The Brothers of Nexus

Kael found Draven in the den, his arm bandaged up and the healing cream used up. The moment the door clicked shut, Draven's eyes fluttered open. "So? How'd it go?" he asked eagerly. Settling next to him, Kael launched into the day's wild tale - tracking the wolf, the weird vibes from the berry, and that mind-blowing magical display he'd witnessed. With a mix of pride and caution, he pulled out his prizes: the herb collection and those nine blood-red berries that gave off an eerie glow in the den's dim light. "These aren't just any berries," Kael said softly, staring at them. "I tried one earlier. Man, the rush it gave me... it was insane. Like nothing else." He turned to Draven, eyes bright. "You've gotta try it." But Draven wasn't having it. That nightmare from last night kept creeping back - the sparks, the flames, the chaos. What if these berries triggered something dark in him? What if he lost it and hurt his brother? His stomach churned at the thought. "Let's hold off," he said, trying to sound casual. "It's late anyway. Plus, these might be worth something in town." Classic Draven, always worrying about money and survival. Kael wished he could take that burden off his little brother's shoulders. "Come on, we'll still have plenty left," Kael reasoned. "Plus all these herbs and mushrooms. We won't go hungry." But Draven wouldn't budge. "These seem too special to just... eat right now," he mumbled. Kael let it go, though it bugged him. He wanted Draven to experience that crazy feeling, but pushing wouldn't help. "Fine," he conceded, "but I'm asking again tomorrow. Maybe you'll feel different before we head to town." Draven just nodded, avoiding eye contact.

 As Kael sorted through his findings, Draven lay back down, his mind racing with what-ifs. Meanwhile, Kael made a silent promise to crack the mystery of these berries - and drag his reluctant brother into this weird new adventure, ready or not. Morning came, and despite Draven's arm still giving him grief, he insisted on going to town. No way was he letting Kael go alone.

 They'd never made the trip to Embermire without their parents, and those visits were rare - their dad usually handled town business solo. Embermire was your typical small town - no fancy schools, just home-taught kids and more houses than shops. The town square had the basics: a market, herb shop, and blacksmith. About twelve families called it home, mostly farmers and ranchers raising everything from sheep to cows.

 As they packed up their goods, including those weirdly glowing berries, Kael's mind wandered to a time he'd visited with his dad years back. Kael couldn't help but smile as he remembered little Jera from the herb shop. Man, had she been a handful - this tiny terror with a tongue sharp enough to cut steel. She must be around Draven's age now, and Kael found himself wondering if she'd mellowed out at all. Maybe, just maybe, she and Draven could hit it off - that'd sure make things easier.

 The brothers set off for Embermire, their feet carrying them down the familiar three-mile path. It took them about an hour, and Kael couldn't help but notice how Draven got more fidgety as they neared town. Fair enough - first-time flying solo could make anyone nervous. Kael tried to look confident, though his stomach was doing flips. They had work to do. The herb shop was their target - those weird berries burning a hole in their pack. Kael was crossing his fingers they'd bring in enough coin to get some decent medicine-making gear. So he didn't botch any more batches of medicine.

Their folks had been pretty popular around here, always helping out with remedies and such. Maybe some of that goodwill would rub off on the two kids trying to make it on their own. They showed up early, practically bouncing with anticipation about what their foraged goods might be worth. The shop wasn't open yet, so they plopped down to wait. As dawn crept across the square, this girl came marching up and - wouldn't you know it - tried to chase them off like stray cats. "Beat it! No handouts!" she snapped. Kael had to bite back a laugh. Jera, all right - still as prickly as ever. Before he could get a word in, this older guy showed up behind her, giving her an earful about customer service. His face softened when he spotted them, and he waved them inside like old friends. "I'm Gideon Greenroot," he said, sliding them some water. "And this spitfire here's my daughter, Jera. Don't mind her bark - she's actually quite nice once you get past the thorns." Jera just glared daggers at them while Draven became absolutely fascinated with his shoes. Poor kid looked like he wanted to melt into the floorboards. When Gideon asked what brought them in, Kael opened their sack. The man's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of those red berries, and the mushrooms nearly knocked him backward. "Close it!" he hissed, looking like he'd seen a ghost. After catching his breath, he leaned in close. "Boys, what you've got there... those are Starfall Fruit." "These are incredibly rare - magic users would kill to get their hands on them for their power-boosting potions and pills. I can't believe you actually found these!" Kael felt his stomach do a somersault. "What're they worth?" Gideon's face broke into a warm smile. "How about two silver each?" Kael's mouth fell open. Two silver per fruit? Nine fruits meant eighteen silvers - enough to live at the inn for months! He caught Draven's eyes darting between the sack and him, and felt a wave of relief wash over him. The shopkeeper's attention shifted to the mushrooms, his eyes lighting up with fresh excitement. "Now these... these are something special. Know what you've got here? These babies are about as rare as they come - even royalty and top mages hunt for them. They can kickstart magic in kids before they hit adulthood - pretty much guarantees magical ability if there's any spark there to begin with." Draven and Kael shot each other stunned looks. "So if we ate them..." Kael's voice trailed off. "You could become mages," Gideon finished. "But here's the catch - forcing your magic channels open like that? It'll knock you flat. Not something to mess around with." The brothers couldn't take their eyes off the glowing mushrooms, their minds spinning with possibilities. After Gideon paid them for the Starfall Fruit, Kael, still dazed by the offer, piped up, "What happens if a non-mage eats these berries?" Gideon cocked his head thoughtfully. "Well, for someone without magic training, it sends this crazy energy surge through them. People say it shows what kind of magic you might have. That's why some families search out for these to test their kids when they hit their teens. Pricey gamble, but worth it for some folks." Kael nodded earnestly and followed her lead, muttering a quick thanks before they headed out. Jera stormed through Embermire's streets like she had somewhere better to be, barely hiding her annoyance as she shot dirty looks their way. Draven couldn't help stealing glances at her, while Kael just kept his head down, focusing on not tripping over his own feet. Finally stopping at the inn, Jera jerked her thumb at the door. "This is it. Mrs. Baker's in charge - she'll sort you out if you've got money." She paused, her face softening just a bit. "Hope it works out," she mumbled, then spun around and took off, her hair whipping behind her as she vanished into the crowd. Inside, they met Mrs. Baker - a plump, grandmotherly type with laugh lines and silver-streaked hair. She beamed at them from behind her desk. "Why hello there, dears! Need a place to stay?" "Yes, please," Kael said. "What's the monthly rate?" "One silver gets you a bed and meals for the month," she said, her smile growing warmer. Kael could've jumped for joy. Perfect! He handed over the coin, and Mrs. Baker showed them to their room - nothing fancy, but clean and snug, with two beds and a nice view of the town square. As they unpacked, they spread everything out on one bed. The nine coins caught the light, but those weird glowing mushrooms... they couldn't take their eyes off them. "So..." Draven finally piped up, breaking the heavy silence. "Should we actually eat these things?" Kael kept staring at the mushrooms. "It's pretty crazy, right? But if Gideon wasn't lying... we could be real mages." He let out a shaky breath. Draven gulped. The whole thing was equal parts exciting and scary as hell. Sure, they had no clue what they were getting into, but for once, they were calling the shots. Maybe that was something.