The request to head over to Hayate's tent had made Hylli curious. Perhaps their last training had been so pleasant, that Hayate deemed it worth to schedule another training? After all, some time had passed but enough for a letter to arrive in Akino and have an answer in return? She wasn't entirely sure about it. But the prospect alone made her pace faster than usual.
Nearing Hayate's tent, she made herself known to his guard and politely waited outside. Her mind was already progressing what kind of response she was going to get, in case it was the letter. Understanding that her parents were likely concerned, Hylli also was eager to know if they had some words of approval or motivation for her.
Hayate had been preparing for a while, ever since he had sent the request for Hylli to join him. He was hoping that the news he had would be something she was excited about as well. The guard entering the tent pulled him away from his thoughts and Hayate nodded, indicating for the guard to let Hylli in. Taking one last look at the table, he smiled and then turned back to greet Hylli as she arrived.
"Thank you for coming," he began once she had entered the tent,
"I have some positive news to share with you."
Being allowed to enter the tent, Hylli made a respectful bow with her head. When he stated that he had some positive news, she was initially confused. Then only to realise that couldn't be a letter - for Hayate didn't seem the type to open other people's letters.
Not masking her curiosity, Hylli tilted her head to the left.
"That is great. So only positive?" Hylli half-joked, awaiting what he had in store for her.
"I certainly hope so," Hayate answered with a smile.
"Jora answered faster than I anticipated. It seems he supports our request to have you repeat the trials." Watching for Hylli's reaction, Hayate continued,
"I have been able to arrange things so that we could start immediately, should you so desire."
Hylli remained silent. The Trial of the Dragon hadn't slipped from her mind. But in truth, she had braced herself from hearing a no. The sacred tradition wasn't meant to be bend or revised; it was a tradition. Yet, she couldn't resist the idea of actually attempting it for a second time. Certainly seeing how pathetic her first attempt had been.
"Wait, right now?" Hylli repeated, blinking rapidly as if she needed to wake up from sort of dream,
"If that is okay with you, then I am more than eager to attempt again," she answered in return.
"Excellent," Hayate said, rubbing his hands together,
"I had prepared a few things just in case you were ready." Gesturing to the table where a large tome rested alongside a bowl, he continued,
"The beginning of the trial should be the same as you remember, however, there may be some changes to the second stages." Moving behind the table, Hayate opened the tome and flipped to the correct page.
Looking back up at Hylli, he smiled once more.
"So, to begin, the Great Dragon gave us three boons, what are they?"
Raising a hand, Hylli rubbed the back of her head for a moment. Walking towards the table, she felt some nerves creeping up. Placing her hands behind her back, she had no trouble to mention the three boons that the Great Dragon had bestowed upon them.
"The Great Dragon has gifted us with three boons. The first is the gift to create, allowing us to shape the world around us. The second boon is the bond, allowing those worthy among us to form a bond with those created in the image of the Great Dragon." Pausing for a moment, Hylli was able to call on the third boon.
"The third is the gift of knowledge. She assigned us as the guardians of the knowledge, allowing us to pass it on to those who have proven their worth and loyalty."
Nodding as Hylli provided the answers he was looking for, Hayate thought back to his own trial. He had been so eager at the time, and had studied extensively with Jora until the answers came naturally to him. He imagined Hylli was in a similar position here as she seemed to answer without hesitation.
Moving on to the next request, Hayate glanced back down at the tome before continuing,
"Very good Hylli. What are the tenets that are core to our clan?"
A smile dawned on Hylli's lips as her answers were the correct. It felt a bit odd as the first attempt, her grandfather had been present. His pride upon her able to recite the answers had been enough - even if she had failed to return with a bonded dragon.
"Our faith is the fire that fuels the Great Forge. The bonds that we form with the dragons are stronger than any steel. We shall show traitors no remorse. Through this bond, we will protect the real seal. We protect the Great Dragon as she protects us, her divine force. None are above the clan," Hylli said, calm and confidently,
"We may share our gifts, but never our secrets. We pledge to avenge any grievance."
Hearing the tenets recited back, Hayate was reminded of some of the older traditions of the clan and the Elders. They had guarded these traditions zealously even as times had changed and some of the tenets became outdated. Hayate still believed in many of them, but there were those that he worried had led the Elders astray previously.
When Hylli finished, Hayate smiled and nodded.
"Excellent, you've done your prep work." Looking down at the tome, he prepared to recite the text that would begin the next stage of the ritual but paused,
"Are you sure you are ready for the next step?" he asked,
"If you'd like more time to prepare we can continue at a later time."
"They are not easy to forget," Hylli replied, remembering the nights that she had memorised the necessary information. It was something that her family had lived by generations and she saw no need to break from them.
She didn't answer the question that Hayate posed right away. It was tempting to take more time, to prepare for the real trial. But how much time did she actually have? With the looming threat of being called to arms again or a mission, did she actually have any time?
Slowly nodding, Hylli answered the question with a firm voice.
"I am as ready as I ever will be. And, hopefully, with a better result this time," Hylli ended with a wry smile - feeling the nerves becoming worse.
Happy with her response, Hayate turned his attention back to the tome.
"Before I begin then, please remove any metal that you have on you. This includes your pouch." With that out of the way, he began reciting from the tome, speaking in the old language.
"As it has been since the First Father, we thank the Great Dragon for her boon. The bond in which we share with her glorious children is unbreakable, forged in the flames of her unending fire. We pledge our lives and our faith to this bond."
The old language sounded strange in his ears, even as it came from his own mouth. He had not had to use the language in quite some time and he was a little rusty. Hopefully Hylli did not mind.
"We will honour the Great Dragon by proving ourselves worthy of her gift." Looking up from the tome as he finished, Hayate took a blade from beside the book and raised it in the air. Holding his hand above the bowl, he made a quick cut across his palm before turning his hand and letting some of the blood drain into the bowl. Wiping the blade, Hayate handed it, handle first, towards Hylli.
Patiently, Hylli waited for Hayate to commence with the ritual. The next part was less pleasant but it wasn't supposed to be something fun, she imagined. Carefully taking the blade, she remembered prayer she had made a few nights ago. Aware of the blood-oath she had made to Valdar, Hylli realised that it was now or never.
Inhaling softly, she pressed the sharp steel against her skin. Slowly, she moved the edge to shred the skin and draw the blood. Once more with caution, Hylli moved the blade away from her hand. Positioning her hand above the bowl, she squeezed and endured the pain - watching a few drops of blood descend into the bowl.
Taking the blade back once Hylli had completed her portion of the ritual, Hayate cleaned the blade once more and continued reading from the tome.
"With a sacrifice of blood, we submit our intent to honour our bond." Dipping his fingers into the bowl, Hayate swirled them, mixing the blood. After a moment he withdrew his fingers and formed a seal on the surface of the table using the mixed blood.
"We now move forward to allow the Great Dragon to test our mind, body and spirit so that she may measure our worth."
Completing the seal, Hayate looked up at Hylli once more, no longer speaking the old language.
"Once it begins, you will have three hours to complete the trials before you will be summoned back here. Do you have any questions?"
Three hours. She slowly nodded, understanding what was going to happen. The pain in the palm of her hand reminded her of what had happened before. Suddenly, she couldn't' feel the nerves of before. Instead, she felt a strong drive to set things right. To prove others that she wasn't going to linger behind. Without Hayate needing to say it, Hylli calmly started to disarm herself. Placing her weapon belts on the table, stripping herself of any weapon or iron tools. Which was quite disheartening, knowing fully what was awaiting her. But the rules were there for a reason.
"No, I have none," Hylli said, her voice softer than before,
"I am ready when you are, Hayate," Hylli said once she was done and now rid of anything that could be seen as breaking the rule. Focusing on her breathing, Hylli tried to flash a confident smile at Hayate. Only to realise it was perhaps more wry than ever.
Nodding when she said she did not have any questions, Hayate gave her a smile of encouragement.
"Then may the Great Dragon smile upon you in favour. Trust in your instincts Hylli and I have faith that you will make it through these trials." With that said, Hayate placed his hand upon the seal and flowed his chakra into it, completing the loop. The seal shone brightly for a moment and with a flash, Hylli disappeared, transported to the realm of the dragons. Glancing at where she had previously stood, Hayate hoped she would succeed. Closing his eyes, he uttered a silent request to Kuromu through their mental link.
"Watch over her Kuromu."
He doubted the dragon would hear him from this distance, but wanted to try nevertheless.
Wanting to say something, Hylli felt a rush of a wind picking up. The speed seemed to rival that of a tornado, threatening to pick her apart. It was hard to keep her eyes open and she instinctively raised her hands to protect her face against the lashes of the sudden tornado.
But as sudden as the gale had arrived out of nowhere, it vanished. Stumbling and falling on a knee, Hylli felt the rough texture of the ground. She remained frozen in motion, listening to the surrounding. Instead of hearing the ambience of the war camp, that she had gotten used to, she heard nothing. An eerie silence had replaced together with a new scenery.
Slowly rising, she looked around. It had been like her dreams and the trial before: a dry and barren wasteland around her. There was barely any vegetation and a cold breeze passed by her.
Inhaling slowly, Hylli took the landscape further in. In the nearby distance, she saw a large mountain reaching for the sky. There was something there, that moved through the air but it was too far away for her to really be certain what it was.
Carefully, Hylli started to advance through the landscape. It seemed far from bountiful in life but she had learned from her first trial: life here was different. It had adapted to the climate and what ruled this land.
Hearing a terrifying roar that went through flesh and bone, Hylli froze. Throwing a look over her shoulder, she witnessed a large shadow moving over the ground. It was big enough that she could lie down and barely form a good portion of it.
"Well, here I go again," she mumbled to herself, advancing further.
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She held a quick pace, moving forwards with her gaze locked on the sole mountain. The terrain didn't become in any way easier. Various times did she need to climb steep hills in order to progress further. But Hylli didn't let that stop her.
A few times she had to cross deep rivers with a strong stream. Managing to get across with pain and effort, Hylli kept moving forwards.
Feeling a twinge of exhaustion, she knew that time wasn't her ally. Three hours seemed enough to reach the base of the mountain. But she remembered her first attempt at the Trial. The painful memory kept her from stopping. After all, there was an obstacle that she had to conquer. An obstacle that had prevented her from venturing further and having a chance to succeed.
Continuing for a while, Hylli came to a slow stop. Her gaze met the obstacle that had held her back the first time. A large canyon prevented her way - being too large for her to jump over with any kind of her abilities. She even doubted that the usage of earth release was going to work as the canyon was too deep, to allow a stable support.
Crouching near the edge, Hylli stared into the canyon. In the far distance she could see the form of a river running. But how deep it was, how deep or fast the river was and other details weren't clear.
"How do I proceed?" She mumbled to herself, wondering how she should tackle this. She was back at where she had been during the first attempt. Back then she had spend nearly all time to make a push forwards - only to fail horribly.
Perhaps, she mused, there was a possibility.
"Great Dragon, Valdar," she mumbled as she rose and straightened her back,
"here I go," the Hyuzu mumbled as she spread her arms. Slowly she started to fall forwards, over the edge.
The rush of the wind made it hard to do anything as Hylli kept her eyes closed for a moment. Bringing her hands close to each other, she attempted to focus on her plan. But the roar of the wind as she continued to fall downwards made it near impossible to focus on anything.
A blue hue surrounded Hylli's hands as she kept them close to each other. The blue energy started to shine brighter until it became so dense that Hylli could hear the familiar hissing.
"Time to see if I am an idiot or not," she thought to herself as she tried to position herself to face the direction she wanted to go.
Turning, the young woman directed the chakra to form more solid - using the momentum to push herself forwards as she continued to descend rapidly.
Seeing the other side of the canyon, Hylli grunted as she kept trying to push herself forwards in a rolling motion.
"Just a few more rolls," went through her mind as desperation started to mix together with adrenaline.
Stretching her arm, Hylli attempted to extend the chakra towards the edge. The tip of the condensed chakra, formed by the sabre technique, scratched the wall.
"Shi---"
Her mind turned to a colour. It was hard to explain but suddenly, something caused her mind to see herself from a different perspective. The vision caused her to become confused, scared even. More so cause the vision moved at a lightning speed at her but she was still able to see so much detail.
Before Hylli could properly react, a strong force clasped around her. Pain shot through her body as her vision became partially black - her mind turning into vivid colours. The only thing that Hylli could register was the colour red and the roar of the wind in her ears, with a soft beating in the distance.
"Ugh," released from the strong grip, Hylli smacked against the ground. She laid still for a moment, wondering if she would see the Valravns coming to take her to the afterlife. Slowly and cautiously, Hylli looked through her eyelashes. She laid on the ground but the sight confused her. The canyon was there?
Opening her eyes further and pushing herself up, her mind also collected itself. The strange experience of before gone.
"What," she whispered as she threw a confused look around,
"the fuck was that?"
But as she looked around, there was no sign of anything else. She was alone, so far she could detect.
Straightening her back, Hylli observed the other side of the canyon. Who or whatever had aided her, she was now on the other side of it. A rush of joy went through her body but Hylli reminded herself: this was just the start.
Turning around, she faced the nearby mountain with a determined expression.
The journey kept challenging her with more steep terrain that was difficult to overcome, even with the ability of chakra aiding her. What would truly aid her would have been any of her tools. Even one of her special knives could aid her to move faster.
Unsure how much time had passed, Hylli felt exhaustion starting to trouble her. It became harder to keep the same fast pace or to face another steep hill with the same determination as before.
Climbing another steep cliff, Hylli pulled herself over the edge. Breathing heavily, she threw a look at the way back. Then it dawned on her, causing her to look with awe.
The terrain was rugged and seemingly dry, as if the sun dared any foliage to grow in the warm and near unbearable area. But in the far distance, she saw brown turning into soft yellow and green. Not a geographical expert, it was abundant that wherever the Dragon Lair was located seemed to be far from just in a dry biome.
"Does that mean," Hylli thought to herself,
"that it is also why there are different dragons?" It seemed to be clicking together as she knew that there wasn't just one type of dragon. Much like there wasn't just one type of wyvern or animal. Certain dragons couldn't, after all, thrive in certain biomes - if the teachings were true.
Continuing to look down at the far distance, Hylli wasn't sure how she felt about it all. More questions flooded her mind. How did certain dragons then come to the mountain? How did they know? What was in place that continued the Hyuzu and dragons to cooperate?
Her first assumption was the Great Dragon. There was no other answer than that, which strengthened Hylli's belief.
Turning around, she noticed that the base of the mountain was close. Unsure how much time she had left, Hylli pressed herself to keep moving forward.
Trying to ignore her exhaustion, the heat started to annoy her. Beads of sweat continued to roll over her warm skin, in an attempt to cool down her body. Pain started to surface in her legs and arms as more steep cliffs continued to be in her way.
Then her mind suddenly became invaded with another colour. A sharp green moved in and filled her mind. It was overwhelming that it hurt and made Hylli experience a pain, that seemed to threaten to explode her head. Squinting her eyes, she attempted to keep moving to the base of the mountain. Her senses started to become overwhelmed as if some sort of song mixed with the green. It didn't feel malicious but it was far from pleasant.
Tripping and falling to the ground, Hylli grunted. The alien sensation continued to spread, as if it wanted to take over and keep a hold on her.
Refusing to back down now that she was this close, Hylli started to drag herself over the ground. She was so close, this time she wasn't going to let anything stop her.
At least, that was what she continued to mutter to herself. Inch by inc she pushed on.
All of a sudden, an ear-piercing roar split the air and made Hylli froze in motion. Her blue eyes slowly moved her gaze to above as a shadow moved over her. Before she was able to distinguish what had roared, a strong tremor caused Hylli to flinch and close her eyes again.
Once more looking at what had approached her, her heart skipped a beat. Laying in the shadow of the beast, she saw its large wings - spread out and providing a beautiful but intimidating sight.
The large antlers that crested its head seemed to be a sort of natural crown while two scarlet eyes stared down on her. Even as its lips were curled upwards, in a sort of mocking replica of a smile, Hylli saw the rows of sharp teeth. They were slightly yellow but far from looking innocent.
The light brown scales that covered the dragon made it appear to shine even brighter.
"By the gods," Hylli thought to herself, wanting to push herself up. Only for the beast to bring its head closer to Hylli.
A sharp pain invaded Hylli, turning to another colour. It was white, painful white. Unable to understand what it meant, Hylli tried to raise her arms over her head.
Before she was able to curl in a ball, she felt something odd that caused her to be pushed on her back. The dragon had extended one of his claws and in a cautious fashion pushed her and now held her on her back. It didn't pressure weight on her or else Hylli was certain that it could crush her ribs.
"No, let me go," she stated as she tried to slip out of the grip,
"I need to reach the mountain," she mumbled, trying to push the claw away in mere vain and desperation.
The dragon brought its head closer. The stank of decay and death coming closer and causing Hylli to cough. The scarlet coloured eye narrowed as if it tried to peer in Hylli's head. The painful white in the Hyuzu's head turned to a dim yellow. The sound of the beast breathing was terrifying - a rumbling sound that vibrated enough that Hylli could sense it with her own body.
"Please," she nearly begged as tears started to well up. There was no way that she could release herself from the dragon's grasp. No way that she now could manage to get to the base. Letting her arms fall to the ground, she stared at the scarlet eye. It seemed savage and wild, representing the nature of the beast perfectly. But there was something that drawed Hylli in. Nearly seemed to make her forget the stink of death and rot.
Suddenly, the claw around Hylli's waist buried into the ground and clapsed around Hylli. Surprised and shocked, Hylli felt the grip tightening. Trying to squirm out of it, she heard the beating of wings as the dragon raised her up - holding her close to its chest.
The colour in her head turned to a soft pink. Unsure what the colours meant in her head, Hylli couldn't do anything but hold on and hope that Hayate could summon her back. Ending as a snack for a dragon was far from the ideal way to go, in her opinion.
Watching as the beast took off, Hylli could see how they started to gain altitude fast - the large wings producing a loud and distinct beat. Unsure what was going to happen, Hylli tried to figure out where the dragon was taking her to. Her fear was that the beast considered her a meal for itself or perhaps its brood. But then she noticed that they were soaring, slowly descending towards the base of the mountain.
Confused, Hylli halted her resistance. Her mind started to gain another colour through, which was a soft blue. Still unsure what was going on, Hylli did nearly instinctively relaxed as a result.
The beast gently touched down on the ground before it released Hylli. Landing on her feet, Hylli gazed at the mountain.It was so tall that the top was shrouded in dark clouds, hiding whatever was far above.
Hearing the dragon growl, Hylli half turned to the beast. The savage scarlet eyes observed her before it brought its head down. Suddenly, a mild pain flowed in Hylli's head but was quickly followed by a series of projections. It was weird as she saw the mountain unmoving but the seasons and clouds moving rapidly.
Then it clicked. With wide eyes she looked back at the scarlet eyes.
"You were waiting," she mumbled, realising that was what the projections meant. The soft hue of blue moved back in her mind. She wasn't sure what the colour meant but it made sense now. This dragon had been waiting for her. Years, if she had to believe the projections. Dutiful, it had just been waiting.
Feeling sorry, Hylli made a small bow as she spoke up.
"Sorry, I didn't know, I am so sorry," rising her back, she pointed at the mountain,
"but I need to get there. Up! I need to conclude the trial… somehow," lowering her arm, a realisation moved through her. Nobody had told her how the trial ended. How she was supposed to forge the bond.
The dragon growled as it briefly raised its head, gazing at the large mountain. Then it brought its head down to bring his eyes to Hylli's level. The eye widened as a shock would be send through Hylli's mind. The last that she could see was that savage scarlet eye, peering with an unknown intensity at her. Then a burning pain started to spread on her left shoulder and head - as if someone was placing a hot iron against her skin.
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Opening her eyes, Hylli noticed that the vibration of the dragon's breathing was gone. Instead of the mysterious mountain, she was back where she had started; in Hayate's large tent. Slightly disoriented and confused, she tried to figure out if she had failed. Her mind as shoulder ached with pain. But she could remember the projections and other experience she had gone through.
Noticing Hayate, Hylli wasn't sure what to say.
"I think I didn't manage in time. I did meet the dragon. He is still waiting." Licking her lips nervously, Hylli wanted to stand up but her legs refused. The exhaustion makes it hard for her to do much else than to talk.
"I need to go back. Before I am too late."
Hayate had been making preparations while he waited, clearing an area of the tent and laying down some cushions. He had also requested some food to be delivered closer to the time the trial would be ending. He had faith in Hylli, but the trial was not easy for everyone. Most managed to make it through with some bumps and bruises, perhaps a few cuts as well… but there were others who fared much worse. Hayate had remembered the stories of some participants coming back missing limbs or even those who had come back badly burned…
Shaking the thoughts from his mind, Hayate waited as patiently as possible as time wound down. When the three hour mark hit, Hayate watched as a flash of light illuminated the large tent and Hylli appeared, standing in front of him. No missing limbs, that was a good sign.
Grabbing a glass of fresh water, Hayate approached Hylli and handed it to her. Letting her speak, Hayate would wait for her to finish before tilting his head.
"Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to the cushions he had placed on the ground.
"Walk me through the last thing you remember."
Sitting down slowly, Hylli seemed still like she felt out of place.
"I remember a sharp pain." Rubbing her shoulder, Hylli shook her head.
"It brought me to the base of the mountain. But I kept getting this weird visions and… flows in my head." She tried to explain but it was all vague to her as well.
"It was waiting. All this time, it was waiting," Hylli's hands moved to her head as she felt a guilt moving down on her. If she hadn't failed before, this could have been avoided. And now again she had to figure out how to get back. She wasn't sure how but it just felt wrong and odd. Was the dragon going to wait even longer now on her? Was it going to fly away? Wanting to know, Hylli wondered if she could convince Hayate to send her again.
The mere thought, however, made her subtly flinch. That was against the tradition, she wagered. A second chance was already more than she could have asked for. If she had failed, then she should accept that fate.
Listening carefully as Hylli explained her experience, Hayate thought back to his own trials. He remembered those strange flashing colours and images. They had been overwhelming for him at first as well. In his trial, it wasn't until he heard the voice in his head that he realized what the other experiences had been.
Nodding as Hylli finished speaking, Hayate waited for a moment before speaking softly and offering her a friendly smile,
"Are you feeling alright enough to take a short walk with me?" he asked, not wanting to exhaust the girl any more than she had been already.
Briefly, Hylli wondered if she should. Right now, she felt miserable and wanted to say no. Hylli felt more like going back to sleep and just forget about today. However, Hayate had done her a great favour, so she nodded slowly.
"I suppose so, sure," rising up, Hylli felt the exhaustion but it was better than before. Stretching slowly, she still considered to ask if she could be send back. The scarlet eye staring into her mind was still etched in her - the projections of the large mountain and indicating how long it had been waiting, weighing heavy on her.
Relieved when Hylli agreed, Hayate led them out of the tent, nodding to the guards. The air outside was crisp and Hayate enjoyed the refreshing nature of it. He remained silent for most of the walk, knowing that Hylli was probably still trying to understand everything that had happened during her trial. When they arrived at the large open field Hayate had prepared in advance, the young Hyuzu turned and stopped.
"From what you described, it sounds like you have found your partner." Letting his words sink in for a moment, he met Hylli's gaze before continuing.
"The only way to truly test if the bond has been forged is to attempt your first summoning." Taking another glance around the field, Hayate was briefly reminded how skilled his guards were. He knew they were out there, but he could not see them. They would keep people away, but they would also give the Hyuzu their privacy.
"Have you been shown how to complete the summoning pact?"
Following Hayate, Hylli wondered what he had on his mind. Perhaps he just felt the need to comfort her by going on a walk and offering some advice? That was nice and all but she didn't feel the need to talk much about it all. When they arrived at an open field, Hylli wanted to state she didn't feel like using a training or even a spar to let out her frustration.
Hayate's words, however, that she had found her partner made her want to explain that was exactly why she needed to go back. How long would it wait for her there? What if it grew tired and disillusioned? That meant she had truly wasted her time and chances on it all.
As he asked if she had been shown how to complete a summoning pact, Hylli just shook her head. She was too confused to utter words, instead paying close attention to what Hayate was going to tell her.
When she confirmed that she had not been shown, Hayate nodded.
"That is entirely alright. I can help with that." Folding his arms across his chest, Hayate cocked his head to the side.
"The pain that you felt, was it in your shoulder or somewhere else?" he asked, gesturing towards the arm she had been rubbing.
Confused why he asked, Hylli patted her shoulder - where the painful aching had originated.
"It was on this shoulder," she said, first,
"and also my head. It is hard to explain but it felt like something was burned into me." Was her answer, still trying to figure out why he required that information.
Smiling, Hayate started to explain,
"When we say our bond with the dragons is forged in fire, it is only partially a metaphor. When you have successfully earned a dragon's trust and therefore initiated the bond, you become marked. The initial creation of this mark is a painful process, but it is worth it for the honour of gaining the partnership we do."
"This mark is not visible until you have summoned your dragon. When you complete the summoning ritual, the mark is triggered and will appear until you send your dragon back to its domain, or if… if one of you loses your life." Scratching his chin, Hayate took out a small blade and handed it to Hylli.
"Our pact with the dragons is different than that of a standard shinobi and their summon. We do not create a contract on paper, but rather on our own flesh, symbolizing the permanence of our pact and our bond." Pulling out a second blade, he held it up and nicked his thumb, drawing a small amount of blood.
"To complete the creation of the bond, you must sign the mark of the dragon in blood over the spot in which the bond was formed. For me, it was my eye," to demonstrate, Hayate closed his right eye and traced the mark of the dragon around it with the small amount of blood that had formed from the cut on his thumb.
"Once you have formed the mark, you must flow your chakra into that spot and concentrate. Should the dragon still wish to complete the bond, it will merge some of it's chakra with your own and the summon will complete." Hayate had already completed his own summoning ritual years ago, so he did not need to flow any chakra to the mark for now. Instead, he would wait to see if Hylli was successful in completing the final step of the Trial, or if she would have any questions.
Paying attention, Hylli would accept the blade from Hayate. Rolling the sleeve upwards, she was slightly confused. So that meant that the trial would be completed? The excitement that she was so close of becoming a Hyuzu that had obtained a bond with a dragon, she felt like there was something. Like a catch to it. Using the granted blade, Hylli flinched as she nicked her thumb. Applying the blood to her shoulder, she attempted to form the mark of the dragon.
Reviewing her 'bloody' artwork, she was still unsure if it was going to work. Remaining silent, not wanting to voice her disbelief in case it was going to jinx the result, Hylli nodded back at Hayate.
"Okay, I think I get it. So what happened was that it granted me its permission to summon it," Hylli thought out loud, summarising what Hayate had told her. It made then some sense on why it hadn't decided to devour her on the spot. Yet, she could remember seeing a savage part when staring back into the eyes of the beast. A part of her felt terrified of actually being bonded to such a creature. One that didn't speak or could converse directly with her.
An odd sensation flowed from her shoulder, rapidly spreading through her shoulder and mind. It was something she didn't fully understand but it took away the pain from before away. Like something that had been missing was now there.
"So, what follows now?"
The question was immediately answered as something surged from Hylli. A painful exhaustion seemed to follow the words as a large amount of smoke came out of nowhere. Coughing, Hylli tried to wave it away. Only to hear a familiar and loud vibration following a very loud sound - as if something large breathed in and out behind her.
Throwing a look behind her, the smoke was removed as two large wings stretched out. Once more, the dragon of before stood behind her. Its savage eyes peered at her before at Hayate.
"By the gods," Hylli whispered, feeling a sensation intrude her mind. Frowning, it was another colour, a soft hue of blue as the dragon yawned - revealing rows of dangerous teeth that were meant to kill and shred living beings.
Grinning as Hylli asked her question, Hayate simply waited for the inevitable response. It did not take long before the proof of her successful trial appeared behind her. When the dragon appeared, Hayate took a moment to study it before lowering his head in a respectful bow. When he rose back to his full height, Hayate looked back at Hylli.
"It appears you've found a special bond indeed." he said, before turning back to the magnificent beast,
"This is quite a rare dragon, and a very impressive one at that."
Staring at the beast, Hylli wasn't sure what to do. So this was her bonded dragon? What was expected of her? Noticing in the corner of her vision Hayate bowing, Hylli rapidly formed a clumsy bow before straightening her back. The beast itself seemed barely interested in Hylli. A loud snort escaped its nostrils, its eyes set on Hayate. The tail of the beast swept across the ground as it the wings remained raised - causing it to appear much larger than it actually was. Yet, it seemed far from hostile yet, simply observing the human.
"So what now? How do I figure out its name? Gender?" Hylli asked, her confusion and surprise evident. She even tried to catch the beast's attention, waving with her right hand. But all that it provoked was the beast raising its right claw and gently pushing Hylli aside. Confused, Hylli wanted to push back. But her exhaustion made such an action impossible.
"Well, we have a few options," Hayate began, his attention still turned to the dragon, watching him curiously,
"Most dragons communicate via images and emotions, so it is not always easy to get literal answers from them. Though, some do have names with literal translations, allowing them to communicate it by sending you a series of images that reflect what it means." Tilting his head to the side slightly, Hayate shifted his gaze to Hylli,
"Though, I must admit I do not have as much personal experience in communicating in that way. My bond with Kuromu is a little different in that he can speak telepathically and normally." Pondering for a moment, Hayate decided to voice his thoughts,
"If you would like, I could summon him and see if the two are able to communicate to some degree. Though… that is not always the best idea with a fresh summon. dragons can be protective, territorial or simply aggressive towards each other if the bond is still fresh."
Taking in the information, Hylli observed the dragon. It didn't seem hostile but also far from looking like a being of relaxation and calm. It did bother her that the dragon was acting like she wasn't important to it - its gaze simply focused on Hayate. Considering the options, Hylli threw a glance at Hayate as she answered.
"Let us say that you summon your dragon, is there a way that I could de-summon my dragon? Or how big is the chance that it would come to a fight?" She asked, only realising that Hayate had made it clear that there was just a chance for it.
"If I can send it back, then I am willing to risk it. I just need to know how before we could attempt it. I do want to know more about …. Her? Him?" She said, out loud, hoping to attract the beast's attention. Instead, it merely continued to act like it owned the place and the two humans were nothing but toys in its possession - to be played and observed with, unless it was going to grow bored.
Chuckling at the question, Hayate nodded.
"Absolutely you can reverse summon your dragon. As highly intelligent creatures, they are more aware of your intentions than other summons may be. If you wish to send your dragon back to its own realm, you simply need to send your chakra to the mark and express your intention through your thoughts and emotions." Hayate decided not to mention that the dragon could refuse if the bond was not yet strong enough, hopefully the situation would not require that yet.
"As for whether or not it would come to a fight? Kuromu can be a proud beast and he takes a bit of getting used to, but we've mostly gotten past the point of him being openly hostile for no reason." Watching how the dragon was responding to Hylli's attempts to gain its attention made Hayate quite curious about something. Keeping his thoughts to himself for now, Hayate took a step back and placed his hand against the ground. Concentrating his chakra, the young Hyuzu completed the summoning technique and a second large cloud of smoke appeared in the clearing, before dissipating slowly to reveal a large black dragon, similar in stature to Hylli's own dragon.
Kuromu flapped his wings once, causing the smoke to quickly disperse and sending a small rush of wind through the area. Taking a moment to observe his surroundings, the dragon tilted his head curiously before glancing down at Hayate.
"He only looks big because of his horns," the dragon muttered grumpily. Fighting back a chuckle, Hayate shook his head.
"Now now Kuromu, no need to be petty. And they are Antlers, not horns, if I'm not mistaken."
The mere appearance and presence of another dragon seemed to bring a change in Hylli's dragon. It raised its head, attempting to look down on Kuromu. Unlike before, the deep vibration of its breathing became louder, causing Hylli to feel most uncomfortable. Far worse, the soft hue of blue turned into a bright red in her mind. Causing her to throw a glance as the lips of her dragon started to curl - revealing more of the lethal teeth.
To add to its intimidation, the dragon beat its wings, whipping up dust towards Kuromu.
"Quit that," Hylli tried to order the dragon but once more it simply raised a claw - pushing the girl with ease to the side. Only to slam the claw down on the ground as its scarlet eyes now fixated on Kuromu.
Frustrated, Hylli wanted to walk forward to stand in the dragon's path - but the tail latched around her and pulled her further back. Finally, she noticed some recognition from the beast but it was far from what she desired.
The beast's head twisted to throw a sideways glance. But if anything, it seemed a mere mockery of a bored glance before it focused back on Hayate's dragon.
Instead of making a threatening display as well, Kuromu scoffed and shook his head.
"Does this insolent beast not know that I'm royalty?" he asked, sounding truly insulted. Turning his attention away and back to Hayate, Kuromu lowered his head so that it was almost in line with the young Hyuzu's. [color=]
"This wouldn't happen if I had a crown you know. This feral creature has more headgear than I do, of course he thinks he's important. How many times have I told you I need a crown?"[/color]
"Including this time? Once," Hayate answered, amused.
"Now get over yourself and start acting nice. This is not an enemy, he or she is a newly bonded dragon."
Kuromu reeled back dramatically.
"Nice? I'm always nice! It's not my fault this petula-"
"Kuromu!" Hayate cut him off, his tone a little firmer than before.
"You of all dragons should know what it's like for the first little while after a bond is formed. This is a new experience for both of them. I brought you here to help, not to make things worse." Letting out a long and overly dramatic sigh, Kuromu sent a glare towards Hayate before turning to face Hylli and her dragon.
Stretching slightly in an intentional effort to try and make himself look just a little bit taller, Kuromu flared his wings and began communicating to Hylli's dragon with a series of low guttural growling sounds. Hayate still wasn't fully used to hearing Kuromu speaking in his own language. He had witnessed it a few times when Kuromu communicated with Jora's dragon, but it had been a long time since then. Offering a slight smile towards Hylli to reassure her that Kuromu was not attempting to threaten her dragon (or at least he hoped Kuromu was not trying to utter any threats), Hayate waited curiously to see what would happen.
The mentioning that Hayate's dragon was royalty would have sparked Hylli's interest. But the mere fact that her dragon had wrapped his tail around her, keeping her away from the front of the still name unknown dragon made it hard.
The stance of Hylli's dragon didn't seem to change much in terms of attitude. It clearly was posing itself to appear more intimidating and powerful than Kuromu. Yet, the hostility wasn't backed up with anything else than the confident pose, making Hylli wonder if it was genuine. As Kuromu engaged her dragon, there seemed to be a pause before the antler-crowned beast growled back. The speech seemed more akin to rocks being grinded against each other than genuine, civilized speaking to Hylli. Yet, suddenly, Hylli felt how she was moved forwards as the tail would release her. A loud like scoff escaped Hylli's dragon as a sort of finishing conclusion.
Confused by the whole matter, Hylli threw looks between the two dragons. The jet black dragon of Hayate and her seems like complete opposites. And she feared that it didn't seem to take much else than a small misunderstanding or incident for the two beasts to duke their differences out.
Suddenly, Hylli's dragon growled, his gaze moving between Hayate and Kuromu. The loud vibrations felt slightly different before it used a claw to gently push Hylli forwards.
"Yeah, very helpful," Hylli stated, clearly annoyed at the whole situation. The fact that she couldn't understand what was being said and that it involved her was really ticking her off.
"So, what is the deal now?"
Listening as the two dragons interacted, Hayate could see that Kuromu's attitude had not fully shifted. His dragon was still trying to keep his air of superiority which caused Hayate to sigh inwardly. Arrogance was not a great trait to display during initial introductions…
When he heard Hylli's dragon scoff, Hayate glanced at Kuromu, an eyebrow raised. He could feel a flare of anger and something else coming from the dragon that was quickly tamped down. Kuromu responded with something else and then leaned back slightly, turning his head to glance at Hayate.
"He's a fiesty one," the dragon spoke through their telepathic link,
"I think he's somewhat impatient that he waited so long for this girl to finally show up and connect the bond."
Nodding slowly, Hayate looked at Hylli and then back up at Kuromu,
"The Trial is not always easy for participants. Though I never knew a dragon would actually wait for the one they were to be bonded with. That is quite interesting indeed." he replied through their link, before Kuromu flashed a sarcastic retort.
"Interesting? More like foolish… Waiting for a silly human. Hah! You can't even fly by yourselves."
Their silent exchange finished, Kuromu shook his head and stepped forward as Hayate concealed a laugh.
"You have a rather… unique partner," Kuromu started, staring directly at Hylli.
"While he is a strange looking creature, it appears there may be more to him than simply meets the eye. " Throwing a glance at the dragon, he tutted slightly before shifting his gaze to Hylli once more.
"There are certain things that would be best for you to discover on your own, however, such as his name. This is an important part of the bonding ritual and shows your partner that you actually care to get to know them." Part of this was true, but Kuromu figured Hylli did not need to know all of the details.
Stepping forward as well, Hayate added,
"Every partnership is unique and I will be happy to help wherever I can, but I believe what Kuromu is saying is that, for your bond with your dragon to grow, it is important to first get to know each other. Taking the first step can sometimes be the hardest, though it can also be the most rewarding."
It was actually hard to wait and just be on the sidelines, while she was actually fully involved. But pacing herself, Hylli waited. It allowed her time to take in the features of 'her' dragon. The proud beast was much larger than she had anticipated. It even seemed royal, now that the others remarked the antlers. If its attitude would turn a bit more softer or less hostile, she would perhaps actually be totally okay with it. Or him? Reminding that Kuromu's words, Hylli wondered if he had a name. Or was she going to name him?
Her thoughts were broken as Hayate's dragon spoke up. Turning to Kuromu, Hylli listened and took in his words. Learning that he had a name made Hylli happy as worried. How was she supposed to learn his name? Dragon language? Remembering the growling and vibrations, she was absolutely convinced that the human throat wasn't meant for such productions.
Hylli's dragon seemed to calm down somewhat, even content to a certain degree. The wings were lowered to his back but his attention seemed to flicker constantly back to Kuromu - as if the other dragon was still a threat.
"His name," Hylli planted her fists against her hips, half turning to the antler-crowned dragon. When Hayate spoke, she twisted her head to throw a look at him. His words provoked a friendly smile to appear back on Hylli's lips.
"Thanks, I really appreciate your aid. Oh," turning towards Kuromu as well, Hylli made a deep bow before speaking again.
"Of you as well. Thanks for your aid and advice."
The bow provoked a loud scoff from her dragon, which simply half turned - as if the presence of Hayate and Kuromu was something he could ignore now, them being simply beneath him.
Rising from her bow, Hylli half turned to throw a glance at her dragon. If anything, she was going to make him adjust his manners - if such a thing would be possible.
Smiling and nodding, Hayate threw a sideways glance towards Kuromu and took a step back.
"You are very welcome Hylli. I am quite happy to see that this was a success for you. "
Seeing Hayate's reaction, Kuromu took a second before nodding his head and replying to the girl as well.
"You are welcome, a final word of advice," tilting his head to the side, Kuromu smiled, a relatively awkward looking smile,
"Try not to let him eat you."
Hayate shook his head and sighed, though it did illicit a small smile from him as well.
"I will let you two get acquainted for now. Please let me know if you need anything. This field will remain empty for as long as you require." With that, Hayate nodded to Hylli and made another small, respectful bow to her dragon before he would turn and gesture for Kuromu to follow him.
Nodding and still having a smile on her face, Hylli watched as Hayate and Kuromu took their leave. The advise of Kuromu made Hylli snicker but then she realised that it could be a very potential thing. Turning back to the antler-crowned dragon, Hylli had to look upwards as the dragon lazily looked down upon her. A colour moved into her mind, a soft hue blue.
"Yeah, I noticed that you are now the one with these," she vaguely gestured to her head,
"colours. I don't know what they mean, but don't worry. I will try my best to understand them. Now… your name..."