Into the Sky

Chapter One

Rating: T

Warning: slash

Setting: This story is based in what I think Atlantis looks like, sunk somewhere deep in the ocean, very technologically advanced.

Edit: I finally managed to get the time to edit this and now I’m reposting it. I hope it’s better this time around. The point of view stays consistent, at least.

oXoXOxoxOXoXo

“…the new suit with need pilots who are advanced in their field…”

Alex wasn’t paying attention to the lecture. His mind, as always, was elsewhere. He looked out the wall of windows, toward the water and the fish swimming in the clear blue water all around the domed underwater city. His gaze fell to the other children running on the streets below. He was too old to be with them now. Supposedly, he had more important things to do now – which he did. Alex, space cadet and master daydreamer, was doomed to become the next emperor.

His mother died when he was still too young to have any real memories of her. All he could remember were feelings: love, joy, happiness, sadness. Unfortunately, she left the emperor with only a single heir.

“Alexander?” someone demanded. “Alexander!”

Said boy averted his attention back to his professor. “Yes, professor,” he said. “It won’t happen again.”

“That is what you have said every day since you started attending this academy, but you never change!” The teacher’s outburst startled the students causing them to abandon all other work and stare directly at the young prince. “As the heir, you have to work harder than the rest of your pupils, and yet you work less than them! What are you thinking?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I can’t deal with a student who can’t pay attention, I don’t care who you are. Just leave.”

“With pleasure.” He reached down, grabbed his books, and walked out of the class, leaving a shocked professor and class behind.

It felt so good to be outside. No breeze rushed over his skin (no breeze existed down here) and yet the air was not stale. It was fresh and smelled of flowers and salt water. Freedom. He was finally where he wanted to be, though he knew the wrath of his father, the Emperor, was to be inevitable when he finally decided to head back to the palace.

He walked for a ways and found himself in front of the library. The building was ancient and beautiful, made of stones and formed into many grand towers. The best part was that it was huge. So large that no one could find him easily.

He walked up the many stairs that led to the entrance and through the gigantic front doors. No matter how many times he walked through those doors, he still found himself amazed. Librarians flitted around on wings and books could be found just by thinking of them. The ceiling above him looked nonexistent, but it was there. The sky: constantly moving and changing.

It was magic. Almost.

Mostly it was just technology. Technology here was so advanced it would seem like magic to the uneducated eye. Unless you knew what it really was.

Even though Alex knew better, he still liked to believe that it was magic.

Books upon books stretched for what seemed like forever, their knowledge and wisdom infinite. He began the ascent of the stairs walking up to another floor, still staring wide-eyed at the world around him.

Suddenly he felt himself run into something, sending books flying everywhere. When everything settled down he could see, lying on the floor under him, a boy, about Alex’s age, maybe a bit younger. He was so small that Alex was surprised he hadn’t broken when they ran into each other.

The boy looked up at him with pleading eyes. A terrified expression flashed across his face as he realized just who, exactly, he had run into. “P-prince,” he stuttered, bowing his head. “I-I’m so sorry, Prince Alexander. Please. I didn’t mean to, honestly. Don’t tell. Please.”

Alex reached down and grabbed the boy under the arms, pulling him to his feet. “It wasn’t your fault. Don’t worry, you did nothing wrong. What’s your name?”

“D-devlan,” he choked out, amongst his tears.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Alex,” he said, holding out his hand.

“Alex?” Devlan asked, taking Alex’s hand carefully as though he thought he could contaminate it.

“Yes. I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t tell any one what happened if you promise not to call me ‘Alexander.’”

Devlan nodded, shaking his blonde hair, making it fall crossways across his face. Alex could see his eyes better now. Devlan had the deepest blue eyes that he had ever seen.

“Ah,” said Alex, leaning down to pick up one of the many huge novels that Devlan had been carrying. He wondered how the boy did it. Alex didn’t know if it was possible for a boy that small to carry so many books. “Where are these going?”

“Oh no,” cried the blonde. “I can’t make you help me.”

Alex cut him off, by putting a finger to his lips. “Nonsense. I’m Alex and you are Devlan. We are equals. Now where do these go?”

Devlan looked at Alex like he was crazy. What was the prince doing helping him? He was the one who hadn’t been paying attention and had run into him. Equals? “Um… I was taking them to a room on the fourth floor…”

“Okay then,” Alex said, grabbing half the books despite the looks of many people around him, and headed up the stairs.

Devlan quickly grabbed the rest of them and skittered off after Alex, trying to keep up with Alex’s long legs. The prince wasn’t that much older than Devlan. Maybe a year or so. But for all of Devlan’s seventeen years he had been short, like a grade-schooler. Malnutrition probably. He had lived on the streets for eight years. In all of Atlantis, hardly anyone was homeless and thus hardy any were malnourished. Jobs were always needed and the city was prospering under the rule of Alex’s father, Kevan.

Up ahead, Devlan caught sight of one of the heads of the library, who was staring at them in astonishment. “Prince Alexander, aren’t you supposed to be at the academy?” he asked, sternly, examining them under his bespectacled gaze. Devlan cringed. He knew that he should have done this by himself.

“No,” Alex said. “I got kicked out. And the last time I checked, you weren’t my father, Amir.”

Amir glared at him. “You forget, Alexander, that I played a larger part in raising you than your father did.”

“Yeah, well you failed. I’m a rebel. And I can help Devlan carry his books if I feel like.”

“Fine. Do as you like,” said Amir with a skeptical gaze at Devlan. “But I’m not happy with it.”

Alex nodded. “I know. You Don’t have to be. Come on, Dev.”

Devlan blushed. “Dev?”

“Yeah, come on. It’ll be my pet name.” And with a smile, he walked up the rest of the stairs.