The Beast Within

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ceraun planned to simply try touching Adrik with lightning sparks dancing on his fingertips but Adrik jumped backwards before his hand could make contact, his usual hazel brown eyes glowing as he landed in a crouch on a sizable rock in the distance.

The lightning that had been channeled through Ceraun streaked out uncontrollably, hitting another rock in the distance, the impressive piece of rock shattering.

“Are you trying to kill me, Feyrer?” Adrik demanded in shock, still crouched on the rock. “And keep it down, will you? I swear by the Pillars that if you don’t kill me first, I am going to die at the labor camps.” He scolded, glaring at the other.

Ceraun rubbed his neck nervously, his dark blond hair that had been tied up haphazardly that morning slowly coming undone.

“Sorry,” he gulped, Adrik looked like he might like to come down and break his nose.

Adrik just shrugged it off, deep in thought, he had been wise to step away from Ceraun’s attack seeing what it had done to that rock.

He wondered how powerless Feyrer had gotten so strong but it was not that much of a surprise with how powerful enough his father had been, at least powerful compared to the rest of the other Mages around.

He knew Feyrer wouldn’t be able to keep his powers at that intensity for very long but he wasn’t exactly to blame, he didn’t know how to use them at all.

Adrik jumped down from the rock, going over to get his tunic. “Now that we know that you at least have powers, I’ll teach you to at least not kill people by touching them.” He muttered dryly. “But first, let’s go somewhere more secluded, we are still too close to the outskirts of the town.”

Ceraun frowned. “Why is that the first thing you’re teaching me…”

“I’m not going to be able to teach you anything if I am dead now, will I, Feyrer?” Adrik cut him off. “If you’re lucky, we will eventually move on from that.” He added, starting off deeper in the direction towards the very edge of the town.

“But, we’ll be drafted into the army in a few months…”

“Then you best try very hard, won’t you?” Adrik taunted.

"I would like to petition for a different teacher." Ceraun muttered archly, following closely.

"You are stuck with me, Feyrer." He sighed distractedly, hurtling over a couple low rocks.

They continued the rest of the journey in silence, trees were rare in Thrika but perhaps because they were getting closer to the river, they sighted a couple trees here and there.

Leafless, providing little to no shade and just as stark and brutal as the rocks around.

It made one wonder if Thrika wasn't just cursed by a powerful Mage in the past because all of the towns surrounding it were all prosperous.

Riotous emotions coursed through Ceraun, maybe he had changed, just a little too much in such a short space of time.

Because if this had happened a year ago, before the Sirens came to Coldmaw, he might have been a nuance with his newly manifested abilities.

Or maybe he would have been able to keep Dew safe, it was the least he could do for someone who risked her life for his sake.

Slowly, he fell back even as Adrik picked up the pace… what had he been occupying his thoughts with? He had powers, he had finally manifested his abilities!

He could train and be strong enough to defeat the non-Mages…

"I can literally see your head smoking from your foolish thoughts." Adrik said when he turned back and noticed that Ceraun had stopped moving.

"Wha…"

Adrik smacked him across the face with his tunic before he could get all of his question out.

"Adrik!" The fair haired Mage exclaimed in outrage, jumping backwards. "What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his face furiously. "Don't touch me with your stinky clothes." He added under his breath.

"You made me walk all the way back to come get you." Adrik said calmly in a blank voice.

Ceraun shot him a look of pure disbelief. "You could not have just called for me??"

"I don't like your name." Adrik continued in that level tone.

Ceraun said nothing to this, continuing their journey, if Adrik was trying to rile him up, it was working because he wanted nothing more at the moment than to reach out and touch the other, stunning him with crackling electricity thrumming at his fingertips.

It was easy to ignore him anyway, his thoughts getting overrun with plans to free the Mages from the tyranny of the non-Mages.

He would train everyday and when they got drafted into the army, he would battle and defeat creatures to get even stronger, as strong as the Shadow Prince…

Adrik's tunic to his face shook him roughly out of his fantasies for a second time that morning and Ceraun didn't think twice about reaching forward to touch his bare arm, the yell of pain that followed unbelievably satisfying.

"Feyrer! You bastard." Adrik raged at him after he recovered from the electricity that had coursed through his body from his arm, his short hair standing on end.

Ceraun already had a head start, dashing forward lithely, laughter trapped in his throat even as Adrik chased after him, expression livid.

It was almost like the taller boy had been waiting for this exact moment, just so that he would get to chase and bully Ceraun again.

But Ceraun had always been the faster of the two, even now that he had gotten a head start so Adrik did not catch up to him till they had reached the very edge, pale blue water spilling over to the edge where water-weed plants grew generously.

Ceraun was the first to freeze up, watching the sun reflect off the big body of water that was the river that separated Thrika from the next non-Mage Town.

Adrik slowed down as well, both of them staring into the softly flowing water.

They hadn't seen this much water ever since they were forcefully taken from their small fishing village, it brought back memories… they weren't all good.

Adrik was the first to break out of his daze, walking slowly forward to crouch at the edge of the river, peering deeply into the depths of the water.

Sadness settled slowly over Ceraun's heart, dampening his mood when Adrik turned around with a nasty grin and with both of his hands cupping water, he splashed it on Ceraun.

"Damn it, Adrik!" He yelled, visibly upset even as he jumped back moments too late, he was already properly drenched.