The Brothers of Nexus

Gideon herded the exhausted teenagers deeper into the woods, trying not to smile at their wide-eyed expressions. He had a job to do - get Jera's magic flowing and teach these kids how to handle their powers before something went terribly wrong. God knows Embermire had seen enough magical accidents already. He led them up to that same hilltop where the boys had first spotted Nexus Academy. A Perfect spot, really - open enough that they wouldn't accidentally torch the forest, and far enough from town that no one would witness whatever chaos might unfold during Jera's awakening. The sun was already setting by the time they made it, painting everything in deep purples and blues. The kids were dead on their feet, but Gideon couldn't resist showing off a little before they crashed. With one long breath, he sent a silvery whisp floating toward their pile of firewood. The logs burst into warm, dancing flames, and Draven practically melted onto the ground beside it. The boy couldn't take his eyes off the fire, fighting sleep as he wondered if he'd ever pull off something that smooth. Kael sprawled out next to him, lost in the stars that seemed close enough to touch tonight. Then it happened - this weird ripple deep in his gut, like a stone dropping into still water. Something beyond normal sensation flowed through him, filling spaces he never knew existed. Gideon caught his eye and just muttered, "Remember that feeling," before rolling over to sleep. Kael spent hours trying to grab hold of that sensation again, but it slipped through his fingers like smoke until he finally passed out from sheer exhaustion. Dawn broke in brilliant golds and pinks, the morning air sharp with woodsmoke and earth. Jera lay curled up tight, pretending to sleep while anxiety gnawed at her insides. What if she couldn't do it? What if she wasn't good enough? Her dad's gentle nudge made her jump. "Up and at 'em, Jera. Big things ahead." She let out an exaggerated groan and stretched like a cat waking from a nap. "God, I'm starving." "Join the club," Draven mumbled, pushing himself up. Kael just nodded sleepily, still trying to rub away his morning brain fog. Gideon's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Well, aren't you all in luck?" He dug into his bag and pulled out a little pouch of what looked like trail mix on steroids - all herbs and dried stuff he'd snagged from the shop. Before they knew it, he'd whipped up a breakfast that looked simple but hit different - this weird mix of herbs and dried fruit that left them feeling like they'd somehow slept for days. Even their muscles felt better. "This is actually incredible," Kael said between bites, looking at Gideon like he'd just performed a miracle. "Just something I picked up along the way," Gideon said with a casual shrug. "Healing, magic - they're basically cousins." Kael went quiet, his mind drifting to before everything went up in flames, when he'd dreamed of following in his dad's footsteps as a healer. But that felt like another lifetime now. Getting to Nexus Academy with Draven was all that mattered anymore - whatever it took. After breakfast, Gideon gathered them around the fire. "Alright, before we wake up Sleeping Beauty over there," he said, nodding toward Jera, "you need to get your heads around something called Accumulation. It's basically Magic 101." The three of them leaned in, suddenly wide awake. "Think of it like this - you're drawing in magic from everything around you, like a sponge soaking up water. Everyone does it their own way, but we've all got this internal battery where it gets stored." He shot Kael a look. "You actually started doing it last night without realizing it." Kael's eyes widened. "Wait, seriously?" "Remember that weird little energy buzz you felt? That was your first taste of Accumulation." Kael sat up straighter. "But it was barely anything, and I couldn't do it again." "Welcome to being a baby mage," Gideon laughed. "It takes forever at first to build up enough juice for even the smallest spell." Draven's face scrunched up. "So how do we get better?" "Same way you build muscle," Gideon said, settling back. "Your magic battery starts out tiny and weak. But keep at it, and it'll grow. Eventually, your body figures it out - you'll soak up magic faster, hold more of it." Jera looked skeptical. "So we just... sit here trying to absorb magic?" "At first, yeah," Gideon said with a smirk. "But there's more to it than that." He pointed to the crackling fire. "Draven, you're Fire. Focus on temperature - how heat moves through your body. Breathe deep and steady, feel it building up." He turned to Kael. "Space is trickier. You need to zone out a bit - in a good way. Slow down, feel the emptiness around you, not just inside." Finally, he looked at Jera. "Once we get your magic kickstarted, you'll find your groove." Jera's heart pounded as reality sank in. Gideon got up, brushing his hands off casually. "Well, here we go." The three teenagers exchanged nervous glances. Whatever waited ahead was a mystery, but they knew this was just the beginning of their magical journey. Gideon had been waiting years for this. He'd spent countless nights searching for the three precious Starfall Fruits and hunting down rare herbs to brew the potion that would awaken Jera's dormant magic. He'd always had a hunch his daughter had the gift, and now that she was old enough, it felt right. And with the boys' situation... well, it seemed like the universe had a plan. In the middle of a wide clearing, Gideon handed Jera the potion. As she took a deep breath and drank, he walked her through it - she'd feel it hit her stomach, and that's what she needed to focus on. When it kicked in, Jera's muscles went rigid, and then - boom, boom, boom - the most intense cold she'd ever felt shot through her body. The air crackled around her, and her fingers sparkled with frost. Ice Affinity - a rare branch of Water magic. Her ankle suddenly stung, and looking down, she saw a mark glowing like pale blue moonlight, The Ignis rank. Gideon let out the breath he'd been holding. Perfect - better than perfect. Though Ice magic wasn't his strong suit, he assured her the basics would work the same. Her friends crowded around, excited, asking how it felt. Jera hugged herself, thinking. "Like someone dropped an ice cube down my throat and it got stuck," she said with a shiver. "But hollow inside." Draven nodded eagerly. "Mine's totally different - like I've got a fever that won't quit, with this tiny sun burning in my gut. Always wanting more." Kael scratched his head. "Weird - for me it's more like... there's nothing there except this tiny floating light. Like a star bouncing around inside me. I can kind of chase it if I concentrate hard enough." He glanced up at the stars. "Figured that out last night when I couldn't sleep." Gideon clapped his hands together. "Right then. Now you're all awake, time to start building up your magic. Today's homework: find a quiet spot in nature and just... be. The more you vibe with your element, the easier it'll come." They split up to practice. Draven plopped down by the campfire, breathing in the heat like it was his favorite smell, letting it dance through him. Gideon watched, impressed - the kid was a natural. It had taken him forever to figure out the basics, but Draven just... got it. Jera wasn't having such an easy time. Sitting in a cold stream, she felt nothing at first and started getting annoyed. Then she made herself chill out, laying back in the water. The second she stopped trying so hard - there it was. A tiny trickle of magic, her very first. She grinned and sank deeper into the cold, ready for more. Poor Kael had the roughest time. He couldn't find his groove anywhere, and Jera splashing around nearby didn't help. Finally, he wandered off and climbed the biggest tree he could find. Up on a thick branch, he closed his eyes and focused on his internal star. He made it slow down, speed up - hey, progress! When he finally opened his eyes, it was dark out. But he stayed put, too wrapped up in the vast night sky to care about dinner back at camp.