Sons of Hellfire: Book 1 [Wattys 2016]

Lucien - 10

In a flurry of a few short years, Aeric's eighteenth birthday was coming up fast and Lucien and Vajeel had planned a 'surprise party' of sorts for his coming of age day. The typical age for a young boy to be deemed as a man in Artus was usually fifteen, but Vajeel said that she'd only properly sit Aeric down to teach him magic once he turned eighteen.

Lucien, now seventeen, had asked Vajeel before if she would teach him magic once he turned 'of age' as well, but she turned him down. She explained to him that because of who he was, magic performed by dragons and magic performed by humans were two entirely different things. She wouldn't be able to teach him anything.

He may or may not have walked away from that conversation a bit bitter, but Aeric had bounded up to him as enthusiastic as he was the first day Lucien met him, exploding about the new Naftas that bloomed in his garden and taking his attention away from magic.

The two of them had grown up drastically different in appearance over the few years. The tall and lanky boy Lucien remembered meeting in the forest years ago had now grown into a muscular young man. Aeric's hair still fell in matted curls around his head but they had slowly evolved in colour into a light brown with streaks of gold. Rough stubble covered his chin but his green eyes continued to twinkle nonetheless. Because of his every day weapon training, Aeric's muscles grew more defined and there was barely a pound of fat anywhere on his body. He was also still a few inches taller than Lucien.

Lucien wasn't sure if it was due to the dragon blood within him or perhaps he was just a strange child, but no matter how much time he spent with Aeric outside, his skin refused to tan. Still quite pale, his few dark features stood out dramatically. He kept his hair cut to just past his shoulders, always stuck in the same old braid. At first, Aeric had asked him why he preferred such a feminine way of hair styles but after refusing him an answer for a week straight, the other boy dropped it. Lucien grew taller and thinner, but after days spending his time in dragon form, his muscles grew toned as well. He was lean, but strong.

"Do you know what you are giving Aeric for his birthday?" Vajeel asked in passing, waving her hands to either heat food or have ingredients mashed. Lucien watched her work her non-verbal magic, wondering if it was something that he would witness Aeric do in some time as well.

Aeric's birthday was tomorrow and despite Vajeel's insistent questioning, no, Lucien had yet to find the perfect thing to give to his friend on his coming of age day. It was harder when he didn't have magic at his disposal nor was he good at anything. Aeric did the training and the gardening and Vajeel did all the house chores. Lucien was just there to lend an extra set of hands when needed and practice being familiar with his dragon form. Which, he was fine with now. He was no longer stumbling around due to his over-sized appendages.

But the task still hung in the air of finding something for Aeric. He had an idea of what he could get him but it required a short journey that he wasn't looking forward to taking.

"But is it worth it?"

Vajeel's sudden words startled Lucien out of his thoughts and he stared at the woman that he swore could read minds. "I just don't want to go back."

Vajeel set down the bowl that Lucien could see contained the smashed orange cores of Devendrells. "You've spent too much time here. It's about time you at least get out and explore."

Lucien stared at her suspiciously. "Are you kicking me out?"

"Of course not," she dismissed. "I'm saying that you've had an idea that's worth something to someone you undoubtedly care about. Don't set it aside for the fact that you don't want to go back to a place you didn't even live in."