Merry Christmas! Or Hanakah or whatever you guys celebrate or don't, whatever! This is my holiday gift to you guys! This is the point where the chapters start to get heated and the 'WHHHAAAT?' begins! SO HERE IT IS!
ILA sighed deeply, letting her brain go blank as she stepped forward "ready!" she yelled, Hiccup let the arrows from Tyson, Marcus, and Astrid fly. She spun on her heels, jumped back and forward, flipped into somersaults and jumps.
She twisted out of the way of the invisible arrows that she couldn't see but felt in the wind, she dodged the last deadly accurate arrow Marcus had loosed and then pulled her hand back. Her now permanently light blue nails grew longer and she flung her hand in Marcus' direction and five satisfying thumps hit the wood Marcus held.
She opened her eyes now and turned to Marcus was smiling at her holding up his shield that held five razor sharp needle-like nails lodged into it. Marcus jumped down "great job, ILA, you've got it down now you just gotta work on aerial attacks" he explained.
ILA had acquired several new powers as everyone else had the past few months; she had the ability to grow her nails on will then fling them with pinpoint accuracy similar to the way a Deadly Nadder could with its tail spikes.
She could also shoot fire out of her palms like most of the classes could but her fire was more like a Nadder's with its white hot fire that sparked as it was lit up. ILA was more impressed with Marcus' abilities however as it seemed that the boy acquired new skills everyday he had no idea about.
Marcus had the power that Hiccup had called 'Mimic' as he could copy any skill he saw. They even went as far to test this theory to have Marcus watch her flips and jumps and he could copy that at an at least an amateur level. He could shoot purple fire from his palms and it came out in swirls, twisting to get maximum speed.
He'd been working on it since his first day of training and so far he'd been able to get super-fast top speed and was able to change the form of his fire at will. Even more impressive was his new camouflage ability like his dragon, Argos' ability. He could blend in with everything and if he didn't want to be found then there was no point in looking.
"Thanks, Marcus, ready for your turn?" ILA asked.
"Nope, it's Aden's turn" Marcus answered and he climbed onto the platform that had been built to observe the training without being in the arena. Aden jumped down, grinning boldly at ILA and they traded a Designated Epic Dragon Class Handshake or what they all called DEDCH.
The DEDCH was something that Marcus and Aden had made up when they got bored with constant sword fighting. Originally it had been done with swords in each participant's hand. Aden had run at Marcus and vaulted over him using Marcus' shoulders then Marcus would slide under Aden and both would end up back to back.
With their free-hands they would link arms with each of their hands having a firm grip on each other's forearms. They'd hold up their swords and both would attempt to pull away and fight at super close combat. They use their fire too and both boys would end up charred with their fire but both were always in good spirits.
But then they'd shortened it for the benefit of the rest by sparking fire from their palms and gripping forearms charring the other with their type of fire. It was an odd ordeal but it made it specific because the 8 dragon classes were the only ones that could do it without burning themselves.
It seemed that their scales, though hardly noticeable unless you looked very closely, seemed to be easily marked. Each time ones scales were charred by the other they left a burn mark with the color or design of their fire.
Marcus's fire mark left a purple spiral that wound up one of the dragon classes forearm. Aden's fire blue fire rings similar to his fire which flew fast and hot like Toothless's and a ring came off of it every time it was shot.
Hiccup found this fascinating and took the time to study each of the dragon classes marks "it's like the dragons when they meet each other, they leave their scent which is all different but with you guys it's a burn mark" he had explained to them.
ILA got back onto the platform with the blue rings on her bare arm and watched as Aden started working on his target practice. Marcus watched Aden's swift movements and she saw that he was keeping Aden's time and she smiled.
Marcus was always looking for new ideas to help people with their training and to better himself too. Her smile slipped when she saw his eyes start widening and his face go pale, "Marcus" ILA stepped toward him but fire began to build around him all of a sudden.
Aden stopped firing and his attention drew to the fire ball; Aden jumped onto the platform and pulled ILA off of it. "What's going on?" Aden demanded to ILA who shook her head.
"I don't know, Marcus, all of a sudden he went pale and the big fireball blocked me when I tried to get close" ILA explained. Aden launched his own fire at the purple mass that deflected it but allowed a small peek into it. Marcus was at the center; Marcus' eyes had gone completely purple without the black pupils inside them.
The ball closed again but Aden didn't let it and shot more of his fire at the mass. Marcus' shoes were burned as well as parts of his shirt and pants, his hands were pitch black and threatening to make its way through his entire body.
"He's protecting himself" Aden yelled across the arena to Tyson who was also staring at the purple flames. Tyson jumped down and ran to Aden "I saw what happened" Tyson told them.
"I've seen this before" he added looking breathless "not in reality though, in-in a dream; when I went through the heating process I passed out from the strain but I had a dream that I was incased in black. It was like a virus but…"
"So what did you do to stop it?" Aden asked urgently "we've gotta stop Marcus and that black stuff, anymore of this and Marcus is gonna be burned to a crisp. Even dragons can only stand so much of their own fire" Aden added.
Tyson closed his eyes trying to remember what he had done when it happened in his dream then his blue eyes snapped open. "I remember, I did the same thing that Marcus did but then I think I focused the fire on the black stuff instead of just protecting me" Tyson explained.
"You think?" ILA asked skeptically.
"That would help but with Marcus freaking out up there and not letting anyone near him I can't do anything" Aden explained.
"Could one of us try to talk to him?" the three of them jumped at the sudden voice and whipped around to find Allan standing there. He was breathing heavily and beside him was Marcus' dragon, Argos crooning in worry.
"Maybe but he doesn't seem awake, he might not be able to listen" Aden explained.
Argos lifted her slim head then touched her muzzle to Allan forehead and Allan jumped about a foot and gasped loudly. "I-I-I s-she spoke" Allan stammered wide eyed, Aden and the others had to shake off their shock and save it for another time.
"Maybe she can help us" Tyson told Allan but was staring at Argos.
'Marcus is conscious but only barely, he doesn't seem to hear me because dragons talk through subconscious but I think if you talk to him and I try to get through to his subconscious we can reach him. But we'll need to get close enough' Argos smooth voice explained and Allan nodded dumbly.
Allan shook off the shock and turned to all of them "she says that if we can get close enough we may reach him" Allan told them.
"Okay but we'll need a lot of firepower; we need to weaken that barrier" Aden explained.
"Someone say firepower?" Kenna's voice questioned.
"If that's what you need then you should have called us" Finn added.
"Yeah, starting the party without the guests, what were you thinking?" Ciar finished off grinning beside Finn.
"You guys are here too?" Tyson asked with a smirk.
"The giant purple ball of flame and death is kind of hard to miss" Finn explained with his sardonic sense of humor and blank face.
"Point taken, Finn and Ciar you take the very front; start with a boom" Aden instructed and the two grinned, Finn breathed in deeply and blew out the poison gas through his nose and Ciar lit it with his retractable fangs.
"Kenna, light it up on the left side and just keep it comin" Aden instructed surprised at how easily the words fell from his mouth. He knew exactly what to do and they listened.
Kenna lit up the tips of her fingers then her whole fist and the other one and launched herself at the ball of flame and hit it hard.
"ILA, go on the right side, see if your nail spikes can penetrate it" Aden instructed and she was off.
"Allan, you're gonna fly with Argos above the flame and when I say now try get inside the ball" Aden explained and Allan nodded climbing on Argos who took off immediately on the ready.
"EVERYONE! AIM AT THE VERY TOP!" Aden shouted also aiming at the top with his fire, everyone did which left a gaping hole on the top which Argos flew into. Allan pushed against the heat pressure against him "Marcus!" he shouted.
Marcus was at the center, his eyes wide and hands black all the way up to his shoulders "Marcus, listen to me!" Allan shouted getting closer.
"The black stuff! Focus your fire on the black! Marcus!" Allan shouted and Argos was also shouting the same and Marcus' pupils came back all of a sudden and Allan and Argos were blown out the flame ball. The ball shrank but Marcus' eyes still glowed that fiery purple as the ball then got bigger and the flame flew in all directions and all seven of them were blown back by the heat wave.
They groaned as they sat up and looked long enough to see the black leave Marcus' arms as if it were fleeing. Marcus' eyes that were glowing purple went to their normal shade and he closed his eyes and his body dropped toward the ground.
They all started to get up to catch him when they saw their instructor catch the boy. Hiccup looked angry and determined "what's going on?" he asked them looking down at Marcus who stayed unconscious in his arms.
Hiccup walked forward, Toothless following closely; Hiccup placed Marcus in Allan's arms. "Dad… we don't know" Aden told him in slight helplessness, Aden called Hiccup dad on only one occasion; when he was at a loss.
Hiccup anger faded replaced by sadness "come on, you can explain what happened on the way to Dragon Class Manor" he sighed. It took a day and a half for Marcus to wake up after totally spending his powers and energy.
Marcus was guarded the whole time by Argos, he finally got and walked into the meal area leaning on Argos for support. His face was paler than they had ever seen him; Allan stood up and put a firm hand under Marcus arm to keep him steady.
Marcus didn't say a word as he was able to sit down and everyone stared until ILA, ever the forward person, shoved a plate filled with bread, chicken, and potatoes toward him. Despite looking exhausted, Marcus was absolutely ravenous and ate all of his food quickly.
"Here" Tyson shoved a large dish of more bread toward Marcus who didn't have to be told twice and ate three more rolls.
"Hungry?" Aden's voice asked; his voice echoing as he walked through the large door of the Manor and shut it.
Marcus kept chewing and didn't stop eating until he'd cleaned the entire plate of rolls. They all stared slack-jawed, Marcus never ate this much food on any occasion because he was normally a light eater getting by on a chicken leg and a roll for food.
"Geez, that fire ball must have taken a lot more energy than we thought" Tyson muttered.
Marcus gripped the metal cup in his hand, his knuckles going white "that black stuff messed with my head" he said. He had all the classes' attention urging him to continue.
"I don't know, it was like someone was in my head saying 'kill, kill, steal, jewels,' all these random words but they weren't my thoughts. I knew what I was doing but I couldn't stop it, all I wanted was the black stuff that stung my arm to get off. Did I hurt anyone?" Marcus looking at his friends'.
"Not much, just a few bruises and burn marks" Tyson answered, always the relaxed person.
"But dude, if you could make that fire ball again but on purpose then it would make a seriously scary weapon" Ciar piped up.
"But I couldn't even control it, the best I can do is this, I think" Marcus replied showing a mini fire ball between his hands.
"Anyway guys, if it happened to Marcus then it can happen to any of us" Kenna spoke up making them all go silent and serious.
"Marcus, all you did was bring the fire go over the black stuff right?" Allan asked.
"Yeah but it was difficult, like a magnet was pulling it closer" Marcus replied shivering then looked away from the plat in front of him that was also filled with more food. He'd finished off the whole plate of rolls because he was nervous not because of extreme hunger.
Another two rolls would've sufficed however his new anxiety made him feel restless and he closed his eyes to try and steady his emotions. "In that case, maybe we should be really cautious about this, it could be really bad" Aden explained.
"No one goes anywhere alone" Kenna told them and everyone nodded in agreement.
Marcus agreed too then reached for yet another plate of rolls but Allan cut him off "stop it, Marcus, you're gonna make yourself throw up" Allan told him sternly.
Marcus nodded nervously "that's the idea" he said severely, tears threatening to spill down his purple eyes.
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