The Half Done Mateship

Prologue

Ten years ago

The sound of crunching leaves echoed in the silent woods. Zeph peeked down from their hiding place on a tree branch but couldn't see anything beyond the leaves. He didn't understand why Xylan insisted on getting a hiding place, he knew how to be invisible now.

"Zephy, don't move from here. I'll come and get you soon, okay?" Xylan warned him in Aerese.

Zeph felt a little scared when Xylan released the hold on his hand. He didn't know this place but he was going to be a brave boy like his elder brother.

"Okay," he said in a little voice.

"Good boy."

Zeph didn't know how Xylan could locate him. But he ruffled his hair before going. Zeph couldn't tell which way he went after the leaves stopped ruffling.

Zeph sat down on the branch, taking control of some air around him and making the leaves rustle. He found out if he could place them in a certain angle, he could see below.

Focusing hard on the energy dancing on his fingertips, he extended it to the leaves and rustled them until he found the right angle. Then, he slowly made the air stiff until it was strong enough to hold the leaves. When the gap didn't get covered anymore, he let out a low whistle.

Peeking down now, he could clearly see a road stretched along the woods. He stared at the tall trees in the distance, how the bushes of leaves covered the thick, brown trunk. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh smell he could only get in Terran.

A giddy feeling settled in his gut. He'd never been to Earth before. At least, not like this. He had been to his uncle's houses in different places but never ventured beyond them. He had never seen Earth in its true essence. At least, that's what Xylan always said.

After begging him so many times, Xylan finally gave in and brought him secretly. He was worried that Mother would not be happy about this. They didn't understand that he was a big boy now.

Zeph looked up at the sky. He was awed at the way the sun reflected on the clouds, giving them an orange tinge. He had only seen this in the moon orb that their uncle gave Xylan after half of his training was done.

As he waited for Xylan to come back, he noticed a shift in air. It was gaining speed really fast, rustling the leaves vigorously. After a while, he couldn't even control the air around him without it slipping out of his reach.

The tree started swaying under his feet. He wrapped his arms around the trunk to secure himself. The core in his chest was pulsing wildly, releasing energy into his body in a crazy rhythm. He couldn't focus enough to get it under control. He wished Xylan would come back quicker.

He risked leaving the trunk to peek down through the moving leaves. His feet swayed but he didn't fall. Xylan wasn't around. He was sure he would come to get him if he was.

His fingertips let out sparks of energy as his core refused to get it under control. He couldn't control his energy and thus the air. He was stuck in a storm with no way out.

A strong blow of wind knocked him off his feet. Before he could fall off, he grasped the branch and wrapped his legs around it. It shook dangerously. As he flailed, wrapped up around a branch, he felt completely helpless. Dread clouded his thinking, leaving him with no way out.

A crack resounded over the whooshing of wind. The branch bent down. He let out a gasp, finding the crack in the junction between the truck and the branch. With another strong blow, the branch let go of its hold on the tree and he plummeted towards the ground.

He let out a shriek which was covered by the howl of the wind. He fell on something hard with a loud clunk. He let out a cry as pain spread across his back.