Solomon had a glittery-eyed gaze as he stared at the four crates of healing potions lying in front of him.
Each of the four crates contained forty-eight individual potions for a grand total of one hundred and ninety-two.
"I fail to understand how these are going to replicate the effects of the pool. Their effects don't change the more you drink." Raizel folded his arms.
Solomon finally tore his eyes away from the crates of potions and went towards his burlap sack.
Rummaging inside, he pulled out a brown book from the library that detailed human anatomy.
"Look at this! It says that when bones experience fractures, they form calcium deposits at the site of the break, and for a brief period, the bone becomes a bit stronger than it was before."
Raizel's brow furrowed. A bad feeling began to creep up his spine. "Wait…"
"A-And I've been watching a few of the older cadets do this thing called body tempering! It's when they use aura to harden their bodies and-"
"I know what body tempering is, I've been doing it since I was four." Raizel sighed.
Solomon was stupefied. His brother seemed to find that amusing.
He returned the book to Solomon and folded his arms across his chest.
"So you think that if your bones are broken, you can temper your body while drinking those potions and healing, and that will allow you to be able to mimic the effects of the springs?"
"…You could have at least let me finish my explanation first." Solomon frowned.
"I figured it best not to waste time."
Solomon grumbled under his breath an assortment of words that a ten-year-old should not have known.
"You understand this is insane, right?" Raizel wanted to be sure.
"Yeah."
"But you don't care."
"No."
"Just checking."
Raizel could name over a dozen reasons why he was sure this plan might go awry. But if Solomon was so keen on it, then he was willing to ignore his better judgment for the time being.
He knew enough to have a bit of faith in the one he called brother.
Raizel smiled cockily. "So, you're going to have me temper your body and-"
"You? No, I'm going to do it myself. I've been watching the older cadets do it for two weeks, and I think I've got the hang of it."
Raizel was stupefied.
"…What?"
"What?"
"Don't what me, you anorexic buffoon! What do you mean you're going to try to temper your body for the first time! You shouldn't even be able to use aura yet!"
"Don't call me a buffoon, rich boy! You just said you've been doing it since you were four! It can't be that hard!"
To prove his claim, Solomon held up his hand and stared at it incredibly hard.
After almost a full minute, Raizel noticed a small change in the air. He almost couldn't believe it.
Solomon lifted his head and stared at his brother with beads of sweat running down his forehead. He curled his lips into a smile.
"See. You're not that special."
A small scuffle ensued between the children.
It ended almost as quickly as it had begun, with Raizel coming out on top. He was, of course, the more physically gifted of the two.
But Raizel had noticed that Solomon tended to get very fired up very easily.
Even now, with his boot on Solomon's chest, the child was digging his nails into Raizel's leg and calf.
It was uncomfortable enough to draw blood, but the young master's face didn't change.
"Where's all this fight when you're getting beaten by those fledglings in your dorm?"
A fog was seemingly lifted from Solomon's mind.
He looked down at his hands that were stained with blood and a flash of guilt shone in his eyes.
"…Sorr-"
"I didn't ask you for an apology. I just asked you a question."
Raizel took his foot off of Solomon's chest, but the child didn't get off the floor. Instead, he stared forlornly at the chandelier on the ceiling.
"I can't beat those bastards. It doesn't matter what I do, it's like they're all bred for war and I'm just some twig." Solomon said.
Sighing, Raizel kneeled beside his brother and patted him on the shoulder.
He stared into Solomon's eyes with a sincere look, as if he was about to say something deeply profound.
"...Wuss."
Solomon slammed his forehead into the bridge of Raizel's nose.
"God, you son of a bitch...!"
Solomon rolled around on the ground while holding his head.
Raizel's admission about body tempering wasn't a mere childish fib. Solomon had injured himself more than he'd hurt his brother.
The little bastard's head was as hard as a rock. Solomon felt like he was seeing three of everything.
"Mind if I give you a bit of brotherly advice?"
Right now, Solomon wasn't sure if he wanted anything from Raizel. Except maybe something to hit him with.
"These bastards aren't some invincible force. Not even close, actually. They're just children who happen to be a little farther ahead of you at the moment.
But if you keep coming up with insane ideas like this, you'll be there better in no time. I don't know very many ten-year-olds who are willing to break all their bones just for a bit of advantage ."
Raised stood up and grabbed one of the potions from one of the crates. He tossed it to Solomon casually as he returned to his side.
"Don't think you can't change your circumstances. We have a grand destiny before us, brother. We're going to change the world, and for us to do that, I need you to keep fighting even when it feels hopeless."
Before Solomon could ask what any of that meant, Raizel stepped on his femur hard, and shattered the bone into splinters.