Of Immortals and Men | COMPLETE

Chapter 41 He's just a Student

Chapter 41

He’s just a Student

“It takes a long time to become young.”

 ~Pablo Picasso~

          The trees of this part of Oakhurst were new to Exsavior. They were more serene and less tainted, as if a sanctuary secluded from the wars and battles they were waging.

          It was early in the morning, exactly thirty minutes before his first class at Falls Academy, and Exsavior, instead of traveling towards the institution, found himself accompanying David. On a cobblestone pathway they journeyed forwards, going up a hilltop and past a couple more trees. These bore cherries and beautifully adorned the peacefulness that was the sight.

          Looking up towards the bright blue sky and the fluffy clouds, Exsavior squinted as he found the brightness a bit much.

          “Hey David, where are we going?” he asked, recalling that he had yet to explain why they took the detour without any notice.

        The silence that followed David did not fold. In his school uniform, he continued on, as Exsavior trailed close behind—his eyes boring a hole on the back of David’s shirt.

          It was not until Exsavior saw him stop before a vast field of green grass and a couple of cherry trees that he finally spoke.

     “This is where we first found Cassius, or at least that was what I was told.” Pausing in hesitation, another silence closed in on the two, and when Exsavior assimilated what he was being told, he peered past David.

          There before them were two graves surrounded by green grass and three large trees. Without any notice, his feet started to move forwards. He did not even wait for David to say anything as he approached the tombstones, expecting to read words about Cassius.

     “A beloved son and older brother—may the heavens watch over you. Cassius: 1990-2011.”Obviously the years were erroneous, but it was still extremely daunting to see a headstone of one of his kin.

          Crouching down to get a better look, Exsavior read the one next to Cassius—knowing perfectly well who it was.

        “Joseph Roan, beloved father, beloved husband and a beautiful soul: 1967-2000.” Somehow Exsavior felt the fragility of life at that moment. Seeing those graves just reminded him of how far from invincible they were.

     Shortly after reading the two graves, David plopped down right next to him in front of his Cassius’s grave. This made Exsavior lift his hand to graze the stone that stood before the ground where Rigel’s remains were supposedly located.

        “I wonder if my father would have wanted to have a human burial…” Exsavior expressed. He wasn’t comfortable talking about his father much, but somehow he felt a bit vulnerable after seeing fragments of his kin.

         A sigh escaped David’s throat, as his hard stare never left the grave before. It was obvious that he was trying his best to not show much emotion. “I’m sure he wouldn’t of have had any problems with it.”

         “Yeah…” it was the only thing Exsavior could say to the comment. Even though a silence would creep between them every now and then, he was happy to be spending time with David in that manner—because he knew that on some level they were bonding. After all they were men, and men did not go around crying and talking about their feelings.