"So, you were going to tell me what you guys were doing in the woods?"
Gregory adverts his gaze from the fighting friends, thinking about Richard's question.
"Hmm, I don't know where to start..."
11 Years earlier...
Ben looms over his book he found on the street again, reading the words carefully. For a 6 year old, he is exceptional at reading, insomuch that he had to teach Gregory and Zircon himself, who both haven't fully grasped it yet. The words are crazy and hard to follow, but they are clear. He tries the pose again, hoping to get it just right. He extends one hand, making his fingers as spread out as he can manage. He grasps his outstretched forearm, intending to complete the magic circuit. He takes in a deep breath, letting the ethernano draw in around him. He takes a deep breath, setting his gaze straight and true. He shouts out the memorized chant.
"Crackling light!"
A split second goes by, the air around him goes still. Ben opens his squeezed eyes, and without warning, the air around his hand sparks once, twice. Lightning flashes froward zipping through the air in yellow streaks. Thye fizzle out a few feet away, Ben's eyes light up.
"Yes, Yes I did it!"
He jumps for joy, trying out his pose again.
"Did you guys see that, I actually shot out lightning!"
Bang.
"Equip."
Bang.
"Equip."
Bang.
Gregory drives another nail in with his hammer, before summoning another one. He slows mends two board together with the implanted metal, aiming to construct a small house. Zircon, the youngest of them at 5, watches with starry eyes, while also looking at Ben.
"That's awesome Ben!"
Ben drops his smile.
"Who asked you?"
Zircon puffs his cheeks.
"That's mean Ben!"
Ben sticks his tongue out at Zircon, Gregory drives another nail in.
"Good work Ben, thats two out of three now."
He goes right back to work, smacking away under the beaming sun. Their trio is out in the woods, away from the borders of town. Ben wanted Gregory to come along to watch him succeed after months of practice, Zircon joined because he likes being around Gregory. Gregory comes because he's kind, but also productive, always has something to do if he's in a good mood. He had an affinity for weapon summons and equip magic, and he's using it to the best of his abilities, since he's still to small yet to swing a sword.
Bang.
"What do you think my magic will be Ben?"
Zircon says hopefully, his bright blue eyes filled with wonder and excitement. Ben crosses his arms, looking Zircon over.
"Slug summoning magic."
Zircon doesn't understand Ben is making fun of him, as he beams a smile.
"Ooh, awesome!"
Ben snorts a laugh, but Gregory shoots him a cold look, shutting him up. He lifts up his finished work, a rather crude looking chair, but it looks stable, and has the same design as his others, so at least they will look like a matching set.
"Let me try!"
Zircon hops up from his sitting position, making a mad dash for the nearest fallen log, falling flat on his face in process. He gets up as if it didn't happen, Ben covers his mouth, snickering again. Gregory walks up next to him, casting Ben a sideways glance.
"Why must you always tease him?"
Ben drops his smile, watching as Zircon struggles to lift up the log, searching for a snail.
"You must sense it too."
Ben says with a monotone voice, the bright shine in his eyes fade. He clenches his hand, a sense of sadness coming over him.
"He will never obtain magic, his body is shut off from the ethernano."
Gregory shakes his head.
"He's just a kid, he might bloom in time."
Ben crosses his arms, Zircon runs over with a snail.
"Say, how do you control a snail?"
His starry eyes makes Ben feel guilty.
"How would I know, all i could do is zap it."
Zircon puzzles over the snail, which slows makes its way up his thumb. He looks like he's concentrating on it, Gregory turns and leaves.
"Come on guys, Miss Dunlo is probably wondering where we are."
Zircon bounces along with his snail, joining by Gregory, Ben sticks his hands into his pockets.
"Blegh, that wench is gonna kill us one day."
The three of the leave the forest behind, making way for the town.
7 Years Later...
I clutch my hand, angrily muttering to myself. Rain falls, storm clouds blot out the sun, giving everything a dim glow. Ben and Gregory stand behind me, casting each other worried glances. They are both young teens now, with their respectable magics glowing about them. But me, I'm one day away from the window closing, and nothing. I've trained day and night, trying to figure out how to obtain ethernano, the blasted stuff that gives the gifted interesting lives. A sense of emptiness grows slowly inside me. The knight schools rejected me, I have no magic, I'm clumsy and an airhead, like I have never grown up, just a useless kid resting in a capable body. Rain collides with my clenched fist, dribbling down my arm. Im happy the water falls, it covers up my tears.
"Zircon."
Gregory reaches out, aiming to comfort me.
"It's fine that you don't have magic, you're still our brother."
I slap his hand away, feeling betrayed by the world.
"That's easy for you to say!"
Ben looks slightly aggravated, he takes a step forward.
"Hey man, Don't be so cliche."
I point a shaking finger at him.
"Shut your mouth, privileged swine!"
Ben is visually taken aback, he grits his teeth.
I make a run for it, aiming to go where nobody can find me. Gregory grabs Ben, stopping from chasing after me.
"But he-."
Gregory shakes his head.
"Let him go."
I deeper into the forest, shouting at the top of my lungs.
"Why!?"
I have always given a beaming smile whenever Ben and Gregory accomplished something, happy that they could better themselves. But I kept the childish mindset that I can be great like them, someday. I always told myself that I could have magic one day, that my legs would stop tripping over one another. That I would become something people can remember me by. A mage, a warrior, maybe even a hero. But it's all slipping away, the sinking feeling in my chest grows into an empty void, sucking in every dream I ever had. I trip, mud and water coats me. I cough, feeling a scrape on my knee. I crawl under a tree for shade, staring up into he leaves.
"Why?"
I smack the ground, feeling mud slowly fall off my face and body.
"Why am I useless?"
"Why am I here, where are my parents, why did they abandon me?"
"Why don't I have magic?"
My voice comes out defeated, I let my head droop. Amongst the blackness, I still have one more hope. That by some miracle, ethernano would flow through my blood, magic would come to me, and I would become something more. But as the rains died out, and the morning sun rises above the mountains, even that hope dies. Im officially 13, the window has closed. My tears return, stinging my face. Fatigue slowly begins to overcome me, I begin to slip into the lull of sleep.
"Why..am I..alive?"
"But on that sickening morning, I decided. Magic or not, I will not go quietly in the night."
Richard nods his head thoughtfully, Gregory and Ben look at Zircon in a worried but relieved look, they never heard that part of the story before.
"That's a good mindset to be in."
Richard says with a small nod.
"I'm in the same boat as you."
He looks Zircon over.
"I mean, I was."
Ben cocks his head.
"Probably not, Ice face here decided to make his legacy by intentionally getting into trouble almost every single day."
Zircon jumps off the wagon, starling Gregory.
"Woah, what are you-?"
He immediately sprints past the cart, running ahead on the trail, faster than any human should.
"Oh gee, what a good day for running!"
He shouts back, his figure obscured by a cloud of kicked up dust.
"I sure am glad to be running on my non clumsy legs!"
Ben sighs, whispering a spell near his legs. Electricity sparks around his calves, he hops off the cart.
"I'll stay with him."
"Supercharged fury!"
He shouts, chasing after Zircon with an equally unnatural speed. Richard watches them go, Gregory pats his shoudler.
"Thanks again for giving us a ride."
Richard is only half-listening.
"You know, I never once thought of being a mage."
Gregory stops, puzzled.
"What?"
"I never once cared for magic."
Richard clarifies, his face illuminated from the setting sun. He continues on.
"But I couldn't imagine the pain he must have felt, it hurts the most when you feel alone in the company of of your friends."
Gregory watches Ben disappears around a corner in the path.
"Yeah, I guess I can't be one to talk about that."
"Sure you can."
Richard says assuringly, fiddling with the knob for the cart.
"We all strive for things in life, and struggle along the way, but as long as we look forward, and tell ourselves that tomorrow is the chance for a better day, we can strive improve today."
Gregory is speechless for a moment, before taking a phrase from Ben's book.
"You read that somewhere, didn't you."
Richard swivels his head to stare at Gregory right in the eyes, flabbergasted.
"Rude much!?"
He drops the expression.
"But yeah, I did."
Gregory barks a laugh, Richard points at the sun.
"We will arrive tomorrow morning, you should get some rest, I'll pick up the other two whenever they tire out on the road."
"What about you?"
"Us magic-less need to find our spotlights somewhere, I can stay up all night easily."
"Besides."
He says patting the wagon.
"This thing is autonomous, it will stay moving on this path even if we all fall off."
"Thats reassuring."
