In this divided age of kingdoms and tribes, the sense of unity among people had vanished. Bruno, having lost both his parents due to the conflicts between clans, had been doing everything he could to survive alongside his younger brother, Giles. Bruno possessed the ability to accelerate himself three feet above the ground, while Giles had multiple witchcraft abilities, such as turning water into wine and changing objects.
Although Bruno considered his powers to be useless, they came in handy during his escapades, allowing him to escape into rivers or make quick getaways after stealing food, gold, potions, and maps. Giles, on the other hand, found it easier to use his witchcraft abilities, transforming into a cat or becoming invisible to avoid being caught.
As Bruno stole a loaf of bread, an old woman chased him, but he managed to escape her clutches. He was a notorious thief in the market, well-trained by his godmother, Lydia. Lydia, a powerful witch, had her magic stripped away by the ruling king of Coven Avalon. After facing multiple accusations, she was arrested and left powerless. However, she came across Bruno and Giles, and they formed a bond.
"I curse the day you were born!" the old woman screamed, frustrated by Bruno's successful theft. She threatened to report him to the king.
Meanwhile, Lydia sat in an undeveloped building, absentmindedly throwing green balls against a brick wall. Suddenly, she heard approaching footsteps and the sound of a trash can being overturned. Instinctively, she picked up a pair of kitchen knives, assuming a defensive stance. Bruno rushed in, out of breath and full of fear. Lydia's face displayed confusion as she saw the state he was in.
"Where is your brother? Is someone after you?" Lydia asked, concerned but unaware of the situation.
Still struggling to catch his breath, Bruno dropped his bag to the floor. "I don't know, I lost him," he replied, his eyes wide with worry.
"I told you to always look after him!" Lydia exclaimed, furiously pushing Bruno against the wall, her cheeks turning red with anger.
"Let go of me, I can't breathe," Bruno pleaded, but Lydia's grip remained strong.
Suddenly, they heard a cat's meow.
Startled, Lydia released her hold on Bruno and crouched down to pick up the cat. It transformed back into Giles, revealing that he had returned. Lydia quickly examined him to ensure he was unharmed.
"Are you okay? Did anyone see you coming here?" Lydia asked in a gentle voice.
Giles nodded in response and extended his hand toward her, revealing the purse of gems he had stolen from the old woman's store.
Curiously, Lydia opened the purse and her face immediately lit up as she saw the gems inside. "Wow! We are rich. This could get us food for another week," she exclaimed, her excitement evident. Lydia playfully ruffled Giles' hair, praising him for his successful theft. "You have done very well. I will add extra meat to your soup tonight," she promised, bringing a smile to Giles' face.
Lydia then turned her attention to Bruno, who was sitting in the corner of the room, drinking water from a tin can. "And you, what did you bring back?" she inquired, picking up the satchel he had brought. She unpacked it, finding a map, two loaves of bread, canned food, and a wand.
"What do you expect us to do with a wand? I asked you to bring back valuable items, and this is all you could bring?" Lydia scolded Bruno, her frustration apparent.
"We were almost caught, and everyone is familiar with our faces. Someone tried to capture me with her witch spell, and I barely managed to escape with my life. I think..." Bruno tried to explain.
"Stop thinking and just do your goddamn job! Bring me valuable items," Lydia yelled at him, her patience wearing thin.
"But I think the wand might be valuable. I saw the lady use it to grow plants, and fruits came out of them," Giles chimed in, trying to defend Bruno.
However, Lydia didn't need anyone to tell her what was valuable. She had been stealing all her life and knew what was worth keeping. Angered by Bruno's lackluster findings, she packed up a few of the valuables they had stolen earlier, leaving the map and wand on the small table that served as their dining area.
Bruno couldn't hold back his tears, feeling overwhelmed by Lydia's harshness and lack of appreciation. "You have to stop crying before she comes back. You know what she will do to you. Tomorrow is our parent's anniversary, and I would like to visit our mother's grave," Giles said, trying to comfort Bruno.
Bruno swallowed hard and motioned for Giles to come closer. "Sit down here," he said, patting the spot next to him. Giles obeyed and sat down beside his older brother.
"Why is godmother so mean to us? We risk our lives and powers every day just to put food on the table, but she is never appreciative," Giles questioned, his voice filled with confusion.
"Don't say that. Sometimes she gets upset because she lost her powers by being careless. She doesn't want us to get into any trouble. She cares deeply about us and doesn't want us to get caught. That's why she handles the trading herself. Don't worry, we will be fine," Bruno reassured Giles, giving him an affectionate smile.
"Can I keep that?" Giles asked, pointing towards the table where the wand and map were left.
"Yes, you can. Godmother won't be needing them. She doesn't value papers or sticks. But what will you do with them?" Bruno questioned.
"I don't know about the map, but I think I can do what the lady did with the wand," Giles replied, waving the wand around. Unfortunately, nothing happened, disappointing him.
"I saw her use it to grow a tree," Giles said with a hint of longing in his voice.
"Yes, I know it has its uses, but only in her hands. It's useless in ours. You can only use it with magical enchantments like 'balablwu,'" Bruno explained, causing both brothers to burst into laughter.
Giles continued to play with the wand, attempting to speak in tongues he couldn't even understand, and they both found themselves laughing even harder.
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