Brother of the Desert Rats

What Awaits...

Zaelan opened his eyes. He blinked sleepily as his heavy lids struggled to stay open. A face loomed up over him, and as his vision cleared, he gasped in surprise. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and reached out to the figure before him.

"Zarek," he whispered out loud, a smile of relief breaking out across his face.

Zarek smiled back at him. It was that familiar close-lipped smile he gave, as though he was too shy to smile widely.

"I missed you, Zarek," Zaelan told him. He could feel his heart beating rapidly within his chest and knew he was talking just as fast. It was as though he had to get out all the words that he wanted to say. He could almost feel time slipping by him, as though it was racing by and soon would leave him behind.

Zarek did not say anything. He just continued to smile as he looked back over his shoulder, then he stepped away to reveal someone standing behind him.

It was Maya. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were moist with tears.

"Lannie," she sobbed. "Oh, Lannie, how could you have left us? I waited by the window every night for you. I kept your room clean and tended to Leal. But you never came back."

"I am sorry, Maya. I wanted to, I really did." Zaelan went to say more, but the words died on his lips as he saw a tall figure approaching. The tears stung at his eyes then. "Mama? Is it really you?"

His mother reached out, and he felt her cool hands against his hot and clammy face.

"Forgive me, child," she whispered in a gentle tone. "I am sorry I was never able to protect you. I am sorry for so many things."

"I just can't believe you are all here," Zaelan told them. He stared at their faces, one after the other, before his gaze drew back to Zarek. "But, Zarek, why did you betray me? Why didn't you tell them?"

Zarek lowered his head. Then suddenly, he leapt forward and his hands clutched around Zaelan's arms. He shook him violently, before grabbing Zaelan by the face.

 For a moment, everything went black, then Zaelan was surrounded by a bright light. His vision was still blurred, but he could still feel the tight grip on his jaw. A liquid was being poured into his mouth and he spluttered and coughed as he tried to push the hands away.

The world around him began to clean, and the face that he had seen as Zarek's began to morph into someone else's. It was Emir.

Zaelan sat up. He stared at Emir, struggling to keep his eyes open as his heavy lids tried to pull shut. He was not sure if he felt relieved that Emir had pulled him out of that dream, or if he was angry that he had been disturbed. The faces had been so clear this time.

Emir sat back on his heels, the empty flask falling to his side. He stared back at Zaelan, not meeting his gaze but scanning him over. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, he finally looked into Zaelan's eyes.

"I know you are angry that I pulled you out of those illusions, but it is not worth it. They won't make you happy, brother. They will only destroy you."

Zaelan flinched. There it was again...that word. Zaelan dropped his gaze, not wanting to look into the younger man's empathetic face.

"Even when it is all I got?" he whispered questioningly. "I lost everything. And now you won't even let me pretend I have it."

Emir shrugged. "What is the point? It's not real. Even if you think you can just relive memories, it will never be the same. The memories will become distorted by your bitter thoughts, until even the memories you once remembered fondly are no longer happy ones." Seeing he still wasn't getting to Zaelan, he reached into the front of his tunic and pulled out a locket. He carefully unclasped it, before leaning forward to drop it into Zaelan's lap.