Archive of Our Own ^beta

10th September, 2000.

“Son, I think you’re a prodigy.”

Naib perked his head up and shifted his entire stance into a non-threatening one, lowering his fists as he stared at his dad in bafflement. He had been training with his dad for about two hours now, and he noticed the curious looks his dad had thrown while they were busy practicing on fighting techniques. He wasn’t sure what a ‘prodigy’ meant, but he hoped that it was something good. So far, he had only received praises from his dad about the way he fought. It couldn’t be that there was something wrong with his own fighting techniques, right?

“What does ‘prodigy’ mean, Dad?” Naib asked, and his dad chuckled while patting the space next to him. Naib sat right beside him before crossing his legs.

“A prodigy means that you’re a child genius,” Dad explained, using a hand to playfully ruffle his hair. Naib let out an annoyed grunt, but he still laughed at the action as he began to fix his hair. “I have observed you for quite some time. Your fighting skills are not ordinary.”

“Not ordinary?” Naib asked, his eyebrows raised.

Dad nodded. “You’re only three years old, but your fighting skills could challenge an adult’s. Your reflexes are abnormally fast, and you always seem to know what your next move is in order to defend yourself. You, my son, are a born genius.”

A prodigy. Naib liked the sound of the word. He liked the meaning too. But he loved the expression of his dad more; the way he looked at him with softened eyes, his lips curled into a proud smile.

“But I want to be stronger, Dad,” Naib said, jumping to his feet. Being a child prodigy was nice—or at least, being told that he was a child prodigy was nice. He still wanted to train with his dad. He knew that there was still so much more to learn, and he wanted to combine all that knowledge with the natural strength he was given. “You will keep training me, right?”

“Of course.” Dad pushed himself into a standing position. He then moved his body into an offensive stance. “There will always be someone stronger than you, my son. So you can never stop training, no matter how good you are. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir!”

:::::

15th July, 2003.

Tonight, the weather was hot, and Naib woke up with his throat feeling parched. He groaned at the thought of having to get out of this comfortable position just to grab a glass of water, but in the end, he relented and decided that it wasn’t worth sleeping with his throat emitting so much discomfort.

His steps were inaudible as he went down the stairs. It was a habit he picked up after learning from his dad on how to keep quiet in the presence of a predator—or in an attempt to catch prey. He wasn’t sure what time it was, but he knew that it was very, very early in the morning. His parents were probably still asleep in their room, snoring–

He halted when he heard whispers coming from the living room, and he quickly moved to hide behind the wall before he could reveal himself. His mind might be a little sluggish since it was early in the morning, but that didn’t stop his instincts from kicking in the moment he sensed suspicious activity. Though, he immediately relaxed when it was just his parents, who were oddly speaking in hushed tones. If his parents were talking to each other this quietly when he was the only other person in this house, wouldn’t that mean it was something they didn’t want him to hear?

“I’m worried about him,” Mom said, her voice low. Thankfully, it wasn’t low enough to the point where it was inaudible. “He’s turning six soon, and he still hasn’t gotten his magic.”

“You worry too much,” Dad replied, but his tone was sombre. Naib could hear some rustling of fabric. “Maybe he has magic, except it’s just too weak for even himself to detect? He has good physical strength, it’s normal for his magic to not be just as strong.”

“Even if it’s faint, he should be able to feel it,” Mom said, her words becoming muffled near the end. Naib dared himself to take a peek, and he found her burying her face in her hands. “He hasn’t come to me about feeling different. Not even once. Usually, we can feel a change in our body, no matter how weak it is.”

Dad let out a deep, tired sigh. “Maybe he’s a late bloomer. We should give him more time.”

“How long, honey?” Mom asked, her voice close to snapping. “He should’ve gotten it years ago, especially when he was already three. I doubt that he’s going to have magic at this point.”

“And if he really doesn’t?” Dad asked, his tone slightly harsh. “What? That will change your perception towards him?”

“Of course not!”

Mom’s response was immediate and with no hesitation. That made Naib feel a little bit more relieved. He had no idea magic existed. His parents never told him about it, and he wondered why they never did. Maybe if they had told him earlier, he could’ve trained harder. Worked towards gaining his magic instead of enhancing his physical strength.

“I–” Mom breathed out, the exhaustion slowly creeping in her voice. “I don’t want others to pick on him for it. He’s perfect the way he is, but knowing avians…”

“I know.” There was a long pause, and it was almost suffocating for Naib. His dad continued just before he made the decision to go back upstairs, “But he’s our son. He’s strong, capable and gifted. There is no way he’ll let others step on him just for not having magic.”

:::::

16th July, 2003.

“Naib.”

Naib nearly jumped when he heard his dad’s voice. He was so sleepy after he barely got any sleep yesterday, thinking about magic and how he was worrying his parents for not having it. His mind had also been deep in thought because of it, and it dulled his senses where he couldn’t hear his dad approaching at all.

“Son, I have something to tell you,” Dad said, gesturing for him to come closer.

Naib had an idea on what it was about, but he pretended that he didn’t. He motioned towards his dad and sat on a rock nearby.

“There’s something your mother and I didn’t tell you,” Dad said, his voice drifting off as he averted his gaze. Whether he was scanning for some prey to hunt down or was simply thinking on what to say, Naib wasn’t sure. “We have been keeping this away from you, but... in this world, there is magic.”

I know. Naib feigned a surprised expression. “Really?!”

“Yes,” Dad said, the corners of his lips visibly twitching upwards. He turned back to look at him, a gentle smile on his face. “Every avian has them, but in rare cases, there are some who don’t.”

“Oh... I see.” Naib allowed a frown to appear on his lips, even though he already knew that much info from his parents’ conversation last night. He pretended to fidget nervously. “When will I get my magic, Dad?”

Dad released a small breath, moving over to lean against the rock he was sitting on. Naib already knew the answer, but he asked anyway. Just for the sake of pretending that he didn’t hear them talking about it.

“Son, I think you are a very special kid,” Dad began, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He pulled him closer. “You are strong, and your fighting skills are like no other.”

Naib listened carefully.

“I believe that in exchange for all of that talent, you are one of the very few avians who were born without magic,” Dad said, and Naib searched for any signs of regret or disappointment. There were none, and he was surprised when his dad suddenly gave gentle pats to his arm. “But it’s reasonable, right? If you have magic and you are strong–” Naib couldn’t help but laugh when his dad tousled his hair, “–then you will be one unbeatable avian.”

Naib grinned. “I want to be unbeatable!”

“Then train,” Dad said, standing up while making gestures that indicated they would start their training. He rolled up his sleeves, bending down a little in a hostile position. “You don’t need magic to be unbeatable. Just enhancing your physical strength will do.”

Naib could feel the excitement flowing in his blood. His wings twitched behind him, and in one swift motion, he pushed himself with so much force towards the direction of his dad.

:::::

2nd January, 2004.

Naib was already seven, and that meant it was time for him to start receiving formal education.

Mom had explained to him that he would learn a lot of new things. Fighting techniques that his father had never taught him, ways to control his wings, knowledge such as mathematics, science and language... He had to admit, it sounded like there were so many things to discover. And while he assumed that it would be tiring to learn all of those, he couldn’t help but feel excited to become smarter and stronger.

Unfortunately, one of the subjects was about teaching the students how to control their magic, and Naib didn’t have magic. So he had to listen as his mom explained to the teacher that he wasn’t born with magic. He tried not to think too much about the teacher’s expression, but something about her frown indicated her mild distaste.

In spite of that, everything went smoothly for the rest of the day. He managed to make a few friends and learn some of the things that his mom had mentioned. One of the subjects he had for today was ‘Wings’. It was the subject where they taught students how to control their wings, especially when fighting in the air.

Dad had taught him a thing or two on how to move his body mid-flight. So when his teacher taught him the basics, he didn’t have to practice too hard since it was already something he had learned back at home.

:::::

3rd January, 2004.

“Naib, you’re the student that doesn’t have magic right? Go and sit on the bench over there.”

Naib could feel his cheeks heating up in embarrassment, before he slowly walked towards the bench in the corner. He didn’t know why, but he found it humiliating for the teacher to announce that he was magic-less in front of his classmates. It just made him sound incomplete. Imperfect.

He could already hear some whispers being thrown at him as he passed by his friends, though some did offer him sympathetic looks. Subconsciously, his hands curled into fists, and he didn’t realise that he was rapidly fidgeting his leg to calm down the rising irritation.

It’s fine, he told himself. His dad had said that he was special even without magic. He just needed the opportunity to show to them what he was capable of, and then they would see that he was just the same as them. With or without magic.

He watched as his other classmates practiced. Most of them were just so bad. Some were clumsily shooting their magic at the school’s property—destroying them in the process—while others could barely even shoot out their magic. He had to fight the urge to just scoff, because it seemed like some avians were weak even with magic.

He tilted his head up when he heard footsteps, and he found one of the students, Freddy, approaching him. Behind the boy were some of his other classmates, and his jaw immediately clenched when he noticed the hostile behaviour emitting from all of them.

Freddy Riley. He heard rumours about him when he first entered school yesterday. The guy’s magic was strong, but his personality was unlikable. Naib could tell that he was cocky from the way he talked, and he made sure to distance himself from him because—there was no way he could tolerate such an attitude. It would only make his skin boil, and he wasn’t sure if he could hold himself back from dealing with him.

But seeing the boy standing in front of him now, he could only guess the troubles that awaited.

“Look at him,” Freddy said to his friends, snickering. He turned back to look at Naib. “I heard you were a child prodigy, but you don’t even have magic? What kind of prodigy are you?”

Naib took a deep breath. He wouldn’t let this guy rattle him. Therefore, he chose to ignore him, hoping that the teacher could see them harassing him and make them stop.

Unfortunately, the teacher wasn’t doing anything. Naib could’ve sworn that the man had looked at him several times, but he pretended not to notice by teaching his other classmates how to use magic.

One of Naib’s five fingers twitched. What kind of teacher was he?

“Hey, answer me!” Freddy yelled. It was obvious that the guy didn’t like to be ignored. He took a few steps forward, only standing inches away from Naib. “Just because you’re a child prodigy, doesn’t mean you’re better than us. You’re nothing without magic.”

A nerve popped through Naib’s forehead. “Shut up.”

Freddy’s grin grew, knowing that his taunts were finally working. He went back to stand with his other friends, before he crossed his arms over his chest. “If you ever think you’re one of us, think again. My papa always told me that magic-less avians like you are–”

Don’t let him get to you.

“–useless, weak, can’t beat other avians in fights–”

Breathe in, breathe out.

“–because they don’t have magic to–”

Freddy was blasted into the air—a few meters away from him—before his body dropped on the ground. Naib could hear him groan, followed by the sound of his harsh gasping. He started to approach the boy, his steps agonisingly slow. He could feel himself smiling, and he let himself take pleasure when the boy began to cry.

Freddy desperately tried to get away from him, and at the same time screaming for help. None of his friends had the courage to come forward, and Naib’s eyes turned into slits when he stopped right in front of him.

He could hear the teacher shouting at him in the distance, but his mind chose to ignore it. The sound around him became nothing more than background noise, and he bent down to grasp Freddy’s face—with the hand he used as a fist just a few seconds ago.

“Your papa told you that magic-less avians are weak?” Naib asked, his voice eerily calm. Freddy whimpered when the grasp on his face tightened. “Well, tell him that his son couldn’t even react in time against a magic-less avian. A magic-less avian who wasn’t at his fastest either.”

:::::

6th January, 2004.

Naib wasn’t really on good terms with anyone, maybe except with his parents. After he had punched Freddy Riley in the face, the teacher had brought him to the principal’s office, and his parents were notified of his behaviour.

He wasn’t sure if his parents were mad, but they did look disappointed. He hated that they were, because he had always wanted to make them proud. Though, Freddy really struck a nerve—a lot of nerves, in fact, after he kept pointing out how he didn’t have magic. He never wanted to be seen as weak, and if anyone dared call him that just because he was lacking something as mere as magic, then they had a thing coming.

It sucked. Most of the students that had befriended him seemed to be distant with him now. Maybe it was due to fear—or disgust, because he had chosen violence to settle the matter. He now understood why first impressions were everything, but he could care less whether anyone wanted to be his friend or not. The important thing was that he got his point crossed, and who cared if he had to sit alone most of the time now? He went to school to study and become stronger anyway. He didn’t need any friends.

:::::

20th January, 2004.

School was horrible.

Naib didn’t know when he started to have this sort of thinking, but he decided that he hated school. He hated the teachers there for never supporting him whenever he encountered any troubles. He hated his classmates for always ignoring and making fun of him. Most importantly, he hated everyone with magic.

Everyone with magic could go to hell, except for his parents. Those avians were always looking down on him, and for what? It wasn’t their problem if he didn’t have magic. He honestly didn’t know what their issue was, but every time someone mentioned magic, he wanted to gag and pull his ears out of his head.

He quickly threw away the paper he had scribbled angrily into the dustbin when he heard the front door open. Taking a huge, deep breath, he forced himself to calm his mind and forget about everyone else. This was his home, with the two people he loved. He shouldn’t be unhappy around his parents when his parents had done everything they could to always make him happy. They didn’t deserve it.

“Naib, you’re back from school,” Mom greeted, and Naib noticed that she was carrying something in her arms. She noticed his gaze, and she beckoned for him to come closer. “Come, look.”

Naib raised a brow, before he motioned towards her. He had to stand on his tippy toes in order to look at what she was holding, and his eyes widened when he found a small owl.

The owl didn’t look like he was in good condition though. His skin was terribly pale, and his hair and clothes were covered in dirt. He looked like he hadn’t eaten in days too, and Naib wondered how he was able to survive alone when he looked so young.

“I tried asking around, but no one knows whose child is this,” Mom explained, using a hand to gently brush the owl’s snowy white hair. The owl momentarily shivered, before his body went limp again. “I’ll have to ask him later when he’s really conscious. Maybe he can tell us where his family is.”

Naib nodded. It was odd that there was an owl here in this forest, where most eagles lived. Maybe he lost his way while flying here? It happened once in a while.

“I’m going to clean him up and make him some food,” Mom said, standing up.

“I’ll help,” Naib offered.

“Are you sure?” Mom asked, shifting the owl in her hands. She peered to look at his homework. “I don’t want to bother you if you’re busy with your work.”

Naib shook his head. He had finished his homework long ago. The only reason why he remained lying on the floor with his books scattered around was because he only wanted to let out some of his frustration by drawing in misery. “It’s okay, I’m already done anyway.”

Mom smiled. “Thank you, Naib. Can you let him borrow some of your clean clothes then?”

:::::

21st January, 2004.

It took one whole day before the owl stirred from his slumber.

The first thing Naib noted was the unearthly glow around the owl’s blue eyes, and he instantly concluded that the owl might have strong magic. Some avians showed obvious signs that they had powerful magic, and one of the common ones were glowing eyes.

Instantly, he felt like curling his lips in disgust at the thought, but he was able to stop himself from displaying such an expression. The owl hadn’t even done anything wrong with him. There was no need to show his dislike so early.

“Hello,” Mom greeted, and the owl slowly turned his head to look at her. “We aren’t here to hurt you. We’re just here to help, alright?”

The owl blinked, before he slowly nodded his head. He seemed like the quiet type. Maybe it was because he was in the presence of strangers?

“My name is Alina, and this is my son, Naib,” Mom continued, gesturing towards Naib when she mentioned his name. Naib nodded his head in acknowledgement. “What’s your name?”

The owl’s voice was barely above a whisper when he said, “Eli.”

“Okay, Eli,” Mom said, interlocking her hands together. “May I know where you’re from? I believe you’ve been in our forest for a few days now, and I’m sure your family is worried sick.”

“Oh.” Eli looked down. There was a moment of silence, before he said, “My family... they’re no longer here.”

Mom’s face immediately turned remorseful. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be,” Eli said, suddenly pushing himself off the bed. It might not be evident, but Naib could tell that the owl was standing on shaky legs. “Thank you. I will get going now.”

“Wait!” Mom placed a hand over his shoulder, and Eli tilted his head to look at her in bewilderment. She grabbed a bowl she had placed on the dresser earlier, before she showed the contents to the owl. “Don’t you want to at least eat first?”

Eli shook his head. “I’m not hungry.” Followed by the sound of his stomach growling. Loudly.

“I think your tummy begs to differ,” Mother said, a small smile on her lips. She tried offering the bowl of food once again, but the owl took a step back. “I promise you, dear, that we’re not here to hurt you. I’m worried that you will fall sick without any sustenance.”

Eli shook his head again. The tremors from his body were getting worse now, especially when it was becoming more apparent that he was shaking. Naib could see the quick blanch of the owl’s face, before his entire body collapsed.

:::::

22nd January, 2004.

Naib had just returned from school, when he found his mom feeding Eli at the dining table. The owl looked like he was on guard, but he still ate whatever Mom gave him. His condition had turned out to be worse than they thought, because he was actually suffering from a fever when he first woke up. The only reason why Mom found out about it yesterday was because she checked on him in the middle of the night, only to find his face burning.

“Welcome back, Naib,” Mom greeted, giving another spoonful of food to Eli. At this point, the owl was just automatically opening his mouth whenever the spoon was aimed towards him. “How was school?”

“It’s fine,” Naib said, waving his hand nonchalantly in the air. There was gossip about him, but what else was new? “I get to learn something new again.”

“That’s nice,” Mom said. She used a hand to grab a napkin, wiping the corners of Eli’s lips where there were food stains.

Naib couldn’t help but glower at Eli. He knew that he shouldn’t feel this way, but something about the thought of his mom giving most of her attention to the owl made his stomach churn. If anything, he should be the one receiving his mom’s affection, especially since everyone else couldn’t even bear to look at him. He bet that if the owl knew about his magic-less state, he would treat him just like the rest; ignoring him or looking down on him.

Stop thinking already.

“Naib?” Mom’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She was looking at him expectantly, and Naib assumed that she had been talking to him. He cursed himself for not paying attention.

“Yeah?” Naib asked.

“I was saying that I had been discussing with your father,” Mom said, her eyes softening as she continued to feed Eli. “He agreed that Eli could stay here, so I was wondering if you were too.”

Now, it felt like the world was crumbling right in front of him. He couldn’t believe that his mom wanted an additional family member. An outsider, who had magic—possibly strong magic, and that meant he would be looking down on Naib in no time for not having it.

Naib glanced at Eli to see his reaction, but the owl had lowered his head. He wanted to protest so badly, but what kind of reasonable argument could he give? He knew that Mom sympathised with Eli because he had no family, and he would be damned before letting his mom know what problems he was truly facing. There was really no reason for him to not let Eli stay, and declining would only make him look like a jerk. And suspicious.

He took a deep breath. This was fine. He could always teach Eli a lesson if he ever decided to mock him, just like the other kids. He didn’t care if they lived under the same roof. He wouldn’t let anyone look down on him.

“Sure,” Naib said, forcing himself to smile. “He can stay.”

He expected Eli’s face to light up with joy, tears of happiness, or—something. Instead, he found the owl with a sombre look, his expression unreadable.

:::::

24th January, 2004.

It had been two days since Eli started living with them.

Naib hadn’t interacted with the owl much—mostly because the owl slept during the day—and he was thankful that he didn’t have to force himself to interact with him. Every single time he spotted the owl, it would only leave him with a bitter feeling, so having different sleeping schedules was a blessing. That saved him from having interactions with the owl, even though he was the one who chose not to talk to him whenever they had the chance to.

Well, it seemed like he wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to talk. Eli also made no effort to communicate with him. He wasn’t sure if it was because of his magic-less state (which was weird, because he doubted Eli knew about it) or simply because Eli was a quiet person. He guessed that it was the latter, since the owl tried his best to keep his words to a minimum whenever it came to communication.

He had just finished doing his homework, when he heard his dad’s voice coming from the back of the house. Curious, he went over to where his dad was, and he was surprised to find him training Eli outside.

There was a ball of magical energy in Eli’s hand. Judging by the way the owl was panting, he could only assume that Dad was training him. He watched in silence as the owl started shooting his magic at the dummies his dad had created—which was initially to train him. He clenched his jaw at the thought of his dad spending his time with an outsider that he hadn’t even known for a week.

(Why was Dad teaching a stranger on how to be stronger?)

“Naib,” Dad called, and Naib was slightly startled when he realised that his father was standing right in front of him. Eli only stood in the distance, seemingly waiting for them. “Have you finished your homework already?”

Naib was sure his voice would sound weird if he started talking, so he only managed a nod.

“That’s good. Are you up to train then? I was just about to finish training Eli.” Dad glanced at said owl. One of his hands was rubbing his chin as he nodded his head approvingly. “His magic seems really strong. And he has good control of it too. I’d say he’ll be a strong magic user with just a little more practice.”

“You don’t say…” Naib said, forcing himself to suppress the contemptuous smile that was planning to stretch his face. He recollected all the times his dad had praised him, and it helped reduce some of the hostility rising in his chest.

He really had to stop. It wasn’t like Eli was going to replace him. Or become better than him. He would always be stronger than the owl, and if not, maybe just as strong.

“I have some energy left to train,” Naib continued, sending Eli a side-eye glare. Thank the heavens that the owl got the message, because he visibly took a step back to sit at the side.

Watch and learn, Naib thought.

:::::

10th January, 2007.

Naib and Eli might be siblings, but really, their relationship was lesser than acquaintances. Eli had already lived with them for three years, and they still hadn’t talked much—apart from the necessary verbal exchanges; such as calling one of them for dinner, or giving them advice during training. Even though Naib felt distant with Eli, that didn’t stop him from being responsible. His dad had requested him to train Eli—since it turned out that the owl was physically weaker—and if that was what his dad wished, then he would simply comply with it.

This year, Eli was seven, so his parents had sent him to the same school as him. Living with them had changed the owl’s sleeping schedule entirely, so now the owl was able to stay awake during the day without dozing off. It was irritating for Naib though, because he now had to walk with him whenever he had to go to school. The worst part was that Eli seemed to fit in with the rest of the other eagles despite being the only owl there. And it was something he didn’t have.

He didn’t understand. How was Eli able to make friends and not him? Was magic so significant that it would turn him into a loner if he didn’t have it? But he had proved to his dad so many times that he didn’t need magic to be a powerful avian.

So what made Eli so special?

Because his magic was stronger? (But he couldn’t even lift something heavy!)

Because he was friendlier? (But it looked like his friends were the ones who were doing all the talking—not him.)

Then, why?

Why?

He wasn’t even one of them.

Eli was an owl. A stupid owl who lost his family and somehow ended up in the territory of eagles.

It wasn’t fair.

He decided there and then. He didn’t want to wait for Eli this time. Usually, the two of them would walk home together no matter how silent they were. But this time, he didn’t care. Since everyone loved Eli so much, he was sure that the owl could make it back home in one piece. Who needed a magic-less avian to accompany him anyway?

He kicked some of the dirt as he walked home. The string of curses were ready on his tongue, but it wasn’t satisfying when no one was here to listen to them. In the end, he settled with staring at the ground angrily, maybe thinking on how to answer his parents when he arrived home all alone later.

There was a crunching noise, and he immediately stopped moving. His instincts were suddenly kicking at him, and he quickly moved into an offensive position for any threats. There didn’t seem to be anyone, but he still felt the presence of one—no, multiple people. His eyes searched rapidly for any movement, and he whipped his head to the side when he heard slow clapping, followed by the sound of footsteps.

“Naib, Naib, Naib…” Freddy’s ugly face appeared in his view, his posture relaxed and his expression smug. So he had friends with him, and it didn’t take long before they started emerging from the bushes. “Always so vigilant. A surprise attack can never seem to work on you.”

Naib let out a low snarling noise. “What the hell do you want?”

“Remember when you punched me in the face three years ago?”

“You mean kicked your stupid ass because you were making fun that I didn’t have magic?” Naib asked, the memory burning vividly at the back of his skull. “Yeah, I remember.”

“Wha– You didn’t ‘kick’ me! You just took me by surprise!” Freddy shouted, his body suddenly shaking with anger. His face was red now, and it reminded Naib of a volcano ready to erupt in flames. “Don’t think I’ve ever forgiven you for that.”

Naib rolled his eyes. “Not like I ever wanted your forgiveness in the first place.”

“You–!” Freddy made a gesture to his friends. “Get him!”

Naib couldn’t believe it was a one-versus-ten battle, but at least he was able to hold on. He knew that if he was fighting them individually, it wouldn’t even take a minute for him to take each of them down. But since they decided to attack him like a group of cowards, he had to make sure that he could think and react fast at the same time.

He suddenly felt a surge of magic hitting his ankle, and he hissed in pain before receiving a punch straight to his face. It was almost enough to make him lose his balance, but he had already trained himself to deal with this kind of pain, so he quickly recovered from the blow and shifted to his feet when another avian tried to land an attack on him. He let out a sharp breath, swinging his fist at the avian. This was getting difficult. Not only were they attacking him physically, but they were starting to use their magic too.

He could feel his energy draining after a while, though he wouldn’t give up. Even if he lost this battle, he was still proud of himself. He could tell that he had done just as much damage when he noticed the battered states of the other avians. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could last, but he guessed that it was only a few minutes left before his knees would collapse.

There was magical energy coming from behind him. He knew exactly where it was coming from, but no matter how much he begged his body to move, it wouldn’t budge. So he had to resort to accepting the pain head on. If he expected the pain enough, maybe it would lessen the blow.

…

The pain never came. Instead, there was another source of magic. Stronger magic. The amount was tenfold than the one that the avian tried to shoot at him, and Naib doubted it came from any of the avians that were attacking him. Slowly, he turned around, and he found Eli, his hand glowing with magic. His eyes were gleaming ominously underneath his blue mask, his gaze icy.

Naib would never admit it, but the owl’s magic right now was really overwhelming. It sent chills down his spine.

Freddy wobbled to his feet after he had been blown by the magical impact. He clutched his arm, while his face contorted in fear. “T-that magic, that–” He looked at his friends. “Retreat!”

Within seconds, they all scattered pathetically into the trees, leaving him all alone with Eli. Naib found himself slumping to the ground, trying his best to keep his breathing even. Black spots were starting to dance around his vision, and he forced himself to close his eyes. Breathe in, breathe out. He was not going to let himself lose his consciousness.

He felt a pair of small hands holding him, and his mind didn’t think too much about it. Not until he heard that voice who—

“Naib, we need to bring you to–”

Naib instinctively smacked Eli’s hand away before the owl could touch him any further. For a second, there was a shocked expression on the other’s face, before it turned into a look of confusion.

“Naib–?”

“Shut up.” Maybe it was hatred. Or the annoyance—or all the other negative emotions he had harboured. But with his newfound strength, he was able to stand up again. Fainting, be damned. “Why did you– why would you help me? It was my fight!”

Eli’s eyes widened. “But— they were hurting you. I couldn’t just–”

“It wasn’t your concern!” Naib bellowed, taking a step forward. He watched as Eli cautiously inched away. “You– there was no reason for you to jump in there. I had everything under control!”

“But that’s a lie,” Eli suddenly snapped, and it was obvious that he was also losing his patience by the visible look of irritation on his face. Something about his tone indicated that he had been holding back all these years. “They were going to seriously hurt you. And what did you expect me to do? Stand there and just watch–?”

“Yes! Because for once. Just once in your life, stop getting involved with me and leave me alone!”

“Well, I’m sorry I was preventing you from getting beaten into a pulp!” Eli’s voice cracked at the end. A sign that he was unused to raising his voice. “If I had known, maybe I should’ve–”

Something in Naib broke.

He pounced onto Eli and started attacking him like a wild beast. It caught Eli off guard, so he was able to land a few attacks. It was a marvel how anger could immediately give one strength when he was supposed to pass out minutes ago. He wondered how much he was pushing his body beyond its limit.

It turned out that attacking Eli wasn’t that simple once he started using his magic, and only now he realised how much the owl had been going easy on him when he first attacked. But then again, it was all thanks to magic that he was able to go against him. The one thing Naib despised the most, and the one thing Naib didn’t have.

“What did I ever do to you?!” Eli yelled, using his wings to dodge him when he tried to attack again. “I’ve never– I’ve never even done anything wrong!”

“You appeared in my life!” Naib shouted. He tried to land a kick mid-flight, but Eli was quick to dodge it. He ended up kicking the bark of a tree, and it almost snapped in half. “Everything was okay despite all the suffering I had to go through—until you decided to come over and steal my parents away from me!”

Eli just stared at him in genuine disbelief, the scowl evident on his face. “You act like you’re the only one suffering in this world.”

That did it.

With one last push, Naib was able to close the distance and slam Eli to the ground, rendering the owl motionless. Before the latter could even push himself up, Naib had grabbed him by the throat, earning a strangled noise.

“You don’t know anything about me,” Naib growled, his teeth bared. “Because you were born privileged, you will never know what it’s like to be discriminated against by everyone except your family.”

Eli tried to get his hold off from him, but it was almost futile. “A-at least your family still loves you,” he managed to choke, letting out a humourless, broken laugh. “My family threw me away because they couldn’t even stand looking at me.”

Naib stiffened, and the fingers around Eli’s neck subconsciously loosened. All of a sudden, the silence became so loud. “What did you say?”

Eli took this opportunity to push him away, a few coughs escaping him. He was silent at first, but Naib watched as the realisation of what he had said dawned on him. Quickly, the owl got up, and he made sure to make zero eye contact as he turned around. “Forget it.” Despite the damage he received, he could still fly away fast enough before Naib could say anything.

Naib just sat there in the middle of the forest, blinking, as his mind took a while to process what just happened.

...Eli’s family was not dead?

All these years, he had lived thinking Eli stayed with him because his family was deceased. It never occurred to him why Eli looked so indifferent when he mentioned that his family was gone. And now that he thought about it, the owl was only four years old when he gave the news. A four-year-old would never have reacted like that with the fact that his entire family was dead.

“What the hell,” he muttered to himself, burying his face in his hands. He had been so envious of what Eli had, he never took the time to learn more about him, or find out what had actually happened to him. Now, it was gnawing at his guilt.

But there was one thing he didn’t understand. Why would Eli’s parents abandon him? Shouldn’t they love their child like normal parents? His magic was stupidly strong for a kid, and most people would do anything to brag that their children had powerful magic. So even if his parents weren’t all that caring, it wasn’t like Eli would disappoint them because he was weak.

He shook his head. Now was really not the time to think about it. Right now, he had to apologise to Eli for how he treated him. Hopefully, the owl had arrived home already.

He tried to get up, but he instantly dropped back to the ground again.

Okay, maybe he should rest his body first.

:::::

Naib managed to give his body a two-hour break, before he decided to just move it already. The sky was an orange hue when he tilted his head upwards, the sun almost dipping into the horizon. He was sure that if he was a bit later, his parents would be worried and started searching for him. That was one of the reasons why he decided to walk back home despite the horrible aching. It took almost forever since he was limping, but at least he could finally see the view of his home.

“Naib! You’re finally home,” Mom said, and he noticed how her body relaxed from the kitchen. She was wearing an apron and oven mitts. The smell of roasted deer wafted through his nose. “Your father was planning to search for you if you don’t return when he– wait, what happened to you? And where’s Eli?”

Naib’s eyes widened upon registering his mom’s words. “Eli’s not home yet?”

Mom shook her head. She took off the oven mittens before placing it on the kitchen counter. “I thought you two always walk home together? But before that, why are you injured…”

Naib could feel himself paling as Mom’s voice suddenly drifted off. This was all his fault. If he wasn’t always thinking about his misfortune, maybe things wouldn’t have come to this. He had attacked Eli even though the owl was only trying to help, and the owl hadn’t even done anything wrong to him for the past few years. He never once mocked him, and he had always taken his training with him seriously even though he was the one who had stronger magic. Yet, Naib never bothered to treat him kindly. All because he was so afraid that Eli would be just like the rest—turn his back on him.

Now, Eli was probably gone. Forever.

“Naib, honey, what happened?” Naib hadn’t realised that his mom had gone back into the kitchen to get their medical kit. She started cleaning and wrapping the injuries. “Why do you look so upset? Who hurt you, my son?”

Naib shook his head, feeling the way his eyes were becoming wet. He tried his best to hold back the tears, but they were stubborn and still managed to slip down his cheek.

“Hey, it’ll be alright, honey. It’ll be alright,” she whispered, gently patching him up. Naib only watched her quietly, sniffing from time to time as he kept using his arm to wipe the damp spot near his eyes. “Take deep breaths, okay? I’m sure everything will be fine.”

“No, it won't,” Naib grumbled, and Mom looked up to him questioningly. He could see her brows knitting, but she was patient. She only let out a soft hum as she waited for him to open up himself. “Mom... I hurt Eli.”

Now, he could see her body tensing. But there were no accusing looks directed at him. She had never been the one to judge, not until she heard the full story. “What happened?”

Naib was slightly hesitant when he started telling his story, but he continued despite telling it slowly. He had kept this for a few years, so it felt uneasy to reveal it now. He told her how his classmates had been treating him. He told her how his teacher would sometimes ignore him when he needed help. He watched as her expression turned from annoyed, vexed, to sympathetic as he explained his fear that she would start caring more about Eli just because he had magic.

“Then he tried to help me, but I got so mad because I didn’t want to look weak,” he said, his shoulders sagging. “I hurt him—I also said mean things to him, and now he probably won’t come back because–”

He stopped when she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close as if he was about to crumble. Gently, she brushed his hair, and he leaned into her touch. “Honey, I’m so sorry for not knowing about this sooner. If I had known what you’ve been going through, I could’ve done something.”

Naib gave his head a small shake, burying his face into his mom’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Mom. I just didn’t want to trouble you.”

“But you will never trouble me, my son,” Mom said, exhaling a breath. They stayed in the warm embrace for a while, both of them unmoving. “People will always shun those who they don’t understand. To them, you were different, and they couldn’t understand why you were the only one without magic,” she pulled away to meet his gaze, “but that’s their problem if they couldn’t see how special you are. I know my son is extraordinary even without magic.”

Naib couldn’t help but give his mom another hug, and he felt her returning it almost instantly. It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders. A heavy weight that he had been carrying for years. He wished that he had told her sooner if this was the feeling he would be getting, but now was not the time to dwell on it. Eli was still out there, alone, and he better find him before he ran into danger in his wounded state.

“You will stay here,” Mom said, standing up. She ruffled her wings, before she motioned towards the door. “I’ll be searching for Eli first. If Dad comes home, tell him that I want him to search for Eli without any questions. We mustn’t waste time.”

“But can’t I come with you?” Naib asked.

“No, not in your current state. Just wait here in case Eli comes home, okay?” Mom said, and Naib slowly nodded his head. She smiled, went back to kiss the top of his head, before she sent him a small wave. “I promise you, everything will be okay.”

:::::

11th January, 2007.

Everything was not okay.

When Naib found his parents returning home in the middle of the night, he expected them to bring back a certain owl. To his dismay, there was no sign of Eli.

He couldn’t sleep that night. Was Eli okay wandering in the forest alone? Did he choose to return back to his parents instead? He would feel slightly better if it was the latter, but if anything happened to him while he was out there in the forest, Naib would never forgive himself.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but the next thing he knew, the sun was already up. He couldn’t tell whether he had slept or not, but since he seemed to find himself dozing off every few minutes, he assumed that he did. Without wasting any time, he took a shower and wore his clothes. His body was feeling much better now, and he was sure that he could start searching for Eli today.

“Mom, Dad, I’m going to search for Eli!” Naib exclaimed as he dashed down the stairs.

He didn’t wait for his parents’ response. Once he stepped out of the house, he immediately flew into the sky, his eyes examining the forest below him. He might still be too young to roam around alone, but he knew the route of this forest like the back of his hand. His parents also knew that he was more than capable to flee or fight enemies, so they never worried about him. It was the reason why he could go to school alone without them.

He lowered himself once he realised he couldn’t find Eli at all, and he landed at the area where he fought Eli the previous day. He had to admit, this was going to be hard searching for the owl. There were too many trees that could obscure Eli’s hiding spot, and the owl himself could be just about anywhere. Still, he had to try.

“Eli!” he called. There were some bushes rustling, but it was only a rabbit fleeing from him. He looked around again, cupping his mouth. “Eli, where are you? I’m sorry for how I treated you!”

Silence. He decided to walk around, just in case the owl was nearby.

“Look, I–” Naib ran a hand through his hair, before he sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. I was jealous of you. I was jealous that you had magic while I didn’t. I was afraid you were going to treat me like the others, so I kept my distance from you.”

Nothing.

“I was jealous that Dad seemed really proud of your magic. I was afraid that he was going to abandon me too.” He laughed drily and slumped to the ground. “I know, I’m an idiot. My parents—our parents would never do that. Yet, I worried anyway.”

He knew that he was probably talking to the empty air, but something gave him a feeling that Eli was around here. He glanced at his surroundings again, hoping that the owl would show himself.

There was still nothing, and with a heavy heart, he pushed himself up. Maybe Eli wasn’t here to begin with, but he still wanted him to hear him. Hopefully. “Eli, please come home. Mom and Dad miss you. I miss you.”

He was about to leave, when he heard the sound of a twig snapping. At first, his face lightened up at the thought that it was Eli, so he quickly turned around at the direction of the noise. However, in a split second, his instincts started screaming at him, and he barely dodged something sharp flying his way.

He breathed heavily, before he slowly turned around to look at what was aimed at him. It was a dagger—or something that resembled it. All he knew was that it was sharp, and thankfully it flew into the bark of the tree.

He could’ve died.

There was a muffled laughter, and something tall with a massive build emerged from the trees. It was a raven, with a mask covering his face. Naib instantly recognised who he was despite meeting him for the first time. His parents had told him stories about this avian before. It was a raven that went by the name Nightmare, and he loved killing other avians for fun. Rumour had it that he was dead after an intense fight with an avian years ago, but it seemed like the rumour had been completely false.

“Well, what do we have here…” Nightmare spoke, his tone calm, yet the malice was there. He stopped a few meters away from him, his head turned into an odd angle. “I have never seen an eagle so young being able to dodge an attack like that. Usually... they all die.”

Naib gritted his teeth. He doubted that he could fight this guy, but he could bet that he wouldn’t be able to run away either. Maybe if he tried running to his house, he could ask for help—

An image of his parents lying dead flashed in his mind, and his entire body froze. No. This Nightmare was not someone easy to fight against. Many avians had died against his hand, and if he brought him to his parents...

“I don’t normally fight with kids,” Nightmare began, his breathing becoming more audible. He took a deep breath, before he let out a long exhale. “But I guess I’ll play with you.”

One moment, Nightmare was standing not far from him. The next thing he knew, the avian was already right in front of his face, planning to pierce him with his claws.

Naib barely dodged his attack again. Though, he was slightly unlucky this time. Nightmare managed to graze his arm.

He leaped away from the avian, letting out a hiss as he felt his arm bleed. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, and only now he realised how afraid he was.

Nightmare seemed to take pleasure in his terrified expression, because he suddenly emitted an echoing laugh. Naib always hated that kind of laughter. It was condescending, and it reminded him of those people who—he’s looking down on me now, isn’t he?

“It’s okay, little bird,” Nightmare said, stopping right in front of him. He lifted his hand, and it started moving to strike him. “I had my fun–”

Naib quickly moved to the side, taking Nightmare by surprise, before he landed a hard kick to the avian’s shin. Nightmare let out a groan, but the kick wasn’t enough for him to lose his balance. He began swinging his hand to hit Naib again, but Naib had expected it this time. He swiftly dodged it by moving away.

He could tell that Nightmare was growing irritated, especially when the avian stood there just to stare at him. He wasn’t going to lower his guard though, because Nightmare looked like he was planning something, and he knew that he wasn’t going to like it.

Naib forced himself to focus on his senses. He had never been at his fastest speed before, but now was the time for him to do it. He didn’t have the chance to use it back when he fought Freddy and his friends, but that was only because he was fighting more than one opponent, so it was tough to be at maximum speed when he also had to pay attention while defending himself from other avians. But now that he was only fighting one person, he could maximise his speed and strength.

In the blink of an eye, the two of them started moving. Nightmare tried to land attacks on him, but his accuracy had reduced significantly ever since Naib had increased his speed. It might be hard to believe, but surprisingly, the two of them seemed to be equally matched at the moment, with both of them dealing their fair share of attacks. Naib guessed that Nightmare wasn’t at his full power right now, and maybe it had something to do with the previous battle years ago.

He got lucky. He wouldn’t be able to stand a chance if he faced this Nightmare when he was at his peak.

“Enough!” Nightmare shouted, while Naib landed on a branch of a tree. He had no idea what was the guy’s problem, but something was definitely not right. The avian was starting to tug at his mask in frustration. “It’s all his fault. If he hadn’t beat me... I would... I would still be…”

A wave of magical energy hit Naib, and it instantly made him feel nauseous. Unlike Eli’s magic where it was only overwhelming and powerful, this one had the sole intention to kill. He could feel his body automatically backing away, his wings already fluttering behind him. He could still manage to fight Nightmare with physical strength, but if he started using magic, this was going to be a huge problem for him.

“I will not let a kid beat me!” Nightmare exclaimed, his hands raised in the air as he laughed hysterically. Naib definitely couldn’t deal with him anymore. He had to run or he was going to die. “And where do you think you’re going?”

Before Naib could fly away, something wrapped around his leg, and he realised that it was a rope made by magic. He cried when he was yanked back to the ground, his body crashing straight into a tree.

Naib let out a groan, his body feeling weak. It was a good thing he had enough time to put every bit of his strength to defend himself, but one more attack like that, and it would surely break him. Slowly, he lifted his head to look at the figure approaching him, and he tried his best to move his body before the next attack.

It wouldn’t budge.

“He... hehe…” The chuckle was distorted. Nightmare appeared right in front of him, his magic coating his entire body. “I doubt you can dodge my next attack.”

Naib could only watch helplessly as Nightmare transferred the magic to the weapon he was holding. He tried to move his body again, but to no avail. He guessed that this was it. He would never have the chance to grow stronger, and he never had the chance to say his final goodbyes to his parents.

He also never made amends with Eli.

He closed his eyes. Well, at least the three of them weren’t hurt...

He could feel the magic directed at him, but there was a sudden shift with the aiming. He opened his eyes in shock, and he was startled to find himself next to Eli, the two of them now on top of a tree. Nightmare was below them, searching vigorously for him, and he was starting to go on a rampage when he realised that Naib was out of his sight.

“Eli, you’re–” Eli covered his mouth before he could say anything else.

“You’re injured,” Eli said, his voice only audible to his ears. He looked at the giant avian beneath them, who was still scanning the area. “How bad is your condition?”

As much as Naib wanted to tell the owl how relieved he was, Eli’s seriousness reminded him of the gravity of the situation. He took a quick moment to assess himself, and he let out a shaky breath at the pain that was coming everywhere. “Really bad. I can’t move.”

Eli nodded. “Okay.” He closed his eyes, and all of a sudden, his hand started glowing a bright blue. “Don’t move. I’m going to temporarily give your strength back.”

“You’re– huh—?” Eli suddenly placed two fingers to his forehead, and Naib suddenly felt a weird coldness at where the owl was touching him. In an instant, the pain he felt was gone, and he could move his limbs again as if it wasn’t wounded in the first place. “Wait, did you just heal me?”

“I didn’t.” Eli pulled his hand away, before he tilted his head in the direction of Nightmare. “It’s only temporary, but you won’t feel any pain. You should have no trouble moving your body for a while too.”

Naib nodded his head as he moved his arm. “Thank you.”

“Don’t. The pain will return once the magic is gone.” Eli kept his eyes onto the raven, his face turning solemn. “I need your help, Naib. I can’t fight him alone. He’s too fast and too strong for me.”

Naib moved himself into a crouching position. “What do you need?”

“Distract him for me while I work on this one spell. It takes time, but it should be enough to leave him immobile.”

“Got it.”

Eli didn’t have to say it twice. Naib was already flying towards the raven and sending him a hard kick towards his back. Nightmare groaned as he flew into the distance, his body crashing into multiple trees.

Naib flexed his wrist. He had never felt stronger. He glanced at Eli, and he found the owl deeply focused. There was a large magic circle formed behind him, with runes around the edges. He had never seen that kind of magic before, and he wondered just how strong Eli actually was with his magic.

Nightmare finally noticed Eli’s presence, and he let out a loud shriek as he advanced towards him. He didn’t go that far, because Naib managed to grab the thick strands of his black hair, before tugging him back and swinging him to the ground.

Nightmare crashed to the hard and solid earth, and Naib could only stare at his hands in disbelief. Did he just pull an adult avian back? Damn, Eli’s magic was really giving him some kind of boost to his power.

“You!” Nightmare bellowed, pushing himself back to his feet. He no longer paid any attention to Naib. Instead, he was only focused on Eli. “You... you, you, you... you were the one that sealed my power! Give it back! Unseal my magic!”

Eli looked at the avian with a prominent frown on his face. He pointed his index finger directly at Nightmare, before he muttered something in a language Naib didn’t understand.

Nightmare began to screech. There was a circle around the raven, with the same runes Naib had seen earlier. The avian clutched his head, slammed his body into the trees, before he made a run for it. Naib didn’t expect for a being like him to simply flee. But then again, Eli’s magic looked terrifying, and he probably would’ve done the same if he was in the avian’s shoes.

Abruptly, hot pain emitted from his entire body, and Naib immediately dropped to his knees, his jaw tightly clenched. He felt a pair of hands holding him gently, and he observed as Eli whispered something under his breath. The pain seemed to lessen, and there was a slight glow coming from the symbol on Eli’s mask. However, Naib panicked when the owl slowly became limp, his body crashing to the ground.

“Eli!” Naib crawled towards the owl to check on him. Thank goodness the owl was still alive. Unfortunately, he looked really drained. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t— worry about me…” Eli said in between breaths. Naib helped move his body so that the owl was leaning against a tree. The only tree that survived through Nightmare’s attacks. “I just feel a little tired.”

Naib nodded in understanding, but he couldn’t help but still check for any injuries that the owl might’ve sustained. He was relieved when there was none, and he contemplated whether he should—could sit next to him. In the end, he did, but he was careful to keep a respectful distance. Gradually, an uncomfortable silence fell upon them.

He took a deep breath. Now was definitely the time to apologise. Eli might be too tired to hear it, but it would be worse if he delayed it any longer. That would only make him look insincere. So he spent a few minutes to form the correct sentence, just to gather everything he wanted to apologise for. But just as he was about to open his mouth, that was when Eli had spoken first.

“I’m a Night Owl,” Eli said quietly, his eyes unfocused as he stared ahead.

“Night—wait, one of the strongest avians?! The ones who are naturally gifted with powerful magic?” Naib blurted.

Eli grimaced, but he did give a small bob of his head. “A few years ago, Nightmare was much stronger than the one we fought. The one who fought Nightmare back then was actually my uncle, not me.” His eyes went downcast, and he used a finger to absentmindedly trace over the dirt. “My uncle almost died fighting him. But we used a type of magic that could divide the pain he was experiencing, so he was able to survive.”

Naib blinked. That kind of magic actually existed? What other magic should he be aware of? “Why not use healing magic instead though? Like the one you used on me just now to reduce the pain?”

“...That was not healing magic.”

“Oh—hold on, did you use the same magic your family used on your uncle? On me?”

“Yes.” Naib’s eyes widened. Why would he do that? It was bad enough that he attacked him yesterday. The last thing he deserved was any form of pity. Eli then added, “It doesn’t hurt.”

That was a filthy lie. Even if it didn’t hurt, Naib could clearly hear the exhaustion coming from his voice. He assumed the owl’s magic had taken a toll on him, and he decided to stand up, turn his back against the owl and sat on his haunches.

“What... are you doing?” Eli asked.

“I’m going to bring you home. You need rest,” Naib said. His body was still aching, but he could tolerate the pain. Since Eli had transferred some of the pain to his own body, he should be able to carry them both in the air. “Get on my back. I’ll fly you home.”

Eli didn’t answer him at first, but he did feel the owl slowly climbing onto his back before wrapping his arms around his neck. Naib adjusted him slightly so that he wouldn’t fall in the middle of their flight, and he launched himself in the air before spreading his wings.

Naib couldn’t fly very fast due to his injuries, but at least his pace wasn’t slow. They both should be able to reach home soon. “Eli, I just want to say... I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Eli said, leaning his head over his shoulder. “I was the one who barged into your family.”

“No,” Naib said, forcefully shaking his head. He looked at the ground beneath him, shame washing over him as he remembered his petty feelings. “You weren’t ‘barging’ into my family. I pushed you away because I was afraid you would treat me like the rest. Then I got jealous because your magic turned out to be really strong.”

Eli sounded really baffled when he asked, “Why would you be jealous?”

“You have powerful magic, I think anyone would be jealous.” Naib could see his house in the distance. It seemed quiet from outside, and he assumed that his parents went out to search for Eli. “But for me, magic was something that... would’ve completed me. It would give me a place here—in this world. Because right now, no one wants to be near me. Since I’m magic-less.”

He lowered himself to the ground when they reached home, and he stumbled during his landing. Thankfully, he didn’t topple with Eli attached behind him, and he quickly helped the owl off from him before he ended up squashing him if he felt like collapsing again.

His knees were weak, and he wanted nothing more than to drop on top of his bed. However, just as he was about to enter the house, he felt Eli grab his hand, and he looked at him questioningly at the sudden gesture.

“I was a sickly child,” Eli muttered, before he averted his gaze. He seemed to be staring hard at the ground. “I was weak. I couldn’t take hits very well during training. My magic may be strong, but there’s no point if I’m not capable of handling physical attacks.”

Slowly, Naib felt Eli’s hand pull away.

“I was a threat to the Night Owl bloodline. Night Owls are known to be powerful avians. If I can’t even take a solid punch, then I’ll only be an embarrassment to them.” Eli rubbed his arm awkwardly. There was a hidden sadness to his expression. “So when I got really sick, they decided it was the perfect chance to leave me in a forest. Maybe my illness, or something in the forest, would kill me.”

Naib’s face turned horrified. “Eli–”

“That’s why I admired your strength,” Eli continued. He was now fidgeting with his fingers, his body shifting uncomfortably. “I knew that if I were to fight an opponent head on, I would lose even before the fight even started. Yet, you did it so effortlessly.”

Naib couldn’t believe it. Eli, who had some seriously crazy magic, admired him? Someone who didn’t even have magic? He knew that some of his strength came because he was born a prodigy, but it was nothing remarkable if he didn’t have magic. Magic was just the most ultimate thing to an avian, and Eli wasn’t even considering that.

He would never understand Eli’s family though. How could they abandon their child simply because he was a bit sickly? He had always known the feeling of being isolated by the people around him, but he could never imagine what it was like to have your own family shunning you. And Eli was like the entire package of strong magic—which was what Night Owls were known for anyway. What more did they want from the owl?

Without thinking, he hugged Eli. He could feel the latter stiffening under his hold, but he slowly felt him returning the embrace. The two of them stayed like that, with Naib on the verge of crushing him in his arms. “I’m sorry, Eli. For attacking you, and that you had such a family.” He pulled away to look at him. “I— I didn’t know your family would do such a thing.”

“It’s okay. I already forgave you.” Eli smiled faintly, looking down. “I guess it’s just a price to pay for being born with magic.”

“Still... that’s just stupid! Parents should love their children, not…” Abandon them in the forest. If his Mom hadn’t found Eli, then wouldn’t that mean... He quickly shook his head. Maybe it would be best if he didn’t complete the thought, because it wasn’t like he had treated Eli any better. “Eli, from now on, I promise I’ll make it up to you. I know it won’t be enough after I treated you horribly for years, but I still want to–”

“Stop.” Eli had grabbed his wrist, squeezing it with just enough pressure to stop him from talking. “I said it’s okay.”

Naib breathed out. He still felt guilty, but he didn’t know what else to say without making Eli try to reassure him. He actually wanted the owl to let him know if he ever needed anything. But since Eli seemed like he wanted nothing more, then maybe he could start by being a nicer person to him?

“We should get ourselves cleaned up,” Naib said, slowly making his way to the front door. He helped support Eli, who looked a little wobbly as he walked. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Eli reassured, giving a small wave of his hand. Nonetheless, he didn’t reject Naib’s assistance.

Naib frowned. He wasn’t in any better shape, but at least the pain was bearable. He didn’t know if it was the same for Eli though, because the owl had implied that he had transferred some of the damage to himself so that it would lessen the pain he was feeling. He was worried that maybe half of the damage would be too much for Eli despite him not having any external injuries. He then chose to suddenly scoop Eli into his arms, earning a small shriek.

“Naib... I can walk,” Eli said, his voice slightly raised in pitch.

“And I can carry you,” Naib said, sending him a toothy grin. Eli only looked away, but he could see the faint blush on his cheeks. “You should rest first, I know you’re tired. If Mom and Dad come back, I’ll do all the explaining for you.”

“Thank you,” Eli said, his words drifting off as his head lolled back.

It didn’t take long before Naib heard the sound of soft snoring, and he couldn’t help but smile at it.

:::::

5th May, 2021.

There was a human hidden in the bushes.

It was odd for humans to come to this forest, where they knew incomprehensible creatures lived here. He looked like a hunter, judging by the way he angled his rifle in his hand, his eye focusing on the scope of his gun. His target was what seemed to be a humanoid version of an owl, who was sitting on top of a tree. The owl was too occupied with the twigs and leaves in his hands to notice the hunter’s presence, and that left him completely vulnerable as he had his back against him.

“Perfect,” the man said, a lopsided grin spreading on his face. He had no idea why an owl was awake in the middle of the day, but that didn’t stop him from aiming the rifle at the owl’s head. His finger was ready to pull the trigger—

Blood splattered onto the ground where Naib had dug his talons into the human’s chest. The man’s eyes widened in shock, and he dropped to the ground, a pool of blood now surrounding him. Naib could only look at the man in disgust, before he headed over to the tree Eli was perching on.

He definitely had some reprimanding to do.

“Were you even trying to defend yourself?!” Naib asked, the moment he sat on the branch, right next to Eli.

Eli gave him a half-innocent smile. “No. I knew you were around, so…” He shrugged, before he continued with making whatever he was doing with the leaves.

“Eli... you trust me too much,” Naib groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. He watched as Eli struggled to tie the leaves together, before he crossed his arms over his chest. “What if I turned my back on you and let you die?”

“Should’ve done that fourteen years ago then,” Eli said nonchalantly, not even bothering to look up to him. His brows looked like they were starting to furrow behind his mask while he adjusted the leaves. “You would’ve wasted too much time just to kill me. And resources.”

Naib massaged his temple. “The main point is for you to be a little more cautious.” Though, he wasn’t actually worried if Eli was really left all alone. He knew that the owl wouldn’t let himself be killed so easily like that. The bullet would probably split into two even before the bullet could reach his head. “By the way, what are you making?”

Eli finally stopped with his mini project to meet his gaze. He lifted the thing he had been making, a smile crawling on his lips. “It’s for you.”

“For me?” Naib asked, scooting closer to Eli. Eli nodded his head as he placed the thing around Naib’s neck. Naib touched it with his hand, and he realised it was a necklace. “You made a necklace?”

“Mhm.” Eli stared at the necklace for a while, the expression on his face suddenly shifting into a more contemplative one. He moved his index finger towards the necklace, and Naib watched as magic glowed from his finger. “Let me adjust it a bit. It’s slightly messy.”

“You don’t have to. I–” He never got the chance to tell that he already liked it this way. Magic flowed through the necklace around Naib’s neck, and the necklace transformed into something more defined. The twigs bent in a way that it felt nothing but a mere string, and the leaves that were sticking out hardened as if it were stone. “What the– This isn’t adjusting ‘a bit’!”

Eli chuckled, before he touched the necklace with his hand. He gently ran his palm around the thing. “I know. But I couldn’t seem to fix it properly with my hands, so I guess magic will have to do.”

“You and your magic,” Naib scoffed, playfully rolling his eyes. He noticed something in the distance when he had tilted his head, and he squinted his eyes to have a better look at it. “Is that...?”

“More humans,” Eli said, his face turning solemn. He propped his chin in his hand, his eyes calculating as he stared at the group of humans. “They just won’t stop bothering us lately.”

“We have to inform Mom and Dad then,” Naib said, and Eli nodded. They both hopped off the tree to fly to their home.

Mom must’ve sensed the incoming danger, because she was already standing outside of the house right next to Dad when they both arrived. The two of them might’ve aged a little—an obvious sign with the sight of their hair coloured in grey strands—but they could still hold onto their own battle if they were thrown into one. Not that Naib and Eli would ever allow it.

“Hello, lovebirds!” Mom greeted them happily when they both arrived. She had looked worried when she noticed the group of humans, but somehow all of her worries would always disappear whenever Naib was with Eli. “I hope you had a lovely time.”

Eli’s face only turned red, while Naib barely managed a yeah. Over the years, the two of them had discovered that they had feelings for each other, which was something more than platonic. Mom was the first to spot it, of course, and she had been so supportive even when Naib and Eli were still trying to figure it out.

“This group seems slightly bigger than the last one,” Dad said, and Naib could feel the rise in his father’s magic.

“We can handle it, Dad. Don’t worry,” Naib said, and he gestured for his parents to go inside. Mom looked hesitant to leave them, and Naib gave a small peck on her cheek to reassure her. “We promise, Mom. We’ll be okay.”

Eli nodded his head. “I promise I’ll make sure Naib doesn’t do anything reckless.”

“Hey–!”

“Thank you, Eli,” Mom said, sighing in relief. There was a proud smile on her face, and she made sure to give both of them a kiss on their cheek before making her way to the house. “Be careful, you two!”

Once Mom was inside the house, Eli tapped his foot on the ground, and a large magic circle formed underneath them. Runes started to glow around it as the magic settled into the circle. It was a barrier to keep the danger just outside it.

Naib cracked his knuckles. The group of humans were already close. He looked at Eli, who was beginning to prepare all his other spells. “Say, how difficult do you think this battle will be?”

“Hm…” Eli waved his finger in the air, and runes appeared right in front of him. “I think it’s a four.”

“Only four? Either you’re underestimating them this time, or they’re just pretty lame.”

“We both know I never get the difficulty wrong,” Eli said, pausing in between casting his spell. He eyed Naib from head to toe, before he raised two fingers. “Should I cast you an enhancement spell or can I trust you that you won’t go on a rampage like last time?”

“Telling me to just be careful would’ve been enough,” Naib said, placing his hands over his hips. He could see the corners of Eli’s lips twitching upwards, but he was able to wipe off that smirk when he flicked his finger over the owl’s forehead. “Watch and learn. I’ll get rid of them with my bare hands.”

Eli rubbed his temple begrudgingly, mumbling something inaudible. “Then I guess I can let you handle them alone.”

“Aww, Eli, don’t be like that.” Naib pulled Eli closer by the waist, kissing his forehead lightly as an apology. He knew how annoyed the owl could get whenever he gave a flick of his finger to his forehead, but he couldn’t help himself. The sulking expression he got was always adorable. “I need you, Eli. Please don’t let me fight them alone.”

“Fine,” Eli said, unable to suppress the smile on his face. He flapped his wings to fly onto a tree, and Naib could see him shifting into an offensive stance. His hands started glowing a bright blue. “Protect me, Naib?”

“Always.” Naib rolled his neck to get rid of any discomfort, before he ruffled his feathers. He would beat anyone before they even managed to get close to the owl. “I trust you to protect me too, Eli.”

Gunshots were heard, and bullets started flying to Naib’s way in different directions. He didn’t make an effort to dodge any of them. Instead, he only dashed forward to give the nearby humans a beating. With one wave of Eli’s hand, all the bullets deflected, and they hit the trees nearby instead.

“You know I always do, Naib.”