Corvin’s face was ashen as he followed Vrakhu through the forest.

  He wasn’t sure if it was the yellow fruit or the poisonous berries that made his guts feel like they’d be more comfortable on the outside.

  Corin’s temperature was rising as she followed along behind Vrakhu and Corvin.

  She could already feel the beginnings of sweat forming under her arms and around her face.

  Her head felt light, too light, as if she would float away at any moment.

  She’d hated the cold mountain air before. But, at least for now, she welcomed it with open arms.

  Neither twin was paying attention to anything beyond the feet of the man in front of them.

  Vrakhu passed through the forest at a snail’s pace.

  The twins staggered along behind him, barely able to keep up.

  But he didn’t mind; he enjoyed taking these walks.

  Watching the birds and tree dwellers dart about overhead.

  The snakes, lizards, bush dwellers, and insects crawling below.

  The larger beasts were an especially pleasing sight.

  A family of deer silently moving behind the trees.

  A pack of forest dogs snuffling about for their morning meal.

  Even a large jungle cat sleeping in the trees, fangs still tinged red from its last meal.

  As the sun climbed higher into the sky. More creatures would emerge from their homes and live their day like every other.

  However, their presence here meant one thing was different for the animals.

  Those above fled, while those below hid and waited for the danger to pass.

  The forest dogs caught their scent on the wind and circled their small group without a sound.

  They would venture further for food this day and avoid the trouble walking towards them.

  The deer froze in their tracks, three pairs of eyes locking onto the small humans stumbling through the forest.

  They recognized the human children enough to be wary; the big humans were dangerous, but the small ones were rarely a problem a good kick couldn’t solve.

  In their current state, they were no threat to the parents or their fawn, so the deer were satisfied watching them pass by.

  Only the jungle cat showed more than a passing interest in the twins.

  It yawned; exposing four long fangs and stretched its back as it stood up.

  It leaned over the edge and looked down at the twins.

  Dagger-like claws extended to grip onto its perch and prevent falling.

  Vrakhu and the jungle cat locked eyes; yellow-green and yellow, slitted pupil and elongated pupil, hunger and —

  The jungle cat’s body tensed.

  It’d missed the larger human.

  How?

  Why?

  The human wasn’t even hiding.

  The jungle cat broke eye-contact first and turned away from the trio.

  Neither child was worth the jungle cat dying and they both knew it.

  Vrakhu blinked and his pupils returned to uninterested black circles.

  After the humans passed by, the forest dwellers returned to their daily lives without an ounce of hesitation.

  They didn’t have time to wait.

  They needed to find a meal before something turned them into one.

  Vrakhu and the twins reached their destination a scant hour after they started walking.

  However, Corin and Corvin were both so inwardly focused that neither noticed.

  One on the verge of fainting from a fever that only climbed higher the longer she walked.

  The other felt like he’d pass out from intense nausea and horrid stomach cramps.

  Vrakhu silently observed the two as they walked towards him, their heads still down.

  Corvin was uncomfortable, but he would feel better soon.

  Corin though, she would need aid before the day was done.

  He reached into his pocket and retrieved a short gray root that looked like a mangled knot.

  He held out his hand, stopping the two of them in their tracks.

  They both looked up, confused as to why he’d stopped them.

  He held out his hand with the root dangling from his fingers.

  “Put this under your tongue. Do not chew or swallow it.”

  Corvin reached for it first— But somehow missed despite Vrakhu’s hand not visibly moving.

  He looked at his hand, confused as to how he’d missed something that wasn’t moving.

  Maybe he was sicker than he thought?

  After watching her brother try, and fail, to take the root. Corin slowly reached out her hand, and Vrakhu dropped it into her palm before their fingers could touch.

  “What is it?” Corin observed the root with blurry eyes.

  She felt… Well, she hadn’t felt this bad since the week she’d been cursed with scarlet fever.

  It’d taken a week to recover from the fever and body aches.

  She only hoped this didn’t take nearly so long; she didn’t want it to affect her training.

  “Don’t I get one?” Corvin held out his hand, palm up, waiting for his own ‘gift’.

  But Vrakhu ignored him.

  “Medicine. Do as I said.”

  Corin cautiously brought the root to her nose and took a breath.

  Her nose crinkled in disgust.

  “It smells like old feet.” She stuck out her tongue and held it at arm's length, as if she were afraid it would bite her.

  “Master, how come I don’t get any—” Corvin visibly swallowed and covered his mouth with both hands.

  He dashed away from them and around the trunk of a large tree.

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  The sound of retching and vomiting reached Vrakhu’s ears a moment later.

  Vrakhu continued to ignore him and watch Corin.

  Beneath his insistent gaze, Corin found it… difficult to protest.

  She took a deep breath, then held it while she brought the root to her mouth.

  She opened her mouth wide and slowly pushed it between her lips. Its awkward size and shape made it slightly uncomfortable to hold, and it took a few seconds of wiggling before she found a comfortable spot to keep it.

  To her surprise, it didn’t taste that bad...

  Her eyes widened as a wave of heat washed over her tongue.

  Her eyes began to water, and she struggled to breathe.

  One breath after another, each one faster and shallower than the last.

  “Stop.” Vrakhu’s voice cut through the panic and brought her back into focus.

  “Breathe in…” He waited for her to comply. “Breathe out…” He waited again.

  She mimicked him as best she could, though her brain was still fuzzy.

  But the more she imitated him, the more the brain fog cleared.

  By the time Corvin returned, wiping his mouth of any evidence he’d just lost his breakfast. Corin was feeling like a new person.

  Still a little warm around the face, sure.

  But the root and mountain air combined was like a miracle cure to her.

  She lightly sucked on the root, and found relief in the heat.

  She could grow to like whatever this was.

  Vrakhu looked away from her to Corvin.

  The boy was still ashen faced and rubbing his stomach for comfort. But the tension in his brow was gone.

  Vrakhu reached into his pocket and retrieved a dark blue flower petal. It was no more than an inch wide and barely that in length, with light blue veins running throughout.

  “Put this on your tongue.” He held out his hand and dropped it into Corvin’s palm.

  “Is this medicine too?” Corvin held the leaf up to his eye and inspected it closely.

  “It’s for the smell.” Vrakhu turned and strode forth into the flower field they’d spent most of the previous day in.

  Corin tried to choke back a laugh, only to choke on her own saliva and break down into a coughing fit.

  Corvin gave her a smug look, then blew his noxious, puke scented breath into her face hard enough to move her hair.

  The smell would’ve brought her to tears if she wasn’t already crying from the heat in her mouth.

  Corvin pushed the petal into his mouth and strode after Vrakhu...

  An icy burn pressed down on his tongue.

  A burn that grew stronger as his saliva began to dissolve the petal.

  He stopped walking and blew out a breath, as if he were trying to cool the burn in his mouth.

  What followed was a pleasant scent that’d he’d only ever smelled in their mother’s perfume bottles.

  Corin and Corvin locked eyes; one mouth burning from excessive heat, the other from intense cold.

  "Just what did Master / that Old Man give us?"

  They looked deeper into the field of flowers and found Vrakhu sitting on the northern stone, awaiting their arrival.

  The two raced over to join him and took the same seats they’d chosen the day before.

  Corvin sat on the southeastern stone, while Corin sat on the southwestern.

  Vrakhu watched the two settle in before he spoke.

  “You will not be training together. I will give you each a task, and you will do it until your bodies fail you.”

  A pit formed in the twins’ stomachs.

  Just what was he about to ask them to do?

  Vrakhu ignored the fear in their eyes and reached behind his stone.

  He returned with a simple stone; no larger than his palm, and no heavier than ten pounds.

  He looked at Corvin and stood up. Which prompted Corvin to do the same.

  He led the boy a few paces to the west then turned to face him, the stone lying flat against his palm.

  “Spread your legs.”

  Corvin glanced back at Corin… And she quickly turned away.

  He understood.

  "Don't look at me. I won’t help you."

  “Traitor.”

  His thoughts mirrored the expression on his face.

  Both of which Vrakhu ignored.

  “How far?” He asked after a few moments.

  “As wide as your shoulders.”

  Corvin did as he was told and spread his legs, using his arms as a guideline until the distance was right.

  If this was training, he didn’t think it was so bad.

  “Bend your knees.”

  Corvin hesitated for a moment before obeying.

  He bent them slightly, unsure how far he was meant to go.

  “Deeper. Until you can’t see your toes.”

  Corvin looked down at his feet, then slowly bent his knees until his toes disappeared behind them.

  “Like this?”

  “Yes.” Vrakhu twisted his wrist and held out the rock to Corvin.

  “What’s this for?” Though he asked, he still took the rock without needing to be told.

  The rock was neither heavy, nor light. Though it was too big for him to hold with a single hand.

  “Hold it above your head.”

  Corvin brought the rock over his head and waited for further instruction.

  But Vrakhu simply walked away.

  “Hey! Wait! How long do I have to do this!?”

  Vrakhu ignored him and returned to the stones.

  Corin watched him approach, her own sense of dismay growing faster than the heat in her cheeks ever had.

  “Stand up.” He bent down and retrieved a second stone; this one slightly smaller than the one he’d given Corvin.

  “Yes, Master.” She stood and began to walk to the east, assuming she’d be copying her brother—

  “Stop.”

  Corin turned; she saw Vrakhu leaning against the northern stone with the rock in his palm.

  He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her arms and legs...

  He suddenly grabbed the stone with his other hand and snapped it in half.

  Corin’s condition was worse than he’d expected. No doubt because she’d forgone sleep.

  He would have to start her a little lower than he’d planned.

  He tossed half the stone away before lifting his leg and smoothly stepping onto the northern stone.

  Then he waited for her to join him.

  Corin cautiously returned to her stone and looked at it.

  It was taller than her waist and sitting on it required her to jump. But he wanted her to stand on it?

  Why?

  She glanced at Corvin, who’d already gone red in the face.

  “He looks like he’s in pain…”

  “Hurry.” Vrakhu stood and moved a step closer.

  “Sorry!” She flinched at his voice and tore her attention away from her brother.

  She took a breath, then put her hands on the stone and clambered up.

  The stone was perfect for sitting. But it was far too narrow, her two bare feet battling for space to stand.

  She had to make constant corrections to her posture or she’d fall.

  She knew it.

  Vrakhu wordlessly passed her the stone.

  “Hold it over your head.”

  She was slow to obey.

  The simple act of raising her arms caused her to sway uncontrollably.

  Less than twenty seconds after she was given the stone, she fell.

  She hit the ground, but the stone didn’t.

  She winced at the pain in her back and almost swallowed the root.

  As it was, it was only the fact of it being under her tongue that stopped her.

  Vrakhu held the stone in his hand and waited for her attention.

  “Again.”

  Corin slowly climbed to her feet, then climbed atop the stone even slower.

  He dropped the stone into her hand and took a step back, locking his arms behind his back.

  Then he jumped backwards and landed atop the northern stone, his body angled so he could watch both twins without moving his head.

  Vrakhu went eerily still, as if he’d been turned to stone.

  Corin fell a second time after only a minute.

  “Again.”

  Then she fell a third time.

  “Again.”

  Then it was Corvin’s turn to fall.

  What started out as an easy task, quickly escalated until his entire body was on fire.

  Tremors racked his legs, back, and hips.

  His feet and arms had gone completely numb and were actively being assaulted by an army of pins and needles.

  “I can’t do this anymore!” He threw the rock aside and collapsed onto his back. “Everything hurts! I’m bored! I’m hungry!” He shouted without fire behind his voice.

  He was complaining for the sake of relieving stress.

  “Again.”

  Corvin twisted his neck, expecting to see his sister on the ground again.

  But no.

  Vrakhu's eyes were only on him.

  Corvin watched the old man for a few seconds while he caught his breath…

  “Yes, Master.”