Chapter Thirty Six - Nine Months Later

The time had passed in a flash, Aurelius was already taller than Noah. he stood a good twenty centimetres taller [7.8 Inches] than him now. He was very playful and would often steal Noah's food when he sat down to eat with the old man.

Noah's training had resulted in him being able to, with quite an effort, circulate his aura through his body after just a second of willing it too. Not only was his magic abilities boosted by bonding with Aurelius but he had also noticed his strength had nearly doubled.

The stone house that had been made for them to grow in was now looking worn from having a dragon walking around it. The floor was now slowly bending in and footmarks were left behind where Aurelius had been.

Standing outside in the sun, Noah was trying to convert magic aura around his had into mana. Since he had found out that Aurelius and the ring could stop him from accidentally over flooding with aura he would try experimenting with magic particles.

Alaric took soft steps over to where Noah was practising and watched him as he tried to turn his aura into mana. A small smile appearing on his face while he watched Noah sweat and try harder and harder to turn it into mana.

Flicking Noah's nose he made him break concentration and stop, dispersing the aura all around his body and back into the air. "Noah, it's time to leave. A whole day will have passed near enough and I am sure that Master of yours will be worried about you."

Noah looked over to Aurelius who was eating into a Giant Hog that Alaric had acquired, the sounds of bones being crushed and munched on. His face straining at the thought of leaving him alone, even though Noah made sure to speak to him as much as he could, Aurelius still hadn't picked up the language. He sent images of what he saw to try and converse between the two of themselves, that or a line of emotions.

Aurelius stopped, turning his head looking directly at Noah and cocking his head to the side as if to ask him what was wrong?

Walking over and rubbing his partner's neck, he could only sadly smile. Admitting to him that it was time for him to leave, for the time being. Knowing that time ran differently here.; he wasn't sure how big or developed Aurelius would be by the time he came back.

A horrid smell of the Giant Hog being devoured reached Noah's nose but he didn't mind it like he used too. He had done his best to overcome it, especially as it was going to happen quite regularly.

The baby dragon turned and nuzzled into Noah's chest, sending images of Noah's mother, Isan and Quin to him. Sharing a bond seemed to allow him to see what they looked like back in his memories. When Noah first talked about them, Aurelius had found them and sent the memories of them to Noah just making sure that he found the right ones.

He seemed awfully fond of Nereem, and would often cosy up to Noah at night sending memories of her to him like he was asking for stories about her. When he found out about Oran he would also try and send an image of him to Noah but it was very blurry and didn't quite look like him.

Noah could feel the warmth of his memories from Aulerius before he got the image of Aurlerius and Alaric together as if he was saying he would be okay with being apart for some time. Patting the baby dragons neck and wrapping his arms around it.

In nine short months, they had become as close as siblings. Barely being apart from each other except when Noah was training.

Turning to face Alaric, "I guess it is. So, I just focus my magic aura around the ring and I will be sent back to where I came from?"

Nodding his head up and down, "Yes, it is as simple as that. Try and come back once a day if you can. I wouldn't want Aulerius forgetting your face." Walking over and patting his back.

"Well, guess I will be going. I will see you soon buddy!" Patting Aulerious' neck one more time before focussing all the magic particles he could into aura around the ring. It was soon taken in by the ring and changed into a black cold aura which covered him.

Noah took a deep breath before being completely covered in the aura and disappearing, leaving only the baby dragon and the old man behind...

When Noah returned he was exactly where the Giant Hog had hit him, the aftermath of the battle was still there but some things were out of place; the ground that had been indented and turned into dirt had grown back into grass.

His sword that had broken during the fight was scattered across the ground, growing mould on the handle. The baby hog that he had hunted before and left on the ground when teleporting was nothing but bones.

Something was wrong. Something had gone very very wrong.

Rushing back to where the cottage in front of the lake had been Noah only found an empty husk of its former self. There were four bodies laying on the ground in front of the house. They all had repeated cuts across the chest of every single body that was on the ground.

Blood had dried into their tunics, when Noah took a closer look he noticed that under the tunics was a blue metal chainmail of some type. They had all fought back but their swords were only chipped and didn't have any blood on them.

It looked like whatever or whoever they fought hadn't found them a challenge.

Hastily grabbing one of the swords on the ground he went into the house to find that the living room which he had stayed in for so long had been completely obliterated. The wooden couches had been turned over.

The chest that only his Master had access too was upturned with the lock scattered across the floor; there was no light and the fire looked like it had burned out weeks ago, ash sprinkled across the floor from being kicked over.

Running to the other room, the door was locked and sealed closed, Noah had to kick as hard as he could for it to fly open and see...