There was far too much to think about. I had thought I was just going to learn how to control my fire. Being a wizard entailed far more than that. It was a great responsibility. One I had to learn to handle.
I failed the first chance I got.
CHAPTER 7
Months Later…
The dragon grinned, exposing rows of sharp teeth. He blew his fiery breath. The flames rushed in my direction, trying to burn me. I put a hand out and pushed. The fire split and went around me, crashing into the cave walls.
The dragon released another stream of fire. This time it twisted and twirled. Instead of misdirecting it, I willed it to extinguish before it touched me. Cynder snorted before spewing more fire. I held it in front of me with my mind, creating a wall of flame that rose to the ceiling.
“I'm not impressed,” Cynder said. He peered down his nose at me.
I winked at him, then began to manipulate the wall of fire. The fire mana within me stirred, transforming the flames into my own flying dragon. My dragon wheeled and darted towards Cynder.
“You're supposed to be working on defensive magic only,” Cynder said. His tail swung out to disperse my magic. My creature's form melted, and it almost disappeared into the air. I held onto the flames and pumped my own magic into them. The fire burst through the cave. I closed my hands and merged the flames, once again imagining and shaping a dragon. I sent my creature diving after Cynder.
We were in the biggest cavern of the entire mountain, so Cynder had plenty of room to move around. He ran, dodged, and stomped, trying to avoid my creation before it got him. My dragon burped small fireballs at Cynder. They splashed against Cynder's scaly side. Each time he swiped at it with his tail or talon, it dispersed, but I kept remaking it.
Cynder growled. “I grow tired of this, little one.” He stopped running. “If that's how you want to play.”
Cynder rose to his full height, puffing his chest out and stretching his enormous wings. He flapped his wings, summoning a sudden gust of wind. It smashed into my magic, dissipating it. He flapped again, and the wind attacked me and knocked me to the ground. I strained to rise, pushing against the wall of air. I tried to use wind magic against him, but with the weight of his powerful body behind him, he was too strong. My air magic did nothing, and every time I tried to summon other magic, the wind squeezed me harder against the ground.
“Enough!” I yelled. “I yield!”
Cynder stopped. He furled his wings, a smug expression on his face.
I rose and stared at the dragon. Since I’d come to the mountain, he and I had become friends, so that sometimes I forgot exactly what he was and what he could do. I stretched my arms, back, and neck, hearing cracking noises. I massaged my left shoulder. Stupid dragon. I was going to be sore the rest of the day.
“Never send a human to do a dragon's job,” Cynder said, blowing smoke out of his nose. He raised his foot and stomped hard on the ground, causing me to stumble. Cynder grinned, showing off his pointed teeth.
I saw a head-sized rock near him. I reached out to the earth mana I was now able to feel. I drew energy from the mountain, channeling it through my hand. I focused on the rock, trying to use the magic to lift it and fling it at Cynder. The rock trembled and jumped before I tired. I gasped for air, feeling the sweat drip down my face.
“You're getting better at earth magic,” Cynder said.
I raised an eyebrow. “I am?”
He stretched his long neck until his eyes were right near the rock. “Yup. I believe it moved an inch that time.” Cynder erupted with laughter, his booming voice pounding in my ears.
I gave Cynder a sour look.
“Don't be so dour, Hellsfire. You're improving, at least in your use of fire magic. Everything else needs work. If we fight again, I won't use my fire. I'll just use my jaws.” Cynder’s head snaked over and he snapped his teeth in front of me. I jumped, causing
I failed the first chance I got.
CHAPTER 7
Months Later…
The dragon grinned, exposing rows of sharp teeth. He blew his fiery breath. The flames rushed in my direction, trying to burn me. I put a hand out and pushed. The fire split and went around me, crashing into the cave walls.
The dragon released another stream of fire. This time it twisted and twirled. Instead of misdirecting it, I willed it to extinguish before it touched me. Cynder snorted before spewing more fire. I held it in front of me with my mind, creating a wall of flame that rose to the ceiling.
“I'm not impressed,” Cynder said. He peered down his nose at me.
I winked at him, then began to manipulate the wall of fire. The fire mana within me stirred, transforming the flames into my own flying dragon. My dragon wheeled and darted towards Cynder.
“You're supposed to be working on defensive magic only,” Cynder said. His tail swung out to disperse my magic. My creature's form melted, and it almost disappeared into the air. I held onto the flames and pumped my own magic into them. The fire burst through the cave. I closed my hands and merged the flames, once again imagining and shaping a dragon. I sent my creature diving after Cynder.
We were in the biggest cavern of the entire mountain, so Cynder had plenty of room to move around. He ran, dodged, and stomped, trying to avoid my creation before it got him. My dragon burped small fireballs at Cynder. They splashed against Cynder's scaly side. Each time he swiped at it with his tail or talon, it dispersed, but I kept remaking it.
Cynder growled. “I grow tired of this, little one.” He stopped running. “If that's how you want to play.”
Cynder rose to his full height, puffing his chest out and stretching his enormous wings. He flapped his wings, summoning a sudden gust of wind. It smashed into my magic, dissipating it. He flapped again, and the wind attacked me and knocked me to the ground. I strained to rise, pushing against the wall of air. I tried to use wind magic against him, but with the weight of his powerful body behind him, he was too strong. My air magic did nothing, and every time I tried to summon other magic, the wind squeezed me harder against the ground.
“Enough!” I yelled. “I yield!”
Cynder stopped. He furled his wings, a smug expression on his face.
I rose and stared at the dragon. Since I’d come to the mountain, he and I had become friends, so that sometimes I forgot exactly what he was and what he could do. I stretched my arms, back, and neck, hearing cracking noises. I massaged my left shoulder. Stupid dragon. I was going to be sore the rest of the day.
“Never send a human to do a dragon's job,” Cynder said, blowing smoke out of his nose. He raised his foot and stomped hard on the ground, causing me to stumble. Cynder grinned, showing off his pointed teeth.
I saw a head-sized rock near him. I reached out to the earth mana I was now able to feel. I drew energy from the mountain, channeling it through my hand. I focused on the rock, trying to use the magic to lift it and fling it at Cynder. The rock trembled and jumped before I tired. I gasped for air, feeling the sweat drip down my face.
“You're getting better at earth magic,” Cynder said.
I raised an eyebrow. “I am?”
He stretched his long neck until his eyes were right near the rock. “Yup. I believe it moved an inch that time.” Cynder erupted with laughter, his booming voice pounding in my ears.
I gave Cynder a sour look.
“Don't be so dour, Hellsfire. You're improving, at least in your use of fire magic. Everything else needs work. If we fight again, I won't use my fire. I'll just use my jaws.” Cynder’s head snaked over and he snapped his teeth in front of me. I jumped, causing
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