I stood in the centre of a bustling market, nestled deep within the woods. My eyes widened in amazement at the sight of individuals milling about, their baskets filled with an array of foods, fruits, and goods from the various stands that surrounded them.'I've never seen a market like this before,' I thought, my stomach rumbling at the delicious smells wafting through the air. I couldn't help but wonder what these delicacies tasted like.Suddenly, I heard a hissing sound coming from the edge of the market. I spotted Levi, crouched down and waving at me discreetly. It was our signal.Dropping to the muddy ground, I let out a scream, pretending to be in pain, my hand clutching my knee. The diversion worked like a charm, as the bustling crowd turned their attention towards me, their faces filled with concern."What happened, little one?" "Why are you wearing those rags?" "Where are your parents? Oh, your poor legs."They bombarded me with questions, but I was too focused on the plan to care. Sneaking a glance at Levi, who was now holding a bag filled with stolen fruits and food, I saw him give me a toothy grin, his mischievous window teeth on full display before he started moving away from the stands, waiting for me to join him.I stood up slowly, laughing awkwardly at the worried adults. "I'm fine, I just sprained my knee. Goodbye!" I said, before turning and running towards Levi, leaving behind a murmuring crowd.Finally catching up to Levi in the woods, we both laughed loudly, proud of our successful heist."Good job, kid. Not bad for your first day," Levi said, ruffling my hair aggressively, which made me frown. I had always told him I didn't like it when he messed with my hair like that.As we walked further into the woods, we eventually arrived at the mountains, where a cave was nestled into the rock. Excitedly, I ran inside to tell the others about our haul."We got the food!" I exclaimed, causing Clara to flinch in alarm."Lucas! Can you stop screaming?" Clara said, clearly annoyed. She was one of the older kids among us, making her the leader of our small group."Sorry," I mumbled.Levi walked up beside me, ruffling my hair again, which made me groan in annoyance."This should last us a bit before we have to steal again," Levi said."I wouldn't say we're stealing," I muttered."We are. We need food to survive, so we have no other choice but to take it," Clara said, her hands gesturing as she controlled the shadows in the cave to move a pot towards her."Go on in, I'll call you all when dinner is ready," she said.I nodded, running towards one of the large holes in the cave wall, with Levi following behind. However, Clara stopped him."Not you, Levi," she said, causing Levi to groan in protest as I entered the hole, eager to share our success.I stepped into the dimly lit cave, torches on the wall, my eyes immediately falling on the uncomfortable makeshift beds that served as our nightly refuge. I sighed inwardly, knowing I would have to endure another night on one of those unforgiving surfaces.My attention shifted to Trevon, the young boy in the corner, his eyes closed in concentration, hand on his leg as if steadying his breath. I knew he was practising one of his spells again. I couldn't help but smirk as I approached him, taking a seat in front of him."Good day, Trevon!" I exclaimed, breaking his focus.Trevon opened his eyes, a hint of annoyance flashing across his face. "Lucas. Great, you're back... Thanks for distracting me again," he said flatly."I just came back from getting food for us," I replied, puffing out my chest with pride."You mean stealing?" Trevon retorted; his frustration evident."Why does everyone insist on calling it 'stealing'?" I grumbled in annoyance."Trevon, what spell were you working on?" I asked, trying to change the subject."I was conjuring a spell that may help us in the future in case we're caught, but you're always distracting me!" Trevon said, his brows furrowed in irritation.I grimaced, realizing I had interrupted his important work once again. Trevon was always practising his spells, whether we were settling in a new place or preparing for bed or dinner. It was a relentless pursuit."What do you need spells for? Nothing is going to happen. We have each other," I reassured him, though doubt lingered in my mind."Don't be naive. We all have powers, and they've killed and hunted people like us. That's why we're living in these conditions in the first place," Trevon retorted, his tone serious."Living like this isn't all bad. I love our adventures and quests to various regions, setting campfires while we eat together. We're like one big family," I said, offering him a soft smile.Trevon scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Of course, you'd think that. You've never had a real family to begin with. But Levi, Clara, and I watched our family being taken and killed right in front of us. This is the first time you've had a social circle, which is making you oblivious," Trevon said, his voice tinged with pain.I furrowed my brows, feeling a pang of sadness for my friend's loss and my unknown family. "I never had a family... But I see you all as one. You're all I have. I'm sorry for the distraction. I'll leave you to your spells," I said, preparing to get up.Trevon placed a hand on mine, stopping me. "I'm sorry. I'm just feeling uneasy. I don't like us having to move around every month," he apologized."I understand. From now on, I won't distract you when you're casting your spells. They may become useful to us one day," I promised, giving him a reassuring smile."Yes... I hope one-day things will change, and we can live freely in this land," Trevon said, his eyes reflecting his longing."I'm sure one day people like us will be free," I assured him.As Clara's voice echoed through the room, announcing that dinner was ready, Trevon and I stood up, ready to join the others.✨🌙✨The moon hung in the night sky, casting an eerie glow as rain fell in heavy droplets, thunder echoing through the forest. Levi gripped my hand tightly as we ran, splashing through puddles and getting our clothes muddy. "What about Clara?" I shouted over the sound of the rain, my teeth chattering from the cold."She said to keep running... We're not going back," Levi replied, his voice strained with urgency.Trevon groaned in frustration, stomping his foot on Levi's leg, causing him to yelp in pain. Trevon turned and ran back the way we came."Trevon!" I called out, following him through the rain. My vision blurred, but I pushed forward, determined to catch up."Lucas! Trevon!" Levi's voice rang out, filled with fear and anxiety. Confusion gnawed at me, but I kept running, searching for Trevon. I found him crouched behind a bush, motioning for me to join him. He shushed me, pointing in a direction. I followed his gaze and saw a group of men tying Clara with a rope, her struggles futile as they gagged her, tears streaming down her face. "What are they doing?" I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest."They're planning to burn her alive... But I'm not going to let that happen again," Trevon said, his voice filled with determination.Trevon stepped out from the bush, moving slowly toward the men. They noticed him, questioning why he was there."Kid, go back home. It's dangerous here," one of them warned.Trevon chuckled darkly, his eyes blazing with anger as he looked at Clara, who silently pleaded for him to run."You're going to pay for what you've done to us!" Trevon shouted, closing his eyes and focusing. The men readied their weapons, prepared to fight.Suddenly, the men were lifted into the air, their bodies floating helplessly as they dropped their weapons in terror. They screamed as they ascended higher and higher into the night sky. I stood up from my hiding spot, eyes widening in amazement as I watched Trevon. He was enveloped in a radiant yellow light, his hair floating around him as if caught in a gentle breeze.Mesmerized, I tried not to distract Trevon, allowing him to focus on whatever mysterious power he was wielding. But then, something unexpected occurred.The glowing aura surrounding Trevon faded, and he smirked as the men plummeted back to the ground, their screams piercing the air. They hit the earth with sickening thuds, bones cracking upon impact, and blood spraying around them. Shock and fear gripped me as I took in the gruesome scene unfolding before my eyes.I glanced down at my clothes and noticed blood spatters, slowly dripping down. My gaze shifted to one of the men who, despite his injuries, was trying to crawl away. Trevon spotted him too, pulling a knife from his pocket and advancing towards the injured man. With a twisted grin, he raised the knife and began stabbing him repeatedly, a chilling laughter escaping his lips.My terror and shock only grew as I watched Trevon move from one man to the next, stabbing them mercilessly. Levi finally arrived, his eyes widening in horror as he took in the scene before him. He ran towards Clara, who had been bound but now looked on in wide-eyed shock as well."Trevon?" Clara's voice pierced the tense atmosphere, causing Trevon to halt his assault."We should probably start moving before anyone notices," Trevon stated, rising to his feet as he surveyed our shocked expressions."What? Are you scared of me now... like they are of us?" Trevon's question was sharp, his gaze piercing mine, making me flinch and avert my eyes."You're covered in blood... Are these the spells you've been practising?" Levi's tone was calm, though there was a hint of concern in his voice."Yes, we are strong, and I don't see why we can't end this torture once and for all... Just eliminate anyone who stands in our way of freedom," Trevon declared, his eyes darting urgently between each of us."That's enough. We should all get moving. We can discuss this later," Clara interjected quietly, her gaze fixed on the lifeless body at her feet."Don't tell me you feel bad for them... They tried to burn you alive," Trevon snapped back."I said enough... Let's keep moving," Clara commanded her tone firm, her expression serious."We will talk about this, Trevon... just not now," Levi added, gesturing for us to follow him.Trevon scoffed loudly, his anger palpable, he followed Levi and Clara, his eyes downcast. Reluctantly, I trailed behind them, my gaze still fixed on the fallen men, my mind filled with anxiety and fear.✨🌙✨Lucas sat outside the dark cottage, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the sun began its ascent. The first rays of light filtered through the leaves of the surrounding trees, casting dappled patterns on the ground and painting the windows of the cottage in a warm glow.He shifted his attention from the sun to his hands, holding them up to inspect the tips of his fingers. They were stained a deep, unnatural black, a stark reminder of the darkness that lurked within him. With a heavy sigh, Lucas closed his eyes briefly, trying to push back the frustration that threatened to consume him.The creak of the cottage door drew his attention, and he turned to see Emily standing there. She moved gracefully to sit beside him."What are you thinking about?" Emily asked, her voice soft with curiosity.Lucas glanced at her, his expression distant. "Some of my friends from my past," he answered quietly."How were they like?" Emily inquired, her interest piqued."They were fun for a while..." Lucas trailed off, his gaze drifting to the ground."Are others awake?" Lucas asked, changing the subject."Still sleeping. Yesterday was a lot to take in," Emily replied, chuckling awkwardly."It was," Lucas agreed. "Are you okay? You know, hearing about you being a northerner and the whole magic thing," he asked, his tone filled with concern and a hint of shame."Am I okay?" Emily repeated, her expression softening. "You mean, are you okay? Your fingertips are black, and you've been distant and quiet. All this time, you were living in fear... I'm here to listen," she said, her voice laced with concern, reaching out to hold Lucas's hand and squeezing it gently.At the touch, Lucas's smile broadened and he sheepishly avoided looking into her eyes."Don't worry about my fingers... I just need to practice a bit. Shadows tend to be difficult to control," Lucas said, his voice reassuring."I'm just glad that you aren't scared of me controlling the shadows," Lucas chuckled softly."I will never be scared of you," Emily replied earnestly. "The head guard of Tauris has never let me down," she added, smiling softly before withdrawing her hand from Lucas's. As Emily withdrew her hand, a flicker of sadness passed over Lucas' face, his smile fading into a sombre expression. In that brief moment, he felt the absence of her touch keenly, a pang of longing tugging at his heart. His gaze shifted to the door, masking the hint of disappointment with a stoic resolve."We should start heading back to the village," Lucas suggested, getting up and offering a hand to help Emily to her feet."Lead the way," Emily said, accepting his hand and standing up.