Tony's POV
I've been on the run for a while now, But I guess fate is a cruel mistress. After running for maybe a couple of years, stealing what I could to get by, Living among the trees with the creatures of the Elorian woods and evading any other humans I see. I couldn't trust anyone, and I made sure to live my life by that rule. But now, I'm 19 years old, I'm at that point where I should be looking for a partner at least. Maybe I should go back to the city one last time. I mean I've faked it for three years, It can't be that hard. Stupid magistrate, why did they make it so fucking hard for me to get a job just because I can't do magic. I mean yeah I can fake it but it's all just tricks, and because the other Magi don't know the difference I can get by with stealing. I guess learning how to use the darkness is a good thing, Also these guys are Magi, who the fuck thinks of pre uprising technology? Looking around the woods in my vicinity, all I see are trees, older than the world itself... OK that's not possible but ever since the uprising, changing our dates, our years our moths. We started a whole new world and now I'm stuck in this world while my friends were all killed and cast out by their former mates. For what? Not having magic inside them? Yes I understand the process but not everyone is born with it. And not every human helped to kill during the events that took place. Millions of people died, both Human and Magi and now, with the humans being defeated, the Magi have been hunting us to extinction, they want to start a new world with "the right people." in other words. Wipe out humans.
????: "Hey... "
I flinched at the sound, looking around me but noticing no one among the tree tops. I sighed and leant back against the tree I was currently sitting on before hearing the voice again.
????: "I know you are there. Just come down so I can see you. Are you hungry?"
I looked down to see the figure where the voice came from, He sounded concerned which worried me. Only Magi come into this part of the woods! And hiding up top was the best chance I had as long as I didn't make a sound. And when I'm asleep that's hard to do because I'm pretty sure I snore. I sighed before standing on my feet. I looked down to see him smiling at me and I took in his features. The green eyes, the dark hair. Hm, I wonder what he can do? In any Case I looked up and planned my route before Jumping, launching myself from the branches and the large trunks, Making sure I didn't make a sound. But I knew he was following me, I also knew this made me look guilty, but guilty of what exactly? Being human? Being myself. I might not be able to cast a simple spell but at least I don't have to worry about my life.
????: "Can you please stop running."
He said, Worry lacing his tongue.
????: "I'm not going to hurt you."
I didn't take any chances in looking back as I Hopped from one tree to another, Why hadn't this guy used Magic yet?
????: "Come on dude we aren't getting anywhere."
He called out in the hopes of getting me to stop, but that wasn't why I stopped my movements. What stopped me was the genuine fact that he didn't use Magic to stop me.
Tony: "What are you doing?"
I called out below. Letting him catch up while he caught his breath, He was pretty cute.
????: "I'm trying to make you stop running. Can you come down here and at least try to talk to me please?"
I debated whether to leave my perch, He hadn't used magic yet, and I was getting hungry.
Tony: "You got food?"
????: "Tonnes."
I heard my stomach grumble again, I checked my pockets to find my knife sitting gently just underneath it, Bobby pins sewn into my clothes to pick the locks. I don't know why the magi, magicians of the new world order, decided to keep old buildings around. They can create An inferno in a second. But God forbid someone makes a key.
Tony: "You won't kill me?"
????: "What?"
Fuck why did I have to go and say that.
????: "So you're... But you can't be. Look my name is Joshua, but everyone calls me Josh for short. What's your name?"
Lie.
Tony: "Names Tony."
Josh: "I guess in your situation I'd lie about my name too. Alright mate, But I do have food. And I won't hurt you."
I grabbed my knife from its sheathe and fell fast towards the ground. Landing next to him before brandishing the weapon across his neck.
Tony: "One wrong move, and I will be eating alone, deal?"
Josh: "I offer my hospitality and food and this is how you say thanks. Remind me to never try and get in your pants regardless of how cute you are."
Ah. So that's why he stopped me.
Tony: "Not making very good first impressions for a Magi."
Josh: "You are doing a perfect job of showing the usual impressions one should get from a Dionley."
Fucking christ I hate that term. Fucking Dionley this and Dionley that. It's like the Magic simply refuse to acknowledge the fact that we have the same blood, bones, etc. Except they have their separate conscious for magic. We simply have our own 5 senses.
Tony: "Never, call me that again."
I clicked the small, unnoticeable button I made on the bottom of my dagger, pulling it away slightly before my blade sparked, bursting into flames.
Josh: "Maybe you aren't a Dionley after all."
I'm definitely human mate, don't you worry about that. But until I convince him not to use that term. I could be in trouble. The blade burnt bright and I know I was low on material. So I pressed the button again and pulled it away. Not letting him see the water I store in the hilt as it runs along the blade and puts out the flames.
Josh: "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Tony. But I'm sure that's not your real name so I'm going to call you Zach."
Tony: "Really?"
Josh: "Yup, come on let's go and get something to eat. Ever since the uprising I know it's been hard to find a decent meal. Even for us."
Its hard to find a decent meal because you idiot magicians torched our crops, killed our live stock with no remorse and now are struggling to keep loving because no one knew how to make food. Granted I'm sure they have Geomancers handling them but still.
Josh: "How long did it take for you to start doing magic? That sword stuff is cool."
Tony: "A few years, I was lucky to have learnt about my abilities after the uprising."
Josh: "How old are you?"
Tony: "19"
Josh: "Wow you were only 10 when it happened."
Tony: "Lost my family in that. It's horrible and hard to think about sometimes, I still remember the day like it was yesterday."
Josh: "Hey I'm sorry that I brought it up."
Tony: "It's fine. We gotta talk about our past someday, otherwise it just eats us up."
Josh: "What were you doing before?"
Tony: "Before the Magi and humans waged war, killing millions of people for no real reason?"
Josh: "Yeah."
Lie again.
Tony: "I was at school, I wasn't working yet, I was only ten and my dad made sure to never make me work until I finished school."
Josh: "Oh that's right. Sorry I thought you were 24. Same age as me."
Tony: "Nice to know old man. Look I'm sorry but this isn't going to work out."
Josh: "What do you mean?"
I pulled my knife and pressed a second button. Making it shift into a small baton instead. Pressing another button as it started to zap and spark off. I walked away carefully before launching the baton at Josh. Knowing he wouldn't be dumb enough to get hit, I pulled a small syringe out of my shirt and ran up towards him, using the half a second delay from my baton to get the upper hand as I pricked him and injected the formula into him. Watched him wince and stumbled back. Come on please be fast, don't be immune.
Josh: "What the hell?"
Tony: "Your a magi, I'm a tinkerer. It's what we do."
I watched him reach out to hold me, I was surprised when he did just that. Reached out and wrapped his arms around me, Pulling me close to him as he kissed my cheek.
Josh: "I don't blame you, Just don't leave the next guy hanging Ok? If you are going to kill me, at least put me in the car so they know who I am."
After a few more moments, I felt the force of his full weight land on top of me, pushing me down. Why the hell would he say that if he was a magi? They were bred to hate us, born to rule over us, and even now after he knew I wasn't even a normal human but a Tinker. I wonder what he would be like if he woke up and saw me still there. I mean I am hungry. I let his body drop before walking up the path a minute to see a car perched there. I opened it with the keys I nabbed from Joshua's pockets and opened it up. Seeing a basked with a note. I opened the basked and pulled out a rather large packed lunch, with sandwiches, fruit, everything. Where the hell did he get this from? I opened the note as I opened a sandwich and took a bite. I haven't had bread in so long. I pulled the note out and almost choked.
"I'M not stupid Tony, I've been following you for years, watching your movements, learning about you and how you act, how you think. You think you are invisible but you aren't. Being a tinker makes you clever enough to get out of any situation right? You always have the right tools for the job, and being the only one left raises more problems than it solves. Look long story short, I created an antivenom to counter the effects of the sleep agent you just used on me and I took it before I even left the car. I will be awake in five minutes so I hope you are a quick reader. I don't agree with what the Magi are doing. It's just turning the tides back to what it was like before the uprising that occurred. Only now it's the magi using the Dionley as tools and slaves. It's just flipping it all on its head. So that's why I tried to talk to you but no doubt you pricked me you bastard. The food is yours but the magistrate is onto you. They have been cracking down in all of the places you just so happen to leave, coincidence I think not. If you made it this far, at least drag me back to the car and wait for me to wake up so I can tell you more but if you leave this car after I am here. I will be forced to take you in. And I really don't want to do that to someone so beautiful. Just please hear me out. I know where your brother is and yes, we know he is a Magi."
Well... Fuck.