Tzal was feeling terrible, of course, and he was nauseous, but he wasn't letting that show. He was mostly a Reaper demon, and Reapers were very versatile when it came to different worlds. Being dealers of death gave them that liberty, most of the time.

He covered his coughing mouth with his own, attempting to calm him down.

Lawrence had shrunk into Josh, attempting to make himself as small as possible.

“welcome to the Mages Dueling arena. In this place magic and gifts can be used without fear of harming any one. as you see there is nothing that can fall on us here if something goes out of control. There are safety spells in place that if something happens that is not supposed to harm the others in the party they will not be.” Standing up Angelo waved a hand and a robe appeared around him, its midnight blue colors seemed to move like water on him. “now I need you to come right here Lawrence. I have one more spell to cast.” He pointed to a small stone circle in the ground.

Sitting back William leaned into tzal. “I will be alright, just never again will I come here without look at the day charts.” His voice was weak from the coughing.

The feeling of a guarding presents around Lawrence grew as josh kissed his neck. ~I am here for you, I will do whatever you want.~

Lawrence fidgeted, looking helpless and afraid. After a moment, with Josh's reassurance in mind, he stood up and awkwardly shuffled out to the circle, stepping inside of it very slowly.

Tzal ran his fingers through William's hair. "Fair enough..."

“now Lawrence, whatever happens DO NOT step out of that circle.” Angelo said as he pulled a piece of twine, a large twist of wire, a flask that had some odd dark liquid in it, and a cat’s whisker trapped in quarts from his robe. “things may feel strange, there may be odd sounds, you even may get scared, but DO NOT leave the Circle.” Slowly whispering odd sounding words he set each item at compass points around Lawrence. “the lights may go out of the sky, the ground may open up to eat you whole, you may feel like your on fire but DO NOT move beyond the circle.” Then he looked up at the others. “I would suggest that you block him from your minds now so we do not get cross contamination, do it just like I taught you.” Angelo waved his fingers at them too get them moving.

William leaned into tzal’s touch, it was soothing and calm to him. He wanted to be wrapped in his arm’s again in the bed. He did not pay much attention to what Angelo was saying; he could tell it was in some way a spell but he did not want to know it. ~I am hungry again my love, I am going to have to find someone else to feed on you know.~ as Angelo told them to cut off from Lawrence he sighed. ~I will try not to block you out this time, but if I feel like I can’t block him out then I will have to leave you. ~it was only then that William realized that other then when Angelo told them to block off, he was open part way to tzal and a crack to josh. if they were to keep their love lives separate then he needed to learn how to block the others out, without thinking about it.

As the spell was being said josh was reaching out, comforting Lawrence. He wanted him to feel safe, he wanted him to know he was always going to be safe with josh there. ~I am right here Lawrence, I am not going to go no matter what. Now that I know you love me how could I let you go?~ then he heard what Angelo was saying, how could he block Lawrence off? How could he stand letting him be alone to face whatever it was that scared him. Then he felt Angelo’s gentle mental hand cutting off the connection. ~I LOVE YOU.~ he said right before the contacted was lost.

Lawrence immediately looked terrified, being cut off from the others, especially Josh. He promptly sat down in the middle of the circle, arms over his head. He was determined not to move, and if he was standing, he would be tempted to do so. "I'm not going to move...unless I've lost my mind or something..."

Tzal snuggled up against William's chest, hopping up into his lap. He glanced over to watch the spell take place, curious. "I am curious to see what his power, or powers, are. I hope Angelo tries to bring them out, one by one, as long as they will not do damage..."

Slowly as Angelo spoke the spell darkness grew up around Lawrence then spread till the whole ground was covered in the darkness. Then from the darkness came light, light that pierced the darkness. As the darkness fled before the light the knowledge of the light and what Lawrence could do with the light filled his mind.

Suddenly darkness appeared surrounding everyone. Josh tried to see within the darkness but could see nothing. Taking a step forward he was stopped by Angelo. He could not remember Angelo being that close before the darkness appeared. “do not move, if you do he could be harmed.” His voice seemed so far away, so distant. Yet Angelo’s face was mere inches to his.

Wrapping his arms around Tzal William shivered. He did not like the darkness, yet it felt familiar. Almost like a part of him was a part of it. Pulling tzal close he tried not to think of it. ~can you see in this stuff. I can’t see a thing.~

~What are you talking about? I can see perfectly fine...~ Tzal's main power was darkness, so he had a sort of nightvision when it came to darkness. Light made him weak. Rainy weather during the day...those times were the absolute worst for him.

When he idly picked at Angelo's mind and figured out what Lawrence could do with the light, his face fell. "Don't...don't let him use that while I'm here! I'll be injured!" Such powerful light would make him sick, or harm him.

Lawrence hated the darkness. He was about to try to use his power, now knowing about it, but faltered when he heard Tzal voice his concern.

A field of magic appeared and surrounded Tzal then sunk till it fit just around his and Williams skin. it would be nice Tzal if you did not say that aloud, it may take longer to get him to use the power now. With your bound it won’t hurt you as bad as it would without the bound. angelo’s voice was calm and assuring. also I just put a spell on you so that it won’t hurt you at all. But the spell will only work for Lawrence’s gift, don’t go getting out wielders of the light mad. William lean forward and held tzal a bit more protectively.
“don’t worry I won’t let anything harm you.” He whispered into tzal’s ear as his hand gently brushed lower parts.

Lawrence tzal is now safe, no one here will be harmed by your gift. Use it to dispel the darkness, just don’t step out of the circle. Let it take on the form you feel best at using. angelo’s voice was almost a command.

Josh looked at angelo then at where he had last seen Lawrence, he wanted so much to go there and hold Lawrence and tell him that everything would be all right.

Tzal clung to William, staring at Lawrence with a look of utter revulsion on his face. He hated people who could control light. His only sibling, a twin brother, was one of these people. He remembered the last time he'd been hurt by someone who could wield light, and it had not been pleasant...it was one of the only things he was afraid of.

Lawrence seemed confused, not knowing exactly what to do. Then he closed his eyes and just...let it out, to take whatever form it wanted. In Lawrence's case, light in the form of large horses raced across the area, getting rid of the darkness. They went nowhere near Tzal and William, for he was still afraid of hurting Tzal.

Slowly the last of the darkness disappeared and then between all of them a city appeared. It was not really there but it looked real…. And small. Then a bunch of natural disasters appeared and destroyed it. After each on was done the city appeared as it had the first time. The knowledge of what this gift was and how to use it appeared. Also it showed him how powerful or not powerful it could be.

Lawrence fidgeted. This was one power he didn't want to use. Instead of conjuring the disasters, he sat back down in the circle and looked indignant. "No. Forget it," he muttered, firmly. "I don't want to."

“I need you to prove to me you know how to use it Lawrence. It dose not have to be here. You can do it to the modal.” Angelo pointed to the little city that was in front of them.

“so you’re telling me that he has power over light and over naturally disasters?” josh demanded. Pushing passed Angelo he did not care if there was cross contamination, he did not like the way Lawrence was looking. Opening his mind he reached out and mentally hugged Lawrence. ~is ok Lawrence I am here now, I will never leave you again.~ he stepped up onto the circle. Behind him the city disappeared to show things in two rooms. An item in one room would move a bit before disappearing and reappearing in the other room.

“so what are we going to do about the bound? If Tzal is of the dark and Lawrence is of the light, how can they ever work together?” William was worried about this. If the bound was not going to work then he never should have done it. But now that it was done there was no going back.

Lawrence shook his head, vehemently. "I don't have to prove anything when it comes to this. When am I ever going to need to create them?! It's dangerous, and harmful. I am not learning how to bring them up. I'll only learn, if anything, how to control them, not create them." He clung to Josh when he came near.

Tzal had his eyes squeezed shut. He was glad when the light disappeared, but he hadn't opened his eyes. He did not want to be anywhere near Lawrence.

“ well that is interesting,” angelo sounded intrigued.
~don’t worry I will never leave you again. Never.~ he ran his hands through lawrences hair trying to make him feel better, ~I don’t care whether you learn to or not. We now know what you can do, so we know what to watch for.~ he did not look back at Angelo so did not see what the magic was doing.

~it is ok, he dose not have his glow out now.~ gently William ran his hand down the side of Tzal’s face. ~come on lover you need to open your eyes…… now that is interesting.~ William had just noticed what was happing in the model.

"Okay..." Lawrence held him close, then eyed the model with a bored sort of interest. "Huh..."

Tzal cracked one eye open, then opened both, to glance at the model. He arched an eyebrow, also intrigued. ~What's going on?~

~what is it?~ josh could feel the peeked interest that Lawrence just showed. The model again showed an item in one room move slowly then disappear only to appear in the other room and land on a table. He did not want to look back, he was to anoied at Angelo right now, and did not think that he could face him.

~it changed when josh stepped into the circle to hold Lawrence. It looks like he may have the fetching gift, With maybe the ability to move objects for a short space in the air.~ slowly Williams fingers drifted under Tzal’s shirt and started massaging the muscles there. He was not really paying attrition to what he was doing he just know that it would feel good and it might help tzal stop being so scared. He was going to have to ask him about his reaction latter.

Lawrence turned him around, so he could see the model. ~That.~ He re-wrapped his arms around him, lovingly. He didn't want him to leave the circle.

Tzal sighed softly, relieved. "Uuh...thanks. I needed that." He seemed much calmer, now.

~is it one of your gifts?~ josh looked carefully at the model. Angelo too was looking at it closely, he had not seen this gift in Josh. looking up josh saw the odd look on Angelo’s face. ~I do not like that look on his face.~

~your welcome love. He seems to have a strong bundle of talents dose he not?~ his fingers working at the small knots that were there in tzal’s back. His fingers were limber and working perfectly. Slowly points of pleasure started to flow from his finger tip, he did not even notice that he was doing it. It was a different pleasure then that of his kisses.

~I don't, either...I don't know if it's yours or mine...~ Lawrence scooted a bit closer to Josh, also not liking the current look on Angelo's face.

~I guess so.~ Tzal himself was a jack of all trades...but that skill was not common. Tzal's back arched as he relaxed, a pleased look on his face.

“Lawrence would you be so kind and step out of the circle?” Angelo said softly, as he kept his eyes on the model. “I would like to see if it is yours or his. So please step out and let go of his hand.” For some reason josh did not want Lawrence to leave him.

~how long ago was the last time we had some one with this many gifts?~ It had been almost four years since the last one with many gifts, and sadly he had died because he could not control his fire starting. It was believed that he had had a dream that he had tried to use the gift in. now any fire starter was bound so that they could not hurt themselves until they had the control they needed. It was not a binding that anyone noticed; it only bound them in their sleep.

Lawrence nuzzled Josh slowly, then shuffled out of the circle, unwillingly. "I'll be back once this is over with...I promise..." He stood just outside the circle, so Josh could still see him.

~Don't forget me. I can use nearly every power I can wrap my head around, other than light powers.~ Tzal smiled, content.

Holding onto Lawrence’s hand till the last second josh stood up strait. As his fingers dropped form Lawrence’s the image became more clear, then it changed to show him plucking balls out of the air. The view was going slower than it had in real life and so you could see that he never should have been able to catch those balls. “Ah, so you have some control over it already. That is good but you still have not gotten the full ability.” Seeing that he had been in a way cheating josh blushed.

~you only have two gifts silly. You have the gift to steal gifts, even if you have never seen them before. ~ William nibbled on Tzal’s neck. ~it was why Angelo had you in the class we met in. he had asked me to look at your gift because he thought you might have magic, it seems that mine is a bit stronger than his when it comes to telling a person’s magic abilities. And of course you know your second one; it has to do with the darkness. But how much of the darkness dose it control, you never have told. ~

Lawrence smiled, watching him. He looked content, and was glad to see Josh was working at his gifts, too.

Tzal made a face. ~I have never used my second power anywhere other than in practice with Angelo. It is the power of darkness in the form of death. If I focus enough, I can create a scythe of darkness, and one touch of that scythe to someone or something else will cause death...it is the power of a Reaper.~

“well then, I think that is all that we will find out.” Angelo said contentedly. With that josh walked off the circle and wrapped his armes around Lawrence. ~I did not know that I was using a gift when I played dodge ball. I don’t like cheating but now the question is was it cheating?~ if Lawrence said that it was cheating then he would try never to do it again, but if he said it was not.

~I know that dear love, but you know, now you might be able to practice with Lawrence. That is once he has practiced a bit. ~ William could feel his hunger rising as he nibbled again on Tzal’s neck.

“you know boys it is impolite to hold conversations that other cannot hear.” Angelo knew that they did not mean to be that way, when he had first found the gift he had had some fun with it. But now, now he could not allow others to use it when what they were saying was not important enough that it had to be secret.

"Not if we don't want you to hear them," Lawrence muttered, offhandedly, as he held Josh. ~It's not cheating if you're trying to keep me alive...agh...I hate gym.~

Tzal snickered at Lawrence's comment and wrapped his arms around William's neck. ~Go on and bite me. I'll ask him about it once you're full enough...~