Training - Part 3

Rewinding time for a bit, Julian and the others watched Icarth as he gave his attempt to catch the rabbit.

"Do you think he will be able to do it?" Nova asked to pass some time.

"Maybe," Julian replied.

"Ica can do it," Emmia said confidently. "He's much better than me at these kinds of things."

"Hmmm," Julian nodded while patting Emmia's head.

"Umm, Julian," Nova called. "Icarth is transforming slightly."

Squinting his eyes, Julian found that Icarth was now on all fours, moving through the grass like a seasoned predator. Even though Julian couldn't see Ica's exact changes that took place in his body, Julian could feel the shift in his demeanor. Call it his instinct which he has cultivated throughout his long life, Julian was sure that Ica had changed in that instant.

'Interesting,' Julian thought. The trio watched as Icarth closed in on the rabbit, waiting to get as close as possible and then leaping. His leap was no less impressive than Emmia's as he too landed on the rabbit's back.

"He grew claws," Nova reported.

"What are claws?" Emmia asked curiously.

"These," Nova said as he showcased his long and pointy claws on his fingers. "His are just smaller."

While Emmia was drawn to Nova's claws, Julian traced Ica as the rabbit sped up. Icarth tried to bite the rabbit to no avail. Now at the top speed, the rabbit had reached the speed of a train at full speed. Failing to kill the rabbit, Julian watched as Icarth timed the rabbit's hop and let go at the highest point to get the maximum hang time possible.

"Alright, let me teleport him back," Nova said.

"Wait," Julian stopped Nova. "Let him try to land on his own."

"What?!" Nova cried out astonished while Emmia looked at her grandpa with wide eyes.

"You're crazy," Nova cursed. "What makes you think he can land from that height?"

Currently, Icarth had reached the height of a small two-story building and was slowing down indicating he had reached a maximum height.

"Call it my instinct," Julian said as he gazed at Icarth who had flipped his head in their direction. Julian gave Icarth an encouraging smile, and he received the sight of Icarth grinning.

"You and your stupid instinct," Nova cursed once more. He was genuinely worried for Icarth and thought that he could potentially get seriously injured.

Hearing the conversation, Emmia didn't say anything. She chose to believe in her brother which her grandpa believed in as well.

The group watched, albeit with completely different emotions. Julian was calm, Nova was on edge, and Emmia was praying silently as Icarth landed with a loud thud.

Not hearing any sound, Nova feared for the worst, "Julian, I swear-"

But in the end, his worries were for naught as Icarth interrupted him with a loud shout filled with emotion. Upon hearing her brother howl with joy, Emmia relaxed and then grew excited too by the fact that Ica had landed safely.

Nova sighed in relief as Julian eyed him, "see? He's alright."

Nova just decided to ignore Julian and asked, "Should I teleport him here?"

"No need," Julian chuckled. "He's coming over here himself."

He watched as Icarth dashed over to them, still on all fours. Skidding to a stop next to Emmia, Icarth stood up eagerly on his legs and started to jump around.

"Did you see that? Did you see that? I've never felt so excited before! It was so thrilling!" Icarth gushed out.

Julian raised his eyebrows at this hyperactive Icarth. 'Guess the adrenaline got to him.'

Grinning the whole time, Icarth started to chat with Emmia about how the experience was.

"How was it?" Emmia asked eagerly.

"It was so great! My body feels so alive right now!" Icarth responded.

"How did you do it?"

"I don't know," Icarth paused. "I just did what my body told me to do."

While the twins were chatting, Julian turned to Nova and tapped into his soul link.

'What species do you think Icarth and Emmia are?' He asked Nova.

Getting the hint, Nova tapped into his soul link as well and answered, 'I'm not sure, it's definitely not human. Or maybe that's his gift?'

'Maybe,' Julian responded.

"Ica, come over here," Julian called.

Icarth hopped over smiling, "What's up gramps?"

"First, good job," Julian complimented to which Icarth smiled even brighter. "Can you check your memory space again?"

"Sure!" Icarth said. Checking his memory space, Icarth relayed, "I can only still see my name."

'So that confirms it,' Julian thought back to his theory before. Icarth was still unawakened and yet he had transformed slightly. Julian chuckled as Ica hopped up and down uncontrollably, 'The only thing he's missing is a tail,' Julian mused.

"Hey gramps, will I get to do things like this at the Nova academy?" Icarth suddenly asked.

Julian paused before grinning, "Of course, are you interested now?"

Icarth nodded vigorously. He wanted to feel this way once more. To get stronger and to fight other strong opponents. He was getting excited at the prospect of it.

"Ica how is your body?" Julian inquired.

"My body? It's fine," Ica tilted his head confused by his gramps' question.

"I meant how do you feel with waving hair, claws, and fangs instead of teeth," Julian asked with an amused smile.

"What?" Ica was shocked. Finally looking at his nails, he was surprised to find them replaced with small claws which were coated with rabbits' blood. He checked his teeth and found them unnaturally sharp. At this point, Ica didn't know what was going on anymore.

"Do you feel any discomfort?" Julian asked, noticing Icarth's shock.

Icarth shook his head, "it feels like they were always a part of me."

"Hmm, well Ica, Mia, I think that you two are not human," Julian said calmly. He had already confirmed the fact that Ica and Mia were not technically human. Rather than hiding the fact, Julian just decided to tell the twins the truth. After all, it was sometimes better to know the truth, than to be deceived for a lifetime.

"What?" Emmia stuttered clearly shocked. Icarth was stunned as well and kept rubbing his hands over his claws.

"Well, Icarth can transform partially without a gift, that's only for some animals which can transform into their humanoid forms. Nova here is an example," Julian explained.

"Bu-but we can speak," Emmia started panicking, thinking that they wouldn't be able to stay together because they weren't all human.

'Truly, kids do worry about the silliest things,' Julian thought before interrupting Mia gently, "Mia, I don't care whether you are human or of a different species. It truly doesn't matter to me. I raised Nova even though he was a dragon. Do you think that this little difference would matter to me?"

"He's right, Mia," Nova added to comfort Mia. "I'm not exactly remotely human looking am I?"

Thinking for a bit, Emmia asked softly, "Really? You don't care?"

"Of course, it doesn't matter to me," Julian reassured while patting her on the head. Emmia was slightly embarrassed that she panicked once more when there was no reason to when Icarth suddenly hugged Julian.

"Hey, me too," Emmia said before joining the hug.

"Thanks, gramps," Icarth mumbled. "For not caring about how I look."

Julian chuckled, "I do think you would look good with a tail though."

Breaking away from the hug, Icarth widened his eyes and started to turn around trying to check whether he had grown a tail or not.

The group laughed as Nova silently thought, 'Where's my hug?'