The Beast Within

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Ceraun resumed his previous position, sitting stiffly beside his mother who was unconscious again.

There were cruel scratches all over his face and arms and a lot of them were beginning to bleed.

Noelani thanked the healer for coming even as she ushered her out of the room which reeked of congealed blood and tears.

Outside, the children watched with gloomy faces as Noelani went outside to exchange a few words with the healer.

Adrik's mother would have to leave for the sewing pit now and going down to the river bank just did not feel the same without Ceraun but they could not just hover around in the small hut, doing nothing.

Noelani checked up on Ceraun one last time before taking her leave, he had caved in into exhaustion, physically and emotionally and was sleeping on the cold hard ground but she knew better than to rouse him.

There was leftovers from the day before but she made the other children leave as well, perhaps Tes just needed a little time with her son.

She would have to go back to her hut and she took Adrik along with her, they were still yet to take a bath.

Haneul and Auris did not mind this, going back to their empty huts, they knew to meet at the rocky incline, maybe some vigorous training could take their mind of it all.

Haneul did not think that was likely, Auris had been silent the entire time, he was already used to her being quiet and unassuming but this was bothersome, it was like a grey cloud hung over her head.

He could absolutely understand how she felt though, he had not really felt the death of his parents because his grandmother had always been the one to take care of him and when they were captured, she remained to with him.

Her death had not shaken him up because he had already resigned himself to the fact that it was truly time for her to go and pleading for her to stay longer was just cruel.

Soon they parted ways as well and he watched her cloaked figure disappear around a cluster of huts.

He shook himself out of his worry, perhaps he could not relate to the pain Ceraun must feel, he felt well enough the pain that his friend was experiencing through his reaction to it.

The least he could do was give silent comfort and remain by Ceraun's side, which was not a difficult task in itself even without so much tragedy, he would have still done exactly just that.

Adrik was equally quiet as he trudged slowly behind his mother while they made their way back to their hut.

It was not like there was a lot to talk about, the atmosphere itself hindered speech, the cloying scent of sadness making your words cling to the very sides of your throat, refusing to be let out and making you swallow sporadically.

Adrik had put two and two together from the healer's visit and Ceraun's mother's response to it, that which had been loud and clear.

Even if that was not convincing enough, the look on his mother's face like she was being flayed alive when she walked out with the healer was a decisive one, it certified all of his previous thoughts.

He had heard his mother say it before but he did not dwell on it, for who liked to think about gloom and death all day?

She had said about the Mage women from Coldmaw who ripped their throats while mourning their dead husbands rarely stayed alive for long after that.

Or perhaps he had heard from someone else, not his mother but that did not matter at all except that he wished he had not known of that then perhaps he could have hope for Ceraun with all of his heart.

But now, nothing but doubts and worry clouded his mind, making it difficult for him to concentrate - perhaps choosing to train again to was not the best of ideas as they were not in peak shape.

But he remembered his mother was going in to work even though Ceraun's mother was the only friend she had left in the cold life they lived.

The least he could do was make the effort, it would also help to lift his spirits somewhat.

They would not be of much help to Ceraun if they were as forlorn as he.

For the first time, his mother left for the sewing pit before he would leave the house, it had never happened because he was always quick to meet up with Ceraun.

He left his hut eventually, trudging to the rocky incline, he was not entirely surprised to find out that Haneul and Auris were already waiting.

They sat at the edge, their legs hanging off even as they stared unto the rocky distance.

The river was not visible from this point that it made Adrik wonder how many Mages even knew that there was a river.

It would not be much use to anyone except people who had bite scars from sirens as it was poisonous.

Perhaps it also affected non-Mages because it seemed like the perfect placement for non-Mage soldiers to use to torture them.

Or perhaps it was too far or it would have gotten them in trouble because in his mind's eye, Adrik could see soldiers tricking or forcing them to drink or fish from the river.

Slowly, he lowered himself down to the ground, there was no urge to run down the steep incline like there was every other morning.

The sky was cloudy and seemed angry like it did not agree with everything that was happening.

The sun hid behind the clouds, emitting minimal heat, it made him glance in Auris’ direction, would she be strong enough to train with the partial absence of the sun?

He himself felt weakened, it was almost like he got his strength from the sun as well.

There was no reason why they could not just sit here for the whole day, no one would confront them for it plus it did not feel right advancing in their training without Ceraun.