The Beast Within

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ceraun immediately ran to the river when they got to the edge, rinsing off his heated body to cool down and washing his face in the clear, flowing stream.

“Why did you bother to bring the flask if there is an entire river to drink from?” Ceraun mused, putting on his tunic again.

“I do not remember you complaining when you were drinking from it.”

Ceraun stretched furiously, ready to practice his magic. “If you don’t mind, Teacher Adrik…” He said the honorific like it tasted bitter. “Take your eyes away from the river for a few precious minutes to direct me on what to do.”

Adrik stared coolly at him. “How am I to know that? I am not a Lightning Magic using Mage.”

Ceraun’s expression was that of absolute shock, he looked stunned beyond reason but Adrik cut him off before he could speak.

“Shut it, Feyrer.” He muttered distractedly, his eyes glowing as he stared into the distance from the direction of the village. “We have been followed ever since we left the Town.”

Ceraun’s eyes went wide at this information, his eyes following where Adrik was staring intently at, trying to squint hard enough to see what it was the other Mage was seeing but he could see nothing but rocks and bare trees, for miles away.

“What? Who is it? How do you know we are being followed? What if it is just a curious Mage from the town? What…"

"For the Pillars sake..." Adrik cursed, slapping a hand over the other's mouth. "Would it kill you to shut up for a few minutes, i***t?"

Adrik frowned, intently staring, whoever it was that had been following them had stopped moving, it could be either out of exhaustion because whoever it was had managed to keep them in their sights even while they had been running.

Or because they had realized that Adrik and Ceraun had noticed their presence but that was unlikely as they were still too far to notice him unless they were using magic as well.

Ceraun had gotten tired of being unable to speak, he took advantage of Adrik's distraction and got one of the other Mage's fingers in between his teeth and bit down.

Adrik's response was instantaneous, he snatched his hand back on a yell, cursing at Ceraun who looked self accomplished.

Adrik was livid, face red with indignation as he clutched his hand to himself.

Ceraun wisely stepped back a bit, in the case that Adrik punched him in the face just for the fun of it.

But they had bigger issues to worry about than Ceraun leaving teeth marks on Adrik's thumb like the person who had very obviously been following them.

It was easy to pretend that they had some semblance of freedom but that didn't change the fact that they were slaves to the powerless race, trapped in a dead land and made to live like domesticated animals.

They would have to be more careful if they didn't want to get sent off to the labor camps.

"They are coming." Adrik muttered quickly and true to his words a shorter boy around their age walked up.

He was scrawny, his black hair in wild curls as he glared at them suspiciously. "What are you two doing?"

Adrik glared at Ceraun to keep his mouth shut, handling the talking. "Just wandering around." He shrugged nonchalantly, trying to not look defensive.

"All the way out here? Come to think of it, there was strange lightning in the sky yesterday, might that be either one of you?" He threw his head in their direction, his robes sporting a couple patches, fevered eyes a dull brown color.

"I…" Ceraun was already opening his mouth to make up an excuse.

Adrik beat him to it. "I have Anatomy Magic and my friend hasn't manifested his abilities yet, besides we would never use our Magic, it's not permitted." He muttered in a bland tone, his fist clenching and unclenching and Ceraun was starting to worry for their visitor's well-being.

This just seemed to spark up the newcomer's curiosity all the more.

"Well then, you wouldn't mind if I just sat here, would you or better still, hung around with you?" He said bluntly, looking Adrik dead in the eyes as he said this.

Adrik shrugged again. "We don't care what you do." He said calmly, signaling Ceraun to follow him closer to the river.

Ceraun was already irritated, expression dark as he glared covertly at the Mage that looked to be around their age who was blatantly watching them for any strange actions.

"We have to get rid of him." Ceraun stated matter of factly as soon as they were out of earshot.

"We will." Adrik muttered, equally irked at the presence of the other Mage.

Quickly, he whispered to Ceraun the plan he had come up with, Ceraun's eyes lighting up as he listened.

"Hey!" He called vibrantly to the other Mage when they were done discussing. "Don't you want to come play with us?" He invited the other.

The Mage spy made a face of expressive disgust. "Fish is not permitted to Mages."

"Yes and there is none in the river." Adrik waved away dryly.

"There isn't?" The new Mage asked carefully.

"Of course!" Ceraun grinned, an expression that was all teeth and looked very threatening but it had the Mage fooled because he got up from the rock he had been reclining on and made his way gingerly over.

"What are you called?" Ceraun asked, a friendly smile on his face.

The Mage did not look convinced but perhaps he had been told to be friends with them so he could keep an eye on them and report if they were using their powers or doing any of the other several hundred things that were not permitted to Mages.

"Haneul, you?"

"Ceraun and that is my friend Adrik, we come from a fishing village so we were excited to see the water." Ceraun explained believably. "You can come with us everyday if you want." He invited him with that scary smile, stretching out a hand.