Chương 11: Ancestors and the Old Gods

After completing my sword training atop Skagos' tallest mountain, I began my descent despite my body screaming for rest. Pushing myself to the limit has become a habit of mine. Occasionally, I worry that I've become a masochist with all the strenuous training I undertake. Today, I truly surpassed my limits; I started the morning with a run lasting several hours, followed by a climb up Skagos' highest peak. Once at the top, I proceeded to practice on the wooden dummy I've reinforced and used daily for the past six months.

The worst part is the cold winds at the mountain's peak. Over time, I've grown to despise the cold; it repulses me, making me feel out of place. My Dragon Lord heritage is transforming me, but with occlumency and a strong will, I can suppress and better control my emotions. This fortitude is also sharpening my will, and I'm confident it will be of great benefit in the future.

It has been six moons since I conducted my first ritual, which was primarily for research purposes. Deciding to refrain from using magic for a week to allow my magical channels to self-repair was the best decision of my life. The benefits were not immediate, but over time, my magic began to flow more smoothly, and my spells started coming out faster and stronger. Now, for some incantations, I don't even need to use wand movements. This ritual, sourced from Dumbledore's memories, is a relatively simple one that he himself had performed. However, he did not achieve results as significant as mine. While his magical flow and spell potency did increase, they did not reach the level I have attained.

I believe the outcome may stem from the ingredients, as dragon glass is something I don't fully comprehend. The age of the volcano might also contribute to the ritual's power, or perhaps it's the Valyrian glyphs. It is known that ancient magic can enhance a ritual, which is why such ceremonies are often conducted at historical sites in HP.

It didn't matter as the ritual did not affect me negatively, except that it required a lengthy time to perform another ritual. Since last month, my channels have fully healed, and with a month's training, I have adapted to them. Now, it is time for the next ritual, and I am excited because since the first ritual, there has been a persistent sensation of something on the verge of awakening, yet I am not prepared. That's why I pushed my body and magic as far as I could to see if I could awaken naturally. However, I did not achieve any success.

And about progress of mine in various field is good as I had my hands full with both physical and weapon training. I did progress nicely on every field though. As with spell in the charms I've progress as greatly as I now know more than any auror trainee and next I'm going to learn is spell chains. In the transfiguration I can transfigure most non-living objects into anything I want but it will take me to learn conjuration. With dark arts and defence against it I've also progressed same as in charms. Now the next is apparition.

In Occlumency, my shields are as strong as Valyrian steel, and I have far surpassed Snape, who is reputed to have mastered Occlumency to such an extent that he could shield his mind from the most skilled Legilimens. It is still a work in progress, so I believe Snape may not have fully mastered it, or perhaps he was unable to. Now, I can create false memories or slightly alter them in my mind, so when a Legilimens enters, they only find those memories instead of the real ones. There are two layers of shields in my mind: one that protects all my memories and another designed to lure and show them what they want to see. I even think that I could apply this to others if I learn Legilimency and access their minds. I'm planning to learn Legilimency, but it will require people to practice on.

I've begun creating as many runes as possible to gain experience and craft numerous clusters. I aim to combine Valyrian Glyphs with Elder Futhark for their versatility and power, respectively. Although I can create clusters of each separately and use them together, I haven't been able to create a mixed cluster. The combination of Elder Futhark's versatility and Valyrian Glyphs' power would make for an ideal, potent, and durable cluster. It may take time, but I am confident in my ability to master this skill, as there has been no skill that I have not been able to learn and master.

There are potions I haven't begun to craft due to a lack of tools and ingredients. However, I have started to assimilate knowledge about them from Dumbledore's memories, as he was a master alchemist, and also, he learned from the renowned Flamels. Now, with a cauldron, stirring stick, and any source of fire for heating, I have all the necessary tools for potion making.

*****

Upon entering the cavern, one could see a bed, furniture, and other necessities essential for daily life. Having attained proficiency in runes and transfiguration, I began crafting items needed for everyday use. I even created runes for water conjuration, purification and inscribed them in the bathroom, washroom, and kitchen I fashioned within the cavern. Should someone from Skagos visit, they would likely be astounded by all the conveniences.

However, they cannot penetrate the area because I have already established wards to repel them. Within this ward, I have inscribed various enchantments such as muggle repelling, intention diverting, protection, presence alerting, and more to ensure safety. The first man possesses some magic in their blood, rendering the muggle repelling ineffective on them. Yet, it has been working flawlessly so far, as no one has ventured into this part of the volcano. Currently, I am crafting runes that will prevent Wargs from spying on the future home I intend to build.

After bathing and drying off, I began preparations for the ritual I am set to perform today. I am also naming these rituals and recording them on the papers I now possess. I am grateful for the gift of transfiguration. The first ritual I conducted, which I have named "Ritual of the Ember Veins," primarily influences the magic channels, serving as conduits for the flow of magic. The next ritual is termed "Ritual of the Bloodflame Awakening." It is designed to strengthen my bond with Anarion and to rouse the latent powers within my blood. Given five thousand years of history, with a continuous infusion of blood and magic from dragons, it's plausible that something dormant lies within our blood, and it is this dormant element that I seek to awaken with this ritual.

This ritual is also a test, as the ability will only manifest if my ancestors approve of it. I have no doubt they will, for they would surely wish to witness the legacy within their blood. Being of pure lineage, without the taint of a half-breed or the absence of a dragon, there is no reason for their disapproval. They will be but an echo, a remnant of their former selves imprinted upon the world. I began to walk towards the cavern's corner, where I had placed one of the ingredients necessary for the ritual.

Last night, I visited the nearby godswood and collected stones, leaves, and water. The weirwood box I bought from the merchant will serve as a catalyst for the ritual. It's said to enhance the ritual's power, though to what extent, I'm not certain; that's why I gathered as many stones and other items as possible. The dragon heart I possess will be used to awaken the power. I'm unsure of the fate of these two items post-ritual, as they are the only magical ingredients I have so far.

This ritual, originating from the memories of Grindelwald, is dark in nature. However, altering the ingredients and runes may yield unknown results. In their realm, numerous magical ingredients sacrifices are required, and even then, if one is deemed unworthy by magic, nothing will be awakened. I have redirected the magic to my ancestors, as I believe that with my heritage, the magic of this world will not grant me anything. It is the magic of my ancestors and their deceased dragons, combined with the natural four forces, that will bestow the power. The dragon's heart will absorb this power and incinerate the blockages, thus activating the dormant abilities.

This ritual will be painful, but as they say, "no pain, no gain." Upon returning to the site of my initial ritual, the first step is to set the weirwood box on the ground. Subsequently, I form a circle with stones, leaves, and a bowl of water, and ignite a magical fire fueled by my blood in the bowl, which burns with utmost intensity as I infuse it with as much blood and magic as it can contain. Once the circle is complete, I proceed towards the trunk where I had thrown the dragon's heart, carrying the dragon hide pouch adorned with numerous engraved runes that I had crafted.

Upon donning gloves, I extracted the heart, and blood immediately began to seep out. I managed to collect most of the blood before it could damage the glove and promptly deposited it into the weirwood box. The quantity of blood was minimal, but I gathered what I could, knowing it would be beneficial for the next ritual, especially if this dragon heart were to be incorporated. Subsequently, I positioned the family heir's knife adjacent to the box to establish a connection for the ancestors to manifest. I began my chant in Mother toungue,

"Zaldrīzes ānogar, prūmi ēngos iksan

Hen ñuhys prūmȳ perzys, zaldrīzī ānogār iksis."

Noroty ēngos, hen zōbrie issa

Vežo bantis, īlva gaomilaks ñuhys jorrāelagon syt."

("Dragon's heart, I am forged in blood /

By my blood's fire, ancestors rise /

From ancient veins, the power flows /

In flame and blood, my will is reborn.")

As I began the chant, the dagger was the first to glow, followed by a faint luminescence from everything within the circle. Completing the chant, I laid my hand upon the box, feeling the Dragon Heart's warmth inside. With each pulse of the heart, it synchronized with my magic and the blood-fueled fire. The elements encircling the box stirred to life—the water rippled, leaves rustled, and stones hummed with ancient power. The box itself started to glow, harmonizing with my magical energy and the dragon's fiery essence, as the roar of Sheepstealer filled the air.

The circle of elements around me burst into a soft, glowing light, enhanced by the blood-powered fire that now burned brighter, its flames reaching upward in a twisting, spiraling dance resembling dragons entwined. The gathered magical energy began to direct itself toward the dagger. Then, multiple eyes landed on me. I looked around but found nothing, and after some time, silhouettes of men and women with silver and silver-gold hair began to materialize before me. Some bore proud expressions, others smug, and then they started to fade away as the gathered energy began to transfer toward the box. This time, I couldn't count the number of eyes on me; they were so numerous, seemingly infinite and never-ending. The magic they emit is faint, yet even with my undeveloped magical sense, I could discern its ancient origin, older than the volcano or anything else I had encountered thus far. In my mind, there is no doubt about their identity. I could feel some looking at me with utter disgust and repulsion, gazing as if they could see into my soul. After their judgment, they disappeared.

Then, that energy flowed into me, awakening a force that bolstered my vitality, strength, and connection with Anarion. I began to feel the power of my ancestors coursing through my veins, deepening my bond with Anarion. Expecting pain that never came, I attempted to stand but fell instead. It appears that rest is necessary after performing the ritual. As I closed my eyes, sleep came instantly.

*****

Awakening on the warm stone floor, I stood up effortlessly and began stretching. Once finished, I examined my body for any changes; finding none, I proceeded to meditate to sense any alterations in my magic. As I closed my eyes and delved into meditation, I immediately noticed a significant deepening of my bond with Anarion. Now, I could sense his location, the distance between us, and even his emotions. Content with this discovery, I turned my attention to my magic, checking for any irregularities. While I detected a slight increase in the potency of my magic and a growth in my reserves, there was nothing extraordinary.

After channeling my magic through my body four to five times, I began searching for any sign that might reveal what I had gained from the ritual. My ancestors had approved of it, and so had the Old Gods, if such approval counts. Eventually, I discovered what I was seeking: it appeared as a blood-red flame, constantly flickering.

The moment I touched it, I was jolted from my meditation. Almost immediately, a fiery force began to radiate from my heart throughout my body. A power surged within me, tsunami-like, and I felt as though I could shatter stone with my bare hands. I drew my wand and dashed out of the volcano, my speed at least tenfold what it had been the day before—I was certain I could go even faster. Once outside, I targeted a distant mountain and cried out, "Bombarda!"

My mouth fell open as the "Bombarda" spell caused a massive explosion, creating a crater at the mountain's base and sending rocks flying. Even my "Bombarda Maxima" couldn't inflict such damage. Witnessing the destruction a single spell had wrought upon the mountain, I was about to celebrate when suddenly, the force began to drain from my body, the flickering flame waning, and a profound tiredness overcame me.

Give me a power stone if you like the chapter. Don't worry about more training arc chapter because in the next chapter his training arc will end. So, I need you to vote if you guys want to save Aemma. So, I'll conduct this poll for only day so make your intention known fast.

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