Carter yawned and stretched his arms behind his head, grunting at the strain on his tired muscles. He sighed and looked around his small apartment room, grimacing at the mess. He really needed to tidy up – the place was starting to look like a tip. But, that could wait till another day; he had important things to do first.

The black haired boy slowly shuffled into his closet sized bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. He raised one hand and ruffled his onyx locks, letting them fall languidly around his head. He then scanned his features, his eyes landing finally on the scars on his shoulder. A vacant look swept over his emerald orbs as he lifted his fingers to gently brush over the bumpy skin. He wished he knew how he had gotten the deformity, but his mind was blank. The only thing he knew was that it was from a fire – Alicia had told him that.

Suddenly Carter tore his eyes away from his shoulder and hurriedly brushed his teeth and ran out of the bathroom and to the door, grabbing a pair of ripped faded jeans and an old red t-shirt, slinging them on as he ran out of his apartment and down the dorm corridor. He jumped down the stairs two at a time and then crashed through the lobby doors and into the fresh morning air.

He was late – he was supposed to meeting Alicia for an appointment with a skilled trainer. Apparently Carter had 'potential' to become a strong mage. He skidded round a corner and ran with all his might as he saw the battered building of his guild loom into sight. The green eyed boy flinched – even from his distance he could see the red haired woman impatiently tapping her foot from the front of the guild.

"Alicia, sorry, I got caught up on my way here and–" He started as he slowed to a jog before he was interrupted by and irritated voice.

"Don't even think about making excuses Carter Hound" 'Hound' wasn't his real name, they had gave him that surname when he couldn't recognise his real one due to a claw tattoo on his chest. "I can tell you've just got ready from the toothpaste decorating the corner of your mouth"

The older motherly figure stepped forward and wiped her fingers briefly across the fifteen year olds cheek before raising her fingers to show him the smear of white toothpaste. He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.

"Hehe, my bad."

Alicia scowled and crossed her arms angrily across her chest, huffing at the teen in front of her. Didn't he know that she was doing this for him? If he learned to control magic, he could be a brilliant mage one day. Maybe even one of the ten wizard saints!

"Well, it can't be helped. You just better hope for your sake that the train hasn't left or I'll skin your ass."

Carter gulped and nodded before following the irritable twenty-four year old down the cobblestone street and towards the train station. As they walked, Carter waved and said hello's to the townsfolk that he had come to know well during the past years. As the two entered the train station, Carter sighed seeing that their train was still there, not looking as if it was going to move yet either.

"I'll go get the tickets." Alicia said, already walking in the direction of the ticket-booth. "Be a good boy and stay there. Don't even move an inch, you here?"

Carter smirked and leant against a nearby poll, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans.

"Why Alicia, I'm always a good boy." His smirk formed into his usual cheeky grin that had become somewhat famous around his new home.

Alicia just tutted and flipped her hair over his shoulder, turning her back once again on the mischievous teenager and proceeding to make her way over to the ticket seller. As soon as she was gone, Carter became incredibly bored and began to fidget on the spot, flicking his gaze around and watching civilians and tourists with muted interest. When Alicia returned an all of five minutes later, the black haired boy looked as if he could eat himself just for entertainment,

"Finally, that took forever." Alicia couldn't suppress her chuckled and she poked Carter lightly in the shoulder, her blue eyes staring fondly at the boy she considered to be like a little brother.

"As impatient as ever I see."

"Whatever, let's just go."

"So you've never trained in magic?" The man asked, his eyebrow quirked in mild fascination at the boy in front of him.

"Don't know."

"Do you even have magic?" The man's eyebrow dropped and he sighed as the black haired boy just shrugged, a bored expression tainting his features. Looking over helplessly to Alicia, he gestured to Carter and decided to direct to the questions to her instead, obviously getting nowhere with Carter.

"Do you know if he has any magic?" He asked the read-head, hoping for a decent answer.

Luckily, she supplied him with one.

"Master Archer said that he could sense some great power within him, but he wanted him to see a specialist to make sure."

Galliano nodded and looked back at Carter, who's gaze had wandered off to the side. The black haired teen was humming and his head was bobbing gently up and down to the tune. Galliano then glanced back to Alicia.

"Is he alright?" He jutted a thumb in Carter direction and Alicia looked at her comrade, sighing and shaking her head.

"I honestly don't know."

"Well then, Carter." Said boy snapped out from his daze at the mention of his name and turned his head to face Galliano, a blank look in his green eyes.

"Huh?" His replied half-heartedly.

Galliano was fighting the urge to whack to boy over the head, like he done when his other pupil irritated him.

"Carter, why don't we do some tests to see if what Master Archer says is true shall we?"

Carter cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows before sighing and looking away again. He restarted his drumming of his fingers on the chair, causing Galliano to twitch.

"Yeah, sure, if you want." Carter mumbled, not paying much attention to the irritated magic trainer. Trainer as in the kind who helps you learn, not the shoe.

"Fine then," He was speaking through clenched teeth now. "Do come with me."

Galliano rose from his chair and Carter copied and they both left the room. Feeling a bit left out, Alicia hurried after them. The trio went through what seemed like a million winding hallways before finally they reached a field.

"What are we doing here?" Asked Alicia, looking at the surrounding green grass. "I thought you were conducting tests?"

"We are." Galliano replied. "Carter, if you would, please stand in the middle of the field."

Carter hesitated but soon complied with the S-classed mage's instructions, slowly walking into the centre of the field. Galliano nodded and then went deadly still. He looked over to Alicia and smiled.

"The best way to bring magic to the surface is through life or death situations." He paused and readied himself in a battle position. "This is why I am going to attack Carter with everything I've got."

Then, he attacked.

Galliano ran with incredible speed and within seconds he was closed enough to punch Carter. The black haired boy snapped his head round to look at the man as Galliano's fist drew ever closer to his face. Suddenly, as if acting on its own, the green eyed teens hand shot out and stopped the oncoming fist before his body twisted and his leg shot out, connecting harshly with Galliano's ankles. The trainer went tumbling to the floor, but managed to forward roll and jump back to his feet.

He looked at Carter with wide eyes. Speed magic? No, he didn't sense an aura like that. In fact, what he did sense was like the will of a beast. Galliano shook his head quickly and regained composure before charging at Carter again. But again, the boy dodged and grabbed Galliano's arm. Nails dug deep into flesh and Galliano felt something warm and wet trickle down his arm and hand. He looked at Carter's hands and his eyes widened further.

Were those… claws?

Carter suddenly let go and looked at Galliano, equally as shocked as the older man. He looked down at his blood stained fingernails, his whole body trembling.

"What was that…?" The black haired boys nails were now back to their original, bitten form. Carter looked nervously from the shocked Galliano to the stunned Alicia who stood a few feet away. "What the hell is going on?"

Galliano side glanced at Alicia before looking back to Carter.

"I don't know." The man said, his voice shaking slightly. "But it looks like you'll be having more tests."

"And then–" A soft gurgle interrupted Carter and the eighteen year old looked down to his comrade. He chuckled lightly as he saw her sleeping face on his shoulder. "I wonder just how long I've been talking to myself."

The black haired boy ran his calloused fingers through the blonde's hair and gently moved her head off his shoulder and into his lap, making it more comfortable for both of them. When she was settled again, Carter instinctively reached a hand to the shoulder where she had been laying, feeling the scar even through his t-shirt.

"Well, I guess I can always tell you another time…" He mumbled to himself, looking straight ahead at the stone wall in the other side of the room. "About the rest of my past…"

Sorry for the wait, I'm back at school now and I have to do all the homework I avoided during the holidays... Anyway, poll is closed and I will start writing Death In a Box next chapter, so look forward to it!

I don't know why, but I'm addicted to the song Don't stop by Innerpartysystem as well as Broken Hearts parade by Good Charlotte. Oh, and I started playing a game called Candy Love! It's actually pretty fun :)