Tree of Life

Kai sighed over his unproductive life. “Oh well, no use getting depressed over it now.” He mumbled to himself, and slowly got onto his feet. He started walking again, except this time was more like limping since his feet were still slightly asleep.

He went north as Tao directed him. A few minutes later, Kai saw a stop sign. It was bent in the middle of the metal stick and so the actual sign touched the ground. Walking up more he saw a rusted car that had neither windows nor tires. The dirt turned to gravel and soon old concrete. Looking around, Kai saw many buildings and scrapers. There were roads, streetlights, fire hydrants and mail boxes, as if there was a city in this asylum. Kai would have thought it was a real living city if the buildings weren’t broken into ruins. Windows were broken and paint slowly peeled off. The roads were cracked and the stoplights dangled from where they were. Kai half-expected tumbleweed to roll his way; the city was dead.

Kris’s Ruins

Kai collapsed again onto the sidewalk. He would have been sitting in shade if the building in front of him weren’t letting sunshine through its broken windows. He looked around. The city may be dead, but it was huge. Where the heck was he supposed to find Kris in these ruins?

Minutes of lazing around later, Kai had the idea of going up one of the building to get a more aerial view. In any case, he was not climbing the stairs, and he doubted the elevators would work in this dump.

Kai stared at one of the many broken satellite dishes on a building. He blinked, and then he found himself on the roof of that building. It was closer to the center of the city, so Kai could see the city hall from where he was. Looking closer to the horizon, Kai saw the beach. Over by the suburbs was a large park. Looking south was Tao’s little black house. The view was amazing to Kai. He took a deep breath in.

“MY NAME IS KAI AND I’M A DANSHEEN MASHEEN!!!” He yelled into the open sky, with no shame whatsoever. “AND I’M NOT SURE IF THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE SEOUL OR NEW YORK!!”

“It’s Earth.”

Kai whirled around, looking for the owner of the husky voice. Kris stood there with his arms crossed, his wings dragging behind him. He took a good look at Kai but didn’t seem interested.

“…Or at least, a failed version of it.” He said. “…A long time ago, one set of guardians started to build a city here. They picked up surrounding resources and built, as if they were starting Earth again.” Kris lectured while walking up to the edge of the roof next to Kai. From up close, Kai could see Kris was really handsome. However he still retained that he himself was the best-looking out of all the guardians.

“…Eventually some of the guardians fell in love, made love, and had children.”

Kai raised an eyebrow. “That can happen?”

“Just because we’re zombies doesn’t mean our aren’t functional. Anyway, they had children, and the city grew and prospered. A little while later, after the city had grown to its fullest potential, God found out what the guardians did.”

“What’d he do?” Kai asked, getting absorbed into the story.

“He killed them all.”

Kai stood there stunned for a minute. “W-Why?”

“God made rules. We’re not allowed to do anything outside of those rules. We were given a second life to protect those who have one, not to around and have . They made the mistake of making Earth,” Kris looked at Kai right in the eye. “And this isn’t Earth.”

Kai stared into Kris’s fierce eyes. “…I guess that’s why all the current guardians are male?” He finally uttered after a few minutes.

“That’s correct.”

Kai scratched his head. “God’s touchy.”

Kris nodded, and the two of them shared the astonishing view of the dead city.

“By the way…” Kris spoke up. “Who the heck are you?”

Kai tried really hard to convince Kris that he was ‘the Kai’ from the other asylum; in the end, Kris half-believed him.

“I’m Kris,” he held out his hand. “Flight would be my strength.”

Kai shook his hand excitedly. “Yeah, I could see that from the looks of your wings-”

“Don’t look at them.” Kris retorted.

Kai averted his eyes back to Kris. “Yessir.”

“But yes, I am a half-dragon. Androdracon.”

Kai looked at him confusedly. “…What?”

Kris shook his head. “Nothing. I’m half-human, half-dragon. That’s all.”

“That must be cool.” The younger grinned, only to be met with a glare.

“…It’s not.” Kris sighed. “There’s nothing good about being half… Being a stupid chimera.”

“There should be someth-”

“THERE’S NOTHING GOOD ABOUT BEING ME.” Kris half-yelled, startling Kai. “It … I died, yet I was given another life. Why was I given this life? If anything, why couldn’t I be given the same life I lost? Why this one, where I grew stupid wings and where I have to protect ungrateful s? It’s… It’s just not fair!” He suddenly flapped his wings open, one of them hitting Kai in the face. He jumped off the building and flew away. Kai followed his trail and saw that Kris had flown into the city hall. He followed him shortly afterwards.

Kai arrived at the front steps of the city hall. Walking up the (exhausting) stairs, Kai could see that the building lacked a front door. That was the only thing wrong with it. He walked inside and stared in amazement.

Murals were superbly painted on the high ceiling, artificial flowers of every color decorated the place, and the detailed stone statue of God wasn’t something to ignore. A large glass chandelier hung in the middle of the hall. If it were on, Kai thought, the light would reflect off the marble floor beautifully.

Kai looked around the hall for Kris. He noticed a scaly red wing poking out from behind the statue of God, like a child standing behind his father.

A small, innocent child.

LOLOLOL Kris is a . //shot 

I lied, you'll find out why Kris is a androdracon in the NEXT chapter, I promise.