Elias Leywin POV
I padded down the hall on bare feet, the cool wooden floor creaking faintly under my steps. At first, I thought it was the wind rattling the shutters or maybe Ellie having another nightmare, but the sound that reached me was too soft, too broken.
It was muffled, like someone was trying to keep it from escaping, but I heard it clearly enough: a sharp intake of breath, then a low, shaking sob.
I froze.
The door to my parents' room was slightly ajar, pale candlelight spilling through the crack like a thin golden blade against the dark hall.
Mum sat on the edge of the bed, her hands pressed against her face, her shoulders trembling. Her hair was loose, falling in tangled waves over her nightgown, and her whole body shook with every uneven breath. Dad was kneeling in front of her, one hand on her knee, the other reaching up like he wasn't sure if touching her would help or make it worse.
"Mum?" I whispered before I could stop myself.
Both of them turned. Dad's eyes widened slightly, but it was Mum's that hurt the most to see, red and swollen, rimmed with tears she was still trying to brush away. She straightened quickly, as if my being there demanded she become strong again in an instant.
"Lias," she said, voice raw but still soft, "what are you doing awake, sweetheart?"
I hesitated in the doorway, feeling small. "I... I heard something. I thought maybe Ellie was crying..."
For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint crackle of the candle. Dad rubbed at his temple like he was working through words but couldn't find the right ones.
I walked closer. The air felt heavy, like each step took effort, but I made it until I was right in front of her. I tugged gently at the hem of her sleeve. "Mum... what's wrong?"
Her lips trembled, and fresh tears welled before she could hide them. She pulled me into her arms, so tightly that I squeaked a little from the sudden pressure. Her body was warm, shaking against mine as she pressed her cheek into my hair.
"Oh, Lias," she murmured, almost to herself. "There's nothing you need to worry about," she said softly, though her voice cracked.
"But Mum, I-" she runs her hand through my hair and speaks up, cutting me off.
She kissed the top of my head. "I know, darling. And I promise you, it'll be okay." Unsure if she was telling herself or me.
~~~
"Thanks for the breakfast, Mum, Aunt Tabitha", I say with a smile as I look between the two motherly women as I carry my plate to the kitchen.
I'm glad she's feeling better...
I make my way towards the sink and stand on my toes in a feeble attempt to soak the plate in the water.
"I'll handle that, master Elias", a maid who looked to be in her late 20s says with a smile as she takes the plate from my hand.
"Thanks..." I say, disheartened as I drag my feet towards the living room.
I plopped onto the edge of the sofa, sinking into the cushions as voices drifted from the dining room. Mum and Aunt Tabitha were still chatting over tea, their laughter bubbling up now and then. Uncle Vincent's deeper tone occasionally joined in, steady and sure, while Dad's chuckle rang out like he had told one of his bad jokes again.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound echoed sharply and clearly through the house, startling me upright. My head snapped toward the hallway.
"I'll get it!" I shouted before anyone else could.
I sprang off the sofa and jogged down the hall, heart thumping with curiosity.
Standing on the porch was Jasmine.
Her black hair caught the daylight, soft strands moving in the breeze, and her calm crimson eyes fixed on me. Relief washed through me at once, it felt like forever since we'd last seen her.
Beside her stood a boy about Arthur's age. His hair was black, neat but a little messy at the ends, and a pair of round glasses perched on his nose. The lenses flashed as they caught the sunlight, half-hiding eyes that studied me with a quiet sharpness.
I blinked at them both, gripping the doorframe. "Jasmine? You're here!" My gaze darted past her shoulder, searching for the one face I wanted most. "Where's Art? Did he come with you?"
Jasmine's expression softened. "He has some business to take care of before he returns home. He asked me to come ahead to see you."
"Oh." The word slipped out before I could stop it, my chest sinking a little. Business. Always business. But I forced a smile anyway. "Right. That makes sense."
Behind me, I heard quick footsteps on the wooden floor. "Jasmine?" my Mother's voice called with a warmth at seeing her friend and former party member.
She appeared beside me in a heartbeat, her face lighting up the moment she saw who was standing at the door. Without hesitation, Mum swept Jasmine into a tight embrace, holding her as if afraid she might vanish.
"Thank goodness," Mum whispered, her voice trembling just a little. "You're safe. Arthur's safe, isn't he?"
Jasmine nodded gently. "He is."
Mum pulled back enough to search her face, brushing a strand of black hair behind Jasmine's ear like she was her own daughter. Then her eyes shifted to the boy waiting patiently at her side.
"And who's this young man?" she asked kindly.
The boy straightened, bowing slightly. His voice was polite, clear. "My name is Elijah. I'm... a friend of Arthur's."
Something in the way he said it made me perk up.
"Art made a friend?" The thought tumbled out of me before I could stop it, my voice pitching a little higher in surprise.
Elijah blinked, adjusting his glasses with one finger. A faint, polite smile curved his lips. "Yes. He and I met not long ago."
Mum chuckled softly at my outburst, her hand coming to rest on my shoulder. "Well, that's wonderful. Come in, both of you." She guided them inside with the kind of motherly grace that brooked no argument.
The house felt warmer somehow as they stepped across the threshold. Jasmine carried that quiet, steady aura that made the space around her feel safe, while Elijah's eyes darted here and there, studying the polished wood floors, the lamps, even the way the curtains were tied back, like he was cataloguing everything.
The voices from the dining room drifted closer as we entered the living room. Dad was already there, leaning casually against the mantel, while Uncle Vincent and Aunt Tabitha sat together on one of the long couches. Ellie bounded across the rug with her stuffed bunny, almost colliding with Jasmine before squealing in delight.
"Jazzy!" she cried, wrapping her arms around Jasmine's legs.
Jasmine bent down, smiling softly as she ruffled Ellie's hair. "You've grown again, haven't you?"
Ellie giggled. "See!" she shouts in my direction, "Art said that too!" He said I'm gonna catch up to Lias soon!"
"Hey!" I frowned, crossing my arms. "I'm still taller than you." I free an arm to show that I'm taller by moving my palm between the tops of our heads.
Dad pushed off the mantel, his grin broad. "Good to see you, Jasmine. It's been too long."
"And you as well, Reynolds," Jasmine replied, straightening from her crouch with Ellie.
My Mother guided her and Elijah further in. "Sit, both of you. There's tea still warm, and sweets too if Tabitha hasn't eaten them all."
Aunt Tabitha gasped in mock offence, though she was already reaching for the tray on the low table, pushing it closer to the newcomers. "I'll have you know I left plenty," she teased, smiling warmly.
Jasmine gave a soft chuckle before taking a seat on one of the cushioned chairs, while Elijah lowered himself onto the sofa's edge beside her, posture stiff and careful. His hands rested neatly on his knees, though his sharp eyes flicked about, drinking in every detail of the room.
Ellie clambered up onto the arm of my chair, her wide eyes fixed on Elijah. "You're Art's friend?" she asked bluntly.
Elijah adjusted his glasses with one finger. "Yes. My name is Elijah."
"' Lijah," Ellie repeated, testing the word on her tongue before grinning. "I like it."
That faint smile returned to Elijah's lips, polite but real. "Thank you."
The atmosphere warmed quickly after that, the living room alive with the blend of voices. Dad leaned back against the mantel, arms folded as he studied the pair. "So, you've come back from the dungeon. How was it?"
Jasmine exhaled softly, her expression thoughtful. "Challenging. Dangerous, at times. But we managed. Arthur ensured that."
Mum leaned forward, her hands tightening slightly in her lap. "And he's safe? Truly?"
"Yes," Jasmine said firmly, her crimson eyes steady. "He is safe. But before he can return home, there are matters with the Adventurer's Guild that he must see to. Formalities, mostly. Reports. He expects it will take a week."
The tension in the room eased at once, like air being let from a held breath. Mum's shoulders sagged in relief. Aunt Tabitha touched her hand gently. Even Dad's jaw unclenched, though his eyes remained sharp.
Ellie's lip jutted out. "A whole week?" she groaned, flopping against me. "That's forever."
I smirked down at her. "Don't be dramatic."
"You're dramatic," she shot back instantly, sticking out her tongue.
"Children," Mum warned, though her lips twitched with the ghost of a smile.
Uncle Vincent's voice rumbled then, steady as stone. "Arthur has always been reliable. If he says he will return, then he will."
~~~
I let out a heavy exhale as I expel mana from my core. In the same movement, I let air fill my lungs as mana fills my core. The rhythm becomes second nature as my whole body feels lighter with each cycle, as though I'm floating, tethered only by the steady thrum of the wand balanced across my knees.
Until someone clears their throat.
I blink open my eyes and find Elijah standing a few paces away, hands tucked behind his back in that stiff, polite way of his.
"What are you doing?" he asks, tilting his head slightly.
I straighten my back, clicking slightly. "Meditating."
"I guessed as much, but why?" he states back with a tilt of his head.
I copy his movement, "To refine my core?" I question back to the black haired boy.
The silence that followed was almost comical. Elijah blinked at me, once, twice, then again, like he thought he had misheard. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again before he finally managed, "You're a mage? But-" He gestured at me, a little wildly. "You're only a little kid!"
Fuck you too then...
I leaned back on my hands, shrugging. "So? My brother awoke even earlier. Compared to him, I was late."
The boy's sharp eyes widened behind his glasses.
Elijah's mouth twisted into something between disbelief and awe. "When I awoke, I could barely move a stone the size of my fist. You-you look like you've been doing this for years."
"I have," I admitted easily.
Elijah adjusted his glasses, his brows knitting. "So that's why you sit out here instead of... playing or whatever kids normally do."
"Pretty much whenever I'm not with Grandma", I said with a faint grin. "Don't get me wrong, I still play. I just also sharpened my blade."
His eyes flicked to the wand resting across my knees. "Blade?"
I lifted my wand slightly, the motion so fluid it seemed like I'd done it a thousand times. A soft hum vibrated in the air as I channelled mana into its tip. For an instant, the edge of compressed sound flared into being, shimmering faintly like heat haze. Then I let it fade before the pressure could cut anything.
Elijah stepped back, eyes wide.
I chuckled. "That's sound magic for you."
"Of course you're a deviant", he says, removing his glasses to massage his nose bridge, "Next you're going to tell me, like your brother, you can use all four elements."
I climb off my knees and look up at him "Nope, just the two, Wind and Earth." I roll my aching shoulders before adding "Well, sound too, but since it's just wind's deviant form..." I add with an awkward laugh.
"Earth, huh?" he murmurs as he holds his chin. His gaze flicked toward the ground at his feet, then back to me, something unspoken flashing behind his eyes. "Say, Elias... would you mind if I gauged your strength in a spar?"
I tilted my head at him, caught off guard. "A spar?"
Elijah nodded, the usual stiff politeness giving way to something sharper—an eagerness he was trying very hard to hide. "If you don't mind. I've... never actually fought another mage before."
That made me blink. "Not even Arthur?"
He shook his head quickly. "No, not him. He's—he's too far ahead. Besides, your brother spends more time running off into the woods than standing still long enough to spar with me."
That sounded about right. I smiled faintly. "And you think I'm easier?"
"I think you're closer," he corrected, his tone dry but his eyes alight.
I laughed under my breath, shaking my head. "Fine, fine. But don't say I didn't warn you. You're the one asking for this."
Elijah adjusted his glasses again, the little flash of nerves betraying the calm voice. "I won't."
I stood, brushing the grass off my trousers, and picked up my wand. The weight of it was comforting in my palm, the carved runes familiar against my fingers. Across from me, Elijah squared his shoulders, planting his feet carefully, like he'd practised in front of a mirror a dozen times.
For a moment, neither of us moved. The air between us stretched taut.
"Rules?" I asked, breaking the silence.
He thought for a moment, then said, "First one forced to yield."
"Yield as in...?"
"As in give up. We're not trying to kill each other, are we?" His mouth quirked, halfway to a smirk, though it was ruined by the nervous way he gripped the hem of his shirt.
"Fair enough," I said, raising my wand in salute.
"Ladies first."
That earned me a scowl, which was exactly what I'd been fishing for. Elijah stomped his foot, channelling mana downward. The ground trembled in a rough wave, dirt bulging upward into a jagged ridge that split the grass between us.
I jumped lightly to the side, my wand already humming. A sharp flick of my wrist unleashed a compressed arc of sound. It sliced through the dirt ridge with a harsh crack, scattering clumps of soil into the air like shrapnel.
Elijah shielded his face with his arm, coughing as dust puffed around him. "That's hardly fair," he muttered.
"You asked for this," I reminded him, already circling. The hum of my wand lingered in the air, a faint vibration crawling across my skin. "Come on, show me what else you've got."
His eyes narrowed. Then, with surprising speed, he swept both hands up from his sides. Two rough boulders lurched upward, still dripping earth, and shot toward me in an awkward but forceful arc.
I pivoted, mana flooding into my wand. A blade of compressed sound hissed into being. With a single slash, I carved through the first boulder. It split cleanly down the middle, halves thudding into the grass at my feet. The second I dodged, rolling aside just before it cratered the ground where I'd been standing.
Elijah's grin split across his face, boyish and unguarded. "Not bad, right?"
"Not bad at all," I admitted, though I couldn't help but notice his movements were stiff for an adventure that had reached A rank.
I lunged forward, letting the hum of my wand build into a keening whistle. Elijah scrambled back, throwing up a wall of earth in panic. My sound blade struck it with a thunderous crack, the wall quivering under the pressure before fissures split through its centre.
The wall crumbled, but it had done its job, buying him a second. Elijah stomped again, sending a shockwave that rippled beneath my feet. I lost my balance for an instant, the ground shifting like loose sand.
He seized the chance, thrusting both palms forward. The dirt surged into a messy wave, tumbling toward me like a miniature landslide.
I grit my teeth as my wand is sent flying out of my hand and beyond my reach.
This ain't good...
Mud rose from the ground ahead of me like a tidal wave and began its encroachment.
In a panic, I brought both hands to my right side, one just above the other. Between my palms, I forced wind mana to coil tighter and tighter, compressing the air into a spiralling, humming mass. The vibration pulsed through my arms and chest, shaking every muscle.
The air shimmered, pale blue-green light forming at its core. Sweat stung my eyes, my arms trembling as the pressure built unbearably.
With a shout, I thrust my palms forward.
"WIND LANCE!"
The compressed air erupted into a screaming, solid beam, a horizontal tornado slicing across the yard.
The tidal wave of earth was annihilated upon impact, sending mud away in all directions as it continued to plough through.
Grass flattened and dirt gouged deep trenches as it hurtled toward Elijah.
He reacted just in time, raising both hands and summoning a jagged wall of earth. But the lance hit with unstoppable force. The barrier groaned, shards flying off, and Elijah's stance was thrown backwards by the impact. His feet left the ground, arms flailing, sending him tumbling across the yard. He landed in a shallow crater, coughing and blinking through the dust.
I staggered, gasping, muscles trembling from the strain of channelling that much mana.
I stumble towards my wand that is now embedded in the dirt.
I hear the groans of the boy across the yard, and I raise my head, looking in his direction.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask, standing back up fully as I slide my wand back into its holster.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask, standing back up fully as I slide my wand back into its holster.
Elijah groans again, pushing himself upright from the dirt. His glasses are askew, one lens smudged with mud, and there's a faint scrape across his cheek. He doesn't answer right away-just stares at me like I've sprouted a second head.
"You-" he starts, then cuts himself off with a cough. He dusts himself off, still staring. "What the hell was that?"
I rub the back of my neck sheepishly. "Wind lance."
He gestures to the churned-up grass and the jagged trenches gouged into the soil.
I wince. "I didn't mean to go that hard..."
Elijah blinks, then pinches the bridge of his nose, smearing more dirt onto his face. "Forget that for a second. You're telling me you're a Conjurer, but you're out here fighting like an Augmenter. You can't have it both ways."
I frown at him, confused. "Why not?"
He freezes, as though the question itself is ridiculous. "Because-because it doesn't work like that! Augmenters channel mana through their bodies, strengthening themselves and unleashing raw force. Conjurers form spells outside their bodies, controlling elements at range. You can't just-" He waves both arms at me, exasperated.
"Why not?" I question again, "Big Bro can..." I add.
"Arthur's an anomaly", he retorts quickly.
WC - 3204
Thanks for reading this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. 😊
All Criticism and feedback are welcome. Any suggestions for the story or plot are also more than welcome.
Swans drew against Watford 1-1, Zan equalising a mint freekick from the opposition.
We've got 2 games next week, Plymouth in the League cup on Wednesday and Sheffield Wednesday in the League on Saturday. I predict 2 very easy wins with the swans winning 3-0 and 3-1 respectively.
If there are any questions or ideas, feel free to message my Discord - Navarius13
If we're all still alive, the next chapter will be released on Wednesday.
Rius out.