The Blood That Separates Us[Boy X Boy Action Story]

Chapter One|Beginnings

Charles August Lowell was born to two ability-crippled parents, years before the war began.

When it did, he was a small child, around the age of six. And for the most part, he led a peaceful life. He planned on taking over his parent's toy company, making good money and retiring peacefully. He was useless to the war efforts anyway, when he became old enough to be drafted. He was a cripple; he had no ability, which shaped the world and hierarchy these days. an added bonus to his excuses, he was also very sickly.

No cure, no powers... a kind but small boy in a world where being big and bad is praised. And war conditions didn't make his life any easier. But he never complained, and always did as he was told. He had no reason to rebel, and no reason to want to go to war. Why would he?

But it had been many years since a battle had been won on their side, and even in his small city, Charles was feeling the sting. Slowly but steadily friends of his were being snatched by the military, never to be seen by family or friends. No one was quite sure who exactly they were fighting, or what was going on, for the media was so full of propaganda. All Charles knew that as long as he was ability-crippled, he could avoid the death sentence of being drafted. He was invisible.

That is until he wasn't anymore.

"What's this?" Charles said, retrieving the morning mail. He didn't often get letters since the town was so small, and he had met very few outside of said village. Nevertheless, a pure white envelope with a dark blue seal arrived at his door; the seal of the government.

'Dear Charles Lowell,

Due to current circumstances, you have been drafted to fight in the Streole War despite your physical and magical shortcomings. You are expected to arrive at the location below on the second of Gemini to receive further instructions. Failure to do so will result in execution.

-Dreasian Military'

Dreasian Military.

Dreasian Military.

Charles almost collapsed right then and there, the letter falling from his hand. His breathing became ragged as the truth swallowed him whole.

No one could ever, ever escape from this war. not even a 'cripple' like himself. And that terrified him, right down to his core.

|~|

Charles packed his things, trying his best to control his breathing. He wanted to get to the drafting location as soon as he could. How could he have been drafted? Are they really that desperate? He was prone to fainting spells, coughing up blood, and near-deadly hyperventilation. Doctors often blamed it on his ability-crippled parents, because most children born to ability-cripples weren't born to begin with. In fact, Charles' mother had had two miscarriages before finally having him. He was a miracle, many said. And a curse.

Since ability-cripples are rare and often portrayed as taboo in this culture, Charles found himself bullied from a young age, so much so that his father took him out of school to be homeschooled. He learned sword fighting, self-defense... things that his father deemed to be more important than math or writing. And turns out he was right.

With all of this in his mind, Charles didn't want to imagine what the military camp would be like. What would happen there? What would people think about him being ability-crippled?

What if they found out he wasn't?