Ether was all Arawn saw or felt. It wasn't in him, but all around, flowing past him like a boundless river. The moment he thought about it, light gathered in his palms, promising him unlimited power.
But this time, he could control it. He could aim and release it at his will. If he thought something was wrong, he could let go. He froze suddenly and sent all ether away. It fell back, looking reluctant, but that was it. The white dust scattered without any repercussions.
Breathing hard, Arawn turned to face Corwal. He was about to shout at him to share his excitement, but he saw five horse riders on horses coming to a halt before Corwal. They were well-dressed, even if a little dusted, so they were probably some nobles.
Most of their eyes lingered on Arawn. There was both interest and disbelief in them. A few called to the ether, collecting it in their hands for quick use if necessary.
Fascinated by such an application, Arawn walked closer. He had an idea about how normal people used ether, but how did they hold it still? The moment he called on it, he had to use it before it reached his skin, or it would enter him and his problems would begin once more.
"You've got a new toy?" the lead rider asked, looking at Corwal from the top of his horse. "This one seems a little bit more useful."
Corwal ignored his taunt. "Will you get in my way again? I'm tired of your interruptions, Glascon." There was steel in his voice, and Arawn realized that he should be on the defensive. The people in front of them weren't anyone good.
"Really, Lord Bellington?" The lead rider laughed. He beckoned for the people behind him. "I'm fine with ending these games. Thanks for coming here alone." His smile grew wider, and he aimed a mocking gaze at Corwal. "You've just made my life a lot easier."
With his gesture, the four men behind him dismounted and advanced on Corwal who looked decidedly unhappy. Ether gathered around him, but it was sluggish, hesitant. It was the first time Arawn saw it so reluctant to latch onto a person.
"Don't count your chickens yet," Corwal said and took a step forward.
Nothing happened for a moment, but then the sound of rushing water echoed in the air. Arawn whirled around and saw the water in the two ditches having risen like snakes. They rushed through the air and collided with a ball of fire sent by one of the men.
The flames hissed as they died, and the man cursed. He muttered something about stupid blue bloods as one of the water snakes pounced on him. Ether shone around him, but it only stole the flames from the torch in his hand. They hissed and fizzled, not able to do anything to the water beast.
The snake coiled around the man, submerging him in a water bubble. He tried fighting it, kicking and punching, but he was facing water. It moved with his body motions, not allowing him to take in another breath of air.
His companions by then finally realized what was happening and jumped forward to fight as well. One went to try and save their friend while the other two went for their target.
Ground moved under Corwal's feet, about to encase them, but as if having expected that, he danced a few steps back. The second water snake went for the two men. One of them rolled to the side to avoid it while the other sent a wind blade through it.
The snake was cut in half, and water dripped to the ground, but it soon reformed. While still in the process of it, the snake jumped on the wind mage again. He sent two more wind blades its way while cursing under his breath.
"Deav, do something!" he shouted.
"Like you need to tell me!" the earth mage muttered and put his hands, palms down, to the ground.
It rumbled, and a huge crack in the earth raced toward Corwal. Noticing it, he changed his direction, but the fissure was following him. The moment he stopped, he would fall inside and probably get squashed when the earth mage closed it around him.
The water snake left the wind mage alone and went for the earth one. But the wind mage wasn't just going to let it go. He sent wind blades one after another, scattering more and more of the water. Every time the snake reshaped itself, it was smaller and smaller.
By the time it reached the earth mage, it couldn't even pose him any danger. Still, it pounced on his face and covered his nose and mouth. The man grinned and opened his mouth to swallow the water covering his face.
He choked a little, coughed, then looked at Corwal with menace. "Your turn."
The ground opened up beneath Corwal, and wind blades rushed at him. Another moment, and they would pummel him until he was nothing more than a battered corpse.
A shaky fireball flew to block the way. It wobbled and flickered, but stood its ground with defiance. Yet the wind blades went past it like it wasn't even there. The fire flickered out, and Eliot sobbed somewhere farther away.
"Bye, bye," the lead rider said with a laugh, even going so far as to wave at Corwal.
Somehow, that was what brought Arawn to his senses. He was so used to seeing other people fight around him that he hadn't thought to interfere, just admiring everyone's mastery of ether.
But they were actually planning to kill Corwal, his only friend. And even Eliot, who could barely use any magic, had tried to help.
Enough was enough. Arawn called upon the ether and sent it straight for the wind blades. It crushed them like they were children's toys in front of Corwal's face. They burst into sparks, showering the man before them.
He flinched, but they were harmless. Just simple lights in the evening darkness.
"So you're not just for show?" the lead rider asked with amusement. He then turned to his guards, one of whom was lying on the ground already dead, drowned. "Clear this place. I don't want any witnesses."
The men nodded and advanced on Arawn this time. Corwal had exhausted his energy and Eliot couldn't do much of anything, so neither of them was a threat anymore. It was only Arawn left, but in their eyes, he was on the verge of falling down as well. After all, they had seen his display before.
A smile surfaced on Arawn's face at the thought of actually being able to control the ether when faced with danger, but it was soon replaced by a frown. How was it that the outside had such people who would kill without care as well? Weren't they all supposed to be in prison? How then was he meeting them every single day?
His musings were interrupted by wind blades, four of which rushed at him. Apparently, the fourth person who had tried to save their companion and failed was also a wind mage.
Ether flooded to Arawn's fingers, and he sent it to intercept the attacks. As they burst apart, his ether blades continued on. Two of the men dodged to the sides, avoiding them, but one thought to intercept them with more wind blades. The pure ether went through them like they were air, which they kinda were, and blood painted the man's chest.
He tried to touch it with a shaking hand, eyes wide. As he stared at the long slash from the left of his chest to the right, he didn't see the next blade of ether coming his way. It severed his hand and left his chest an unrecognizable mess.
The other two men shouted out in horror as their friend fell back, his eyes still wide in disbelief. Death had claimed him before they even knew what was happening.
"When you attempt to kill, you forfeit your own life as well," Arawn told them, and light flashed around his hands again. The men dodged, not daring to try to block his attacks.
They rushed to their boss, who was looking at the scene with a blank stare, his mouth agape. "Who are you?" he shouted at Arawn. When there wasn't an instant answer, he turned his horse and hit it with a spiked baton so it would go faster. "I'll remember you! Next time we meet, I'll-"
"No need."
Horses were much more predictable than humans, and a much larger target. He sent a blade of ether the animal's way, and it neighed painfully as its back leg was hit. A pang of guilt struck Arawn. Why had he brought down an innocent creature just to hurt its abuser?
A movement in the corner of his eyes caught his attention. The other two men had jumped into their saddles, but they were yet to ride out. He sent two slashes at their backs. The next moment, the men fell off, rolling on the ground a couple times as their horses dashed off.
Soon, the area was silent but for the cursing and struggling of the lead rider some distance away. The fallen horse had crushed him under itself, and he couldn't get out no matter how much he pleaded with the gods and promised to worship them.
The scent of blood was strong in the air. Arawn looked at the corpses littering the ground around him then at his hands in which ether pooled like they were its home. Just how much stronger than normal people was he? Corwal had told him not to underestimate trained mages, but shouldn't he? They hadn't even managed to make him take a step from where he stood.
When he turned to Corwal, he saw mixed emotions in the man's face. He wasn't scared per se, but he didn't look comfortable either. There was worry in his gaze. And could that be regret?
"You saved him!" Eliot shouted out, throwing himself at Arawn.
Stunned, Arawn froze. He looked down at the sobbing boy whose hands were around his waist. "You saved him, saved him," Eliot murmured, his voice cracking halfway through. "You saved him…"
"I…" It was such an alien thing to be thanked for doing anything, let alone something like killing people, that Arawn's mind just went on a holiday. The world no longer made any sense.
With a rustle of movement, Corwal came to their side as well. He patted Arawn on the shoulder. "Thanks." He then gave him a dark look. "Though this was partly your fault too. If I hadn't had to waste all my power just to prevent your suicide, I would've been able to take care of them myself."
When he received no reply, since Arawn's mind was still on holiday, he shook his head and bent down to untangle Eliot from him. "Come on, stop acting like I'm dead. I've promised not to leave you, haven't I?"
The boy glared at him, his lips set in a straight line. It might have worked to show his anger if his face wasn't all red and puffy from crying. His eyes were even still glistening. "You're a big liar!"
"I'm still alive, aren't I?" Corwal grinned at him. "Come, don't you want to know why I had called for a meeting with this treacherous villain?"
"Because he set you up to be sent to prison?" Eliot asked, brushing the tears from his eyes with his sleeves.
Corwal nodded while picking up the kid's free hand. "That too, but the reason he did that was because I was investigating what happened to your family. Do you remember how I said I was close to finding out what they had learned that was so dangerous someone had to have them murdered?"
These words attracted all of the boy's attention, and even Arawn came out of his stupor. Eliot's parents were murdered? Someone could have harmed the family of such a hardworking and good child, leaving him alone?
As anger burned in the pit of his stomach, he followed Corwal and Eliot to the fallen horse and its unfortunate rider. The man stopped struggling upon noticing them. A streak of blood went down his face from a wound on his forehead, but he didn't seem otherwise harmed.
"Let me introduce you," Corwal said. "Eliot, meet Count Lington, a traitor to his country and an unabashed murderer of your parents. They accidentally heard about his less than legal commitments to Mairya, and he decided that the best course of action would be to silence them forever. A miscalculation on his part, I dare say. A big one."