Don't Forget

# 32 Different Paths

    

Sky slept for an entire week after that. He didn't twitch or mumble, just barely moving. Either Quinten or Ty were always hanging around in his room.
     Lachlan ordered a gag over what they had learned. Preston hadn't died protecting a friend, but his prince. Prince Adam didn't die that day in the castle. He's lived through slavery, and been trained as an assassin. And he never told anyone in the camp who he was.
Jason kept insisting it was him. No one else wants to believe it, but the crazy story actually made sense. Sky's been so involved in this entire story because this is his fight.
The General didn't want the news to spread until he had spoken to Sky. Something like this could change the entire corse of the war. The people's Prince has come back to fight, and Mitch even has his amulet from Dan. What remains of the loyal towns would rally behind him.
     Almost everyone picked up on how tense all the leaders were. They're all waiting for something. When Jason was acting in the same anxious way, Sub chased multiple people away when they tried to question him.
      Sky woke up to voices. He stays very still, and keeps his breathing even. The events from the days before are pressed down to where they never happened. The last thing he remembers is collapsing after setting the base on fire. Sky almost grins at the thought. He certainly took a beating. The assassin hasn't had that much fun since he started training Ty. Speaking of.......
"......Oh come on! You're all being so sneaky. What's going on?", Ty wines, right next to Sky's bed. He must be sitting down only inches away. Strange.
"Well, you know. I'm not exactly the most likable hy-hybrid. I'm just w-worried over that", someone meekly replies. Sky doesn't recognize the voice. Considering the beating the squids gave him, they must be some sort of doctor.
Thinking more on it, Sky barley feels his injuries. There's a tight bandage on his head and chest, but he just feels achy and tired. And hungry. Definitely hungry.
"Mitch is acting weird, too. I don't think he'd be particularly unhappy if you got mobbed for few minutes, Quinten", Ty teases. 'Quinten' sighs. That's a bit of an odd name.
      "Well...... I'm sure you'll hear about it eventually. I have to check Sky's bandages. His healing factor should have knocked off by now", he steps closer to where Sky is laying, and he opens his eyes.
     "I'd prefer it if you didn't touch me. I can tend to my own injuries", the assassin scowls, crossing his arms. He'd be fine just passed out in a ditch somewhere.
       Quinten yelps, jumping back in surprise. Ty whips his head around to look at Sky. The assassin winks and quickly sits up. The room only spins for a moment before he stands up.
       "Uhh.... I don't think you should get up", Quinten hesitantly speaks up. Sky looks down at him with a challenge. The hybrid shrinks back a few feet. Now that Sky is really looking at him, he notices that that Quinten wears a rather bland color T-shirt. Sky turns to Ty.
"You seeing that, too? Or is my head still bleeding?", he asks, tearing off the bandage. All that's left is brushing and an angry, red line.
     "That's not funny", Ty snarls, "You really could have died".
     "I'm too stubborn to die. No ones succeeded so far", he gives Ty a sly grin.
     "Well, I'm Quinten to answer your question", the hybrid pulls on his jacket in a small panic, "Ty's one of the only people to know about me. I helped stabilize your healing factor".
      "Stabilize my what?"
      "Healing factor. It was a sorcerer who gave it to you, right?"
     "I don't know what you're talking about", Sky turns away from Quinten. The assassin doesn't show it, but there's a small part of him that's ready to rip out Quinten's throat.
     There's a squid in the room, and Sky isn't killing it. It grates on his nerves and patience. Underneath his mask, screams echo and blood still spills. But that's not Sky. The assassin only kills for the job and the pay. No more no less.
Ty and Quinten are both weirded out by Sky's dismissal. It took him a little over a weak to heal from something that would have killed anyone else. The assassin is acting as if the battle never happened.
"Quinten is staying here in the camp. He's not trying to kill everyone like most squids", Ty tries to defend him.
"You've probably killed everyone in the camp by letting him in", Sky answers in an indifferent tone. He finds his shirt and cloak nearby and started to get dressed despite Quinten's meek protesting.
"Sky.... I know it's tough to think about", Ty bites his lip when he remembers their shared slave brand, "But there are a few others like Quinten who have no choice in this. On the streets, you leave people alone if they leave you alone".
"I don't care", Sky says flatly. It really isn't any of the assassin's business. He finds his weapon belt and puts it on.
Ty sourly holds up a few daggers. They had been told in Sky's clothing when they got him back to camp. The assassin takes them and they disappear again. He looks gains at Quinten, but his gaze is openly hostile this time. The hybrid flinches a little. Sky goes around Ty and opens the door before Quinten can say anything.
The sunlight blinds him, and the world goes spinning again. Massive blood loss, check. Sky shakes it off and steps further into the camp.
Sky is surprised at the number of tents and other temporary shelters. They dot the camp wherever there's room. They must be the survivors from the underground base. Everything after the first flames are a little fuzzy. Ty comes out of the building behind Sky and grabs his shoulder.
"Hang on a minute. The General wanted to see you as soon as you could get out of bed", Ty huffs, annoyed that the assassin wouldn't stay down longer. He desperately wants to talk about what Sky said when he was last awake.
"How nice of them to make the walking corpse trek halfway through the camp", Sky replies sarcastically. He's had no fear of death for years now. It's easy to make a joke out of the entire situation.
"It's not very funny....... you really could have died", Quinten mutters from behind Ty. The assassin doesn't acknowledge him. Instead, he starts the walk to the Captain's quarters. The street rat and number quickly follow.
Ty still can't believe how Sky just got up like nothing happened. Blood was raining onto Ty's face just a week ago. Worse, they've met before. Ty abandoned him. All these feelings of sudden guilt are catching up with him. Ty's never cared about anyone like this. It's irrational of him choose an assassin to trust. Yet, here they all are. An entire base seemed to be waiting for him to wake up.
     More than a few heads turned to watch them pass. There were many mixed feelings amongst the crowd. Sky burned a small army's worth of enemy soldiers, but he also destroyed the safest base from the squids.
Lachlan is the first one to see them approach from the crowd. It makes him do a double take on seeing the assassin, especially because they were just discussing him. He nudges Vikk, who looks up in time to see Sky's smirk. Mitch and Jerome look up as well. It's not much of a surprise to see the four almost constantly shadowing one another.
     "So you found your way here, Bacca?", Sky raises an eyebrow. He remembers telling Max where to find Jerome and his brother.
     "Uh, Yeah. Thank you for that", Jerome mumbles awkwardly. Knowing who the assassin is..... how is Jerome suppose to address him now? What is he suppose to say to a 'dead' prince?
      The science stretches on. Sky slowly becomes confused as to why no one is talking. They're the ones who wanted him to come over here. He notices all their awkward glances and silent conversations. The assassin is quickly losing patience. A shout stops him from asking any questions.
     "Adam!", Jason yells. He's running as fast as he can with his crooked leg. Sky sees him coming and steps out of the before the Zemrlt can touch him. Jason tries to stop and stumbles over his leg. He would have face planted if Sub hadn't of grabbed him. The body guard chooses to protect Jason like he would Don.
     "Who's Adam?", Sky asks with an annoyed expression. Sub isn't his favorite person, but now there's a real Zemrlt in camp? Don't hybrids have their own continent to worry about? Jason's expression breaks. Mitch snaps.
     "No more games! How can you be that cruel? You're Prince Adam", he snarls. He's getting angry that the assassin doesn't acknowledge Jason.
     Sky stays still after the outburst. You can almost see the gears turning in his head. He looks back at Jason. A brief image of a broken body flashes across his mind, but it's swept away again. Sky slowly grins, before he burst out laughing.
     "Me? A Prince? You've got to be joking. I know you guys are desperate, but this is on a whole new level", he snickers.
    Ty's hearing fizzles out. This is what Quinten and the others had been hiding? Sky is Prince Adam? Ty's parents and older sister died for their loyalty to the royal family. He ran away to save himself when given the same chance. It's like it's happening all over. Things could of been much simpler if Ty's dad didn't bother saving him.
     Jason doesn't say a word, trying to understand what his best friend is saying. Mitch is angry at Sky's response. All the pieces are there.
     "What about Preston?", Jerome asks quietly, "He believed in you". Sky's wicked smirk falters. That name lies on the very fringes of who he is.
     Sky is strong. Because of that, no one has to be concerned with him or die for him. He was born from the mines and a mountain of bodies. Preston. Sky's entire body shudders a little, and he looks back up at Jerome.
     "Sorry. The name sounds a little familiar, but I don't remember him", Sky replies honestly. He's not the same person that Preston would have protected. The Bacca growls a little in annoyance. His unit members's death won't even be acknowledged by the one he died for.
     It gets awkward after that. Sky keeps insisting that he's not who they think he is. The main reason that they accused him of being Adam was Jason's insistence.
     Lachlan's not ready to give up. He swipes a small bag off Mitch's shoulders, despite his protests. The General walks a few steps closer the assassin and opens up the satchel.
     "Does this looks familiar to you?", he holds up the golden chain. The amulet catches the sun's light just before clouds roll in to cover it. It briefly shines into Sky's eyes before shadows cover his face. Mitch shivers when Seto's words suddenly come to mind.
     It catches Adam's full attention. He's suddenly there: standing in his people's rebel's camp. They're all fighting for what his family believed in.
     "Where did you get that? It's dad's. You're not suppose to touch it", Adam says in a weak voice. He suddenly seems smaller with the swagger taken out of his stance. His eyes are no longer cold, but grieving and tired.
     It only lasts for a few seconds. Sky reals back in shock, away from the amulet. Sky is a murderer. He cares only for himself. No one cares for him. And he believes it.
     Jason feels a surge of hope with Sky's bipolar behavior. He remembers Adam explaining how he couldn't touch the amulet until he became ruler. He is alive. Prince Adam is alive, and is just scared to reclaim himself; he's too scared to try.