The Beast Within

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Ceran could not sleep, squirming uncomfortably where he was curled up, even the little sleep he got was punctuated by discomforting images too distorted to be called dreams.

He got up to pace, his limbs getting cramped up from remaining in one position for so long but he was fraught to leave although he needed to clean up.

It was not for that his mother would wake up while he was away because the healer had laid their worries to rest, only she would be able to rouse his mother which was as terrifying as it was relieving.

His mother had eaten nothing all day yesterday and unless they found a way to calm her sufficiently enough to even consider taking nourishment, it would repeat itself again that day.

Perhaps there could have been some drug to keep her lucid and calm but it could not be gotten while they were practically slaves to the non-Mages and reporting this matter to them would only lead his mother to trouble because grieving for the loss of a loved one wasn’t enough of a reason to not come in to work.

Eventually, he gave in to primal urges and hurried out, promising to not take long although it was not like his mother could hear him speak.

He was the only one she had left, it was his duty to take care of her and she was also all that he had left.

Soon, he returned to the dim room which housed all of his fears, resuming his seat on the hard floor, his expression grim.

To keep himself company, he started to talk, talking at length to his mother who was still fast asleep, she was unaware of her surroundings so he had to be there to protect her.

*×*×*×*×*

Adrik, Haneul and Auris sat at the edge of the rocky incline for the longest time, the silence a loud and very discomforting companion.

“To pass the time, should we perhaps make the walk down to the river bank and back.” Haneul suggested. “Perhaps by the time we make our way back, the day will be nearing its end.”

Haneul’s suggestion was quite a good one, sitting still with nothing but one’s stale thoughts for company was not the best of feelings so with this agreement made, they started slowly down the rocky incline, walking closely to one another.

Silence reigned still but at least now it was easy to be distracted by the acts of walking and the sights and sounds that the edge of the town brought about.

Haneul kicked pebbles out of his way, his worn out boots starting up a small cloud of dust while Auris walked daintily, picking her steps.

She was not at full strength from how cloudy the day was so she was relieved that they had chosen to walk instead, her signature worn out, heavy cloak draped over her small form.

Adrik walked quietly, his entire demeanor darkening, he was always on the quiet side but today it seemed like an actual cloud of grey was hovering over his head.

“Not to overstep…” Haneul started to speak cautiously, hunching in on himself like he expected Adrik to lash out.

“What is it?” Adrik asked curiously, glancing in his direction.

They were taking the journey to the river bank slowly and would intermittently spend hours making the journey forth and back.

“Perhaps, this is not the right time to ask but I have not thought of it till this moment so I might as well get it out with.” He rambled.

Adrik listened patiently, allowing him as much time as he wanted while Auris listened on expectantly and curiously, wondering what sort of question Haneul wanted to ask that made him get all so serious and how Adrik would respond to it.

“I have heard nothing of your father.” He finally blurted out looking nervous.

Adrik looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to keep speaking but when after a moment of awkward staring and it was becoming apparent that Haneul would not bring himself to say anything else, he decided to do the prompting.

“What do you want to hear of him?” He asked placidly, he did not mean to be spiteful and it was obvious with the way the tension bled from Haneul’s shoulders and his sandy brown eyes lightened up with curiousity.

“I suppose I am curious of his whereabouts.” Haneul shrugged, honesty in his eyes.

“Dead.” Adrik said simply.

Auris hiccuped at the cold, flippant and abrupt way it was said, feeling sorry for Haneul who looked like he had seen a Screamer Tree, the Wind Using Mage was pale and petrified.

“Don’t have that look on your face.” Adrik snorted, managing a ghost of a smile. “He was not killed by the non-Mages nor did he die as a result of their actions.” He cleared the air of misery somewhat.

“Oh.” Auris muttered.

Haneul sighed a heavy sigh of relief one more time during his questioning, he was learning a good lesson to ask directly whenever he wanted to get a response from Adrik.

“I barely remember what he looks like.” Adrik started off with a shrug and without any prompting, his voice was distant, his gaze absent.

Haneul and Auris shared a look, listening intently.

“We come from a small village by the ocean.” Adrik explained, referring to himself and his mother or perhaps, himself and Ceran, he would never be sure.

“I was still a child when it happened so I was not aware, my mother was to explain it to me later on though but even then I did not feel hurt or in pain, he was a distant memory already and I had started to forget what he looked like.” He ended his short monologue, breaking out of the spell that he had casted on himself.

The topic was soon forgotten, buried underneath slow steps against the hard ground and puffy clouds hanging so low that it seemed like all one had to do was reach up and you could touch them.

If Haneul or Auris were curious as to exactly how Adrik’s father died, they kept their thoughts to themselves, picking up the pace as the sound of the rushing river was starting to be clearly heard.