Ian walked through the woods to his home, feeling guilty about leaving Peter alone. He thought he could at least walk him home to make sure he was safe, and not assaulted again by bandits. The grey–haired himself met them today, but managed to escape quickly. After a while he found himself at his home. He opened the door and went inside. He took off his shoes and cleaned the dust on his sweater a little, when suddenly he heard footsteps. Mateo appeared before him.

  “You’re early. Didn't you have a day shift today?” The black–haired asked, but when he saw his brother's bloodshot eyes, he immediately understood. “Oh... Can I make you some tea...?”

  “No, I'm fine” Ian answered with a forced smile. “I would like to have some peace alone today. I will test new substances on the parasite, and I want to study a bit.”

  “Again for Peter?” Mateo asked. Ian walked past his brother, opened a glass–case on the wall and took out a knife. “You are trying too hard for him. Besides, these tests of yours are a bit dangerous. You should not sacrifice yourself for him all the time, think about your health. I would like you to give it up, your mental state is bad because of all this. You are a descendant of the Jenkins, one of the noble families. What you’re doing is too dangerous, what if you get infected? Didn't you think about it?”

  “Stop it. I can't waste grandfather's and mother's research...” The grey–haired answered, while picking up books and bowls that fell out of his hands. Fortunately, Mateo caught them in time. “Just because you started to ignore our friends, doesn't mean I will.”

  “I ignore them?” Mateo asked furiously.

  “You never ask how Peter is doing, you've just chased off a few thieves lately and nothing else. You don’t talk with Ed almost at all lately... Besides, I'm not sacrificing myself; I want to do it, for myself, for my ancestors... for you... for Peter... and for all the dead and the sick. I don't want to see their pain, Peter's tears... I don't want to cry anymore.”

Ian put everything he took into his room. After a while, he went out of his room again to enter the warehouse to take out various vials of different coloured substances. His older brother put the books and bowls he had grabbed at the door of his room. Ian was running from and to the storeroom every now and then. Mateo was upset about everything his brother said. After a while, he sighed.

  "Just don't do anything stupid, okay?” Mateo asked, with his eyes closed.

  “Okay, I won't do anything. But... can you leave the house for a while? I really want to focus.”

  “Leave? Eh...” The black–haired sighed again. “Alright. But really – nothing stupid.”

  “Take it easy!” Ian smiled.

  Mateo went outside, not knowing where to go. He decided to walk around the village. He looked at some desert plants, home gardens and other things. He was not interested in such things, but he had nothing to do.

  ‘Am I really ignoring them?’ He was constantly tormented by what Ian said. Suddenly he found himself near a clinic, and was surprised by who he found there – Edward, Kasei and Peter.

  “Oh, Mateo!” He was called by Kasei, who noticed him. The black–haired man approached them.

  “...Yo. I’m sorry, Peter, I know what happened.”

  “It's nothing, really” he responded, while sitting on the ground.

  “What are you doing? Are you resting?”

  “Well, sort of” said Ed. „Peter preferred not to leave the clinic alone, so we decided to train with Kasei here.”

“I see" said Mateo and sat down next to Peter. “Then show us your skills.”

Kasei's body shone with white light and turned into something else – into something that resembled a steel spear, but wider, and its end being bigger and sharper. There were symbols on the handle that looked like engraved. Ed looked at the tree in front of him. He prepared himself, then ran out and stabbed with a sharp tip. He easily pierced the trunk through. Peter applauded and Mateo nodded his head.

  “You haven't been able to pierce the trees before, you're doing well.” Said the black–haired man. Edward smiled and pulled the spear out of the tree. After some more exercises, they sat down together. The sun was setting slowly.

“Well, such a break from work was useful for you, wasn't it, Peter?” Ed asked.

  “That's right. I remembered my childhood for some reason” he answered.

  “Hah, that's right. We've been sitting around here for hours and stealing fruits, and for that old farts were chasing us with sticks” added Mateo.

  “Speaking of which, where is Ian?” Peter asked.

  “Ian... Well, he said he would be testing something again.”

  “It must have been because of me...” he curled up. “I really feel useless. I feel like I can't do anything right...”

  “Bullshit!” Kasei shouted out and jumped on his head, she was in her animal form. “You always dress my wounds when Ed messes up something during training.”

  “HEY!” Ed laughed, Kasei stuck her tongue at him.

  “Back to the topic, you always do everything you can to make sure it's as good as possible. You and Ian do. Many people in the village owe their health and even lives to you. I think that is the most important thing. And it's also very important that you're trying!” She smiled.

Peter was embarrassed.

  “I don't even know what to say...”

  “You don't have to say anything” Ed added. “Just keep doing what you're doing, and one day you'll manage to do something special. Just as one philosopher did... Thanks to him, we know a lot of useful spells today.”

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  „No, I don't think I'm going to achieve that much” Peter laughed. „But it's nothing, I don't have to be remembered to help anyone.”

  “You are too modest!” Kasei shouted. “You deserve some reward for all of this!”

  “No, it’s more for Ian.” Peter answered. Mateo opened his eyes wider.

  “You know what...” Mateo said, standing up. “I think I'll go home now. I'd better check what this crazy guy is doing again, so that he won't blow up my cottage again.”

  “Uh, you've been seeing us less and less lately.” Kasei said. “You used to be with us all the time.”

  “Oh… Really?” The black–haired man asked, when he suddenly remembered what Ian had said. „Well... I have a lot work to do at home, I have to study all these family books, then go to the military training, because that's what my father wanted... I just don't have much time.”

  “I understand...”

  “But... I'll try to come by tomorrow.” He said. Kasei smiled widely hearing this.

  “You’ll come for sure?” the redhead asked.

  “I said I'll try.” He laughed, and, after saying goodbye, went ahead.

  “Oh, Mateo, wait…” Peter said, stopping him for a moment. He turned his head. „Thank Ian for everything that he is doing for me. Please take care of him. And make sure he doesn't overwork himself.” He said with a smile, then turned around and followed Ed home. Mateo closed his eyes and smiled.

  ‘What was I even thinking about?’ he thought while he was walking. ‘Peter is a good man. It's no wonder that Ian is trying so hard... for such a good friend. I tried to do the same for Ed when I was younger. Sigh... Maybe it's time to take an example from this grey head and start caring more about the loved ones...’

  He stopped to think more about it. After a while, he smiled happily.

  ‘I'll talk to Ian when I get back. I want to help them. Really... how could’ve I forgotten about it?’

~

  “Peter! Run faster or they’ll catch us!” A little golden–haired boy screamed when running through the forest. A little further, the younger one, also with golden hair, was following him.

  “I’m trying, but...!” Then he stumbled on the root of one of the trees and fell down. The group that chased them picked him up by his clothes. They were people not much older than them, roughly eleven years old.

  “And so we have one of the brats.” One of them said, he had ginger hair and red eyes, the other one had brown hair and black eyes. “Your mother overdid it by throwing my father into the dungeon. Now I’ll play with you.”

  “Peter!” Ed screamed and started running towards his brother, but then he got hit in the face by another thief and fell to the ground. Then the other one steped on him with one foot.

  “Lie down, loser. We'll soon beat you up too.” The orange–haired boy nailed Peter to the tree and pulled out the knife from his pocket. “Now look what's waiting for you. We will deface these beautiful faces of yours a little bit”.

Tears began to pour from the eyes of the golden–haired boys. They did not expect any rescue from their attackers. Orange haired one had already cut one wound on Peter's right cheek, then the boy started screaming and his attackers laughed.

  “HEY!” But suddenly they have heard a voice. The bandits looked at the source of the voice. They saw a black–haired boy with caramel eyes. “Leave them alone!”

  “What is this?” a boy with brown hair moaned. “Vin, do you know him?”

  “Of course not.” He answered, letting go of Peter, who immediately fell to the ground. “I think the revenge for our parents has to wait.”

  “Ah, do you think so?” The black–haired mocked. Then two bandits started to approach him. Mateo laughed, when they got close enough, he hit the brown haired in the face. Vin was confused for a while, but in the meanwhile Edward took one of the big stones that was lying nearby, then he ran up and hit him in the head with it. Mateo laughed.

  “You fucks...” Vin hissed from pain. He was barely standing on his feet, but managed to pull out his knife, as did his colleague, who had already recovered after a hit. But then, from afar, they saw a black–haired girl with emerald eyes.

  “VIN, RUN AWAY, IT'S EMERALD SAND!” The brown–haired screamed, then casted the spell of teleportation on himself and the stunned Vin. They both disappeared. Emerald was upset.

  “Ed, Peter, are you alright?!” she asked, and looked at Ed first.

  “I am, but Peter...” Emerald approached the boy who hid his head in his hands and cried. She lifted his head up and saw the badly wounded cheek with blood still flowing out.

  “We have to treat this wound.” She took him in her arms and looked at Edward. „I ask you to forgive me for not showing up earlier.”

  “N–No, sister! They attacked us right next to the house... You couldn't have foreseen it, you left only for a moment...” Emerald gave Ed a hand, who immediately took it.

  “And you, who are you?” Emerald asked. “You deserve to be paid for your deed.”

  “I am... Matevigo Sivio Jenkins, but you can call me Mateo.”

  “Jenkins... No wonder you are so brave.” She answered and the boy blushed. „Come with us, I will have to tell your father what a noble thing you have done.”

  “It's nothing special...” Then he saw the smiling faces of Edward and Peter, who looked at him from Emerald's shoulder. Mateo returned the smile.

~

  After a while, Mateo found himself by the house. It was already quite dark. He was walking with a smile, and could not wait to talk to his brother. He wanted to apologize. But when he stopped at the front door, he felt a strange feeling of magic. It was not nice at all. It was terrifying. He did not breathe for a moment. Then his pupils narrowed, he quickly opened the door and ran into the house. But what he felt there... he knew it wouldn't end well. He started slowly approaching the door leading to Ian's room. He wanted to go in there...

  He put his hand on the doorknob and pulled it.