You Can Cry

Alexander stared lifelessly at the blank wall infront of him.

"Come now brother… are you done fighting so soon?" His elder brother taunted.

"Is this the extent of your strength?"

Alexander's eye brows raised but he didn't move or respond. Golden eyes watched the mad scientist, "he seams to be recovering." He observed, 'I wonder where you've taken her.'

(The distant past…)

"Mother!! Father! It's Axel, he-"

Alpos silver eyes fell onto his unconscious form. "He sleeps as if dead…" the elder male murmured with a gentle hand to the unconscious boys head. "It's the magic passed from our blood."

"What does that mean?!" Anglao cried as he shook his brother.

"It means… your brother walks the dreams of others. If they pass, he will journey with them to the afterlife."

Anglao felt his jaw drop. "Is.. I- my brother…"

Alpo rested a gentle hand on his elder sons head, "Your brother will wake shortly."

Angalo couldn't describe his relief, "So he's just sleeping…" Alpo nodded, "he will sleep for a week or so… if he wakes…"

Anglao felt his breath hitch, "you-"

"Alpo don't tease your son." A musical voice chided as a lovely ebony haired woman glided to her sleeping son. "My little Peace is a guardian of dreams, his name suits him well." Angalo basked in his mothers warmth when she embraced him tenderly, "As the magic grows in your brothers blood, his time in the nether realm will shorten."

***

(Present)

Angalo could say that he was livid.

Beyond livid. Myriah has been secretly touching the stone and connecting to God knows what or who. In that they were put on Alexander's radar, however with the mad scientist being out of commission, the hunt for them is indefinitely delayed. With Alexander's offices locked off, anglao had no way to get access to his records…

'Once he learns it's Myriah, he will be on a blood path. Many will be killed…'

His silver eyes fell into Myriah, who sat comfortably leaning against Axel while doting on Lucien.

'It will be your fault.'

Myriahs eyes found his and she pursed her lips. Axel felt her head leave his shoulder and he followed her gaze to his elder brother.

"Speak your mind, brother." Axel murmured.

Angalos glare depend as Edymond shifted closer to Myriah.

"Had Alexnader Whitman been free, all of you would be in one of his facilities right now-"

"That's not why you are mad." Myriah murmured as she stood up, leaving Lucien to Axels attention. Angalo snarled as Myriah approached him, eyes turning from lavender to gold with every step.

"I am why you are mad." She declared,

"As old as you are, and you know nothing."

"Myriah-" Atoli scolded, Myriah ignored her. She looked around until she found Jasmine watching her warily. Favoring to dismiss the witch, she turned her body from the green eyed girl. It would not make sense to show the boy that choosing violence is okay.

Myriah yelped when Angalo appeared right in front of her. Golden eyes snapping back to purple she took a step back to find herself trapped. "You will do well to remember that you are in my home, girl." Angalo snarled, silver eyes turning onyx. "I will not condone you questioning my orders, nor will I condone your little temper tantrums anymore."

Myriah had no choice but to hold Angalos gaze. Seeing his eyes pitch black, she saw the eyes of the soldiers who would corner her. Eyes wide, her hands lashed out to shove Angalo away. She had to get out.

"No-" she flailed her arms about, for Anglao to catch them and hold her arms above her head. Myriah, lost in a memory, started to struggle as tears slid down her cheeks. Atoli tried to pull Angalo away from Myriah to be shoved aside. Myriah felt her heart start to race and like that she lost control of her breathing. She felt the familiar haze of anxiety consume her mind as panic left her cold.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Myriah internally pleaded to be released. 'Axel…'

"Release her." Axel snarled as he came between Angalo and Myriah. Myriah reached for him as he arms came around her form and held her close to himself, offering his warmth.

Angalo watched, astonished as Axel whispered soothing words into Myriahs hair, allowing her to cling to him.

"You're coddling her again?!"

Axel tightened his grip on Myriahs waist, lest he choose to kill his brother and rid himself of one of his problems.

Axel growled low in his throat as he felt his own anger start to rear its ugly head. "You seam to forget, brother: this girl was brutally assaulted by her own fathers hand." Angalo stilled at the harshness of Axels words. "Thank the Gods, you will never know that pain." Axel growled, "You will never fully understand: Blood spilt by loved ones hands has a way of binding people…" Angalo felt his breath hitch, that's right. Even Axel knew the betrayal of being harmed by the hand of loved ones. His fierce protection of Myriah was more than their strange bond, it was the traumas they shared as they each endured the fever… Alone… The boy, even though he had been with them for a week now, was still severely malnourished and small for his age, was also … realization was like a harsh slap to his face.

"I…" Angalo felt helpless. Axel too resembled a beaten dog as he healed from his injuries. He was moody and unpredictable until Atoli found her way into their lives… much like… his eyes fell on the small boy who was climbing off the couch he was sitting on to go and hug Myriah too. 'This boy is exactly what Myriah needs to mend what her family broke…' much like Atoli helped to mend what his family had broken in Axel. The connection was too surreal. It was like seeing two sides of the same person. The way Myriah rejected Jasmine, Axel rejected everyone. Especially their people. The way Myriahs temperament was high and low with explosions of magic and energy, Axels temperment would rage and result in lives taken. As Axel turned to the martial arts at Atolis insistence, he began to mellow out. Angalo felt the air leave his body. Since Lucien has been in their home, Myriah has also calmed drastically..

"Myriah, I-"

Axel slapped Angalos extended hand away, angling his body so he was shielding Myriah from his view, Axel growled at his brother, his own silver eyes now onyx. "You will not lay a finger on her. Ever again." Axel declared. Atoli stepped forward, and Axels expression softened. Slightly.

"He didn't know, Axel-"

"But you did." Axel murmured. "You knew and have yet to speak to my brother on it." Axel buried his nose in Myriahs hair, lest he take more than one life tonight… his pitch black eyes found Myriahs tearful lavender ones. "I should have intervened sooner-"

"They are your family…" Myriah mumbled, "Please don't hurt your family…" fresh tears slid down her cheeks as she tightened her grip on his shirt. "You shouldn't hurt your family… especially for me…" Axel felt tears sting his eyes as Lucien made his way to Myriah and was about to hug her legs when Atoli stopped him.

"Let Axel comfort her okay?" Lucien held her gaze for a long moment before nodding and letting her guide him from the room.

Angalo watched as Axel held Myriahs gaze. He watched Axel cup Myriahs head and press his forehead to hers, making her close her eyes. "Myriah… anyone who harms you in any way… will meet their end at my hand." Axel murmured.

"Not.. your family…" Myriah whispered as she opened her eyes and more tears slid down her cheeks. "Please…" she whimpered. Axel held her gaze and pulled her into his chest.

"Very well…" Axel muttered as he stroked her hair, "I'm sorry.." Myriah whispered for Axel to growl low in his chest. "Don't apologize…" he muttered, sending his brother another scathing glare. "You can cry… and be vulnerable…" Axel mumbled, "I'll stay with you until you feel better." Myriah nodded and wrapped her arms around Axels waist as she allowed herself to cry for all she was worth.