Koby stood up to get more water from the large clay container near the cottage wall. He filled his water skin, the cool liquid gurgling softly in the quiet evening. As he secured the stopper, he glanced around the firelit clearing and noticed Rowan's absence.
"Wasn't Rowan ahead of us?" Koby asked, turning back toward the group. "Shouldn't he be around by now?"
"I was catching us some dinner." Rowan's voice boomed suddenly from behind him.
Koby jumped, nearly dropping the water skin. "Stop doing that," he muttered, pressing a hand to his chest.
"Doing what?" Rowan asked, feigning ignorance as he stepped into the flickering circle of firelight. Over his shoulder, he carried the carcass of a large animal.
"Well, I'm starving," Kai echoed, his tone brighter as they all gathered around the fire to inspect Rowan's catch.
The animal was unlike any Koby, Kai, or James had ever seen. It was majestic even in death—a stag with antlers of gleaming white that branched like winter trees, intricate and pale as bone. Patches of its hide glowed faintly with a soft blue luminescence, pulsing slowly like a fading heartbeat before dimming as the creature breathed its last. A deep wound in its stomach told of a quick, clean kill.
"You've never seen a moonvale stag before, have you?" Axle asked, already moving to help Rowan prepare it.
Kai rolled his eyes. "Geez, I wonder if we grew up here that we'd know what a moonvale stag is."
Axle raised a hand in surrender, a faint smirk on his lips. They all moved to the large wooden table that served as their dining area—a worn, sturdy slab of timber under the open sky. They waited quietly as Rowan and Axle began to butcher and roast the meat, the scent of herbs and seared flesh slowly filling the air.
"Raya isn't back yet," James noted, his gaze drifting toward the dark path that led to Lyrielle's cottage.
"It's alright," Axle assured without looking up. "She's with Lyrielle. She's in good hands."
"Still…" Kai began, but Koby placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.
"She's fine. I'm sure she is," Koby said, his voice steady.
"Yeah," Kai muttered, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "You would know."
"What?"
"Never mind."
A few days later, training had progressed noticeably. The boys finally had a fair understanding of what aura was—not just a concept, but a tangible, flowing energy they could sense within themselves. Manipulating it still felt clumsy, like trying to grip water, but they were learning. Raya, for her part, had successfully opened her pathways with Lyrelle's help, and now the two of them worked together to do the same for the boys.
"Ouch, that hurts," Kai complained, his face scrunched up as Lyrielle channeled her aura through his pathways.
"Don't be a wimp, Kai," Raya said with a warm smile, her hands glowing with soft green light as she directed her healing energy around him, soothing the strain.
"Remind me how dangerous this is again?" Kai grumbled, turning his head slightly to look at Lyrielle.
"This one doesn't shut up, does he?" Lyrielle said, a hint of annoyance in her voice as she gently but firmly turned his head forward again.
"It will not kill you, Kai," James called from where he sat nearby, polishing his sword with a worn cloth. "It just hurts a little."
"Just because you successfully opened your pathways without complaining doesn't mean I don't have to complain," Kai shot back.
Raya leaned closer, her expression earnest. "The pain is minimal because I can use my healing skills properly now. So if this hurts you, what would you have done in my shoes?"
A flicker of worry crossed Kai's face, smoothing his earlier irritation. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.
"Of course," she replied, her smile softening.
"The procedure is almost over," Lyrielle cut in, lightly tapping Kai's head with her knuckles. "So if you all will just shut up and let me concentrate."
She continued, her focus absolute. Raya matched her rhythm, her healing aura flowing steadily. In a few more minutes, the tension eased, and Lyrielle withdrew her hands.
"There. All done," she announced. "Wasn't that hard, was it?"
Kai just looked at her, pain still vivid in his eyes, but relief already washing through his body like a cool tide. "It felt like my whole body was being stretched and heated beyond its limit," he muttered, though the fight had left his voice.
"Such a crybaby," Lyrielle said, not unkindly. She motioned for Koby to come and sit. Then, turning to Raya, she added, "Your talent in healing is extraordinary. You're going to be training with me from now on."
"Like I had a choice in the matter," Raya joked, but her eyes shone with quiet pride.
Koby sat down and folded his legs, readying himself. Lyrielle placed her hands on his shoulders, her expression serene. But as soon as she began to pour her aura into his pathways, she felt it—something different. Something subtly out of place.
She paused, her blue eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Hmm… do you feel anything, Koby?" she asked, her tone carefully neutral.
"No," Koby said, offering a faint, brave smile. "If it's gonna hurt, don't worry about it. I can handle the pain."
"Sure you can," Kai chimed in, only to be slapped lightly on the back of the head by James.
Lyrielle began again, her aura flowing deeper this time—and that's when the pain started. It was sharp, intense, and utterly invasive, like something tearing its way out from beneath his skin. Koby clenched his jaw, determined to endure silently, but the sensation escalated beyond bearing. A ragged scream tore from his throat before he could stifle it.
"Stop—give me a minute!" he gasped, doubling over as Lyrielle immediately withdrew her energy. She held his shoulders while Raya rushed forward, her healing glow enveloping him. Concern was vivid in both their eyes.
Lyrielle glanced toward Rowan, who had been observing from the doorway. Confusion showed plainly on his face.
"Why don't we try this another time?" Rowan suggested, his voice unusually careful.
"Don't worry," Koby said between deep, steadying breaths. "I can handle it. Just need a breather."
"There's no shame in taking your time to do something," Lyrielle said gently but firmly. "We'll continue tomorrow." With that, she stood and left the room, Rowan following close behind.
The moment they were gone, Kai let out a low whistle. "I can handle the pain," he mocked lightly, though there was no real malice in it.
"Shut up, Kai," James said, already moving to squat beside Koby. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Koby said, still breathing deeply. "It was just… intense. But that's normal, right? You guys felt it too."
"Yeah," James said evenly. "The pain is normal."
Raya nodded in agreement, though her eyes lingered on Koby with a knowing worry she didn't voice.
"See? He's alright," Kai said, shrugging. "Just needs to man up and take that pain."
"Coming from someone who complained during his own session, that's rich," Koby fired back, a faint smirk returning to his face.
Kai grinned in response, the tension diffusing slightly.
"I'm going to head out to clear my head a bit," Koby announced, pushing himself up.
"Cool," James said. "Don't go too far."
"Sure."
They watched as Koby walked out of the cottage and disappeared into the shadowy tree line. Only when he was completely out of sight did Raya speak, her voice low and uneasy.
"He's not going to be fine," she said aloud.
James turned to her. "What do you mean?"
"Lyrielle's aura was clearly leaking from his body instead of being passed through it," she explained, her words measured but heavy.
"Leaking?" James repeated, concern sharpening his tone.
"Yes."
Kai's playful expression vanished. "Why didn't you tell him that?" he asked, his blue eyes squinting slightly in judgment.
Raya sighed, folding her arms. "You two know how Koby can be. He doesn't like to show when he's hurt. He bottles everything up."
To their surprise, James nodded slowly. "It's good that you didn't tell him."
"What?" Kai said, surprised to see James taking Raya's side.
"He should clear out his head first. Then we'll tell him later what it means."
Kai looked between them, the weight of the situation settling over the room like a chill. "What exactly does it mean?" he asked quietly.
The fire crackled in the hearth. None of them had an answer—but
the question hung in the air, sharp and haunting, long into the night.