Chapter Text
Magna's head hit the ground with a dull thud.
He muttered a curse as he began to push himself off the ground, grass stains leaving marks on his gloves. Dried leaves hadn't littered the ground and cut his fingertips due to the coming of spring, but there was the feeling of fresh blood settling on his back, seeping through his robe, and a giggle coming from behind him; the blood was not his own.
“Luck, jackass, I know you pushed me. Your blood is all over my back now.” Magna gritted his teeth as he brushed the remnants of bugs and grass blades off of himself, facing Luck as he wiped the dirt from his glasses. He blinked away the spots dancing in his vision and the glaring sun in his eyes, grabbing his glasses which had fallen.
“Nope, wasn't me~” Luck then pointed to a tree root which was far too shallow for either of them to trip on, slightly off of the path from where they had been walking. “Maybe stop being so clumsy, Magna ,” Luck laughed, grinning as he began to walk ahead of the fire mage, looking over his shoulder with bright blue eyes–those eyes in search of prey. Begging for a challenge, and expecting someone to give into his demands. The air began to smell of ozone and fresh rain.
“Maybe if you hadn’t cut your hands so much for being reckless with those bandits earlier and your blood wasn't all over my back right now, I would've believed you.” Magna scoffed and watched as Luck's walking had turned to a jog, then jogging to running, and running to sprinting. Magna followed as if he was left no other choice.
“You’re so slow, you know.” Luck continued to sprint straight forward, pushing aside low branches and jumping over thick roots in an effort to stay ahead.
“Get back here, you little shit –you’re gonna get us lost!” Magna returned to his side in due time, that is, after getting hit square in the nose by a branch Luck had bent so far back it hit Magna face-first. He was more winded than Luck, his skin slick with sweat as he caught up.
“You got us lost. Nice going, Luck ,” Magna looked to the blond beside him, his face and eyes still never leaving their appearance of constant joy. The corner of his smile twitched as if not caring at all that they're in the middle of the Forsaken Realm with no idea of their location whatsoever. “I don't know which direction we came from. You kept taking so many damn turns.”
“Not my fault you decided to follow me into the woods, was it?” Luck giggled. They knew the way to the base from these woods, but not this far. They needed to get back to bandage Luck’s hands. But Magna had never seen these trees before–these flowers– none of it.
The Black Bulls’ base hadn't been very far from where their mission was, hence why Finral didn't use his spatial magic to take them to where they needed to be and straight back, though it would have been far more convenient. It was likely that they were just far enough to where Luck couldn't detect the cluster of joined mana coming from the base, where the mana of the strong magic regions and the mana of nearby villages mingled. Luck could never distinguish individual mana signatures from that distance. Magna's own senses were far duller than Luck's, but he could sense that they were closer to the strong magic regions than anywhere else.
“Luck, think you could use your mana sensing to tell where we are?” Magna said.
“If I do, will you fight me later?” Luck asked, his bloodied fists coming up in front of his chest to take a fighting stance.
“Fine, you little brat. Anything that will get us home. I don't want Captain Yami having our heads chopped clean off.”
The Black Bulls hadn't been a squad for very long; the King, after the Queen died due to the attacks of the Diamond Kingdom, had been implementing even more squads besides ones of nobility to expand their power and establish their military presence. Prince Lumiere was working on creating magic items to give mana to those who lack it, as he strongly believed there should be equality between peasants, nobles, and royalty. Captain Yami always said the Prince was soft, but could easily kill a man if needed.
The Aqua Deer, Black Bulls, Golden Dawn, and Green Praying Mantises were relatively new, and some allowed peasants in their squads–nobles were clearly furious, but they couldn't oppose the prince, nor could they oppose the king. Allowing commoners into the squads had been an order on the Prince's accord.
Luck didn't feel the Black Bulls’ mana anywhere in this edge of the forest. It was more vicious and unpredictable, as if trying to control it or make complete sense of it was impossible, slipping through his fingers every time he felt a semblance of control. Boundless and chaotic in a different way than their squad: rolling, deep valleys and maybe light snow in the distance with bright sunny fields in between, bordering the ferocity of the strong magic regions. Attempting to tune out Magna's mana, he felt another, ever so faint signature in the far off corners of his consciousness. It wasn't familiar in the slightest, but didn't seem like a threat. Almost like a fault in his senses, so he didn't draw attention to it.
“I can't feel anyone's mana from all the way out here. Only yours and from the strong magic regions.” Yep–that confirmed Magna's suspicions. They were too far out.
“Great, then how the fuck are we getting back? Finral's not an option and your mana sense can’t help us this far out. Crazy Cyclone’s useless right now because you broke it,” Magna placed his hands on his hips, frowning.
“Maybe you shouldn't have parked it so close to the village, then I wouldn't have thrown it at the bad guys!” Luck laughed, the sound coming to him as naturally as breathing. It seemed like his only other form of expression besides a manic smile.
“You could have used anything else but Crazy Cyclone!” Magna scowled. He'd barely known Luck for very long up until this point, maybe only a few months, which was apparently enough time for Captain Yami to consider them prepared to go on a mission without being accompanied by a senior member. As far as he knew, Luck would never care about a thing unless it involved the word “fight.” He proves himself useful on missions, though, thanks to his battle instincts.
Magna wouldn't have considered them very close, but Luck was the only one he consistently got along with. His definition of “got along with” must have been horribly skewed by now if he's stooped so low as to call the Cheery Berserker his friend.
Luck felt a twinge of that mana again. So far off in his senses, just out of reach, but it was close. Soft around the edges with the occasional sensation of mana jolting like daggers of lightning, then retracting as if actively suppressing that side of itself. Controlled shocks. Wild animals’ mana never fluctuate quite like that. But it wasn't quite human , either, even though mana tends to fluctuate the most within humans unless they had exceptional control. It was coming from those sunny fields, the ones that no nation claimed because of the area surrounding them. The areas where no human could survive, not the ones from Spade, Clover, Heart, or Diamond. Dwarves never dwelt above ground during this time of day, if at all. In other words–
“–There's an elf. In that direction.” Luck pointed due North from where they were standing. A drop of blood hit the ground from his unbandaged hands. Luck's words itself made Magna's skin crawl, even if there was indifference in Luck's tone.
Anybody that had half a mind would know not to mess with Elves. Even associating with them was discouraged. Everybody had their own reasons for bearing a hatred for elves, of course, whether it be from tales passed down through generations or stories whispered along with the wind. Nobles would get irritated when someone sympathized with elves, but Magna had a burning fire in his heart that resented elves. For good reason, as he wouldn't hate so strongly without one. Seihi never taught him to act without reason, and neither did his parents.
He remembers trusting them. Rayaka was near an elven village. He remembers overhearing elves and his parents speak as good friends, as if they'd known each other for a lifetime. While he waited in his room, there was another knock on the front door and– fire. Magna remembers the burns on his hands from fire that wasn't from his own magic, and cinders never being put out. The smell . What he saw there.
“I've always wondered why elves and humans hate each other so much, what do you think, Magna?” Luck tilted his head, as if clueless. He’s a commoner too, isn’t he?
Magna opened his mouth, about to say something, but was cut off by Luck's hand curling around his wrist and running off toward the field.
“Luck, what the hell are you doing? Isn't that toward the elves?! You’re getting your blood all over my arm-” Magna might've thought Luck was crazy then, but his comprehension of it had increased tenfold now.
“I'm curious!” Luck ran with his lightning boots now, more so dragging Magna along than forcing him to run by his side.
“That is seriously a stupid reason!”
As they reached the clearing where the trees skirted around the edges, Luck, running ahead, was met with pale blue eyes; those of the sky in winter. Lightly colored, unmarred skin, and short off-white hair with braids on the sides and bangs falling in front of their forehead in the middle. White sleeveless robes with leather hugging the cloth together at the waist, baggy pants falling over handmade sandals with a slight platform to it. They had a freshly plucked flower between their fingers, raising it to the basket they had hanging off their arm which had already been full. The elf tilted their head as Luck met their eyes, and two long braids draped down their back came into view. But the first thing that Magna noticed were their ears.
“You're an elf.” Luck said, with wide eyes and a bright smile. Excited, if Magna had to describe it. Luck had always been curious about them, hearing how powerful they were. His mother never bothered to tell him stories, but from what he'd heard, they had pointed ears, an overflowing amount of mana, and a thirst for the blood of humans. It wouldn't have sounded interesting to anybody else but Luck.
“You’re humans ,” The elf's tone was indecipherable. “Nobody should have known I was here. I suppressed my mana on purpose when I sensed you two.” The elf scowled, their soft features contorting harshly as he regarded the humans. Luck felt a sharp jolt in mana. So, it was true, and they were suppressing it. Most tended to lose control of their mana when it came to their emotions.
Meaning, they had a shit ton of mana if when they were suppressing it, they had about as much mana presence as Magna.
Luck hummed indifferently, letting go of Magna’s arm with a hand-shaped crimson blotch. “I heard elves were strong. Wanna fight?”
“Luck- no- we should go. Now .” Magna interjected, and, oddly, the elf's expression softened. They were amused.
“I admit, I’ve always wanted to fight a human,” The elf’s interest had been piqued now. “You’re stupid even for a human if you think you can beat me, though.” The air smelled of ozone and soaked dirt after rainfall, just like how Luck’s magic felt, but this magic wasn’t Luck’s. The resemblance was nearly uncanny.
“I don’t want to get caught up in a fight with an elf.” Magna emphasized the word elf with a clear distaste, placing his hand on Luck’s shoulder to restrain him from fighting. “And Luck, you’re bleeding, we need to get out of here before you cut yourself up fighting this guy.”
“What do you have against elves?” The elf's words were direct, sharp , as if not caring what damage it'd do.
“Why the fuck should I tell you?” Magna gritted his teeth harshly, biting his tongue back from saying anything more.
“I suppose it doesn't matter for now. I can get the blond human bandages for his wounded hands, and as for you,” The elf paused. Their eyes clawed their way from Magna's robe, then back to his eyes hidden behind the purple tint of his glasses. The elf's mouth twitched upward a bit when they saw the frown on Magna's lips. “I want you out of here as soon as possible.”
“My name is Magna, shitass,” Magna spat.
“Hmm, speaking of names, what's your name?” Luck's gaze, which had been wandering, focused on the elf. Luck seemed unbothered by the fact that the elf and Magna were practically at each other's throats; the tension was tangible. He could cut through it with a knife.
“Rufel,” Rufel said. “I heard Magna say your name was Luck.” Rufel tested the names on his tongue, saying their names as if it left a bitter aftertaste. Rufel took a step toward them. Magna stepped back.
“As soon as you treat Luck's wounds, we're out of here.” Magna said, much to Luck's disappointment.
“ Aww, but Rufel agreed to fight me,” Luck whined, not far from his usual behavior. Rufel choked back a laugh.
“I live not far from here with my sister, Charla. She would be livid if I brought humans to our house, but luckily, she's out gathering food.” Rufel smiled a bit, which Luck thought was better than a scowl. “Try not to get your blood all over our carpet, Luck, and Magna, I don't think I want to hear from you.” And, ah, that smile had faltered a bit.
“The fuck did I do?” Magna said, before reluctantly following behind Rufel towards the elven village. His words were ignored.
Rufel's home smelled of floral incense. Magna could almost taste it when he opened his mouth, but Rufel shot him a look every time he tried to say something. Every time his head jerked to frown at Magna, the ornaments decorating his braids clinked together and Luck made a comment of how long his braids were.
Luck was sitting on a chair in Rufel's kitchen, humming as the elf's slender fingers slid along the cuts on his hands and applied an ointment.
“Where did you get the ointment?” Luck kicked his legs as he sat, heels hitting the chair.
“I made it myself. It’s an antibiotic.” Rufel smiled. A bit of pride swelled in his chest. “I like to scavenge for herbs. When you two found me, that's what I was doing.”
“What are you, a housewife?” Magna snorted. “Liking to fight and making medicine is weird. Did you poison that shit, or something?”
“You're lucky I haven't decided to kill either of you.” Rufel's hand tightened on Luck's, making him wince. He softened his grasp. “I’m the fastest in the village, you know. Not even Ronne can beat me.”
“You are? Magna here hasn't been able to beat me in a race a single time~” Luck flexed his fingers as Rufel wrapped bandages around his hands, the stinging pain fading. His touch was gentle, and his fingers soft.
“ Hey , I've beaten you in a race before–”
“Now that I've bandaged up Luck, you said you would leave, correct?” Rufel cut him off, tightening the last bandage on Luck's wrist.
“But you promised to fight me, Rufel!” Luck pouted, curling his fingers into a fist. The bandages were comfortable, not too tight, soft and flexible so that he didn't lose mobility in his hands.
“I don’t remember promising , but some other time, I suppose.” Rufel said. “What were you two doing in the middle of those woods?”
“We got lost,” Luck shrugged. “We were supposed to head over to the base after completing our mission and get my hands bandaged up there, but, hey! We found you in the middle of nowhere!”
“Yeah, we got lost because of Luck ,” Magna sighed. It didn't bother him much anymore, as long as Luck was fixed up and alive. Magna was still wary of Rufel, and it seemed the feeling was reciprocated. Everything in Magna's being is telling him that being close to an elf cannot end well.
Rufel laughed at their arguing. They seemed like good friends. “I can't tell you for sure if you're going to be welcome here again, but,” Rufel put the roll of bandages and ointment into a woven basket, the jewelry adorning his braids clinking together again. “If you find me another day, I suppose I'd like to talk again.” Rufel was hesitant to speak. He doesn’t exactly have anything against humans, only rumors tossed around here and there, but it seemed that Magna had plenty of things against him. If it were to remain that way, so be it. It's just a human, one amongst hundreds of thousands. But still– Magna and Luck seemed like interesting humans.
Magna and Luck stepped out of Rufel's home, led back carefully into the woods in which they'd found the elf. There weren't many elves around, thank the gods. Most elves were out helping with the harvest.
Still, they didn't know where the hell they were.
“Rufel, do ya happen to know the way to the nearest human village?” Magna asked.
“Hmm, I believe there's a village you humans call ‘Saussy’ just east of here.” Rufel said. “Be safe.”
Thank the gods. They knew where the Black Bulls base was from Saussy Village. Saussy was where Magna had grown up, anyway–he could visit the kids and old man Seihi there. Seihi would definitely offer them a place to stay if they reached the village after night fell. The sun was already dipping low into the horizon, a soft orange light stretching across the clouds and making everything glow with a gold hue, so it'd be better to reach the base by morning than to travel at night and have to expend Magna's mana by holding a constant flame. That had already happened to Magna when travelling with Luck, twice.
“Bye, Ru!” Luck called out before Rufel walked off, basket of flowers in-hand. Luck waved, but Rufel's back was turned.
Maybe humans aren't too horrible, was the last thought Rufel had before the banter between Magna and Luck had blended in with the sounds of chittering bugs and elves making idle conversation within the village.