Young Writers Society

**Author's note: This is based on the Arthurian legend but all of the names are different. It's up to key plot points, descriptions, and character's actions to show who's who.**

Avren’s heart pounded, wet moss pressed to his back, boots slowly sinking into the mud. The forest was dimly lit, early morning only gave away the silhouettes of trees. He couldn’t see his comrades, let alone what they were hunting. *Well, do you see it?* Clessidi asked him. Maybe I could tell you if I could see in the first place. He responded. Avren looked at the small, wavering glow in his left hand, and watched as it moved in a small ring up his arm and shoulder. Avren sensed a cool tingle around his eyes, soon the dark forest had more contrast. There wasn’t more light, simply more difference between shapes. *Better?*Clessidi asked. 

“Hey . . .” A voice whispered to his left. Avren turned to see Pars, the tall man’s eyes sharing the glow Avren’s must have had. “You see anything yet?” Pars asked. Avren shrugged. “And you’re supposed to be the smart one.” Pars muttered.

“He is.” Jeldea’s voice said. Avren spotted Jeldea’s shorter, mop-headed form behind another tree. Jeldea’s eye’s didn’t dimly glow, instead his right shoulder, but just barely. “Compared to you at least.” Jeldea continued. *Did he just manage to insult both of you?* Clessidi asked him. It would seem so. Avren thought.

“Would you all shut it!” Another voice, Phlan, hissed. Avren had no idea where he was hiding. In fact, he had no idea where Marrel, Orsoes, or Ilmetton where hiding either. The dark wood grew quiet once again, only the sound of bugs and Pars’s complaining were to be heard. Avren gripped the hilt of his sword, ready for Phlan’s signal. He pressed closer to the moss covered tree behind him. Then he heard something. Avren didn’t know where most of his group was, but he heard every man stiffen and felt the chill in the air as the sound of voices rang lightly behind them.

Avren couldn’t understand what they were saying, but distinctly heard someone talking not too far behind him. And something else . . . laughter. Avren looked over at Pars, who was shoved so close against the tree behind him Avren thought the tall, log of a man would break the bow on his back. Pars glanced at him with dimly lit eyes and leaned forward to see around the tree.

“No!” Phlan’s harsh whisper sounded. Pars grunted and moved back behind the tree. The voices behind Avren grew closer, then Avren thought he would faint as he saw a blue glow be cast in front of him. The blue light spread on past the tree Avren hid behind and off into the dark forest, leaving long, shadows formed from tree trunks. Avren looked down and saw Marrel laying on the ground, his hiding place in the perfectly shaded leaves exposed. The huge man with arms that could break you in two looked completely petrified. The blue light reflected on Marrel's face.

“Now!!” Phlan yelled, the bright blonde haired boy leaped out from behind a birch tree. Phlan had his sword at the ready and a dim glow in both hands. Jeldea also sprang forward, a grin on his short bearded face. As Marrel climbed to his feet he stood half a foot taller than Avren. Orsoes and Ilmetton appeared seemingly from nowhere and were running past him. Avren turned to see Pars with his down in hand. Ready? Avren asked Clessidi. *Uhh. Yes! We haven’t gotten into an actual fight in a while have we?* She giggled. Nope. Avren felt as a tingle spread through his entire body, he looked down to see the faintest glow spread across his entire form. Avren spun around and ran towards the voices, he was completely stunned by what he saw.

A lone man stood with his back facing Avren and his hunting party. His bright blue coat wavered and twisted as it was moved by streams of matching blue light. The man was using External magic. Magic that affected more than himself, that affected everything but himself. Avren’s companions had stopped charging, frozen as the streams of light spread.

“Where do you think we should start?” A light, but echoey voice asked, it seemed to come from nowhere.

“I’ll let you decide.” The blue coated man said. Suddenly he spun around, the open coat continued to whip about through the streams of light. Ilmetton screamed at the light rushed towards him, it enveloped him and shoved the man back. Ilmetton’s sword flew out of his hand and his leather armor was the only thing that saved him as he was slammed against a tree.

“What do we do?” Marrel yelled.

“Duck!” Jeldea said, quickly rolling to the leaf covered ground as a stream of light shot at him, his glow spreading through his entire form. Phlan rushed towards the blue coated man, his glow focused on his legs and feet. Phlan slid past one streak of blue after another. As Phlan almost reached the enemy blue light shot into the canopy above, directed by the blue coated man’s upward gesture. A loud crack sounded through the wood and Phlan jumped back as a tree branch bigger than he was fell between him and the blue coated man.

“Come on!” Avren shouted, running to Phlan. Marrel, Orsoes, and Jeldea followed after him. *You should go to the right.* Clessidi said. Avren felt the tingle in his body focus on his left arm. Avren followed his Issiral’s direction and swerved right. A string of blue light shot at him as the blue coated man turned to him. *Now you’re in for it. Why’d you go this way?* She asked. You told me too! Avren yelled in his mind, quickly falling to the ground to avoid that the light.

The entire idea of effecting the world around him with magic terrified him. The man in the blue coat could do almost anything! Avren looked up at the man from the ground. This was the first External magic user he’d ever seen. They were rare, and for good reason. People didn’t have the right to control more than themselves. The External user had a long face, swooping brown hair, and wore bright clothing along with a smile. Why would he be smiling? Avren asked. *He’s having fun, maybe?* Cless said questioningly.

The man took a quick step forward, his grin never fading as he spread his arms and waved his fingers. The blue light squiggled and attacked his comrades. Marrel yelled and Jeldea stupidly swung his sword at the light. Orsoes had reached Phlan and they were scrambling away together.

“And what might you be doing here?” The blue coated man asked.

“We are here to stop your spree of havoc in the countryside!” Phlan called.

“Countryside? You’ll have to be more specific, this entire country is just back roads and farms.” The blue coated man said. The light still rushed about randomly, sending Avren and his team into a fit of confusion.

“Where dosen’t matter!” Phlan said, climbing to his feet and pointing his sword. “What matters is that you must be dealt with. That justice be rought.”

“And what a good job you’re doin--” The blue coated man was cut off as an arrow zipped at him. The man cried out and all of the blue light scattered across the wood was condensed right in front of him. The arrow was swallowed by the light, rendered useless. But the blue coated man was caught off guard. Avren looked back to see Pars, bow in hand and kneeling over an unconscious Ilmetton. A tingle ran through Avren’s body as Cless gave him speed. Avren rushed toward the  blue coated man, sword upraised. The man spun around, his eyes wide at seeing Avren so close so quickly. The man raised up his hand, the blue light moved into dozens of glowing rings that surrounded, but never touched, his arm. They glowed and wavered brightly.

“I could kill you in an instant.” The man said, brown eye’s growing hard, the rings of light shuddered rapidly. *Oh! I know what you need to say!* Clessidi yelled in his mind as the glow in his legs moved to his sword arm, giving it strength. *’So could I.’* Cless said in a mockingly deep voice.

“So could I.” Avren copied. His dimly glowing arm raised up as the steel of his blade reflected both the man’s rings of blue light and his own glow.