“Well, that was more than I expected” said the murderer of the Teacher. He dusted the sand off his clothes and landed on the ground, taking his time as he made his way towards a shaking Nur.

“Though considering he was once a proud citizen of the Republic I should say: Ah, it is only natural!”

The man smiled to himself and chuckled slightly whilst twirling the emblem with an eye on it around his finger idly. He walked in front of Nur and his eyes flashed golden twice, he then whistled,

“So this is the present the deserter left me, huh. Good physique and only fourteen…. though a bit quiet.”

The man waved his hands in front of the trembling Nur whose eyes were bloodshot and his veins bulging and squirming like worms.

“Hellloooo, are you muddled? Not particularly useful if you are…. Oh, I know!”

Snapping his fingers twice, a string of gold flickered into existence and attached itself to the head of the Teacher. Tugging on it lightly the head was sent up and into the air, landing squarely at the feet of Nur.

“Children should express themselves, not hold themselves back like us boring adults” began the man in a chiding tone, “you liked this guy, right? He raised you and even taught you the language of civilization. I can see the recognition in your eyes you know.”

He then put his foot on the Teachers head. Nur’s eyes flicked towards the offending foot…

Squelch

The head was crushed before his eyes.

“A deserter is a deserter in the end. To dare betray our glorious Republic and make bread with vermin…not even a corpse shall be left!”

Nur released the breath he had been holding and looked back at the man, his eyes hollow and his body no longer on the edge of bursting into action.

“I, won’t lay,” Nur said simply.

His arm shot forward, a meaty fist rocketing towards the man’s face, but was blocked by an ethereal shield. The fist cracked on the shield and Nur brought it back towards his face and looked the jutting knuckle bone.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Now, I did say to express yourself but throwing a temp- “

“Die” said Nur, throwing out his other fist only for it to be blocked much the same.

“I know you are not daft this is quite futile…” mumbled the man in exasperation.

“Silence, Die.”

Nur threw out his feet one after the other and even tried tackling, throwing rocks on the ground and headbutting the man in front of him.

With each blow he dealt something in him would break but he persisted. Throwing, kicking, punching, headbutting. His nose broke, his fists broke, and his legs fractured.

“Enough” spat the man.

A pole appeared from the ground and shot forth into Nur’s stomach, sending him flying back and skidding on the ground like a skipping stone before coming to a stop. His body shuddered and he gave a dry laugh mixed with spittle and blood.

Still, he stood up once more. He continued to laugh as he looked at his mangled hands and staggered in his step when his legs failed to support his weight.

The man sported an annoyed expression and sighed,

“What a wast- “

The hairs on his neck grasped forth as a chill went up his back. He jumped backwards and turned his body parallel to the ground right as a verdant mist shot past him and towards Nur.

The man landed on a bed of golden light, allowing it to lift him up back into a standing position as he watched Nur be consumed by the mist before it split from him once more.

A passionate look adorned the man’s face, a grin plastered on and his breathing quickening in excitement.

In front of him stood the same broken boy but he now an air of ferocity unlike before, with every labored breath he took the mist pulsed in response as it split into several distinct blobs.

“A pre awakening!” Shouted the man in glee.

Allowing his light to move him out of the way of the mist that shot forth towards him from time to time he moved closer and closer towards Nur whose eyes had rolled back and showed only white.

“And only at the age of fourteen! We have years of time to work with before the coming of age, a good seedling at last…”

The excited man clapped his hands twice and a sheet of light appeared in between the mist and the two, causing it to helplessly smash against the conjured construct while the man stood before the boy who could barely stand.

Nur noticed his approach through his blinking consciousness, he raised his fist once more and tried to punch but met nothing but air.

“You will be molded boy. From a desert savage to a respectable citizen!”

The man reached forward and tapped Nur on the head, a golden cage grew on his skin and wrapped around him binding him tightly.

He was then lifted into the air slightly as the man stowed his insignia back into his pocket and walked backed towards the black carriage.

“We have much to do and not much time to do it. You will become good kindling for the flame of the Republic boy, consider yourself lucky.”

The man did not care for a response as he hurried along, with a captive and barely conscious Nur floating right behind him.