The days blurred together as Kieran wandered through the desolate lands, his feet carrying him without purpose. His mind was clouded by anger, confusion, and the weight of the power inside him. He had no destination, no plan. Every step felt like a battle, his body trembling with the strange magic coursing through him. The energy was raw, untamed—more a curse than a gift, but he had no choice but to embrace it.
His thoughts were haunted by the memories of his mother's death, the villagers' cruelty, and Elias's betrayal. His twin, the one who had left him behind for a life of luxury and magic, had become a distant, hateful figure in his mind. The memories of Elias's smile, his empty promises to return, twisted in Kieran's chest like a blade. His brother had abandoned him to suffer, while he now basked in the favor of the kingdom's nobles. Kieran had no place in this world, no reason to keep living, except for one—revenge.
The magic inside him was an unrelenting force, always there, lurking beneath the surface. It pulsed with power, but with each use, Kieran felt his strength slipping away. It was as if the magic was leeching his very life force, growing stronger with every passing day, demanding more of him.
He wandered through forests and over hills, sleeping under the stars, and eating what he could find. It wasn't a life—just an endless search for meaning, for something to grasp onto. With every village he passed, he felt more and more like a ghost, fading into the landscape, unnoticed. His face was a mask of bitterness, hardened by the years of suffering, his eyes now dark with a kind of emptiness he couldn't escape.
One evening, as the sun set over the horizon, Kieran stumbled upon a small village on the edge of a river. The people here were simple, struggling to survive, but they didn't have the venom of the villages he had left behind. Here, there was something that made Kieran hesitate—something that made him stop and wonder if it was possible to still find solace in the world.
He entered the village quietly, keeping to the shadows. He had no intention of staying, but the hunger in his stomach was enough to make him search for something to eat. As he passed the edge of the town, he overheard a conversation from a group of villagers gathered near a fire.
"Did you hear about the boy in the capital?" one man asked, his voice low but urgent. "The one they're calling the prodigy?"
The others leaned in, intrigued.
"Aye," the first man continued. "He's the lord's new pet. A brilliant mage, they say. A boy who can do things that—well, you'd think he was blessed by the gods themselves."
Kieran froze. He had to know more.
"He's got the king's ear now. All the noble families are falling over themselves to get his favor," another voice chimed in. "They say he's no longer just a boy with magic—he's got power beyond anyone's understanding. Power from the old gods, they say."
The man's words twisted in Kieran's mind. He could barely hold onto his composure, the anger flaring inside him like a furnace.
"Do you think he's dangerous?" a woman asked, her voice tinged with fear.
"Dangerous?" the first man chuckled. "No. He's a hero in their eyes. Just another tool for their power. But if he's got this much magic at such a young age..."
Kieran's breath quickened. It was Elias. The boy they spoke of—the one who had become a legend—had to be his brother. Elias had become a hero to them, a symbol of the power that had once crushed Kieran. But now, that power was the very thing that Kieran needed to survive, to destroy the kingdom that had cast him aside.
He turned, slipping away from the firelight before the villagers could notice him. The weight of the conversation settled heavily on his shoulders. Elias had changed. He wasn't the boy who had left him all those years ago. He had become something far more dangerous, something that Kieran would have to face one day. But that day wasn't yet. For now, Kieran had only his rage and his magic, and that would have to be enough.
The night felt colder as Kieran made his way toward the woods again. The storm within him hadn't abated, and he could feel the magic within him stirring, a low hum beneath his skin. With each passing day, it would grow, and soon he would be strong enough to confront Elias. To confront the kingdom.
But for now, Kieran was just a shadow, wandering in the wilderness, consumed by thoughts of revenge, and wondering if there was anything left of the boy he used to be.