“You should be more sensible with Eagan, it's normal to be on the edge before entering Briddel, even more if for the first time. Now you’ve hurt his pride and I have to get him back in the middle of the night." - Do you know how cold the nights in Briddel are?

"Not my problem, I’ll control my boys when we enter the forest, too dangerous to get distracted in that place, but until there they are free to laugh at anything or anyone they want to. And it's not like there was no reason to, doesn't it?" - He says, silently challenging me with his eyes.

In a lapse of focus I glare at him, all my feelings amplified by the wind itself as the air howls at distance, calling me, whispering at my ears. I could threaten them all, use the family power so to put them beneath my feet, it would end all this facade and the need to keep it up. The ideia intoxicate my mind for a second, i could, would be easy and no repercussion would come back at me.

But I stop myself, I'm not alike those people that use their family strength so to cover for their own lacking skills and if I let myself do it once I'll let it a second and third time, this kind of easy way out of things can be a addictive and that's not what I want, that's why I asked to be here right? To free myself.

I'll not be satisfied with a fake strength, not like those weak brothers of mine.

I force the wind to stop taking a hold of my emotions but it's only after a few seconds that I'm able to, the air itself fighting against my will, unbound and free as urge it to cease. Once more reminding me that the air of Briddell is not like the ones in the cities, it's older, stronger and tameless. But so should it be, I placed all my hopes in this place to help me level after all.

“Well said chief, a sheep scared of some puppies has no right to be respected anyway"- The voice cuts in and I focus on its owner, Brod, a mercenary that I have yet to exchange words with even after all this time. He's too headstrong, refusing to admit our presence even for a second just as any attempt of conversation, but I've yet to give up, not finding a single mercenary to help me all this will make all this be for naught in the end.

My mood lightens, not naturally but forced with a quick circling of essence as I tell to myself that just like the wind those mercenaries will eventually open themselves for me, I just have to keep trying until I succeed, no matter how much it takes, and then I'll be a step further in the path of power.

So I put a smile on my face and try again - “Why can’t you make things easier? What's the need to mark the boy down like that, we all were young and naive before, you know it.”

I watch Brod for a few seconds, waiting for an answer or even some acknowledge of being talked to come, but again, nothing comes until the chief talks.

“Being a mercenary is a harsh job, we are actually doing you lot a favor by throwing some sense in this nephew of yours, bringing him to the hunt like this will make more harm than good to us both. He is a weapon without control, who knows what kinds of danger he’ll put my men in, I said before signing the contract didn't I? "Money will not buy our lives frasan", don't let yourself forget.” - He says, a few voices of agreement coming after him.

Talking like this will get you killed some day. Not something that I'll say aloud of course, even if the words hold the truth I have no way to bear them without getting killed and I'm not stupid enough to believe other way, for what I know I wouldn't even be the first. But still, what do you gain, did you not paid much already for acting that way? I've seen people dying for less, and a knife on the back cares little for how strong you are.

Still, they are right when they say that he is a weapon without control, a dangerous and unstable weapon that I have to deal with to get access to the only thing close enough to a wind hunting ground in this damned side of the continent nonetheless.

I was ready to start a counterpoint, I need the peace to focus on my own cultivation and that can only be done if they don't hate that idiot and accept dealing with him while I do my own things, favors that I'm pretty sure will not be accepted if things continue in the way they are now. 

Like i said, I was ready to but I never got the chance, the dialogue was cut off by a plea of help. The urgency and fear in the voice transforming the sound of laughs and discussion in a bustling symphony of steel and leather as we all prepared for whatever caused it.

The plea make my spine shiver as I instinctively take my knifes out, it was made by a familiar voice, more familiar that I wished for. Eagan was in danger.

We rush at it and a few seconds later we find ourselves staring at the small trail that leads to the road with weapons in hand, essence weighting the air around us as I once more prepare ready myself to talk, Eagan can't die no matter what happens and I need those people to believe it. A needless action as despite the chief's clearly expressed spite we started running as fast as we can towards the cry, not a single word needed to make them fight, it's the way they live. 

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As we run I start to watch the group better, not even when the contract was signed all the members were all at the same place, the group of three level two and the chief, a level three, all running like that, our presence should be enough to scare any animals or most beasts. Normal ones at least.

“How can your nephew give us problem before we even enter the forest?” - I hear between the sound of leather kicking earth, the voice low and the speaker unknown but still calling my attention back as choose to not answer, my cheeks burning with shame. Thankfully I do not value face that much or I wouldn't be able to recover, it's a valid question though, how did he get in trouble?  He’s also a level 3, even if by not convencional means, and should at least be able to run from the most of dangers.

“Maybe some Ceithir got him?” One of the mercenaries says again in a low voice, he clearly tried to bring it with a joking tone but instead did it in an slightly fearful, almost inaudible one, it flew against the louder sounds making me miss a step, a men eater beast appearing is a horrible possibly to consider no matter the situation.

“Keep your stupidity to yourself Brot. There is nothing like that this close to the cities. Now get your shit together, we have a lad to save.” -The chief shouts, and the reason behind his words tranquilizes me, even if a little. He’s right, no Ceithir have been seen for almost 14 years in Briddel, and if it’s really one, it's too late to start running anyway, better use my time with some useful stuff like running faster and praying for not be one.

“HELP” - The voice cuts once more, closer this time. He’s probably running to us, better yet, he's probably safe. A "genius" killed in your watch is not the better way to get the family’s good graces, a good way to get killed in the middle of the night though so it's good that he's fine, for both of us. Also, whatever he’s running from is not that big of problem at least, no ceithir would let its prey run for that amount of time.

Maybe it’s not even something dangerous at all, his reputation of an scared sheep proved well deserved many times already even before coming to this place. Can’t stop myself from being happy, those genius nurtured by the family are nothing more than pampered boys. Pretty flowers to put in exhibition or big dogs to scare the peasants, they’ll never get past the middle levels, too scared to bet their lives for true power.

It serves them right, the family, to choose who to support based on their affinity alone is a great mistake and I'll prove them that people like me that make their way without the fancy herbs or expensive food are the ones that thread in the way of true strength, and the ones that should be nurtured. 

“Right here!”

Back to reality I caught Eagan on my sight, and blood, a lot of blood. All my previous happiness gone as my heart ache, the boy is hurt and the fault will be mine to bear. My mind races, the family will kill me for that, what if the damn idiot fails at the tournament? I'll be tortured, crippled and left to root until my last days, hoping them to come to an end faster.

No, no, no please, please be alright.

“Eagan don’t move, we need to stop the bleeding”

“Of course we need, he’s dying, move faster you idiot”

Eagan answers in a high pitched voice, pointing to something in the dark. I stop, confused. “He is?”  I ask back in reflex, almost making some mercenary crash with my sudden stop and not even realizing that the little golden boy actually called a family member of idiot.

Ignoring the lot of not so important things and squinting my eyes I notice that there are no wounds that would explain the blood, even in the dark it would be impossible to lose something big enough to explain that amount. "He's dying" the words sink in, the blood is of course not his, but who's? An assassin?

Before I can start formulating theories or even start asking anything the chief acts, moving in the way that only the ones connected with the earth can. Like if the ground molded itself so to make a better support for their feet while they run. He orders the healer to come, and ready to heal or fight so the situation make necessary they dart in the direction that Eagan came, the poor healer burning his essence to not get behind.

Not much far and a few seconds later me and the rest find i, a covered in blood child with earth essence still easily detectable in his wounds fifty or so meter ahead. The fact that there is no other energy to be felt in his body marks him as normal child, incapable of threatening any practitioner and now bleeding to death by the attack of one.

The healer is already at his side and even before he touches the floor we can see water moving around his body, coming from a surprisingly amount of hidden recipients as he forces the water itself against the wounds, stopping the fast flowing blood. The boy was hit by three to four earth spears in the gut, it's bad, truly bad and even if he could close the wounds i don't think that this kid will survive.

But even if the chances are slim we were the ones that did it and so, our responsibility to try.

“Is he going to die?” - Eagan looks at me, looking almost five centimeters smaller, the stupid boy. His mistakes are heavy and he knows, fear and regret easily seen in his face. But what is the use to regret now?

“Probably, he’s not a practitioner, and your spears could injure a level three and easily kill someone in the levels below if taken by surprise."

“It’s my fault”

YES, YES IT IS AND NOW WE ARE BOTH DOOMED YOU DAMN IDIOT. I want to scream, but making an incredible effort of self control I stop myself. Eagan takes my silence as some kind of disapproval instead of blind rage and disgust what is also good.

I take a few breaths before trusting myself and then, making the best to keep my voice calm, speak - “Yes, it is, and the Four will not stay quiet about it. To kill someone that doesn’t cultivate is a grave taboo, every practitioner knows it, and so do you. Now, let’s pray for his recovery or prepare for the consequences”

Let's pray indeed because if he dies, I'll kill you even before the Four can act and run to another with the money got by selling the expensive herbs and protection stones that family gave you.

"don't worry, even if worst come to worst I have a plan. You trust me doesn't you?"

"Of course uncle, we are family"

"Of course we are"

I smile.