It was late summer, and the sun stood high at its zenith. An unbearable heat pressed down on the streets. In weather like this, one did not want to move at all. The moment you stepped outside, the wind blew hot against your face, like the breath of a blazing furnace. One step onto the scorched ground and your feet felt as though they had been scalded.
The heat was so merciless that not only work, but even breathing seemed a challenge.
Yet on a forested hill near a small stream, harmony and moderation reigned. The blinding rays of the sun could only pierce through the dense canopy in fleeting flashes, weaving a magical pattern of light and shadow.
The air there was surprisingly fresh. It was all thanks to the small but lively mountain stream, whose cold waters granted the surrounding space the much-needed coolness. At that moment, the little stream hidden in the dark forest felt like a sacred spring sustaining the existence of a heavenly oasis at the very height of the summer solstice.
Not far from the stream, on a small clearing, a spotted cow grazed on the remnants of short grass. Beside it, a goat and a sheep nibbled quietly, tied by a rope to a small stake that kept them from wandering alone into the forest. A cool breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass and flowers.
Dressed in a simple but neat white shirt, a thin and slightly pale shepherd boy lay peacefully on a jutting rock, playing the flute. His lightly tanned hands, despite their apparent frailty, moved deftly from one hole to another, keeping the melody's rhythm under precise control.
Beside him sat a charming little beauty in a white dress patterned with tiny flowers. Her fair hair framed her face, and dimples appeared on her plump childish cheeks whenever she smiled.
The girl lowered her neat white feet into the cool water and splashed about carefree, savoring the moment. Her presence lent the landscape a special charm, making it even more picturesque.
The splash of the murmuring stream intertwined with the soft notes of the flute. Their resonance gave the impression that nature itself was shaping an atmosphere of harmony and serenity.
It seemed as though time had come to a standstill here, and nothing could disturb this idyll.
These young ones were none other than Grey and Grace, who had slipped away from their lessons to enjoy a well-earned break.
Despite their age, the twins had already grown accustomed to endless training under the guidance of the old masters. Yet like any other children, they longed to break free and taste a few moments of carelessness, when one could forget everything and simply surrender to the quiet and the peace.
Ordinarily, at times like this, they would have been running and chasing each other somewhere nearby, squeezing every last drop of joy from their long-awaited respite. But today, on this sweltering summer day, they had no desire whatsoever to make any unnecessary movements.
However, when the melody faded, Grace, true to her nature, could not remain silent for long.
"How nice it is here!" she exclaimed, jolting her brother awake from the light doze he had slipped into midway through the tune.
"Yeees, it is…" the boy drawled, cracking his eyes open.
"Big brother, we should sneak out to graze the herd more often," Grace proposed, clearly intent on rousing him properly.
Grey tensed at once. He knew his sister's habits better than anyone, and her endless thirst for adventure. The moment he relaxed, she would drag him straight into one of her schemes.
It wasn't that he disliked playing with her, but he was obedient and had no desire to invite unnecessary trouble.
"You know perfectly well Mother won't allow us to skip our lessons. If she hadn't gone to the city, Grandma Cornelia would never have let us leave class. She wouldn't have cared about the heat, and she certainly wouldn't have given in to your tearful pleading."
"Yes, yes, I know, but just think about it. If we say we're doing something useful, like tending the livestock, she'll allow it. Anything is better than suffering through lessons…
Grandma Cornelia's herbal classes are one thing, I can endure those. But Aunt Albedo's lessons are a complete nightmare.
She promised to teach us the basics of magic, but all we ever study are endless formulas. Why, for heaven's sake, do we need to know thirty different versions of a simple fireball?" the girl worked herself up, complaining about the endless memorization.
"I like Aunt Albedo's lessons. She explains everything very clearly and precisely. So simply that even I can understand her explanations, even if I can't use the spells in practice…" Grey replied, his mood dimming slightly.
"Quiet, just be quiet, you foolish little brother. Who asked you to come up with that insane idea of some magical device that can perform calculations on its own? You said that once we built it, we would only have to input the data and it would solve everything by itself.
And what happened in the end?
Grandma Albedo piled even more work on us, now with rune lessons so we could build that device. I've regretted falling for your scheme hundreds of times already," Grace flared up even more.
When little Grace had first begun studying magic, she had been thrilled by the process. But over time, that excitement had given way to endless memorization and the repetition of formulas. Her brother's idea had appealed to her, and she had decided to help him.
But who could have known it would turn out even more complicated?
Grandma Albedo, after listening to the boy's concept, had laughed at the children's naivety and scolded them, saying there were no easy paths. Despite her skepticism, she had deftly used the situation as a pretext to move on to the study of runes.
Runes proved to be Grace's Nemesis. To her, those symbols were nothing but a cacophony of complex variables. The only thing that saved her during lessons was that she did not suffer alone.
Grey was always beside her, performing intricate magical calculations with diligence and enviable precision, like the most devoted bookworm.
Grace still sulked at her brother for not knowing how to hold his tongue. Even though she scolded him at every opportunity for that reckless idea, she continued to help him with the research all the same.
"Ahem, little big sister, and what lesson is your favorite?" Grey tried to change the subject.
He knew it was best to steer clear of anything that had brought his sister so much frustration. He had no desire to open Pandora's box and suffer through her endless complaints all over again.
"Mine? Hmm, let me think. I like Uncle Constantine and Aunt Constance's history lessons the most. Every time I go to them, I know the next hour will be filled with fascinating stories about legendary heroes, gods, angels, and demons. I wish I could see them all with my own eyes. To soar through the sky like the Sky-Dwellers, to take part in battles and discover all kinds of cultures." As Grace indulged in her fantasies, she failed to notice the way her brother's eyes had dimmed.
"I'm sure that one day you'll become the most beautiful of the Sky-Dwellers and rise above the world like a legendary phoenix. You won't forget me when that happens, will you?" Grey asked, and the first traces of moisture were already gathering on his face.
Sensing the shift in his tone, the girl snapped out of her daydream and saw him sitting there, staring into empty space. It did not strike her at once why her brother, who had been in such high spirits just moments ago, now looked utterly lost.
Replaying their recent conversation in her mind, Grace realized the reason, and her heart skipped a beat.
She jumped up from the rock at once and cupped his cheeks in her hands.
"Big brother, I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to remind you of your injury. I just, sniff, sniff, got carried away for a moment. Don't say things like that! I will never forget you! No! Mother and the elders will definitely heal your injury. I'm sure we'll become Sky-Dwellers together and travel freely across the whole world."
"Little sister, it's all right." Grey gave a faint, joyless smile and stroked her head to calm her down.
The whole situation felt somewhat ironic to him. He was supposed to be the one in need of comfort. And yet now Grace was lying against his chest in tears, blaming herself for having said too much.
"Please, stop giving me hope," he said quietly. "For three years Mother and the elders have tried every possible method so that I could develop.
I trained. I endured painful procedures. I even allowed Aunt Albedo to experiment on my body, but it was all in vain. I fail again and again, no matter how hard I try.
Believe me, I still haven't given up. I'll do everything in my power to prolong my life, but I don't want to feel hope again, only for it to prove futile over and over.
It wasn't just a priest who injured me, it was a god. So I've come to terms with the fact that I will remain an ordinary mortal forever. Just let me live out the years granted to me with you and Mother, and promise me you'll never forget me, all right?"
"Sniff… Sniff… No, Grey! You can't leave me! You'll overcome it. I promise I'll become very strong and find a cure for you. Just stay by my side until that happens. And never ignore me like you did during our journey. It hurts so much when I see you this down…" Grace said, her eyes brimming with tears.
Like a nimble little koala, she deftly burrowed into her brother's arms, knocking him down onto the grass. She lay on top of him, crying, her face pressed against his chest.
Having taken critical damage, Grey snapped out of his daze and found his sister in tears, sprawled across him.
He gently placed a hand on her head and began stroking her silky white hair, trying to soothe her. Only now did he truly realize how uncomfortable it must have been for Grace whenever he allowed his gloom to take over.
"Little big sister, you know I love you very, very, very much. I never once thought of leaving you. Forgive your foolish brother this time, all right?"
"Sniff, sniff. You promise?"
"Of course. How could I dare not to? Ahem."
"Mhm, since you promise, big sister will be magnanimous and forgive her foolish little brother," Grace said, hugging Grey even tighter. In a tiny voice, barely louder than a mosquito's buzz, she whispered, "Big sister loves her brother too."
"There, there. We've stayed here too long. It's time to return to our lessons."
"Let's stay like this for just a couple more minutes… The lessons aren't going anywhere," the girl muttered, and the boy chose to yield.
Yet before long, they had to leave the cool oasis behind and head off to their next class.
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Dear readers, I have to inform you that this work was rejected when applying for a contract without the possibility of revision. Therefore, I was forced to create a second version of the book, where I will publish the latest updates.
I will not give up on this version, but some chapters will be posted a little later than in the main one.
The book is called "The Mad Immortal"
https://www.webnovel.com/book/the-mad-immortal_34969618200258905###
Many thanks for your support, active comments and reviews.
This will help more readers to get acquainted with my book, which means my chances of getting a contract will increase and you will receive content more often. (The author also needs to eat and provide for his family)