Chapter 6

Ragnar led Lyra and Yin through the winding corridors of Dragon Hold, the castle that served as the home and training ground for the mages. The walls were lined with torches, casting flickering shadows that danced around them as they walked. Ragnar, a tall and imposing figure, was the leader of the mages and had taken it upon himself to train Yin, a newcomer to Dragon Hold.

As they reached the training hall, Ragnar gestured for Lyra to enter first. "This is Lyra," he said to Yin, "one of the strongest mages in Dragon Hold." Lyra stood before Yin, her arms crossed and her expression stoic. Yin couldn't help but feel a twinge of intimidation at the sight of her.

"How can someone so young be one of the strongest mages?" Yin thought to himself. He had always heard that mages spent most of their lives training and learning before reaching such heights of power.

Yin stretched out his hand to shake Lyra's, and after a moment of hesitation, she reciprocated the gesture. "I'm Yin," he said. "Thanks for helping me out back there."

Lyra's cavalier expression didn't change, but she replied, "It was nothing. Those guys can be jerks sometimes."

Ragnar cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him. "If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave," Lyra said, turning to go.

"Actually," Ragnar said, a mischievous glint in his eye, "there is one more thing. I need you to train Yin."

Lyra let out a sigh. She knew how Ragnar could be, always finding ways to rope her into his schemes. "What is it this time?" she asked, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist his charms for long.

"Just a small, tiny, little favor," Ragnar said, beckoning her over with a childlike grin.

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Out with it already," she said.

"I want you to train Yin," Ragnar said, his voice taking on a pleading tone.

Lyra was taken aback. She had never trained anyone before, and the thought of taking on such a responsibility made her uneasy. "Not a chance," she said, turning to leave.

But Ragnar wasn't one to give up easily. "If you do this, I'll owe you a favor," he said, his voice cajoling.

Lyra stopped in her tracks, considering his offer. She turned to Yin, sizing him up. "No skills, no form, no clue about magic," she said, shaking her head.

Ragnar jumped in before she could object any further. "Two favors," he said, holding up two fingers. "I owe you two favors."

Lyra relented, agreeing to train Yin. "When do we start?" Yin asked, eager to begin his training.

"Now," Lyra said, using her telekinetic powers to push Yin back into the wall. Ragnar whistled in surprise at the unexpected impact.

"Be back here first thing in the morning," Lyra said, turning to leave.

"Don't die, Yin," Ragnar called out with a wave as he followed Lyra out of the room.

Yin was left alone in the training hall, his body aching from the force of Lyra's telekinetic push. But he couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect of learning from one of the strongest mages in Dragon Hold. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough

Yin arrived at the training hall early the next day, feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety. He knew he would be meeting Lyra, the unpredictable mage who had attacked him without warning before. Yin knew he needed to stay on his toes around her, but he couldn't help being fascinated by her. As she walked towards him in her training clothes, he couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful she looked.

Lost in his thoughts, Yin didn't hear Lyra calling out his name until she was almost right in front of him. He snapped out of his daze and greeted her, wondering what the first lesson would be. Lyra wasted no time in getting started, asking Yin what he knew about magic.

Yin's response made it clear that he knew almost nothing about magic. Lyra explained that, as a mage, magic was in their very nature, and every mage had an affinity for a particular energy that they could wield and control. The level of control a mage had over an energy type depended on the level of affinity they had with that energy.

Lyra demonstrated her telekinetic powers by raising a sparring sword with ease. Yin watched in amazement as she altered and influenced motion effortlessly. She explained that there were three forms in which a mage could use magic: infusion, manipulation, and enhancement.

Lyra then revealed that Yin had used magic enhancement on his body unconsciously during his fight with Raphael. Using it had allowed him to break the impact of her attack yesterday. Yin looked confused and didn't know how he did it, but Lyra assured him that a normal human would have died from that attack.

Before they could begin, Lyra explained that they needed to find out what energy Yin had an affinity with. She brought over a crystal ball and explained that it could help show the energy a mage had an affinity with when they placed their hands on it.

Lyra held the crystal ball in her hand, her eyes focused intently on the transparent orb. She took a deep breath, and then placed her hand on the surface of the ball. Yin watched in awe as a white mist, like a gentle breeze, began to swirl inside the crystal.

"This is how it works," Lyra explained, her voice calm and measured. "It's all about affinity, and I have a connection with the wind."

Yin nodded, still unable to take his eyes off the swirling mist inside the crystal. Lyra stretched out her hand, offering the ball to Yin. "Now you try," she said.

Yin hesitated for a moment, then tentatively stretched his hand out towards the crystal ball. As soon as his hand made contact with the surface, the mist inside the ball dissipated, replaced by an impenetrable darkness that seemed to seep out of Yin's fingertips.

Lyra and Yin both gasped in shock as the darkness spread rapidly, enveloping the crystal and filling the room with a thick, black fog. Yin's eyes widened as he struggled to see through the darkness.

When the darkness finally dissipated, Yin found himself surrounded by a collection of deadly weapons, all pointed directly at his throat. Lyra held a gleaming sword, its sharp edge glinting in the dim light, while Ragnar towered over him with a battle axe and hammer in his massive hands.

Ragnar's voice was deep and commanding, with a coldness that made Yin's blood run cold. "What are you?" he demanded, his eyes fixed intently on Yin.

Yin hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a trembling voice. "I...I don't know. I didn't mean to do that. It just...happened."

Yin doubled over as the force of Ragnar's kick slammed into his stomach. He felt himself lifted off his feet and hurled across the room, crashing hard against the stone wall. He gasped for breath, tasting blood in his mouth as pain coursed through his body.

Ragnar strode over to him, a scowl etched on his face. "Talk while you still can," he growled.

Yin struggled to regain his composure, his mind reeling from the brutal blow. He knew that he had to be careful - one wrong move, and Ragnar would pounce on him again.