Son of Carnak

After reaching the pinnacle of the Vitality Realm, Chaus was teleported back into the forest. The once dark forest turned into a bright paradise full of life. Birds were singing, and animals were running between the trees. Chaus could feel their presence. This was the first time Chaus could feel the prescence of animals, and he believed it was a side effect of the Vitality Realm.

Then, after Chaus was finished feeling the prescene of animals, he looked at himself. He was beyond shocked. He spent 11 years in the room of fire but his body was still that of a 9 year olds.

"The room of fire was a conceptual world. For every day in the real world, 500 days passed in the conceptual world."

Chaus's shock lessened, but just a tiny bit. The power to create a time difference...that was simply incredible. Chaus wondered what stage Dru was at.

Dru looked at Chaus as if expecting this. "When your stronger than me, you'll be able to see what stage im at."

[Stronger than Dru? Is that possible?]

To Chaus, Dru was like an unreachable existence. Dru had the ability to create a conceptual world with a 500:1 time difference ratio. To reach Dru's level was unimaginable for the current Chaus. Although Chaus grew stronger by spending 11 years in the Room of Fire, he had no additional training.

Dru looked around and spoke. "This place isn't suitable. We're moving places."

Chaus got up expecting to walk. Instead, Dru waved his hands and the entire surrounding changed.

A vast mountain with lush green trees growing on top of it greeted Chaus's eyes. The peak was covered with white snow, and there was a sparkling, blue river running down the mountain.

Chaus was shocked speechless. Teleportation! Dru used teleportation when he brought Chaus to a conceptual world, but this was actual teleportation! Dru felt more like an unreachable existence than before.

Dru walked towards the bottom of the mountain, and Chaus broke free of his shocked state. He watched Dru get closer and closer to the mountain. It seemed like Dru was going to climb the mountain, but why?

When Dru reached the bottom of the mountain, he passed through the mountain. It was like the mountain sucked him in.

A voice came from the mountain. "Come." It was Dru's voice.

Chaus looked in astonishment, no longer able to be shocked. Chaus followed Dru, and as he reached the bottom of the mountain, Chaus put his hand out. His hand passed right through the mountain.

Dru's voice reached Chaus. "I put a spell here. It creates the illusion of a mountain and entry is only granted to those that I allow. Come in."

What level did one have to be to use such a spell? Will I ever be able to do such a thing?

Chaus's awe of Dru grew even more. After the admiration of Dru left his body, Chaus walked through the illusion. What greeted his eyes was a simple, tiny wooden cottage surrounded by a field of green. This was anticlimactic to say the least.

Dru spoke. "For the next few years, this is where you'll train."

Chaus nodded in response. Dru walked into the cottage and Chaus followed. The cottage contained a fireplace on the wall directly in front of the door. To the right of the fireplace was a wooden table with four wooden chairs around it. To the left of the fireplace was a singular bed.

Dru sat down on a chair. He motioned for Chaus to sit in front of him. Chaus sat down, and Dru started chanting words that Chaus couldn't understand. "Matus Timbae Akkjar!" The air fluctuated in front of Dru and an object that looked like a smooth oval stone appeared in the air. Upon closer inspection, it was more than a stone. Something that looked like scales covered the stone. Chaus became curious at what the stone was.

Dru motioned for Chaus to place his hand on the stone. "This is a dragon stone. Dragon stones are able to measure the innate talent creatures have for magic. When you place your hand on the stone, a color will appear. The color that appears signifies the element you have the most affinity for, while the brightness of the stone signifies the potential you have in that element."

Chaus wordlessly placed his hand on the stone and waited. He was both curious and excited about measuring his innate talent. The stone started humming. It slowly turned brown for Earth. Then red for fire, blue for water, and finally it turned silver for air. At the end, four colors shone on the stone. Each color shined so bright that Chaus was almost blinded by the light.

Dru's eyes widened in surprise and shock. A quadra elemental user. The last time someone like that appeared was centuries ago. As Dru was about to speak, the stone started trembling. The stone gradually lost its glow. The colors started fading away. The stone started turning black and emanating darkness. The bright glowing stone was no more. Instead, a pitch black stone took its place. Light seemed like it was being sucked into the stone. The cottage started getting darker and the dragon stone trembled even more. Chaus felt it hard to breathe. Even the air was being sucked into the stone. When Chaus looked at the stone, it was as if he was looking into the depths of hell. Chaus tried to take his hand away from the stone, but his hand wouldn't budge. Dru swiftly chanted "Matus Timbae Rakjar!" and the stone disappeared. Chaus gasped for air as he started breathing again. "What was that?"

Dru's face was emotionless as he replied. "I don't know."

Chaus didn't believe that though. Someone as powerful as Dru must also have an extraordinary expanse of knowledge. However, Chaus didn't press further for answers. If Dru wanted to tell him something, he would.

Dru got up from the chair. "Let's start your training." An excited look appeared on Chaus's face.

[It's time to get stronger.]

Dru walked out of the cottage and Chaus followed him. "Terra Surge Cofor!" Dru chanted. A large spiral staircase 10 meters wide rose up in front of the cottage. It was made of stone, and it grew so tall it penetrated the clouds. Chaus was now numb to what Dru could do.

Dru spoke. "Climb this."

"What?" Claus said thinking he heard wrong.

"Climb this." Dru repeated.

Even though Chaus was mentally 20 years old, his body was that of a nine year olds. To ask a nine year old to climb a spiral of stairs miles high, that was impossible. However, Chaus sucked in a breath of air and started climbing the stairs.

Four hours later.

Every step Chaus took was torture. His muscles were burning and the pain was excruciating, albeit not as bad as the room of fire. For the past few hours Chaus climbed the spiral staircase. At the beginning, Chaus was feeling fine. His body felt light after reaching the Vitality stage, but after the 500th meter, Chaus's legs started feeling heavy. His breathing turned ragged, and it became harder to climb. After the 750th meter, Chaus's legs felt like they were tied down by iron. His throat was so parched he felt like he was eating daggers. Chaus started gasping for air. His body wanted to quit this hellish training, but his mind wouldn't let him. He didn't go through 11 years of torture for nothing. Chaus gathered what was left of his remaining strength and resolutely pushed forward.

Several hours passed by. The dazzling rays of sunlight disappeared and the dark starry sky covered the replaced the sun. During this time, Chaus reached the 1000th meter. What greeted his eyes seemed like heaven. There was a large platform on the 1000th meter and what lay there was a bed, a bowl of water, and a piece of bread. Chaus walked as fast as he could towards the water. After climbing for hours, Chaus's legs were so weak he collapsed right in front of the water. Chaus weakly grabbed the bowl of water and started gulping it down. The cool feeling of water running down his parched throat made him shiver with pleasure. After greedily finishing the bowl of water, Chaus started his attacking the piece of bread. Chaus was starving and the piece of bread tasted like the most delicious thing Chaus had ever eaten. Chaus finished the bread in seconds. After eating, Chaus regained a small portion of energy. Chaus gathered his remaining strength and climbed onto the bed. Chaus was so fatigued that the soft, cozy, embrace of the bed instantly put him to sleep.

Dru

Dru stood in a dark iron room. The room was empty aside from an altar in the middle of it. The altar looked like it was made of bones, and ancient engravings were present on the bones. Dru stood in front of the altar and took out a knife. He put his hand over the altar and cut his palm with the knife. Blood started dripping onto the altar. "Belkuld Aternum Surge!" Dru shouted. A deafening explosion was heard. Dru's blood exploded into a red mist. The mist of blood started swirling. No, the blood wasn't swirling, it was taking on a shape. The shape was fuzzy, but it looked similar to Dru, however it was also different. It looked more beastly, dignified, and the pressure it gave off was intense. Dru knelt down on one knee. "My lord."

The red mist fluctuated as if acknowledging Dru. "Why have you awoken me?"

The red mist didn't speak but Dru clearly heard its voice in his head. Sound transmission. When the power of the soul reached a certain stage, a person could send a tiny portion of their soul into another person and talk to them without speaking. For someone to do that, they must be at a level greater than the Clonic realm. But to do that from a distance of who knows how much, their realm must surpass the Clonic realm by rivers and mountains. This blood avatar wasn't human.

"The child of prophecy, Son of Carnak, has arrived into this world."

The avatar trembled in shock. "Impossible." it said quietly. "Carnak's bloodline ended with him a millenium ago."

Dru spoke to the avatar with a firm voice. "At first I wasn't sure, but the child was able to ignite the dragon stone to a degree I've never seen before."

Only those with dragon blood were able to ignite the dragon stone.

The avatar voiced its dissenting opinion. "That doesn't mean he is the son of Carnak."

Dru replied. "The child has the highest potential in all four of the natural elements."

The avatar turned silent. Then it spoke. "A quadra elemental user. " The avatar believed it to be impossible, but it knew Dru wouldn't lie about something this important. Carnak was also a quadra elemental user, but he only had the highest potential in three elements. To have four, this child has surpassed Carnak's innate ability.

"No,"Dru replied." He isn't a quadra elemental user. The colors were all swallowed up and the stone turned pitch black. It shouldn't be possible, but a part of me felt fearful looking at the black stone."

The avatar felt even more shocked. He now fullheartedly believed Chaus was the son of Carnak. "Veronica's prophecy...it's true."

The shock in the avatar slowly dissipated. "If allowed room to grow, this child will become the greatest power Tsirgia has ever seen."

This time it was Dru's turn to be shocked. The greatest power Tsirgia has ever seen? There were many powerful figures in the history of Tsirgia, but to be called the greatest? One needed power that could shatter the Earth.

The avatar continued. "He's child of Carnak, the Dragon King, and Veronica, the greatest necromancer. If the child can utilize Carnak's and Veronica's ability, then Tsirgia will be thrown into a storm of unparalleled proportions. Maybe the revival of our race would be possible."

A sad look entered Dru's eyes as 'our race' was mentioned. "The race that once stood at the pinnacle of the world," Dru mummered.

The avatar started to disperse. Before completely disappearing it spoke again. "The others will start sensing his growth. Until his wings can fully spread, you must protect the boy with your life."

Dru's eyes showed an iron will as he heard those words. "I swear on my name, Dru Dragonsworn, I will protect that boy until my last breath.

The disappearing Avatar nodded in approval.