Powering Up [1]

And life went on like that for an indeterminate amount of time. One day was no different from the next. Our lives were filled with the familiar routine: spending hours mastering our skills, large portions of hearty dishes and light snacks in between, excursions in all directions and ends of the camp, and deep sleeps.

Over time, my wound hurt like hell. But after a couple days, my wound was fully healed. It was probably thanks to Talia's healing magic she learned during the process.

While we continued this cycle, we also took turns generating fire magic for the warmth of the egg, for potential incubation.

It became the foundation of our days, which held us upright as the rest of experience flowed around it. And yet, in that flow, in a strange way, I feel that, perhaps, we have become more connected than it seems...

But, after one week of living inside the rooms of this eerie temple, an unprecedented occurrence struck in one normal day.

"Zion, the egg! It's starting to hatch!" Kaiser exclaims.

Me and Talia had heard the yells of Kaiser outside the temple. With no time to waste, we immediately sprinted inside, not knowing what to expect.

The egg is really hatching?! What creature is it going to hatch into?

As I finally reached the room, I was astonished by the creature's peculiar appearance.

A hatchling emerged from the egg, which was a baby dragon.

Its body was black with a hint of purple, wings had indigo streaks, and its eyes shined like the endless galaxy. With each movement, it leaves behind a trail of gleaming sparks.

"Aww, it's so cute!" Talia says, while reaching out her hand to the dragon that just came out the egg.

In response, it growled to the presence of both Kaiser and Talia, but its demeanor greatly changed once it felt my presence.

It flew with its tiny delicate wings on my shoulder, which surprised me. Then, it happily roared.

In the duration of the dragon sitting in my shoulder, I felt my power slowly disappearing, as if it was getting absorbed.

Turns out, this dragon had a sense of stygian magic. Realizing this, it now makes sense on why it hated the presence of Kaiser and Talia.

"Not fair! Why does it like Zion but not me and Kai?" She asks.

"Maybe the dragon has a sense of stygian magic." Kaiser replies.

At the very same time, wolfmen began to walk towards the temple outside, which they all notice their murderous presence.

!!!

"I feel a murderous intent outside." Kaiser states.

We all sprinted outside of the temple, just to find out that the whole wolfmen tribe was involved with the matter.

Just then, Zion remembered what happened and why they're here.

"Hey.. It's the wolfman that attacked us 2 months ago!" Talia yells as she pointed at the wolfman.

The dragon sat on Kaiser's shoulder for some reason, and the two watch in horror. But not Zion, since he was filled with anger.

I grit my teeth and stepped outside the temple, in front of the group. The wolfman that seems like the leader stepped in front and talked.

"Zion! It's dangerous!" Talia yells.

She attempts to run towards Zion, but was stopped by Kaiser.

"Don't interrupt. He can win, I feel so much mana from just his aura, it feels sickening." Kaiser says while smiling.

This kid has so much potential. Yet his talent is stygian magic. Kaiser thinks, in awe of his potential.

"So you're the kid that killed Marco?" He asks.

"Who's that? Never heard of him." I respond, with anger.

To think these guys didn't give up and ambush us...

I grit my teeth and looked downwards. My eyes began to glow a red color which made my body feel lighter. 

As I look up, my eyes flared. The leader's personality reminded me of Uncle Kenzou, which made me hesitate.

Intrusive thoughts began to infiltrate my mind as I experienced trauma.

I couldn't... save him. Its my fault, because I'm weak.

Sweat and tears began to pour down my face, guilt and panic began to override my emotions, and my heart palpitated like crazy.

"Oi! You scared?!"

The scream of the wolfman made me snap out of it, and that feeling of trauma disappeared.

"Heh? Did you freeze and cry from the sight of my power?" The wolfman asks.

A eerie smile began to cover my face, and anger filled up my emotions.

I silently chanted: "Stygian Magic, **Desuboru**."

"You... shouldn't imitate uncle like that!" I shout and throw the death ball to the wolfman's chest. 

The death ball was as large as his head, which left a hole in front of his chest and the wolfmen behind the leader was instantly left to pieces.

Black smoke began to gather around my wrist. But the leader didn't die, his wound regenerated instead. Turns out, his core was on his forehead, and he instantly counterattacked with a wall-crushing kick.

I knocked back and the force gave me so much pain, but the leader didn't give me a chance to breathe. He dashed in front of me, but this time I dodged it.

I broaden my eyes once more which made me feel his movements, which I instinctively dodge.

I grabbed my grappler and aimed for the leader's forehead which hit successfully, but not enough to penetrate it.

While he attempts to slash me, I created some distance, and he does as well. But the leader put too much strength and he was accelerating too much.

I smiled, because I knew.

No land creatures could decelerate instantly even if you tried so hard. So in that split second as the momentum from the leader's speed hasn't stopped, I quickly dashed in front of him and stabbed his shins.

"OUCHHH!!!" The leader screams in pain.

Heh. The shins really work.

While the wolfman tries to recover from the pain, I instinctively knew what spell could finish it off, so I chanted:

"Stygian magic, Desuaro."

An arrow began to form in my palm, which was an attempt from me to copy Kaiser's form when he saved us from the wolfmen attack 2 months ago.

!!!

"What? That's... my form!" Kaiser exclaims.

The arrow successfully hit the leader's forehead, which destroyed the crystal.

Black smoke once again began to gather around my wrist, and the other wolfmen were stunned to see their leader disintegrate from the familiar blue flames.

They immediately retreated from the sight of this, never to be seen again.

"Hah... I'm beat!" I complain.

"Hey Zion, you should've made us help too! We can do something too you know..."

We all laugh and thanked the great Choronzon for granting us another day to live in this abyss.

"Hey! Where's it going?" Kaiser asks.

Talia and Zion both look at Kaiser's direction.

The dragon flew away from his shoulder and picks up the crystals that the wolfmen dropped from dying. It then gave them to Talia. She, confused by this, just thanks the dragon and admires its cuteness.

Yellow aura began to surround Talia as it absorbs the crystals on her palm.

"I feel refreshed! Thanks cutie for the crystals~" Talia pats its head which the dragon liked.

Zion looked at the sky and now realized that the sun had now set, which he admired the view.

"I'm sorry Uncle Kenzou, that I couldn't save you."

"Huh? What did you say Zion?" Talia asks.

"Nothing." I reply.

I'm excited for tomorrow. For some reason, I have a really good feeling.

"Hey! Let's prepare for dinner now, it's going to turn dark! Find some ingredients!" Kaiser yells.

"Hmm.. Oh! I forgot about the starberries I gathered around 2 months ago. I think it can't be eaten anymore..."

We opened my bag and to our surprise, the starberries hadn't rot yet.

"Amazing! The starberries haven't rot yet?" I ask in amazement.

"Yeah, starberries only rot in around 1 year after its picked." Kaiser answers.

"I guess we're going to have starberries for dinner!!!" Talia yells in excitement.