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Chapter 14: From training to running for one's life

Deciding the nightwing has stared enough at her being and its very essences to see what she wanted him to see, Akhanta stops before going to the center of the gigantic room with Darkstalker following before she halts him in his track. Positioning herself well, the great dragoness stands up on her two talons and unfolds her magnificent wings.

Soon, glowing markings appear on her scales as she frees slowly and calmly some of her inner power, forming a sort of mystical, green mist. When she has finished to deploy her power, the dark blue giant returns on four talons, partially folding her wings. And now walking to him, Akhanta maintains her right limb lifted, using it to hold a part of the essences composing the mist. Stopping in front of the young one, she hands him her right paw and the essences around it.

Extending his own as if he is about to take something concrete object, Darkstalker calmly focuses on the essences and tries to attract some of them... Glowing filaments forms between the two dragons' paws until the apprentice succeeds at Akhanta's task as the power accumulates in his claw. It is of course, only a little part of what the mystical dragoness holds, but for a dragon who has almost never used nor had essences like these, it is a good beginning.

- "Jykon."

Stepping back and putting her paw closer to herself, the grand dragoness makes the link of powers dissipates. Despite that, the bluish nightwing maintains his hold on the essences, standing the shock of the line being cut. Seeing that, the enormous being starts to walk to his left while holding the denser mist of power. But when the young one tries to do the same, he is on the verge of having the essences dissipating from his claws

Stopping and then going forward, but one slow step at a time, Darkstalker manages to stabilize the mass of energy. And seeing the nightwing trying to do his best, Akhanta lets him all the time he needs to come back to her, and that is what he does after a long and peaceful moment… Now being in front of her again, the young one watches the mystical giant moving away again.

And so the apprentice has to catch up to her numerous times while still handling the denser mist of essences. The first few times, the nightwing dis not have too much of a difficulty doing it, but has the exercise go on, his paw and mind start to tire, and he sometimes found himself on the verge of giving up or failing. But after enough repetitions, the night dragon is finally able to hold the energy nicely, he can now walk at a normal pace without fearing that the essences stay behind nor fall...

Seeing that her follower has succeeded, Akhanta halts her march and turns to face him completely, a little grin being on her proud snout. Standing up on her two talons, rising her massive and majestic body to free her front ones, she extends them apart from each other before curling her wrists to have her paw facing the other. Soon, a growing link appears between them, giving essences from the rich one to the devoid one.

Trying to do the same, Darkstalker stands up as well and orients his paw to create the link, but it does not come. A long moment passes and despite his eagerness, the energy is still in his paw, seemingly never wanting to move out of it. Annoyed but retaining his calm to avoid failure, the nightwing begins to apply his rawer will to the essences, focusing his frustration on them and contracting his paw slightly while his talons begin to tense.

"Darkstalker."

The great dragoness calls him out, halting his action and drawing his attention in an instant. When she is sure to have his eyes on her, the magical giant initiates an action that might be simpler for her apprentice. Returning the green glowing cloud in her right paw, she then joins her two talons so that no one can tell if one of the two handles more power. After that, she fluidly spread them out until they are as distant as they can be while having the same amount of essences.

Preparing himself to imitate her act, the young one joins his paws so the two can hold the same object. Thinking his normal sight is more of a distraction as the essences are close enough that he can feel them accurately, he closes his eyes completely, trusting the feelings of touch. And taking much more time to be sure of his success, the night dragon decides moves his front talons away very slowly, like the movement of the smallest of rivers…

Minute after minute, the mass is split in two halves that become more and more distant from the other while neither of them really gets to have more. Each little unbalance is corrected by the holder who reacts to the feelings triggered by such changes. And when he finally opens his eyes, Darkstalker sees two evenly distributed masses of energy, far away from each other while being linked.

Glad of his success, the nightwing looks at his imposing teacher who seems to also be satisfied of his results, her mind coloured by a nice feeling... Having let a moment for her pupil to recover, Akhanta is now opening his maw before leaning her head to her joining paws and passes the energy from claws to fangs, absorbing it in her body. Despite surprising her apprentice and scaring him a bit by showing the many teeth her snout was more or less hiding until now, he still understands perfectly what movements he has to replicate.

However, when he tries to grab the essences with his mouth, they leave it as soon as they can. Surprised, the night dragon tries again, but fails and to make things worse, the power dissipates as he looses his focus. Switching his attention to the dragoness, he sees her watching him seriously, analysing his last act and apparently judging him on criteria he doesn't know.

Focusing on Akhanta's mind, the seer hears and sees thoughts of him being associated with similar concepts. It is not just that he lacks experience or time, but that... something is missing. That's it. I lack that thing, as if I was incomplete.

Taking his time to think, the night dragon settles down before his teacher, trying to find an answer. Reflecting on what happened to him since he was here, until he seems to find a good theory.

I have potential, but to exploit it I need more. That must be why they had burnt me with essences, to make my potential more accessible or something like that, if not, why would they have done that to me?

But from her mind I don't seem to only lack experience and time, does that mean I will need another ritual of the same… importance as last time…

Oh no… no… N-

- "Aqerh uthutias ueris surh pemku eianijefu prietan vawrie namai..."

Finishing her sentence, the dragoness realizes Darkstalker has become stressed and anxious, so she decides to get closer to him again, leaning her head a bit, only for the young one to recoil in reaction, his body preparing to fight or run. Putting her annoyance aside to better solve the situation, the dark blue giant takes a step back in hope of calming him...

For a long moment, silence reigns as the two look at each other, with the great dragoness trying to appear as helpful while the shaking night dragon seeks for any sign with his absurdly unsure little eyes, his repressed feelings twisting his reasoning.

I will be put on the altar to be burnt again isn't it? That is the fate you five have in store for me, and you will do your part, don't try to deny it!

As worry becomes more present in her, Akhanta's expression changes to reflect that feeling, which only make the fearful one do a false laugh in reply as well as taking a step back. Facing such a reaction, the titanic being is more confused than anything else, what is her apprentice thinking to behave like that? Deciding to step to the left, Darkstalker steps to the right in reaction. Repeating her action, the nightwing repeats his.

- "Darkstalker…" Says the dragoness, her voice clearly showing the worry she feels at the moment, hoping the little seer understands her.

And he does, but he simply refuses to listen, in his world full of unpleasant feelings, the great dragoness, despite the deeds she saw her doing, is still worthy of suspicion for the nightwing. And in that moment of greater uncertainty, the best thing to do is to avoid her, despite being in the same room for a purpose he knows, and agreeing before to stay at her side.

The more time I passes in this training room, the more chances I have to be paralysed, put down and transported all the way to that sinister place. It doesn't have to be Azykan nor Ayirn who does it, it can be you Akhanta, or more probably, it will be one of your kins that will come, and because I now know it, I won't take that risk...

After an agonizing silence, the powerful dragoness calls him out again, her voice bearing her worry but also authority this time.

"Darkstalker." But the young one stands still in defiance, opposed to her and continuing to antagonize her.

Concluding words and appearance alone will not resolve this conflict, the great dragoness jumps back with talons and wings, her giant form shaking the ground as she lands.

What stands before the pupil now is far closer to the opponent his fears and anger want him to see her as. A titanic, fearsome dragoness whose overwhelming power will be used against him. A beast made for battle and able to defeat him, to beat him, to finish him in one good blow. There is only dodging in such a dire battle, no guarding unless the young seer wants the flesh of his talons to be ripped open, or his wings to be torn to shreds, and it is not the thin fabric of his crudely made dress that will stop any of that.

I have enough of being that little pet of yours, I can at least stand up to one of you, and I'll prove it! In the past I made the mistake to be passive and rely on fate, so sure I had full control over it… Recently, I let my anger overwhelm me to the point I could not think of a strategy, I won't do the same mistakes once more…

Having glanced at the end of the vast room to spot the many entrances that are partially open, the night dragon is facing her with his most determined and serious expression he ever had since he came to this world, only waiting for her move…

The dark blue giant starts to run instantly, but after only a few steps she jumps, making the nightwing run diagonally to the right in reaction.

Now is my chance!

Having created some distance between him and the great dragoness, Darkstalker focuses on the closest entrance, running toward it like his life is at stake. However, he can sense essences accumulating behind him, and an instant later, a wave of energy pushes him enough to break his running and make him fall head first on the floor.

The time the smaller one takes to stand up again and runs again, Akhanta lands before him, forcing him to instinctively deviate to the left, the nightwing ultimately fearing her form, and especially her watching head crowned by three pairs of horns. Such action from him was, however, a mistake, as the giant dragoness just has to swing her massive and long tail to send him back with tremendous strength, throwing him away with overwhelming momentum.

Touching the floor after a few seconds, Darkstalker rolls many times over the marked ground of the training room, his body no different its behaviour than a crude ball at moment, before he, unfortunately, hit a crystal. A shattering sound resonate in the place as the crashing body destroy such an element.

- "AAARGH!"

Seeing the result of her action, Akhanta runs to her little one as soon as she can, all the opposition of before being replaced with fear about his state... Quickly arriving at his side, the great dragoness can see him crying in pain, his body having received some nasty damages if not a few broken bones seeing how he moans in pain. Circling Darkstalker with her giant body, the great dragoness immediately begins to channel a lot of her essences, both from her and from the room in greater quantity than what he saw before.

In a few minutes, a dense green mist of energy is formed, covering the two being while numerous filaments of essences grow between him and the mystical entity. Making him levitating now that he is at the center of an important web of power, the dark blue titan then delicately takes the wounded one in her talon and puts him in contact with the scales of her belly, and to the closest he can be to her heart...

Laying down and unfolding her wings, Akhanta remains utterly focused as she guides each filament of essences so they rightly connect deeply in the many and important veins of his crying flesh... After around ten minutes of meticulously arranging the flows of essences inside his back, the mystical dragoness can start to heal his wounds, her will seemingly unbreakable as she masterfully ignores nasty sight of him to keep focus. And slowly but surely, his insides are repaired, with a bone being made whole again and the flesh around it becoming less stressed until there is almost no pain anymore...

Having finished, the grand Akhanta puts down Darkstalker, who only stays silent as he can barely look at her, a knot of feeling with a core of regret weighting on his mind. But when Akhanta looks at him, happy to have healed the young dragon and leaning her big head with such an affectionate gaze, the nightwing finally finds the will to stare at her even if confusion taints his face, before looking down again, refusing to face her anymore.

- "Darkstalker."

The nightwing answers to his name, by raising his head a bit, appearing to be no more fearful and angry, but sorry, with his eyes refusing to met the ones of his healer.

"Ignum yth"

As the great dragoness starts to walk, she does not have to wait for long to hear the quieter talon steps of another, and when she looks back, the dark blue guardian sees Darkstalker following behind. And without saying a single word, the two dragons leave the room…