Chapter 2: The Fire Within

The darkness receded, yielding to the soft embrace of consciousness. Slowly, the world began to materialize around her, like mist dispersing under the morning sun. With a faint groan, she shifted, feeling the cool ground beneath her and the ache that permeated her muscles. It was as though she had been drawn back from the brink of oblivion by some unseen force, and as she opened her eyes, she knew that she had returned to the land of the living.

The training grounds stretched out before her, bathed in the soft light of dawn. In the distance, the towering trees of the forest whispered secrets to the wind, their branches swaying in silent conversation. She sat up slowly, her head swimming with the remnants of unconsciousness, and took a deep breath, grounding herself in the present moment.

As she scanned her surroundings, a sense of determination stirred within her. She knew that defeat was not the end but merely a stepping stone on the path to greatness. With a silent vow to rise above her setbacks, she pushed herself to her feet, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead."Welcome back." Melroy said, walking up to her, laughing. "You got lucky this time, Melroy. That last sparring match makes us even now in wins and losses." The dragonfolk girl said. "Aaliyah, I'm going to become the strongest card mage from Phoenix Island " Melroy said. Aaliyah laughed. " No, I, Aaliyah Kaida Emberfang Shadowclaw, am going to be the strongest card mage from Phoenix Island. " Aaliyah said as she stood up to her feet." You both have to be deck masters first before you can proclaim that. But that doesn't mean your card magic isn't strong. Mel, you won the fight, but Liyah was right, Roy, you lack battle spirit, but you see that fight? Those words kind of triggered you to show her that you so have battle spirit. But even still now rising back from defeat of your sparring match, Liyah has much more of a battle spirit than you. Which will end up being very much effective with how she uses her card magic, and her style of fighting. Her technique in her card casting and how she has captured Magura and created two new cards in her deck, just like you Mel. And her diligence and dedication, and focus, will all add into and create stronger wisdom in her card magic. The two of you, especially seeing how you're lifelong best friend's, would make perfect rivals for each other." Akimitsu said to them. " Deck teacher, you said something earlier about bind cards, and becoming a bond card for both of us? What did you mean by that? " Aaliyah asked." Bind cards are special cards are in your deck that don't come with starter packs you buy at stores or capture with a blank card. Bind cards are typically created by people. Someone who allows you to put a piece of their Magura in someone's blank card, but the thing is, you have to accept the person's Magura as a bond with your deck. The person who's Magura is accepted as a bind card, that person and their magic is bound to that person's deck, and the owner of that bind card, can use that person and their Magura as a card in a mage card battle and duel at their will any time that they want. So I'm going to make each of us three become a bind card in each other's deck. I will be in both of your decks, you two will both be in my deck, and you will have each other in each other's decks. Bind cards make decks extremely stronger because they're always growing in two ways, just like any other card in your deck. Basically, the card mage that gave you their Magura, is growing stronger after becoming the bind card because their card magic is a connection to that bind card for life, even after the card mage who's Magura it took to make the bind card dies but the deck owner of the bind card is still alive. The other way is the deck owner of the bind card becoming a better and stronger card magic user, and the way they use the bind card and make the bind card stronger. Just like the Magura of the user that created the card, the card that becomes more powerful Magura reflects back to the card mage that made the pact of the bond card,making them stronger in turn. Each bind card name is made determined off the bond between the bind card maker and the deck owner. A card mage can make a bind card in two different people's decks, and there could be a chance the bind card has the same name, or the bind card has a different name from each other. The name of the bind card tells the story of the bond between the bond giver and the bond accepter, and is determined by the bond of the card mage that used their Magura to make the bind card and the card mage that is the deck owner of the bind card at the moment the bond was accepted by the deck owner and bound the bind cards Magura and creator bound to the deck owners deck." Akimitsu said. " So basically, bind cards are more of a rare card to have in your deck? But also makes you a card in someone else's deck. And these bonds the bind cards represent make each other stronger when we use that bind card rather we are with each other or far away from each other right?" Aaliyah asked. " Yes, I am going to create a bind card in the two of your decks first, so you know how it feels for someone to offer their Magura as a bond to you and your deck, and how to accept it." Akimitsu said. "So wait, deck teacher, you'll be in my deck, and I'll be able to use you in battle? What if I'm right next to you in battle, or even battling you like in a spar or a tournament, can I still use your bind card? " Melroy asked. " Yes, and the Magura that comes out of your bind card will not effect me, except for make me stronger the more you use the bind card, nor will it change my appearance or make me disappear. The Magura of the bind card will represent the image of your bind card created with it's name, just like you our cards you create with your card mage magic and capture Magura with other blank cards. Also, if you're in a situation where your deck is stolen or taken away from you, your bind card will always remain with you. Your deck knows if it is taken or stolen from someone else and will aura-lock itself when your deck is no longer near the energy of your card magic. Your deck has a mind of its own and reacts off your Magura. But if your deck is out of range of your card magic and your Magura, your bind cards automatically teleport from your deck and back to you. Your bind cards are some of the most important cards in your deck, if not thee absolute most important cards in your deck, because your bind card will never leave your side, and you can never lose your bind card, until you either get your deck back, buy a new starter pack deck, or both. Your bind card creates a magic with your deck that only you can make and create. Now I am going to offer my Magura to the both of you to create a bind card. But since this is your first time making a bind card, take out a blank card from out of your decks." Akimitsu told the two of them. Melroy and Aaliyah pulled out their decks, and grabbed a blank card, then placed hem between them and their deck teacher Akimitsu and out their decks back. Akimitsu pointed his palms out towards their blank cards and both of them began to be surrounded by an aura. "Do you feel my magica aura of my Magura that I am offering you as a bond through your blank card?" Akimitsu asked. "Yes, sir." Aaliyah said. "Yes, deck teacher." Melroy said. "Good, now in order to create a bind card, you have to accept that magical aura of that Magura to accept the bond. A bind card once after the offer of the bond is made, can take any type of time to be accepted, and one the bond is offered it can not be taken away, and will wait to create a bind card with that Magura's chosen deck owner of that bind. It could take from any amount of time from a matter of second to years for the deck owner of a deck to accept someone's bind offer. And the deck owner and bind card creator do not have to be next to each other or near each other for the bond of the bind card to finally be accepted. Every time and everything your bind card is used, all the things it has done and been used for when it's done being used, memory returns back to you through your Magura and you share the memories of the bind cards that you make." Akimitsu said. A few moments passed by before Aaliyah's bind card accepted Akimitsu's Magura first and finished creating the bind card. " What does yours say?" Melroy asked."The name of my bind card is Master Akimitsu The warrior warlord fairy. " Aaliyah replied " Cool, let's see what my bind card says when I truly elacceot our deck masters Magura and bond." Melroy said. One minute later the blank car finally accepted Akimitsu's Magura as a bind card." What does yours say?" Aaliyah asked. "It says Master Akimitsu the warrior warlord fairy. Cool, we got the exact same bond card with our deck teacher." Melroy replied Akimitsu smiled and looked at them both. "Ok, now it's time for the offer of your Magura to me as a bond to my deck. Now since this is your first time creating a bind card, I want the both of you to close your eyes. Now focus on your card magic and your Magura. Now look and dig deep into your heart, this is the only way you can offer someone your Magura and create a bind card, you have to mean your Magura offering from the heart. Now from your heart, offer your Magura to me."Akimitsu said."Like that deck teacher?" Melroy asked as the blank card infront if melroy between him and Akimitsu began to be covered in a Melroy's Magura." Yes, just like that. I have accepted your bind, open your eyes and look at the bind card that you made. Aaliyah keep your eyes closed and focus on offering me your bind." Akimitsu said. Melroybooened his eyes and looked at the bind card he created. "Melroy the elf assassin! That's the bind card I made, so does that mean like that's how you feel about me deck teacher?" Melroy asked. "Yes, it is how Iook at you as your deck teacher and master. Our bond as teacher and student and my Magura combining with your Magura." Akimitsu said. " And now, so I'm a part of your deck? " Melroy asked. " Yes, that is correct." Melroy replied. Aaliyah was still looking deep into her heart to offer her Magura to Akimitsu as an offer for her bind with her deck teacher. She never knew or had an idea being a card mage was like this and that she would be able to do these things. Finally after a few more minutes she made sense of her new teachings from her deck teacher and offered her Magura as a bond to Akimitsu. The blank card in front of her between her and Akimitsu glowed with her Magura. "There we go. You did it " Akimitsu said. He accepted her bond offering immediately and her Magura created the bind card. "You made your first bind card, now open your eyes Aaliyah." Akimitsu said. Aaliyah opened her eyes and looked at the bind card. "Aaliyah the dragonfolk rebel princess." Aaliyah said looking at her first ever bind card she ever made. She looked at Akimitsu and smiled. "I like that name" Aaliyah said. "Now, it's time for you to do the same and offer your Magura as a bind to each other." Akimitsu said. The both took a blank card out and offered each others Magura to each other as a bond. They sat that for a while for them to accept each other's bond. "What's wrong, why is it taking so long for us to accept each other's bond?" Aaliyah asked. "It could be a chance that since you both have known each other for so long, and are kufeking best friends, you're scared what the name of each other's bind card would be. Don't worry about that, just trust your bond with each other. Each bond made with each bind card holds it's own purpose and for a reason. And the reason if that purpose doesn't begin until your accept the bond of the person's Magura." Akimitsu said. Am hour went by and neither one of them still didn't accept each other's Magura bond. I got an idea, I'll make you have to acceot each other's Magura bonds and create bind keys with each other. I have an exercise for the both of you. I will use your own bind cards you just created for me. For you to train against and work together as a teamwork effect exercise and lesson. Inassire you that the only way you will be able to pass this lesson, is to accept each other's Magura bonds and comlmete the bind key between the two of you. Gillfree, the desert eater, release to me." Akimitsu said. A card shot straight out if his deck, and a beam of energy shot out a snake like creature that had the wings of an eagle appeared from the card. The snake was a good 9 feet long, and stood up tall, with large eagle wings to support it's body in flight. He was a desert pythgle. "Gillfree is good enough to start off your training in this lesson and sparring match. The 2 of you against me, let's see what you can do against Gillfree!" Akimitsu said before the blinking shine of a bright light and Akimitsu disappeared and changed into his smaller fairy form. Gillfree hissed and charged towards Aaliyah and Melroy. As Gillfree got closer to Aaliyah and melroy dodged out of the way in opposite directions. As Gillfree began to turn around Melroy stood back up. "Ace the sky terror the nighty Tigowldra, I release you to me." Melroy said as a card shot from out of his deck. Magura shot out from the card and a bird with the body of an owl and the face of a tiger, and four wings, two the set of owl wings, and two the set of dragon wings appeared. "Smart choice to call your Tigowldra ace the sky terror against Gillfree. But my skill and experience and wisdom of card magic makes all the difference." Akimitsu's voice said from all different directions of the area as if he was flying around very fast. "But he has help!" Aaliyah yelled as she stood back up a card flew from our if her deck and a beam of Magura shot out from it. "Wildhorn the woodland spirit, realease to me " Aaliyah said as a creature that looked like a gorilla with horns or a bull in it's head and an extra set of teeth to it's gorilla teeth that resembled teeth that are like a cobra's. "Raaaaah!" Wildhorn roared as it's neck muscles expanded out like the hood of a cobra. "A Junglebullapecobra a worthy creature to be a spirit of a woodland spirit indeed. That must be your second capture creature because it is next to impossible to find one of those in a starter pack deck. I'm proud of you, now let me see the two of you use some teamwork." Akimitsu's voice echoed throw the area. Gilfree took flight, and swooped down at ace in a taunting attempt to anger it. Ace roared and took off flight after Gilfree. Wildhorn chased on foot after them and began to climb and jump from tree to tree to keep up. Gillfree and Ace took a good fight to the sky, and Gillfree was giving Ace a good run for it's money. There were several times ace got it's claws and talons on and into Gillfree, but Gillfree broke out of the hold with smacks of it's tail and trying to bite at Ace. Wildhorn finally reached the tree tops in his ckim and jump from branch to branch at the treetops, until he finally took one huge leap from the tree tops into the sky. After he freed himself from Ace's hold this time, Gillfree was immediately met but an unexpected attack from Wildhorn snatching him out of the sky and bringing him back down to the trees and ground. Gillfree hissed as Wildhorn grabbed him on their way back to their descent. Gillfree tried to strike Wildhorn, but Wildhorn either countered back with a punch, or smacked Gillfree away with it's bullhorns denying Gillfree access of attack. As they got back to the tree tops, Wildhorn grabbed one of the branches to put a slow down on the descent to the ground and swung to the next lower branch and proceeded to repeat the same thing until he reached the ground and slammed Gillfree on the ground and then grabbed him at the end of his tail, and swung him around and slammed his body into a tree. Shortly after, Ace swooped down several yards away and started flying towards Wildhorn and Gillfree. "Nature's vanguard: Masterstroke, I release you to me!" Akimitsu's voice echo's through the area and a burst of Magura shot out from an area summoning for a creature forth that had the body of a gorilla, the horns of a bull, tusk of a wild boar, and a set of octopus tentacles that came out of its back. "Is that.. a Tuskbullapeoctopus?" Melroy asked in awe. "Yea, but not only that. Does our deck teacher have 2 cards summoned out right now?" Aaliyah asked in reply. Masterstroke landed and grabbed Ace before he could get close to Wildhorn and Gillfree. "Yea, he does. Hey Akimitsu! How are you using two cards and controlling two creatures at the same time?! I thought you could only do that in a simple card duel!" Melroy asked. "It is true that you can use and control more than one creature card in a simple card duel when you are not summoning the creatures of your cards and using your Magura, but in a card mage battle, how many cards and creatures you can use at the same time all depends on your power, skill and abilities as a card mage that you obtain through wisdom dedication and hard work with great focus. For instance, if I wanted to, I could summon 100 creatures under my control right now in your training. But in a simple card duel, you can only summon 6 cards at a time. And this is where your training gets more intense, because now, Aaliyah the dragonfolk rebel princess, I release you to me! " Akimitsu's voice said echoing through the area and another burst of Magura shot out from no where and another version of Aaliyah appeared, but was covered and dressed in enchanted divine armor with a broadsword in it's sheath and a bow and arrow set on her back and a plasma pistol in its holster on her side where the holster for her deck sits in her actual body. Aaliyah's eyes widened. "Now it is 3 on two, in this exercise, I will push the two of you to be able to summon and use four cards at the same time your next card you may use one more of your capture cards or a card that came with your starter pack deck, but one of your cards you summon must by the bind cards I created for your deck. Your training will not be completed until you accept each other's bond offering and summon each other's bind card from out of your deck and I to battle as your fourth card under your control. NOW LET YOUR REAL TRAINING BEGIN! " Akimitsu's voice said in reply echoing throughout the area.