Awakening in the Dark (2/2)

The sun burned high in the sky, casting short shadows over the training courtyard of the Order of Sorcerers. It was a clearing surrounded by tall trees, the dirt ground marked by years of training from young apprentices with little control over their powers. 

In the center of the courtyard, a group of young sorcerers, all around the age of twelve, formed an irregular circle. Their clothing was simple—gray tunics stained with dirt and torn at the sleeves, but their eyes shone with a mix of determination and exhaustion. In front of them, a middle-aged instructor with a graying beard and scars all over his body shouted orders.

"Posture, you slackers! Do you want a Vhorr'tak to rip your heads off because you can't even stand properly?" His voice was rough, as sharp as a blade.

Among the students, one boy stood out—not for his height, as he was only slightly above average, but for the way he carried himself. Joseph crossed his arms, his messy blond hair falling over sharp blue eyes filled with a mix of boredom and amusement. Unlike the others, he didn't bother correcting his posture. Instead, he tilted his head to the side and gave a crooked grin.

"Master Splinter—I mean, instructor Garren, seriously, do you think the Vhorr'tak will care about my stance? They'll be too busy screaming while I tear them to pieces." His voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, and a ripple of chuckles spread through the group.

Garren spun on his heels, narrowing his eyes at Joseph. "That mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble one day, boy. Let's see if your hands can keep up with that big talk. Step into the center—now!"

Joseph shrugged and walked leisurely to the middle of the circle. As he passed by the others, he shot a sideways glance at Jessica, who stood a few feet away.

She had brown hair tied back in a messy ponytail, piercing green eyes, and an expression that mixed irritation with focus. Her arms were crossed behind her back, and she seemed to be making a conscious effort not to look directly at him.

"Hey, Jess," Joseph said, winking as he walked past. "Pay attention, alright? I'm about to show you how it's done."

Jessica rolled her eyes, but a faint blush crept up her cheeks. "If you trip over your own arrogance, Joseph, I'm going to laugh loud enough for everyone to hear."

Joseph chuckled—a clear, cocky sound—before turning to face Garren. "Who am I taking down today, boss? Send as many as you want."

Garren snorted, already used to the boy's antics, and pointed at a skinny red-haired boy with freckles scattered across his face. "Tomas, you're up."

Tomas swallowed hard, hesitating for a moment before stepping forward. He was slightly taller than Joseph, and his hands trembled slightly as he raised his fists, trying to mimic the fighting stance Garren had taught them.

Tiny red sparks danced around his fingers—a sign of his unstable power.

Joseph didn't even bother raising his fists. Instead, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his tunic and tilted his head, examining Tomas as if he were an interesting insect. "Really? Tomas? He can barely start a campfire without burning his eyebrows off."

The group laughed again, and Tomas flushed red, his eyes narrowing with anger. "Shut up, Joseph! Let's see who's laughing last!" He lunged, throwing a fist crackling with red sparks straight at Joseph's chest.

Joseph sidestepped lazily, as if avoiding a puddle, and gave Tomas a light smack on the back of the head as he stumbled past.

"Careful there, Red. I don't want you hurting yourself before I even break a sweat," Joseph said, spinning on his heel to face Tomas again. He shot another look at Jessica, raising an eyebrow. "You seeing this, Jess? Too easy."

Jessica huffed, but her lips twitched into a half-smile she quickly tried to hide. "You're unbearable," she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.

Tomas, regaining his balance, turned and tried a clumsy kick. This time, Joseph didn't dodge. He raised a hand, and white sparks leaped from his fingers, forming a barrier that electrocuted Tomas's foot.

The shock was weak, but enough to make Tomas lose his balance again and land on his backside with a groan.

Joseph laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "Oh, Tomas, you're making this too easy! Want me to lend you some talent? I've got plenty to spare."

"Enough!" Garren cut in, stepping forward. "Tomas, back to the circle. Joseph, stop playing around and fight for real. Next—Lina!"

A girl with short black hair and determined brown eyes stepped forward. Her dark eyes shone with resolve, different from Tomas's impulsive anger. She raised her hands in a firm stance, fingers spread as if about to grasp the air. A subtle gust of wind began to swirl around her, lifting dust from the ground and making the hem of her tunic flutter.

Joseph raised an eyebrow, finally pulling his hands out of his pockets. "Let's see if you can take me down, Lina. But no pressure, okay? Just don't cry when I send you flying."

Lina didn't respond to the taunt. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she made a quick motion with her right hand. The air in front of her rippled, and a razor-sharp gust of wind shot toward Joseph, cutting through the air like a blade.

Joseph reacted fast, twisting his body to the side as white sparks crackled in his left hand. He swung his arm downward, slicing through the wind blade. "Not bad! But it'll take more than a breeze to impress me."

The air around Lina began to vibrate more intensely, as if she were pulling the wind toward herself. Her dark eyes started to glow, locked onto Joseph, while the dust on the training ground rose in tiny whirlwinds. She flexed her fingers, and the gentle breeze surrounding her transformed into a steady current, swirling around her body like an invisible armor.

Joseph tilted his head, his trademark smirk still in place. "What's this?"

Without a word, Lina took a step forward—but it wasn't an ordinary step. The wind around her exploded in a controlled burst, propelling her forward in a blur of movement.

In the blink of an eye, she was inches from Joseph, her right fist raised, wrapped in a current of air. The strike came straight for his chest, fast enough to make the other young sorcerers' eyes widen in shock.

Joseph's eyes widened for a fraction of a second as well, instinct kicking in as sparks of electricity crackled across his body.

He threw his torso backward, Lina's fist slicing through the air just inches from his nose. White sparks shot from his back, keeping him suspended midair. "Damn, Lina! You almost got me! You're getting sharp, huh?"

Lina didn't waste time. The moment she saw Joseph in the air, held up by his sparks, she seized the opening. Propelled by her own wind, she raised her leg and swung down with a precise kick.

But before her strike could land, Joseph simply vanished.

Lina's foot hit nothing but empty air, the force of her movement kicking up a small cloud of dust from the ground. Her eyes widened in surprise at the lack of impact.

Then, a hand rested lightly on her shoulder.

"Who are you trying to hit, sweetheart?" Joseph asked, right behind her.

"Who are you trying to hit, sweetheart?" Joseph's voice echoed behind her, dripping with sarcasm. He was so close that Lina could feel the faint crackle of white sparks still flickering around him, the subtle heat of his electricity brushing against the back of her neck.

Lina reacted on instinct, spinning around in a fluid motion as the wind roared back to life. She launched her elbow toward Joseph's chest, but he simply caught it with his electricity-wrapped hand, dissipating the wind.

"What do you prefer—a shock or a punch?"

"You bastard—"

DZZZZ!

Lina collapsed to the ground, electrocuted.

Garren clapped his hands, ending the fight. "That's enough, Joseph. Get out of there. You might be the best here, but if you don't learn to take this seriously, you'll end up with a Vhorr'tak laughing in your face while it cuts you in half."

Joseph shrugged, the smile never leaving his face. "Relax, sensei. When I grow up, the Vhorr'tak are gonna have nightmares about me." He walked back to the circle, stopping beside Jessica and leaning slightly toward her. "And you, Jess, you're gonna want to have dinner with me when I'm famous, right?"

She bumped his shoulder, but not hard enough to actually push him away. "Keep dreaming, Joseph. Dream big."

***

The world returned in pieces.

First came the sound—a rhythmic creaking, wood groaning against wood, mixed with the muffled clop-clop of hooves striking dirt. Then the smell: a blend of musty straw, rancid sweat, and something that vaguely resembled manure.

Joseph blinked slowly, his eyelids feeling like they had been glued shut, his blurred vision spinning in shades of gray and brown.

His head throbbed, a dull ache pulsing in sync with his heartbeat, and his body felt… off. Numb. He tried to move his arms, but they responded sluggishly, and something cold brushed against his skin.

"What… the hell?" he murmured, his voice hoarse and childlike, coming out more as a croak than actual words.

Several seconds passed—maybe minutes, who could tell?—before he managed to focus enough to make sense of his surroundings. The ceiling above him was made of old fabric, curved and full of tears, swaying slightly.

A cart. He was inside a cart.

"Okay… that's new," he thought, his mind still swimming in a fog as he tried to sit up. His body protested, muscles screaming in agony, and he collapsed back with a groan.

That's when Joseph noticed the extra weight on his wrists.

He lifted his arms with effort, his eyes widening as he stared at the thick, rusted chains binding his scrawny wrists. 'What the fuck is this?'