Chapter Text
Akine was quite familiar with bodies --- dead ones to be precise. He should have known something was wrong with this one, but he and Shino were so eager to be rid of it, they did not notice that there was something very wrong with it.
They were carting it out from the back of the royal palace in the dead of night, when no one would be awake to spy on them. They carried it on a stretcher, Shino in the front, Akine in the back. Shino had his back to the body. Akine suspected that was because he did not want to look at its mangled form.
“Hurry up,” Shino hissed. “We’ll miss the Barge.” He picked up his pace.
Akine tripped over his own feet, jostling the body. A pale hand, burns marring the skin, flopped over the edge of the stretcher and hung limply to the side. Akine repressed a shudder of disgust.
He rarely saw work from the royal palace. He and Shino spent most of the time ferrying bodies from the city’s hospital out to the Barge, where people too poor to afford a proper funeral were taken. Taken to a ship to be burned with all the other impoverished souls, their bodies set aflame in the middle of the ocean, a bright beacon of death. Though their nation was the most prosperous of the world, their city the capital, there was still so much poverty. So many people who couldn’t afford proper medical care, afford a proper home, meal, or life.
That was not true for the royal palace. The people who lived in and around it could pay for proper cremations, proper and prestigious funerals with hundreds of people, wishing them well into the next life. It was too lowly for them to be taken out to the Barge.
But there was always that occasion. A servant who had gotten on the bad side of a particular general or duke or lord, who was burned so severely that the healers immediately knew they would not survive the night. Those poor souls were typically taken to the Barge in the middle of the night, much like the body Akine and Shino currently had. The royals could not have the citizens know that people were murdered in the royal palace; it simply was not good for their image.
Akine had become accustomed to seeing the burnt, mangled bodies. To smelling burnt flesh and the scent of fresh death. To feeling the weight of the stretcher in his hands. At first, he had not been able to do it with regurgitating the contents of his stomach every five minutes.
Shino had ridiculed him for it. Such as the life of a man who tried to desert the army, he always said. Akine knew he had been right. Through his younger years, throughout his school years, he seemed as though he would be the perfect soldier. But, when it finally came to the battle, he… he simply couldn’t. He had run.
And for that, Akine had been dishonorably discharged and forced into the line of work he was in now.
The first few years had not been easy. But he grew numb to it. Better to simply carry the body then be the one to create it.
Shino stopped abruptly at the end of an alleyway. Akine slammed to a halt, once again jostling the body, smacking the stretcher against Shino’s back.
The man tripped forward. “Dammit, Akine. Pay attention.”
“Sorry, sir, I- “
“Shut up.”
Akine did so.
Shino glanced out, looking both ways at the street ahead. When he saw no one was coming, Shino motioned with his head, and they continued on, stepping out into the open street.
There were no lights on in any of the windows, all shutters pulled tightly shut. The crisp night air was eerily quiet. The whole city --- nay, the whole nation --- was in mourning. Akine glimpsed at a poster nailed to a shopkeeper’s door. It declared the whole nation was to be in mourning for the next three weeks. To be in mourning for their poor lost prince, who had succumbed to terrible burn wounds, ones that the healers were unable to treat. It said he fought valiantly against them for three days before they finally overtook him. The funeral was to be closed to the royal family only. No outsiders allowed.
Akine swallowed the rising bile in his throat, shifted the stretcher handles in his hands. His palms were getting sweaty.
Akine and Shino had been at a local bar when an Imperial guard had summoned them. There was something that needed to be moved, and they were the only ones that could do it, he had said. Both men knew what that meant: The royal palace had need for them. The guard had left them at the gate at the back of the wall. They waited for about a half an hour, joking about how the body had been resurrected, when the guard and a mortician had arrived, carrying the body on a stretcher.
Akine had been instantly unnerved. The body was so small, so thin. It was shirtless, only clothed in a loose pair of pants. Usually, the bodies they transported had more. The body’s black hair had been tied back into a phoenix tail. But it was the scarring that had caught Akine’s eyes.
It started at a nasty burn on the body’s left eye. Part of its hair had been burned away, but some of it had been shaved, possibly in an attempt to treat the wound better. The scarring --- red, bumpy, brutal, and ugly --- trailed down the left side of the body’s face, down the neck, shoulder, arm, all the way to its hand.
Akine had stopped short. He had seen bad burns, but not like this. Usually, the ones he saw, he could tell the perpetrator was trying to kill the victim. A burn on the chest near the heart, around the neck, even once a hole through the stomach. But whoever had caused this burn had obviously not intended for the victim to die.
Akine took another look at the body’s face. It was almost like that of a child. Its expression was peaceful. The child had obviously died in his sleep.
His muscles felt shaky. For a moment, it was not just a body anymore.
However, Shino did not seem phased. The Imperial guard had told him to follow the usual routine. Shino had only nodded, then made to grab the front of the stretcher.
Akine did not move. He could not.
Shino had hissed at him. Called him something rather rude.
That jolted Akine. He stumbled forward, grabbed the back, and they were off.
Akine glanced back at the body, the marred face, the sallow cheeks, the pale, lifeless skin. He swallowed and said, “Shino.”
“What did I tell you?"
“Shino, is it someone important?”
“Wouldn’t matter if it was,” Shino hissed back at him. “Now, hurry up. The Barge is leaving soon. I don’t want to leave this body on the bay.”
Akine narrowed his eyes at the body. “He’s too well-groomed to be a servant.”
“He could be your mom for all you know. Why are you so interested in this one?”
Akine stopped. Shino kept moving, and his grip slipped from stretcher handles. The front end clattered to the ground, the body sliding forward with it.
Akine dropped the back end in shock.
Shino spun around. He swore at Akine again. “What is wrong with you? It’s just another body!”
“This is a child!” Akine hissed. “There are no servants this age in the palace. Is it- is it… him?”
In a flash, Shino stepped around the stretcher and snatched the front of Akine’s shirt. “Listen. I don’t care who or what you think this body is. It is just another body. We just have to get it to the Barge and be done with it. If we don’t get there in time, we’ll just have to dump it on the bay. Bad things will happen if we just leave a body on the bay. You wouldn’t want to face his anger, would you?”
Akine blinked. No, he would not want to face his wrath. Anyone who had spent any time around the palace knew what that meant.
“So, it’s true then?” he asked, resisting the urge to glance back at the body. “It is him, isn’t it?”
Shino shoved him back. “You speak to no one about this.” He spun on his heel and took the front of the stretcher, shifting the body back to its original position.
Akine brushed off the front of his shirt. He took a deep breath, then took the back of the stretcher. And off they were again.
As they neared the edge of the city, Akine’s eyes kept flickering down to the body. It was him. Everyone in the city had heard the rumors about the duel. But now, Akine knew them to be true.
He gripped the stretcher handles tighter. His brain was flying at a million miles per hour.
He looked back down to the body. Its cheeks appeared to be a little fuller, but Akine took no notice of it. It was the light of the moon, shining full overhead. Akine had freaked out the first time he had seen it on a body, afraid they were carting some kind of zombie. Shino, however, had reassured him that it happened, that the bodies were not really coming back.
They had made it to the grassy shore at the edge of the city. It was near the back of it, where no one would have to witness the Barge’s departure. Few people even knew this part of the city existed.
There was only one dock, but there was no ship there. The Barge had already left.
Akine cursed himself. Shino was going to kill him.
“Set it down,” Shino commanded.
He did so. Akine could not help but note that Shino did not sound angry at all. In fact, he sounded… solemn?
Worry rose in Akine’s throat.
“The Barge is gone,” Akine said.
Shino snorted. “Well, thanks, Captain Obvious. The Barge had been gone for hours.”
Akine opened his mouth to say something else, but the words washed over him. The words died on his tongue, and silence fell between the two men.
"You knew the Barge would be gone, didn't you?"
No response
“You rushed me for nothing?” Akine finally said.
Shino shifted. He reached for something on his belt.
“Shino?”
The other man suddenly turned. Akine glimpsed at the knife in his hand. “I am truly sorry, Akine.”
He took a startled step back. “Shino, wha- what are you doing?”
"Trust me, Akine. It’s better if you don’t know.”
Akine took another step back. His muscles tensed, and he raised his fists, all his army training coming back to his mind. Shino thought him an annoyance and would have probably done anything to get him fired, but to try to kill him? Sure, he threatened to, but Akine never believed he would actually try.
They stood in silence for several agonizing moments. A breeze of salty sea air blew.
It was only then that Akine noticed it did not carry the scent of death.
He heard a small groan. Both men’s eyes were drawn in the direction of the body.
It moved.
Akine’s mouth instantly went dry. “What- what the hell?” he muttered.
The body moved again, its head turning over. It drew in a deep inhale. Exhaled.
“He’s- he’s not- “Shino dropped the knife and hurried forward, kneeling next to the body.
Akine, on the other hand, took several steps back. “Shino,” he warned, “that’s- “
The body’s eyes shot open. They were bright, bright navy blue.
Akine’s jaw hit the ground. “OH MY AGNI, IT’S A ZOM- “
The boy’s arms thrust outward, slamming into Shino’s chest. He let out a grunt as he flew --- literally flew --- backward through the air, crashing onto the ground near Akine’s feet.
Akine froze. Everything he had ever learned about fighting left his brain in an instant.
The boy drew in another deep, shaking breath. He rolled off the stretcher, rolled over his shoulder, onto his feet.
Akine finally unfroze and dove for Shino’s forgotten knife.
Still taking in quick, deep, shaky breaths, the boy drew himself up, shoulders squaring. Akine held the knife outward. His arms were shaking.
The boy glanced at it. His eyes were a brilliant navy blue, and Akine swore they were glowing. He did not look so skinny anymore. In fact, any muscle mass he may have had in life was retained. The expression on his face… it was that of someone who had seen several lifetimes over. But that couldn’t be right; the boy could not have been older than fourteen.
The boy took a step forward. “Who are you?” he demanded with a voice of power, an air of command.
Akine had no choice but to obey. If he did not, bad things would happen. This boy would do bad things to him, he just knew it.
The knife felt from his hands. “A- Akine,” he stammered. “S- s- son of Hirostati.”
“Akine, son of Hirostati,” the boy said, “you and your companion will- “
He cut off with a gasp. The boy’s eyes widened. In a second, he seemed to shrink, back to the body Akine had been carrying.
The boy sunk to his knees, arms curling around his stomach. His head dropped down. He stayed in that position, shoulders heaving with heavy breaths.
“Akine.”
Akine glanced back. Shino had an arm around his stomach, holding a hand outward. Akine grabbed it and hauled the man to his feet.
They both looked to the boy, fear in their eyes. “What is he?” Akine asked.
Shino shook his head. “I- I don’t- “
The boy looked up at him. Akine could see tears in his gold eyes, tears running down his cheeks-
Wait, gold eyes?
He glanced between them, fear also in his eyes. Now, he just looked like a scared lost little kid. “Who- where am I?” His voice shook. He blinked several times. “F- Father, he- “
Shino took a step forward, holding his hands out in surrender. “You’re okay,” he said softly. “We were taking- “
The kid scrambled back, hands scrabbling on the grass. “I- I know you.” His bottom lip quivered. The kid curled into a protective position, arms around his waist, shoulders hunched. “You’re- you’re the- “
“Bodymen.” The other voice was back. Akine drew in a sharp breath. The kid turned back to them. His eyes flashed navy blue. “You’re bodymen, aren’t you?”
Shino took another step forward. Akine made a grab for his shoulder. “We may be, but we’re here to help you.”
“Help?” The boy’s right eyebrow --- the only one left --- quirked. “Help?” He let out a dark chuckle. “That seems likely.”
The boy turned his gaze away from them. He blinked. His eyes were gold once more. “Father really wanted me dead, didn’t he?” His voice was so small. Afraid. It sounded like Akine’s litter sister’s when he had told her their mother had died.
Shino inhaled sharply.
The kid’s eyes jerked back to them. His eyes flashed. Akine expected an expression of rage, but it was one of complete and utter calm. “Didn’t he?” The voices were overlapping.
Akine’s blood went cold.
Shino shook his head. “Look, son.” He took another step toward the kid. Placed a hand on his shoulder. “I am here to- “
Akine sensed it before it happened. He was too slow to do anything.
The kid snarled and grabbed Shino’s throat. The man’s shout was cut short.
“I don’t need your help,” he hissed, then threw Shino thirty feet to the side.
Shino let out a yell that trailed off. He hit the ground, then bounced off twice, rolling several times over before coming to a stop.
Akine snatched the knife off the ground and stabbed outward at the kid. He would kill this zombie, here and now.
The kid snatched his wrist, then pulled Akine’s arm tight, bracing Akine’s elbow against his forearm. He made eye contact with the kid for a split second. Up close, he could see a ring of navy blue around the edges of the kid’s irises.
The contact did not last long. He sharply twisted Akine’s wrist, and he let out a cry of pain as he was forced to drop the knife.
The kid spun, yanking Akine forward, and flipped him over his shoulder. Akine landed on the hard ground, the air whooshing out of him. His head slammed into it. Stars floated in his vision.
When his eyes cleared, the kid was standing over him. He tilted his head, eyes dismissive.
Akine gathered his wits and scrambled away. Shino had managed to drag himself over.
The kid turned his back to them and strode away toward the beach. He was chanting under his breath, slowly getting louder as he neared the waves. Akine did not understand what he was saying. He had never heard the language before.
“Have mercy!” Shino shouted. “Please!”
The boy said one last thing loudly, raising his arms to the ocean.
Akine and Shino simultaneously shut their eyes, bracing for the worst.
Nothing happened.
They opened their eyes.
The boy still had his arms raised to the sea. He dropped them to his sides, then slowly turned around. At the sight of the fear on their faces, he let out a maniacal laugh. “What? You thought I was going to kill you? I don’t do that anymore.” He started toward them.
Akine and Shino scrambled to get away from him. “No,” Akine begged, “no no no please no I beg you- “
“Stay,” the boy commanded.
Once again, Akine felt as though he had no choice. The boy, or whatever he was, would kill him if he didn’t. He could not move, would not move.
The boy lowered himself down to their height into a squat. “You delivered the body.”
Yes, Akine said to himself as he nodded. They delivered the body.
“It is out on the Barge, burning as we speak.”
Yes. The body was out on the Barge.
“You will forget about me.”
Yes. Yes, he could not wait to forget about the boy.
A sudden wave washed over him-
He blinked.
Shino was beside him. They were on the beach. They had successfully delivered the body. The burned body of a young servant.
“We better head back to the palace.” Shino got to his feet. “Wouldn’t want to keep the Fire Lord waiting.”