The Other Side of the Coin

On a day before the contact with Ethan was made and the young mages departed from the camp:

"I have something to discuss with you."

With his chin held high and chest puffed out Frey almost seemed to look down on Nathaniel as he blocked the path to the tents. The fire of defiance in Frey's eyes showed that he still mistrusted the other, yet he would not back down until he got what he wanted.

"Sure."

Frey blinked, obviously surprised by Nathaniel's fast approval. He was not used to adults who listened to him. For a second, his demeanor faltered, then he gritted his teeth. "Don't think I trust you just because Lady Katherine says you're good and you freed us from that torture house. I know you have ulterior motives, just like the organization. You want to use my siblings for your war, right? You want to attack the organization but from what I see you have way too few men for that. Nobles are all the same! You want to exploit my sibling's magic too, right?"

Nathaniel's face was as emotionless as ever as he coldly stared down at the younger boy. Just when he opened his mouth, Frey seemed to have taken his own guess, and pointed his finger at Nathaniel with rightful anger. "I knew it! You are all the same! Just because we are children, you think we are easy to bully! But don't you dare try to exploit my siblings as long as I am here! I helped you just to free us from that house, not to put them in a new danger, you hear me?! If you need to use someone, use me, not them. I'm older and better than them anyway!"

When Nathaniel just nodded, Frey harrumphed and turned to leave. Yet, he suddenly found himself caught by the back of his collar like an unruly puppy.

"Let go! Let me go!" Wriggling and screaming, Frey tried to free himself to no avail. As if he weighed nothing, Nathaniel picked him up by the collar and dragged him along out of the camp.

"Stop making a ruckus as if I'm going to kill you." With this comment, Nathaniel let go of him. "I didn't plan to use any of you children but I just remembered that you were part of the scheme to kidnap my wife and even slipped out of my people's grasp afterward. So tell me, what can you do to make up for that? Maybe something with that magic of yours?"

At that point in time, Nathaniel only vaguely intended to use Frey for a few messenger services. However, as he got to know more about the boy's power, dread began to build in him. He remembered the instances his guards reported the strange behavior of the Duke of Sleipnir.

"So, when you communicate with someone using the wind, would it seem as if you are talking to yourself?"

Frey tilted his head thoughtfully, his vigilance slowly waning the longer he talked with this intimidating yet strangely curious man. "Probably?"

"Then, would you notice it if another air mage, for example, listens in on your conversation over the wind?"

"There is no other air mage like me! I was always the only one in our group!"

"Yes... in your group. I think I might have the right task for you."

.

Despite all preparations and the knowledge that there were traps installed, Nathaniel still failed to anticipate what happened right before him. Katherine blindly following Ethan to a place Nathaniel could not reach was not within his plans. This darn temperamental woman! Could she not think for a moment before acting?

Impatience seethed almost visibly under Nathaniel's skin while he watched his soldiers hack and kick against the barrier. His red, sharp eyes searched for any sign of progress, a gap, or a weak point in the invisible wall. He gritted his teeth. He did expect to meet some unusual mages today, even some air mages. Frey showed him that bending air could result in bending light. Thus, air mages could create minor illusions. But looking at how sturdy and large this invisible barrier was, it was not something 'minor'.

For a second, Nathaniel considered using his magic, before he realized that it would be just as useless against the air wall as against stone or iron. His darkness only ate living things, and the mages responsible were nowhere in sight. He would uselessly reveal his trump card.

He cursed. If it was already like this, it might be better to let air fight against air. His magic only needed a small crack, after all. He did not want to involve a child in the fight, regardless of how talented, yet that did not mean he didn't keep him nearby, hidden together with a small group of guards that supposedly left with the group that brought the other children to safety. For the safety of his wife and child, Nathaniel did not dare to idle any longer.

About a minute later, Frey broke through the invisible barrier and the soldiers poured through the hole.

"You, retreat," Nathaniel commanded the boy as he passed him by, but didn't look back to see if he complied. Before the rows of uniformed men, Katherine was easy to spot, as was the man that just sprung onto her saddle, and soon reached for her throat. This bastard.

His red eyes burning, Nathaniel urged his horse into a gallop. At the same time, a black mist built around his upper body as if he fabricated his very own storm cloud. Then suddenly, the sky turned dark. Even in the pursuit of his wife, Nathaniel felt a shiver run down his back as he felt something ominous approaching. He looked up - and his eyes widened in horror.

Something like a black liquid carpet had risen from the burned canyon that ran between the two mountains. Now it blocked out the sun. It was straggly, gigantic, and moving as if it was alive. Alive. Nathaniel paled.

He had hoped it was only imagination when he felt something familiar in this region. After all, he had never seen this place in person. He only knew something that was orchestrated here, as it was associated with the guilt that he felt for Katherine's parent's death.

It was also the reason he believed Ethan would ultimately lead them here, as the remains of one of the organization's most successful test subjects rested around here, in the canyon below the mountains, unable to be retrieved even after several months. This canyon - it was the grave she had burned into the earth herself.

Yes, this exact mountainside was the place where everything began. It was the place where Princess Bellatrix was murdered by drinking a rare tea gifted by the young master of house Sleipnir. A tea whose not-so-leafy ingredient Nathaniel now regretted ever giving. It seemed the doctor's discovery was too late. The remains of Nathaniel's magic could turn back to life if they rested in organic matter for a long time. This darkness that blocked the sun was proof enough.

Yet, despite knowing the gigantic mass of deadly magic was originally his, Nathaniel felt not an inkling of joy. Instead, his first thought was: 'This world is doomed.'

And this belief only strengthened when he heard a voice in his heart that had shed all childishness. It was deep, grave, and with a hint of irony. 'Long time no see, Master.'