Double Trouble

For the longest time I had been running, my chest was heaving from the exertion and my legs felt like jelly that was forever seeping into the soft, inviting earth with every ragged step - my heart was pounding in my chest and sweat was pouring down the sides of my head. I was lost, in a deep forest that was conjured with a heavyset fog that encapsulated the world all around me in every direction. The trees were a pale white with jagged limbs that twisted and turned into horrific appendages that seeked to scratch and scape at my body as I fled; from who or what I was none the wiser - only aware that I felt the visceral need to escape.

Passing by a particularly thorny outcropping; the nailed point had pierced into my left eye, causing blood to rupture from the wounded orifice. Stumbling ever so slightly I found the worst footing in my attempts to stabilize myself, finding my foot lodged below an exposed root that sent me tumbling all the way forward now; landing face first into the freezing mud.

As I recoiled from the fall, I began to feel weird sensations against my face - as if the mud was sucking against my flesh, feasting or pulling me under in some horrifying malicious sentience. Lifting myself up the mud clung to the sides of my face, stretching all the way up as I fought with the earth to free myself of its grip. However there, just where my head had been mere seconds before; an earthy, twisted apparition of a face sloshed and bubbled its way out of the dirt; it's hideous mouth twisting into an open mouthed scream, pits where eyes were supposed to be merely stared back into mine, watching me as I fought to free myself from its grasp.

"AAAOUUUUGHHH!! AAAAAOUUUUGHHH!!" The creature screamed at me, it's pitch was a goosebump inducing shriek; but what really got the hairs to stand on end was the almost drowned quality it had to it's voice; as if its lungs were submerged in the filth and murk that constituted its body. Pulling back in a fit of terror I managed to free myself from its cold, merciless grip - feeling my eye split open and rip from its socket in the process. Clutching the side of my head it began to throb so loudly I could hear my own heartbeat through it; and with each heartbeat I could sense the creature manifest itself more and more in front of me.

Daring to look at it now with my one good eye; I could see that it stood at a height to me - it's body glooping and falling to the floor, only to be replaced by more murk seemingly from nowhere. It's arms were stretched out to grab me, standing mere feet away it slowly began to stumble towards me, mimicking the walk of a human being but failing in almost every regard. I reached for my sword but found that I was unarmed, I tried to cast some spells but again found myself muted to such abilities. I could only stand there in horror as my feet sunk deeper into the dirt, the monster approaching slowly but with gradual certainty.

Then, my blood ran cold as I looked back to the creatures face; seeing that once where there had been bottomless pits; now stood a single, solitary human eye staring back at me. An eye of deep blue that bore its way through to mine like a hot drill and butter. It was staring at my one last eye, it reached out its clawing filth towards my face, towards its prize. Oh gods it wanted to take the other! I tried to guard my face with my hands but found that they had been bounded behind my back by the roots of the pale trees nearby.

Screaming I could only watch helplessly as the mobile mud creeped ever closer, scratching at the air as it inched ever nearer to my exposed orb - and just as I was about to be impaled by the gelatinous growth; a strong breeze cascaded against my face.

Waking up in a panicked sweat I sat upright in what was apparently my bed, or at least a bed in one of the spare bedrooms in our house. Clawing back air I choked on the saliva that had pooled inside of my mouth, looking over to the window to see it had been left open ajar just as another prominent wind gust its way into the room. Clutching at my face I was reminded of the throbbing pain that pulsated from my left side, it ached and itched but was much better than it had been before. Still; there was an emptiness to the maimed side of my face that felt deflating to experience, a loss that I had never known before; I had experienced at such a tender age.

What day was it? I wondered to myself. I hope I hadn't overslept; I had made a promise to Elise after all and I intended to keep it regardless of how I felt. Looking to the window once again I saw that it had just cracked the first lights of dawn, hopefully I had only been asleep for the one night. Looking over to the other side of the bed, my now bad side I suppose, I saw my mother resting besides me, seated on a chair with her head burred into the mattress. As if sensing me stirring awake, she cracked open an eye slowly at first but then went wide as she noticed I was staring back.

"Edward!" She cupped my face and looked worryingly into my one good eye. "You must lay back down sweetheart, the physician recommended that you take at least a week for recovery." She tried to coax me to lay back down but I refused her gently.

"It's alright mother, I feel much better now." I held her hands reassuringly into mine. "The surgeons healing magic has done wonders to purify the wound, and the pain has mostly subsided, now all I feel is a dull ache and itching; which they say itching is a sign that the wound is healing right?" I tried to convince her, however her look only worried further. "Don't worry, I wouldn't push myself if I felt unable to look after myself, you know me I'm just as tenacious as father." I made her laugh in spite of her concern.

"That may be true, but your father is also reckless - or else he would be without myself and Veronica being there to reel him back in." She frowned and looked thoughtful for a moment, as if she was considering giving in to my argument just this once, although before she could decide I chimed in to nail the message home.

"I promised Elise that I would train her this morning, and I feel well enough to see that promise through. Don't make me break my word, or else she'll be the next one coming to take a piece of me." I laughed glumly at my morbid joke, mother **** a sad smile but I could tell she was conflicted by my words. Perhaps it was too soon to be making such jabs, after all I wasn't even sure what state Sidius was even in right now, had he been taken to the justice tower? Was he imprisoned here somewhere in the house? Was he free to roam as he liked, or had he even been punished at all?

"I don't like it, but I suppose you're a young man after your own father now; I can't keep you locked away forever and" She sighed in defeat. "I suppose it's about time that you made your own mistakes, you're a smart boy after all and I know that keeping a bird caged past his prime is immoral." She leaned in and hugged me to her, feeling her warmth against my body I cracked a small, genuine smile. "Just promise me that you'll come home the second things start getting too much to handle, there's no pride or honor in pushing yourself more than you can handle." She asked of me, worry wrought in her voice.

"Of course mother, I'm not so weak that losing an eye could render me inept." I flashed her a cocky smile that made her laugh with the remnants of dried tears still reddening to her eyes.

"Just like your damnable father, I swear you pair will be the end of me." We laughed together in the glow of the early morning, hearing the sounds of a cockerel from outside in the farmers pen announce to the world the coming of light. Looking to me she released me of her grip slowly. "Be quick about it, before I change my mind." She motioned to me, not needing to be told twice I shuffled quickly out of bed and dressed myself; however before I could leave the room she thrust a bundle of leathered cloth into my hand. Piecing it apart in my grasp, it unraveled to reveal itself as what is for all intents and purposes; an eye patch.

"Maybe the common folk will start calling me 'Edward the Pirate'." I laughed to myself, however the humor was lost on my mother who merely gave me a disapproving look. Not one to test her any further after having been given the go ahead to do as I pleased - I made to leave the room, however mother stopped me before I could.

"We'll talk about Sidius when you get back, alright? You have nothing to fear from him, your father has seen to setting him straight." Mother reassured, nodding I flashed her a comforting smile.

"Get some sleep mother, your eyes look worse than mine." She sent me a sour look but then laughed nevertheless. Exiting through the door I quickly removed the gauss that had been padded around my eye, it stung at first as the morning air reached the scarring tissue - but I soon replaced it with the black eye patch you might imagine seeing from a pirate movie, it wore snug around my eye and did well to 'fill' some of that empty feeling I now had. Depth perception might be a little tricky to get used to from now on, but given my enhancements I'm sure I could adapt in no time at all.

Speaking of which, I activated my various body & sense enhancements for the first time since the duel, instantly I felt a lot less stressed out; as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders that I hadn't even known I was feeling. Hearing everything as crystal clear as I usually could was reassuring beyond belief, like I was regaining a crutch that I had grown so reliant on.

Exiting through the front door, I was greeted with the birds as they chirped their morning calls to one another, with no idea as to the events that had transpired the last night; such ignorance was to be envied I felt. The guards were just changing shifts as I made out through the front gate - I waved to the two of them as I usually did, however the guards response was a little jerky and unsure - their eyes transfixed on my patch, and wordless from the shock it would also seem.

As I opened the gate and walked down the trail, I couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"So it's true, that Sidius kid really gouged his eye out." One of the guards commented monotonously, grim from the news. It seems the incident has spread at least through the household guards, perhaps even beyond. Scratch that; it had almost certainly reached the townsfolk by now, there's no secrets amongst tightly-knit folks like this and I'm certain the guards that had seen me back to the house during the night must have also blabbed to their families on their return home.

"To stab your own brother, the little monster can't leave soon enough." The other guard grumbled, taking a swig of his morning coffee from the canteen.

"Good news then; did you hear the instructor is arriving ahead of schedule?" That got my attention.

"Really? There's some good news then, at least."

"Yeah, he could even arrive this morning if the trail is clear of bandits." Walking out of hearing range now, I focused on the trail before me, my head was still thumping but the fresh air and exercise was doing good for me I knew; better to be out and about than cooped up in some dingy old room. Part of recovery is having a good mood after all; why else do placebos work? Brain chemicals can be just as important to keeping the body healthy as those injected or otherwise consumed; in a lot of cases.

Suddenly a bird fell out of its nest before me, a little baby chick that splattered to the ground with a dull thud. The poor thing writhed a couple of times but then lay flat out dead across the cobbled road. Looking up I could see a much larger bird, still a chick but with definite advantages to size and I also suspected species; was in the process of evicting another one of his brothers from the nest. Seeing this stopped me dead in my tracks and I couldn't help but allow my thoughts to wander to Sidius.

I don't think he was trying to kill me, but then again; how could I truly know that? I thought that he was down and out and had calmed during our duels climax the other night; I felt like I could trust that he had stopped since our thoughts and feelings were transmitted on that hill; but really I had no idea what he was planning - and I learnt that lesson the hard way. Seeing another of the chicks be pushed out of its nest to its **** I decided to shake my head and carry on down the trail. Better I try to get there before Elise, I did promise to be there after all and I wasn't one to keep people waiting on me if I could help it - and these morbid thoughts weren't doing my head any good.

Now atop the hill that we had designated as the training grounds, I was greeted with the sight of Elise Rivers with her back turned to me as she stared down the expanse and into the fields, taking in the sights of the hamlet as it stirred into life. Seeing an opportunity to repay her for her little pranks, I walked slowly and softly towards her exposed back, making sure not to step on anything that might alert her to my approach. Defty I tiptoed patiently towards her, until finally I reached out and grabbed her with a short, sharp shout.

"AHHHH!!" She squeaked out in surprise, almost jumping out of her skin she rounded on me and hit my arm when she realized it was only me. Laughing as she seethed at my totally 'not funny' joke, suddenly she froze up and I supposed it was time to face the music. Reaching up she cupped the side of my face experimentally, her soft fingers tracing down the lines of my eyepatch as if testing to see if it was real or not.

"So it's true what they've been saying this morning... How horrible." Her face was wrought with worry as I knew it would be, out of everyone in this hamlet; Elise was the one I had spent the most time with, training amongst the cadets and then sparring after classes we had become inseparable. She was my childhood friend after all, I knew she would be worried but it hurt me to know that I was the source of this concern; for her sake I needed to be in control and downplay last nights severity.

"It was an accident, we got a little boisterous out in the yard and I messed up. It's my fault just as much as his, serves me right for not having my enhancements on really." I rubbed the back of my head with a sheepish grin, I was a terrible liar when it came to Elise it seems, and I suspected that she knew it as well.

"It was a spar with sharpened blades?" Elise asked the most piercing of questions, pardon the pun, and I found that I couldn't exactly weasel my way out of this one.

"Not initially, no..." I conceded after a short pause, her frown burrowed at that admission.

"Then he is everything I suspect of him, and perhaps worse. Edward..." She began to say softly, however knowing her for this long I could tell where she was going with that tone of voice and decided to interject.

"I'm fine, really Elise. Thanks for the concern, but last night was a freak accident and won't be repeated again. I don't intend to take off my enhancements around him ever again, and I'm assured that he has calmed down and seen the error of his ways." Even I wasn't convinced by that latter part, but I'm sure of the former. Elise smiled reassuringly, if not for my sake then I suspected for hers.

"How many times have you gone through this song and dance before? Sidius acts out, your family 'punishes' him, and then he doubles down instead of making corrections? And I fear it's only going to get worse now Ed, he's crossed a line that no one should ever cross; stabbing your younger brother with a sharp blade in a mock duel is no accident, he's intentionally walking down a dark path with no one capable of dragging him off the trail; he has no one left to blame anymore for his actions and that makes him dangerous, not just to you Ed; but to the hamlet and everyone else around him." Elise's words cut deep, somehow deeper than the scar tissue forming around my left eye even - her words were what I needed to hear but didn't want; I was stuck in an endless loop of second guessing and making up excuses for Sidius - but laid out bare like this I couldn't deny the truth of these claims nor the latent potential for Sidius to 'switch targets' so to speak from me to others he may deem worthy of his retribution. For a long time I mulled with these thoughts before looking back to Elise, her eyes were determined and confident with her own perspective, her eyes transfixed on my remaining one as if challenging me to refute her. I knew then that I had no place left to make excuses for him, and in fact didn't even feel the need to try anymore.

"You're right Elise, what Sidius did is unforgiveable to me - and I too see the threat he poses to the people around him now that you mention it; however I hear tell that his enrollment to the BrightWood academy is being pushed up; his instructor is on the way to Varden as we speak." To that Elise's eyes lit up a little.

"Which means he won't be our problem anymore." She finished, sighing in relief.

"Right, he'll be the academies problem for a few years." Hearing of the return date I watched as Elise visibly deflated. "Who knows, maybe he'll be corrected by the trained professionals at the academy and comes back a changed man, or maybe he only gets worse during his time there, maybe he fails the graduation and comes back all jaded and twisted." I spoke aloud my worries, only realizing I did so when I noticed the grim turn that inhabited my friends face. Realizing my mistake I tried to downplay my observation.

"But I'm sure it'll be the former, despite Sidius' temperament; he's a damned good fighter and I'm sure the royal army would have a position to suit his... Inclinations, lets say." Hearing that removed some of the sting but I'm afraid the barbs had already been cast, Elise gave me a look I'd never seen from her before as she asked me I suppose the most crucial of questions.

"If he came back as a monster, could you kill Sidius?" Her face was deadly serious, scoffing at first I felt my brow furrow subconsciously from the question.

"Come on now, this is all hypotheticals - I don't think Sidius is going to come back a crazed psycho; impulsive he may be but I think he enjoys his freedoms too much to do anything beyond the pale." I thought I said I would stop making excuses for Sidius - or perhaps these excuses weren't for him; but for my own sake? Elise pressed forward, her face looking up at me from below, her vivid green eyes locked onto mine.

"Answer the question; could you do it?" She asked, unrelenting in her demands for a response. I didn't know how I could respond here without betraying some aspect of myself; if I answered yes then I made myself out to be a kin slayer in the making - if I answered no then I made myself out to be weak or subordinate to my brother. I didn't want either, although I knew the answer nevertheless.

"I don't have to answer shit, we'll cross that road when and if we come to it, and I don't particularly appreciate the question Elise." Stepping away from her I looked off so that she couldn't see my anger that was beginning to rise to the surface. Then rounding back on her as my emotions got the better of me. "Could you kill your brother? Jason, wasn't it?" Hearing her own brothers name her features softened a little. "If Jason was acting out of line when he joins the cadets; could you entertain being asked if you'd **** him because of some fabricated future where he becomes a monster?" I deflected the question entirely, seeing Elise look away and then back to me as her eyes sought out an answer through space.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." Seeing she was apologizing for making me angry made me feel terrible all of a sudden.

"No, no It's my fault too." I sighed, bridging my nose between my thumb and index finger. "Look, this morning was supposed to be about your training, right? Not about my stupid problems." I flashed her a smile that seemed to warm her up. "What do you say, should we forget this stupid fight ever happened and get to teaching you this dumb enchant?" Looking up energetically she nodded happily, she had been pestering me about this enchantment for a while now ever since I first showed her it's power a few years back when we first sparred out in the local woods by chopping a tree down with just a blunted training sword and some imbued magic.

"Alright very well, let's get to it. Present your form." Getting into a duelists stance where her body was contorted into a fencing position, sideways body profile and outstretched arm jutting her sword out before me. I found this position to be more easy to learn the basics of mana enchantment as it excludes most variables that could conflict with its learning.

Several hours later, I could feel the wind pick up as its aspect now strongly imbued its way into her notched arrow - loosing it the projectile soared through the air and deep into the woods over half a mile away in distance, even from here I could hear the cracking sounds of wood and bark as the struck tree collapsed into the canopy of its brethren.

"WOOOOO!!" She jumped up and cheered as she watched the tree tumble into the woods in splintered remains. Even I was shocked at the **** of the shot combined with the distance it had traveled, it had travelled a good 1'000 yards at least, even if it was from uphill that distance was flooring to say the least. Grinning at me like a cat that had caught a mouse, I smiled back approvingly; proud that she had learnt such an enchantment so quickly.

"So Enchantments are a lot different to enhancements then, the way my mana had to flow was much different than I'm used to." She commented whilst flexing her mana back and forth through the arrows shaft; committing the feel & motions to muscle memory.

"Right; think of enchantments as mana flowing into an object externally while enhancements are mana flowing into yourself internally. They both have the same flow control to them; it's just the direction and intentions that are different." I explained, the concept had come to me almost instinctually enough but it seems others in this world aren't so adept. Sidius for example I heard tell that his swordplay is by far the school of expertise where he most shines - his magic on the other hand is rather dull and lacking in refinement. It took him a whole week to learn how to manifest his mana into spells; and given that the outward projection of mana is the stepping stone to all other schools of wizardry - I'd say Elise' understanding of enchantments to be on the upper end of magical capabilities. Although for how much I am commended for being a genius by those around me; perhaps my world view is entirely skewed.

"Did you see how far it flew?! I could never manage that distance without the wind aspect." She breathed in new found awe of her own abilities.

"I'm as shocked as you are, do you see the collision spot amidst those trees?" I pointed to the parting of the canopy that gave way to her destruction - I could see it quite clearly given my eagle eye enhancements, and had made sure before she fired that the general area was free of unwanted training targets. I don't know how I could even begin to explain the annihilation of a wayward woodsman to father given Elise was under my watchful tutorage.

"Not from here, my enhancements clearly aren't as good as yours. Even with one eye you still see better than me!" She mock pouted, before returning to her hellish grin. "Let's shoot another one!" She almost pulled back the arrow notched to her string before I held up an arm to stop her.

"Whilst practice does make perfect - I didn't account for the sheer destruction your newfound powers would inflict on the area, from where I'm standing you've reduced a tree to absolute splinters - and the shockwave from the blast has sent several neighboring trees to the ground; or near enough that makes no difference." Whilst I intended to garner caution by telling her this, I could still see her practically buzzing from the news instead. Not that I blame her really, to have that much power flowing from your fingertips; I knew all too well the allures and intoxication it instills into ones own heart.

"I don't think father will be happy to hear we evicted the hamlets lumberjacks of a career, do you?" Laughing she shook her head, sending locks of her deep wooden locks cascading from side to side. Even as sweat beaded her brow from the hours exertions; she still caused my breath to catch in my throat, corny as that might sound. As her emerald eyes caught mine I **** myself to look away; else I might be swallowed up within them as a field might do to a seedling burrowed within its depths. It wasn't just her looks that arrested me so; but her voice too - that angelic laughter, that tone of hers that could rival any of the greatest voice actresses back on earth.

I must seem a tad too bashful given my actual age; but understandably I'm rather inexperienced given my old creed at the financial firm that left little to no opportunities for romance or female familiarity - truly when it comes to social intelligence I might as well still be a 16 year old boy. The latter of which makes it somewhat difficult to navigate the topic of the former; a 29 year old in the body of a boy aged 16; can I even seek out a female for companionship given these circumstances? Could I consent? Probably, but nobody else but myself could ever see it that way. Sighing I knew it was best to give way to reason on this one; it's only 2 more years so I should do my best to stave off from giving into my more base desires. With hormones coursing through me like a freight train, my machinations were cut short when one of the household guards that had hailed me from my manors gates this morning peeked his head up from over the decline of the hill. Hearing his approach of course I anticipated this and turned to look as he hurried over to us, a letter clutched within his hands.

"Here sir, a letter from your father." The man handed me the off-white scroll, a typical form of communication between father and those he spoke to; it was often through the form of a scroll or simple messenger if he was feeling lazy. Unfurling the sheet I flattened it out horizontally before me, making sure the sun was at my back before reading.

'Dear Edward,

It has come to my intention that the BrightWood academy tutor is not far from reaching Varden, and as such it will soon be time for any combatants from well-to-do households that are of age be made to report to the family manor; from which those gathered will be tested and tried out - if they make the cut then they are to be sent off before the coming of night and begin their tutorage under our capitals most prestigious military institute. Those that are denied may appeal next year.

As you are reading this your thoughts must no doubt be focused on Elise, and you are correct to do so. Since both Sidius and Elise are from respected households and are recently of age; their enrollment to the academy is non negotiable, with any attempts to purposefully fail the test warranting hefty fines to be paid by the relevant family members. For these reasons, please instruct Elise to make ready at once and join us in the courtyard - and do warn her of the fines should she attempt to skirt her duties.

Given that Sidius will be parting from us much sooner than expected; and considering the 'spat' you two both had the other night; I warn you that this might be the last time you're both able to reconcile your differences. I understand this is a selfish request; but for the sake of your mothers and I; please go and speak to Sidius. I've shouted at him until my throat was bloodied from the strain; I assure you that he will be pliable to your words.

Love; from father.'

Reading these words my eyes widened and my pulse quickened. I knew that Sidius was being sent off to the academy; but now Elise too? Quickly I rushed to the railing, and as if on some cosmic beings time keeping there he was; a hooded man with his back to me that looked far too out of place - his clothes being much too regal and gilded to be a simple farmer in new garbs; he was also shockingly tall even from this distance. Estimating that the man stood at 6 and a half feet tall with pure muscle - there was no denying that it was the BrightWood instructor.

Joining herself besides me, Elise peered down and also spotted the man.

"Who's that?" She wondered aloud in an innocent tone.

"Elise, we've gotta talk."