The two horses circled the training area; the riders calm and collected as they came to stand in their chosen positions. The tall stature of the Lord Carriedo sat proudly upon his mature Stallion and his resolve took on the same presence as when he would when commanding his own army staring down the enemy. Although this time his opponent was his own son; Gabriel couldn't help his own stance become shaken in the man's shadow. Slowly he pulled his hand up to position his weapon and attempt to be intimidating himself, even though in his heart of hearts he knew the fear was present on his face. The two had been at it all morning with lessons on fighting and command and he was nearing his limit but he knew that was exactly what his father intended. This was Gabriel's chance to prove his calm when faced with the pressures of the battlefield when he took over from the elder.

The younger brother was draped over the wooden posts of the fence surrounding the area watching silently and a little envious. Antonio had only just recently recovered from fever and was taking any moment to be outside especially with the whispers he had been hearing lately. Tonio was worried, apparently he was special; he could use a type of magic that was only available to few mages and as such his mother was going to begin a new intensive training. He looked over at his brother on his horse and sighed. He could understand Gabriel needing training after all he was going to become something truly important. The most he could do was, well…nothing. He forced a smile and stood up straight. Be supportive, Gabbie deserved it.

The two horses dug deep into the ground and pounded forward with furious bloodlust. The shining of metal flashed in the midday sun. The two men met in the middle and the blade's clashed as their beasts pushed themselves together as they circled. The elder's leg became trapped and it affected him greatly as he gritted his teeth and his attacks became slightly delayed. His father noted this used the delay to his advantage. The sword came down and as the younger swiped upwards to meet it the other hand came out to push him from his centre. Gabbie heard his brother call out as the world turned sideways and although he was taken by surprise, his training kicked in and he rolled away from the horses to avoid being trampled to death. Although he realized as the sand rubbed against his bare skin, an anger burst forth and
he sat up on the ground glaring at his father with a raw rage.

"What the hell!" He snapped "I thought this was meant to be a lesson of skills!"

"And you think your enemy will be so forgiving?"

Gabbie held his tongue and stared up wide eyed at his parent, feeling his heart pound against his chest from a weird blend of emotions within the teenager. His father trotted over and continued.

"In the art of battle, you do not show weakness. The moment you do all code of conduct in combat is forgotten. You will be seen as something vile and easy and they will not hesitate to knock you down! There is not much time before you will take the land for yourself. You must be better than this!"

"I'm trying!"

"Then try harder!"

Antonio climbed over the wooden beams and rushed across the sand towards the elder. Gabriel was shaking a little when he felt a hand on his shoulder and his first instinct was to lash out trying to hit the intruder. The younger managed to avoid the attack but fell onto his behind as he did. Gabriel was too angry to even feel remorse in that moment. Why wasn't he ready? He was too weak, he was too easily overtaken. Ignoring the other as he attempted to get back up, he rose in one movement and stared at their father as he departed his stead.

"I swear to you I will be ready you hear me!"

He pushed past Antonio as he got to his feet and left him standing in the pen as servants hurried around to try and tidy the place. It left Tonio feeling a little useless, but it wasn't like he could relate to his brother in this situation.

It lay a little heavy on his mind.

-
Breathe in

Breathe out

Breathe in

Antonio you are not concentrating hard enough!

The young boy opened his eyes and recoiled a little meeting his mother's eye directly. The sudden connection plus the sheer annoyance irradiating from the iris' were enough to throw the boy completely off his own game. He laughed it off with a hint of nervousness and rose a hand to his head.

"S-sorry" He stuttered out "I am trying I swear Madre, but meditation is just, well it's hard" Antonio admitted deflating his posture. His mother rolled her eyes; yes she knew very well this was hard for her youngest, he was energetic and carefree and was probably powered by some form of lightning she guessed, but she could not overlook the basic fact that her son was unprepared for the power he was receiving at an alarming rate.

She wondered if the sickness was still plaguing the child, the creature in his dreams was no longer trying to attack him apparently, but it had not left his dreams entirely, just lay next to him staring expectantly. Just waiting. Always waiting.

"Antonio. You have to take this more seriously, I can only do so much considering I do not know a single thing about the complexity of what you are going through" She scolded as her son's shoulders sagged.

He forced a smile and laughed again "Ok ok, I will try again"

Antonio shuffled himself in a more comfortable position and crossed his legs over, back straight and hands gently laid over one another on his lap. He took a deep breath in and closed his eyes. He tried so hard to remain calm but his brother was still playing on his mind and he felt like he was abandoning him for something it felt like he was never going to get.

"Now focus your centre. As you breathe in you take in pure energy, as you breathe out you release all your shackles to this plane"
His mother instructed slowly keeping her demeanour calm

"Nothing can hurt you in this space, you are safe here"

Antonio wanted to make comment, but he hushed himself focusing on the feeling of security. He was with his own mother of course he felt safe. This time though he ended up dwelling on the idea. The sentence changing into a warm sensation that washed over him. He felt a small tug on himself. But not from his own means.

"Detach yourself from negativity of mortal realms"

Antonio felt his body sag as something drew him in. something on the other side gently embracing him. It was weird and he wanted to speak out but his tongue remained still, it was like receiving a massage. All his tension was gone, every pressure point on his body was hit instantaneously and he was slipping into a state of relaxation. In the back of his mind he knew this was not all his own doing and that something else was interfering with him but unable to process the idea of fear the mage slipped beneath the surface of the spiritual realm.

Gabriel entered the room without much thought throwing the door open with force. Especially in his irritated state, it never occurred to him that the study was going to be used today for Antonio's training until he too met his mother's stare beyond the large wooden door. He felt his whole body cease up and he flushed in embarrassed. If anything the encountered with the frustrated parent was enough to ground him again.

"Ah sorry! I forgot I did I swear" he moved his weight from one foot to the other, trying to figure out whether he was going to flee the situation or not.. The woman rose from her sitting position and the skirt of her simpler gown slumped and swayed back into the perfect place on her body.

"I understand, that but I having enough trouble getting your brother to pay attention to his lesson without unwanted distractions" She huffed "Now I will have to start all over again"

Gabriel looked passed her to where Antonio sat on the floor. "Well. He hasn't even noticed I am here" He pointed out. His mother looked confused for a moment and turned around to look at the younger on the floor.

His posture had become slumped making him appear as a perfect shape of the letter C. His eyelids has also fallen open but the iris beyond them were distant, the pupil diluted and they gave off a faint glow. It appeared that the other had finally figured out how to enter a meditation state.

"Well this is perfect" Mother Smiled looking back to Gabriel "I need you to do something for me"

Antonio opened his eyes to nothing but black. It was an odd experience within his own mind. He was falling although no, that was not right. Even if he couldn't see it he could feel it against his skin, something moving past him and around him causing a sluggish slow drag downwards from black to true black. It was like he was sinking through water, drowning in a world where he needed no air. Eventually his feet touched the ground or at least he believed it to be ground, all Antonio could say for sure was; this place was very black.

Suddenly a dazzling light erupting a few centimetres from him forcing him to cover his eyes and recoil away and when it had died in its stead was the large mighty bull Antonio had come to off handily know. But this time he was not dreaming and his presence was almost all there this time. He felt himself tremble a little in fear and anticipation combined. The beast looked down at him all aglow in a bluely white aura and towered over the teenager. It was a monstrous size.

The fear was replaced with confusion as the beast knelt before him.

'Welcome' Antonio placed a hand to his head. The beast did not speak and yet he heard words. The boy opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out and a hand went to his throat. The beast noticed and lay down 'There is no air here so sound does not travel, if you wish to speak just think it and it will be'

'This is…strange' Antonio admitted thinking on the words as he attempted to master a whole new way of communication. He heard the bull laughing in his head at him and ended up flushing in embarrassment.

'Why am…I here?' he managed to say and the creature looked him in the eye. It was at this point Antonio noted the creature had soft gentle eye, protective and caring. He felt more at ease.

'You were having trouble entering meditation so I assisted' the creature admitted 'Please do not hold it against me but I had to override your own brain waves to do it, it appears you possess too much brain activity to do it yourself this time'

'Override?!' Antonio exclaimed looking worried 'You brainwashed me?!'

'In the simplest term' The creature replied

'Please don't say it so normally' The teenager replied realising that this was going to be a very long and weird experience. He began to worry a little over if this was what he was meant to experience and what it was he needed to do before he returned, how was he even meant to return to the mortal realm anyway?

'We are here to help you accept your destiny, or at least to discover what stands in the way' The bull continued 'Something clouds the path that connects us. Through finding this, we can continue'

Antonio nodded in a numb fashion and sat down on the ground where he stood. This felt like this may take some time. He hoped that this meant he was not being a nuisance, I mean he must look ridicules right now in the real world.

Gabriel sat next to his younger brother as he remained zoned out from the world. Once again he was stuck baby sitting the little mage whilst his mother went off to do some form or errand. The elder sighed and lent back on his hands staring up at the decorated ceilings, one good thing to come of baby sitting the other, he frustrations at his father had waived a little. The small green monster whispered in his ear once more; he wanted his brother life, he wanted the path less gruelling. He narrowed his eyes and watched as Antonio's lips parted slightly as if speaking but not a single syllable fell out.

"I hate this house right now" Was all he could muttered to the silence of the room. Getting to his feet he wandered around the area, he was still angry about his lessons, angry that his father was so cryptic towards him. He never treated his brother so coldly but once again that was because Antonio was just the golden child with the magic powers that wasn't a disappointment.

Gabriel was deflated.

"Gabriel" The voice spoke as the door creaked open. The teen let out a long audible sigh

"What do you want father?"

It was unknown what time had passed, Antonio couldn't grasp such trivial things from this side of the spiritual boundary. He opened his eyes and looked up at the bull once more.

'Sorry, but…I can't see my problem'

The bull nodded and then rose to his feet gently moving towards the boy, bringing it's head close to the other. At first Antonio was uneasy but in his heart he felt the caring nature of the beast and instead smile slightly accepting the other into his personal space. Maybe this was what it meant to bond with the creature and yet at the same time he knew it was only a tiny step to the finished product. When the two touched forehead to forehead, the boy felt his breath ripped from him and for a moment it felt as if he had been clawed from the inside out. Which in a world of no air was particularly weird to experience. When the bull retracted away leaving Antonio feeling weaker and drifting once more, the pull of the real world began to rest on his soul and he began to drift away.

In his head though all his own insecurities and fears floated past his ears and spoke to him, whispering to him the answer he sought. However this was just the beginning of the true solution and as he felt breath return to his lung and felt the dryness of his own eyes. He would need to solve the last bit on his own.

When Antonio came too it was coming to sunset. It really had been a while. He blinked a few times to give moisture to his tired eyes and stretched his back into place looking around the empty room.

"Madre?" He asked his throat cracking a little before he swallowed "Maybe she just stepped outside?"

The younger managed to pull his stiff body off the floor and made his way across the room musing over what the answer to his problem with this new power was. As his hand reached outwards t the door handle it stopped hearing yelling on the other side.

Father was angry it seemed and Gabriel was the culprit.

"If this has anything to do with your performance outside today then you really are not fit to be my heir"

"Well fuck you, I am ready and I don't need to baby sit to prove that" Gabbie was pissed, Antonio had no idea what had started the fight but the heat was intense as he entered the room. He willed himself to speak as the two men seemed to edge closer and closer to their swords.

"That's it!" His father yelled "I have had it with your disrespect, do you understand how close you are to be disowned you ungrateful little shit?"
Antonio made a noise that went unnoticed. He was a little terrified.

"Yeah well try me bastard because as far as I am concern I should kill you right here and now!"

"Gabbie stop it!" Antonio finally managed to get out and the elder broke from his inter thoughts and stared at the other. There was internal conflict that was true, he felt embarrassment mix into his rage but Gabriel chose to take this moment to take off outside towards the horse ring. Antonio looked between the door and his father before taking off himself worried for his brother's safety.

They made it half way across the courtyard before the elder spun on his heel and drew his sword on the younger who made a noise of surprise.

"Why the fuck did you get involved? That was my fight Tonio!" He screamed at the other with murder in his eyes. The younger faulted a little before answering.

"Because you know as well as I that you would be the one coming out of that injured or worse!"

"What are you saying?" Gabbie gritted his teeth, the nerve of the other saying such bull "Are you implying that I am not strong enough? You think I am not ready either?!"

"That is not what I am saying but getting angry at father is not going to-"

"Fuck off fairy boy, you wouldn't know responsibility if it bit you"

"Wha-? What does that have to do with anything?"

There was a pause

"Really? You have no idea? You get to take it easy whilst I am out here everyday trying my best whilst getting my ass handed to me and being told I am never good enough! You set your bed on fire and get a medal!"

Antonio growled a little.

"That is not true!"

"Oh get off it, everyone knows people with magic are lazy and get an easy run of life. Never getting your hands dirty"

"You think my life is easy? I could literally kill myself if I make a mistake and you think me life is easy?"

"Oh poor special Antonio, it must be so awful to be told that it's ok and that you are trying your best whilst you try to make water dance. Precious little snowflake will never now the fucking meaning of hard work!"

"You know what, fuck you Gabriel!" He retorted "You want to know why father doesn't think you are ready?"

"Enlighten me"

"It's because you are so far up your own ass you could kiss yourself! Sure you can do the lessons and fight with weapons but when it comes down to decisions, when it gets a little too hard mentally, you give up and flip out at everyone!"

Gabbie choked a little and fell back as Antonio continued.

" You could never lead a duck to water let alone an army of the entire Duchy! You panic and can't handle the pressure! Father doesn't give up on you and all you can do is bitch and moan about how life is so unfair! You know what Gabbie? I actually envy you, and for the first time I can't imagine why"

Gabbie had no retort but the rage of feeling vulnerable bubbled up violently, whilst Antonio had lost all patience for the one he held so much respect for. Both boys were itched for retaliation, and when no words came to either of them; it turned to more violent means.

Madre was in the study looking over the letter she had received again with worried eyes. It was a matter she never believed she would have to deal with and yet here it was, staring at her in black and white. A sharp and rapid knock at the door brought her attention upwards.

"Oh, come in"

A young servant entered looking a little paranoid and bowed before stuttering

"M'lady, the young masters, they are scrapping in the courtyard"

"They are what?!" She asked in a panic raising gracefully from her chair and jogging a little towards the door and out into the corridor as the servant followed closely "Where is their father?"

"I am unsure M'lady"

She knew this was typical, her husband could solve the disputes of neighbours and dignitaries, but when his own family was tearing itself apart he was missing.

Eventually reaching the backdoor of the home, the woman of the house found a crowd of servants from all over the household waiting and staring out the windows in a spectator style. She cleared her throat and instantly the crowd dispersed and a sense of embarrassment flavoured the air, this was a matter she would deal to later however, mother rushed outside.

There on the dirt of the courtyard, the two teenage boys wrestled around trying to get the advantage, all weaponry and spells forgotten as they went for domination over the other. Both of them were screaming all sorts of profanities into the air. As the elegant woman approached she overheard the boy's attempted to mock each other.

"Fuck you"

"Yeah well you are the son of a fucking whore!"

"We have the same mother you bastard!"

She wrinkled her nose. It was too uncivilised for their standing and the mother couldn't take it. Raising her hands the two boys were ripped from one ungracefully by a
spell of telekinesis.

"What on earth could possess you two to believe this is becoming of your position in this family and this Duchy?"

The two boys were panting, frozen in the air and the feeling of embarrassment overtook them.

"You know what, the answer is nothing! You two are to go to the rooms and you will not come out until I say so do you understand me?"

They nodded sheepishly and the woman dropped them to their feet. Unable to look at one another both brothers froze in place; suddenly aware of the audience around the edge of the courtyard, before running off inside in silence. She sighed and shook her head, she had so much to deal with and now her boys were not even getting along. Some days she wished for normality and she had to admit today was one of them.

Antonio curled up under the blanket on his bed and stayed there fighting back tears. After the display outside he was beginning to understand his insecurities far too well.

'I am not as good as him'

'I am useless'

'I will never be able to use my familiar'

'I'm only going to hurt someone'

He pulled the blanket over his head and began to openly cry; he didn't want his brother to get in trouble; there was so much happening to him that Tonio could only dream to understand. And what did he do? He let his emotions get the better of him and yelled at the elder, and what was worse was that he broke the first rule of magic, he was a boy ruled by his emotions after all.

He never be able to summon his familiar.