Chains Of Pride

The first rays of morning sneaked between the openings of the curtains to brighten the rooms of the sleeping Kia, Lanzo and Gero.

'Yawn…'

They opened their eyes at nearly the same time, that Shepherd may be shitty but the beds are hella comfortable. These were the thoughts in their heads, well, mostly Gero.

They got up and went to the bathrooms attached to each of their assigned rooms. Takeshi had bought them pyjamas in addition to their Academy uniforms, they wouldn't be going to their novre room or anything, it was just something to wear for the day.

After they freshened up, they went downstairs where they were greeted by the smell of breakfast being prepared.

Lanzo, Kia and Gero's eyes met the same time and all gave a wordless nod. They followed the scent regardless of where it led them and had inadvertently stumbled into the kitchen.

The scene before was like straight out of a storybook. Not far away was Minayatsu Ayuki, fluttering around the kitchen like a fairy. She danced around between the stove, the counter and the sink, seemingly oblivious of the three young men who were staring at her from a distance.

They didn't know what she was cooking but damn if it didn't smell good.

"Oh!"

Her surprised cry sounded when she finally noticed her three guests standing at the entrance to the kitchen. A rough voice came from behind them jolting them from their stupor.

"Don't block the way to the kitchen, what are you preparing Ayuki?" Asked Takeshi as he practically bulldozed his way through the blockade that was the three boys.

"And a good morning to you too ya Shitty Shepherd." grimaced Gero as he walked in after Takeshi.

"Today's breakfast is ackee and saltfish with boiled dumplings, bananas and yams."

The sweet voice of Ayuki drifted over as she described what she was preparing to Takeshi.

Takeshi pondered for a while before it came to him, "Isn't that a staple of food of that country? What was it again? Jamaica…? Yeah, that was it, Jamaica. Those people really know how to cook, I heard their ingredients are hard to come across, you must have gone through a lot to get them."

She aptly explained how to get them "I had help, there's a young Digium who's from there who was able to bring some with him recently."

"I see, well you can give me a serving whenever you're ready and a cup of their coffee to go with it." he requested.

"Do you mean Blue Mou-"

"Yes." not waiting for her to finish.

"Coming right up, do you guys want some too?" She asked looking at them.

Lanzo didn't waste a second shouting out an enthusiastic yes while Kia nodded for both acceptance and thanks.

Gero, on the other hand, looked at Takeshi with a curious visage, "Why is Minayatsu Ayuki in your mansion cooking you breakfast and- 'sniffs' Is that coffee I smell? I'll take a cup please." All thoughts of questioning Takeshi now gone, not like the latter was going to grace him with an answer, to begin with.

It didn't take long for them to clean their plates, especially for Lanzo who had asked for seconds.

"Ayuki, I'm heading out, I've got some things to prepare. Get yourself together and find me in about an hour." Takeshi looked at the new Taliusm before he walked away.

"You two are free for most of the day, so do what you will. Kia, you're coming with me." He never turned around when he spoke, his steps were calculating and organised, neither slow nor fast.

It didn't take long for Kia to catch up, wondering if it had anything to do with that they talked about the day before they didn't die.

Ayuki watched Kia's back as he left, her expression was...unreadable. A gesture nonetheless that Gero with ample interest.

"These two sucks when it comes to their feelings, well, whatever, I'm enjoying myself. Anyways, see ya later Lanzo."

"Where are you going?" Lanzo asked, getting ready to head out as well.

"I need to work on my temporal gate, I may not be required to, but it brings me peace." He answered.

"Gotcha, I'll head out too and find something to do. See ya Pink!"

"My name's not Pinky, it's Ayuki! Minayatsu Ayuki!" Ayuki chided not for the first time for calling her Pinky. Why in the world was this idiot so good at annoying people.

...

"Do you know why I wanted you to come with me?" Takeshi asked as they strolled through the Academy.

"Is it about the technique my grandfather taught me? The one you normally shouldn't learn until you're at least and at most 25?" He asked.

Takeshi nodded to indicate he's correct.

"How do you know about that, this is a secret technique within my family?" Kia asked a bit intrigued.

"It may be a secret technique in regards to its execution, but your bloodline is extremely well known to those who are powerful to know, especially that old man of yours. I can't say too much but I'll say this, your body should have barely met the requirements to start practising the Awakening Dragon Art. I'm taking you to a place where you won't be disturbed."

Kia took in what he said and had to wonder, would the commotion be that much? Little did Kia know that the pain this Art would bring him, his heart would have to be resolute to step onto the path his bloodline had taken him.

After quite some time, they had arrived at one of the more desolate places in Cendo Academy. There were no trees, no grass and no people, only a rocky terrain and a suffocating heat.

"This is Cendo Desert, the Academy deals in creating places that hold a certain climate for specific purposes. However, this is one of the locations that are more or less always empty of people, and it will be here that you will practice the first layer of the Awakening Dragon Art, which is called Awakening Dragon. I don't know the procedure, that'll be up to you."

Fwish!!!

As soon as he finished speaking, a sizeable light barrier came over and encased them both. Shortly after, it's light dimmed and everything outside could be seen, however, from the outside, all one would see is desert, desert and more desert.

"Begin."

A grave look upon Takeshi's face, though he said more than once he knew not the details of this Art. It was obvious he knew more than he let on.

Kia released a bated breath and found a small protruding rock to sit upon. It was hot as hell, but you know how that goes, Talium.

"Alright, Honourable Grandfather said that the first layer of the Awakening Dragon Art would awaken the potential hidden in the blood and allow my body to grow stronger from it. I don't see the big deal, to me it seems like the weaker you are, the better this is for you, but whatever. I'll just follow the circulation path honourable grandfather told me and just wing it."

Kia calmly sat in the lotus position, after about 5 minutes no changes took place. Yet Takeshi never lowered his barrier, only keeping on Kia looking for any changes. Another 20 minutes flitted by, when suddenly, Takeshi's eyes narrowed, there it is, the first change.

"It's begun, good luck kid, this technique killed a great many of your people."

As he said this, veins began to spread from Kia's heart and his abdomen all over his body. The veins were pulsating and bulging, exaggeratingly so, Kia's expression started to change to one discomfort, but Takeshi knew this was just the beginning.

Pu Ci!

A piece of skin tore at Kia's biceps, he gritted his teeth and bore it. His Grandfather had advised him that should he break his position, and disrupt the technique while it is circulating, his internal organ would shatter under the backlash and he would surely die.

"Kuh...!! Aaah!! Aaaahhh!!!"

The skin all over Kia's body suddenly broke apart all over, the veins that were squirming so lively before sent fresh blood pouring all over his body, a ghastly sight. The pain that wracked his body never ceased, evident by his cries so prevalent death was looking real good about now.

"Gur!! Ack!! Aaaarrgghh!!! Uwahhhh!!!"

He coughed blood where blood already pooled, there was not a shred of skin that was intact anywhere. Kia's body was breaking down, the only reason why he remained alive till now was thanks to the tenacity of his will and the fortitude of his body.

Some time had passed before a slight fluctuation came from the outside of the barrier. Takeshi's senses quickly picked up who it was and he relaxed the barrier right to where it was.

'Gasps!!'

It was Ayuki who had stepped through, however, when she saw Kia's injury-ridden body, her indifferent expression disappeared as he hand to mouth at the scene.

"W-What happened to him?" She asked with a hint of panic.

"I can't tell you, I can only ask you to heal him." He tersely replied.

She was scared to step closer, she didn't know why, there was just a fear to this. His body was covered in blood, the flesh underneath had been burst where it was visible enough. He continuously convulsed from the pain, he had wailed for so long and so hard that his voice had given out, replaced by a rasping croak.

Takeshi's demeanour softened slightly when he saw her fear.

He encouraged her as best as he knew how, "It's okay, he needs your help or there's a chance he won't make it. Just heal him a little and then return by my side."

She edged closer to him, it was more of a shuffle than a walk, but she eventually arrived in front of him. His eyes were tightly shut, his entire body the same colour as his hair.

She extended her hands and soon enough, green light particles extended from them and landed upon his. The light particles soon grew in size until his entire body was covered in a green glow.

Gradually, the pain began to lessen as beads of sweat began to collect upon her forehead.

The tearing of flesh now began to slow down, reaching an equilibrium of neither healing nor tearing apart.

Takeshi watched the scene with a scrutinising gaze, "What an unfortunate child she is."

He didn't comment further only continued to watch.

Another hour had passed before the particles from her hand fizzled out, and the glow left his body.

Ayuki's energy left her in its entirety as she fell backwards unable to support herself any longer. She only felt a strong pair of arms ensnared her gently to keep her from falling hard, yet Takeshi's eyes focused on Kia all the while.

He could see the difference immediately, Kia's body didn't break down like before, instead, he started to slowly show signs of repair, repair that was visible to the human eye.

"Now we wait, and see if he can truly awaken as a dragon."