The Beast Within

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ceraun was in a state of constant excitement and it took all of his self control to not tell his parents all that had happened.

Now that he was lying on his thin pallet, a ratty blanket keeping the draught of the cool night away, he almost felt like he would not be able to fall asleep from the happy pounding in his skull, the burning of his blood.

Alas, his body could not keep up and being exhausted from the events of earlier was out cold as soon as he had gotten comfortable on the pallet.

He awoke early the next day though, hastily folding up his blanket and rolling up his pallet, his mother had yet to make a comment on his visible change but Ceraun could see the light slowly come back into her light blue eyes.

Adrik apparently shared his enthusiasm because he met the other halfway through the distance between their homes where they changed routes and headed for the gates with large barrels held firmly in brawny hands.

“Want to race to the edge of town?” Ceraun asked when they were all done with getting water and were already off on what was starting to become their daily adventure.

Adrik threw him a look. “I can’t tell if that is just an unsightly joke or if you’re being serious, I don’t know which would be worse.”

Ceraun was already retying up his hair. “Of course I’m being serious, are you scared that I’ll win?” He taunted, they were already at the sharp decline that led to the rockier parts of Thrika.

Adrik scoffed, his competitive spirit easily irked by Ceraun’s entire existence. “You, win? Against me? I told you to stop carrying that heavy barrel of water on your head, it seems to be doing quite some damage.”

“Sure.” Ceraun agreed laconically. “Loser has to find a fish.” He stated matter of factly, taking off his tunic to tie around one of his arms.

“What?” Adrik swerved around at this condition, they would not even be able to make it to the edge of the town at full speed without stopping to rest or slowing down to a walk but Ceraun did not understand things that way. “Fine.” He agreed, there was no harm in trying.

They took off down the incline, lithely jumping over the rocks set to trip them in their path.

It was exhilarating, the wind rushing against their faces, muscles pumping, their feet drumming over the rough terrain.

It made them realize how much of what little childhood they had left that was taken away by the non-Mages, well it all started with the Magical creatures arising again but the non-Mages had been looking for a reason to e*****e the Mages anyway.

Ceraun’s body was the first to give up on him and they hadn’t even gone halfway of the journey yet, sweat pouring down his back, his dark blond hair falling in his face from his exertion but he did not stop running.

His breath came out in harsh pants, his limbs feeling like heavy sand weights with each step he forced out of his body.

Adrik watched him struggle with hidden amusement, keeping his pace just a couple steps ahead of him. “Sure you do not want to give up, Feyrer?” He taunted, he too was starting to feel the strain of running so long on such rough landscape but he was way better off than Ceraun. “It’s just finding one fish, how hard could that be?”

Ceraun didn’t even have the strength left to glare or curse at Adrik, the entirety of his attention focused on not losing his footing on the rocky ground and hurting himself badly.

Adrik watched Ceraun forge on with sharp eyes, the bastard hadn’t changed one bit, he was still the same person he always was, he had just be forced to keep it all in for a time and now that it was all spilling out, there was no stopping it - he knew Ceraun would run till he dropped.

He didn’t have to wait too long, not long after, Ceraun tripped and went sprawling.

Briefly, he considered reaching out a hand to help but quickly changed his mind, preferring instead to watch Ceraun hit the ground with a satisfying sound of pain.

“How is the view from down there, Feyrer?” He asked, stopping to gloat over the other.

“Feyrer?” He called again with a very faint tint of worry in his voice when the fallen Mage didn't give a response, taking a couple steps backwards. “You are not dead, are you?”

“Let’s race again tomorrow.” Was all Ceraun managed to get out, voice hoarse.

Adrik had to crouch low to hear him and he rolled his eyes at Cerraun’s words. “Come on, take that.” He tossed a leather flask to the other. “So quick to race yourself to an early death but not smart enough to prepare ahead.”

Ceraun on the other hand was deep in thought, sitting up to drink from the flask of water given to him - Adrik was so far ahead of him.

While he was here crumpled on the ground, Adrik still looked like he could maybe continue the journey to the edge of town, Ceraun had to fix that if he wanted to get anywhere strong enough to save anyone.

“So you will race me tomorrow?” He insisted, feeling more like himself after he had his thirst quenched.

Adrik rose to his feet with an expression full of disbelief. “I should have left you to die.” He muttered, sweeping away.

Ceraun scrambled to his feet after this, limping after Adrik. “So is that a yes or no?”

“It’s a shut up.” Adrik said coldly.

They ended up walking all of the way to the edge of the town, Ceraun trying to convince Adrik all the way to race him again the next day.

“That was not even a competition, you were already on the ground before I could even work up a proper sweat.”

Ceraun let all of the insults roll off his back, he was used to them, he was more interested in beating Adrik. “So it shouldn’t cost you to race me again.” He pointed out.

“Why are you so bloody persistent?” Adrik demanded in frustration. “Fine, I will race you, now hand me back my flask.”