Private Tales Training with the Dragon Keepers

[Alistair Wren]

The mountain was not kind on Alistair's legs, especially with the weight he had lost in the past months. Slugging his string bag over his shoulder, he pulled his feet up a set of stone steps that lead to the top of the mountain, it's peak hidden by clouds. He stood on the edge of the stairs and raised a hand to his brow, then looked around. Crows cawed and snow lined the stone, a precipice overlooking the mountains of the Spine. From the stairs where he stood, Alistair could make out the shape of crumbling ruins between the mountains, which was where the dragon keepers lived. He nodded to himself, slugged his bag over his shoulder and gripped the hem of his robes, then set on up the stairs.

His legs ached. Puffing and panting, he climbed the stairs, which wound around the side of the mountain and lead to the ruins. As he reached the top, a breeze blew up the stairs and swept up his robes.

He turned around, to see a dragon flying overhead. Eyes wide, Alistair gasped in awe, enamored by the sight of the magnificent beast. Grabbing his robes, he ran up the rest of the stairs and arrived at the ruins at the top of the mountain. A trail of smoke rose overhead, meaning there was a fire somewhere in the ruins. Alistair immediately felt his heartbeat rise, but ignored it. He took a breath and stepped onto a hill, which lead him to the front of the ruins. The dragon keepers appeared to have made them into a home of sorts. His string bag in hand, Alistair stepped over the barrier of the ruins and stepped inside, his head shrouded by shadows.

He was going to live with the dragon keepers for a few months to recuperate and practice his hydromancy. Maho Sparhawk's spellbook was in his bag, and he was going to study it over the coming months to prepare himself for facing fire again.

"Hello?" He called, "is anybody here?" He called again, but there was no answer.

Shrugging, he hauled his bag off his shoulder and walked around. A single candle stood on a ledge, it's flames flickering before the seat of white before the arrow slit. Alistair shuddered. His mind shifted, and for a split second, he was transported back to the scene of the battle. He saw the fireball as it hit the stables, incinerating Maho Sparhawk and Ashieron. He breathed in, shook his head and retained his composure. Gripping his hair, he screwed up his features as he waited for the vision to end, before he was ripped out of his trance by a shrill chirping. At the other end of the room, a baby dragon crawled forward, it's scales and wings very familiar to the one Alistair had met at Ninagal.

"Alzros! Hey buddy!" Alistair chimed.

Reaching down, he patted the dragon's head and laughed as he licked his face, when the sound of footsteps drew his eyes to the doorway. Standing in the stone frame, was the visage of an Elf.

"No way," Alistair thought to himself, "that can't be Ashieron, I saw him die!" The thought assailed his mind. Alzros chirped and ran onto Alistair's shoulder. Stroking his scales, he slowly rose to his feet and beheld Ashieron, whole and in one piece, as though the battle had never happened. Alzros in his arms, the young mage stepped forward, his mouth agape.

His soft, brown eyes widened and he gasped, "Ashieron, but you..." His voice trailed off, "I saw the fireball hit the stables!"

 

[Ashieron]

Ash looked at the young man for a second, he seemed to have lost a lot of weight. That worried him some but the young man seemed to be shocked that he had survived the fiery hell that was the stables. “It will take more than a little bit of oil fire to kill me. I help raise dragons for the gods sakes.” He’d chuckle approaching the young man and the tiny baby dragon. The fire on the candle would freeze in a fire shaped block of ice, having noticed Alistair have a bit of a flash back from it. “Though the soilder afterwords almost got me. But that is a long story which can be saved for later.”

Ash wore rather warm looking clothes, lined by a fox’s pelt around his shoulders with red, gold and black clothing matching it. “You seem a though you need a bite to eat.” He’d get a further examination of the young man, “We might end up teaching you some survival amd hunting skills as well while you are here.” The elf looks at the young man’s clothes, “And a change of clothes for those to be washed and some much needed rest.” He’d pick up the mage’s string bag.

Ash would motion for the mage to follow him further into the ruins. Its walls decorated with dried berries and carved stone. Small magical crystals lit up the way down the hall. The further into the ruins they went a few little baby dragons of varying shapes and colors appeared to watch the new comer. A few lost interest quickly once they realized that Ash was with him and flew off.

The elf would lead the mage to a room with a bed full of pelts and a fire place that was not lit, a table was in the middle of the room with needed necessities such as a wardrobes and closets. “Here is your room, the baths are down the hall to the left. Please make yourself at home, if you need anything just ask me. I don’t really sleep so day or night just come find me.” He’d set down Alistair’s pack on the table. “The dining area is further down the hall to the right, past the baths. Once you’re done here meet me there, some warm food will be out for you and then we can discuss what you need and want to practice in particular.” He’d give the young mage a nod before walking out and down the hall leaving him to his own materials.

 

[Alistair Wren]

As he stroked Alzros, Alistair stared at the candle, his eyes fixed on it's flame. Suddenly, as though the fire seemed to know that it was distressing him, it froze, in a block of ice the shape the flame took. Startled, Alistair recoiled, his mouth hanging open. Alzros crawled onto his shoulder and he stood, then faced Ashieron, who said that it was take more than oil fire to kill him. Alistair lowered his head and laughed, both astonished and relieved at the sight of Ashieron, alive and well. The dragon keeper said that a soldier had almost struck him, to which Alistair looked down, the ends of his mouth drooping.

"Professor Sparhawk, did you...?" His words trailed off. He wanted to ask Ashieron if he was dead or not, but stopped, knowing full well that Sparhawk could not have survived the fireball.

There was a pause, and Alistair blew a raspberry, blowing wisps of hair out of his navy eyes. His robes were damp and sweaty from travel, the hems coated with mud. He ran his hand across his chin, his cheeks bristly with stubble. He hadn't had a chance to bathe since he had set out from Elbion, and was in desperate need of a good wash, and a meal. Ashieron commented on his weight and Alistair shrugged, turning up his nose at the remark. He had got quite sick of people telling him he needed to eat more, but he just hadn't the appetite.

"Everyone keeps telling me that, but I just can't stomach anything," he shrugged.

At the mention of learning some more survival skills, Alistair smirked. He wasn't sure about that. He could saddle a horse at best, but was hopeless when it came to hunting.

Ashieron picked up Alistair's bag and carried it into the ruins. Gripping the hems of his robes, he swished forward and followed him down a hall, taking in the smell of berries and incense. Baby dragons scurried from corner to corner, creeping out of the shadows to inspect the newcomer, only to scuttle away when they lost interest. Alistair's dark, blue eyes widened when he saw them and he smiled, then turned around and continued to follow Ashieron down the hall.

Ashieron lead him to a room filled with warm pelts. A window overlooked the mountain range and the fire was not lit, much to Alistair's relief. Ashieron set his bag on the table, then left him to settle in.

Withdrawing a sigh, Alistair listened to the door close and pulled his feet over to the bed. He thumped himself down and lay back. After taking a few moments to collect his thoughts, he grabbed his bag and carried it out the door, then turned down the left corridor and arrived at the room which housed the baths. He had a servant draw him a bath, then dismissed them. They left the room and closed the door behind them, leaving Alistair alone.

The first thing he did was blow out all the candles, leaving the light from the windows as the only illumination.

He undressed, kicked his dirty clothes to the corner in a pile, then stepped into the bath. He washed his hair and shaved, then gave himself a once over with a bar of soap. After rinsing, he stepped out and dried, then dressed in clean, navy blue robes and a grey pelt. He put his things back in his room, then swished down the hall to meet Ashieron in the dining room.

A meal had been prepared for him and the dragon keeper sat at the head of the table. Lips pursed, Alistair stared meekly at the elf, wrapping his pelts around him as he approached the table. He sat down, picked up his fork and poked, repelled, at his dinner.

"Thank you for having me, it's been difficult adjusting since the battle," he said, head lowered and facing the table.

 

[Ashieron]

Ash was sitting down at the other side of the table drinking something from a goblet, “It has been hard for many people. Im still recovering from the fire, but life goes on.” He’d smile having heard Alistair ask a question about Maho. Sighing Ash puts down his drink, “Your mentor was taken by Gerra and that is all I remember before I blacked out.” He’d sigh, “Sorry Alistair we tried hard to keep him safe, but the fire had done a number on both of us. I have no idea what happened after Gerra took him, just waking up in a stretcher with another army of sorts.” He’d look at the mage, still having that burning sensation in his lungs and throat. He’d give the young man a few minutes before continuing.

“Anyways, you want to learn some hydromancy from what I recall.” He’d smile putting his fingers together closing his eyes, “I can teach you, but it has been a long time since I used hydromancy. In fact it inspired my own form of magic. Thats why the candle flame froze back there in the entrance.” Ash looks into his cup before snapping his fingers, making water form from thin air and he has it splash into his goblet before taking another drink. The glow from the gems under his eyes fading. “My question for you is what are you going to be using it for?” Ash asks as Alzros jumps onto Alistair’s lap and starts nibbling his food. Ash watched the little dragon with a few sparkles in his eyes and his ears up a little bit. He was sort of like a proud father to the little one. “It is not going to be easy by any means, Im going to push you hard but it will work if you let it.”

 

[Alistair Wren]

By the time Alistair arrived in the dining hall, Ashieron was already sitting at the head of the table drinking from a goblet. Looking around plainly, Alistair smiled and walked over to the chair at the side of the the table. He pulled it out and sat down, then picked up his fork. He took one look at his meal and recoiled, not having the appetite to touch it. He poked it a little with his fork and picked up some potatoes, smothered in gravy, then popped it into his mouth.

The food tasted clammy, as though it had no flavor, but it was only Alistair's lack of appetite that made it taste that way, not the cooking. As he ate, Ashieron mentioned that he was still recovering from the fire, to which Alistair nodded.

The dragon keeper then said that Sparhawk had been taken by Gerra, and that had been the last he had seen of him. With a mouth full of potatoes, Alistair froze in his seat. He chewed, swallowed and washed it down with a gulp of mead as he struggled to reconcile himself with what Ashieron had just said. The dragon keeper didn't know for certain if Sparhawk was dead or not, but had only seen him being carried away by Gerra. Eyes wide, Alistair felt his heart skip a beat and rested his hand on the table. Swallowing a gulp, he took a breath through his nose and held it there, then slowly exhaled to calm himself down.

"So you don't know if Professor Sparhawk is dead or not?" He asked, his voice shaking.

When Ashieron apologized for not being able to keep Maho safe, Alistair sighed, having blamed himself as much as anybody for that.

"Don't be, I shouldn't have dragged him out of the tent in the first place, we should have run like he told me we should have," brow creased, he curled his hand into a fist and pounded it on the table. He clenched his teeth and tried to swallow his mouthful of food, but couldn't.

A pause held the air between the two of them, before Ashieron mentioned that Alistair wished to learn hydromancy. Poking around at the meat and vegetables on his plate, Alistair nodded. Ashieron was correct in his guess. Ever since the events on Ninagal, Alistair had been focused on learning hydromancy with a view to avenging his mentor. Slicing off a piece of meat, he picked it up with his fork and popped it into his mouth, chewed, swallowed and washed it down with a gulp of mead.

"Yes, that's right," he nodded.

A pause followed, before Alistair spoke again, "I wish to learn hydromancy with a view to avenging my master," he spoke plainly, as though there was nothing out of the ordinary about what he had just said.

When Ashieron said that learning hydromancy wouldn't be easy, and that he would push him hard, Alistair nodded again, "I understand, and will do all it takes it to master it." Looking down, he reached over, grabbed a napkin and dabbed his lips, his eyes never once meeting Ashieron's own.

 

[Ashieron]

Ash sighs, “Revenge won’t change anything, if anything if you follow that path and have your revenge you’ll find it might leave a sour taste along the way. But I am not here to stop you.” He rose from his chair and finished up the drink in his goblet, “I just know that Gerra needs to be stopped before he takes over more cities and become too big and eventually spreads over to here.”

He’d wrap a cloak made of raven fathers around his shoulders. The sound of talons hitting the cold stone floor echoed through the chambers. Followed by a hiss. Ash looks at Alistair one more time with a bit of a glow in his eyes, “I must go, your training starts within mid-morning. Meet me in this spot.” He’d tell him as a dark blue dragon walks past the dining hall, poking its head in and looking at Alistair intently scanning the man. “See you then Alistair.” Ash walks towards the dragon, who breaths a bit of fire onto the elf’s body before the two of them disappear into a dark corridor.

—————​

It was mid morning by the time Ash had returned from his flight. He set down a pouch of sort that moved some with a few chirps before it wriggled its way out and made its way up to Ash’s head. Leaving him with a few mild scratches on his neck. He’d open his pouch and sets down a few glasses and a container of water. The same dark blue dragon walks in and makes itself comfortable next to Ash as the small hatchling just out of the egg looks around at the world around it. “You sure this is a good idea?” The dragon asks in a deep rumbling voice, blinking its eyes.

Ash laugh some, “Azi I would not be doing this if I was not sure this is a good idea.” He tell him with a wave of his hands. “He needs a friend here anyways other than the older dragons and the occasional other dragon keepers other than myself. He needs somebody that understands him and he can understand as well.” He’d inform his grouchy friend who rolls his eyes and the two of them bith get comfortable to wait for Alistair to arrive. While do so Ash would sit down on the table and start meditating quietly in waiting.

 

[Alistair Wren]

Fork in hand, Alistair sighed when Ashieron told him that revenge wouldn't change anything, something he wasn't sure he agreed with. Smirking, he finished what he could of his dinner and shoved his plate aside, unable to stomach any more. He took a long, much needed gulp of mead and nodded when Ashieron said that Gerra needed to be stopped. He definitely agreed with that. The Elf wrapped a cloak of raven feathers around his shoulders and rose to his feet, then bid Alistair good night.

"Good night, Ashieron," Alistair said as he stood. Dabbing his mouth with his napkin, he tossed it aside and walked around the side of the table.

"Again, thank you," he nodded, then walked past the Elf and down the hall, where he turned into his chambers.

- - -
​

Alistair awoke early the next morning, then took a walk around the mountainside to clear his head. He woke up early specifically so he could go the whole day without having to use a candle, then go to sleep just as night fell. Freshly bathed and wearing a clean set of robes, he walked around the side of the ruins with a long stick in his hand, then darted up the staircase and slipped inside. Silence pervaded the halls, marred only by the pattering of Alistair's feet as he crept along the stone.

He arrived at the dining area where Ashieron had told him to meet him, and was met by a startling surprise. There stood the fire elf, with a baby dragon at his feet, dark blue, like the colour of Alistair's eyes.

"Ash?!" Alistair gasped, his eyes the size of moons.

As he beheld the Elf, the baby dragon came scuttling over to Alistair and stood up on his robes with his claws, begging to be patted. Alistair threw his hands up and laughed, then knelt down and stroked the dragon's head.

"Hey buddy!" He laughed, his cheeks dented with distinctive dimples as he smiled.

 

[Ashieron]

Ash smiles and looks at Azi with the look of I told you so. “He is yours Alistair, if you would have him.” The elf says in a calm voice, “But raising a dragon is not easy by any means, if anything they are more demanding then some human babies I recon. But harming them is not tolerated, so I am putting my full faith in you to raise this little one correctly.”

Azi lays in his spot watching the exchange, “But you will have others to help you if you need it.” The dragon would add on. “You two just need to figure out what to call the little one,” Ash finishes for the dragon and starts to set up the items he brought. Pouring some water into the glass and drawing out a few tarot cards, he’d set them around one of the glasses. “I’ll let you two have a few minutes to get to know each other before we begin your training.” Ash would open a small notebook and scrawl out a few old elvish runes, before setting it down open on the table.

After a few minutes Ash has finished with the other runes he has written down, “Show me what you know spell wise.” He’d ask the man with a glint in his eyes. Most of the spells he knew were in elvish for obvious reasons but he also knew some old english ones as well. “Just so I can get a feel for your magic.”

 

[Alistair Wren]

Kneeling on the stone, Alistair patted the baby dragon happily, laughing as it clawed at his robes. He chirped and growled, gently pawing at his sleeves. When Ashieron said that the dragon was Alistair's, the young mage's jaw dropped. He withdrew a breath, then gasped, looking up at Ashieron. Did he hear that right? Did Ashieron tell him that the dragon was his? Alistair smiled and looked at the ground, scoffing slightly in disbelief. He really had his very own dragon.

"Thank you so much, Ash!" He beamed, "I'll take good care of him, I promise!" He nodded fervently, swearing that he would never let any harm come to the baby dragon, no matter what.

Ashieron said that raising a dragon was not easy, to which Alistair nodded. The line of his mouth straightened, and he stroked the dragon's scales slowly, listening intently to Ashieron. He understood the demands of raising a dragon, and was prepared to do all he could to ensure that his dragon had all the proper care he needed to grow. Smirking to himself, he lowered his head and laughed. He still could not believe that he had his very own dragon.

"His name is Rocky," Alistair beamed, stroking Rocky's head.

Rocky chirped and crooned, arching his neck back as Alistair stroked his spine. He licked his face and growled, then scurried around the floor. Alistair chased after him and sat down, then rolled onto his back and let Rocky climb on top of him. His little claws tugged at his robes, lightly denting his skin.

"Hehe, easy there, buddy," Alistair laughed.

While Alistair was playing with his new dragon, Ashieron poured himself a glass of water and sat down. Gently lifting Rocky off his chest, Alistair set him on the ground and rose to his feet. He smoothed down the front of his robes and walked over to the table where Ash was sitting, with Rocky scurrying closely behind. Craning his neck over, he eyed the tarot cards Ashieron had laid out inquisitively, wondering what he was going to use them for.

Gripping the edge of the table, Alistair tried to read the runes on the cards, arching his neck around to read them backwards. Ashieron then asked Alistair to demonstrate the spells he already knew and Alistair perked up, nodding enthusiastically.

"I know many healing spells, but they are all vocal incantations," he shrugged, "I would like to learn how to cast with hand gestures only." Reaching around, he scratched the back of his head as he thought.

"I don't know any hydromancy just yet, but I do know some aerokinesis." He sprung up, took a few steps back, and held out his hand.

"Voice by which the wind speaks, turn," Alistair recited a spell. Cupping his hands, he fed his will into the air and commanded it to move, casting a small tornado within his palms. The little spiral spun around, raced across the floor and swept up Ashieron's tarot cards.

"Shit!" Alistair cried. He threw out a hand and commanded the tornado to cease, but it continued to race around the room. "Ah, oh fuck," Alistair stammered, "breeze by which the wind turns, cease!" He commanded and the small tornado faded and died. Breathing in, Alistair released a sigh of relief and mopped a layer of sweat off his brow with his sleeve.

"I'm sorry," he recoiled.

Rocky growled, then scampered over and climbed onto his shoulder. Leaning down, Alistair frantically picked up Ashieron's tarot cards and helped clean up the room. He stacked them in a neat deck and placed them on the table.

"See? Vocal incantations are only good for healing, they're no good when you need to cast right away, like if you're in a fight," he shrugged, then sat down. Huffing, he rested his elbow on the table and placed his cheek on a fist, disappointed with himself. If he was ever in a fight with Gerra, he would need to be able to cast quickly, so he couldn't rely on casting spells vocally.

 

[Ashieron]

Ash’s hair was blown into a thousand different ways by Alistair’s spell, Azi just sat there and watched with a slight smirk on his face. He’d laugh, “I had the same issue a long time ago. Before you we even born. Just imagine it as a brick wall in life.” He’d reorganize the tarot cards in the circle after putting his hair tied up by a black and white ribbon. “These are so I can sort of tell what part of casting a spell with hand motions. Since there are some things involved with it.”

Ash holds out his hand and points at it, “So magic either flows in you naturally, like for me it does. Or you need to take the energy from the air.” He’d move his finger along hisnhand and to his finger tips, “Either way for hand gesture magic you need to try to focus the energy to your fingertips.” In the tip of his fingers a bit of ice forms.

“Hand gesture wise its up to the caster. It does not really affect the spell because you are not saying it out loud.” The ice breaks apart into millions of tiny pieces. “I prefer not to use hand gestures because I might have my weapon in my hand, but it is more taxing.” The water from the ice forms into tiny balls and they evaporate into the air, before he makes himself more comfortable.

“What I want you to try to do is to draw the magic to your finger tips and make little water droplets in your finger tips.” Ash tells the young man, “It might take a while to be able to do so though, so have patience.” He’d warn Alistair before coughing some and taking another drink.

 

[Alistair Wren]

Withdrawing his hand, Alistair recoiled, immediately turning sheepish after his spell had upturned Ashieron's quarters. He blushed, bringing his hands to his chest and fumbling with them, his lips quivering as he stammered his apologies. Vocal incantation had always been suitable for healing and similar ritualistic types of magic, but not for combat. Ashieron's laughter broke the awkward silence and the Elf organized his tarot cards as he explained how remembering the lyrical components of a spell were initially useful.

Alistair uncurled his hands and slumped his shoulders. He sighed, smoothed down the front of his robes and listened to Ash explain how a mage was either born with his powers, or drew it from an external source.

Alistair nodded, "I wasn't born with my powers, I've had to hone them through training." Looking down, he reached around and scratched the back of his head as he thought, then said, "through doing that I've strengthened the magical essence of my inner being, that's where I draw my powers from." A raise of an eyebrow, and he nodded, thinking of a way he could apply what Ash was explaining to his casting techniques.

Alistair thought he would prefer to use hand gestures, as it would make it easier to control the flow of the spell. Raising a hand, he tapped his chin in thought and watched curiously as Ashieron conjured a spear of ice from his fingertips. The Elf then said something that puzzled Alistair. Brow creased, he looked at Ashieron from the side, "but if you aren't reciting the spell vocally, then wouldn't it rely on the hand gesture to control it?" He asked, reaching around to scratch his backside.

Alistair's eyes widened, his navy irises glinting with sapphire. He watched intently as the ice above Ash's fingers took the shape of tiny balls, which floated into the air and evaporated. He gasped slightly, and smiled.

Ashieron instructed Alistair to produce drops of water from his fingertips, to which the young mage nodded.

Breathing in, Alistair arched his neck back and closed his eyes, drawing the source of the water in his being to him. He almost coughed to clear his throat, but reminded himself that he would not need to. He lapped his tongue and swallowed, all habits which he had yet to shake off from casting vocally.

"Ah..." He shook his hand.

Taking in the energy of the sun, he allowed the water that made up his being to expand, before drawing to his fingertips. He thrust out a hand, shoving the water to the most extreme appendages of his body, but instead of coming from his hands, it broke out on his forehead in a heavy sweat. His mouth was sucked dry and he felt dizzy, immediately dehydrated from the effects of the spell. Gasping from thirst, he pulled himself over to the table and grabbed the jug, raised it to his mouth and gulped down the water inside. It brought immediate relief, but he was still disappointed in himself for not being able to cast the spell.

He thumped down the jug, "fuck." Teeth clenched, he sighed and raised a hand, then mopped the water from his face with his sleeve. Sweat poured off his brow, dripping onto the table and soaking the collar of his robes.

"I feel like I haven't drank in months!" Alistair exclaimed through his teeth. He had no idea simply casting water would have such an unpleasant cost.

 

[Ashieron]

Ash shakes his head, “Hand gestures can be an added component if you want it to, such as drawing runes in the air. But that takes up time as well. So you need to master doing it subconsciously. Which helps when things need to be done in a snap.” Ash watched as Alistair sweated like someone ran for an hour in over a hundred degree heat. He’d sit back thinking with his chin resting on his fingers, “You used the water from within yourself. Not from the air around you.” He was a bit worried at the prospect but he was there in case something worse happened.

Azi lifted his head blinked some before getting up and walking out of the room. Ash watched the dragon leave before sighing, “Lets try something a bit easier.” He’d point at the water in one of the glasses, “I want you to control that water. Same method but do not draw water from the air or your body.” He’d say looking at a tarot card, it’s picture having changed. He’d squint his eyes at it before putting it away into his pocket. Ash stands up and approaches Alistair looking him over, “Before you do that, do you feel okay? Do you need a break?” He’d ask now a bit worried, Ash never seen something like that happen nor a tarot card change its image in such away.

“Sorry, just that you lost so much water and its not really healthy for that to happen.” He apologized with his ears drooping a little. “I should’ve told you to stop if anything starts to go wrong such as that.”

 

[Alistair Wren]

When Ashieron shook his head and told Alistair that hand gestures weren't inherently optional when casting a spell, the young mage cupped his chin and cocked his head to the side. He was still puzzled by his explanation, but nonetheless trusted his wisdom. He believed that gestures were necessary to control the flow of the spell, but he may have just been struggling to shake off old habits. He listened to Ash explain that he needed to produce the spell subconsciously and nodded in acknowledgement.

"So I need to produce the spell subconsciously first," Alistair thought aloud, tapping his chin with his finger. "Alright, I'll try, but I still feel that hand gestures are necessary to control the output of the spell," he said with a rebellious raise of his eyebrow.

After Alistair attempted to cast water, Ashieron raised his concerns over the fact that he had drawn it from himself, rather than the air. The jug in hands, Alistair thumped it on the bench and panted, the water bringing immediate relief to his chapped lips and dry throat. Breathing in and out, he raised a hand and mopped sweat off his brow with his sleeve, then pulled himself off the table and walked over to where Ashieron was standing.

"When I heal, I typically draw from my own health and vitality, that's how I do things like cure diseases," he shrugged, "old habits die hard, I guess." Another shrug and he wiped his face, then stood before Ash. The Elf was right in saying that drawing from the particles in the air would be easier, and less taxing on Alistair's health.

Ashieron told Alistair to control the water that was already in the glass, to which Alistair nodded. He swished over to the table, sat down and wrapped his hands around the glass, staring at it intently.

"Don't worry, I'm alright," Alistair smiled, batting the air with his hand in dismissal. While drawing water from his own body had been unpleasant, he had a good drink and was ready to cast again.

Nodding, he turned away and faced the glass. He wrapped one hand around it and withdrew the other, his navy eyes fixed on the water. Breathing in, he held his free hand above the glass and coiled his fingers, inserting his will into the water it held.

"Okay," he took a breath.

Extending his influence beyond just his body, Alistair weaved his arcane hold into the water and pursed his fingers. He drew it out in a thin spear, which he coiled into a spiral. Pulling his other hand away from the glass, he coiled it in the air and gradually pulled the water out of the glass in a spiraling motion. A layer of sweat rose from his forehead and his throat dried up slightly, but it was nothing compared to what he had experienced before. He weaved his hands through the air, twisting the spiral around, until it hovered in the air above the glass, a transparent screw coiling through the air.

Alistair beamed. The ends of his mouth rose, his cheeks dented with deep dimples as he smiled. He had done it. He had made the blasted water do something! Still twisting it around in a spiral motion, he quickly looked over his shoulder at Ash and laughed with joy.

"Look Rocky! I did it!" He cried.

The dark blue baby dragon scurried across the floor and chirped, congratulating Alistair.

 

[Ashieron]

Watching quietly Ash observes Alistiar donhis magic. The water floated above the glass and into a spiral shape. He’d smile at Alistair’s reaction, “Good.” Clapping his hands together Ash nods his head in approval. “I want you to continue on practicing like you just did. In small cases though. Since the larger attempts are more taxing, same as the smallest one, such as the water in the air.”

He instructs Alistair looking at the water spiral, “Looks very good though.” The elf smiles before reaching over to grab a book and hands it over to Alistair.

The book’s cover was made of ancient leather, with a water droplet symbol on the front. The spine of the book has gold clasps on it. “I want you to study this book, inside of it,” Ash opens the book and shows Alistair diagrams of different races, and on how water behaves, act and how it behaves in certain climates.

“There are diagrams within this book that explains water and all its behaviors,” He flips the book to its back, “Here are a few ways that my ancestors mastered casting without vocalizing spells nor using their fingers.” Ash chuckles. “I spent the whole time waiting for you to get here translating the whole book from old elvish. So it should make a good but more sense now than it in common.”

Ash closes the book up and slides it over to Alistair, “Along with a few spells in there, which are simple.” He’d look at Rocky, “If you want you can practice some of those spells. As they will be a part of your tests.” He’d nod at the little dragon, “Little Rocky will beable to be your sort of alert, in the case you are pushing yourself too hard.It would behoov you to listen to his warnings and to take a break when he he alerts you.”

Ash thinks for another moment, “You know what, how about we go and meet somebody who might be able to help you out with Rocky. She is a good friend of mine, this is if she is around.” Ash offers Alistair leaving everything on the table, “Oris might also have a few tips from his experience as well.”

 

[Alistair Wren]

Weaving his hands around and around, Alistair controlled the spiral of water, twisting it into a transparent coil. The ends of his mouth kinked upward, and he smiled widely to himself, laughing as he maintained his hold over the water. He turned around to see Ashieron clasping his hand together and nodding in approval. He told him to keep practicing, as he had just done, but in small amounts, so it wasn't too taxing on his health. Turning around, Alistair began to lower the water back into the glass as he nodded.

"I'll make sure not to push myself too hard," Alistair affirmed. Weaving his hands around, he gently lowered the water back into the glass, silently urging himself not to take his practice too far, or else risk collapsing from dehydration.

Alistair was headstrong, and often had difficulty reigning himself in when it came to practicing magic. He wanted to be really good, really fast, which just wasn't possible. Lowering the water into the glass with a splash, he withdrew his hands and sighed, regretting that he could not master hydromancy right away. A light sweat had broken out on his forehead, but it was nothing too taxing. He raised a hand and mopped it up with his sleeve, then rose to his feet and turned around to face Ashieron, who was holding a leather-bound book in his hand.

Alistair eyed the book curiously. Cocking his head to the side, he reached out as Ash handed it to him, then wrapped his hand around the spine and took it.

Muttering to himself, Alistair opened the book and scanned the pages. Ashieron explained that it contained diagrams that explained the nature of water in different climates. He showed Alistair a few of the methods different races used to cast water without using spells, or their hands. Intrigued, Alistair cupped his chin in thought as he scanned the first few pages. The Elf then said that, while Alistair was traveling to the Spine, he had spent the whole time waiting for him by translating the book into the common tongue for him to read.

Alistair was truly humbled by the effort he had gone to, and he beamed.

"I'm truly honored that you went to that effort, Ash," raising his hand, he reached around and scratched the back of his head, looking down bashfully.

"I'll take good care of it, and study it thoroughly," he promised, giving Ash a strong nod of his head.

When Ashieron said that Rocky could help prevent Alistair from pushing himself too far, the little dragon manged a roar and beat his wings together. Looking around, Alistair smiled and walked over to Rocky, then scratched him on the spines on his head.

"I'm sure he'll be good at that," Alistair chuckled.

He closed the clasps of the book and attached it to his belt, then turned around to face Ash. The Elf said that he had a friend who could help him out with training Rocky, to which Alistair nodded fervently.

"Oh I'd love to meet them!" He beamed.

 

[Ashieron]

“Well you are my student, I can’t expect to teach you in elvish unless you secretly know the forms of my parent tongue.” Ash smiles and the three of them go off to introduce Alistair to his good friend, Freya. It took them a moment to find the woman and her dragon but once they did Ashieron left his pupil and his charge to learn from them.

“I’ll leave you for the day, see you tomorrow and study those first chapters including the spells. Remember if you have questions just come find me. We’ll continue with practice in four days the night after dinner.” He informs Alistair before waving and disappearing into thin air, leaving sparkling stardust where is was at.

——————​

After dinner the elf was sitting on the floor in an open air room with a waterfall falling from the balcony. A small stream trickled in the center of the room. He was holding some cloth against his mouth coughing some. Azi laid next to him and growled at him, showing the elf his long white fangs.

He speaks to the dragon in the guttural language of draconic. Ash’s ears were dropping a little as he glared the the dragon talking to him. Next to them was a bloody mess of what was once a deer and nothing else.

“This is going to be an interesting night.” He laughs excited to see what tonight brings. Nothing was laid out for them, the only thing there was was the blood and water laying around.

 

[Freya Thrakin]

Beyond the ruins was a valley hidden amongst the Spine. Hatchlings could be seen frolicking throughout the valley, the sight of playing and resting dragons a common one. Those who had grasped the art of flight practiced their skills as they leaped into the air, while those too young remained on the ground in awe. Chirps and lighthearted growls rang out, earning a slight smile.

On a rocky outcropping that overlooked the valley was a Nord woman, dark red hair fluttering in the wind. A far larger dragon circled her, clearly older than the young ones nearby. The woman thrust the spear she held in her hand as the dragon lurched forward. Another strike came, this one a sweeping blow. The dragon flew in the opposite direction, mimicking the motion. They continued in this pattern, their training a fluid dance of iron and scales as they weaved their movements together with an unnatural certainty. To an onlooker, it would appear as though they shared one mind, knowing the other half's movements and acting on it in an instant.

As Ashieron approached with another in tow, the pair halted their movements as they looked over. "Good morning, Ash. So this is the one you were telling me about all this time?" Freya asked, looking the mage over, taking special note of the dragon that lingered by him. Ash had told her beforehand about him, a student named Alistair he had met during less than perfect circumstances. He had taken good care of Alzros in the meantime, according to both Ash and Iliris.

Placing the spear on her back, she waved goodbye to the elf as he vanished into a plume of stardust, her attention now turned to the newcomer. "Alistair, right?" She looked over to the small dragon nearby, giving a slight smile as she scratched it under the chin. "And I'm guessing this is the little one you chose. Did you name him anything yet?"

She backed away, beckoning Alistair to follow her to the top of the outcropping, where the dragon lurked. "In case Ash didn't tell you who I am, I'm Freya. I'll be the one helping you two understand and help each other better."

The dragon moved closer, white eyes glancing over Alistair as he said, "Oris." As Oris' gaze moved over to Rocky, he gave a playful plume of smoke nearby.

 

[Alistair Wren]

Alistair walked beside Ashieron through a valley situated beyond the ruins. A light layer of snow covered the grass, clinging to Alistair's hood. He had left his new spellbook in his chambers to study later, after Ashieron's friend had helped him out with Rocky. The baby dragon sat on his shoulder, having taken quite a liking to him since they had met. Walking between the hills, they stopped in a clearing, where baby dragons frolicked and played. Their chirps and light roars could be heard over the valley, earning a friendly growl from Rocky.

Sitting above the valley near a rocky outcrop was a woman, with a much larger dragon sitting behind her. Awestruck by the sight of it, Alistair gasped as he approached.

The woman attached a long spear to her back, which she had been using to train the dragon behind her. Before Alistair could speak, Ashieron vanished into thin air, leaving behind a small nova of sparkles where he had stood. Startled, Alistair almost jumped, but Rocky chirped to calm him down. He stifled a bout of laughter and turned around to face the woman.

"Yes, that's me," He smiled and offered the woman a hand to shake if she wished.

He looked over his shoulder to face Rocky and smiled, "yes, his name is Rocky." Cheeks dented with dimples, he reached around and scratched Rocky on the head.

The woman said that her name was Freya and that she was going to help Alistair and Rocky understand each other better, to which Alistair smiled. He was looking forward to learning how to train Rocky, almost as much as he was looking forward to learning how to fight with hydromancy. As the large dragon moved closer, Alistair recoiled slightly. He was utterly impressed by him, by his size and might and felt humbled to be in his presence. The dragon growled it's name and Alistair stammered, reaching around to scratch the back of his head.

"Pleased to meet you, Osris, I'm Alistair and this is Rocky," Alistair smiled and waved a hand towards Rocky.

The baby dragon blew a small puff of smoke into the air at Osris, chirping in delight.

 

[Freya Thrakin]

Freya accepted the handshake, gripping it firmly as she nodded at the sound of the dragon's name. "Rocky," she repeated as if sounding it out before continuing, "Good choice." The youngling seemed comfortable with him, which was a good start. "Follow me," she ordered, beckoning them as she moved further into the valley.

"The most important thing that you should know, especially if you want to live particularly long, is that you are not the master. For that matter, neither is Rocky. Your relationship is not one between a master and slave, nor is it owner and pet." As the Nord spoke, it became clear that she was directing her lesson not just towards Alistair, but towards Rocky as well. "You are partners, companions, friends. The bond you two may form is the strongest one you will know, and it is one you should never break."

She continued, saying, "Bonds materialize in different ways. For many, it is something silent and unspoken, an unseen connection between creatures. For a few, it's more visible." For a moment, her and Oris' eyes flashed green, before fading back to their normal hue. "The more in tune you are with each other, the more you can act in unison. To reach such a point takes dedication, trust, and training, of course."

The Nord stopped in front of a large, maze-like ruin. Walls that stood tall in some areas soon turned to collapsed rubble in others, the ceiling long since destroyed by the passage of time. "And this is the site of your first exercise."

Turning to face the pair, she pulled out two things: a small bag made from cloth, and a blindfold. "Inside this bag is something called 'Dragondew leaves.' It's not particularly interesting to humans and elves but to dragons, it has a distinct aroma. We usually use it as treats for the hatchlings, but for our purposes, it will serve as what you'll be trying to find. Somewhere in these ruins is a bag just like this one. Your task is to find it."

Stashing the dragondew leaves away, she held out the blindfold. "Alistair, this blindfold is for you. Rocky will be your guide through the maze and will be leading you towards the leaves. You're going to have to rely on his directions, and he's going to have to rely on you understanding them."

Oris looked the pair over and said, "Good luck, both of you. Now, once you're ready, go."

 

[Alistair Wren]

Alistair shook Freya's hand firmly, his cheeks dented with dimples as he smiled. Rocky chirped and growled, happy to meet her as well. At her instruction to follow her, Alistair nodded, and gripped his robes as he walked after her. She lead them further into the valley, all the while explaining how Rocky was not his pet, not was he his servant, but a partner and friend. As he walked, Alistair found himself understanding and nodded to every one of Freya's words as she lead him further into the valley.

As Freya spoke, both her eyes and the eyes of the dragon behind her flashed, indicating the bond between them. While Alistair understood the notion that Rocky was supposed to be his partner and friend, rather than his pet, he found the idea somewhat confronting. What if he wasn't as good a friend as he needed to be? What if Rocky couldn't rely on him? He had already let his master die, he didn't want to abandon Rocky as well. Shrinking into his capelet, he shifted his eyes awkwardly at Freya's words.

"Can I take him to come and live with me at the college?" He asked, his eyes bright with excitement.

Rocky chirped at the idea.

Freya lead him to a ruin that resembled a large maze. Standing on the edge of the sparsely placed rocks, Alistair raised a hand to his brow and looked around, curious as to what his first lesson would be. Freya then pulled out a small bag, which she explained contained something called Dragondew Leaves. Chin cupped, Alistair eyed the bag curiously. When Freya handed him a blindfold, he recoiled slightly, nervous all of a sudden. He did as he was told and tied the blindfold around his head, then nodded as Freya explained that he was to find another bag of dragondew leaves in the maze.

"Okay, I'll try my best," he nodded, then felt around for Rocky on his shoulder, "come on, Rocky, let's go and find those leaves!" He cried out jovially, then placed one foot forward.

All was dark, leaving only a feint trace of light where Alistair's vision had been. He felt around, padding his feet fruitlessly against the grass and grasping at the air with his hands. Rocky chirped, sending a telepathic message to Alistair.

Sensing the message's signal, Alistair stepped forward and walked in the direction that Rocky was leading him towards. At first, he just about walked straight into a stone wall. Rocky let out a small roar, sending another telepathic signal into Alistair's mind, urging him to go in the right direction. Alistair concentrated, felt around for the signal, and walked in the direction it lead him towards. Each time he followed Rocky's impulse, the bond between them grew stronger. Feeling around, Alistair stumbled forward, then fell clean over a rock.

"Ah, fuck!" He cursed, scrambling to his knees.

Rocky flew down and licked his face, then growled, signalling to him to walk straight forward. Tightening the blindfold, Alistair pulled himself to his feet and continued to walk. Rocky flew up and sat on his shoulder, then continued to guide him through the maze.

 

[Freya Thrakin]

She thought for a moment before at last answering, "If you prove yourself capable and Rocky's alright with it, then you may."

She watched Alistair and Rocky venture inside the ruin, a slight smile playing at her lips. The smile was interrupted by a wince as the sound of stumbling came from within, soon followed by cursing. Despite that one error, however, they seemed to be maneuvering through the ruins with ease.

The closer to the Dragondew Leaves they came, the denser was the rubble. Directions that were once simple 'left, then right' were forced to become more complex and intricate. The leaves were situated on a raised platform, surrounded by wood and stone pillars. In order to retrieve it, one would have to climb upwards. A relatively easy task for most, unless, of course, you were wearing a blindfold.

"What do you think of him, Oris?" Freya asked aloud, glancing at the scaled beast beside her.

"The boy?" The dragon considered for a moment, before replying, "Promising. Rocky seems to like him as well. I was expecting more falling over, personally."

Freya nodded, waiting for the duo to complete the task.

 

[Alistair Wren]

Feeling out around him, Alistair stepped carefully through the ruins, often stubbing his toes on rocks and pieces of stone. Rocky sat on his shoulder and guided him, chirping as maneuvered his way blindly. Muttering to himself, he walked straight into a rock and tripped right over, falling flat on his face.

"Pffhhtt... fuck!" Alistair cursed, his knees grazed and his mouth full of grass.

"Nice one loser," Rocky said. Flying off his shoulder, he poked his hair with his snout and shook his tail.

"D'ooh." Scrambling to his feet, Alistair felt around at the air, then stepped forward, and fell over the same rock.

Rocky laughed, "come on, get up, it's this way."

Alistair latched onto the rock, and used it to pull himself up. He rose shakily to his feet and carefully stepped around the rock, then continued to walk forward as Rocky guided him. Occasionally he stubbed his toe, but he pulled himself back up and worked his way around the rocks.

"You're close now, it's at the end of the ruins," Rocky said.

Alistair felt around the air and walked forward. He tripped over again, but pulled himself back up and walked briskly towards the ruins. He felt the stone beneath his feet and knew that he had stepped onto the floor. Feeling around, he latched onto the entrance and padded the stone with his foot to make sure there were no rocks or boulders laying around in front of him.

"Okay Rocky, which way now?"

"To your right," the baby dragon said.

"Right, right," Alistair muttered, feeling to his right. He leaned against the wall of the ruins and used it to guide himself, stubbing his toe on pieces of stone as he walked.

"A little to the left," Rocky said.

Alistair walked to the left, then down one of the passages of the maze. He leaned against the wall and hobbled forward, feeling around with his feet for any rocks. As he walked to the end of the corridor, Rocky chirped, guiding him to the next passage.

"You're nearly there! It's at the end of this passage!"

Letting go of the wall, Alistair raced forward, tripping over rocks and cracks in the stone. He ran to the end of the passages and lunged forward, grabbing a table. On the table was the back of dragondew leaves. He took off his blindfold and gasped with joy. Rocky chirped and blew smoke into the air to congratulate him. The bag in hand, Alistair jumped up and down.

"I did it! I got the blasted leaves!" He exclaimed.

Rocky flew down and landed on his shoulder. Alistair ran back out of the maze, through the ruins and back to where Freya and Oris were standing.

He held the bag up and gasped for breath.

 

[Freya Thrakin]

Distantly, they could hear the cries of celebration from within the maze. A smirk crawled across her features as Freya leaned onto the wall, waiting for Alistair and Rocky to arrive.

Soon enough, she watched the pair burst through the entrance, bag in hand. "Well done, both of you. You did well for having only known each other for a single morning," she congratulated. Gesturing to the bag, she said, "Keep the Dragondew by the way, consider it a treat. Mostly for dragons, but according to Ash, it makes a good tea if you're interested."

"You did well, younglings. Tell me, did you notice anything during that trial?" Oris asked, looking them over. Freya nodded, knowing well what he was referring to. A connection, a subtle unspoken prodding in the right direction before it was ever said aloud. It was something they excelled in personally, and though not quite to the same extent, she had heard some of the other dragon trainers describe a lessened sensation with their own partners.