Karandros]

Semi-closed. Approach me in my General Ramblings thread if you got any ideas. Also, all bunnying by all parties approved and stuff like that.

"My earliest memory was that orphanage. In those days, I held my truth close to my heart. The orphanage, among others, was funded by the church and so we each got our own bible. I couldn't read, but I could guess that God was a benevolent being who wanted me to live. I would sometimes hold the book open at night and just stare into it, thinking of all the magical things it could say. I interpreted that to mean that I'm allowed to do anything and everything in order to survive in this world. I was quite a miscreant, believing that God would forgive me and love me no matter what I did, using that as justification for my rampant thievery. All of that changed when I was just eight years old."

8 years ago...

It was just an average night in the city of Providence. Named by the founder of the local congregation, it was just a sample of the kind of influence the church held around here. Besides the various orphanages and social services the church set up, it also had a strong hand in the direction of the local government. It was generally believed that several generous donors allowed the church to have this power, but who or what was responsible was a mystery. It used to be a quaint little town, but its growth has run unchecked and now even the church doesn't have complete influence.

In this dark city of lost children, one of them was called Ledan Karandros. Wearing a thin crown of thorns made of dark wicker that lacked the thorns, he was different from the other street urchins: He didn't beg for money, he took it. His shirt and pants had holes and tears, his shoes were worn beyond repair, but he had sharp blue eyes and a strong spirit. He peeked around the corner of the alley, catching a glimpse the back of a lone man walking through the small street between two rows of apartments. Ledan couldn't care less about his appearance, it was the bulging treasure in his pocket that gained his attention. Was it a weapon? A box with valuables? Had he finally hit the jackpot? In all likelihood, it was a wallet, but then it would be a mighty fat wallet.

In front of his target was a turn, and that was when Ledan would make his move. The man turned the corner, and the boy broke out into a run. He pushed his legs as far as he could, turning the corner with such force and intensity that he crashed right into his target. The man, who was almost sent reeling forward from the impact, turned around and saw the boy on the ground, scratching his head.

"Watch where you're going, kid!"

Ledan got up and bowed deeply, "S, sorry sir! I wasn't watchin' where I was goin'! Sorry!"

With that, he ran off in front of the man and ducked into a long alleyway that lead to another street. Grinning, he reached into one of the holes in his shirt and pulled out a wallet. He was going to be living large for days, maybe even weeks! He would be the hero of all the kids back at the orphanage. Maybe even that damned Jericho, another orphan, would admit defeat.

Meanwhile, at said orphanage, the nun in charge of all the orphans was tapping her foot impatiently.

"Honestly, now!" she sighed. "How could he be gone on an important night like this?"

The other orphans looked uncomfortable around their fuming superior, all silently blaming Ledan for her behavior. Every year, people from the church would come and adopt certain orphans older than seven and give them their own rooms, education, and eventually jobs. However, the past two years they had not come due to some restructuring at the church, so it was all the more important to have every child available for adoption. The nun believed that they would definitely see the potential in Ledan and give him a home, but if he didn't get back soon, the opportunity would be lost. Despite how difficult the boy was, she honestly wanted all the children to have a future.

[Karandros]

Jetting down the alley, Ledan heard the man yelling behind him. Not only had he noticed, but he was very fast and very angry. Scaling some trash bags to get to the top of a dumpster, Ledan jumped up and caught the end of a fire escape ladder, pulling his body up and climbing to the roof of the building. Running to the other side of the roof, he noticed his pursuer was close behind.

"You can't get away, kid! You've fucked with the wrong guy!" yelled the man.

* * *

At the orphanage, the doors opened up and three men dressed in long, flowing black robes entered. The children were all arranged in a row. The head nun was so busy with them that she didn't even notice the clergymen, so Brother Gregory, the priest in charge, headed over to greet the guests.

"Welcome to God's humble little house, Father Joseph. I trust you had a pleasant trip here?"

Two of the three men had serious expressions, looking about the place with great scrutiny.

The last man, much friendlier and wearing large glasses, answered Gregory, "Thank you for asking. It's never a problem to see God's children. Have you been tending to them well?"

"As best as I could, Father," answered Gregory, shaking the man's hand.

Gregory was well acquainted with Ledan himself, always trying to put him on the right path through repeated talks. Although, holding Ledan's attention for too long was always a trial of patience, but it was the kind of patience that he had and the head nun didn't.

"Hurry back Ledan... or you'll miss your chance," he thought.

* * *

Ledan, slightly nervous but still confident he was in the clear, jumped the small gap between buildings and kept running, ducking under some low clothes lines and reaching the the end of the roof. The gap was too big here, since there was another alley between these buildings, so it looked like he was trapped.

Laughing, he started cracking his knuckles, "I got you now! Now then, should I tear off your limbs or just crack your skull and get it over with?"

Unflinchingly, Ledan pulled out a small switchblade and held it out towards the man. One of the ropes for the clothes lines was behind him, and another was just in front of the man, who had stopped due to Ledan's sudden defensiveness. The man tilted his head backwards, giggling like a schoolboy. Ledan didn't think he would find this so amusing in a moment. He turned around and cut the line, and it started flying to the left, and the line in front of the man started flying to the right. Before he knew what was going on, a large bag attached to the end of the line smacked into him and knocked him off the roof, sending him flying into the ground. Ledan, not the least bit phased by the situation, peeked over the edge and saw the man lying there, unmoving. He wasn't going to stick around to see if he was alive or dead, so he got out of there as fast as he could.

Running through alleys and dark streets, Ledan made his way back to the orphanage. Bursting through the doors, he crashed into the priest with glasses, dropping his stolen wallet and his small portable bible. The wallet slid across across the ground with a card popping out of it. Father Joseph, first helping Ledan up as if nothing happened, walked over to the wallet, the bible, and the card and picked them all up. Ledan had an expression of alarm on his face.

"Gerrard Millwood, licensed killer?" said Joseph out loud, reading the card.

Ledan's alarm increased, his mouth slightly open and his hands into fists as he stood up straight. He was sure that he was in trouble.

"Generally, stealing isn't right, but from this type of man... I'm just glad you're not hurt, son."

Joseph walked over to Ledan and pat him on the head, smiling. It was a warm smile, filled with forgiveness and understanding. This guy reminded Ledan of Gregory.

"Say..." the priest began, standing back up and flipping through the bible. "How would you like to know what's written in this book of yours?"

Ledan, getting back into his element, shot back, "I already know what's in there, old man! Give it back!"

Joseph started reading, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."

Ledan was stunned.

"A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to reap that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up..."

"Stop!" yelled Ledan, loud enough to garner the attention of the entire orphanage. Even the head nun finally noticed what was going on.

"Do not be angry, my son," said Joseph. "You, too, can learn to read from this book for yourself. The church has many like yourself, devoted to The Lord and his word."

In a moment of weakness, Ledan looked over to Brother Gregory.

"Go on, Ledan," said Gregory. "It is where you belong."

[Karandros]

In the end, three orphans were chosen from this particular orphanage: Ledan, a girl named Melissa, and a boy named Johnathon. Jericho, Ledan's rival thief and delinquent, didn't seem interested at all in going to some rule-infested church, and was anticipating his coming dominance over the orphanage. However, the thought that he'd never see Ledan again did induce a twinge of regret.

"Running away, eh Ledan?!" accused Jericho. "I guess you're conceding to me, aren't you?"

Ledan replied, "If you can beat this, I'll come back to one-up you." He tossed over the assassin's wallet to his rival.

None of the kids going to the church expected such a massive complex. Behind the church house itself was a large boarding school. The whole place on the outskirts of the city itself, surrounded by trees and near a large lake.

[Karandros]

Many other children were gathered from other orphanages around the city and outlying areas, and although the three that came from Ledan's orphanage weren't close, it was the only link they had in their vast, new home. It was only natural that they became friends.

* * * *

"The days before I truly started serving The Lord, I held on to the last vestiges of my previous life. Learning to read the scriptures was both wondrous and arduous, but my lasting treasures would be my fellow servants of God. Together we discovered the truth, and together we found solace. I knew those days wouldn't last, but rather than fearing the future, I embraced it and lived my life as fully as I could. Those were carefree days, those were careless days..."

7 years ago...

"Are you guys planning on going or what?"

A boy wearing clean pants, shirt, formal shoes, and a thin vest that was buttoned up stood in front of another boy and girl. Lacking any head ornament this time, he had a slightly less scruffy haircut. It was Ledan, although if you compared his appearance with that of the boy a year ago you'd have thought they were two different people. It wasn't his best choice of clothes, but it was better than something with holes in it.

The two in front of him, of course, were his so-called 'partners in crime'. Although they had mellowed out a lot since coming here, their clique was known throughout the church for their mischief.

"I don't know Danny, Johnny, what if they find us out? I don't want to be grounded again," said the girl.

She was Melissa. Once a quiet girl, she was now outspoken and sometimes brash. With her long hair and white dress, she seemed like something from heaven.

Johnathon blinked, "Hey, don't lump me in with this guy! I have nothing to do with this."

With a very neat haircut and tightly-fit clothes, Johnathon was slowly getting tired of following Ledan's lead. He was taller than Ledan now, so lately he's been the voice of reason.

Ledan crossed his arms, "Oh come on! I expect this much from Jonny, but you Mel? I thought you wanted to see the lake recently. Wouldn't it be nice to actually look around instead of being led around like a tour group?"

Mel was silent.

Jonny, almost surprised at Melissa's response, looked back at Ledan, "Well, leave me out of it, you two! I'm in enough trouble as it as after our last stunt failed. Anyway, I'll catch you two later."

Johnathon left, leaving the two alone in the hallway.

"Don't worry Mel, it's the perfect plan. You saw how light 'security' is at lunch time. They won't notice a couple missing heads."

Melissa brought her hand up to her head and flicked her bangs away, looking to the side to avoid direct eye contact with Ledan. Whenever Melissa didn't want to do something, she was very upfront about it. This kind of reaction insured her participation.

"Then it's settled!" Ledan grinned. "This'll be fun!"

[Karandros]

The Angels.

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister to them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?" reads a verse in the scriptures.

The beings talked about in the scriptures are the messengers of God, deliverers of his word and the ultimate harbingers of justice. It was only fitting that one of the holiest organizations within the church would be named after them.

Little was known about their internal operations, but they were all holy warriors, protectors of the Church. When an Angel walked by, people felt safe and warm. They were clearly identified by their long black velvet trimmed robe with vinyl buckles with a necklace of a large cross. Some of them were very friendly and receptive to others, while the rest seemed to always be in deep thought.

While the younger generations were generally ignorant of the broad range of activities The Angels participated in, the older members of the Church knew all too well. To their enemies, they were called The Angels of Mercy, for it was in their nature to deliver God's divine justice against all those that would stand against them. While they were all trained professionals, some had wounds after missions, and others had scars.

Travis was essentially the spokesperson of The Angels. One of the youngest members, he was only 21 yet he was very outspoken and charismatic. He was a hero to all the children, and frequently was the primary escort on outings. With brown hair and dazzling azure eyes, he also gave special attention to Ledan's little group. None of them were particularly interested in ever joining The Angels (not that anyone knew how, it was a matter of appointment by the Church leaders), yet they looked up to Travis in a way.

[Karandros]

"Wait," said Travis, sticking a cane in Ledan's path in the hallway. "What are you up to?"

Ledan was surprised. He had only talked about the plan little while ago, how did Travis already catch wind of it? Did Johnny talk? No, he wouldn't do that. Wait, Travis didn't know, but he suspected Ledan was up to something. He was testing for a response, looking for body language to give Ledan away. Of course, being a little kid he gave himself away before realizing it.

Ledan shook his head and yelled back at him, "W-what are you talking about? Stop messing with me! I ain't done nothing!"

"...Yet" Travis replied, his deep azure stare piercing through the boy. "I'm warning you, kid, don't do anything stupid today."

"Don't make me hit you!"

Travis leaned and bent his knees, whispering, "In. Your. Dreams." He smiled sincerely, the kind of smile that puts off worry and fills your heart with warmth. "Seriously though, it's dangerous today. Pick another day to be yourself."

"Hey!! Are you saying I'm some sort of chronic troublemaker?"

Suddenly, a voice down the hall called out, "Travis! Come on, we're getting called in."

"Alright, I'm on my way," he replied.

Ledan was fuming, "I'm talkin' here!" His muscles were tensing, his lip being bitten. Travis got in his gang's way a lot, but proactively messing with Ledan before he did anything wrong? That was just wrong.

Travis started walking away quickly, only turning around for a moment to say, "Sorry kid, I'm out. See you later!"

Ledan was left with his eyebrow twitching. Travis was usually convincing; Ledan didn't openly defy him without good reason. However, before Travis could get through to him, he left, so Ledan's plans were going to go uninterrupted. In fact, he wasn't gonna stop until his plan succeeded today.

[Karandros]

The sound of the bell echoed throughout the corridors, sending children out of classrooms and toward the mess hall. It was hard to keep track of everyone during the commotion, so Ledan and Melissa used this opportunity to slip into an unguarded hallway. Turning the corner, they dashed toward one of the back doors leading out of this place. It was locked, of course.

"Good plan, numbskull!" berated Melissa in a whisper. "How were you planning to get us out of here again?"

Ledan put his index finger up to his mouth and hissed, "Shh!" He pulled out a circle of keys from his pocket and started trying each one.

Melissa blinked. Did Ledan steal from someone in here?

After several unsuccessful tries, Ledan turned around and noticed the scornful look on her face.

"Calm down, I actually found them! One of the janitors must've forgotten them. I'll return 'em as soon as we're back, okay?"

Back in the orphanage, Ledan was quite the mischief maker. He was arrogant, rude, and demeaning to others. In a way, Melissa expected Ledan to be better than that now. Although, in this instance she didn't complain since she really wanted to go to the lake.

There was a small clicking sound and the lock opened. Ledan opened the door and looked around. He knew there were going to be eyes and ears everywhere out here, so they had to be discreet. Hiding behind bushes and cutting in-between Angel patrols, they finally made it to their destination. Pushing aside the final bushes, they landed on the white sands before the water. It was a beautiful lake, with long rows of sandy beaches, and at the end there was an elevation covered in forestry that went up a mountain.

[Karandros]

With their shoes on the sandy beach, Ledan was wading around in the water while Melissa sat nearby.

Ledan splashed his face and looked towards the shore, "The water feels nice! Why don't you come in, Mel?"

"I'm fine," she replied quickly.

Ledan shrugged. He wasn't gonna beg her to come in. If he kept having fun eventually she wouldn't be able to resist. With a perfectly clear sky, Ledan had to squint whenever he looked up, the bright beams of the sun being reflected off the gentle water. Seeing something crawling near his feet, he dived down, looking around the various rocks and plant life. He saw a small crab and swam after it, finally catching it with both hands and rising back to the surface.

"Ha! Hey Mel, look what I caught!"

He looked back at the shore, his vision still blurry from the water, but what he saw didn't make sense. Dropping the crab, he rubbed his eyes and got a clearer picture. There were a bunch of men on the beach, and one of them was... choking Mel!

"Hey!" he screamed, "What are you doing?! S, stop! Stop it!"

He swam to the shore as hard as he could.

"Looks like one of the sheep got lost!" one of the men laughed.

There were four of them total. They were all wearing ragged shirts and ripped pants, old torn shoes, and bandanas on their heads.

One of the larger men said, "I was getting sick of trying to get into that damn hellhole. Who knew we'd find prizes out here? Hah!"

The man choking Melissa held her up in mid-air while she desperately clutched at the hands around her neck. They were all thugs, here to harm the church and those inside. They tried sneaking in, but The Angels were on full alert. Ledan reached the shore, coughing and wheezing.

"I said let go of her!" he yelled, rushing at the man choking Melissa.

"Or you'll do what, kid?" the man laughed, kicking Ledan in the stomach. "I'm bored with this ant, I think I'mma squash another!"

He wound himself up and threw Melissa into the lake. Ledan held his stomach but fought back the pain, looking up with pure rage in his eyes. The men had cuts, bruises, and the experience to show the decadence of their lives. Was this the future of the kids of the orphanage that didn't get rescued? Could Ledan have been one of these thugs? This thought, coupled with the rage of them hurting Mel, sent him over the edge and he lunged at the man, sinking his teeth into an ankle.

The man was visibly affected by the attack, "Argh! You little brat!"

He hit Ledan repeatedly, finally dislodging him and then picking him up, throwing him into the lake as well.

"I can't believe he bit me! They raise little animals in here!"

Although Ledan could swim, he was hurt bad and struggling to stay above water. However, he noticed something nearby. Melissa was drowning. Suffocation was one thing, but suddenly it dawned on Ledan why she didn't want to go into the lake: She couldn't swim! He wanted to go save her, but he was starting to lose consciousness. He heard some sort of argument over at the shore.

It was... Travis! With a long knife-like blade in each hand, he sliced into the man who choked Melissa, spraying blood everywhere and downing the man in one attack. Travis proceeded to skillfully dodge the knives of the other men and stabbed them in the hearts. The way he took them out, it wasn't just simple protection... it was assassination. Attacks that were precisely calculated to kill them instantly. Ledan's eyes were barely open and he had been swallowing water. He was fading in and out of consciousness.

The next moment he remembered, he was lying on the beach, staring up at the sky. He could see the vague shape of of Travis, who dashed off into the lake for Melissa. Ledan tilted his head, seeing his savior swim furiously toward his friend. His eyes rolled back into his head and he was out cold.

[Karandros]

Ledan sat solemnly on the chair, his fists clenching his pants. His face was bruised and he was hurting all over. He was in The Bishop's office, the leader of the church. Travis was there as well, sitting in a chair nearby. Behind the wide, ornately-decorated desk was The Bishop, his hands steady on the desk, staring directly at the boy. He had a long beard, thick white brows and a dark skullcap on his head. His dark robes had red seaming with multiple layers, giving him more of a majestic than a priestly look. The room was stacked with bookshelves along the walls, the floor covered by a luxurious carpet, and whatever crevice wasn't filled with books was covered in drapes and various exotic furnishings.

Travis's gaze was more mellow, filled with pity. He didn't blame Ledan, for blame implied that punishment was necessary. The Bishop felt the same way.

The Bishop words reeked of authority, "I think you've learned your lesson. I'm going to put you on two months of kitchen duty."

Ledan looked up, his eyes swollen and his nostrils flaring up, "What?! I nearly got us killed! I should be thrown out, or worse! I don't d-deserve to be... here anymore..." His voice trailed off.

Melissa was still unconscious in the infirmary. She had swallowed a lot of water and went without air for over five minutes, but it looked like she would survive. Ledan felt like trash. The thought he had earlier; that he was just like the thugs, filled his mind. Breaking rules, getting people hurt, he was no better.

"And you!" he suddenly spoke up, turning to Travis. "Why didn't you save her first?! She was... !"

"Woah now," Travis replied. "Listen to me, Ledan. I grabbed the first person I could."

The Bishop's voice silenced the room. "Enough! What is done, is done. I will have no accusations in this house of God! Young Ledan, what you did was irresponsible, but we not cast away troubled children here. We embrace them! I am certain that you understand that more than anybody."

"Then let me help!" said Ledan. "I, I want to protect the church! Let me join The Angels!"

Travis shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was the youngest to join The Angels at fourteen. For someone as young as nine to join was unheard of. The Bishop sunk back into his seat, contemplating.

"Alright," escaped his old lips. "You can begin training. You'll be assigned a special room and your daily activities will be closely monitored."

"Bishop!" Travis spoke up. "It's too soon!"

"Be calm, Angel Travis. You will be this boy's mentor. Ledan, if you truly wish to make amends, you will listen to every word from now on."

"I promise! I mean it!" Ledan stood up. "Just give me the chance to prove myself!"

"All in due time," said The Bishop, flipping through a notebook. "Your training will take several years. You will not be formally inducted into The Angels until you're fourteen, understand?"

Travis stared at the floor. It was hard to hide his true feelings, but right now he had to contain himself. He felt this was a bad idea. Ledan had potential, but he needed more time to earn his trust!

"Yes, sir!" Ledan agreed.

From then on, Ledan was involved in one of the deeper organizations of the church. He never visited Melissa, avoiding her even after she woke up. Living in a separate part of the church, he had his own classes and interacted mainly with the other Angels. Johnathon never forgave Ledan either, and so their little gang was split up permanently. Johnathon and Melissa still talked sometimes, but they avoided Ledan entirely, even pretending he didn't exist as they passed each other in the halls. Melissa turned into a quiet, modest girl, studious as ever and becoming lost in the world of books. Johnathon took up priestly duties more seriously, thinking of becoming a pastor when he grew up.

Ledan, however, abandoned his old ways. He delved deeper into the religion, carrying around the scriptures everywhere he went. He wanted to be like Travis; a righteous servant of God. One day he would prove that he was truly changed. Then maybe he would have the courage to talk to Mel again.