Awakening in the Woods

 The two boys stayed at the inn the rest of the day, talking and enjoying both lunch and dinner with Ms. Baker. Despite her sometimes-gruff demeanor, they realized she wasn't as bad as she first seemed. Draven stretched out on his small cot after dinner, his belly full. "She's really not all that bad, and she's a really good cook," he said, patting his stomach with satisfaction. Kael lay on his own cot, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts consumed by the mushrooms. He wanted to eat one right then and there, but the uncertainty of what might happen held him back. He'd never heard of anyone eating such a thing, let alone seen it happen. Rolling over to face Draven, he finally spoke his mind. "I'm going to do it, no matter what," Kael declared, his voice steady with determination. Draven looked at him, his expression cautious. "Are you sure? We only just found out what they are. What if something goes wrong?" Kael sat up, his frustration spilling out. "This is our chance, Draven. Don't you get it? After everything we've been through, this is our only way to a better life. It's going to be hard, and yeah, we don't know what we're doing. But we have each other. We can do it together, don't you think?" Draven sighed, his doubt weighing heavily on him. "You're right, Kael. We've always been able to get through things together. It's just... I don't know how you're always so positive. We've lived the same life, and I'm still scared of everything." Kael clenched his fists, his voice filled with resolve. "I feel like this is what Mom and Dad would have wanted for us. Just think—us, magicians! We could change everything, Draven." Draven couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement, though nervous thoughts still clouded his mind. The dream he'd had, the fire—it all felt too close. Eating the mushroom would almost confirm his fears. Kael's voice broke through his thoughts. "I want to do this together, Draven. Just think about it. With my ambitions and your smarts, we could do anything. I know we're going to be something special." Draven looked into his brother's determined eyes and felt a new sense of resolve stirring within him. "Okay," he said finally. "Let's do this." Kael's face lit up with a grin. "But not here," he said. "We should go back to the clearing near the den. We don't want to cause a scene for Ms. Baker or the town. There's no telling what could happen when we eat those mushrooms." Draven nodded, his nerves still present but tempered by Kael's confidence. "The farther away from people, the better," he said, his voice quiet. With that decision made, the boys went to bed, their hearts lighter than they'd been in weeks. The thought of a better future filled their dreams that night. When they woke the next morning, they found Ms. Baker had prepared a hearty breakfast for them—bacon, eggs, and fresh bread. The smell alone lifted their spirits. As they ate, the boys excitedly explained their plan to go into the woods and become mages. Ms. Baker raised an eyebrow, laughing at their youthful enthusiasm. "Don't you know you're too old to be playing make-believe in the woods?" she teased, her laughter warm and hearty. Draven couldn't help but laugh along. When he thought about it, it did sound a bit childish. But Kael, ever resolute, just shrugged off her comment. "Just wait, Ms. Baker," he said confidently. "We're going to be magicians and go to the Tower. You just watch." Ms. Baker shook her head, still chuckling. "Alright, then. But when that happens, you two better not forget the good cooking and hospitality of lonely Ms. Baker here," she said, trying to stifle her laughter. The boys returned to their room after breakfast. Kael grabbed his bow and arrows, strapping them over his shoulder. He hesitated for a moment, thinking about how they might need better weapons now that they had some money. But he knew what Draven would say—they had food and a roof over their heads, and weapons weren't a necessity. Still, the thought lingered in his mind as they prepared for their journey back into the woods.

The boys were back in front of the den before they knew it. The sun was high in the sky, and it was a hot summer day. Kael took out the two mushrooms and handed one to Draven. He hesitantly took the slightly glowing blue mushroom. Kael then said it was now or never and that together they would be okay. They both threw the mushroom in their mouths. Kael immediately felt three strong pulses of energy, a dark bluish-purple glow mixed with twinkles of light that resembled tiny stars. The sensation passed in just a few breaths. But Draven, on the other hand, dropped to his knees the moment Kael's energy stopped. He couldn't even react to Kael's words—his chest felt tight, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. It felt as if there was a fire burning in his stomach, cooking him from the inside out. Kael dropped to his knees, shaking Draven. "Are you okay? Talk to me!" Draven yelled out, "Get back! Get away from me! I feel it—get back!" Kael immediately jumped back, and three extremely hot and fast pulses of fiery energy burst out of Draven, leaving him collapsed on the ground, sweating bullets. Kael stared at his brother in complete shock. Compared to the energy he had felt, Draven's looked like an explosion of power. Kael ran to Draven and picked him up, yelling excitedly, "We did it! We did it! Wasn't that awesome? I told you we could do it together!" Draven sighed heavily, completely worn out from the experience. "Yeah... we did it... together." They both sat there cross-legged—Kael completely fine and not out of breath at all, while Draven was the complete opposite, almost drained entirely, breathing heavily and slouched over. Kael told him to catch his breath so they could see what had changed and if they noticed anything different. As Draven sat up and looked at his hands, he noticed three thin red lines on his right wrist. He immediately showed Kael. Kael examined his own wrist and found nothing. Draven told him to check somewhere else, and as they inspected Kael's body, Draven found a purplish glowing letter "V" behind Kael's ear. They assumed it meant the number five. The boys sat there puzzled, wondering what it could mean. Draven automatically assumed that "V" was better than "|||." But Kael asked, "Do you feel any different?" Draven explained that he felt extremely tired, but it was as if a strong fire was burning inside him, constantly keeping him warm to the touch. He added that if he didn't focus, it felt like it could overheat in a second's notice, a very uncomfortable feeling he added. Kael sat there trying to articulate what he felt, but there wasn't any kind of distinct feeling. It was the opposite—almost like a sense of nothingness inside. Draven asked him if he felt any magic at all, and Kael said that he definitely felt something, but it was like it was out of reach, deep inside. Every time he got close to grabbing the feeling, it slipped away from him. He expressed frustration to Draven as he couldn't activate any kind of magic. Draven told him not to worry, firmly saying he was sure that, of all people, his older brother Kael would figure something out through pride and determination alone. Kael expressed some relief from hearing his little brother's words and said to Draven, "Why don't you try something?" Draven expressed concerns about what could happen, thinking back to that terrible dream he had about the fire. As he thought of those things, it was like an uncontrollable wave of scorching hot energy moved through his body and shot down to his hands, igniting them in balls of red-hot fire. The sight shocked the boys into silence. Draven sat there staring into the fire in his hands, almost as if it were drawing him in. He could feel the power moving through him, pulsing with an energy he didn't quite understand. The longer he stared, the hotter the flames grew, eating hungrily at the air. It was mesmerizing and terrifying all at once. Then, suddenly, the fire extinguished itself, leaving his hands empty and cold. The energy inside him vanished just as quickly, and a wave of dizziness washed over him. "Draven!" Kael's voice broke through the haze, filled with panic as Draven collapsed to the ground. Kael scrambled to his side, shaking him frantically. "Draven! Wake up! Come on, wake up!" Draven didn't respond. His body was limp, his face pale and drenched in sweat. Kael's heart raced as guilt and fear surged through him. He had pushed his brother too hard. He had thought they could do this together, that they were ready. But now, seeing Draven like this, he wasn't so sure anymore. He couldn't let his brother suffer. The first thought that came to his mind was Gideon. The herbalist could help. He had to. Without wasting another moment, Kael lifted Draven onto his back, staggering slightly under the weight. Determination burned in his chest as he set off toward the herb shop, weaving through the dense forest with a mix of urgency and desperation. "Hold on, Draven," Kael whispered, his voice trembling. "I'll get you help. I promise." The journey felt endless. Sweat dripped down Kael's face as he pushed himself harder, his legs aching with each step. Draven's limp form weighed heavily on him, both physically and emotionally. But even through the exhaustion, Kael couldn't help but feel a flicker of pride. His little brother had done magic. Real magic. It had been raw and unstable, but it was undeniable. Kael allowed himself to smile through the fear. They were closer to their dream than ever before.