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Someone To Believe In

chapter seven

Jax

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The kid's smug face pissed me off. The little shit. I couldn’t believe how talented he was. It took me weeks to do what he just did on his first try.

Resisting foreign energy was the first step on the path of magic. Everyone can sense it, but not everyone can resist it. And even though I wasn't seriously pressuring him, I used enough power to make someone his age kneel. He did well.

I furrowed my eyebrows because the more I got to know the kid, the more exceptional he became. At first, I just wanted to help a child, and now I'm teaching him how to manipulate mana and planning to free him from slavery.

I rubbed my eyes. It's been a weird day.

Running a hand through my hair, I looked at the kid. He still had that annoying smug smile. Why did I want to help him so bad again?

Well, I guess it's because the kid reminds me of myself.

Living with my family, I had no control over anything in my life: not my the training I practiced, not the friends I made, and not the woman I loved. I snorted. Then Mary came along.

That's what I saw in the kid; he was hurt in more ways than physical pain alone could do. He needed a Mary: someone to take him away, someone to believe in.

Thinking back, I frowned. As far back as I could think, I don't remember ever being that person for someone else. Never taken seriously, I was always a hooligan and a philanderer. Surrounded by yes men my entire life, I had grown accustomed to doing whatever I wanted and treating people however I wanted to. Mary was the first person to level me out. And despite her...physical abuse, she made me a better person, and I love her for that. She's a selfless woman, and I want to live by her example. I want to be that somebody for someone else. Why not start now?.

The door to the house opened and Kane poked his head out. “Hey! It’s time to eat!” he called out.

I nodded my head, and we made our way back to the cottage. But just as we were stepping into the house, Kane wound his arm back and swung it. Luckily I was close enough, and I threw myself in front of Wit, stopping his fist with my chest.

“What are you doing?!” I roared.

“Huh? What are you doing?!” He fired back with a fury. “That thing is mine!” He bellowed.

I scowled. What a vile thing to call someone.

“Don’t hit him anymore,” I growled. “I’ll have the money for you when I get back to the village in a few days.”

He stared me down for a long moment, his wild eyes bouncing around in their sockets before he shrugged and turned to go back inside. “Sure, kid. But he’s not eating anything until those prin rows are picked clean.” He called over his shoulder, closing the door behind him.

Walking back down the steps with settling moods, Wit’s stomach growled. He gripped his stomach and resigned to his work. Giving me a quiet, “thanks” he dragged his feet over to an untouched row of crops. Stopping before the first one, he closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath he stretched his hand out and focused. I could feel the mana around him weakly circulate around his body, and form around his hand.

Tch...why am I not surprised that he’s already getting the technique down.

With fluctuating aura around his hand, he reached for the plant. As soon as I saw what he was trying, I hurried down the stairs and yelled. “Stop!” But he didn’t hear me in time. He was new at this, so the energy around his hand dissipated when he moved it, and by the time he got to the plant, it was gone.

“Fuck. Me. Bitch!” A long needle tore through the middle of the kid’s finger and he reeled his head back in a flurry of profanity. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. You bitch. Awww—“ he screamed. Despite the seriousness, I rolled my eyes and laughed. The kid’s got a mouth that could rival Mary.

Making my face look serious, I walked behind him. “Wit.” He turned his head, and I saw that he was sucking on his finger. He was surprised to see me. “Yea, whash up dude?” Taking the finger out of his mouth, he asked, “I thought you went in to eat?" Don’t wait on me.” He clicked his tongue and sighed. “I’ll be a while.”

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The hole on his finger was dripping blood. He had it all over his lips and teeth, and his tongue was deep red.

I looked down the field. Fuck it.

I rolled up my sleeves. “Back up.” He looked confused but did so. While he stared in shock, I let aura run rampant around my fingers, and went down the rows, picking the prins. One by one, I finished one row and went up the next. When I first began, Wit was stunned, but as I continued he shook his head and followed along, studying my actions and asking questions.

At some point, it turned into a full-fledged lesson. I'd explain the process and ask him to pick a few. He'd mess up the first few times, but when he finally broke through the needles and tore a prin apart, his glee was infectious.

He raised his hands into the air and pumped both of his fists, while repeatedly thrusting his hips.

“Hahaha— Get fucked bitch! Hahaha—“

The kid was like that for several minutes, cackling and pumping and thrusting, and after a while, it was so disturbing to watch, I just walked away and did the rest myself.

When I finally finished a few minutes later, I collapsed on the ground, absolutely exhausted. Whew. My clothes were soaked in the sweat that sheened along my entire body. Using aura is one thing, using it for several minutes straight was something else entirely.

At least it’s done, I grinned.

I stood back up and found Wit admiring me. As he approached me, I smiled and waved to the house. “Well, I guess we can go eat no-“ I started before he suddenly ran up and hugged me. Muffled into my chest I heard a faint voice whisper, “thank you.”

Surprised at first, I felt tears wet my shirt even more, and I brought the kid into a tight hug. Gods, it's hot out here. My eyes are sweating.

We stayed like that until I got control of myself and rubbed the stupid sweat out of my eyes. “Let’s go eat, okay?” He wiped his eyes and nodded, pulling back.

Together, we went back to the house, and when we got in they had just started eating. Everyone turned their attention to us, and Kane pulled a spoon full of slop out of his mouth. When he saw Wit, his first reaction was to yell at the kid. “Don’t come in here before you do what I told you to do!” Feeling the kid flinch, I brought him behind me, squaring off with Kane. “I did his work for you, so he’s going to eat with me,” I said.

The room was tense after my announcement, as everyone looked to Kane for his unpredictable reaction. His eyebrows were knit, and his fingers tapped against the wooden table.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Narrowing his eyes at Wit, he grumbled to himself, “That iis what I said.” He pulled at his beard for a moment. “...Alright.” He nodded. “It can eat with us.” He took up his spoon and went back to eating the bowl of porridge in front of him.

Smiling, I looked at Wit and winked. “Come on.” I held out my hand and, nervously, he grabbed it. His hand was clammy and his grip was tight. I led him to the table, where we took seats next to one another. The other kid - Asher, I think - got up and filled two bowls with the grey goop.

Placing one of them in front of me he whispered, “Thank you,” and I nodded in response. When he gave Wit his bowl, he added a huge smile and they shared a hug. Kane rolled his eyes, and the girl's everpresent frown deepened.

With everyone sat together, we ate in awkward silence.

Kane savored his food like a glutton, twirling the spoon around in his mouth. Wit focused on eating as much as he could; the poor kid had been starved and it showed in his frame.

Unsure of his future, Asher snuck nervous glances between Raath and Kane. The girl stared at Asher, biting her lips the entire time. Although the two didn’t seem to get along - at all from what I’d seen - I don’t think she wanted the kid to leave. I sighed. That's just family.

Raath couldn’t take his eyes away from the twins. I didn’t know whether the drool coming out of his hood was over the food or the kids. Tasting the food myself, I’d have to say the kids.

I don’t know how Hugo likes this slop so much; the guy filled the background noise with the loudest eating I’d ever heard.

When dinner was finished, everyone set out for bed.

I didn’t know where to go, because there were only three bedrooms. Kane had one to himself, the girl had her own, and Raath and Hugo were already set up in the last.

Hmm. Not knowing what to do, I went over to Raath’s room, to see if there was extra room. It was the only one on the second floor. Walking up the stairs, I could hear whispers coming from the room. Tiptoeing along, I made my way up the last few steps and saw them. The door was open, and the room was dark.

Raath was whispering something to Hugo, and the longer he spoke, the tighter Hugo’s body got. Whatever it was they were talking about clearly upset him; his fists were clenched and his head shook ‘no’ relentlessly. But Raath whispered one last thing. I could barely hear him say “...or else...” He lowered his voice toward the end, so I lost it. Whatever he said made Hugo’s shoulders droop, and reluctantly nod his head.

Damnit, what are they saying? I took another step forward to hear more, but the floorboard creaked under me.

Raath swung his head toward me. Shit. “Hey, Raath.” I took another casual step toward them, trying to act like I wasn’t just eavesdropping. “Do you guys have any more room for-“ before I finished, he shook his head and slammed the door in my face.

Shit. What are they up to?

Walking back down the stairs, I wondered what they were talking about. Maybe they were up to something, maybe they weren’t, but there was something more pressing at the moment. I looked around the house for an open spot. Where the hell was I going to sleep? The rooms were taken, and Asher was in the dining room.

Where’s Wit?

Hearing a door shut in the back, I followed the noise and found a door leading outside. Stepping out I spotted Wit, walking to a broken shed in the backyard.

I let out a long breath...poor kid.

I rushed after him. “Wit,” I called. He turned around and raised an eyebrow at me. "What is it?"

Clasping my hands behind my back, I swayed my hips and fluttered my eyelashes. “Can I...sleep with you?” I asked with a hush.

Playing along, he curled his arms around his body and shrunk back. “Please sir,” he whispered. “I’m just a boy.”

“Hahaha-"

We broke into laughter. We were a good comedy duo. “Yea, you can stay here.” He managed to get out between laughs. “Come inside.” He left the shack door open after him.

Curious, I followed him into the shack. Bleh. The air inside was caked with dust, and the rotten wood caved under my feet like mush. Not the healthiest place to sleep. I’m honestly a bit scared to catch a disease in here.

Wit laid on the hardwood and pointed next to him, at the only other empty spot on the floor. I laid down and cushioned my head with my arms. I closed my eyes, and quickly fatigue caught me. It’d been a very very weird and long day.

“Thank you for everything.” I heard in the dark.

I smiled. “Good night, Wit.”

And after a long and exhausting day, I fell asleep.

"..."

...boom!