Blood of the Merciless

Chapter Four

4.

Alaric stood within the forest along with one of the twins, the one called Anteros. They had been separated to train. Florian went with Eros while Ashe went with Priest Able. They had been told that it would be six months until they got to leave the island.

"What are we doing here?" Alaric asked. He hated how Anteros looked at him.

"This shall be your home until you are ready," Anteros said motioning toward the forest surrounding them.

"And the rest?"

"Just as you, they will spend their time gathering strength." "You were foolish to not accept a weapon."

Alaric shrugged. "I do not need to wield a weapon. I will not kill anyone."

"Your enemy shall not think twice to slice off that wise head of yours," Anteros warned.

"I don't need to be lectured on the cruelty of the world."

Anteros laughed loudly.

"You look just like him, act like it too sometimes."

The anger pent up within Alaric.

"Don't you dare say that ever again!"

Anteros just laughed once again. Alaric just gave him a deadpan look.

After a moment Anteros walked over to Alaric and handed him a few parchments.

Alaric had tried to read the letters on the parchment but he couldn't make anything out. There had been many strange symbols, words not written in any language he had ever seen and a few symbols that looked like a pair of hands gesturing in a variety of ways.

Anteros suddenly spoke up.

"The Rixa emulates the energy that exists naturally within a caster. Essentially transforming a mysur into a caster."

Alaric glanced at his amulet. Where did they get this?

"It is an immensely rare item. Banned from the land of Hominus, it can only be bought from specific...characters." Anteros explained noticing Alaric's glance.

Alaric's discomfort showed on his face allowing Anteros to laugh.

"Why does my amulet shine a different colour to the rest?" Alaric asked.

"That displays your type of casting. Before we get ahead of ourselves, shall I explain the fundamentals of casting?"

Alaric nodded.

"There are four requirements to begin casting." Anteros raised one finger.

"Firstly, to cast one needs stria. Stria is the energy that flows within all casters, the amount differs from caster to caster. It flows like the air we breathe, all around us. It is the only difference between us, mysurs, and them. The Rixa provides us with the energy we lack."

"Is there no method mysurs can use the stria that occurs naturally?" Alaric asked.

Anteros shook his head. "Not at least on Hominus, there are reports that Drakenskav has found a way to utilise it. That is not important though. The next requirement is stamina. Casting is energy-draining, therefore the best casters are always physically fit. Something you have to work on."

Alaric hated the way Anteros analysed his body.

"Is the stamina usage fixed or does it drain depending on the specific cast?" Alaric had been fascinated with the mechanics of casting for a long time. He had often made up many different theories while he sat in his room.