The Beast Within

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Ceraun would come back home immensely tired because of his raging competition with Auris, it did not matter how many times Adrik and Haneul told him to give it up, he insisted that Auris raced against him over and over again.

Auris humored him and his frustration increased with every race lost but he was not about to give up, not till he won.

It was with this same mindset that he hurried out of the house after his early return from the gates to get water, hastily said goodbye to his parents as he made his way over to the rocky incline to wait for the rest.

Tes Feyrer shared a worried look with her husband, helping him put on his cloak before he left for the mines.

Elder Feyrer gave her a weary smile. “He will be fine.”

“I am not just worried about our son.” She said to him, her hands lingering on his drooping shoulders.

Elder Feyrer took both of his wife’s hands in his own, his hands were rough and scarred from the hard life he had to live. “I will come back, Tes.” He said in a steady voice, looking her straight in her eyes.

Tes could feel tears springing into her eyes, he rarely ever said her name. “Everyday?” She implored with desperate eyes.

“If the Pillars will it.” He answered genuinely, pulling her into a gentle hug. “I best be on my way, I can not afford to be late.”

Tes watched her husband trudge out of their hut, a cold feeling settling deep in her middle as his hunched shoulders slowly disappeared from her sight.

She suddenly felt an intense urge to cry but she did not give into it, her husband and son had gone out to work hard for their survival, she would not let her nature get the best of her, instead she would head out to the sewing pit.

Elder Feyrer tried to pick up the pace but his body was already weary and his bones weak, he had started to have these moments where he just wanted to lie by the seaside and fall asleep, the warm soft sand littering his skin and the smell of salt water and fish tainting the air.

The mines were a reasonable distance away from the living areas of the town and he soon joined in with the throng of other Mages also heading to the mines.

The day started off like every other, they lined up to be taken census off and were handed their tools which had to be left at the mines each day because owning any sharp instruments as a Mage meant either instant death or the labor camp.

Then sometime during the day, at high noon when exhaustion was starting to settle in deep layers over his very bones, a trifecta of non-Mage soldiers passed through the mines.

Their sharp sword gleamed from their scabbards as they kicked and spat at poor Mages who were hard at work at their stations like they were supposed to be.

Elder Feyrer stoically chipped away at the hard rock underneath his bruised hands, paying no mind to the passing soldiers.

Occasionally they showed up, bringing with them inevitable trouble, he hoped that today would not be one of those days and they would simply pass and be on their way after instilling fear in the hearts of the mining Mages.

That was indeed a rare occurrence and so when they got to the middle of the mine, they stopped.

Elder Feyrer could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, his once lusciously dark hair was now grey with age and strain.

“Listen up, scums!” The tallest soldier roared in a booming voice, a Mage at a far corner dropped his hammer in shock, he was still young, he looked like perhaps he had not gotten a wife yet but his eyes were as weary as an old man’s.

“Word has gotten to us that there are some who steal the diamonds meant for His Royal Majesty, the King.” He continued on.

Elder Feyrer listened intently but did not turn away from his digging, their allegations were full of it, it would be useless to steal diamonds because one could not even sell it and the smallest crumbs of the gem found in your possession would mean instant death.

Elder Feyrer simply thought that the non-Mage soldiers wanted to instil fear in them or perhaps were just bored and decided to make the Mages' lives a little more miserable.

Silence greeted the soldier’s accusation, the Mages mining were confused, they knew very well that it was suicidal to try to steal from non-Mages but they were also at a loss on how to respond to the allegations.

Were they to keep working and hope that this was a mere warning? Or were they to give the soldiers their attention? That could also get one in trouble for neglecting your work.

“It might also interest you all to know that we are aware of who it is.” His big voice rang out again, freezing every Mage in their steps.

Silence still reigned even after this information, it was still a difficult thing to believe.

“And we would like to give the scum a chance to redeem himself by stepping forward to admit his crimes as well as return the diamonds which are the property of His Royal Majesty, the King.” He concluded, pinning every Mage in the room a cruel look.

A heavier silence greeted his last words, tension thick in the humid and dusty cave.

No Mage dared to breathe, who was it? Was it anyone at all? How was this going to end?

After the longest period of silence, the shrill and deafening sound of a metal sword being thrust into the hard ground rang out.

“I see you all want to make a mockery of non-Mages, as spawns of evil, we are being merciful enough by granting you your lives and this is how you choose to pay us? Walk in!” He commanded in a louder voice, attracting everyone’s attention as they glanced to the direction that the soldiers had come from to see a small child walk in.

Bare footed and shorn in a moth eaten tunic, he scurried over to where the soldiers that had beckoned on him were standing.