Phoenix: The nuruk beast.

Chapter twenty-three: Nightmares in Reality

 Aldrich sat by William's grave with his head rested against his reading tree. All he could think about was how unfruitful he visits to the library the day before had been. He looked up at the green leaves of the tree as they gently danced constantly asking himself what he was going to do. His train of thought was interrupted as he heard someone approach him. He looked ahead to see who it was and found Alston with a throwing spear in his hand. Once he had approached him, Alston placed his spear on the ground and sat facing Aldrich,

"Hey Aldrich" he said to him,

"Hi Alston."

"Is something on your mind? You look troubled."

"It's nothing." Alston looked to the ground and said in a milder tone,

"You know almost everyone back at the castle feel you are a boneless coward."

"How nice of you to lay it so gently."

"Of course I don't think that." He looked back up at him with a smile on his face and continued, "You are the bravest person I know and yes, I can't seem to understand what happened in Azrynn, but I'm sure you'll find a way to deal with it."

"You really think so."

"I've seen the way you do things Aldrich; you always find a way and this is no different, I'm sure of it."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Aldrich's lips, "Thank you Alston." he said to him. He picked up a fallen branch with a few leaves still on it and mounted it upright into the ground,

"What are you doing?" Alston asked, he picked a handful of grass and spread it around the branch and said,

"This is what I do to pass time."

"Play with sticks?"

"Practice the little magic I've learned." he placed he palm on the ground a few inches from the circle of grass and whispered, "Ta laminea." a small dim light left his palm and moved in a straight line of light towards the circle of grass, slowly, the grass started to kindle in little flames and as soon as whole circle was on fire, the leaves of the branch lighted up in a sudden burst of flames.

"Do you wish to become a mage?" Alston asked,

"Even if I did it isn't possible."

"Why?"

"Mages are people who are born with an affinity for magic, those people then have to learn the complex art which is magic." he pointed at the fire and added, "People like me are only good for things like this."

Alston got up and picked up his spear. "I have to go now, there are others who are waiting for me." he said to Aldrich, Aldrich bid him farewell right before he turned around to leave. A few moments after, he turned back and asked Aldrich,

"What was the name of that spell again? Ta-ta laminea?" A large bright glow of yellow light shone beneath his feet and began to move towards the tree behind Aldrich, Aldrich hastily leapt away from the lights path right before it hit the tree. As the light touched it, all the leaves on the tree burst in flames.

"That was my reading tree" Aldrich said in confused grief, he looked back at Alston who was seemingly frightened by what had happened,

"H-how did I...?"

"It's okay." Aldrich said to him as he placed his hand on Alston's shoulder. He added, "You have an affinity for magic" Alston stared up at the burning tree in disbelief, he said;

"But my mother isn't a mage and my father wasn't."

"Your ability doesn't run through blood, the best explanation to this is, well I can only say you were born lucky." Alston still had a lot of questions to ask but Aldrich cut him off short by shaking him by his shoulder, he then gestured with his chin towards Alston's comrades who had come looking for him, "we will speak about this later" he said to him. With that, Alston left to join his comrades now aware of something that might change him forever.