The Brothers of Nexus

The boys hung around at the inn all day, sharing meals and chatting with Ms. Baker. Funny how first impressions can be wrong - she wasn't nearly as scary as they'd thought. After dinner, Draven flopped onto his cot, rubbing his full belly. "You know what? She's actually pretty cool, and man, can she cook!" he said with a contented sigh. Meanwhile, Kael couldn't stop thinking about those mushrooms while he lay there staring up at the ceiling. Part of him was itching to try one right then, but common sense held him back. After all, who'd ever heard of anyone eating magical mushrooms? He rolled over to face his brother. "I'm doing this, Draven. No matter what," he said firmly. Draven shot him a worried look. "Already? We barely know what these things are. What if it goes south?" Kael sat up, frustration bubbling over. "Don't you see? This is our shot at something better! Sure, it's scary and we're clueless, but we've got each other's backs, right?" "I get it," Draven sighed heavily. "We've always figured things out together. I just... how do you stay so optimistic? We grew up the same way, but I'm still jumping at shadows." Kael's fists tightened. "Mom and Dad would've wanted this for us. Just imagine - us becoming real magicians! We could turn everything around!" Despite his worries, Draven felt a spark of excitement, even as that dream about the fire nagged at him. Kael cut through his thoughts: "Come on, we should do this together. Between your brains and my guts, we'd be unstoppable. We're meant for something bigger." Looking at his brother's determined face, Draven felt his resolve strengthen him. "Alright," he said. "Let's go for it." Kael grinned. "But not here. We should head back to that clearing by the den. No need to freak out Ms. Baker or the townspeople - who knows what'll happen when we eat these things?" "Yeah, the further from people, the better," Draven whispered. The Decision made, they turned in for the night, feeling lighter than they had in ages. Dreams of a brighter tomorrow danced through their heads that night. The next morning, they wandered down to find Ms. Baker had outdone herself - the kitchen was alive with the mouth-watering scent of crispy bacon, perfectly cooked eggs, and bread so fresh you could still feel the warmth. The smell alone was enough to put a spring in their step. Between mouthfuls, the boys couldn't contain their excitement about their woodland adventure and dreams of becoming mages. Ms. Baker just about snorted her coffee, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Aren't you two a bit long in the teeth for playing wizard in the forest?" she chuckled, her voice full of warmth. Draven caught the humor and joined in the laughter - it did sound pretty silly when you put it that way. But Kael? He wasn't having any of it. "Just you wait, Ms. Baker," he said with that stubborn confidence of his. "We'll be real magicians and go to the Tower someday. Mark my words." Ms. Baker wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "Well then, when you're both famous and powerful, don't forget about old Ms. Baker and her humble cooking!" Back in their room, Kael slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder, though something nagged at him about needing better gear now they had some coin. But he could already hear Draven's practical voice in his head - they had food and shelter, and that's what mattered most. Before they knew it, they were standing in front of the den again, the summer sun beating down mercilessly. Kael pulled out the mushrooms, passing one to Draven, who eyed the glowing blue fungus like it might bite him. "It's now or never," Kael said, trying to sound braver than he felt. "We're in this together." Down the hatch they went. For Kael, it was like three waves of energy washing over him - this gorgeous dark bluish-purple light with dancing star-like sparkles. Quick and painless. But Draven? Poor guy hit the deck like he'd been struck by lightning. He couldn't even speak - just clutched his chest while something like liquid fire seemed to tear through him. Kael freaked out, trying to help, but Draven managed to gasp out a warning: "Back off! Something's coming!" Kael barely had time to jump back before three massive pulses of fiery energy exploded from his brother, leaving Draven flat on his back, sweating like he'd run a marathon. Kael's jaw dropped - his own experience had been like a candle compared to Draven's bonfire. He couldn't contain himself, hauling his brother up and practically dancing with excitement. "We actually did it! That was incredible!" Draven could barely manage a weak smile. "Yeah... together..." They sat there in the aftermath - Kael bouncing with energy while Draven looked like he'd gone ten rounds with a bear. "Catch your breath," Kael said, practically vibrating with anticipation. "We've got to figure out what's different now." Draven jolted up, his eyes immediately drawn to his right wrist. Three thin red lines, like tiny scratches, caught his attention. "Kael, look at this," he blurted out. While Kael's wrists were clear, a quick search revealed something even stranger - a weird purplish, glowing "V" tucked behind his ear. The number five, maybe? The brothers exchanged confused looks, trying to make sense of it all. "Well, three lines can't be better than a V, right?" Draven said, trying to sound confident. "How're you feeling?" Kael asked, studying his brother's face. "Dead tired, but... weird. Like there's this fire inside me? It's keeping me warm, but man, if I don't keep it in check, it feels like I might burst into flames or something. Not exactly comfortable, you know?" Kael frowned, struggling to put his own experience into words. "For me, it's... nothing? Well, not nothing-nothing, but it's like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. The magic's there, but it keeps slipping away whenever I reach for it." "Hey, if anyone can figure this out, it's you," Draven said, grinning at his big brother. "You're too stubborn not to." "Why don't you give it a shot?" Kael suggested. Draven hesitated, remembering that awful dream about fire, but before he could protest, it happened. A rush of scorching energy surged through him, and suddenly his hands were wrapped in red-hot flames. Both brothers froze, mesmerized by the dancing fire. The flames grew stronger, hungrier, until - poof! They vanished, leaving Draven cold and dizzy. "Draven!" Kael's terrified voice seemed far away as darkness crept in. The last thing Draven felt was his body hitting the ground. Kael panicked, shaking his unconscious brother. "Come on, wake up!" When Draven didn't respond, Kael's mind raced to the only solution he could think of - Gideon, the herbalist. Fighting exhaustion, Kael hoisted Draven onto his back and started the grueling trek through the forest. "Just hang in there," he whispered, partly to Draven, partly to himself. Despite his fear, a small part of him couldn't help but feel amazed. His little brother had actually done it - real, honest-to-goodness magician. Raw and wild as it was, they were finally getting somewhere. Maybe their dreams weren't so impossible after all.