Jeroen started as he woke, sitting upright so suddenly that he almost launched Azriel onto the floor.

  "Oh shit." He caught the baby from falling. "That was a close one."

  "You good?" He asked Azriel lifting him up. He could swear to the Emir that child was glaring at him. Outside he could still hear the storm raging, but there was no telling how long they'd been in the shack. He sighed deeply, truthfully, he never meant to sleep that long.

  "It's your fault." Jeroen muttered , glowering at Azriel. Azriel, however, just stared at him blinking slowly as he yawned.

  "Now that you woke me up let's go." That seemed to piss Azriel off because his face scrunched, and moments later, his wails filled the shack. Jeroen winced, doing his best to quiet him, but the crying only grew louder as he strapped the baby into his sling.

  "Alright! Alright! I'm sorry can you please be quiet?" He yelled, throwing on his cloak then he unlocked the door and stepped out into the rainy weather.

  Azriel shut up the moment they were out in the rain again it was a relief the kid wasn't stupid. Or maybe he was just cold? It didn't matter though at least he was quiet.

  He looked up shielding his eyes from the torrent of water. It was subtle, and hard to make out with the thunderclouds above, but the sky had definitely grown lighter. It was also a slightly easier to make out the shapes of the trees.

  Habitually he scanned the roots of a few trees nearby as he crossed the moat. And despite his principles, he left the pallet bridge over it despite how much it irked him.

  As he walked, his eyes caught an unusual shadow near a tree’s base. Squinting, he focused his sight. At first, it appeared to be nothing more than a gnarled root. But then he recognized what he feared most.

  "." The shadow shifted and vanished. His heart lurched, and he burst into a run.

  "

  Now that he was looking for them he spotted at least a half dozen more lingering in the shadows. They never went to far from the dense canopy's of the trees, always staying out of the way of any rain that was more than a drizzle.

  He counted his heartbeat, each thump echoing relentlessly in his ears. The tightness in his chest grew with every beat, as if his lungs were trapped in a shrinking cage.

  "." Still, there was nothing, just the oppressive drive of the rain that made his vision blurry. He repeated the count four more times, his breaths shallow and trembling as he ran.

  Not a single trace of movement.

  The absence of their shadows gnawed at him, they were ruthless once they had a target they hunted it down. No way in Raishi's light would they stop so easily.

  Ten cycles of counting later, he still hadn’t caught sight of them, but that didn’t let him put his guard down. The damned poisonous mutts could hide easily in the darkness. And in the forest, well, that was their domain.

  "."

  Change of plans he'd head to the river in fact it might even be faster for him. He shifted his direction, instinctively knowing where he'd find it.

  It didn't take too long, or maybe it did? Minutes, or hours, might have passed, but time was too blurred in his fear-fueled run. The sole thing he was sure of was his heart beat.

  Only when he saw the trees stop around six paces away from the raging stream he was searching for did he allow himself any relief.

  He collapsed near the river bank, his strength completely sapped, leaving him barely able to move. The overflowing, muddy water was full of debris from carcasses of animals and large branches, to random sticks and leaves.

  Without all the tree shadows shading the floor of the forest he was able to fully see the Racki. Its head looked like a dog's the body was a formless, ever-shifting mass of dark goo. He watched it drip slowly onto the ground, the substance dissolved the plants beneath it leaving behind nothing but bare, lifeless patches.

  A steady mass of thick goo oozed downward, killing everything it touched, only to draw itself back together as if it had never split apart. He watched the one in front of him dissipate into a puddle within itself.

  Another one appeared on a tree root slowly sinking into the wood as the roots dissolved beneath it.

  A few moments later it disappeared into goo and the first Racki reformed itself. He felt disgusted staring at the near unkillable monster. He was only safe during the storm and that was only while it was raining. He needed to cross the river now.

  Maybe he was paranoid, but fuck, no one wanted to see one let alone have a damn picnic with them. He rolled over and stood up fully coated in mud and leaves.

  "." He knelt cautiously by the edge of the overflowing bank then he stuck his hand in the frigid water.

  Any other moment he would've thrown himself into the water and stayed there till he froze to death just to avoid those monsters. But he had to take care of Azriel.

  As the biting cold cascaded over his skin, Jeroen felt a familiar feeling welling up in his gut. Breathing in an out he closed his eyes and cleared his mind focusing on the sensation of the water crashing against him, and the rain that drenched him.

  After a moment he could tell the difference between each droplet of water that stung against his skin. Jeroen loved and hated this feeling of freedom.

  He gathered some of the water around him in a large wave that he had fall on top of him. The water crashed around him and he absorbed into himself it as if both the water and him were one.

  His body became cold and chilled, he could feel the raging power of a tsunami rushing inside his veins. He started sweating as he used the water he had absorbed and stopped the river's raging current.

  His clothes were no longer wet each droplet of rain that touched him became trapped within his veins. Holding his breath so as not to lose control over his power or let it leak out; he opened his eyes.

  Their blue glow in the reflection of the muddy water caught his eye. A stranger stared back at him, cold and unrecognizable.

  His irises rippled with each breath, waves colliding against each other with an almost hypnotic rhythm, as if the ocean itself lived behind his gaze. The sight unsettled him, not because it was foreign, but because it wasn’t.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  The power had always been there, lingering beneath the surface, and every time he called on it, it felt more like returning home than wielding a weapon.

  He shuddered, not from the cold or wind, but from the terrifying pull of its familiarity. The call to let go of everything else, to sink, to vanish and become free forever.

  He feared that perhaps one day he'd listen to the water, that he might let himself drown in it and never resurface.

  He could never trust this side of himself, the part that longed to run free. Sighing he looked down at his arm icy tendrils crawled up it, chasing his glowing veins.

  "!"

  The river parted before him. He grimaced from holding back back the current of upstream water that pushed against his will, begging in his mind to be free and run wild again.

  He focused on holding it in place as he lowered himself into the river bed. Everything was dry, from the stones to the earth.

  Hell if he wanted to he could probably kick up some dust, not a single drop of rain could touch the ground unless he willed it. He walked across the bottom glancing back briefly to make sure the Racki kept their distance.

  Comforted by the fact that he they still clung to the shelter of the forest he climbed out of the bed relieved to be leaving the bastards behind.

  "." He thought and the water crashed down behind him roaring wildly as it splashed out on either side of the river but not even a drop of water managed to touch him despite his close proximity.

  He didn't release the water within himself. Something else caught his eyes deep in the forest. It was moving towards him he grabbed a dagger from his sleeve, unsure of the threat.

  The last thing he wanted to do was fight while protecting Azriel. He spared a second to focus his hearing on the kid strapped to his chest. And yes thank the Emir the kid was still breathing.

  The shadow got larger it looked human like he racked his brain thinking of the potential monsters it might be. And from the shadows emerged the worst one he could think of.

  That face. That damned face could only belong to one man.

  His brother.

  "Larn?" A lump formed in his throat, a mix of rage and disbelief swirling within him. What could his brother possibly want now?

  "Larn... what are you doing here?" He asked trying to hide the rage in his voice.

  "" His thoughts swam as he called on the water in his rage. The air crystallized around him, frigid tendrils creeping out like living things.

  "Hey squid how've you been?" Larn held his hands up in surrender.

  "DON'T! Don't you fucking dare!!!

  "Geez... four years hasn't been long enough?"

  "Hah," He scoffed shattering his dagger with a burst of ice, "Not long enough for you to die apparently."

  "You really want to fight now?" Larn asked pointing at Jeroen's chest.

  Jeroen had forgotten about Azriel.

  "! He couldn't risk the kid, plus Azriel was already shivering from the cold temperature. Jeroen bit back the surge of power threatening to burst free. He couldn’t lose control, not with the child in his arms.

  "You planned this you damned son of Racki!"

  "Ha and you kiss mother with that mouth."

  "Not anymore thanks to you." He growled only holding back his rage so he didn't harm Azriel.

  "You could've thanked me then you know." Larn said with a grin walking even closer.

  "There's no reason to thank you Larnean. You KILLED MY MOTHER!" Jeroen screamed he could feel the water in his magic veins pulsing with the same rage he felt. They both wanted to destroy him.

  "Our." Larn dared to correct him. "Our mother Jeroen. She was my mother too."

  "Don't you dare call her your mother!" Jeroen yelled his fists clenched until the ice crawling up his arm cracked and fell away in shards.

  Every muscle in his body screamed for him to lash out to kill the traitor that hid from him for years.

  "You lost that privilege when you murdered her!"

  "I swear on Virilulam I had a reason." Larn replied looking at the ground he seemed almost sincere, but the moment he looked up again he was wearing that damned unreadable mask. "Plus I come in peace brother."

  "If you claim to come in peace why are there more people hiding in the forest?" Jeroen asked spitefully.

  "They're here in case things don't go....well peacefully like planned." Larn flashed him a grin and took a step closer.

  Jeroen threw an ice dagger he had made that second right at Larn's left foot that was threatening to move forward. The sharp, strong ice stuck into the ground and Larn glared at him stepping back now.

  "First tell me why you're here. Then we can see if things will go peacefully from there."

  "You could've stabbed me." Larn said flatly, feigning to be hurt.

  "Cut the shit and get to the point." Jeroen hissed losing his temper by the second.

  "Fine. Since you're so

  "You're here for me?" Jeroen asked in utter disbelief.

  "Not you dumbass the demon spawn."

  "Should've figured you wouldn't ever come just for me." Jeroen muttered bitterly, he couldn't believe he was feeling jealous over this. No it wasn't jealousy, just anger.

  "Hand it over and I'll let you go away no strings. Hell you'll even be paid." Larn promised pulling out a pouch from his cloak. "If you don't well, then I'll be here for you. Your head to be exact."

  "Unlike you I don't sell other's blood for money." Jeroen spat freezing the bag and its contents into breaking , despite the distance between them.

  "That was supposed to be mine if you refused bastard!" Larn yelled signaling to the forest.

  The rain above them stopped suddenly. Jeroen felt weirdly abandoned by its absence, he had not commanded the rain to disperse.

  "." He waited for a response. !" He yelled to the rain in the sky but it ignored him.

  "How many did you bring?" Jeroen asked bitterly as he began racking his brain for a way of escape. The river behind him was the only obvious route.

  "Two water, a plant, and one lightning." Larn responded counting them off with his fingers.

  "You must have brought a whole damn squad of Drezaki." Jeroen responded backing up ever so slightly. Despite his best attempts to hold his emotions back tears threatened to spill from the corners of his eyes. "Coward."

  "Or just smart." Larn said with a smile. "Don't make us do this." Larn added as four figures emerged from the forest. All of them had been men and women from his old squad not the closest members, but he still had trusted them in a way.

  ". " He fought back the tears choosing to absorb them instead.

  "Wow you all really missed me." He joked sarcastically, cracking a wry grin. Years of loyalty had come to this. He couldn't say it didn't hurt, but you know what?

  "."

  "Not you just the money." Larn replied with a smirk. The group closed in on him now trying to box him in. He recognized the closest one, but her name escaped his memory it really had been too long.

  "At least you're honest for once." Jeroen said biting his tongue as he tried to ignore how the words tugged on his heart.

  He remembered now, her name was Korel.

  "I'm sorry." He murmured, his voice barely audible before launching himself forward, fingers tightening around the icy hilt of a sword that he formed from his reserve of water. Then he jumped, as he leaped, steps of ice crystallized beneath his feet, forming as he willed them into existence.

  They cracked beneath his weight, and as he skillfully fell, he stabbed his sword of ice right through Korel’s neck. He watched with cold eyes as the blade pierced the woman’s flesh bleeding only for a moment before the blood froze and then Korel herself started freezing.

  A wordless, “” seemed to form on her lips but the words never left her mouth as her brown eyes glassed over with a thin sheet of ice.

  Jeroen’s expression was unreadable as he yanked his blade smoothly from Korel’s frozen neck wincing ever so slightly as he watched her head snap off with a sickening crack. It hit the ground with a loud thunk shattering into several large and smaller chunks of frozen human flesh.

  Korel’s body followed after her head, falling behind Jeroen with a loud crack, as it too, shattered on impact. The frozen flesh shot out in multiple directions as her corpse fragmented.

  He watched her body shatter. A lump formed in his throat, but he swallowed it down. There was no room for remorse, not now. At least he had remembered correctly since the rain started pouring again.

  He started running downstream breaking Azriel's sling off as he did.

  "JEROEN!!! YOU...

  Whatever else Larn yelled, Jeroen didn’t hear. He kept sprinting, his boots skidding as he slid down the slick slope beside the rushing river.

  Catching his balance just before tumbling, he focused his mind, commanding the water to form a basket of unbreakable ice. As the shimmering water took solid form in front of him, he carefully placed Azriel inside without breaking stride.

  "It was nice to meet you Azriel. Live for yourself." He murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the kid's head as he granted him Riaqeivuar's blessing. Azriel stared up at him with wide, innocent eyes, his crimson gaze filled with wonder as it met Jeroen’s.

  Jeroen steeled himself, forcing the tears to freeze before they could fall. Carefully, he placed Azriel into the icy basket, his hands trembling as the baby began crying.

  The sounds of the cries broke through the storm, cutting straight to his heart.

  Each wail threatened to shatter his resolve, but he forced himself to seal the shelter. With one final, trembling breath, he told the basket to enter the river and commanded the current to protect it.

  Then he watched Azriel vanish into the darkness.

  "Jeroen." Larnean's voice cut through the storm deceptively soft, "Why did you kill her?"

  "Money obviously

  "Ah, finally something reasonable!" Larn said with a grin pulling a red gemstone from his pocket. With his other hand he lit a match and moved it next to the stone. The gem absorbed the flame glowing brilliantly.

  Two of the Drezaki went after Azriel he couldn't tell what type at first glance, but based on the plants surrounding the remaining one, the lightning and water chased after his charge.

  Larnean crushed the gemstone in his palm, and a massive pillar of fire erupted from his hand. The flames roared for only a moment before vanishing into his body, absorbed in an instant.

  Jeroen stared as his brother’s coal-black eyes as they flickered with orange sparks, like flint striking stone. Then, in a heartbeat, the spark caught, igniting a flame that filled Larnean’s irises. The fire leapt and danced within, contained within its small new hearth.

  Jeroen’s stomach tightened as Larnean’s veins began to swell, doubling in size before glowing like molten lava coursing beneath his skin. Cracks spread across Larnean’s arms and face, but they didn’t bleed.

  The fissures revealed a layer beneath Larn's skin, smooth and black like obsidian. Jeroen couldn't tell if it was actually rock or not. The air around them grew heavy with heat and humidity, each breath stifling as Jeroen clung stubbornly to the freezing temperatures around himself.

  The frost on his fingertips crept across his hand, crawling up his arm in jagged lines, until it spread like over his torso and chest. It didn't stop until his body was fully encased in the glimmering layers of regenerative armor.

  Beneath this frozen shell, his normal veins turned dark and sluggish, as if the blood within them had congealed. They twisted faintly against his icy skin, starkly visible beneath the pale blue hue.

  His magic veins, however, glowed brighter, the lines crisscrossed his body like rivers, alive and flowing. Jeroen clenched his teeth, every inch of his body screamed.

  Jeroen’s vision blurred, his surroundings fading into smears of icy blue and flickering shadows. His body wasn’t alive by any normal measure it was the water keeping him upright, its energy coursing through him like a lifeline. The pain was excruciating, sharp and unyielding, pressing against his mind like the edge of a blade.

  Fuck he muttered through gritted teeth, his voice cracking as he forced himself to move. His thoughts churned, desperate for focus, refusing to let the agony claim him.

  "" But he wouldn’t give in. Pain wasn’t new to him, it wasn’t a stranger, but it was far from a friend.

  They didn't give him time to prepare. From his right a sharp, thorny branch shot at his head. He ducked slicing through the vines with a single motion.

  Ice blossomed along the severed plant, spreading rapidly thrugh its moisture speeding right towards the Drezaki who wielded it.

  Before he could catch his breath, Larn was on him. A blade of flames hissed as it slashed through the air, narrowly missing Jeroen’s chest. The blistering heat melted a portion of his icy armor.

  Gritting his teeth, Jeroen rolled away, staying just out of reach. With a flick of his wrist, he sent daggers of ice hurtling toward his brother. One found its mark, clipping Larn’s neck and drawing a burst of steaming blood. The sharp, boiling, metallic scent filled the air.

  Larn smirked, his voice cutting through the chaos. "You're still as weak as I remember," he hissed, slashing again toward Jeroen’s head..

  Jeroen blocked the blow with a makeshift staff, his voice cold and biting. "And you're still as easy to distract."

  Even as he spoke, he willed a shield of ice into existence, deflecting a fresh volley of thorns aimed at his head by the plant-wielding Drezaki. Then he threw the shield at Larn's head.

  The battle raged on, a relentless exchange of strikes and counters. Now it was a waiting game, every move demanded precisiona single misstep could be fatal.

  Jeroen’s mind raced. This wasn’t a fight he could afford to drag out. It wasn't even in his favor to begin with. Every second spent here was a second closer to disaster. Azriel could already be in their grasp.

  The battle continued on pushing him to his limits. His armor was cracked and melting. It kept taking longer to regenerate with each blow. He was so emersed in the fight he didn't hear the twang.

  An arrow struck him square in the back, piercing through the weakened ice as it lodged itself deep in his flesh. Jeroen's breath hitched as he staggered forward, pain exploded through him.

  Another arrow struck his shoulder, but the first hit was enough. The vines lashed out at him wrapping around his arms and legs, their thorns dug into his skin.

  He tried to connect with the water, but his veins were to weak. The rain screamed at him to get up to use it to fight, but his will faltered.

  Larn didn't hesitate he lunged forward, his flaming blade cut through Jeroen's chest plate breaking it in one swift, brutal motion.

  The ice melted instantly, leaving Jeroen exposed. The blade burned through his flesh, the heat consuming him from the inside out.

  Jeroen saw white and red as he screamed in pain, the sound raw and guttural. Boiling blood spilled from his lips, melting the frost that had coated them as it seared his throat.

  "Goodbye Larn."

  His voice was barely audible, hoarse and broken. The flames devoured his vocal chords silencing him forever. Larn froze at the sound of his brother’s final words, his sword flickering before vanishing entirely. The charred, gaping hole in Jeroen’s chest was all that remained.

  "JEROEN!!!

  He really must be dying now if he was able to imagine Larn crying. The vines around his body released and he fell backwards into the icy water. The river swallowed him, wrapping around Jeroen like a blanket.

  The pain began to fade, replaced by an unbearable stillness. The silence he’d feared for so long. The water no longer felt like a weapon or a burden. It felt like home. His last thought drifted through him like the tide, soft and unrelenting.

  ""