Part II Chapter 20: Training with an Old Legend

Sitting on a balcony in Inferno's home, I watched the sun rising slowly as Slyrak's voice came from behind me in a groggy tone," How long have you been up for?"

With a slight smirk, I replied," Since before the sunrise, so in human terms, four or five in the morning."

Slyrak sat beside me and asked me cautiously," Are you ready to train with my father?"

Glancing at the slightly older Wyvern, I looked into his mind,' My father has some fun planned for you, and I know you are reading my mind. I know what we are doing right away, so I just came as a heads up."

Deadpanned, I stated," He told you yesterday, huh."

Slyrak nodded as he yawned again," Yeah, well, let us begin, shall we? Follow me, new sparring partner."

I couldn't but pale, though it was hard to tell as I was a snow-white color. Slyrak smirked," You can already tell I have more battle experience than you."

Calmly looking at the older drake, I answered monotonously that would have made my trainer back at W.D.E.D proud," It's evident from the fact you are a wyvern of equipollence in two different elements."

Slyrak turned around and walked out of his home. He looked over his shoulder and beckoned with his tail to follow him. Sighing internally, I followed closely behind him. To my surprise, he was longer than Graveonth by several meters despite being, at the most, a year older than him.

Eventually, we came into a giant dome that I couldn't repress a shiver down my spines and into my wingtips. The Deja vu from just walking in here reminded me of W.D.E.D. The only difference was Inferno was standing there with a strange pressure around him. He disappeared in a column of flames, appearing before me in a mere blink of an eye. I felt a wing talon to my throat in just one blink.

He stated in a low, stern tone, completely different from yesterday," You dead once already."

He disappeared again, but this time, my future sight, which I have kept dormant and under control, restores it from taking over. His tail came from behind as I ducked and rolled out of harm's way, only to be met with a vicious kick with his massive clawed foot. I was sent rolling as a sudden overwhelming pressure slammed into me. Now struggling to breathe with the wind knocked out of me, Slyrak's voice called out," Father, I think that's enough with the aura."

Shocked, I gasped after recovering my breath,' That was an aura!'

Inferno growled," Fine, Xyverinos; I am not impressed. At all. This time around, I want you to fight Slyrak at full power. Trust me; you will need it."

Slyrak chuckled," If he pushes me hard enough, am I allowed to go unrestrained, father?"

Inferno stated," Yes, you are. I will not allow my old friend's son to be weak. You have a legacy to keep, Xyverinos, and a great one. I will see that you will reach it and surpass your parent's legacy."

Slyrak lunged at me with a blinding speed far greater back at my home haven. Instantly, I released orbs of light spinning in a circle around me, with a pillar of flames surrounding me.

Slyrak skidded to a stop as he watched the light orbs with an analytic gaze," Interesting technique; however, there is one critical weakness in it; allow me to show you, my friend."

He grabbed one of the light orbs with one talon without getting hurt. A shocking thought ran through me,' If Inferno's son is this strong at this age...how strong is Inferno exactly? All I saw from him was intense speed, and I felt his aura!'

Slyrak rushed at me, but this time around, I flung a wave of feathers as he dodged them; before he could recover, I slammed into him with a fair amount of force for a hatchling of my size. Knowing with my future sight, he would brace himself. I released a light aura to try and blind him. He shut his eyes instinctively from the bright light. Lashing out with my tail and four wings, I began to try and change the course of the battle, unknowingly that I was forced into a corner in a way that would cause my defeat. Slyrak, with his eyes still shut, dodged each one of them.

Growing annoyed, I released much pent-up energy from within myself. It caused Slyrak to fly into the training room wall with an oof.

Slyrak groaned as he laughed," Imposing, allow me to honor you with my power. My equilibrium."

The power of an equipollence or, as he said, equilibrium, the strongest form a dragon can reach. Shockwaves of energy rippled out from him as he turned into a raging Inferno and, to my surprise, turned into wind and back.

He stated," This is my form of equilibrium, a mixture of fire and wind."

An invisible force gripped me as I used all my willpower to try and break free from him. It worked just enough. I wiggled away as I formed a light dome around me to give myself some breathing room.

Combined blasts of white flames and black wind spears gradually began to crack the sphere. Closing my eyes, I focused on his mind, my most valuable ability. Snapping my eyes open, I grabbed his mind with my full power and hissed," I am maybe weaker with the elemental aspects of my control; however, this is where my true strength comes in."

Slyrak let out a gasp before laughing," Impressive, your willpower is impressive, however," Gripping onto his mind as Slyrak's form wavered in pain," Alright, this hurts; I take back what I was about to say."

Inferno's voice called out," Well, son, what will you do if he has your mind under control? Xyverinos, what are you going to do if he escapes."

Slyrak growled as he suddenly vanished into the wind. I could still sense his mind as he appeared behind me, manifesting in his form. I could feel the power of his state up close. Spears of light came in from the sides, puncturing his body as he growled in annoyance, and I could feel a subtle difference in his personality. I was immediately blasted out of my protective barrier and into the training room wall.

Groaning in pain, I shook the dizziness out of my system as I felt a paw to my throat. Looking up at the severe face of Slyrak as he growled," Yield."

Accepting defeat, I nodded," I yield."

He grinned in a personality change like a human coin, " Wow, you're the second one ever to make me tap into equilibrium."

Shaking my head, I replied," Don't lie to me. You did it to fuel my ego. I saw it in your mind when I held it in my grip. In other words, you held back against me."

Inferno chuckled from behind Slyrak," Very astute, he did hold back; I think I know what I must work on with you now. I will subject you to my aura while I help you. I will also help you manifest your aura as well."

Looking at him, I asked," Can I feel how much power you have?"

He shrugged," Why not."

He glowed black as flames erupted from him and stood far over him. The ground bubbled beneath him, melting the stone beneath him.

Slyrak said," Father, show him closer to twenty percent of your full power."

Inferno grinned as an even greater pressure began to shake the ground and crack it underneath him. His black flames danced around him as my legs wobbled underneath the pressure, causing me to collapse as the pressure suddenly vanished.

Slyrak laughed lightly," Well, it seems he hasn't been subjected to any aura before; lucky for you, Xyverinos, my father can train your aura to be as good as his."

Inferno spoke up," Xyverinos, Slyrak, let's begin. Come towards me. I want each of you to summon the flames around your body."

Standing up after being subjected to Inferno's aura and raw power, I moved towards him warily and did as he asked. Closing my eyes, I reached inside me and pulled out my flames. I could feel them around me, opening my eyes to see a change in my spirit fire; unlike yesterday when I fought Unla, they were bluish-white. Sensing the shock from the older wyverns, Inferno gasped," Xyverinos, what is your connection with our sun?"

Feeling I could trust him, I admitted," The sun is my grandmother; yes, it's weird, but the sun is family."

Inferno nodded in understanding," Alright, enough of that, let us continue with your tor. I mean training. Now separate your flames from you and turn it into a ball of your fire."

Manipulating my flames, I forced them to channel themselves into a ball. Forcing them to condense as Inferno warned," Xyverinos, that is a bit too...Never mind, I want you to keep tightening it. Tell you to cannot fire it at that metal wall over there."

Nodding, I focused on my task as the ball of flames got smaller and smaller. Struggling to maintain it much longer, I released it at the metal wall. The ball of fire was roughly the size of a dragon egg. All three of us watched it impact against the metal wall; an explosion of blue flames ensued, obliterating the entire wall and a part of the mountain behind it.

Inferno gulped," Well, now we know what happens when you do that. That has a lot of military potential as well. "

Slyrak shivered," Remind me not to be on the receiving end of that. Especially when he is the older father."

Deadpanned, I growled," I am right here, you know."

Both father and son laughed sheepishly as I stated," You forgot, huh."

Inferno smirked," Nah, well, I am curious what else you can do with your full power. That will be fun indeed."

I couldn't help but feel excited as the older Wyvern spoke next," Xyverinos, I met with your other teachers recently, and we created a schedule for you," he paused for several moments," Today is me. Tomorrow is Breeze, the day after is with Sun, and the day after that is Kirara. Then back to me again. This pattern will occur every day until you leave here in six months. Each of us will teach you everything we know. Is that understood?"

I nodded, completely understanding, as he smiled," Excellent."