My training started slow at first, with my uncle having the dragon Blacknight teaching me how to hunt and track as a dragon. I was told I would have to get a full understanding of what I was, before I could move on. As the months passed. I focused ally my energies into listening to the wise old dragon, who was rather wary of me at first. Now sees me as his equal.

I have grown in strength and size as a dragon due to his teaching and training. Blacknight was the one where all my dreams hinged on, as I waited for my uncle to return. I had been home, but I have hid that I have grown as well that my abilities have grown. The elder dragon told me one thing. That it was rare for a dragon's true potential to be seen, but he had seen mine.

I pondered those words when both Blacknight and my uncle returned. It was then that my uncle taught me the spell to allow me to transform into a human body. He then told me what Blacknight told him, while the elder dragon smiled at me.

"With proper training. This one could become far stronger than his parents, as well as becoming a powerful ally. I recommend that he be trained in each style of combat as well as magic."

I know my uncle very well by now, as well as knowing when he trusts someone. He agreed to the elder dragon's wisdom about me, before showing me to a room. While being here, I have met many of the powerful allies of my uncle's alliance. With each one telling me that they hoped I wouldn't be wasting their time.

I made the promise that I wouldn't disappoint them, and was shocked when it was Jade that spoke up.

"It's not us you need to worry about disappointing. It's your uncle Darkmere, that you shouldn't disappoint. We rarely train those not born here."

I took those words to heart, and made a silent vow to give my uncle my all during my training sessions. He had opened the Alliance to me in a show of faith.

Jade awaited Zack outside of Nosgoth Castle. The sun was barely rising. The Queen wore all black, and was barefoot. She was unarmed as well.

"Morning sunshine." She gave him a smile. "I haven't had the opportunity to train many people, in my time here. We will start with some basics, line of sight, and basic trail tracking. Hunting deer and such always a good way to learn. Then we will move on to the harder stuff, where to hide and when, stalking prey and predator. That kind of stuff. This time of day is the best to get off in to the forest and track the trails. Your a dragon, who walks in human form. So use that. Like me you have abilities to sense things about the forest, you see it, smell it, and even hear things differently than a normal human man would. Come on lets go."

"Morning, Aunt Jade." Zack smiled back to her as he offered a light but polite bow to her. As he knew what an honor this was to be trained, by Darkmere and those close to him. As he was dressed in a dark purple turtle neck sweater that was sleeveless, and black pants. He remained quiet as Jade spoke, with a light nod here and there as the woman told him what his training with her would be. He would then moved to follow her lead.

She started off quick and light on her feet across the grass for the woods. "Line of sight is the easiest tracking thing anyone can teach you. If you can see them and your out in the open. They can see you. But also if your in a dense wood or there's cover, you may see them but they might see you. This also goes the other way. You have to watch your own back, even if your not alone. The things in the woods and the real would may not always be fluffy bunnies. Uses your senses, all six of them, trust your gut." They had reached the edge of the forest. "Take a breath, tell me what you smell."

He was just light on his feet as well, as his training with Blacknight was showing through. As Jade started to speak again, he nodded here and there again. Taking in everything that Jade was saying and putting it to memory, as he slowly came to a stop beside her. Glancing to her a moment, before looking back towards the forest again. Taking in a slow deep breath, as he closed his eyes. Letting the different scents be processed in his mind.

"I can smell the scents of the trees and the leaves." Murmured softly as he tilted his head a touch. "As well as four deer that are in the forest right now, and a few rabbits." He was discounting Jade's scent at the moment, as she was right beside him. "There is also a small stream, about a half mile into the forest." Another murmur to the woman.


He followed her directions. Looking to the forest. Not just to the game trail, but the trees and underbrush. "I see the game trail, a place both deer and hunter would walk. I see the underbrush, places to hide. In the trees the birds chatter. They do not mind the dear but they sense you and I."


Jade smiled. "Correct. Now can you track the deer?"


He nodded and set off at first to the game trail, it was well hidden from most sight, but he found it. Following along, looking for prints. There were many, old ones. Days even weeks old. Deer, bear, wolf, human. As the wind shifted, carrying their scent away in to the trees. He set off through the underbrush carefully knowing full well the whole time Jade was behind him.

The wind was in their favor. It blew their scent away and carried the scent of the grass, and forest. He focused on the scent of the grass. It would be there the deer headed to. He took a round about way, tracking through the forest the scent and tells of the dear. Jade said nothing only slipped behind him quick and light as shadow. They came to the spot where the deer where, a good dozen of them. The two he had tracked there among them. It was only there at the edge of the glade that he notice Jade was no longer behind him.

He saw her then across the glade in the far tree. A shadow. Stalking inches behind a deer that didn't have any clue she was there. And she wasn't even in wolf form. He saw it the moment it happened when the wind shifted in to the deer's favor and its eyes got wide, its ears pricked and it fled in to the herd causing them all to flee.

Moments later Jade crossed the glade towards him. "You track well. The deer never heard you or saw you, nor did the wind give you away. You looked at the trees, the ground, the forest. It gave away its clues to you. And you did well. I think we shall call this a day, for now. Take on your other trainers with what you have learned. Much can give away a person's style in anything." She winked. "Now, come back to the castle with me for some much earned lunch." She gave his arm a light punch.

"Thank you." Smiling to Jade when she crossed the glade to him, with him slowly moving to stand up again, with a light nod here and there to her words. Putting each thing said to memory as he now regarded Jade in a new light, with another nod to her words about learning about a person's way in how they do things. "That sounds nice right about now." Moving to head back to the castle, with a light shove in return after the punch to his shoulder. With a light nod. Jade was stronger than she appeared. It would be a lesson that he would learn about the people here. Each one was far stronger than they appeared and let on.

Sirannon Binoa awaited her student beside the great palace of Sim'Tahl. The palace that had been forged by magic and the binding of her and Damien's love. Sira had never expected to ever be more than a normal elf of the dunes. A woman perhaps that would live there in those golden dunes forever protecting the land. But fate had different ideas for her. One quest had changed her whole life.


Bringing this land back to its glory had changed her life forever. Now she was Queen of Sim'Tahl. A land that had been forged by her forefathers, men long dead. But men of power and ambition. She knew Damien was watching her as she awaited her student. She was doing this teaching as a favor to Darkmere. And also she knew she was not alone in this endeavor of training an outsider.


She was to teach Zack of the ways of the earth. Magic that flowed easily through her blood. And also of the ways of the archer. For the first few sessions it would be all about the earth. She had come with her mighty bow Thernae with her but she would not be using it today. She stood in tones of the archer. Dark browns, greens and a touch of black on her boots. Her hair was bright in the sunlight showing off its tones of red.


She had chosen this spot away from most onlookers to start her teachings. When her student arrived she offered him her hand even as he bowed to her. "Welcome to Sim'Tahl." She was not only his teacher here but the link to the alliance for Sim'Tahl. It as quite brilliant of Darkmere. Every realm was represented by one or more members of the alliance. Zack would get the full force of training, and none would hold back.


Darkmere allowed Zack to rest after training with both Jade and Salice in the same day, as he had gotten good reports from them both. He had put his mind to each task at hand and so far was passing with flying colors. Once the young man had eaten breakfast, he would be sent to the portal to Sim'Tahl. Where he was to meet with Sira, another queen of the alliance who would be teaching him the was of Earth magic as well as how to use a bow. Again he took in the beauty of the lands, before coming upon Sira.


He noticed like Jade and Salice before, as well as his uncle. That none of the rulers here seemed to dress up to show that they were of royalty. They dressed casually, which got him to smile. His uncle had told him that those in the position of ruling didn't take themselves to seriously. He first offered her a bow, before shaking her hand. "It is an honor to be allowed on your lands, as well as to be trained by you." Now he waited for the next step in his training to start.

"So courteous, that is very nice. Rise please." Sira smiled looking to him. "Come let us begin your training in all things Earth." She walked back along the training ground where in the distance men and women trained. In the field closest to them men and women stood facing a line of targets some made of straw others of wood. They each held bows, bows of all different kinds. Short and long, crossbows. Elven made, human made and magical all alike. They all wore training garb, and were focused on the targets. Some were young, others were older. A man dressed for battle called out soft orders to the youngest of the group while other worked at will.


In the far field men and women rode horses some dressed for battle, others looking as if they were merely dressed for training. They rode with ease and comfort, and wariness of the beginning stages of training. Some rode and fired arrows off in to distant targets, others rode at one another sparing with blade or magic.


Still they passed more people training in fields of grass and dirt. They trained with swords. Those made of real metal and those of wood for the youngsters. They were drilled in magic by faces he might have seen before. For Novella was there a wisp of wind in her pure elemental form, similar to a dijin. Anala was there as well training very young students in the ways of the water mage.

Sira came to the sport where they would begin, some what away from the other trainees, but still close enough that he would be able to hear them and see them. She would not make focusing easy on him. "The Earth gives us much, and asks very little of us. Unless one truly listens to it. The trees ask for rain and sun, the soil for the same. The animals make up this world, and as a druid I can not discount them. The earth gives itself to us, and when we take from it magically or other wise, we must give it our thanks and our wary gaze as well. For as in all magic and all elements there is danger and darkness." She slowly sat crossing her legs under her. "Sit, place your bare hands upon the grass, feel it." She ran her fingers through the grass and over the patch of dirt near her. "Feel the realm around you. You've likely noticed the magic of the realms. We all have a different pulse to our lands, yet we share in a beauty unbounded. That was not always so, for many of us. I will teach you more of that in the time I have later. For now feel the earth, the softness of the grass, the harshness of the dirt. Feel the power of the magic of the realm."

Sira will watch him as he does this to see if he can feel everything about the realm an the soil and earth below him that makes it whole. "What do you feel? Describe it to me."

As he moved to follow her to where she was taking him to start his training. He took note of the others that were training and sparing as well, picking out those that were just starting, as well as those that were teaching. His brows rose a touch to seeing a familiar face here and there as his uncle had told him about many of those that lived in these lands, but left the bulk of the learning for Zack to do on his own. Yet he remained silent as he knew he wasn't here to comment on what the others were doing. He was here to be taught by Sira, so that is what he would be focused on.

He nodded lightly to her mentioning the feel of magic in the realms as he had noted that each one held it's own aura to it. Yet each one seemed connected to him, during each of his trips to the Allied Lands. Removing his gloves when she told him to do so, without breaking his attention from her as he got he hint that she was trying to make this hard on him. Closing his eyes as he lowered his now glove less hands to feel the grass and the harshness of the dirt, and focused on what he was feeling from it.

He waited a few more long moments before he gave his answer. "I can feel the life that is flowing around us." Murmured. "Like a pulsing heartbeat with each breath that it takes." Another murmur as he continued to focus on the feeling that was flowing through his hands.


Sira nodded. "Good, the feel of the earth, the realm it self is important to your training. Though our lands in the alliance are linked, they all have a different feel to them, and thus the magic one wields will be different in each place. You have one lesson today, in the realm of earth bound magic's. Keep the feeling of the realm with you, and as you go realm to realm sense them and keep those with you, I will test you on this later. But for now, rise, put your gloves back on and lets go see what sort of archer you are."

Zack nodded lightly in return, as he sat back up and listened to her explaining the differences between the realms, as well as how they were connected. Yet each one had their own magical aura flowing through it, with another nod to her wanting him to experience the feel of each one as he traveled through them. Now slipping his gloves on as he winced a bit, this part might take a while for him to get down when she mentioned bow work.

Never the less, he moved to his feet and moved to follow her. He never even touched a bow, nor had he ever fired one off.

Teacher was a role Shea was falling in to easily. As her power grew she found her self drawn to teach as much as to learn. So when Salice had spoken of Darkmere's request. Shea had agreed with out pause. Shea awaited him outside what would one day be her place. The Temple of Light and Dark. Being rebuilt by the elder mage's and the very illusive moon elves of the Cliffs. There was no one there now and only a few columns stood. The air was very still all around save for right around Shea. A light breeze tickled through her hair. She dressed in training wears, and came armed with a sword she had not had to use in some time. Her eyes were closed and her mind focused.

When she opened her eyes to see her student coming he would feel her gaze. The breeze would pick up around his feet. He had been through some training already. His training with Water had just started. Salice had spoken highly of him. Sira was teaching him the druid powers of earth, and said he had learned well. Now it was Shea's turn. He had tracking to learn from Jade, and the way of the bow from Sira still. And fire from Kegan. Raz and Gabe were his sword trainers. Magus lighting. Darkmere shadow. Mila was his hand to hand trainer. Some he was learning at the same time now, going between the abilities as he might have to in combat.

After being pushed to his breaking point by Sira, in both druid magic and the way of the bow. She sent him off towards his next teacher, as the young man let his mind wonder over his previous training. " These people don't play around. I've been knocked around, knocked on my ass and bruised up." Murmuring to himself, as he looked around the area that was to be his next session and area of training. He paused for a moment at the wind that suddenly flowed around him, before spotting the wind mage.

She looked ready for a fight, as he slowly started towards her. This must be Shea. That thought to himself as he came to a stop about five feet from her, hands pressed together as he offered her a light bow. Guessing that respect would still be the wisest course of action, as his uncle told him that those teaching him wouldn't hesitate to smack him around if need be. "I am ready to learn as soon as you are ready, Lady Walsh."

"Welcome, and you are right. We don't fool around." Shea offered him a wide smile. "You are very respectful, that is wise, for you never know who you might meet, or which one of us might wish to smack you around a bit if you don't behave. But I shall not do that. I will push you till your limits, then push you more. Come walk with me, and let us begin your training."

She walked along the low grass with the bones of the new temple behind them. He would notice the wind seemed to ebb and flow when Shea might wish it, then it would merely stop. "The wind is a terrible and wonderful mistress. I use this term not because I see the wind as female, but because the wind can be soft and inviting and cruel and vicious as well. Sometime both in the same moment."

She came to a stop and turned to look at him. "The wind is like breath, the air breaths life to the realms we know. "She let the wind flow freely. "I can control the wind, but it has no master. If it wills to be stronger than my own will it will freely flow as it dares please." She let the wind rise and fall around them in its natural way. "Feel it now, smell it, not only what scents it carry's but its very essence. "

Shea closed her eyes and held out her hands to the breeze. "When you command the air. You must think of it like your own breath, and will it to be as you wish." The wind died down to be low along the grass in which they stood. "Floating things on air is one of the simplest tricks one can learn, even children not born with any magic in them can learn this trick. Take this leaf." It floated from the ground a lovely oak leaf. "It fell from that tree behind me and floated to the ground where it will rest till the wind moves it." The leaf floated now before her. "Let us see if you can make it float. Focus on it, and see it in your mind as lighter than the air around it."

"Thank you, and I have come to expect that you and those teaching me will be pushing me to my limits, then beyond them as I train with all of you." Now moving to follow her, and fell silent again when she started to talk again, taking note of the wind as it seemed to ebb and flow at Shea's command. He took note of everything around them, but paid more attention to her words and how she was saying them. Once they came to a stop where his training would take place, and turned his attention to focus on Shea.

"Think of it like it's your own breath." Murmured to himself as he closed his eyes for a moment, taking in a few slow deep breaths. Slowly opening his eyes to focus on the leaf now, seeing it as lighter than the air around it. It wasn't that hard, as just as she said. Even a child could learn to do this as the leaf started to float in-between them, it would last for several long minutes, before he looked to Shea again. As the leaf would finally float around before settling on the ground again.

Shea simply watched. If he could not do this there would be no hope of him learning much else at least where wind was concerned. But she smiled as the leaf floated upward and around them easily. "Very good." She looked to the hundreds of leaves that littered the ground. " Now once more with feeling." She wondered if he would catch on that she wanted to see at least more than ten of those hundreds of leaves lifted.

Letting out a breath of air, as he smiled and rubbed at the back of his neck for a moment. "Thank you." He then followed her gaze to the other leaves that were littering the ground, then back to her for a moment. With a light nod following, as he caught on to what she wanted him to do now. Once again he closed his eyes and focused on the task at hand. Breathing in and out slow, with his hands pressed together in front of his chest. Slowly each leave started to flutter at first, before slowly lifting up off the ground and into the air. With him waiting till each one was hovering at the same height, before starting to move around them both.

Shea smiled and nodded. "Good, now relax let them go to their homes back upon the ground and let mother nature will them where she will, we can bend the wind to our will, but we do not own it. " Once that was done she gave him a pat to his arm. "You do well, you have much more ahead of you, for today we are finished. Until next time, Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle." She bowed her head then one moment Shea was before him then gone as if the wind had taken her.

Zack nodded lightly as he slowly let the various leaves float back down to the ground before blinking his eyes for a moment. Listening to the words of wisdom that Shea imparted to him, with a smile to the encouraging words offered. With him bowing his head in return before watching her disappear, as he took a moment to watch the spot where she had been. Not wasting another moment as he moved off yet again to meet his next teacher.

It had been sometime since Mila stood in Crendia. Even though she had been born there. The realm had changed. She had been born to a berserkers tribe in the dunes of the far desert. She had been raised in their ways and grown up along side Kulbin, Sira and their long lost brothers. No matter her ties to Edhel Ndor now this place would always be her home.

She had chosen the lea outside of her and Aiden's cottage to meet her student. When Salice had told her of Darkmere's request to teach and outsider the ways of hand to hand battle. Mila had been shocked. They kept to themselves mostly. Children of allied members would one day be trained, some already were being trained. But outsiders were dangerous. But Salice had insured her that Darkmere spoke for the boy. The young man who was a dragon.


Dragons in Crendia, and the realms of Edhel Ndor and Sim'Tahl could not shift form to human. They were pure born and bred dragons, who spoke their own tongue and kept their own consul for the most part. Mila wasn't sure what she was expecting. She had trained a handful of men and women in her times before war and at times of peace. Only three had ever come to matching her strength and skill at hand to hand. Jade, Hera and Zorin. She had spared with most of the allies, but not all. She had little in the way of magic, and her rules for sparing and teaching were simple. No weapons, no magic.


She waited seated in the grass lea behind the cottage where Aiden was tending to their two children. She heard him coming long before she saw him. " Welcome to Crendia, Zack." She rose to her feet. She was dressed in training clothes, rather than the wears of a berserker. She didn't want to scare the boy off. Zack was as she had pictured him, young. He carried a burden on him she could almost sense it. " Being trained like this and trusted like this is new for you. Your young. Even for dragon kind." She offered him a smile. "Like the others I will not go easy on you once you've got the basics down. But we will start easy."


Once again, Zack was allowed a day of rest before he would be sent out to his next teacher. Even though he was still sore and tired from his previous sessions. The young man didn't whine or complain, as he headed off to meet with Mila. Whom he learned was Shea's daughter in law, and married to Aiden. Shea and Victor's son. He had no clue what to expect when he again took in the sights around him, before coming upon the lea. His head tilted to seeing Aiden playing with his children, before looking to the woman that spoke up.

Another pause and moment of showing respect, before he spoke. "Thank you." Another round of light and easy training. followed with him getting his ass handed to him to look forward to. Once she informed him that this would just be hand to hand, he nodded and moved to set his weapons to the side. Followed her then took a moment to stretch.

Mila watched his gaze wander to seeing Aiden with their children then back to him. "Its not the sight you expect. " She allowed him his stretching. "Your wise to stretch out, this will not be an easy day. But we shall start slow. Look at me, and tell me what you see, be blunt. I am not asking you to reserve anything."

"It is not that, M'lady. Just something that I am starting to understand why my uncle has asked so many of his friends and allies to train me." Then a light nod to her, as she wised for him to be blunt with her. A glance to Aiden and her child for a moment, then back to Mila. "I see a strong, wise and caring woman, like many of the others here. One that is willing to protect her family, and if it ever came to pass. To die for them to make sure they remained safe.

" We will work on foot work, for now. That is the basis of all fighting. No matter magic, hand or hand or sword play. How you move effect everything you do. If I was to run at you now, ready to beat the bloody pulp out of you what move would you make?"

He pondered that for a moment, as he crossed his arms in thought. " I would try to use your own momentum against you. " Having looked down for a moment then back to her, getting the feeling that she was testing his mind first.

She nodded, "Good. A wise fighter looks at who's coming at him. Man, woman, elf, human, or a dragon. It matters not. Lets see how you move your feet shall we." She took a defensive stance "Come at me. No holding back."


A light nod, as he listened to her before a light smile crossed his lips. "This should be fun." Slowly shifting into a fighting stance, and slowly moved towards her as he knew he wasn't a fighter at this point and time, but he knew one thing. Rushing would only get his tail handed to him, so he would make his attacks as fast as possible, without rushing them

Mila knew he was no fighter, but he had power behind him, not only magical but physical. Being a dragon in human form, but she was an elven berserker and they were hardly ones to back down. She had a tough defensive stance. He would have to make his moves cunning and fast, but too fast and she'd win the day.

He might not of been a fighter, but he was one that seemed to learn things on the fly, as he took note that she took a tough stance. With her either just blocking his attacks, or shifting out of the way to let him move on past her. A slight shift of this frame, before starting to try and fake her out with either a punch or a kick. Only for him to snap a punch or kick from the other direction, still not a textbook one. But it was faster and still held that power behind it.

Mila moved when he came at her, she bent and flexed with just slight movements. It was to test him. She could see the sword fighting in his stance, the twins had taught him well so far. He knew how to use his feet. His first few punches hit air, as she moved from his aim, the next few were block by a strong shoulder or hand. But he was strong. Mila could feel the power in his blows.

His kicks landed more often now than his punches, his feet able to move with ease. "Good." She gave her hip a rub when his side long kick landed. "Not what one would expect, your not a textbook fighter, you fly by the seat of your pants." She smirked and blocked his punch and moved quickly to knock his feet from under him, he might not have seen it coming. But it was a fake. Her foot moved to sweep out his legs but it wasn't her feet that would catch him off guard it was how she moved from before him to beside him to where her fist would punch his arm, right at a pressure point.

She knew it would make him wince, it might not hurt as much for him, being a dragon in human form, but pressure point moves were a berserker specialty. Now she was behind him, having moved just two inches from where she had been beside him.

He took note of her dodging his punches, with just the faintest hints of movements on her end, as he shifted his feet to keep from losing his balance each time. As well as noticing that she would block some of them here and there, with a hint of a nod to her doing so. Taking note that like the others he had trained with to this point, that she was stronger than she appeared.

Once he started to mix in a kick here and there, as he took note that he was having better luck in connecting on them. With a nod to her words as she rubbed at her hip when another kick landed. "True, as I haven't had any training in hand to hand combat." A light smile to her on that, before she blocked another punch. That's when the kick to the back of a knee hit. Knocking him down to a knee, causing him to miss her tagging that pressure point, with him wincing a bit.

Now shaking that arm out to get the feeling back in it, before looking over his shoulder to her. Taking note that she was quicker than she looked as well, causing him to spin a round rather quickly to face her. As he finally shook the tingling sensations out of his arm, before shifting back into the stance from before. Not sure if they were done or not. "That was a pressure point. Right?" Those he knew about to an extent.

To Mila a good student watched, listened then performed well. His test may come on a battle field where the conditions were much different from the ones on the training field. And so far she was confident he could hold his own. His kicks landed more often now as he got used to how she moved, his punches as well. She hardly winced, even though he had a lot of power behind those hits. The kicks hurt more.

She nodded to his question as he shook out his arm from her presser point hold. "Yes, they are key to most hand to hand combat. Sure a swift kick, a hard left hook will get the job done in a short fight. They could mean the end of a fight one way or another. A well placed pressure point can take down any man, even one twice your size. Or if done with intent, they can kill. In time I will teach you more of them."

He nodded lightly in return as he finally shook the tingling from his arm. Putting what Mila was saying about a few different ways to end a fight. From a sudden punch to a well placed kick, as well as using pressure points to disable someone. As well as to kill them. He also knew without saying that one could just use the brute force of punches or kicks to do the same, if placed just right and in the right spot.

"You're more than a match for me physically you have more power behind your punches and kicks, because of what you are. But in the old world, the world I was raised in a young berserker male or female trains for many years on how to take down wild beasts, to take any hit. You are strong, you have good height to you and you know how to use your feet." She smiled to him. "All these make a great warrior, in any way. You have no need to pump irons, or build muscle mass. I would say work on being slight, sneaky. With all the power you have in a punch you could be over countered by someone slight and fast like and elf. "

Another light nod to her comments about him being physically stronger, due to him being born a dragon, but he also knew that strength alone didn't win out against someone with experience. Continuing to remain silent as she explained the traits and how a berserker was trained for years to take a hit and to take down wild beasts. He nodded lightly to her mentioning his height, strength and how he moved his feet in a fight, with him smiling back to her. Still remaining silent as she pointed out that those traits make a great warrior, then a nod to her advising him to work on his hand to hand speed as well as his footwork to be more faster and fluid with his motions.

She looked him over then gave him a soft bow from the waist. "For today I think we are done, but I have more to teach you, more to show. I've spoken with Raz and Gabe. They agreed with me that once your sword training is half way you would benefit from knowing how to fight off a swordsmen with nothing but your bare hands. I will teach you that. Also I think you would benefit from having someone your own size and strength to fight against hand to hand."

He bowed back in return, as well as nodding lightly to being done for the day. With his brows rising a touch to hearing that she had already spoken to Raz and Gabe, as well as her telling him that she would teach him how to fight an armed person without the need for a weapon. Should that need ever present it's self. Another light nod to her advising him to spar with people closer to his own size, in hand to hand. And was just about to ask for a couple of names before she started to list a few people off.

"You have dragon in you, and none here can boast that. But if it was I who was choosing for you I would choose someone like Lang, or even Damien to spar with. They have mixed blood, powerful like yourself. You could choose anyone of the men really. If you want someone sneaky and sly I would ask Zorin or Zhorn. Zorin is a trained assassin, and is very sly and light on his feet, he has mixed blood, though I will not tell you with what. Zhorn is a dark elf and we have few of those here, they are very agile creatures, creatures born mostly in dark places, with skill sets even I do knot know all of."

He nodded lightly again, as he would remain quiet as she started to list off people that she would chose for him to spar with. Placing each name to his memory, as he would be taking her advise and her wise words into account. Some of them like Lang and Damien. He had already met rather briefly since he had been here, with others like Zhorn and Zorin. He had yet to meet. "True, but I don't boast about being born as a dragon. I see no point to it." A light smile.

Mila nodded lightly to his words with a smile in return to him. "Take some time to hone your muscles, you have skills. And if you crave a real battle with someone more like yourself. I would go to Anarya. The mistress of dragons. Perhaps she could pair you against someone more to your power. But take some time a few days, go to your other lessons, then return to me once your sword training is half done. The twins will tell you when that happens. You can come back sooner if you like, for a little spar. I may not have your power, but we berserkers are hardly push overs."

She walked to him clapped him on the shoulder and grinned.

He smiled back to her, before listening again with his brows rising a touch. His uncle had told him that there were other dragons around, but caught the tone in Mila's voice when she mentioned Anarya. Catching that she was a trusted ally as well, with a light nod to her suggestion that he continue with his training with the others as well as it being up to Raz and Gabe when he should return here. Another smile to the offer to spar with another bow of his head, and a return clap to her shoulder. Pausing a moment to watch her head over to Aiden and their child, before he turned to leave as well.

While Darkmere waited for Zack to rouse and get something to eat. He was listening to those that had meet him and had a hand in his training thus far. A light smile crossed his lips to hearing from each person personally. With each getting a thank you from the brooding one, before each one headed back home. After asking each one to continue to help the young man along, with each agreeing to do so. No sooner than they had left, he caught Zack coming out of the castle.


"About time you roused yourself from sleep, but you are a little early than I expected. I know you told me a little of why you came to me, but I know there is another reason. Before your training continues. I wish to know the reasons on why you wish it to be me." The brooding king leaned off the wall and motioned Zack to come with him.

Zack had been inside looking himself in the mirror for a moment as he got dressed for the day. Once he was dressed, he would slip out of his room and head down to the kitchen. Noticing that breakfast was waiting for him, as he sat down to eat the hearty food. As well as letting his mind wonder for a moment, getting him to shake his head as he took his plate to the sink.

Once he stepped outside, he looked to Darkmere when he heard his voice. With his brows rising a touch now, as he was a touch loss for words as he moved to fall into step with the man. Not saying anything for a few moments, before he sighed softly. "Because I wish to be able to help others, as well as to protect myself and those I care for from harm." He paused for a moment. "I figured if anyone could help me out with this, it would be you." Zack looked to Darkmere for a moment.

"I have heard a great deal about you, and that you are a wise man." Zack was being honest, as he looked to where they were going. "I know my parents would teach me, but at the same time. They just try to do more than they can handle, and since I have been coming here." He sighed softly. "Sorry, fath " He winced as he caught himself there, and went silent.


Darkmere nodded as he listened, with a hint of a smile here and there. That was until he caught what Zack nearly said, and just looked at the young man beside him. "I have known your parents for a while now, Zack." Finally speaking as he came to a stop, with a hand catching Zack by the shoulder. "I do agree that they try to do to much, and at times act very rashly on things. Blindingly so in some cases. There have been those in Rhydin that have tried to be nice, and point that out to them. Yet those two are far to stubborn to listen to anyone, even those that know more about the world than them."


"They mean well when it comes to their children, but the problem is this. They are both still young, and had way to many children for them to handle. Through natural births and by adopting them. They aren't able to focus on all of them. It's a harsh thing to say but it's the truth. I have known this for a while, and for a while I offered help. As time went on, I noticed how they act. You might think that you hid it well, but you are easy to read. I know the real reason why you are here, but for now. Focus on your training." Darkmere started to walk again, leaving Zack to ponder his words for a moment. "Let's get started before it gets to late." A glance over his shoulder. "Son."


Zack nodded lightly as he listened and looked down at the ground, not able to say a word one way or the other. Letting everything that Darkmere said to him bounce around in his mind. Which came to a stop the moment that one word left the brooding one's lips. The young man's gaze snapped to the man in front of him, and nodded softly as he moved to follow. Now holding his head a touch higher, as everything that happened here started to cross his mind.

He hadn't been treated as an outsider during his time here thus far. He had been treated as a member of the family, with each one giving him pointers on his days off, as well as making him feel as if he had been here his whole life. Which to a point he had been here most of his life. There was another reason he was here, and upon hearing Darkmere. It sealed what he felt he wanted to do.

"Let us begin shall we?" Darkmere walked and knew Zack followed away from the castle. "Your reasons for being here are valid, and we won't speak of them any deeper unless you wish to. You wish to help others, protect yourself and those you care for. Those are things worthy of honor, something that those who have taken on training you do not take lightly. They would all willingly fight and die for these realms and each other."

He led the young man towards the far training field. Away from spying eyes, new faces were odd here, but often new people were watched with some focus. "Shadow is apart of your magical aura. It should come more easily to you than the other elements you have been learning. It is unlike them in every way. You must understand this. It come with a price and from a place unlike the rest. Where the rest all have their own hints of darkness and danger, shadow is that darkness it is the danger. It is not something generally wielded with abandon."

" It can be drawn from any of the other elements, and from light. It can be drawn from a person or animal. It can be colorless, or like dark mist, or as black as death."

As they walked away towards the tree line the shadows that were cast there from the midday sun seemed to grow longer as if willed by Darkmere to come out and meet with his own looming shadow. It seemed almost sinister. "The realm of shadows only one other to its equal. That is light. But more often than not some one skilled in this realm can over take the light with ease."

Zack nodded softly as he followed and listened to Darkmere as he spoke, as he took note to where they were going, and when they reached the shadows. He relaxed more here than he had elsewhere during his training, as even when he was nothing more than a hatchling. He always felt more at home in the shadows, which got him to look towards the man before him. There was a silent understanding there now. "I've already dabbled into shadows here and there, but mostly to travel through them." Once they came to a stop.

"Dabbling is the first start. Your at home here in the shadows, away from the world. Now its time to use that knowledge of them to wield the element. It is apart of you already, all you have to do is use it. Summon the shadows to you now, let them come to you."

Zack nodded softly to that, as this was something else he had learned to an extent on his own, before coming here to be fully taught. This would probably be the easiest part of his lessons, as he focused his mind. It didn't take to long for the shadows around him to start shifting and moving to move around his frame. Wavering here and there, but for the most part he was in control of them.

Darkmere watched as the shadows left their homes at the bases of the trees, and below the buildings near by and came to Zack moving around him, on the ground and to some extent in the air. "Good. You are in control of them now, feel them, then once you know them well enough. You can summon them and control them, only you decided if they work for good or ill, but never forget shadows enjoy someone of dark and ill intent, but they can be used for good. Now release them and let us go back in to the sun."

Zack continued to keep control of the shadows while his uncle spoke, with a faint here and there as he listened to the words of wisdom. Letting out a slow breath of air, as he let the shadows slowly slip away to return to where they had been before, with a glance to his uncle as he turned to head back into the light with him. Not saying anything for a long moment. "Thank you again, for vouching for me and helping to train me." A light smile to Dark, as he looked to the man, with his head tilting to the reaction that he got in return.

Darkmere nodded softly as he watched the young man before him letting the shadows free, watching that he already had a fairly good control over them. Being as equally silent as Zack as he moved to head back out into the light, before looking to the young man when he spoke. It got a soft chuckle for a moment, with a shake of his head. "You came to me as a young hatchling, wishing to learn to better yourself. I merely offered the help that I could give."

Dark paused to regard the young man. "There is strength in you, Zack. More than you know now, but in time and with the training that you will be getting from those that agreed to train you here. It will come out. All that I ask is that you listen to them, and do try to enjoy your time here. You are always welcomed here and in the Allied lands, and if you ever need me to talk to about anything. I will always make time for you." Clapping the young man on the shoulder. "Go and rest up. Kegan will be your teacher in a few days, and he will probably be the hardest one on you here." With that Darkmere moved to head off. Leaving Zack to do as he wanted for now.

Zack listened as his uncle spoke, nodding lightly as he recalled that day. A young brash hatchling that had dared to come to these lands of his uncle. And here he was now, all this time later. A young man now learning multiple skills from his family, as well as those that lived here and in other lands that were connected to another. "I will do that." A smile to the words about always being welcomed here and that Darkmere would make time to talk to him about anything. That door would always be open, before he watched his elder head off, then moved to follow to get something to eat and rest up.

With an out stretched hand he drew a circle in the sand. "Lets begin shall we nice and slow. Close your eyes, and picture a fire in your mind. How one starts a fire when they have no magic. Woods, kindling, a spark of flint. See it in your mind. The wood, the kindling. The flint and that spark. The air it takes to breath life in to that spark. The little licks of flame. As they take up the kindling. The grow to the wood. Slowly, like water lapping at a calm shore. See it in your mind. And here in the circle, make the flames appear as if there was kindling here, wood and flint."


Zack nodded lightly to Kegan as he closed his eyes, with his hands coming to steeple together. Calling to mind the fire to his mind, and blocked out everything around him while he done so. At first it was faint, a very weak and small fire appeared. As if fighting to stay lit, before it slowly started to become stronger, as he inhaled and exhaled slowly. Kegan would notice that the young had learned rather fast how to focus his mind. Which was aiding him as the fire flickered before it flared into a rather good roaring fire. Strong enough to light the night, as well as just cool enough so not to over cook one's meal.

"Very nice, keep the fire low good cooking fire, it will ward off dangers and draw allies in. You could light other fires with it. To warm ones hands. To light the night. Very good. Remember your breathing. You're relaxed. The fire must not over take your mind. You control it, not the other way around. "

"Now make it go out, snuff it with one thought, or a word if you must. You may use the dragon tongue, if you know it. Elven and the language of Nosgoth. I will also permit. If you must mix dialects be careful. Snuff the flames and once you do rise and we shall walk."

Zack nodded lightly as he again focused on the fire he had created, causing it to flicker again, before it slowly started to shrink then fade completely. He opened his eyes taking in a few deeper breaths as his hands came to rest on his knees. Kegan nodded lightly for a moment as he regarded the young man.

"You can focus your mind very well. I see your other training has not been in vain, come walk with me now. We shall move on to something harder." Kegan moved slowly around towards the water that lapped at the shoreline. "You can make fire appear now, make it rise and fall at your will. You have a great focus, which I must commend you on. Even born fire mage's have issues with focus." He faced the water.

"Now to bring fire out of another element. I am sure the others you have learned from have told you how hard it is to will one element from another. Fire is the hardest to will. The easiest other element to will it from is the air, but we shall start with the hardest, from the water. Look at the ocean before you, see its cool waters and before us here in the light surf will fire to rise from the cold water. The water can not be allowed to over take it, nor can the fire be willed to spread in to the ocean. You must be wary of allowing that. "

Zack nodded as he moved to follow Kegan, as he took that time to slowly catch his breath. Listening to the fire mage as he spoke, with a light nod here and there. "I've had wise teachers." When the man spoke of his focus, as Darkmere had told him before all of this started. He would need all the focus he could muster. He then looked out towards the ocean before him as he listened to his next lesson, with a light sigh passing his lips. Once again he focused his mind to the task at hand. Bringing fire from water.

This time the fire came a little easier, starting small but didn't go out when the waves washed over it. Slowly growing into a pillar of fire there before them both, with Zack's breathing getting deeper and faster the longer he held it in place. With his brows furrowing at the effort of keeping the ocean from putting it out, and the fire from getting out of control. Holding it till Kegan told him to let it fade, causing Zack to drop to a knee and breathing deeply.

"Good, keep your breathing even, the fire though not alive feeds off of you, your not a fire mage nor born to the element, so it will feed off of your own emotions and your breath. Keep the flame there in the water one lone pillar of fire, do not allow it to go any more."

As the days passed with my training, and each day being harder than the next. I slowly started to gradually get better and better, with days giving in to weeks, and weeks in to months. With it getting to the point that at times I thought that my body would break to the intense training that I was putting myself through. Yet at the end of each day that I spent with my teachers. Each one would remark on my progress, as well as noting that I needed to let them know when something was to much for me to handle.

After the first few months. I began to focus on one version of my training a month, to further focus on taking the time needed to learn each element fully. As well as using my down times to learn more about those that I was training with and the lands where they lived. Over time I began to call those places home as well, as well as carrying the same love for it as my new family did. The desire to keep it safe as well as keeping those that lived there safe.

It was also during my training that I began to feel more at home here than Rhy'Din, even if I had family and friends there. There was just something about the Allied Lands that just seemed to feel like home to me. It was also during the trips back and forth that I met some of my closest friends in that town. With some of them sticking by my side through out the choices that I have made with my life. People like Aja Bird, Rena A Cronin, and Claire Farron to name a few. It is also where I met Raven Ekia, to whom is carrying my child and to whom I am engaged to.

Not to mention that during my trips that I was briefly on the Watch forces, before I found myself caught up in a few fights dealing with people wishing to harm the people of Rhy'Din. It didn't last long before I chose to help out in a more free lance work, though I still help out the friends that I made in the Watch when they ask for it. Most of my time is spent in the Allied Lands helping my family, or in Arcadia helping out Aja when she asks for it.

Recently or well over the last few months I have started to get involved in the dueling scene. I do fairly average all the way around, not overly great at just one. Though I am doing better in the Magic duels and the Fists duels, even though I am middle ranked in both of them. Currently I am Claire's neophyte in Magic, and challenged her for the Tower of Water when she had it. Ended up losing it but I believe that I did decently well in it despite it being my first time going for one. Nothing more going on at the moment, so I'll leave things here.