The Future Comes Calling

ards as fast as he can, Adam leaving a long trail of dark grass where his poor jumper wipes off all the shining dew.

Stavros squints up at a patch of stars and then looks down towards the lake. ”Do you think, if I conjure a surfboard, I could ask the mermaids to make waves for me? ”

”You
e an idiot, ” Rafael says, not at all fondly.

Only a few meters out, Adam kicks free and rolls to his feet, brushing off the back of his now wet jumper and then just slicking back his blond hair with it. ”You sadist. ”

”No one will ever believe you, ” Nicholas scoffs, turns to throw doe eyes at Adam with a flutter of his eyelashes.

They reach the tree line where a curtain of darkness descends and stumble blindly through the undergrowth a bit deeper in. Technically no one is allowed in here as there are not only various hidden and impossible to detect portals to other forests all over the world, but its also filled with creatures from unicorns to the occasional wendigo – just barely held back from eating all the students by wards. But the boys have spent the last four years running wild through these woods, they know how to navigate it.

”Ill go left, you go right, ” Nicholas says.

”Im not going deeper into the forest, ” Adam complains. ”Why don you go right? ”

”I said it first. ”

”Well I said it second. ”

They have a short stare off.

Nicholas raises his eyebrows. ”If I die, its on you, Adam. ”

”I swear to you- ” Adam begins.

”That there are no monsters this close to the castle? ”

”-that Ill come charging out, and beat the shit out of anything trying to mess with you, ” Adam finishes. ”Ill take on a unicorn for you, Nicholas. It won stand a chance. Full pro wrestler Adam – Ill suplex bloody a centaur. ”

Nicholas cracks up laughing.

”Ill get expelled, ” Adam admits with a casual wave over his shoulder as he heads towards the left. ”But Ill do it. ”

”Adam? ” Nicholas calls.

Adam stops, turns to him with a smile.

”Are centaurs insects because they have six limbs? ”

Adam gags a little in disgust and Nicholas giggles, running off.

The distant castle fades from view entirely, and soon Nicholas can even see the flat, open grass or the lake just beyond. He trips, catches himself on a tree, touches something gross and squishy. Its probably just moss but still, he wipes it off on his trousers with a grimace.

Nicholas pauses, bouncing a little on his feet because he really needs to go. He looks around for anything suspicious. Unbuttons his pants. Does another check.

”If theres a Dark creature out there, ” Nicholas begins loudly. ”I just want you to know, Im underage with my dick out, and that means you
e a paedophile if you
e watching. ”

Adams distant laughter can be heard.

Nicholas does another seven checks and then damn near breaks a world record with how fast he pisses. It really is impressive. He should have timed himself. Hell tell Stavros about it later and probably get a hi-five.

Nicholas weaves his way back to where hes pretty sure the meeting point was and hops over a large bush to find Adam lying on his stomach on the ground.

Nicholas laughs and jogs closer. ”Aww, did you trip? What happened to suplexing centaurs for me? ” Nicholas stops at Adams side and leans over with his hands on his knees. ”Was it really that embarrassing? I promise I won tell… ”

Adams face is half in the dirt, but with Nicholas leaning over this far he can see one open eye staring out.

The smile falls from Nicholas face. He swallows, opens his mouth to call Adams name. It turns into a scream when he sees red light reflecting off the trees in his peripheral vision and a spell hits him in the back a split second later.

…

Rafaels head snaps around.

Stavros starts to prop himself up on his elbows. ”Did you hear something-? ”

Rafael is ripping the blanket off with a snarl that human vocal chords should not be able to make, in the next blink already halfway across the grass field towards the forest.

Stavros is rolling up onto his feet and barely has the mind to grabs the pile of wands in hand before hes tearing after Rafael. He leaps over a large bush, follows the sound of Rafaels roar, skids to a stop next to Adam.

Stavros breathes in, breathes out. Drops to his knees, drops the other three wands, only finds his own through touch because hes staring into Adams empty eyes.

The spell is a simple flare, but shoots out like fireworks, blazing red that lights the trees, burns the shadows, until it speeds above the canopy and darkness descends again. It breaks with a deep crack that shakes the trees, as high as the tallest castle tower, paints the forest around them in red flares.

Stavros breathes in, breathes out. Turns and runs deeper, into the forest, wand at the ready. Theres the crackle of port, someone snapping out of existence just before he arrives, but Rafael is still there, holding a limp Nicholas around the waist with one arm, Rafaels other hand tight around Nicholas forearm that now hangs at a strange angle.

Rafael looks at Stavros, eyes bright and reflective.

”Hey, ” Stavros says, holds his hands out because theres something else looking out of Rafaels eyes. ”Come on. Its me. Look – look at Nicholas, look at his arm. We need to get him back to – Adam. ”

Rafael turns back to the forest and Stavros carefully steps in, takes Nicholas whose eyes are closed – not dead. Maybe.

”Rafael, ” Stavros says again, louder this time, angrier.

Nicholas drops fully into Stavros hold. Stavros casts something to keep the arm still, then a basic waking charm. Nicholas gasps as he comes to, chokes on a sob.

”They ported, ” Stavros says as if that helps.

Stavros half drags Nicholas back out but as soon as Nicholas sees Adam he lurches forward and falls to his knees, grabs his wand, broken arm held to his stomach. Through his tears Nicholas tries three different spells to bring someone back to consciousness, four different ones to end a spell, throws out a minor heal like that can fix a dead body.

Stavros stands over the two, wand in hand. Rafael paces circles around them, watches the forest.

Mr. Gilgal is the first teacher to arrive, skating over the ground with a speed charm. He throws out a light spell that splashes over the trees and sticks, sucks in a breath when he sees Adam.

Stavros breathes in, breathes out. It doesn work. Stavros laughs. He laughs and he laughs and he laughs.

”Rafael, ” Mr. Gilgal tries.

Rafael jerks his head, can talk, can think. Watches the forest.

”Nicholas, ” Mr. Gilgal begs, puts a hand on the crying boys shoulder. ”Nicholas, please, what happened? ”

”T-teleported, ” Nicholas remembers, manages to choke it out even when the crying makes him stutter. ”Back – I woke up nea-near a fruit-faced bush, straight i-in. ”

Mr. Gilgal casts something and all three of the students glow. A stretcher forms under Adam with a sheet over him. Mr. Gilgal checks the next teacher running across the grounds is close enough and heads deeper into the trees, to where the wards end.

”No! ” Nicholas screams and yanks the sheet off Adam with the only arm that still works. ”Adam needs to get to a hospital! Why – why is no one taking him-? ”

Stavros sees this and he just laughs.