Tail of the Dragon

by Timothy Reihm

  Chapter 12

  ‘I’m not sure why you were eavesdropping on them. What is it with Helel? You can't mention his name without imagining some scheme that he is involved in,' Gadreel said irritably after Ariel told him about the conversation.

  'I wasn’t spying. They were just talking outside,' Ariel replied defensively.

  'And why would we do anything else to antagonize Trainer Azazel? He already has it out for both of us because of what you said. Now you want to go poking around his house and get us in more trouble. No, thanks!'

  They finished the walk to class in silence. Gadreel was sorry about the way he was treating his friend, but was beginning to wonder why Ariel seemed so intent on making Helel out to be some sort of villain. Their housemate had an edge, but he hadn't done anything to either of them.

  Today was their initial opportunity to use their new skills for protection. They would take turns rescuing each other from controlled, yet potentially dangerous situations. These scenarios would  prepare them for predicaments that they might face in trying to protect beings on other worlds. The first challenge that Trainer Azazel gave them seemed straightforward.

  ‘OK, one of you take a seat in the chairs set near your workstation.’

  Azazel stood at the front of class next to a stack of large blocks of feldspar. Each block measured about four cubits long by two wide. Gadreel took his position in the nearest chair.

  ‘These blocks are quite heavy, so I would suggest that you waste no time in moving them from your partners' laps.’ With a wave of his hand, Azazel sent the large objects flying through the air towards the various seats, landing on the lap of each seated partner.

  ‘Wow, this thing is heavy!’ Gadreel exclaimed from behind the immense stone that hid half of his face. ‘Would you mind helping me out Ariel?’

  Around the room similar complaints could be heard from other partners. He looked at the rock. It lay lengthwise on Gadreel's lap and protruded out on either side, balanced and trapping him tightly under its weight. It was a subtle blend of pink and silver hues, textured with consistent striations across its width. He tried to touch the grain with his mind, reaching for it confidently. There was nothing.

  'Seriously, Ariel. This thing is heavy,' Gadreel complained with a hint of nervousness.

  Ariel scanned the room and saw that some others were struggling as well. He looked over at Gabriel, who rested comfortably, looking amused as his block hovered inches above his lap. At that moment, the block floated up and back until it sat mere millicubits above Gabriel's head. It began to spin and was soon whirring in a perfectly balanced axis, like a chariot wheel at full gallop.

  Azazel clapped his hands. ‘Well done Helel. You rescued Gabriel and did so with flair.'

  Helel smiled with satisfaction and maneuvered his block back to its original position.

  'Over here Ariel. I'm still trapped,' Gadreel interjected.

  Ariel refocused on his task and reached, once more, for the block. This time he felt it quickly and gave it a small nudge to test its resistance. As it pressed into his chest, Gadreel made a raspy noise in his throat and Ariel stopped pushing. He focused on moving the weight up, but it didn't move. He could feel it tremble like it wanted to break free of gravity, but it refused to budge more than a few microns. Deciding to change tactics he attempted to pull the block toward him. Again, nothing.

  He looked at Gadreel, suddenly frightened. His friend had quit looking at him and seemed to be focused on Azazel. He again sought the object with his mind and pressed upward with all his might. It wouldn't move. He explored mentally along the surface of the block. It seemed as if both of the top edges of the rectangular weight were clamped in place. He pushed up hard in the center and sensed the strain within the rock, a fissure forming just below Gadreel's tense chin. He focused on that spot and pressed outward with all his force.

  With a loud crack, the block split in two, with each square remnant shooting off in opposite directions away from Gadreel. Ariel recovered enough to stop the one that was hurtling toward Gabriel before it struck his housemate, but the other smashed into Azazel's podium, demolishing it.

  ‘Are you trying to kill someone, Ariel!’ Azazel yelled. 'Not only were you too weak to move the block as directed, but you endangered your classmates attempting some cheap trick.'

  'Sir. Didn't you say that it takes more power and control to change objects than it does to move them?' asked Gadreel.

  'Feldspar is a brittle rock that doesn't require much effort to fracture. And regardless, the assignment was to move the block, not break it. Why do you find it so difficult to follow instruction Ariel? And Gadreel, I have already warned you about interfering when it comes to your partner's incompetence,' Azazel said and shot both a withering look.

  ‘Sorry sir. I will do a better job next time.’

  Gadreel stood up beside him, rubbing his legs. ‘You did a better job than you know,’ he whispered after Azazel had walked away.

  Gadreel easily moved the block the moment it landed on Ariel's lap. Azazel offered his congratulations, but Gadreel didn't seem to take any notice.

  Their next task seemed a bit more challenging, and for this exercise they walked as a group into an adjoining classroom. In the middle of the room were many small circles, surrounded by what looked to be piles of mineral chips. Along one wall, blocks of ice had been placed in a row, and next to each of these was a bowl of fire.

  ‘This next task requires that you use your skills, tempered by your minds. As before, I want a partner in each circle, with the rescuer standing in front of them.’

  Once again, Gadreel went first into the circle and Ariel took his place outside. Suddenly Azazel clapped his hands, and to each side of them a thin opaque veil of darkness fell, blocking off his view of the others in the room. All Ariel could see was Gadreel in front of him and the ice block and fire bowl behind.

  ‘Begin,’ Azazel proclaimed from somewhere to his left. At that instant the chips surrounding Gadreel burst into flame, forming a tall circular pillar of fire around his friend.

  ‘Uh, Ariel, I seem to be surrounded by fire. Would you mind helping me out? It’s actually getting quite warm in here.’

  He looked around. What was he supposed to do with ice and fire? After a moment of contemplation he waved his hand at the flame within the bowl, motioning it towards the ice. The hot mass streamed through the air and hit the frozen block. The problem was that there was insufficient heat to cause significant melting, so the result was an insignificant puddle. He tried to use this water to put out the pillar of fire, but only succeeded in opening a small gap in the front.

  ‘Anytime. It’s not getting any cooler in here.’ Gadreel sounded a bit more serious this time.

  ‘My fire went out, and I didn’t melt enough of the ice block.’

  ‘Then come up with something else, and do it fast.’

  What should he do? He could fling the frozen cube at the pillar, though this would not accomplish anything except to knock his friend out. Or, he perhaps move the fiery pillar. Looking at the chips at the base of the fire, he visualized them flying through the air, and in an instant they were flying past him, trailing sparks, until they landed in a pile on top of the mass of ice. There they flickered for a few moments then went dark. He turned to face Gadreel, who now stood in the empty circle smiling.

  ‘I knew you could do it!’

  Azazel appeared behind him. ‘You fail the exercise.’

  Ariel thought he had misheard. ‘Excuse me? Did I hear you say I failed?’

  ‘That is correct. Your task was to use the flame to melt enough ice to extinguish the pillar.’

  ‘Sir, you never told us that. It seems to me our task was to rescue our partner, which I did!’ Ariel said with growing irritation.

  ‘Do not raise your voice at me! Switch positions, and Ariel, I will see you after class.’

  Gadreel was waiting for him outside of the building when Ariel exited the meeting with Azazel.


  ‘What happened? What did he say?’

  ‘Gave me an extra assignment. Said I had better watch my tongue in the future. He told me that my negative attitude is hindering my performance and makes me one of the poorer telmid in class.'

  'Well, I'm going to tell you something that may make it worse,' Gadreel said hesitantly. 'While you were trying to move the rock off of me, I saw a strange sight.' He paused before continuing. 'I looked over at Azazel and I think I recognized his aura.'

  'Already. Gadreel, that is amazing. I don't know any other first years that have even started developing their sense. What did it look like?'

  'I wasn't convinced I should say anything because I'm not certain that is what I saw. It resembled some sort of purple smoke, but very faint. Anyway, the reason I am telling you this is because that purplish fog stretched from Azazel to the feldspar, almost as if he had two wispy arms pressed down on either side of the block.'

  'That's why it wouldn't move. The rock seemed bound on both ends, so I pushed in the center. It seemed like the only option.'

  'Well if Azazel was fighting you, I think it says something about your abilities that you were able to overcome his attempts to stop you.'

  Ariel thought about this for a moment and was pleased at the compliment. The satisfaction quickly turned to anger and confusion.

  'How am I supposed to pass this class if my teacher is trying to prevent me from getting through?' he asked with genuine concern.

  'We'll figure it out,' Gadreel answered. 'This is a bizarre situation.'

  They walked silently for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. As they neared the edge of campus, Gadreel halted, frozen in his tracks. Ariel stopped and faced his friend.

  'Gadreel, are you all right?'

  'I just thought of something. If we are correct about Azazel, it might not be wise for our friends to be receiving special training from him.' He bit his lip thoughtfully for a moment and then said, 'I know what we are going to do.'