Chapter 55: Power: Consecration

Sizzling sounds filled the air as practice blade after practice blade shattered in Auryn’s hands. The metals turned to powder, slipping between his fingers like grains of sand.

Castor eyes remained focused. He didn’t react in the slightest. He simply handed Auryn another from the rack beside the training post. The fifth one in the last ten minutes.

“Again!” He yelled.

Auryn’s eyes narrowed, he looked at the soldiers that watched from the courtyard walls.

The morning sun cutting across stone. Cold air carried no sound other than Castor’s voice. Or should it be said his voice overwhelmed the others.

“Consecration requires control, not force,” he stared at Auryn who in turn stared at the new blade.

Auryn balanced the blade in his hand and it felt as ordinary as steel can be.

Maybe that’s why it keeps withering, he thought.

“Channel your draconic aspect.” Castor’s voice cut through his excuses. He was teaching the enemy because agreements demanded it. Because his family was alive and here.

“Not into your body. Into the steel,” he gestured by touching his chest then his sword.

Auryn closed his eyes again. Placing his focus on the mass of heat found in his chest. The home of his draconic nature. This wasn’t just fire but the potential that grew. What made him a drake and would eventually make him a god.

He pushed it outward and into his arm. Through his palm, it travelled like syrup and then into the blade’s core.

The metal rattled. Resisting the intrusion. His power demanded flesh and bone, not metal nor wood.

Auryn noticed the resistance. It wasn’t like before, a tad less violent, it felt now. He took a deep breath trying to focus but his flow came like a broken dam instead of a stream.

The blade vibrated and in a matter of seconds, it exploded into glistening particles that scattered across courtyard stone.

Fuck. Auryn thought. He didn’t think this would be so difficult. It felt like he was forcing molten lava into glass.

Looking at Castor, the man still kept his calm exterior much to Auryn’s detest.

This bastard better not be toying with me

Lyra watched silently while he struggled. Arms crossed over her chest. She didn’t trust Castor near Auryn especially with weapons around and most definitely not here where castor had home advantage.

Everyone watching held their breaths, waiting to see what Castor was going to do after the sixth sword broke.

Castor sighed and simply retrieved another sword.

“You’re treating the metal like an enemy,” He spoke while the sword danced effortlessly in his hand.

“It’s a vessel. Offer your power. Don’t dominate it”

He stopped and stabbed the sword on the ground in front of Auryn.

Auryn blinked. Pulling the sword out of the ground. He raised it slowly with the tip pointed at Castor.

“Show me,” he said calmly.

For the first time, Castor’s expression wasn’t bland. He let out the shortest chuckle in history. The boy had audacity. Demanding demonstration from the Second Sword like an equal. He drew his own blade.

Immediately the steel escaped the cold grasp on it’s scabbard. It caught daylight, gleaming softly as if bathing in the warmth.

Castor’s hand tightened on the hilt. His body hardened and after a few seconds, everything still remained the same like he was searching for a way to flip the switch.

Then suddenly—-

Draconic scripts crept along the edge. Flowing characters that looked carved but weren’t. A living language written in ancient power instead of ink like bite marks on the cold steel.

“Consecration,” Castor’s blade thrummed with ancient benevolence.

“The steel accepts draconic magic and becomes an extension of self meant to reinforce both wielder and itself”

Auryn paid attention. His mind was analysing the littlest nuances. This was something considered as his gift even when he was Julien.

Once he saw something, he understood it. And what he understood, Auryn could do. This was part of nature’s package that came with his mind and broken body as Julien.

“Gently.” Castor said in a low tone.

Auryn looked at him with actual intrigue. Stabbing the sword back into the ground, he couldn’t help but wonder why he would be taking this seriously.

Resting his right hand on the sword. Auryn reached deep again. He found the heat and ever so gently guided it down his arm.

Just like water, be flexible, let it flow..

He chorused in his mind. Offering the heat to the metal like Castor said. As droplets and not a crushing stream.

The blade warmed in his grip and scripts appeared. Thin lines of red-gold light etching themselves along the spine of the sword. A lot dimmer than Castor’s.

“Good.” Castor stepped back and raised his sword.

“Now strike.”

Auryn’s eyes widened but he didn’t hesitate and swung. The consecrated blade felt different, like he was holding a feather moved through air instead of fighting resistance.

Auryn also noticed the increase in his strength.

“How interesting…” Auryn said even as

Castor deflected his strike easily and almost took the sword off Auryn’s grip.

He smirked. “Draelor created this technique. Adapting it to counter techniques that ancient nobles hoard.”

His body shifted behind Auryn as his voice echoed.

“Again,”

His sword was descending towards Auryn’s right shoulder when the prince quickly moved his blade to shoulder level.

He slanted it horizontally across his shoulders blocking the strike.

He turned to attack but Castor was already gone. He appeared six metres behind him again.

“You have to keep the flow. Unless it breaks ”

They sparred until mid-morning. Castor corrected Auryn’s stance and grip. Amidst this sword-play the number of swords lost were easily in the early twenties.

Just as the sun climbed higher, Castor sheathed his blade.

“Enough. We can continue next week.”

His eyes met with Auryn’s as he nodded behind gritted teeth. He walked toward the keep without saying another word nor even looking back.

Auryn watched his back disappear into the shadows depths of the castle.

Now that’s what I expect

—

Soon breakfast was served and it was nothing like dinner but this time Daren wasn’t just playing with his food. He must have gotten a stern warning from his parents after the awkwardness of last night.

After a couple of minutes, Claudia suddenly set down her fork as she cleared her throat.

“I’ll be studying in the library,” she spoke as if telling someone specifically.

Auryn ate bread still care-free. Lyra on the other hand squinted her eyes with a speck of annoyance underneath.

Claudia was done eating and walking to the library when she suddenly stopped at a sharp turn.

Her eyes going from left to right as if she sensed danger when suddenly the wall at her side opened and into the darkness of the interior she went.

The opening closed omniously…

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