NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Julian just shat himself!
Mana is wonderful.
If I had to put it in simpler words, mana felt like an additional limb that had always been there but very numb. And the more you understand about it, the more you feel, you have too many limbs!
It has been a few days since I and Arthur awakened our mana cores. And while unlike Arthur who was totally ok after his awakening, the same can't be said about me or Reynolds—our father.
While I was awakening, my barrier created a strong pulling force while Arthur's made a strong pushing force. Since we were in close proximity, it seems like our barriers collided and the space where they merged, it turned into an invisible saw which rent and tore everything apart.
Amidst the carnage, while Reynolds was protecting Alice, his back was brutally torn by the sharp, flying debris.
However, Alice is an emitter and was able to heal him and luckily, there were no scars.
Right now we were inside an inn. We have been here for the past 3 days. Since nothing remained of our house, we had to move to somewhere liveable. Reynolds and Alice's old adventuring party decided to help rebuild the house, so until they're doing that, we are stuck here.
Currently I was laying with my head in Alice's lap, while Arthur was sitting in Reynolds' lap, facing towards me.
Every now and then he'd squint his eyes at me.
I feel like my persuit of not holding back has granted me with some unwanted competition.
Sibling rivalry—I suppose the word is. It is quite an unhealthy obsession, remembering how bad it got with the Horikitas.
Alice and Reynolds were both eating after feeding us. Since the table of the inn was too small for all of us, they let us eat first.
Wiping her lips, Alice craned her neck down and kissed my cheeks.
Even from this kiss I can tell that Arthur has a more angular face, given how despite the baby fat around his features, Alice's lips never dig this deep into his cheeks.
I suppose this was bound to happen given how much I eat, but well, I am a baby. I might need all the nutrients in this world to grow. To grow and explore the world beyond this so called "comfortable cocoon" of "family."
However, I am not all that ungrateful. These past 3 and a half years have been eventful. Reading about it and then experiencing motherly love which is devoid of any ulterior motives are two extremely different things.
It's not that impressive given how it's more of an instinct, something coded inside mothers of all species—even animals, but that doesn't make it any less...enjoyable? Comfortable? Warm? Intriguing?
I can't press my finger exactly on the exact notion of this 'feeling.'
Arthur grumbled slightly, his cheeks flaring and reddening as he saw Alice kiss me one more time.
Cute.
The corners of Alice's lips curved into a sweet smile as she bent over the table—after putting me to the side—and picked Arthur up from Reynolds' lap. Putting him in her lap, she ruffled his hair before planting a kiss on his cheeks. "Awhhh! Is Arthur jealous of his brother?"
"Yes!" Arthur threw his hands up but then, his fingers curled into fists as he looked down, his face flushed with embarrassment.
I am sure if I was in his boots, I would've reacted the same. That was indeed cringeworthy. A potentially grown man being jealous of a child—well, from his perspective.
Alice giggled. "Mom will give you lots of love then!"
I suppose he still hasn't overcome what I call the "baby syndrome."
Despite having my consciousness from my adult days, I still have some baby reflexes. Like having the sudden urge to crawl despite knowing how to walk, break something, or just fall behind and hit my head against something.
The instinctual urge to follow Alice all around the house or the exhorting compulsion of repeating what Reynolds do.
These are things that are under control and do not overtake my own motors controls, however, just the passing thought of it is enough that I am limited to a foreign body. If even the body of an infant can have this much impact, I wonder how much it will take to hijack the body of a fully grown adult.
It's interesting, and definitely something that will stay in my mind.
Reynolds shifted in his place, cutting sharply through my derailing train of thoughts, Alice's streak of kisses and Arthur's growing embarrassment.
"Honey." He spoke, making Alice look at him.
Wiggling his way out of her arms, Arthur dropped like a corpse right next to me and turned his head towards me. "You did not see that."
"But I did."
"You did not."
"Ok."
Letting out a deep breath, Arthur turned to listen in on what Reynolds had to say.
"I think it's time we get the boys a proper tutor." Reynolds suggested, making my ears perk.
"Reynolds, they're not even four yet." Alice replied calmly but I could see her voice cracking. "Besides you said if our kids are augmenters, you would be able to teach them!" She protested instantly.
"Well, that's right and all, but there are two variables now." Reynolds shook his head. "I had not expected our sons to be such prodigies when it comes to mana manipulation. Who has even heard of awakening at the age of three?"
Reynolds let out a deep breath and then looked at me. "To top it off, Julian awakened after looking at Arthur awaken! Who has even done that before? At the age of two! Bloody two!"
Arthur grumbled once again as he looked back at me. Due to him being a year older than me, he was massive when compared to me. "There you go, stealing away my thunder."
Wrapping his arm around my neck, he put me in a strong looking but very weak chokehold.
Needless to say, all I could do was wait for him to release me due to my body being so weak.
Technically speaking, I am not weak, but rather, I might be the strongest 2-year-old—who is about to turn 3 in a few days—in the world, but that said, since we both are black cores, Arthur has the advantage over me due to his hulking size and older age.
"Besides, even if I have to train them, I can only do it with Arthur. I can't guide Julian!" Reynolds spoke and then looked at me as if confirming his words. "I don't know the basics or implications of what it means to be a conjurer. And neither can you guide him much. Talents like these two need better guidance."
As Reynolds finished, he let out a breath, before picking up the glass beside him on the floor and picked it up. The gulp felt like a heavy boom in the stillness of the room.
Alice had gone silent, biting at the tip of her thumb. Her contemplation was visible on her features.
"Right, Julian?" Reynolds suddenly asked me.
"Uhh—"
I don't think it's a wise decision to involve a 2-year-old in your married life, Reynolds!
"I would assume so."
"Haah! See? Even Julian agrees." Reynolds spoke with an air of victory around him. "And he never talks!"
"..." Arthur stayed silent. His initial approach was to dispel the situation by saying that he didn't want one.
"What about you Arthur?" Alice asked, her face etched with worry. And despite his efforts, he had landed in the situation he didn't want to be in.
"Uhh—" He hesitated at first. "—if we are going to get us a tutor, the main concern is us going away, yes...?"
"Of course!" Alice agreed, nodding furiously.
"Well then how about both mom and dad also coming with us?" As soon as the words left Arthur's mouth, both Reynolds and Alice gave each other a baffled look.
Well, there goes my plan of leaving this warm cocoon and going for my full potential. While it is still possible, I think an inconvenience like family will only hinder my growth. Not debilitate it, but hinder it, which is a big deal.
"What's up, Julian?" Reynolds asked abruptly. He might've noticed how I was in a daze.
"Nothing, really." I replied, looking back down at my tiny fists curling and uncurling them. Looking up at Alice, I tilted my head. "Can I have some milk?"
The food I had eaten a while ago was spicy enough to still leave a burning hot aftertaste on my tongue.
Maybe this body is just extremely sensitive. Be it my basic senses or mana.
"Ah!" Despite her scrunched features, her face lit up as she stood up and went to the place where she had stored the milk away.
This isn't the ideal outcome that I had desired, but I suppose it's still not the worst. I can wait until I can actually do something of substance. Until then, let's train this body of mine...
A rather haunting sensation dawned on me.
I tried to move, but I realised I can't.
"Mother." I spoke out loud, just enough for her to hear.
She looked at me with a rather concerned face.
Perhaps I had forgotten due to the sheer absurdity of it, but...spicy food isn't very good for a baby's stomach.
"I need to go..." I felt my words drawl, transitioning from a pent up, morbid pain to a sudden bliss.
"Yikes, Julian just shat himself!" Arthur snickered, grinning ear to ear at me.
"ARTHUR!"
"ARTHUR!"
Yeah...I should kill him the moment I get the chance.
*******************Author's Note:
Even though I ain't listening to it, drop down your favourite potential ships.
And also, I promise—kind of, hehe—that the next chapter will be out tomorrow. And it shall be 5K words. Until then:
Toodaloo. Sayonara.