unknown welcome (I)

August 14, 2054. Friday. 11:11 PM.

Kiyro was waiting by the twin trees that he and his brother had played around in the forest when they were younger. So many things had changed since the last time he had visited here. Most of the trees were cut down, and new houses were in their place. He was amazed that the entangled trees that looked like two lovers in an embrace were still standing. With a gentle brush of his fingertips, he rubbed his hands against the engraved name K2.

They were barely any lights from the houses that lit the surrounding area, only the moon's light cast overhead. He gazed up and was amazed to see the star lights twinkling in the sky. Back in New York, he could barely see the stars twinkling from the bright artificial lights that were on constantly, blotting out the stars. Everything around him was washed out in the darkness, making it difficult to see him.

Leaning back in between the entwined trees, he waited. He had been waiting for two hours. Finally, this was the spot where Kyle had wanted to meet. The only problem was he didn't know how long he had to wait for his brother to arrive. Hopefully, Kyle would come sometime soon because he had a long walk back home.

He had left Anna a message about where he was going so she wouldn't worry. However, even the warm breeze during the summer night still felt hot and sticky. The humidity of the Georgia weather was one thing he did not like, especially in the summertime. How he wished dearly that the fall breeze would come sooner.

Sighing with a deep breath, he continued to wait. Shifting from one foot to another, partially dozing off to the sound of the chirping bugs. The smell of evergreen, maples and even a tingle of aromatic lavender drifted into his nose, soothing him. How long has it been since he had walked in the forest by himself? One year? Two? Or was it maybe three?

The last time he remembered climbing this tree was when he and his brother had bet on who could climb the tree fastest when they were kids. The prize was a large chocolate bar that they had haggled on. With the race underway, he was behind in climbing to the top till Kyle slipped.

That one slip-up gave him a chance to break away and make it first to the top.

Kyle frowned when he lost; he wanted that chocolate bar. He could see it written all over Kyle's face when the wager was on. He and Kyle sat on top of the tree's thick branches as Kiyro fished for the chocolate in his pocket. In all honesty, he had bought the chocolate for Kyle. It wasn't until Kyle had seen the large chocolate bar in his pocket that he had made a bet on the spot.

He chuckled, remembering how his brother tried his best to convince him to give him the chocolate. Kyle gave up persuading him when he had lost the bet. When Kiyro broke the chocolate in half and handed it to Kyle, Kyle's eyes brightened into a smile as he gratefully received it. Both stayed gazing at the stars throughout the night until their parents called them back to sleep.

Sometimes it was these fond memories that he wished he could return and relive that moment again. A fun time when they were children with no care in the world. The only thing on their mind at that time was to go out and explore. From catching frogs, chasing birds and rabbits, and sometimes even finding old caves they stumbled upon. It was a fascinating time as they played cops and robbers or pretended to become explorers from a fantastical world.

His mind shifted to the quest on hand with the cat people still underway. He had given directions to M2, where the Draconis Village was possibly located. The only problem was that they could not enter the Draconis Village without his presence. So whenever he logged out, he would find them a safe place to hide for the duration of the time.

M2 would go out and cover their tracks and keep them all well hidden. A couple of times, the soldiers almost stumbled upon them, but eventually, they gave up and returned to the city walls. Kiyro did not want to stay out too long, but meeting his brother was a priority. He probably would not get another chance like this in a while if he thought about it.

A sudden snap of a broken branch could be heard on his right. Kiyro turned his head towards the direction of the sound, but in the dark, he could not see very well. Even though he had a perfect 20/20 vision in the night, the shadows blended perfectly with the darkness making everything into one big blob of black. He thought he saw a human silhouette dart across from him for a moment. Then, his ears perked, and his senses were heightened, ready to flee or fight.

Something told him in the back of his mind that something was wrong. His brother would not need to sneak up on him, especially at the location that Kyle had set up. Kyle knew firsthand that it was a bad idea to sneak up on him without any words. He had gotten a couple of bruises and got into some altercations because of Kiyro's sudden reflexes. His hands were to his sides where daggers, knives, and even a blade he had hidden in his pants were strapped to his thigh.

He listened carefully for any breaking twigs and even for any sudden movements. His instincts were kicked up a notch, ready to fight or flight. In all honesty, he would rather not get into a fight and resolve things peacefully. But life does not always go as planned, and he tries his best to prepare for it.

A snap of the twig could be heard from the left behind him. He twirled, and out of instinct, he swung his arms towards the direction of the noise. An unknown arm blocked him instantly as another kick came from the side. Kiyro tightened his muscles where he thought he would possibly get hit. He raised his knees, blocking the powerful kick that gave him a horrible sting. He could feel a bruise forming on the spot where he was kicked. He was sure the next one could break his ribs if he was not careful.

Kiyro sidestepped out of harm's way as two-five combo punches were aimed at his face and body. It was fast, like a pro boxing punch; he had to step backward numerous times, trying not to get hit by one of them. However, he still felt a second presence behind him aimed at his legs. Jumping up like a cat, he dodges the incoming sweeping kick.

They were two people who covered their faces with a mask and wore black street clothes to blend in with the night. Kiyro could tell they were experienced fighters from their attacks and how they held themselves. He had difficulty slipping through and dodging their attacks, especially in the forest, where there were more obstacles that he had to watch out for. He was the type to pay attention to his surrounding for any possible obstacles that would trip him up if he needed to escape or fight.

Kicks and punches came from both directions. Kiyro slipped in when he had the chance to strike. It was quick and simple, with no exaggerated and wasted movements. His training and past street fight experiences kicked in, allowing him to take a fatal strike. With a snap of his punch, he punched straight in the throat at the first attacker. The attacker collapsed forward, holding his throat, choking on his spit.

With an elbow drop on the back of the first attacker's head, the attacker fell onto the floor unconscious. The second one came from behind as he grabbed Kiyro by the throat. Before the attacker could choke him out completely, his hands slipped in to stop the choking from happening.

Both of them struggled as they tried to overcome each other. Kiyro dropped down using his whole body weight; the sudden unexpected drop caused the attacker to fall forward. This allowed Kiyro to throw him over his shoulder as both rolled. He could slip out of the attacker's choke and into a quick armbar. A snap could be heard as an arm was broken, and a scream could be heard. Letting go, he rolled away, giving him time to straddle the downed attacker. With a couple of fast but powerful punches, he rattled the attacker's brain, causing him to blackout.

Kiyro sighed as he let down his clenched fist, bloodied with his blood and the attackers. Small cuts were littered all over his knuckles as relief washed over him. He looked down and searched the attacker's clothes for anything that could identify these people. Whoever they were, they were not Kyle.

Oddly, these attackers knew where his brother's meeting place was. Worse, he felt these people were not here to steal from him but to retrieve him. Turning the man's jacket inside out, a triskele dragon-like snake pin fell out of his jacket. An eye was in the middle of the triskele as it stared back at him coldly with an unblinking. It was the same pin he had found with embedded information asking him to join to become the light that breaks through the darkness and becomes heroes. A chill ran down his back as he felt danger.

Suddenly, he felt a sting on his neck. He raised his hands and felt a small tranquilizer. His head felt light and dizzy. The world spun around him, making it very difficult to keep his bearing.

Falling face forward, he fell unconscious.

#####

"Hey. You awake?" An unknown male's voice spoke over him. Kiyro slowly came to. His vision became clear, and he noticed an unknown young man hovering over him.

"Who are you?" Kiyro bolted up and shoved him hard against the wall. He was ready to snap the young man's neck to survive if he had to. Getting kidnapped and ferried away was not something he had not expected at all, especially because he was supposed to meet his brother.

"C-c-calm down." The young man stuttered. He tried his best to peel Kiyro's fingers away from his throat. "I'm j-j-just like you."

Kiyro let go, allowing the young man to breathe. He took a good look at the young man in front of him. He was not too tall nor short; his baggy clothes and glasses made him look like a nerd. His brown hair was curly and messy as if he had gotten out of bed. If only he took a bit care of himself, he would look decent. There was also a silver ring around his neck with numbers written on it. Nothing about this young man screamed a dangerous killer or the people that attacked him at night.

"My name is Daulton Lee. I have been here for over three weeks now."

"What is this place?" Kiyro looked around. He was in a small comfortable room with two beds and desks. A large window was across the room, where blinds covered it shut. Only glimmers of light entered, and the rest were lit up with fluorescent light. Across from the window was a wooden door.

"It's some kind of academy."

"Academy?"

"Yes, New recruits are brought in every day."

"How many are present here?"

"I think about two hundred, from nine to thirty years old. This place is more like a private school

because of its activities."

"What's the longest someone ever stayed here?"

"Um... Hmmm." Daulton scratched his chin. "The longest that I heard someone being here is five years. So this should be the sixth year. You'll fit in just fine. A lot of people have been brought here. Though only a few are kidnapped like you."

"Wait, people willingly come here?"

"Yes. It's considered the number one facility for developing psychics."