Brandon's Point of View

Feather sighed as she closed the front floor door behind her.

"Ready?" I ask, only getting a shrug in reply. Feather glanced quickly at the items in my hands.

"So what do I have to do?" Feather asked quickly. Handing her the Mana potion, I flip through the pages in the book.

"First, Take out a bag of pixie dust." I read out loud. Feather grabbed the items out of my hands.

"I... think this is it!" She held up a pouch overflowing with a golden powder. Feather then poured a little in her hands and ran her fingers through it.

Nodding, She said,"Definitely it. What do I do with it?"

My eyes scanned over the words in the book.

"Create a large circle on a flat surface."

Feather started to pour a slow, steady stream of the dust onto the grass, her brown ponytail swishing as she worked. Once the circle was made, She hopped next to me.

"What next?" Feather asked, not missing a beat.

"... Now... Create a triangle in the circle out of unicorn h--" Before I could finish my sentence, Feather already finished.

"Next?" She asked hastily. Feather crossed her arms and lowered her eyes. I paused for a few brief moments before replying.

"Place the Magic Mirror in the center, and place crystal shards along the crack of the mirror." I instructed.

Feather sighed and did what she was told.

"You... know... what are you going to do after this?" Feather asked softly. Looking over the inside of the book again, I shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe we'll continue your training..." I raised my eyebrow. When met with no reply, I frowned.

"Or we could celebrate once we show that stuck-up merchant who's boss?"

Feather's point of view

I could see Brandon giving me a meek smile out of the corner of my eye. It was awfully uncharacteristic of him to suggest that...

I have no clue why he's being so hostile towards Rawleigh....

.... that's a lie...

I know exactly why...

I'm not good enough to be a hero...

I'm too weak.

That's what Rawliegh was talking to Brandon about....

Brandon...

He was so sweet to defend me like that...

Even though Rawliegh was right...

I am weak...

I am pathetic...

Why else would Brandon have snapped at me?

Brandon coughed awkwardly.

"Now, Stand in the circle and drink this... once you do, We have to act fast." Brandon closed the book shut and handed me the Mana potion.

When my hands shakily reached out to grab the bottle, they brushed against Brandon's. He pressed the bottle into my hands, holding onto the outside of my hands.

"What's wrong?"

I resisted the urge to slap him.

Hmm..

What is wrong?

The fact that I can't get you out of my head? The fact that I feel like a failure? The fact that I'm a failure to you?

"I'm alright..."

He gave my hands a tight squeeze.

"You can do this. I know you can. Prove yourself.."

"I.. c-can't---" Before the rest of the sentence could escape my lips, Brandon gave me a hard glare.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I jerk away from his hands and step into the circle of pixie dust, careful not to mess up the arrangement of materials.

I tipped the bottle up to my mouth and took a long drink of the potion. Surprisingly, it had a sweet taste. Once the bottle was empty, it slipped from my fingers and dropped onto the ground, shattering into little pieces.

The outside seemed to swirl around me as I felt weird energy run through my system. My eyes fought to keep open as nausea took over, making my brain foggy.

"Feather... focus on my voice!" My eyes trailed up as Brandon weaved in and out of my sight.

"Raise your right hand."m

My arms were steadying myself beside me. I titled my head to look at my right arm and focused on trying to raise it.

Beads of sweat appeared on my forehead as I strained my arm trying to raise it. My arm seemed to be held down by the weight of worlds.

I closed my eyes, and tried to block out all other sound. My arm rose higher, shaking with strain.

With a blissful scream, my arm shot above my head. Bits of dust swirled around, hitting my face before I slowly opened my eyes.

My vision seemed to sharpen as I stared at the light blue and gold symbols floating around me.

They seemed to dance through the air as they slowly circled, gaining momentum with each round.

"Feather?" My focus drifted away from the floating symbols to see Brandon starring at me, behind the waves of symbols.

"Do you see it?" He asked softly. I nodded slowly and let my attention drift back to the symbols.

All of a sudden, all of them flashed a dark blue.

"We need to hurry! Quick! Find the symbol that looks like an infinity sign!" Brandon's voice rose with panic.

My eyes scanned over the constantly moving symbols before they landed on the sign.

"Found it? Now, Move your right hand towards it... you should be able to move it!"

I followed his directions when I felt a sharp pain run through my hand. Blue particles surrounded my hand. Burning sensations flared around my fingertips.

The shining infinity sign's luminosity seemed to increase, along with the speed of the rotating symbols around me.

I slowly moved my right hand and watched the infinity sign move in unison with my movement.

You're doing well...

The jarring voice seemed to shake the world around me as the symbols flashed a dark blue again,

But not well enough... learn in due time... He's not qualified enough to teach you the art.

Such power, such control goes into this-- Into controlling these Runes...

Power that neither of you have...

Maybe you'll both learn your lesson.

Almost at an instant, the... Runes.... seemed to become a blur as they whirled around me. The hold I had on the infinity sign seemed to crumble as it spun around.

Fear and panic flood through my system,

"Brandon??"

No reply.

"BRANDON??"

I could hear faint whispers.

"He's gone..."

"He's gone"

"He's gone"

"Stay calm..."

"He won't matter..."

"Nothing matters after he's gone"

"BRANDON ANSWER ME!"

"GONE!"

A steady stream of tears fell down my face.

"BRANDON!"

Unwillingly, I took a step back, slipping onto the dust.

I fell backwards into the ground as bolts of Runes rained down on me.

.... hmnng...

I'M SORRY!!!!