Just as he was about to approach the open front door there came a sharp rise in magic and as he and Leon stepped out to investigate it was clear Daku had begun to shrink from the size of an elder dragon to that of a lion which was appropriate since half of him appeared to be lion.
“Astonishing!” Breathed Leon. “Sir Cage, in our magic conversations I saw Lord Daku change size, but now with my own two eyes I still find it hard to believe.”
“Wait till you see him fight. He’s going to royally kick my ass.”
“After what you did to Colby how could anyone fight you?”
“When I’m at my best Daku is my equal in fighting prowess… Right now I’m nowhere near his equal. I’ll be lucky to kick him in the balls or pluck a few feathers.” Cage admitted with a grin.
“How can you say such with this much confidence?” Leon asked quietly. “You are looking forward to this? Aren’t you afraid to lose?”
“Somebody has to and you learn more from loss than ay win. I admit defeat to a superior adversary all the time, especially with Daku. If pain is the price to become a better fighter I’ll gladly have every bone in my body broken a million times over. Becoming faster and sharper in battle is my never ending dream. I have so much to learn and am hungry for all of it.” Cage then yawned while stretching his naked body. “Here I go! Daku!”
The griffin turned his head and watched his partner running without restraint while twirling the staff like a weapon. His furry chest swelled before he released a shrill roar that echoed off the enormous cavern in accepting challenge. Daku leapt into a lithe run few could ever hope to match.
In moments the pair collided. The instant they did Daku raked his fingers across Cage’s chest, talons parting the flesh with ease, and he received the side of his jawbone a loud crack from the staff. The dragons rumbled pleasurably, some hissing a chuckle, at seeing a warlock and griffin challenging each other. The elders sensed Ulon instantly repair damage to both combatants simultaneously. Then the two disengaged, but Cage stumbled and Daku’s beak plunged into the warlock’s abdomen, coating the white beak red while opening more wounds before Cage laughed and flicked a foot up and hit Daku’s balls, earning enough of a reaction to push through the pain and roll away. Then all heard him say “See what I mean now, Leon?” and laughed as his bloody body was repaired and missed a strike to the angry griffin who redoubled the attack and smacked his partner with a wing before taking a chunk of meat from his rib. Cage spared a glance to the bright white bone at his side before the area glowed blue and sealed.
Both warlock and griffin grinned before engaging again.
“Another three hours have expired!” Mox, the black dragon, almost hissed loudly and watched the two drop straight to the ground. “Wonderful expertise on making one’s body into a weapon, Cage Two-leg’s. You do your ancestors proud. They too enjoyed a battle even when most two-legs would have collapsed into unconsciousness, but we will immediately begin your next lesson… but first, go bathe in the spring to remove the blood from your body. For the next two hours you will needn’t move.”
Unable to gather his legs under him after six hours of strenuous combat, even with the staff, Cage chuckled between breaths “I can’t seem to move. My muscles aren’t cooperating.”
Daku immediately crawled closer to say “Throw an arm over my back so that I may help.” Cage barely managed to do even that, but then Daku stood and grew, slowly bringing his partner to a comfortable height. Cage tried, but he was dragged more than he could walk over to the large pond. The griffin walked straight into the water and the moment Cage’s feet hit the liquid he felt it was a hot spring at just the right temperature. Both groaned as the water enveloped them and they each sunk to their necks.
Vibrations in the water forced Cage to turn around and watch all eleven elder dragons rose to walk over to the pond, but something Mox said in their odd language had Poli and Ulon move away and lay down, probably to relax.
Enjoyment from the blissful water was short as the eleven elders laid side by side, blocking all sight from beyond their bulk, likely to prevent Leon and Colby from seeing whatever they were about to do. A fearsome, blood red dragon began to speak to the others before receiving a nod from his companions. The crimson eyes then turned to Cage who said “You’ve displayed remarkable talent for intense, focused mana into magic and the ability to do so with speed rarely seen before a normal warlock’s first full century of life, but you’ve yet to display to all of us complexities of unbinding. You rely on overwhelming your opponents, but we won’t allow this. You cannot, at this particular moment, overwhelm us even slightly, but since you are already weakened physically, just remain where you are. I am going to conjure a complex pattern using light, your objective is to figure out just how to alter its color without damaging the fragile pathways.” In an instant there sprung a string of light weaving a pattern far faster than the eye could follow, creating an illusion of a beautiful, mountainous landscape so fine that the thread of light couldn’t be distinguished. Cage realized that the speed at which this dragon created the image could only be done by a true master of magic and at the moment, Cage couldn’t imagine copying any part of it.
Still, he had to try to rise to this master’s lesson for he was being taught directly about something important. Cage focused and sent a thread of magic towards it, but suddenly felt an impenetrable wall. Discretely Cage figured the other ten elders sent spells to block him from sensing the threads and had to figure out a way around their spells to alter the color without breaking the image. He found that out by willing a spell to bind to the magic, but the threads just dissolved like sand for some reason. No dragon even blinked at his failure, but the crimson dragon created another masterpiece of light representing a sunset from a beach in seconds.
These elders didn’t offer hints, but showed great patience their kind had in spades as Cage never tried the exact same spell twice. They were right of course, his style of magic only overpowered those weaker, but dragons weren’t weak and it made him strive to meet their expectations.
But being forced to stay weak thanks to his diamonds, each spell sapped him a little more each time and after ten tries his head sunk beneath the surface of the hot spring’s water.
Daku cradled his unconscious partner before he drowned to hear Mox say “It was only an hour, but your two-leg’s shows promise, White King. Have him rest, he exceeded my expectations, even for an elite. We will resume our training when the star rises from the horizon again.” He turned his long, supple neck around while standing. “Leon Two-legs, aid your senior to his bedding area and rest yourself. This rotation needs much reflection. I will alter the battleground so he keeps adapting for the next combat session.”
Leon hurried between the elder’s legs since that was the only gap and waded into the warm water to struggle lifting the warlock. Leon found out quick that although Cage was lean, his form was solidly heavy. While he helped drag the unconscious giant of a man Leon heard Daku say “Take care of him for a few hours, Leon. I must go visit Noreen as I promised.”
“He is in good hands, My Lord. Enjoy yourself.” Colby said as Leon had his hands full.
Ulon got up as Daku grew into his original giant self and left the cave with his guard, but when Leon eventually managed to throw Cage into the simple bedding he turned to the entrance to find a large silver eye staring inside. Poli took her task seriously in watching over Cage, even if Leon and Colby weren’t a threat to him.
Due to the day’s difficulty and constant drain from his diamonds, Cage didn’t wake once till morning came.
“Enjoying your aged, curdled bovine lactate?”
Cage looked up from reading the book he borrowed and found it quite enthralling. The librarian had been right and the story quickly became one of his favorites too, even if he had read not even half the story. Approaching was the ancient black dragon who’s scales glittered. “It is easier to call this cheese.” Cage waved the wedge that tasted almost identical to s
harp cheddar.
Mox laid down before him to respond “But not as accurate. Cheese can come from a variety of mammals who lactate from nipples and that came from cattle.” Mox jerked his head, indicating the orange food. “How did your time in Twilight go? Since we will likely not look upon each other for approximately seven solar rotations it made me curious.”
The thick tome closed quietly after receiving a bookmark and was laid down in the patch of grass. “Well, Noreen greatly surprised both Daku and myself when we showed up to speak before some students.” Cage couldn’t suppress a chuckle from it this afternoon of the fifth and last day of training. “We were actually directed to a stadium full of nearly every child in all of Twilight, human, Familiar and dragon alike. She kept it a secret for when she originally explained her intentions to her current students, they in turn spread word that we would come in as a guest lecturer and more wanted to come. The result of the response was Noreen taught seventy students a day, but in the end it blossomed into over ten thousand eager kids. And I found they were very bright as I spent the rest of the afternoon explaining. Grandpa, Theresa and a dozen councilors from the three councils were also present to watch.
“Sometimes Daku would speak to that horde. He told stories of his kind and what the flocks were like in their prime. Most though wanted to know what it was like on Earth and how it survived without mana… Many things I withheld since my knowledge could easily corrupt this world’s ways and threaten life.”
“Wise.” Mox interrupted. “Such is the pivotal reason why we dragons refuse to give certain knowledge’s and separate ourselves from interfering directly unless there is no alternative. We learned our mistake with another sentient race who became extinct early in our home world’s time. None live who directly remember them, but in our final stages of evolution” The dragon touched his breast. “we had a younger second species we imparted our gained knowledge freely. It later resulted in genetic sterility. Since then we are careful to impart our knowledge and act more like, what you two-legs call guides, and allow them to learn and grow at their own pace. We also learned to fully relinquish control isn’t beneficial either.”
“You’re speaking of the Tiaxm?” Cage guessed.
“Correct.” Mox rumbled. “Population modification beyond a species’ natural evolution is prohibited, but they did it in secret and before we could respond it was too late… forgive me for changing the subject.”
“Nah, it was enlightening.” Cage waved him off. “Well the time spent with all the kids were as you’d expect. But before I Jumped here an hour ago I had Leon and Colby go home and do whatever they want since we’ll be leaving in the morning. Daku is still spending time with Noreen and will return when he’s done. The kids though seemed happy they got a chance to either speak or listen to us.”
“Expected.” Mox confirmed with a humanlike nod. “Surprising it is that so many hatchlings came to listen. Did any hostility arise?”
“Some, mostly when I wouldn’t explain certain subjects. Apparently some got it in their head that my direct, bold candor also meant stupidity in that I hold nothing back. They found out quick that they cannot manipulate me into saying anything. Some even had the balls to try spelling me into answering, but Ulon here bound them before anything got close.” The pink male smiled in satisfaction. “Those that tried were Jumped from the arena or escorted out. All in all, it was a fun experience.
“When it was over we came back here to rest and recover.” He gestured to himself and Ulon.
“Good, it is responsible of you to not be reclusive as the only one of your kind. Future generations must see you and thereby remember what and who you are. Much is it like for Daku. To forget is true banishment in life and sad. Forgotten spirits are saddened that their lives mean nothing when time passes and are forgotten. When you too perish of the mortal form, you will understand.” Mox stated. “Resume recovering, my inquiry is sated. Sunrise will hold one last trial to see how far you’ve progressed in these past planetary rotations.” He stood and left.
Cage went back to his story and ate while the twelve dragons in the room either slept or did magic beyond anything he could understand at the moment. One such dragon, in his spare time, kept an open sight mirror upon a blue star and studied it burning for hours without looking away. Cage figured he was studying the star and had been doing so for many years for some reason he couldn’t quite determine without asking. Most of them did similar things to occupy themselves when not sleeping, watching him do battle or actively teaching him how to properly control his magic in different ways.
It took three days to finally figure how to change the crimson dragon’s weaving prowess to a new color. The deciding factor to success lay in precisely matching the magic output used to sustain the woven light thread and gently coaxing the color to alter over the course of an hour. Any faster would break the line and any slower would make the original color return. His initial success didn’t last long as the tiny, but constant release coupled with what was being drawn made him collapse again.
Different elders taught new and exciting methods on how to more precisely do spells that have the same result, but use significantly less mana. He absorbed their teachings and took them to heart. They had no reason to teach him spells since he was quite proficient, but he was a novice at truly understanding just how many ways the same result could be accomplished if one is patient enough to consider such possibilities.
When the story started to get muddled in his tired mind Cage went back a page and put the bookmark in and closed his eyes.
They opened later for a short time when Daku crawled up in his lap like a kitten and both slept soundlessly.
“His rings have grown to thirty… and half sprouts. So total, he is thirty one.” Mox declared after Cage slaughtered the procured wyvern. The warlock hesitated when the beast was brought in for the test, but learning it was chosen for the slaughter anyway made it so two conditions could be beneficial and the loss of life wasn’t senseless. Only when it was clear to Cage that the meat would go towards sustaining the colony did he consent. The battle was fierce, but none intervened once the large male wyvern in his prime was released. Cage held nothing back as the wyvern was a fit opponent and being smaller, Cage used speed through flight to first part through potent flames that are capable of melting metal and used it as cover to skillfully sever its wings, effectively grounding it. To penetrate its hard scales he crafted a javelin filled with the most powerful density, sharpness and speed to launch it through the base of its skull and penetrate its brain. The result of power it took to succeed against such an adversary drained him.
“He shall want to depart now. Be sure the meat is well used. If Cage learns he killed for nothing at your behest, he’ll not forgive you.” Daku said. “The training is once again proving itself as the rings are halfway to the point of thirty two in only six days. At this rate he will fully realize himself in just under three months. Spring was an appropriate estimate.”
“We are all agreed as well.” Mox said and gently placed the warlock on the griffin who resumed an elder dragon’s size. He then added a sticking spell so he wouldn’t slide off. “Fair winds, White King and may your journey be short and swift.”
“And fair winds to you as well, Ancient One. We shall return as swiftly as possible and will inform you if anything unforeseen occurs.” Daku then looked to both Poli and Ulon to say “Are you prepared to depart?” They dipped their heads.
Mox and the ten other elders moved to the lifeless wyvern and used their sharp claws to tear into the meat with practiced movements, remove bone from flesh and separate intestines all before sending the portions throughout the colony, primarily to nesting mothers unable to leave their vulnerable young.
At the ledge where the central shaft was, Daku leapt and snapped his giant white wings out to fully capture the strong updraft and started rising without exerting and tiring himself. As he slowly circled he peered down to spot Poli exit and sail upwards with hi
m and Ulon followed later, giving enough room that wouldn’t hinder the ascent of the two above and cause the airflow to buckle and have them drop. It took a half hour to fully escape the deep shaft.
Once outside the top of the mountain Daku circled till Poli shot out and blocked the freezing wind on Cage as requested by Daku. When Ulon exited the mountain they slowly flew higher and soon glided above the clouds where another storm started brewing. Poli eventually said “Old One, we must fly North on this current or risk tiring needlessly. The winds will only hinder us if we attempt to travel directly East.”
“For how long?” He asked.
“A rotation, maybe less. But if we ride on this breeze and not reach lower, there is a current formed by the Darshay range that will intersect this one and we may glide Southeast. It should make our arrival around the same time, but in this wind it will be your choice to decide whether to tire or glide?”
The decision wasn’t long to wait. “We will glide. It is best to be fresh if an unexpected storm forms and forces us to fight… even if you have the power to send it away.”
Ascension of the Warlock (Book 4 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 12
