Xelqua Rising || The Lost One AU

59. Scars

AN

The first chapter of The Convex Children is out! Go to my profile to read it now! :D

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"The Convex Ryan is dead!" A reporter cried, one of many in the front of the crowd. She extended her microphone, trying to reach it over to the young man behind the gate. "Cub, as the sole member of The Convex now, what are your thoughts? How will you continue to serve the people as the sole vessel?"

A large flash came from a camera within the crowd, prompting The Convex to shield his eyes. "W-Wha—" he began. It had been a mistake to go outside. 

"The people are concerned that the Vexes are weakening after this major loss. Do they have a right to be worried?" Another reporter asked, trying to yell over the crowd. He too was trying to hold his microphone out to the overwhelmed man.

"Does this mark a new age for The Convex?"

"Are you going to adopt his Vexes?"

"Where do you plan to go from here?"

"How do you plan to tribute Ryan's death?"

The Vexes were going crazy in his mind, yelling and screaming in a frenzy much like the reporters were. They were all telling him how to respond, but they all had very different answers, leading to it not being helpful at all.

"What are your thoughts on Ryan's death?" A reporter asked again.

That was it. Cub's temper snapped like a twig and his eyes quickly turned blue. "Ryan is not dead!" He shrieked above the crowd, his voice an octave or two higher than it normally was.

At this, the crowd grew silent. Cub used the time to breathe in and out, his eye color changing back to its usual green.

"Well, you heard it here first, folks! Cub is in denial about Ryan's death!" A reporter declared. Immediately, the crowd began to rile up once more, twice as much as before.

Cub sucked in a breath, his eyes widening. He opened his mouth to speak, but then  the tv winked shut, a black screen reflecting Ryan's face. If it wasn't for his eyes, he would have been completely unrecognizable. He now was as pale as a ghost, his cheeks sunken. Large scars slid down his face — from the top right corner to the bottom left. Four lines, still being held together by sutures. Underneath his nose was a clear plastic tube to bring oxygen to his lungs.

A hand gently laid itself on his shoulder. "Ryan, you shouldn't watch that anymore." Nathan said quietly. In his other hand he held the remote. He was tempted to say how he needed to move on; that watching Cub's every movement on tv was only hurting him. He knew better than to say that though, even if it was true.

Even though it was unsaid, Ryan understood what his brother had meant. He let the silence drown his ears, the blinds against the windows hide him from view of the world. He didn't do much anymore. He had barely said a word since it had happened.

"I'm not Ryan. Ryan is dead." He said, his voice barely a whisper. If Nathan hadn't been listening as close as he was, he wouldn't have heard it.

"Don't listen to them, Ryan." Nathan said cautiously. He didn't know if what he was saying was right. He didn't know what the perfect words were. Maybe there weren't any. In any case, the man who claimed to not be Ryan did not respond.

"Okay then. If your name is not Ryan, what is it?" Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow.

The other stayed silent for a long time as his brother stared at him. It was only when Nathan had given up on the idea that Ryan would respond that he did. "Everything I had was gone." He began. His voice was just as quiet as he gripped the arms of his wheelchair. "The Vexes... the diamonds... Cub... Mom... Dad..." he began to list everything — the house, the fame, the praise, the gifts he had piled high. But above all, it was the power that he had missed the most. He was supposed to be the strongest man alive; the holy Convex himself. "I have nothing..." he finished, shaking his head. He squeezed his eyes shut, but he felt tears prick his eyes anyway. "The only thing I have left is this stupid scar!" He screamed, the volume such a drastic change that Nathan had to cover his ears. Ryan turned around, even if his body protested. "So you might as well call me Scar!"