The Dance of the Keepers

Chapter 15 Questions and Answers

I don't know how long it took for me to regain my senses and gather self-control. To my great surprise, Kyle held me patiently for as long as it took. When I finally pulled away, still sniffling but finally calm, I gave him a questioning look.

"I didn't take you for the comforting kind."

He dropped his gaze to the pavement.

"I wish someone would have comforted me on The day I made my first kill. The moment changes you irrevocably, most people can't understand that."

The fact that Kyle did understand, eased some of the pain in my chest.

"Does it get easier?"

"Killing?"
He asked in surprise.

"Living with the guilt."

"Yes, and then again no."

I didn't ask him to elaborate.

"Who were they?"
I questioned, looking at the bodies once more.

"Sentinels."
Kyle replied back.

"You called them that before, what does it mean?"

He seemed hesitant to answer.

"The Order has its secrets, the Sentinels are one of them."

"Kyle I just killed two of them, I think I deserve to know who and what they were."
I choked slightly on the word killed.

He gave me a grudging nod.

"There aren't enough Keepers brought in with the Tournaments for what we need, so we have to draw them from other sources. Those who come through the Tournaments rank higher than the rest because they had to fight for what they have. They are more loyal and better fighters, the true Keepers. The rest are called the Sentinels, our Keeper army."

My head was reeling with this news.

"How do you 'draw them from other sources'? I can't imagine most would come willingly."

"They don't. They are selected for their abilities and then taken quietly. They are dead as far as anyone who once knew them is concerned and are remade in their training to be the weapons we need. Lethal, emotionless, programmed to follow orders."

"How on earth do you remake a person into that?"
I asked, terrified of the answer.

"What do you think memory serum is used for?"

I shuddered, realizing I wanted no more details, I couldn't take it just then.

"We need to burn the bodies."
Kyle told me after a lull.

I grimaced and shook my head.

"Kyle, I don't think I can-"
I started.

"It's necessary. We can't leave them lying around for anyone to stumble across."
He informed me sternly.

I gulped.

"We'll move them into a pile there. Go get that one."
He pointed at the Sentinel with his head bashed in.

I took a few hesitant steps eyeing the bloody corpse, before throwing up. I wiped my mouth and glanced back at Kyle who's quota of compassion had apparently been used for a while. Steeling myself, I approached the body, I couldn't bring myself to touch it, but I used my wind to lift and move it to the spot Kyle had referenced.

"Now the others."
He ordered.

One by one I moved them, dry heaving a bit when I had to find the severed heads of Kyle's two kills.