The Brothers of Nexus

Dawn crept over the camp while Gideon whipped up breakfast, his movements smooth as butter. He glanced over at Jera and Draven, keeping his voice casual. "Right, so today we're getting hands-on with your magic," he said. "Think of it like pulling a single thread from a ball of yarn - you want to draw out just a bit of your power and keep it under control. Don't worry if it feels weird or looks different from each other's - that's totally normal. Maybe head back to your spots from yesterday and get comfortable with the feeling before you try anything fancy." His eyes wandered to where Kael was sprawled out on a tree branch like a lazy cat, lost in his own world. The sight tugged at an old memory - another space user he'd known ages ago. Wondering if they were all such daydreamers, Gideon grabbed a plate and walked over. "Kael?" he called up, but might as well have been talking to the tree itself. After a moment's debate, he left the food at the base and backed off, letting sleeping dogs lie. Back at camp, he kept busy with his herbs while keeping tabs on everyone. Jera was the picture of focus by the water, but Draven... now that was concerning. The kid was breathing like he'd run a marathon, sweat pouring off him as he wrestled with something invisible. His hands started shaking, and then - whoosh! Fire exploded from his palms, filling the clearing with a blast of heat. Draven looked relieved for a split second before his eyes went glassy, mesmerized by his own flames. As he started to sway, Gideon was there in a flash, snuffing out the fire with his bare hands like it was nothing more than a candle. The worrying part? Those flames were way hotter than before. This kid's fire wasn't just going to be dangerous - it could be lethal. Meanwhile, Kael finally snapped out of his trance up in the tree. He'd been chasing the threads of his magic around his mind like a cat after a laser pointer, but his energy levels were stuck on empty. Frustrated, he hopped down and wolfed down the cold breakfast before spotting the others. He wandered over, throwing up a casual wave. "What'd I miss?" "Oh, you know," Draven said with a shaky laugh, running fingers through his sweat-soaked hair, "just nearly barbecued myself. But hey, I stayed conscious this time, so... progress?" Kael's brow furrowed as he crossed his arms. "Look, I've got decent control over my magic—it does what I want. But it's like I've hit some invisible ceiling. I Can't seem to accumulate any more magic." Draven let out a frustrated sigh. "Count yourself lucky. Mine's got a mind of its own. The fire just—" He paused, looking away uncomfortably. "It won't listen." Right on cue, flames burst from his hands, wild and untamed. Try as he might to clench his fists, the fire danced defiantly. His face fell. Deep down, he knew what the problem was, but telling Kael? That was another story. Jera sauntered over, looking mighty pleased with herself after her practice. "Well, well! I've managed to store up quite a bit of magic myself," she boasted, striking a pose. "Feels like I've got this little ice pond in my gut. I can swish it around if I concentrate, but that's about it." She shot the boys a teasing grin. "And thanks for the fireworks display, by the way. Very entertaining!" Draven chuckled nervously, scratching his neck. "Yeah... still working out the kinks." Kael just rolled his eyes. "Try not to turn yourself into an ice sculpture," he muttered, before turning to Draven. "I'm heading back up to my thinking spot in the tree." Draven plopped down by the fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames. The magic inside him felt like a restless beast, burning and churning. His thoughts turned dark. Kael's making progress. Jera's a natural. And me? He squeezed his hands into fists. Am I just dead weight? Kael scowled and folded his arms. "Look, I've got decent control over my magic—it does what I want, when I want. But hitting this ceiling is driving me crazy. Can't push past it." Draven let out a frustrated sigh. "Count yourself lucky. Mine's got a mind of its own. The fire just—" He paused, looking away uncomfortably. "It's like trying to tame a wild animal." Draven was worried and was thinking of the uncontrollable feeling. He didn't want another burst of flames to ignite in his hands, so uncontrolled and wild. Draven clenched his fists and started taking deep breaths. His expression darkened. he knew why he was struggling, but telling Kael felt impossible. Jera skipped over, looking pretty pleased with herself after her practice. "Well, well. I've got a nice little pool of magic going on in here," she said, patting her stomach. "Like a frozen pond I can swish around. That's about all I can do with it though." She shot the boys a teasing grin. "Thanks for the fireworks display, by the way. Very entertaining." Draven managed a shaky laugh, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "Yeah... still working out the kinks." "Just don't turn yourself into an ice cube," Kael muttered, brushing her off. He turned to Draven. "I'm heading back up to my thinking spot in the tree." Draven plopped down by the fire, mesmerized by the dancing flames. The magic inside him felt like a restless beast, burning and unstable. Everyone else is making progress. Kael's figuring it out. Jera's a natural. And me? His knuckles went white. Am I going to be left in the dust? Determined to improve, he closed his eyes and started drawing energy from the campfire, letting it seep into his core. Each breath brought more power, more focus. But his mind wouldn't shut up. What if I lose control? What if someone gets hurt? What if— His magic erupted. Flames exploded outward, wrapping him in a fiery cocoon. A massive pillar of fire shot skyward, blazing against the sunset like a beacon. Gideon rushed to him, fighting through the intense heat. "Control your breathing!" he shouted. "You'll burn yourself out!" Draven's thoughts were spiraling—worried about his brother's judgment, about that fire from his past. The memories triggered another surge, scorching the earth around him. Kael watched helplessly, desperate to help but unsure how. As he reached for his own magic, he saw Gideon plunge into the flames. The fire seared Gideon's arms, but he grabbed Draven's shoulders anyway, shaking him until his eyes snapped open. Seeing Gideon's burns, Draven's fire instantly died. Gideon exhaled heavily. Any longer and that could've been bad. But he saw potential in the boy—with proper control, he'd be unstoppable. Kael felt useless watching from afar. He'd have been toast in those flames. But something unexpected happened—in trying to help, he'd split his inner star in two, creating twin stars that danced around each other. Progress, finally. That night, Kael practiced in his tree, spinning his stars until they glowed brighter. By morning, he bounced into camp as everyone was waking up. "Rise and shine!" "Ugh, indoor voice please," Jera grumbled from her bedroll. Gideon nudged her. "Up and at 'em. Food's coming." "Thank goodness," Kael's stomach rumbled. "I'm starved." Draven nodded sleepily, still drained from yesterday's episode. As they ate, Gideon watched his students with pride, amazed at how far they'd come in just a week.