You Can Live the Dream or you can Die Alone

"Lukos." The young boy announced his presence to the one that he thought to speak to in that instant. The grey wolf was a grizzled veteran amongst the faces of the order, well-liked and well enough respected from what the monochrome boy had seen on his short few months of life. He was among the four Anatheman's who had ascended directly into a proven role from the formation of the loner group in which they resided, yet he was not so muscle-bound as the chosen leaders. Lukos was someone who seemed more like a real person to the son of the monster, someone who wasn't all about their black and white vision of protecting what was good and culling the bad.

Elias, of all people, had to know that whoever was dark had some light in them, and vice-versa, the heads of the order could not be as holier-than-thou as they all apparently claimed to be. "You were friends with my father, weren't you?" The hybrid asked, his expression neutral and his eyes blank for a breath before they would focus on his elder, and the warmth would flood into his ice blue eyes like the coming of springtime. He sat beside the scholar, the one from whom Elias and the other young had heard all manner of tales of the home they had each known at their birth, and each lost at far too early an age. He looked at the Prometheus with apparent interest clear on his face, holding his eyes unwaveringly before he seemed to come to a realization, and glanced away, his smile never fading completely.

"Hmm?" the male said, pulled from his thoughts by an unfamiliar voice. The grey, torn wolf glanced to the boy who stood before him now, his fur and bearings striking a memory. He was definitely an Anatheman before, or, a pup back then? Whatever the case, the young man was now looking at him expectantly, and Lukos turned from his seating on a decent-sized stone to face him directly. "Yes, what is it?" he offered, used to these sorts of things. Even though he wasn't a leader anymore, his age and expertise meant that others would sometimes come to him for questions or advice, especially the younger members of their little band. It was yet another pleasant perk that came with his long years.

He recognized the Einar boy well enough when asked about his father, eyes narrowing a bit as the elder looked almost bittersweet about the notion. "Once upon a time, yes. Wasn't always like that to be fair, but I'd like to believe we thought well of the other." he told him, a bit mournful of the thing Lux had become. "Elias, right?" Lukos asked, trying to recall his name from memory. The multitude of pups before Anathema fell, and everything that's happened since made things a bit difficult to remember. "Why do you ask?" he questioned, reclining his posture a bit, looking to the child as he attempted to guess his motives. Probably, it was to gain a more impartial opinion for what was happening lately. Being the one that mostly had them was starting to become a tiresome career choice.

Lightly perched beside the wolf who was well beyond himself in years and experience, the young male had selected Lukos as the chosen target for his inquiries, having found the "Prometheus" to be the most suitable person to speak to on the matter that he had in his mind. He spoke calmly and clearly as he asked his elder about whether he had once been friends with his father, the one that they called "demon" and "monster". The answer he'd received didn't surprise him in the slightest, it was as nonchalant as the old wolf ever was, but he remained unphased in expression and voice.

"Yes... The thing is..." He began, his voice seeming to take on a more sympathetic quality as his eyes moved from the other wolf to the ground below him. "I overheard something, you see, they said that my father may be executed. That I might be shunned by the others." And cold blue eyes, adopting a somewhat hardened gaze, turned back up to his companion. "I didn't want to believe them. But I know about my father... I know he was in pain, and I know what he did."

The greyscale wolf-dog's fingers steepled between his knees, the fingertips interlocking as the boy afforded a tight-lipped expression, and then furrowed his brow a bit and quirked a half smile. "So I wanted to know... What do you think? Does he deserve to die alone? Am I... Somehow at fault for being the son of someone they call a monster?" A moment of silence stretched between them, maybe half a second, maybe the good part of a minute, before the boy unfolded his long skinny legs and pushed himself up, turning his face away from Lukos as if to hide his expression. "Forgive me, I'm overstepping my boundaries."

In the later memories of Anathema, Lukos had not been involved with the pack's youths as personal as he was at one point, mainly sticking to stories and tales of old instead of getting to know about his young packmates. They were all being born so quickly, it was hard to keep up with them all, individually at least. For this one however, Lukos felt like he remembered some sort of drama or tragedy surrounding his family, aside from what it had become now. The young Einar had graciously accepted the space Lukos made, and began to launch into an explanation as to why he came to him.

As the black and white dog spoke, Lukos listened in both understanding and alarmed surprise. This boy's concerns were certainly legitimate, but Lukos didn't think such info should have reached his ears in the first place, not yet. It was no mystery that Lux was a problem now, and that he may lead more problems back to them eventually if left unchecked. But to Prometheus' knowledge, that wasn't determined just yet, what they should do with him that is. Either someone had a pair of loose lips, or the demon's son had better talents than they realized... Perhaps he should take that in consideration for the future, both the Order's and Elias'.

At the end of his inquiry, Lukos gazed at his young compatriot with a mixture of respect and sympathy. Eli seemed uncomfortable with his questions after they were laid out to rest for a few seconds, moving away apologetically before Lukos held up a hand and commanded "Wait." in a reassuring tone. Letting out a long sigh, he glanced at the mostly clear sky, wondering if there was any omens for the wind to suddenly turn chill. The subject material would certainly be fitting for it. "Since you've heard, I won't lie to you. Your father... it's, best, to not consider him to be the same man." he said, without really looking back down.

"I had a run-in with him not too long ago, and the Lux I knew, that I recruited... well, he was there, but in bits and pieces." he told the thin male, shuddering at a thought or two. "It's a horrible fate for a person, but it happens." he murmured, a hand raising to his scarred eye before turning yellow orbs back to the boy. "As far as what will happen to the thing he's turned into, that's not for me to decide. It's true, if we don't do something it's only going to get worse. Up to the three to decide that." he informed, with a calculated tone that knew the situation. At this day and age, having to put down any old friends is terrible in it's own right, but more's the pity when they've lost control and can't even live normally.

"But as for being shunned, and at fault for being born his child... I don't think you should worry about that too much. Our children don't bear the sins of their precursors, especially for our leaders. Each of them is the child of Kentaro, yet they all defied him. No better example, and no better reassurance for your treatment here." he told Elias, shifting slightly and gesturing for the younger male to return to the rock while they talked. "And don't worry about it, you'd be hard pressed just to find the boundaries in Anathema. I appreciate and understand the need for efficiency here, but it's fine when you talk to me if formalities slip your mind." he said warmly, hoping that his words had helped the boy out in some way. Being lost and isolated at such a time could be harmful to him after all, and Lukos liked to think that he looked after all the youngsters in their care.