บท 44: Use fire to create weapons
Another day, another beating.
I stumbled back, clutching my side as Valeria's fist connected again. The sharp sting radiated through my ribs, leaving me gasping for air.
My red fire flickered around me, a pitiful shield against her relentless attacks.
"Is that all you've got, little ember?" she taunted, hands on her hips, her smirk as infuriating as ever. "You call that fire magic? It's more like a candle flame at best."
I glared at her through the sweat and grime smeared across my face.
"You do realize you're beating up a kid, right?" I spat, my voice shaky but defiant. "Do I need to remind you of my age, or are you enjoying this a little too much?"
Valeria raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider my words. "Oh, I'm well aware. But if you keep whining like that, I might have to start treating you like a baby instead of a trainee."
"Great," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes. "I always dreamed of being a punching bag for a sadistic dragon lady."
She laughed, the sound bright and completely unapologetic. "Dream bigger, Ren. Now, get up. We're not done here."
I forced myself to my feet, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. My arms felt like lead, my legs shaky, but the burning in my chest the fire that refused to go out pushed me forward.
With a deep breath, I summoned the red flames again, letting them surge through my hands. They flickered and danced, beautiful but wild. I lashed out with them, trying to strike Valeria, but she dodged effortlessly, her movements smooth and calculated.
"Pathetic," she said, darting around my attack and landing a swift kick to my shoulder. I hit the ground hard, my cheek scraping against the dirt.
"Can you not hit so hard?" I groaned, pushing myself up on trembling arms. "Pretty sure I'm going to end up as a pancake at this rate."
Valeria shrugged, completely unbothered. "Pain is a great teacher. You'll thank me later."
I opened my mouth to retort, but the words died as Carlos strolled over from his usual perch on a nearby rock. He had the same lazy expression he always wore, like he'd rather be anywhere else.
"That was rough," he said, eyeing me with a mixture of pity and amusement.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I shot back, brushing dirt off my face. "What do you want, Carlos? Come to gloat?"
He sighed, crouching down beside me. "No, I came to give you some advice."
I scoffed, sitting back on my heels. "Advice? From you? The laziest dragon I've ever met?"
Carlos raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "You're lucky I don't take offense to that. For your information, I'm one of the strongest dragons alive."
"Sure you are," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Strong enough to sit around and do absolutely nothing while I get beaten into a pulp."
"Look, do you want my help or not?" he snapped, crossing his arms.
I hesitated, still annoyed but curious. "Fine. What's your great, all-knowing advice, oh mighty dragon?"
Carlos smirked, clearly pleased with himself. "Your fire magic isn't just for throwing fireballs or making pretty sparks. You can shape it create things with it. Weapons, tools, whatever you need."
I blinked at him, my exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "Wait, what? I can do that?"
"Of course you can," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's basic stuff for someone with magic like yours. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner."
"Yeah, because I totally have time to experiment while dodging Valeria's punches," I shot back, my sarcasm earning a chuckle from him.
"Excuses, excuses," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Look, it's not that hard. You just need to focus. Picture what you want to create—say, a sword or a bow—and let the fire take shape. Easy."
"Easy?" I repeated, staring at him like he'd grown a second head. "You make it sound like I can snap my fingers and suddenly have a flaming sword in my hand."
"Well, you won't know until you try," he said, standing up and gesturing for me to follow.
Valeria watched our exchange with a smirk, clearly amused. "This should be good. Let's see if you can actually manage to create something without blowing yourself up."
"No pressure," I muttered, dragging myself to my feet.
Carlos pointed to an open space a few feet away. "Alright, give it a shot. Start small—something simple like a dagger."
I took a deep breath, focusing on the flickering fire in my palms. My mind raced as I tried to picture the shape of a dagger—a sleek blade, sharp and deadly. I willed the fire to obey, to mold itself into the form I imagined.
For a moment, it seemed to work. The flames stretched and twisted, taking on a vague, dagger-like shape.
And then it exploded.
I yelped, stumbling back as the fire fizzled out, leaving behind a faint trail of smoke.
"Impressive," Carlos deadpanned, clapping slowly. "You made a firecracker. Truly groundbreaking."
"Shut up," I snapped, glaring at him. "This is harder than it looks."
"Obviously," Valeria chimed in, her smirk widening. "But you've got to start somewhere. Keep going."
I gritted my teeth, determination flaring to life alongside the fire in my hands. I tried again, focusing harder this time. The flames flickered and swirled, resisting my attempts to control them.
"Focus," Carlos said, his tone surprisingly serious. "Don't force it. Let the magic flow naturally."
I closed my eyes, taking another deep breath. I let the fire surge through me, its warmth familiar and comforting. I pictured the shape of a dagger again, this time with more clarity. Slowly, the flames began to respond, stretching and solidifying into a crude but recognizable blade.
I opened my eyes, staring in awe at the fiery dagger in my hand.
"Not bad," Carlos said, nodding approvingly.
Before I could celebrate, the dagger fizzled out, the fire dissipating into thin air.
"Okay, maybe a little bad," Carlos amended, his smirk returning.
I sighed, frustration bubbling up again. "This is impossible."
"No, it's just difficult," Valeria corrected, stepping closer. "You'll get the hang of it eventually. But for now…"
She clapped her hands, her grin turning wicked.
"Back to training."
I groaned, already dreading what was coming next. But as I summoned the flames again, determination burned brighter than ever.
I was going to figure this out. One way or another.
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