Night Fury's Wrath

Chapter 60: Pursuit of Power [Part 2]

-This is a little shorter than usual, but I figured it was better to cut this one off early than to stop part way through fleshing out the next big thing. It's less confusing that way. Anywho, enjoy!

-NFD

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"A... what?" I questioned, wincing when Mom licked a particularly sore gouge in my shoulder.

Von fiddled with his tail tip using a single claw but otherwise sat calmly in the soft light of his tomb. "An animal," he repeated.

"You want me to act like an animal."

His expression didn't shift even slightly, apparently dead-serious. "Yes."

Von's request was very simple, but, at the same time, it sounded like the world's most complicated puzzle. He told me to act like an animal, which would supposedly help me leaps and bounds with my 'training.' What was that supposed to mean? How did he expect me to attempt that? As far as I knew, many animals only cared about food, water, shelter, and reproduction. 

"Technically, we're already animals, Dad," Moon interjected as she slowly walked along the edges of the chamber. "We're not so different."

Von spared her a cross look. "That's offensive."

"Quadrupeds, tails, wildness, our love of raw meat," she listed, rolling her eyes. "According to Scaleless, that's an animal."

"Not for us."

"For us, that definition depends entirely on the dragon," Moon countered. "Some say only the insane are animals, some say Scaleless are animals, and some claim only single-minded prey are animals. In my eyes, whatever is wild at heart and still embraces its primal nature is an animal, and, as far as I'm concerned, that's everyone in this cave."

Von mulled that over, seemingly torn, then reluctantly conceded. "I... suppose that makes sense."

"I think the important part is what he meant," Stormfly cut in from a few paces to my left. "What does 'being an animal' do to make Auroon stronger?"

"Stronger?" Von chuckled and shook his head, much to my surprise. "No, no, no. You've got it all wrong. We're not making him stronger."

"In case you didn't notice, I got pummeled," I pointed out, not liking this one bit. "I am completely ineffective against Caligo. I need to get stronger, not pretend to be something else."

Von rolled his eyes. "Auroon, you're the Siegebreaker. You didn't earn that title by being weak."

"I had Soulmagic back then," I retorted sourly. "But that changed." Being reminded of my darker seasons was a poor way to start off this arrangement. Why did my past have to follow me everywhere?

"You're missing the point of this meeting," Moon huffed loudly. "We're not here to make you stronger; you're plenty strong enough. Don't you remember what I said about dragons and their magic? One's magic can only get stronger, and unless you're dying, it can't get weaker. Just because you have a different magic type doesn't mean you have less power."

"Precisely," Von agreed. "You have the same strength, but you cannot tap into its full potential the same way as Soulmagic. We must find the best method to dig up your power and use it. When I say to act like an animal, I mean to fall back onto your instincts. Stop thinking. Your body naturally knows how to use its power, so let it use it."

"That's dangerous," Moon objected, eyeing Von dubiously. "There's a reason that teaching method was abandoned centuries ago. He could lose himself to his baser instincts."