Chapter 10 (3/3)

Draco put on blue trousers, a shirt with a stand-up collar and black heavy leather boots. Everything lay perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made. He looked at himself in the mirror and found that he looked surprisingly good in it. I've changed. He admitted to himself. I look different, I feel more confident and safer. I think in a different way. One seemingly small discovery has changed me to the point where I have trouble seeing my old self myself. He sighed looking at himself. I feel better in the skin of a mage than a dragon. He stated with resignation. But are they two completely different entities? He asked himself this question for the first time. He didn't know what made him think this way, but he had to admit that it was heading in the right direction. Maybe I just feel complete now? Not just a dragon or just a mage, but both sides of my nature forming a whole, being me? He looked over at the bed and took another look at the cloak lying on it. He picked it up in his hand and put it on.

It was long, reaching his knees. It seemed warm, but despite the high temperature, it didn't seem to make him any warmer than before. The coat was the same shade of blue as the one Darius wore, it had silver buttons and a coat of arms embroidered on the left shoulder. Coat of arms. He thought while looking at it in the mirror. The simple shield was divided into four parts. On the upper left and lower right were silver griffins, and on two others were dark blue dragons. He liked it and knew it must belong to Darius' family. He touched it with his hand and smiled. He set about fastening it and felt something under his finger on the button. He had not looked at them before and only now did he notice that there was the same dragon on each one as on the coat of arms. He smiled again and ran his finger over the button.

When he had finished he took another look at himself. He nodded and reached for the thick leather belt lying at the very bottom of the pack, with fittings for a sword on one side, and on the other there was room for a dagger or pistol. He looked in the mirror. I look like I was born in this. He thought while looking at himself again.

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Draco walked down the stairs slightly adjusting his belt and wondering how his aunt would react to seeing him. I almost look like someone completely different. He thought glancing down at himself.

-...what happened to him later on?- Nasua's voice reached him.

-Oh, nothing much.- Darius sounded as if he was slightly amused. -A few months later, one of the most lavish weddings in the city took place. Matheo married the dwarves Fiora Waffenkreuz, the only daughter of Herman Waffenkreuz. I had the opportunity to attend the wedding and I must say that the party was great.- Draco entered and noticed the master leaning on a box lying on the table. He was smiling while telling some old story.- Nine months later they had twins Angus and Florence, the eyes in their father's head. Now they both run branches of their shop in Dagos and in Abbis, and they are only eighteen.

-Oh, there you are. Let me see you.- Nasua put down her teacup and looked at the young dragon.-You look like you were born in this.-She said seriously nodding her head.-You really fit in.

-You're right.- Darius smiled as he watched his apprentice.-All right, now let's get to the main point of the programme.-He said rubbing his hands together before Draco could speak.-It is customary in our country that the master accepting an apprentice into the term presents him with his first weapon.-He stroked an old case with a sort of expression of nostalgia on his face.-This is my gift to you.-He gently moved the case so that the latches faced Draco. It's old. The dragon thought while looking at it. It looks precious. He assessed as far as his limited knowledge allowed. On the latches he noticed the decorative letters V, and between them the burnished silhouette of a dragon.-Come on, open it.-Bleist urged him.

-I really don't know if I should...- Draco began awkwardly, glancing at the master, aunt and chest in turn.

-Don't even say that.- Darius rebuked him with a smile on his lips.-I've been waiting for this moment myself ever since I received my Master's title, so do me the favor, please.

Draco nodded a few times and walked over to the case. Suddenly his icy hands gripped the latches and he drew in deeply. He was nervous although he didn't know why. In one smooth movement he opened the closures and gently lifted the lid. The inside was lined with a fine, soft, blood-red material. On it lay a sword. Simple, one-and-a-half-handed and with a large perfectly transparent stone embedded in the head. On the hilt he could see a barely outlined ornament, and the blue scabbard was sheathed in shiny metal moulded in a fancy pattern.

-It is beautiful - whispered the dragon looking at the weapon.

-Not only that.- He glanced at Darius. The mage looked surprised and excited at the same time, his eyes sparkling.-Truly unusual. As a rule, such weapons are given for higher officer ranks in the army or for scientific merit. It is a weapon of the highest class, an Atlantean sword, the Eil as Mageus, the face of the sorcerer.-He unconsciously placed his hand on his own weapon.-When it finds its master it binds to him for the rest of the sorcerer's life, and then disintegrates into dust.- His eyes flashed even more. He shifted his gaze from the weapon to Draco.-When you grab it, you can't let go until it binds to you.-He said with his face lit up with a smile.-Only then will it take its true shape that suits its new owner best.

-I...I think...-The dragon stammered not knowing what to do. It's too precious. I can't. He thought a little horrified.-I can't, it's too much....

-Oh, what are you talking about?- Darius looked slightly amused by Draco's reaction.-My friend gave it to me saying it belonged to my first apprentice. It is yours, just as Master Vittoro wanted it to be.

At the sound of the hammer and anvil grandmaster's name Draco went pale. Everyone had heard of the famous Atlantean armsmith and his sons, who, along with Herman Waffenkreuz, were the most respected armourers in the entire known world. He looked with wide-open eyes first at the weapon and then at the smiling master.

-That's all the more reason why I can't...-He choked out looking away.

-Well, don't argue with your master.- Darius threatened him with his finger laughing under his breath.-This is my gift to you and a proof that you are my disciple. You can't refuse.- He added with a sassy smile.

Draco stood for a moment unsure of what to do next, but when impatience appeared on his master's face and he saw stubbornness in his eyes he realised that he really had no other choice.

-Thank you master.- He bowed low and then extended his hand towards the hilt. He stopped it a few millimetres away, took a deep breath and grasped it firmly.

It was a strange feeling, as if he had suddenly come into contact with something that wanted to influence him, and at the same time wanted him to influence it. It felt like when his power was first made known to him. Reflexively, he closed his eyes and immediately found himself in the same dark space standing in the middle of a ball of light. However, he sensed something else here. A new presence, somewhere ahead of him, just beyond the edge of the light. He moved towards it and the luminous sphere followed him, it seemed to him that it was bigger than before, but he couldn't tell if it was just his impression or reality.

He felt himself approaching this new presence. A shape blurred in the darkness. The sword looked like it was suspended in space, held up by shadows. He was getting closer and closer, he could already see the weapon closely. The sword was one-and-a-half-handed, and a large black stone was embedded in its head, inside of which darkness seemed to mix with muffled light in a fascinating way. The shaft was straight, tightly wrapped in black leather. The hilt was covered on both sides with runes, Atlantean on one side and dragon runes on the other, both inscriptions signifying the same word although translated differently depending on the language. Gler'thys from Atlantean dragon blade, and from the language of dragons a deadly shadow. The hilt ended on either side with carefully shaped dragon heads. The blade was straight and tapered towards the end, it had double fuller and there were runes running the entire length that he had never seen before. In the middle were larger, more distinguished marks that made up his name. As with the sword's name, the inscription was in two languages. Draco's name was written in Atlantean runes and Ignis' surname in dragon runes.

He slowly reached out his hand and the shadows diverged giving way to a luminous sphere. He clenched his hand firmly on the hilt and felt his energy pour into the sword, and he somehow became bound to it, as if becoming part of it. And again he felt as if he was reclaiming a part of himself that he had forgotten existed and that had come to him on its own. He felt that he knew what the sword he held in his hand was capable of, that he knew how to use it, how to pour into it the knowledge and practice he had acquired at the Dragon Academy. Picking it up he sensed its unusual balance, it was heavier than the swords he had held in his hands so far. The weight was also distributed differently than normal, the handle and crossguard perfectly balanced the weight of the blade, the weight of which gradually increased towards the lunge, which, due to his strength, did not cause him any problem, in fact it fit his hand perfectly. He tried to swing. He knew that with this balance, the force of the blow was greater at the end. The sword smoothly cut through the air leaving only a silver streak in its wake.

Draco felt that the weapon would serve him well, but he was also aware that despite the impression that he could handle the sword, he needed to get used to it, to familiarise himself with it, to master a technique that suited its balance and his own strength. He had no idea from where, but fencing techniques he had never encountered appeared in his mind. He began to suspect that Gler'thys itself was responsible for this. After all, it's not a normal sword, so something like this shouldn't surprise me. He smiled to himself and squeezed the handle even tighter. Time to go back. He thought and slowly opened his eyes.

He held the handle of the sword in a strong grip, and the weapon was identical to the one he had seen in the magic zone. The scabbard had also changed. It had now taken on a black colour and there were the same runes on it as on the sword. The ferrule had changed taking the shape of flames running down the blade. The weapon looked magnificent and Draco couldn't get enough of it. It belongs to me now. He thought, wondering if every mage bonding with Eil as Mageus felt as if he was reclaiming a part of himself that had always been waiting for him.

-Beautiful,- Bleist muttered staring at the weapon like a child at candy. He suddenly furrowed his eyebrows and leaned over slightly to look at something more closely.- Hmmm... Gler'thys. Interesting. There are three types of runes on the sword. Atlantean, dragon and...- He muttered intrigued. He looked as if he was trying to unravel some mysterious riddle.-I don't know these runes.-He rubbed his chin in dismay.-Do you know these signs?-He asked his apprentice tilting his head.

-Unfortunately master, I have never seen such.- Draco replied looking intrigued by the unfamiliar signs. He noticed that his aunt had put on her glasses and walked over to see the sword up close. As soon as she looked at it she turned slightly pale and shifted her gaze to Draco.

-I didn't expect...- She put her hand on his head and gently combed through his hair.-It's your destiny, apparently.- She said in a slightly cracking voice and with a smile on her face.

-Do you recognise these runes? -Darius looked surprised.

-Yes, however, I can't read them,- stated the dragoness looking at the mage.-I can't say anything about them though,-she smiled a little sadly.-I rather doubt you will find them somewhere, but one day Draco will know where to look for them.

-What does that mean Auntie?- Draco asked looking at the dragoness.

-You'll find out in your own time, - she said sitting down in her chair. Draco looked at Darius and read the same thing from his face as he thought from her they would learn nothing. Bleist shrugged his shoulders gently making a face emphatically telling him to leave it for later.

-Put it on your belt.- said the master overlooking the problem at hand. Draco immediately understood that they would deal with it later and for now he didn't need to worry about it.

The dragon picked up the sword and looked at the unusual attachment. Quite quickly he worked out how the five silver chains, whose links were covered in a pattern of flames, should be clipped to his belt. When he did so he was surprised to find that the weight of the sword was perfectly distributed and did not interfere with any of his movements.

-Try it.- Darius smiled nodding appreciatively.

Draco agreed and walked out into the garden. He faced his aunt and master and drew his sword from its scabbard for the first time. It laid perfectly in his hand and he swung and cut at neck level with no problem.

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Bleist watched Draco handle his sword in the shadow battle. He was pleased to watch the boy move seamlessly from a one-handed grip to a two-handed one, making turns at which the sheath halves could barely keep up with his figure. I have to say, they really do put an emphasis on swordsmanship at the Dragon Academy. He watched as the sword in his student's hands turned into a shimmering ribbon. Suddenly Draco stopped and assumed an unusual position holding the sword in his outstretched hand at a forty-five degree angle. He saw the dragon let out a gasp of air and prepare to make an attack. In an instant he picked up his sword making a diagonal cut from below and immediately went into a spin, in the middle of it he changed into his dragon form and finished with a cut at the height of his own throat. Darius leapt up from his seat. He could not believe his eyes. Gler'thys had changed along with its owner. It was now longer, wider and noticeably heavier. The crossguard on either side ended in long claws pointing along the length of the blade, and the crystal in the head was enclosed in a fine mesh of black metal that took the shape of a spike at the end.

Draco blinked his golden eyes a few times, looking at the weapon held in his hand with surprise. He raised his gaze and looked at his master, who had frozen motionless staring at Gler'thys.

-But... how?- Bleist asked himself and approached his apprentice feeling a growing curiosity within him.-Astonishing.- He looked at the blade and noticed that the runes had changed and the name had swapped the type of writing.

-Is that...?- Draco began uncertainly, glancing at the master.

-Is this normal? To be honest, it's the first time I've encountered something like this, but it means that this sword really suits you.-He put his hand on the dragon's shoulder.-You should be happy, because it will serve you well no matter what the situation is.-He smiled adding to the boy's confidence. The clock on the wall struck noon surprising Darius. Time really does pass quickly in good company.- Unfortunately we will have to go now.- He said turning back to Nasua. Draco changed back to his human form and carefully placed his sword in its scabbard.- I hope we can meet again in such a pleasant atmosphere.-He nodded towards her and when he raised his gaze again he was surprised to see the old woman standing a step away from him smiling.

-Please take good care of him.- She whispered squeezing Darius with unexpected strength.

-Of course madame.

Nasua walked up to her nephew and embraced him tenderly.

-Draco, dear, take care and listen to your master.- She said affectionately and kissed him on the forehead.

-Of course, Aunty.-The dragon smiled broadly.-See you later.

Both he and Bleist left the house and slowly moved ahead.