Young Writers Society

"Whoa," Télos said, facing lighting up in both senses of the word; he got a gigantic grin on his face, and his face lit up as the electricity briefly appeared in the front of him. "I haven't ever seen magic like that before."

He heard Lexal mutter something behind. Turning, he gave them an inquisitive look. Lex awkwardly looked away, but Aleks had no qualms about saying what Lex had apparently muttered. "The idiot was going off about something called the Disney channel?"

"The what?"

"Never mind," Lex muttered, face turning red in embarrassment.

Bo looked back at Lex with a small smile. "Haha, I'm sure if I understood whatever reference that is, I'd laugh with you! But uh, no worries, dude."

Casey forgot his troubles for a moment, and grinned at the large man's display. With a feeling of carelessness, he walked nearer to the man.

"How do you do that, Mister?" His hair glowed a bright yellow in the dim passage, refelecting his exitement.

"Uh, well, it's a combination of things! I was born with magical abilities but they uh, were later enhanced by other magical means that I didn't exactly consent to, but I guess if there are any pros, it's that I can shoot lightning bolts, big and small. And do little electricity stuff like this," he drew a heart shape in the air, again using the same kind of string of blue sparking light as before. "I mean, a lot of it's practice. Even people born with magic have to practice to do anything like that."

"It's neat." Casey smiled broadly, trying not to be disappointed in this answer. He had to remind himself that he didn't need to find someone like him to be at ease.

"I'm basically just a color-changing night light," he pulled off his cap, "not born with it, by any means."

Something about this man made him open up a little. Or maybe it was just the fact that he hadn't had someone to talk to in so long.

Bo's eyes lit up as he saw the kid's glowing hair and he smiled wide. "Woah!!! That's so cool!"

"Mm- I guess so," he shrugged and shoved his hat back on, "it's mostly annoying- especially since the colors seem to advertise my emotions."

The god of gold's eyes widened as he looked wildly between Casey and Bo. He understood that things might have worked differently on their respective worlds, but had never expected that it would be that different. "You weren't born with your abilities!?" Télos exclaimed. "The chosen don't have their abilities from birth because they're from us, but the gods have their magic the moment they're born."

Casey blushed as he was addressed by the god. He dipped his head low.

"T- they were... given to me. I didn't ask for them, but yeah."

"Oh heck," Bo said, looking over to Casey. "I didn't ask for mine either. I mean. Not like this. I got mine cuz some pretty messed up people tested on me with magic and stuff."

Casey looked up at the man with barely-concealed admiration.

"The same thing happened to me," he said quickly, "but, um, not with magic. I don't really understand it- it was science-y stuff."

Bo shakes his head. "Scientists think they can do stuff like that just because science," he says, gesturing with both hands stretched out in dramatized frustration. "I mean, not all scientists but. The bad ones."

Casey his lip and nodded almost exitedly.
"I mean, there were good ones too but... kidnapping children is a definite bad." He frowned at the ground, "not that I was one of the kidnapped ones, I mean, I'm not claiming to know what it feels like, since I was born in captivity-" he promptly closed his mouth, realizing that he was ranting, "yeah. They suck."

Even before Télos paled considerably, Lex and Aleks knew that the conversation wasn't going to end well. They knew only little bits and pieces of what had happened back then. They hadn't tried to learn more. No one ever did. They had heard whispers between the endermen, though. Whispers shared in deserted hallways about past deeds of their ruler, only to fall silent when they saw Lexal approaching them.

Something like that...something like that would have been kept a secret. Lex and Aleks doubted anyone in the End really knew. But Télos would have been able to find out who did, and if he had-

Well, if he had, he would have had a reaction like this.

"I-I need to take a step out of this hallway for a minute," Télos said. He looked like he had seen a ghost, not that it was surprising. They had both expected it.

Bo stuttered as he saw Télos starting to leave. "Oh shoot uh - did I say something?" he asked quietly with concern.