Break

Chapter 20.5: For Every Good, a Bad

"Why are we doing this?" Gravo asks me.

"Focus on this rather than questioning me," I scold. "Just try to make the sunflower bloom."

"It seems pointless."

"It is pointless, but we're doing it."

"Such a good explanation, Dad," Gravo sighs. "Good talk."

I watch on as he struggles to get the seed to become a sprout. Maybe we should have started with a sprout first. Just as I think this, a full sunflower springs from the ground like a giant. It was growing under the soil. Great.

"We packed the dirt too hard," Gravo notes.

"That we did. That. We. Did."

"Why don't I feel excitement?" he asks me.

"It has been done before, and all you did was make a plant grow. I'm proud of you, though. You have potential," I encourage him.

"What's next?" he asks.

"Water. We need to keep this plant alive," I tell him. "Are you sure you want to learn that today?"

"Positive."

"Why are you suddenly so determined to learn all of this? A week ago, you didn't want anything to do with magic," I point out.

"Well you see, I met this one guy that was really good at using magic. Basically, I made a friend. He is a fire mage, so I want to learn how to use water so I can either save a cage from him or beat him in a fight." He met another mage.

"No faith in your friend?" I chuckle.

"He's clumsy," Gravo shrugs. "I mean, yeah, he can take care of himself, but he looked like he needed a friend."

"I did not know you enjoyed social interactions," I say.

"I don't want to be friends with a human," Gravo says bluntly. "It'll only be a short time before they die anyway."

"Your mother and birth mother were human, Gravo," I point out, trying to keep the pain and anger from my voice. "Humans make you appreciate life more."

"And then they die and make you hate life," Gravo argues. "Mages are better. At least they understand magic."

"Do what you want," I sigh. "Just don't cause trouble."

"You know that I prefer to lay low," he scoffs.

"Gravo, I don't think you understand," I say sternly. "You know that new king of Heraison? His radical ideals are spreading. He is invoking fear in all of the population. Do you know what that fear is, Gravo?" He remains silent. "That mages think themselves superior and wish to overthrow humanity."

"Isn't the superiority true though? We are superior, right? We can easily stop them," he replies.

"No, Gravo, we are not superior. We never were or will be. In fact, I think us inferior in some ways. Humans cause a huge impact in such a short lifespan. They build civilizations and destroy them. They create fascinating ways to solve problems, and they build structures some would deem impossible," I explain. "We cannot stop them from killing us. They have slain the mightiest of dragons and taken the lives of numerous other mages. They have murdered every witch in existence but one. We stand no chance, Gravo. We are in danger."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" he asks desperately. "Do we just stay here and get killed?"

"We flee to the mountains Dored when things get heated. I do not wish for any confrontation."