If this was his punishment then so be it. If this was what he deserved…so be it.

Tyura was bitter but also glad at the beating he had gotten fourteen days ago. It was a pain that almost distracted him from the pain in his heart for taking a human life.

He was murderer no better than them.

Now he sought shoulder to shoulder on the ground with Nave, as they watched Fade throw knives at a tree. 

Tyura’s good eye followed the knives as they struck the tree and then sprung back into Fades hand as if they were attached to a cord. He couldn’t figure out how it worked no matter how many times he saw it. 

Tyura went to rest his hand on his face but hissed at the pain. He had gotten a little used to the pain. Tyura figured it would take months for his face to go back to normal. 

Tyura pulled his knees up to his chest instead and glanced at Nave, who was still watching Fade with a slight smile on her face.

Tyura thought about it for a moment before parting his busted lips.

“How does Fade make the knives come back?” He asked with a slight lisp.

“Magic, how else?” Nave replied without looking at him.

Tyura’s mind went to magic shows from his world. They were mostly for kids and always had some trick to them. So was it a trick?

“So Fade is some sort of magician?”

Finally, Nave looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.

“A magician? No look,” She pointed at Fade, “Don’t you see it?”

Tyura, in fact, did not see it. He squinted his eye and looked more closely at Fade before looking back at Nave.

She suddenly made a face Tyura had never seen on her before.

Tyura had a bad feeling and went to move away from her, but she grabbed his arm. He was still too frail to push her away so he was helpless.

“Fade!” Nave called as she continued to study Tyura.

Fade looked back at her, Knife in hand ready to throw. Sensing something might be wrong he jogged over. 

“What?” He asked.

“The boy can’t see mana.” Nave looked at Fade with a grin.

“What?” He said again, this time looking at Tyura’s face. “Do you see this?”

Fade held up his hand and moved his fingers. Tyura looked at him blankly. He felt like they were playing some joke on him.

Fade started laughing. “He really can’t!”

“Tell me what’s going on? What is mana?”Tyura said finally and Fade thumped him on the head. He winced at the pain.

“Don’t raise your voice.”

“There were always some late bloomers in the village but not this late.” Nave mumbled. “But I think I can do it.”

“I can fix it.” She said a little louder.

Fade laughed again and squatted down in front of them.

“Do it. I wanna see his reaction.”

“I heard it from granny back then. We just have to push some mana in his head and it should work. Like when babies are born.”

With that Nave forcefully grabbed Tyura’s head.

“This might hurt a little. Sorry.”

From the look on her face, she didn’t look sorry.

Fade also grabbed Tyura’s head tightly, to the point Tyura felt some of the thin hairs on his head pull out. 

Involuntary tears filled his eyes as he grabbed Fades arm.

“Let go!” Tyura tried to move them away but he failed. As he struggled they continued to talk.

“You don’t have to help me. My mana’s more than enough. You’ll kill him.”

Tyura froze before struggling some more. Despite everything, Tyura still didn’t want to die yet. Not like this, not without his-

Fade shrugged. “We found him together so we should do this together.”

Nave sighed fondly. “Fine.”

Before Tyura could fully comprehend what was being said he felt something hot rush into his skull. And then-

His head exploded..