Daku was more cautious as without speaking he waited without seeming to do so in the approach. “It’s safe.” Cage whispered low enough so that his Familiar could hear. “My teleportation wards aren’t flaring to indicate we will enter any solid objects on the other side. And I feel they are erring on the side of caution with the amount entered into the magic. That amount really could Jump a whole mountain.” Daku didn’t respond verbally, but trusted in his companion and entered the swirling archway and was enveloped in warmth. Among the bright lights Cage saw the dragons ahead looking back. When Poli and Ulon entered there was a thunderous boom instead of a soft pop as the lot of them teleported instantly and the lights vanished. Nothing from before looked the same.
“Your worry wasn’t needed.” Gralla gloated. “We go down.” and descended.
Passing the clouds, Cage looked beside him when he noticed Leon crawling up to sit together. Their magics mixed and the freezing wind was easier to part. Something about the mountain they were aiming for seemed off. “Hey, Daku, am I imagining it or is that snow covered mountain charred and not natural. It doesn’t have any jagged peaks… and what are those boil-like bubbles?”
“This is where dragon cubs come to learn how to control their fire breath in safety. It takes years for them to safely control their flame and be around others. This mountain is scarred by them breathing till the rock melts. When a dragon reaches a year they can breathe fire and it takes five to ten years to not incinerate everyone around them each time they sigh or yawn.” He explained. “It is why Rex Gralla chose this place for your training. The whole mountain is far from any plant or sentient life and is deep enough to contain the release of your full power. Now I must focus so hold further questions till we land.”
The snow covered mountain without a single tree became larger by the second and they aimed for the round peak which shattered like glass from another volley of magic to reveal a huge opening over three miles wide where the eight great flyers circled tightly like vultures towards the entrance where the falling snow shot upwards on thermal heat. But the mountain’s shaft wasn’t dark for it shimmered with millions of orbs of white light. The heat was wonderful and acted like an updraft which could only be created by a thermal vent heated by the planet’s molten core, Cage surmised. Leon and Colby’s expression were open and easily explained this was their first time seeing anything like this. The vertical vent showed hundreds of passages for different tunnels of varying sizes to different dragon ages. The largest tunnels could effortlessly allow elders to use them.
As they entered and followed the spiraling pattern Cage was reminded of his time crossing through the Darshay Mountains and the huge area he came upon with the seemingly bottomless pit. But unlike that place, this mountain was alive with magic and filled with cheery light. The heat was comforting and allowed for any dragon or flying creature to use the strong updraft to rise effortlessly on extended wings or half fold them to glide down. Miles below was an orange glow which could only be from lava and it was what powered the air currents. Cage at least knew Daku would find it easy to rise with the powerful current and not need to tire himself just to fly straight up and out.
Mile after mile passed and Cage finally asked “Leon, if that is magma, what keeps it from making this mountain erupt? It is clearly active.”
“Dragon magic prevents such danger from occurring. The heat generated keeps the colony warm, but how much further will we be going?”
“My guess is as far down as we puny humans can handle. You must remember, I’ll need approximately ten miles when I actively force my magic to connect on my back. The deeper I am the less chance my release will reach the surface and hurt anything.”
“Oh.” The young wizard could only respond.
Colby scurried over to Leon’s other shoulder and sat on his haunches to ask “Sir Cage, how does this magic work? Are we in danger?”
“Not for awhile yet. Right now my magic is being pulled from me much like how Leon’s ruby takes from him. He isn’t actively doing magic like the gem is. The mark on my back though will grow when I intentionally do so and I’ve noticed it is getting harder to get the symbol to grow. Think of it like rolling a ball up a hill that the incline gets steeper every moment. I push harder and harder and my magic tries to respond, but when it gets fatigued and runs out, I collapse. Like a muscle, I’m exercising it so I can reach my stamina to another level and reach the peak.”
The chipmunk didn’t respond as he got the answer.
A minute later when the heat got oppressive and he was about to say something Cage noticed Gralla shoot straight into a huge tunnel with an array of orbs which was different for there were several colors instead of the standard white and Cage figured it out as the entrance was short and eleven elder dragons lay in a huge cavern much like the one in his mountain back on the island, only bigger. The other colored orbs were a signal that the tunnel was occupied. As they passed, more orbs sprung up at the entrance and proved his assumption correct.
Heads lifted at their approach and Cage saw an area off to the right teeming with vegetation where mature fruit bearing trees and plants grew and large storage barrels were stacked. Nearby was a large, bulbous tree where he could stay and rest. To the right of it was a large bubbling pond. Up high hung a yellow orb being used as an artificial sun for light. In the center of the cave was an odd formation of rocks which weren’t natural and his mind saw it as definitely suited for an exercise area. It also could be rearranged for Parkour and evasive training.
The corners of his mouth quirked.
Attention turned when one of the larger males stood and rubbed his neck alongside Gralla’s affectionately as it was her onyx scaled mate. His black scales weren’t daunting as the light made him also beautiful. “Cheedor mi bollip neesha coole, Veinnq.” He rumbled and she returned the greeting. They were a good match, both powerful and gigantic. She turned her head and the male understood to approach them. “Tattaman ni moru, zeeqa banna ye.”
Daku responded. “Xiab ullu proum.” Then they went back and forth using words and sounds Cage never heard before from either of them, but Daku seemed fluent in whatever they were discussing.
“Uh, what are they saying?” Cage whispered to Leon and Colby.
“Hard to say.” Leon said as quietly. “Dragon studies weren’t my best subject and their language takes years to learn as their language is complex.”
“I was welcoming the white king.” The large black dragon said, hearing them. “Two-leg language cannot express words as well as our own. I was telling him we are prepared to teach you the old ways of warlock combat till your ascension since the rest of your kind is on another world, far beyond our reach. I am Mox, spirit mate to Gralla and owner of this rearing mountain. For the duration of these trials the young are elsewhere so it will be only we here. No others are allowed without my permission.” Mox pointed to the patch of foliage and other things. “We have prepared food for the three of you for this stay here as well as comfort and privacy your kind require.” The black eyes of the dragon dropped a fraction. “White King, we would like to begin immediately with the two-leg’s who has power enough to bind you to him. Will you allow us to test his progress so we may know his current level till his true mark is revealed?”
“Yes, Ancient One.” Daku settled down till he came to rest on his belly. “Cage, stop draining yourself and show all these elders the full power you can exert. Leon, Colby, you better crawl in my beak for your own protection if danger is near. If Cage’s magic is released or explodes I will be your only protection.”
“In your mouth?” Colby squeaked.
“I won’t eat you. Just stay close so I can contain you quickly in such an event.” Daku replied and the room of dragon’s laughed so loudly the air vibrated and the walls shook slightly.
Leon’s dark caramel complexion somehow darkened in embarrassment, but he stood and glided to the ground beside a paw with claws larger than he was. Cage though closed his eyes and
focused on his diamonds to severely close the rate at which they consumed while absorbing some of what they had taken. He was surprised by the amount he had first felt and how much was in there after just a day of this depleting method. Months ago it would have taken two weeks to do what he did overnight. But as he absorbed his mana he lost the woozy, drunk-like quality and felt remarkably lighter, like shedding heavy clothes. It felt great to discard the drowsiness and return to himself, even temporarily.
Fortified to the point of a headache, Cage gripped the staff and dropped ten feet to the ground with more energy and sharper moves, something each being noticed immediately. He stepped forward as Mox moved to stand beside Gralla. “Any requests?” He asked his audience.
“Create a compressed ball of light to last as long as you can make suvive.” One of the large yellow males nearby said. “The magic will be easier to contain if ruptured by stray magic. Light will be the least dangerous for a test.”
“Alright.” Cage shrugged off the upper part of his robe so his back was exposed and held out his right hand and focused entirely on a ball of light and wanted to make an impression so he blasted a tremendous amount of mana into it and it quadrupled in size in the blink of an eye. All surrounding dust rushed away from him like in a breeze as he controlled the light from growing anymore and let loose a stream of power which was consumed in the beach ball of warm white light that gave off no heat. The headache disappeared as more and more went from him and he quickly tired, but he didn’t relent. Cage pushed every scrap of himself into the magic, trusting Daku to protect him if all this was a well devised trap to get him weak. Teeth gritted, he put in everything, straining to make the magic last as long as possible while wrapping the magic for different conditions to prevent it from releasing all its energy at once or the result would potentially be a powerful detonation. Cage yelled as he gave one last push and his ball of light turned blinding before darkness consumed him.
The ball of bright light was lifted and magically brought over to Ulon who determined “This light will last approximately eighty seven rotations without any danger of rupture as he infused it with wards to prevent any form of unintended release till dissipation.”
While this happened Poli sent a gentle nudge of magic when she noticed Cage fall face first to the ground and caught him on a cushion of air. She then cradled his limp body with a spell strong enough to overwhelm his wards and brought him close to her silvery eye to say “He made thirty solid rings on his back and they have begun to retract. Ten remain till ascension.”
“Indeed we are in the midst of an elite.” Mox stated in the human language for Leon and Colby’s benefit. “His power is enough now to force a mature wyvern to submit.” Heads dipped in confirmation to his observation.
“Thirty rings in a common warlock never would amount to the power he revealed to us. His power certainly isn’t false to have bound Daku.” Rex Gralla rumbled to the room. “We must be careful around him for his power will one future rotation soon be capable of threatening us unlike the other Two-legs we have been accustomed. Leave I must to govern the search at Darshay. Inform me you will at any issue in the warlock’s training. Every fourth rotation have him do this and when thirty eight rings appear on his back, none other than Daku will reside here. Death will result to any other when his back-rings connect. I will have a wyvern brought in six days for him to combat and the resulting meat will be divided amongst the colony. Any issues you have for me?” She rumbled. Heads lowered in respect when none had anything else to say. “White King Daku, do you?” her reddish orange eyes fixed on him.
“Not at this time, Rex Gralla. Thank you for allowing all of this.”
She gave him a toothy grin. “Long has it been since you ever requested anything. You have always done so much for others. It has long since been for us to repay you for our mistake ten thousand of Raliea’s cycles ago for our betrayal. At the time we were afraid, rightly so, but instead of sending the transgressors we sent all warlocks and bound griffins to Earth. Our hasty judgment made you lose your flock and to hear the Earth griffins also went extinct is saddening. We will do whatever we can to atone for our crime, even raising your warlock. Understand we do why he is to be trained in old ways. If not for the two of you, many lives would have been lost in Vin’re before we could react. Grateful we are you still trust us.”
Daku reached over and plucked Cage’s unconscious body from Poli’s magic and cradled him in the curve of his arm protectively. “It took many years to release my anger, Rex, and I forgave you all long ago.” He said to all the dragons who were around more than ten thousand years ago. “What has been done, cannot be undone, but here and now I’ve found new purpose… in my human. Whatever danger the Great Prophet saw of Cage’s destiny needs to be discovered and he needs to be ready. Have the Rare Ones, of your kind, seen anything?”
She shook her head. “I have asked, but the three here will not speak of it. They say to interfere in the original Great Prophet Two-leg’s prophecy will be catastrophic to all worlds. They have all gone silent ever since. We fear for first time in ten thousand cycles. Concern, many have.”
Though they tried to be quiet, heads turned to Leon and Colby. They went silent when noticing all the eyes and the silent question. Colby squeaked “Sorry, but what is it you speak of? Who are the three?”
“Speak openly, Rex Gralla.” Daku said. “Anything associated with Cage or in his presence cannot be spoken outside to another. They have both been spelled.”
She took a deep breath and released a stream of smoke before answering. “Few know this secret, Little Ones, and should we learn you somehow released this knowledge you will be confined to the deepest part of the colony for the remainder of your natural life, understood?” The two nodded, unable to speak as her tone meant every word. “In human history, I have seen only four of what you call ‘Prophets.’ In our kind, we have Rare Ones who have a similar ability to foresee certain pathways of the future. Three reside on Raliea and are our greatest secret. Where they nest is a guarded secret only a Rex knows, but they are the most powerful of all Draconian kind, but they do not become Rex themselves for their importance is too great. They help guide us to better futures and were the very ones who foresaw the end of Raliea should warlocks have been left to their own ways.
“What the Rare Ones didn’t see was the result it had to the griffin flocks coming to an end. The loss of an entire sentient race is a grave crime we cannot ever repay, but we shall do what we can now. As Cage Two-leg’s assistant, must you do what you can to help for he will need it in the coming rotations. It is why you are the only human permitted to be here. Your elders believe you are trustworthy so we will let you know some of our secrets, but do not make us regret this allowance.”
“We will do all that we can, Rex Gralla. We will honor this trust.” Leon bowed in the upmost respect.
“More cannot be asked. I must be off.” When none bothered to stop her she became enveloped in a bubble of dark orange light and with a soft pop, she Jumped out of the room.
Mox said “Daku, When Cage Two-legs wakes, how shall his training start?”
“Colby will attack him for an hour before I shrink to give him a larger opponent. Then for the remainder you and the other elders will train him in magic. I leave the methods up to you.”
Several minutes later Cage awoke and wished he didn’t for what awaited was pain, tiredness and relentless battle.
He wish he had woken sooner for he loved every second of it!
Proving himself a master of using the terrain for sneak attacks, Colby struck at the warlock when they walked over to the rock formations. It had an almost urban combat feel with sharp mazelike corners. The chipmunk shot around corners, used ledges to harass his deadly opponent. Cage was forced to fight in his weakened condition while avoiding the rodent’s relentless and surprising prowess. Sometimes to change patterns Colby would scurry up to a flattop boulder and drop down with enhanced speed, strength and weight.
The speed at which Cage adapted was both frightening yet expected to all those who watched. Soon Colby was unable to continue attacking for as fast as Leon and Ulon could heal him, he was immediately under assault and decided to flee. Only it was a futile effort for Cage revealed his ability to Parkour and easily scaled walls as the chipmunk, wedge himself between two walls, jump from wall to wall and even ran along walls while avoiding deep pits in certain pathways and Cage’s lean form and boots that had serious grip matched every move of the smaller opponent.
Cage couldn’t resist laughing at the opportunity to let loose and enjoy the difficult challenge.
“Enough! Three hours have passed.” Daku declared and watched as his partner collapsed from exhaustion. “You both have done well. Cage, go get a drink and a snack before we do battle.”
Gulping air from the long session that really tested physical endurance, Cage gritted his teeth and walked out of the maze he learned all about. He passed everyone and approached a pear tree and plucked three ripe fruits. He sent a bit of magic and determined them safe while checking out the indoor tree home. Inside were two beds for him and Leon to crash and a door leading to a small kitchen with basic cookware. He grabbed a large wooden mug and filled it under a simple faucet with surprisingly cool water. He sat down on the corner of the bed and recovered, listening to Leon and Colby converse when they came in to check out the interior. The basics were all that was required and it was comforting. Neither spoke to Cage as it was clear he was preparing for another difficult challenge by the twinkle in his eye. The three sweet pears disappeared along with the water. When his breathing evened he looked down to see how dirty his robe became and took it off since the hot air was stifling. The staff came in handy as his legs had cramped in the short time he sat.
Ascension of the Warlock (Book 4 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 11