But Fail

Chen stood in the doorway of the infirmary. Xiang was peacefully sleeping on one of the cots. His hair was strewn in a mess and the bruising on the side of his head had grown darker with each passing hour. He took a couple of steps back, travelling away. There were several people inside, each with a various array of injuries. One person had even been pieced in the arm by one of the stray shards of the headmaster's blade.

As he turned to go down the hallway, he came to a halt when his eyes fixed on Yijun. He stormed forward with determination. He seized the boy by his upper arm, forcibly dragging him down the hall. Yijun didn't stop him. He let him continue in his pursuit. If he was being honest, Chen didn't quite know where he was taking him. His hands were trembling and his jaw was tensed. It was a few minutes later before he arrived in his dorm room.

"So, you're a Mage," he snapped. "I should've said something the moment I saw that symbol on your bad." He had released Yijun by this point and folded his arms across his chest. The fair-haired boy brushed his hand across his sleeve, freeing it of wrinkles.

"And you didn't," came the response. "You had weeks to exert your suspicions but instead you continued to search for some form of evidence." It was strange hearing him speak, after so many weeks of silence. The strange boy was moving his lips and letting words spill from them like rain spitting from the sky.

"I have every right to execute you where you stand," Chen stated, taking a step forward. There was no fear in Yijun's face. Only an amused smile touched his lips.

"You've never killed one of the Magi have you, Liu Chen?" he spoke. "I'm not like a daemon. You can't hope to kill me with your bare hands."

"And what if I were to inform the headmaster about what you were?"

"What makes you so sure I wouldn't bring you down with me?"

"I'm not like you," Chen said firmly. Yijun tightly smiled. He let out a soft breath walking further back into the room and sat down on the edge of Xiang's bed. He crossed one leg over the other, folding his hands neatly around his knee.

> Aren't you? <

His voice slipped into his head with ease. Yijun tilted his head to the side, watching him carefully with a cat-like grin.

"Despite what you think," Yijun began, "the reason you can hear me, is because you have the same blood as I running through your veins."

> All of Magi can communicate with one another when we're together. There are those who can even when we're separated by hundreds of miles. <

"Stop it," Chen snapped. "This is one of your tricks. It's all apart of your wicked plan."

"My wicked plan?" Yijun's usually calm demeanour quickly began to fade. "If you want to discuss what is evil, why don't we discuss the fact that the very people you pledge your loyalty to, murder us in cold blood. They make a spectacle of our execution. Your notion of a better future is to wipe out those who seem different to you. Daemons I can understand, but my own people. Your people. You condone that kind of wicked treatment." He scoffed and turned his head to the side.

"They are not my people," Chen snarled. "My people are protectors. The villains always think they're right. Your little display hurt people. You let a man –"

"An innocent man," Yijun stood up swiftly.

"– go. My friend is injured because of you. Because of the dark powers you possess."

"I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt," he said in a soft voice.

"Do you know why everyone's here? It's because people like you destroyed their families. You destroyed their homes. I will not let that happen to anyone else."

"So, you think it's alright to destroy people like me? To destroy my family. My home. No matter if we're innocent. Darkness can exist in anyone. I know there are good people, but they're also those with spiteful intentions. You can't categorise every Mage as someone who is evil," Yijun said softly. "Kill me if you can." He held his arms open, stretching them far so that Chen would have a clear strike.

Chen strolled to the end of his bed, throwing the blanket box open where he kept his battle gear and weaponry. His blade slid out of its sheath as he pressed the tip to Yijun's chest. He half expected him to make some sort of movement to stop him. Instead, though, Yijun was still. His deep green eyes solemn as he waited.

Chen took in a deep breath then tried to thrust the blade forward. It wouldn't move an inch. He gritted his teeth together. Was something holding him back? His eyes trailed to the front of the weapon where the tip had begun to curl.

"What are you made out of?" he demanded.

"You can't kill me, Chen, you can't even hurt me," Yijun informed him. "You'll never be able to. You're one of the Magi."

"So, what you have some sort of code that you abide by that doesn't permit a Mage to hurt one another?" The blond boy didn't answer him. He slowly lowered his arms as he remained silent.

Chen lowered his sword, shaking his head. He paced back and forth in the room. This news was too much and frankly, he didn't believe it. It was all a trick. Like some magical illusion. Yijun was playing with his head. He was trying to shake him, trying to get him to let his guard down.

"Chen?" He ignored the boy's call. He didn't cease his lethargic movements. There had to be some spell in place. Something that he had done. No spell could last forever, even Chen knew that. They had to have some sort of fuel. Something it thrived off. Like a daemon.

Depending on the daemon they thrived off sin, or a humans' fear, or pain. They killed and fed off blood. He wasn't sure how they came to be, but without their root, they ceased to exist. Strictly speaking, if Chen captured one, it could die in his care without the proper 'tending'. But it was far simpler to kill it than to let it roam free.

> Chen? <

"What?"

> I know this is a lot. And I know that you don't trust me. You have no reason to. But did you ever think about this from my side? <

Chen hadn't ever considered things from a Mage's point of view. He'd be trained to believe they were the monsters. And he knew they were. It was because of them that Xiang lost his family. It was the reason why he had no memories of his own. Because of people like Yijun. One of the Magi.

"All the evidence suggests that I have no obligation to listen to you," Chen said. "Everything I've seen and heard –"

"Is a fabricated lie," Yijun interjected. "You're soldiers. Taken from your families."

"I was not taken."

"Are you sure about that?" he received a raised eyebrow. "You're too young to remember. Whatever your leaders, your teachers, your guardians say, you believe without a second thought. All of you coincidentally lost your families to the supposed evil Magi. But really, is that truly possible? What makes the best soldier? What makes an obedient soldier? Tell me, Chen."

Chen shook his head firmly. He didn't want to answer him. He didn't want to say anything to this boy. God how he liked it more when he didn't speak. His voice now was bringing pain to his head. It was pounding at his temples. It was drilling into the frontal lobe, slowly piercing its way to his skull.

"The best soldier is one who holds no ties. They won't be swayed by emotion. They are driven by a shared caused embedded in their mind. Their views and ideals are shaped from a young age to form such a strong bond. Your commanders told you your families were dead; that you only have this life. That the only way to avenge them is to train, to fight, to kill," Yijun took a couple of steps closer.

"You're a liar," Chen stated.

"I'm not lying. You know I'm not."

"If you're trying to accuse the council of something, then come out with it."

"Don't you see? The council is responsible for the deaths of your families." Chen gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

"You go too far," he warned. Yijun let out a slow breath. He made his way towards the door, resting his hand on the frame. He bowed his head before glancing over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I only speak the truth," he murmured. "I'll be leaving tonight. By now I'm sure the headmaster is aware that someone amongst the student body is a Mage. It won't take them long to narrow it down. If you have any sense at all, you'll leave too."

"Why should I leave?"

"If they discover your heritage, do you really think they'll let you live?" No. Was the immediate answer Chen could think of. He was left standing in the room alone as Yijun left. It would be a foolish idea to leave. Chen wasn't a coward. He wouldn't run. He wasn't like Yijun who seemed gutless. He wasn't like him in many ways. Was this a deceitful trick into getting him to leave the academy?

But the headmaster undoubtedly would realise there must have been a second. Someone in the hall. Someone who was witness to the trial and questioning. If Yijun was telling the truth though, about him carrying the blood of the Magi within him. He was truly as good as dead.

Chen had faced death before. Battling daemons was no easy task. He ran the risk of death anytime he walked into battle unprepared. So why was this different? Because if it was true, then Chen had nowhere to turn to. No where to go. No one who would come to his assistance. He didn't even think Xiang would come to help. He hated the Magi more than anyone. The possibility of Chen being one would make no difference to him. He'd be alone.

The rest was ridiculous. The council wouldn't murder innocent families just to make soldiers of the children, would they? Xiang's parents had been killed by a Mage. Xiang saw it. No, he saw a burning church, that could've been lit by anyone. He brushed the thought quickly from his head. He couldn't let his thoughts become muddled. However, he was quickly beginning to second guess everything he knew.

Sleep didn't come easy that night. The light of the moon was peering in through the window while Chen stretching out on his bed. His blanket was loosely draped over his body and across from him, Xiang peacefully slept. He had trudged into the room tiredly after being kicked out of the infirmary. His wounds were minor compared to others. He didn't need to stay overnight.

Xiang had only kicked up a fuss for five minutes before he was sound asleep. His chest rose and fell as soft snores escaped his lips. He looked so at peace. His clothes were far to big for him, consisting of a bland outfit provided by one of the nurses. It hung down one shoulder. In his bed, his limbs stuck in almost every direction imaginable. It couldn't possibly be comfortable, Chen thought.

> If you change your mind I'll be in the courtyard at midnight. If I don't see you, then I wish you all the best of luck for the future. <

Yijun's voice was like a whisper of wind in the night. Chen half-believed he had imagined it. It probably wasn't far off midnight. Did he want to go though? The academy was all he'd ever really known. Could he give it up based on what a stranger said? On what a Mage said?

> I want answers. I want the truth. <

He thought it, without even realising that Yijun could hear him.

> Alright. You need proof. I'll help you find out the truth, then you can make a decision for yourself. <

Yijun's sudden response startled him. He pushed himself up in his bed, the blankets rustling as they fell down. He sat there for some time contemplating. Over and over, he mulled it through his head. He wasn't sure how much time had passed but soon his feet were on the cold floor. He had grabbed his gear, pulling it across his body before quietly strapping his weapons to his belt.

Chen grabbed a pack from the bottom of the wardrobe, promptly stuffing it with clothing. Everything he could, including a large trench coat embellished with the school symbol. He pulled boots onto his feet, attempting to place his feet quietly onto the wooden floor. Chen didn't own much. He didn't even have keepsakes. Not like Xiang. Xiang had a disk that hung from a leather cord that he kept tucked under his pillow.

Chen couldn't take his pillow he thought, but he could take his blanket. It was a tight squeeze, but he managed. The corners were spilling out the side of his pack but it would have to do. His heart was thumping dramatically in his chest. A combination of both nerves and excitement.

"Chen, what are you doing?" came Xiang's sleepy voice. He froze, looking back at him in the hazy light of the moon.

"Go back to sleep Xiang, you need your rest." Even in the dim light, Chen could see that Xiang was eyeing him suspiciously.

"Where are you going?" he muttered. "Is the council sending you away? What jerks. It's the middle of the bloody night."

"No, not the council," he said honestly. Chen couldn't lie to his best friend.

"There's something I have to find out," he expressed, "I'm not sure the council can be trusted and until I find out, then, I won't be back." Chen wasn't sure what kind of reaction he was expecting from Xiang. Would he try and stop him? Would he beg him to stay? Would he say he was out of his mind? That last one was probably the more likely of the three. But to his surprise, Xiang was nodding his head.

"Alright, you do what you've got to do," he said.

"You're not mad?"

"Me? Mad at you? Never," he chuckled. "A little hurt that you wouldn't invite me? Yes." Chen smiled at him. He hadn't considered that. Mainly because he'd be travelling with Yijun. "I mean going out alone, that's just suicide. What would you do without my skills?"

"I'm not going alone," Chen stated. "Wait. Your skills? What skills?"

"Ouch, on both accounts," Xiang scoffed. He got out of bed, visibly shuddering at the coldness that seeped into his bones. "My skills in socialising for one surpass you. You may have the brawl, but I have the brains."

"I've beaten you on every assessment," Chen deadpanned.

"Ah, but only because I let you. Heaven forbid we insult your intelligence my dear friend," Xiang was promptly walking around the room, changing out of his clothes and much like Chen, preparing a bag. "Now, what idiot did you replace me with. We can only have one of those."

"I thought you were supposed to be the brains."

"You can be both smart and dumb." Chen didn't need to look at Xiang to know that he was rolling his eyes. "But you're avoiding the question. Who are we going with?"

"Zhou Yijun," he answered. Xiang paused in his pursuit. He pivoted on the ball of his foot.

"Your nemesis. Is this a keep your friends close but your enemies closer tact?"

"You're ridiculous."

"I knew it," Xiang sang. Unlike Chen, he had come up with the brilliant idea of strapping his pillow to the top of his bag. "This is why I'm the brains."

Once Chen had done the very same thing, the two boys began to slip down the halls. They peered around the corners, keeping their footsteps light as they stepped outside into the crisp air. At first, neither saw Yijun. And for a moment, Chen wondered if they were too late.

As it turned out, the boy was simply wearing the hood of a black cloak over his head to hide his light hair. He took one look at Xiang before turning his head towards Chen.

> I was under the impression that if you joined me, it would just be the two of us. <

He heard Yijun say.

"We're a package deal," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Let's go. The guards will be changing soon."

"You know there's another way out. I use it all the time when I'm sneaking in an out," Xiang announced. Yijun blinked in surprise.

"It's a bit more inconspicuous," Chen mumbled. Slowly Yijun nodded his head, gesturing his arm forward.

"Alright then, lead the way." With a proud smile on his face, Xiang started to walk forward, momentarily pausing in front of Yijun to say.

"You know, I actually thought you were mute. It's so strange hearing you speak."

"Would you like me to stop?" Yijun asked, confusion laced in the question. The corner of Xiang's lips twitched upwards in amusement.

"Oh, we're going to have fun." With that, he resumed leading the two towards his own personal entrance and exit.

> He isn't to know. <

Yijun's voice was harsh in Chen's head. He tilted his head, his eyes cold as he bore them into Yijun's.

> Wouldn't dream of it. <