Returning Home

As Ryker spiraled down into the void of the resting world he heard from within his own mind the voice of an old friend, a brother that he had lost so long ago.

???: Why didn't you save me Ryker?

He shoots awake reaching out to grab something but there's nothing there. Covered in sweat Ryker gets and heads downstairs to get some water. When he reaches the bottom it occurred to him that his mother never mentioned her youngest son or her second son, It also occurs to him that his little brother wasn't at his birthday party. But this is interrupted by a friendly site.

Yurie: Morning sleepy-head

Ryker: what time is it?

Yurie: 5:30

Ryker: You're joking right? I didn't get even a lick of sleep.

Yurie: Really? You usually fall asleep pretty quickly.

Ryker: Yeah when it's 3AM I do.

Yurie: Hah, yeah whatever sir Knight as she Salutes to him*

Ryker: Don't provoke me, I can make you cringe if I want.

Yurie: You already do with your hair.

Ryker: Oh ok then miss 5ft

Yurie: I am not 5ft, I am 5ft 3in.

Ryker: Big difference. Also you reminded me that I have to go to the studio with Kiyoshi and Hera today.

Yurie: Yeah don't skip like you did last week, I really don't want to deal with Hera going off on you like that.

Ryker: Noted.

Yurie: What time do you have to be there?

Ryker: noon I think?

Yurie: Check please, seriously she was all over you for like an hour.

Ryker: ok, ok jeez I'll check. Starting to sound like you're my mom or something.

Ryker: it's 12:30.

Yurie: Good

Ryker: I have to do something before I go there so I won't be meeting up with Hera and Kiyoshi. Runs off before Yurie can ask what.*

An hour or so later Ryker arrives at a small gas station to get some after training snacks and some water since the Knights' Council didn't provide any. As he browsed the station he noticed a bouquet of fake roses sitting on the ground near the cards aisle. When he went to put it back in it's correct spot he noticed as he bent down to grab it in orange letters next to his head " Happy Birthday Dad" written on a card in Helios language and In Human language. This for some reason made Ryker feel as if he needed to buy the roses and so he did, since today was his dad's birthday, the day after his own birthday and the day after his father had passed. He brought his snack items up to the register as well as the roses and card.

Clerk: That'll be 1,200 credits sir

Ryker opens his wallet to find 700 credits which would only cover the drinks and a bag of chips or the roses and card.

Ryker: Sorry man, I'll put the snacks, I thought I had more on me.

Clerk: No worries.

Ryker: Here

He hands the Clerk 700 credits and walks out of the store with some roses and a birthday card. That 700 credits was the last of the money he had saved up from his childhood. As he walked down a road he had never ventured down before he had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it, about halfway down he began to question himself and all he had done up till this point. He then began to question himself entirely.

Ryker: What kind of luck is this, why does this shit happen to me, why me huh. What the hell have I done in my life to deserve all this suffering. As he grew more and more frustrated he noticed his reflection in a puddle in front of him from the night before.

Ryker: Who is that? I-Is that me? It must be me, there's nobody else around. My eyes, they're black but they used to be green. Why are they black? What's happening to me, why are my eyes black, they were green this morning Yuri even commented on them earlier.

As Ryker looked around in confusion, looking for someone to help he found himself standing in front of a cemetery.

Ryker: Why, Why, Why god dammit, what kind of a cruel prank is this. I'm not walking in there. I can't.

He kept telling himself he wouldn't enter as he slowly walked in through the gates, straight to where his father and little brother were buried.

Ryker: Stop it Ryker, what are you thinking, Why are you even allowed to think you're a monster, the most destructive force of nature.

Slowly burning away an exhausted Ryker collapses under the tree where his family was buried, as he finally fell into the void that is the resting world.