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Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Tairhn knew it was important to keep the young child’s image hidden, but he definitely stuck out like a sore thumb being cloaked with a hood up on such a warm day. Most dragon fashion entailed wrapping elegant fabrics around their bodies, leaving their backs open for their wings. Many who traveled would wear cloaks to cover their wings and protect them from the harsh elements, but in the middle of summer it was an unusual look.

Aaron didn’t seem to mind. His eyes were wide in awe as he looked at the sights of the city while they made their way to the bridge that connected the floating isles to the mainland. The guards were used to people coming and going, only really stopping those coming in with various beasts bearing travel packs. With so many refugees coming in from various settlements, it wasn’t just dragons within the city of Ophicys. Even if Aaron seemed out of place, many would mistake him for a refugee child that might have come through the gates, and this allowed them to pass through uninterrupted.

This was their first trip outside of the city, even if Astrius wasn’t happy about it. While the priest understood that it was important for Aaron to learn flight, especially as it would be useful in combat with how massive Titans were in comparison to most beings. Although with Blythe being the Titan of Wind, he wasn’t quite sure flight would be super useful, but at the very least he would get the practice in now. Other Titans did not have control over wind currents, so Blythe might be difficult to battle in the air, but the others would be easier to manage with full access to the skies.

It took about an hour to make their way down the mountainside path that connected the floating islands, the lake drawing closer with each minute that passed. Aaron had never caught a glimpse of it before, and it sparkled in his mothers sunlight.

“Tairhn, why do the mountains float?” Aaron was confused as to why the dragons lived on the islands that had separated from the mountains, rather than just living along the mountain ridge itself.

Tairhn smiled, glad the youngster was inquisitive about his surroundings. “A long time ago, when Io had been able to influence the Mortal Realm, she raised the land out of the ground, allowing it to fill from various mountain rivers making their way through the valleys. She had done so to gift the dragons a home even closer to her within the sky. Now, the fact that we are high up in the sky rather than stuck to the ground, simply means better protections. Even with how large the Titans are, it is high enough that they cannot truly launch an attack without proper preparation. It keeps us safe, with the only way into the city being the land bridge which is conveniently small enough to prevent anything large and threatening from making its way into the city.”

Tairhn stopped them once they were by a ledge that was about 100 feet from the lakes surface. Aaron looked down a bit tentatively, not sure about the height as he’d never been on such a ledge before.

“I thought we were going down to the lake?” He looked back to Tairhn, who smiled reassuringly.

“It may seem high but we want you to have time to adjust your wings, and for me to catch you should you not get it on your first try.”

At this height the wind was flowing freely, no forestry to block the breezes. Tairhn took position next to Aaron looking out over the edge. Aaron shivered as he felt the wind tickle the underside of his wings, feeling a strange urge. He spread his wings out a bit, stretching, but paused when he heard Tairhn chuckle next to him.

“It’s alright, the first time takes some getting used to. Take your time to feel the air as it flows past your wings. Make small adjustments to your wing positioning to feel how differently the air flows.”

“Do I need to jump off right this minute?” Aaron whimpered, hearing his own heart beating loudly like a drum, easily muffling the sounds of the world around him.

“No, no, we will stay up here for a bit. I want you to understand your wings before we take our first jump. It’s important to understand the tiniest adjustments in order to get your flight to go as you expect it, rather than spiraling out of control and making massive adjustments while panicking.”

Tairhn spread his own wings, showing Aaron his full wingspan. “Look at my wings, I am going to fly for you. I will do slow fly bys, but I want you to spot the adjustments I make when I am going from position to position.”

“How will I be able to see you if you’re flying? Won’t that be too far?”

“Not at all, your vision will adjust, it’s simply a matter of practice. For now, let me show you how you will dive off the cliff. You will not want to jump, per se, but instead dive downwards. For most, it goes against every bit of instinct to dive off like that, but for dragons, you must trust your wings to catch the wind.”

Tairhn stepped to the edge looking back at Aaron. “Focus on my form as I go into the dive. I am going to fold my wings tightly behind me so I go down the cliff smoothly, and when I want to tilt up and gain horizontal flight, I will then flare my wings out and adjust slightly so the drag created by wind around my wings keeps me even in flight.”

Aaron nodded in understanding as Tairhn turned, bent his knees and dove headfirst off the edge. Aaron darted a bit closer to look over the edge after Tairhn, eyes wide amazement as he watched the nose dive.

As Tairhn dove, his speed increased, tucking his wings in closer. The wind whistling past him was exhilarating, and he knew that Aaron would soon gain confidence with practice to enjoy this too, but for now he couldn’t relish the flying himself, he had a pupil to teach.

Tairhn watched the surface of the lake as it closed in, trying to gauge when he should end his dive. Normally he might go as far as he could, an old game from his own childhood, a dragon version of chicken if you will, but Tairhn knew it was important for Aaron to see the details of the flight and if he went as far down as he wanted, Aaron might miss out on something.

When he reached what he felt was an adequate height for Aaron to still see things, he flared his wings out. By tilting them upward slightly for the wind to catch, he pulled out of his dive into a horizontal flight path. With a single flap of his wings, Tairhn propelled himself forward, keeping his speed up as he soared over the lake. He was flying well above the waters’ surface but still at a lower altitude than Aaron. Enthralled, Aaron had moved closer, peering over the cliff edge with eyes as wide as dinner plates, in awe at seeing flight for the first time. Most didn’t exactly fly through the city as it could cause traffic issues moving that fast, but for those that traveled outside the city, flight was the most freeing thing a dragon could do.

While dragons did not commonly have hair, those that did would have a small amount going down their elongated necks, and Tairhn just so happened to have a small strip of wispy white against his bronzed skin. There were a few small braids, adorned with simple beads that Aaron had never seen before Tairhn showed up, ones that were not known within dragon society. With how fast he was going, what he did have was blowing drastically from the flight, and Aaron wondered if his own would end up in a mess. Considering his was just past his shoulder blades already, he hadn’t quite thought about how his hair would react during flight until this moment.

Tairhn made a quick turn, sensing a change in the air pressure and upon finding a current, suddenly went soaring up back to a higher elevation. Turning back towards the cliff’s edge, he flapped once more to give himself that speed now that he was happy with his new height and made his way back towards Aaron.

Aaron backed away from the cliff edge, but Tairhn had already picked his landing spot, making sure to avoid the child. With a few flaps as he came back to the ledge, he uprighted himself again, landing gracefully on his feet and folding his wings back once more.

“That was amazing!” Aaron was practically bouncing up and down, going between desire to take to the air, and fear of falling into the water below.

Tairhn smiled softly, remembering his own first flight fondly. “Now it’s your turn.”

Aaron froze almost immediately, realizing that this was now his moment. “Already? Shouldn’t I do some sort of practice?”

“This isn’t the same as combat practice, flying is something you learn to do quickly and fine tune as you grow. You will not be perfect, you might even feel a bit unsteady, but the important parts are the basics you just saw me do. Nothing fancy, we’ll expand your flight knowledge as you grow, but for now, your body is still small and you are unsure of your abilities. Don’t try to push yourself, just focus on the simple actions of basic flight.”

Aaron looked back over the edge hesitantly, but Tairhn put his clawed hand on the child's shoulder reassuringly.

“Do not worry, I am right here to help you if something goes wrong. Most hatchlings get the basic flight in the first go, but crash landings can be quite common at first. There is no pressure to be perfect right away.” He smiled gently, knowing the strange combination of feelings from both anxiety and excitement. An all too familiar feeling from his own childhood, and seeing it within Aaron filled him with a joy of leading the next generation. He unclasped the child’s cloak they had used to sneak him out, tossing it aside for the time being.

Tairhn gently guided Aaron to the cliff's edge, putting him into a good diving position. “Remember, headfirst, wings tucked. Once you are in your dive, pick a height to open your wings out, and flare them just slightly upwards to pull you out of your dive. I will be watching in case you get too low. Stretch your wings out for me, as far as you can and hold them there for a moment, just to help you loosen up. You’ve never used your wings before, so it’s best to let the sunlight warm them, and you, up before your dive. The skies can be cold, especially during a dive or under cloud cover, but with the sunshine gifted by your mother today, it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable for you.”

Aaron did as requested, stretching his wings out as far as his wingspan could reach, feeling the warmth slowly spreading even with the gentle wind tickling at the membranes. He tensed them a few times, relaxing after a few moments, having been taught these stretches about a week prior to build up his wing awareness.

“Whenever you are ready, Aaron.” Tairhn reminded him gently, not wanting to push him too quickly, but the longer the hatchling postponed, the less sure they would be. A leap of faith was all it would take and the natural instinct would start to take over. Aaron just had to believe in himself.

Aaron was quite unsure, but with Tairhn behind him, he felt a wash of confidence flow through him, and he stepped to the cliff edge properly lining his feet up. With a single deep breath, he knelt, and propelled himself forward over the ledge headfirst.

If Aaron had been a human, every ounce of instinct would be screaming for him to not go headfirst over a cliff. But, after all, Aaron had the blood of a dragon and the moment he entered his dive, and the wind began whistling in his ears, his heart burst alive with ecstasy. The pounding in his ears overwhelmed the wind as he folded his wings back, hair flying behind him getting more tangled by the second. All he could focus on was the lake below him, coming ever closer.

Closing his eyes briefly, taking one more breath in, he unfurled his wings, tilting them ever so slightly as he had seen Tairhn do.

Almost immediately he got pulled upward in a jerky manner as he wasn’t expecting his wings to catch so suddenly. He was nearly knocked off balance, but he managed to even his body out, although his limbs were a bit shaky. Once he seemed to have evened out, he took his first real attentive glance to the scenery below him.

He was pretty low, Aaron had misjudged his height coming out of the dive, and while he had been gaining his balance again, he’d dropped a bit in altitude. He could see the lake glittering below him as he sped along above its surface, and Aaron got lost in the view for a moment.

When he came out of his brief stupor, he realized he had lost some of his altitude, and he flapped his wings a few times to try and regain what he had lost. While it worked, it did take tremendous effort and he wasn’t experienced enough to find currents to ride higher to conserve his energy. Aaron felt his heart rate go from excitement to panic as the water drew ever closer.

There was a sudden gust that slammed into Aaron, who had not recognized the changes of the air currents to be able to react appropriately, and he lost all control, falling like a rock towards the lake. He flailed his wings slightly trying to right himself and catch the wind again, his panic rising with each passing second.

Sooner than he expected, he crashed into the lake, submerging briefly only to be brought back up by the wave displacement. Aaron gasped for air quickly only for him to go back under again, but same as before it was only for a few seconds before he was back up. His wings were outstretched as it was hard for him to move them in the water, but that seemed to be helping keep him afloat as he started looking around, his hair drenched and partially covering his eyes. Compared to the warmth of the sun on his wings as he had been flying, the bitter cold of the water was like a shock to his system. He twisted slightly trying to find where the nearest shore was but he didn’t exactly know how to swim so his movements didn’t quite allow him to go anywhere.

A sudden shadow appeared overhead, and Aaron looked up, only to see Tairhn hovering over him by flapping his wings steadily.

“I have you, grab my hand and I’ll pull you up.” Tairhn called out, lowering down and extending his arm to Aaron who grabbed it immediately with both hands. Tairhn pulled him up and once Aarons wings were free of the water, he tucked them in behind him as Tairhn took Aaron bridal style in his arms. With a few powerful beats of his wings, Tairhn gave them a bit more altitude, away from the surface of the lake.

He turned them back towards the cliffs where they had taken off from, and Aaron could see just how far the ledge was they had flown off of. It would take quite a bit of practice for him to understand how fast he was diving in flight, as he had clearly allowed himself to get too low. Aaron curled into Tairhn as a sudden current gave Tairhn some lift, only to hear the rumble of the older dragon chuckling in his chest.

“You’re alright, little one. I have you. I would never allow anything bad to happen to you, you were quite safe, if not a bit soaked. We’ll dry off in the sun for a bit and then head back.” Tairhn flew them back to the cliff, slightly slower than his earlier flight due to the extra weight of Aaron in his arms. But after a few moments, they were back safely at the cliff ledge, and Tairhn landed gently before setting Aaron down on the ground by where his cloak had been tossed.

Aaron immediately flopped onto his back, stretching his wings out and taking deep breaths as he came down from the shock of the cold water. Tairhn was catching his own breath as even at his size, the child was still heavy enough to mean he had extra effort involved to pull him up out of the water and fly them back safely.

Carefully, Tairhn sat down beside the boy, placing his arms on his knees as he gathered his own energy back. “Well now, that was an exciting first flight. We’ll just keep practicing but I think our next lesson is going to be air currents. You will one day be able to sense them almost instinctively and adjust much more quickly.” He looked down at Aaron, still rather wet from the little detour he took into the lake. Luckily it didn’t appear the boy had been hurt, perhaps his pride, but nothing physically wrong.

Aaron shivered slightly, but he could already feel the warmth filling his wings again, so it was simply a matter of time. His clothes on the other hand would probably be dried by the time they got back to the city above. But for now, the two could rest and gather their strength before making the trip back.

“I’m very proud of your first flight Aaron. Do not think of this as a failure, for failure is simply a learning experience.” Tairhn said gently, knowing the child was probably expecting perfection, simply due to how the priesthood had spoken around him. Such high expectations can be a weight around the shoulders of one so small.

“For now, just rest, we’ll start heading back in a little bit. I do not want to be too late getting back, as I’d like for us to stop at the market before we go back to the temple.”

Aaron sat up carefully, a bit surprised to hear that. “You’re taking me to the market? I thought I couldn’t go?”

“You will have your cloak on, little one. With the hood and your face mask, no one will be able to make out your features. Your wings will be hidden, and many will think you are simply a refugee child I am with. Your identity will be safe, but I would like to pick up some rock cakes for our tea when we get back. Some sweets and warm tea will soothe any aches from today's lesson.”

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Aaron immediately perked up at the idea of getting his new favorite treat. The priests hadn’t ever truly let him have sweets, simply because most of their meals involved simpler, more nutritious foods. It wasn’t that their food was boring, just that the priests had other duties so it was much simpler meals to make for keeping their cooking duties lighter. They also used a lot of their own produce and would only send a priest out for ingredients that they couldn’t gather themselves, oftentimes breads and meats to finish filling out the pantry.

“How are you feeling?” Tairhn asked, noticing the boy wasn’t breathing as heavily anymore.

“I think I’m better. I’m still cold.”

“Well then, why don’t we hurry back to get you some dry clothes, a place by the fire, and a lovely tea to finish off the day? We’ll keep it quick at the market.” Tairhn stood, helping Aaron to stand up as well, with the boy's legs still a tad shaky. Aaron picked his cloak up after stabilizing himself to put it back on, keeping his wings out just for the extra sunshine warming them while they walked back. He would have time to pull the cloak around him to hide things as they got closer.

Simply due to exhaustion, it took about a half hour longer than it had to get down to the lake returning to the city. Aaron kept pushing, even when Tairhn offered breaks, simply because those sweet rock cakes were going to be waiting for him.

Rock cakes were a simple sweet roll, about the size of a child dragon's claw. The bun itself would be very light and fluffy, and while it was common for a type of custard or jam to be in there as fillings, but the standard recipe was no filling. Instead all rock cakes, regardless of filling or not, had a honey glaze atop it, followed by a special recipe unique to the dragons: a powdered sugar that was colored to reflect various gemstones.

Aaron had only eaten rock cakes a handful of times, but his curiosity had peaked from the various sugar colors he’d seen on the ones Tairhn had brought in. “Master Tairhn, why do some of the rock cakes taste different? It seems like even if they have the same color sugars on top, they can have different flavors between them.

“Well, you see, powdered sugar is something only dragons can create. Our fire can be at various temperatures depending on a few factors, and bakers will use their fire in their own ovens to create the sugars. The temperature will change the color composition of the sugar, while some even add other flavors to the sugar while it’s melting down. Once it’s a flat sticky sheet, they pull it out of the oven to cool and proceed to shatter and grind it up once more to powder it on top of the cakes. Each baker may have their own preference for flavor combinations with specific colors, so they can vary from bakery to bakery.”

“Of course,” Tairhn continued, “the rock cake itself is always going to be that light gray color, soft and fluffy inside. That is a standard across the recipe, but the colored sugars and flavorings, along with any fillings that they may include, will vary from personal preference.”

Aaron had enjoyed the basic rock cake with no filling, but he had found about two days later there was a special vanilla icing filled one that was unique to a specific bakery. Tairhn had gone there in his youth and the family bakery had been so popular it was still being run today. Now, Tairhn had shared his childhood happiness with Aaron, and delighted, the child had fallen in love with Tairhn’s old favorite.

Before they fully approached the city gate, Tairhn paused to help Aaron adjust his travel clothes to hide his identity. Once again, Aaron pulled the face mask up to cover up the lower half of his face, and pulled the hood to his cloak to hide his blond hair. Tairhn went to clasp the front closed to keep his wings hidden underneath. Even though this cloak was not a heavier material that one might see for full travel, it was enough to keep his wings hidden from view so no one knew of his heritage. Aaron understood now why it was so important to keep his appearance under wraps, but it was still nice to be able to actually see the city outside of the temple walls.

Tairhn led him through the gates quietly, bowing gently in respect to the guards, who returned the gesture. It wasn’t particularly busy this late in the day, as many were already heading home to prepare dinner for their families. Since the crowds had thinned out, it was quite easy to navigate the streets to their favorite bakery.

Opening the door, he let Aaron go in ahead of him before acknowledging the baker who was turned away from the door working on a dough. “Good afternoon, Seli. I hope you are well?”

Seli, a vibrant orange dragon with yellowing in her neck scales, dusted her claws off from the dough she had just been kneading and smiled at him. “Tairhn, it’s quite late in the afternoon, we’re here for a late treat today it would seem.” Seli spoke with deeper tones, but still had such a friendly demeanor that instilled trust. She had a very small strip of yellow hair, much less than Tairhn himself had, but she had a proud set of brown ram horns that were looking a bit off color due to the flour that managed to get everywhere in the air when she was in her flurry of baking.

“Ah yes, I was outside the city most of the day, just now returning. Do you have about a dozen of the frosting-filled cakes?”

“Oh yes, I just finished making my last batch, I was preparing dough for tomorrow.” Seli grabbed a delivery basket, seeing that Tairhn had empty hands. “Would you like any of your jelly-filled ones? I do have a lovely mixed berry today.”

“Yes, that does sound lovely, thank you. I will be sure to return your basket tomorrow, I shall stop by before you open so it does not impact your business.”

Seli let out a bright, yet deep laugh, filling up the basket with his order, “I have plenty of spares, one single basket going to an old family friend will not be missed. Return it when you are able, no need to put yourself out.” She turned once the basket was filled, it seemed today's batch seemed to have red sugar crystals glimmering like rubies. Returning to the counter, Seli piped back up, “I take it that some of these are for that little one hiding behind you?” She peered down at Aaron, who had been partially hiding behind Tairhn’s body.

Aaron ducked back a bit more, only for Tairhn to step aside and bring him forward. “It’s alright little one, no need to be shy. You know the temple is helping many children who are orphaned by the events happening outside the city, this is simply one of them that I am looking out for.” Not entirely a lie, the temple was in fact helping with some children refugees, but they had no access to the main portion of the temple where Aaron and the others of the priesthood stayed.

“Yes, I worry about it every day, it’s such a big world out there, “Seli sighed softly, knowing how devastating the Titan’s reach had become. She lingered for but a moment, continuing, “But seeing those that are fleeing… One has to wonder how much longer Ophicys will be safe… I hope that we can continue living safely. Io willing, the Titans can be saved from this madness that has overtaken them.”

“Perhaps. Only time will tell.” Tairhn pulled out a coin purse and grabbed a few gold coins, offering them to her.

Seli traded over the basket, taking the coins and bowing respectfully. “Io’s light be with you.”

“And also with you.” Tairhn replied, bowing gently. Aaron bowed as well, remaining respectful even if he wasn’t speaking to the baker.

The two left the bakery and did not speak on the trip back. This bakery happened to at least be close to the temple, and with it being later afternoon the temple was not as busy. Tairhn was able to guide Aaron to the living area behind the temple without any interference.

Once Aaron was well outside of public gaze, he practically tore the cloak off and shook himself slightly to loosen up. Underneath that heavy cloak his wings had felt trapped, and it bothered him more than he had expected.

“Alright, you go clean up and change out of those travel clothes. I’ll get our tea prepared and join you in your quarters in a few minutes.” Tairhn nodded his head down the hallway towards Aaron's room, watching as the child darted off. He turned and went the other way towards the kitchen, needing to prepare a few things for their tea.

Dragons typically would drink a specific type of tea, a tea that was based around leaves from the flower known as Io’s Tear. It was a flower that while vibrant and open during the day, closed and wilted at night, looking limp but still glowing eerily in a form of bio-luminescence. Not only did it grow all over the mountain ranges the dragons called home, but it was a common form of contraception. As such, almost every dragon participated in a daily tea time.

The flower may have been the base of the tea, however the flavors came from all sorts of other plants and herbs that grew within the mountains. Most would choose between a more floral/herbal variation of the tea, but Tairhn had found that he enjoyed a more fruity blend, and since Aaron had not complained about any of his tea choices, he continued to use his favorite which happened to include notes of citrus that used the peel of a local citrus fruit called a tallenge.

After preparing their teapot, a basic ceramic one that had a glaze that mimicked the marbling of a geode, he placed it on a serving tray with the teacups they would be using. He did leave a section for the rock cakes, and carefully placed them in a small stack that wouldn’t risk tumbling over. He was still a graceful dragon and confident with his movements so even at his age Tairhn had a steady hand when it came to carrying a tea tray.

Tairhn made his way back down the hallway to Aaron’s quarters, gently knocking on the door with his foot to get Aaron’s attention. It only took a few seconds for Aaron to open the door, letting his mentor in. Aaron had changed into his casual attire, those same silken cloth wraps the priests wore in a toga like fashion. He had also brushed vigorously through his hair as it was now neat again from his lake incident.

“Thank you, why don’t you go sit. I’ll start preparing to serve.” Tairhn motioned over to the small table Aaron had in his room. All things considered, Aaron’s room was the nicest, simply because it had been Ra’s before that. When Ra had initially hatched, he was much smaller and lived in the room for a brief period of time. None of his previous belongings were there, but the bed he had slept in was still the same one Aaron slept in now, a firmer mattress as dragons had a tendency to prefer harder surfaces. The fabrics of the room were rather extravagant compared to the plainness of the priest’s rooms, but for the children of their goddess, the priests were adamant about providing splendors they themselves would forgo. Aaron was the most sheltered out of the two, Ra had of course been given plenty of freedom to roam amongst his people, but if this were a normal circumstance, Aaron would have had the same introduction to the people of Ophicys that Ra had when he was born.

Ra had outgrown his room rather quickly since he was a pure dragon and had taken after his mother by growing to the size of an ancient dragon. Aaron would most likely not grow to be like his mother, since he had shape shifted out of his hatchling form into a young child. He most likely would be taller than a human due to his demonic blood, but that also meant that Tairhn had to teach Aaron how to find his dragon form once again.

But that was for another day. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind, knowing that Aaron needed to relax after such a physically exhausting lesson. That would be another lesson well after he learned how to fly. Tairhn set the tray down on the table, setting one of the saucers and teacups in front of Aaron.

After setting down a saucer and cup in front of his own seat, he carefully poured into Aaron’s cup first, as it was considered polite to serve others before yourself. Aaron thanked him quietly, bowing his head with respect. He waited for Tairhn to pour his own cup and sit down before he reached for a rock cake.

“How are you feeling after your first flight?” Tairhn asked, knowing the child had been a bit disheartened at the dip in the waters.

Aaron thought for a moment, not sure how to find the words for what he was feeling. “I think I’m both… disappointed, but also excited? I want to fly again, even though I failed.”

Tairhn smiled, glad to know the child still felt the connection to the sky. “That’s completely normal. Disappointment happens, but as long as you are able to pick yourself back up and try again, you will succeed. You will feel the same when we begin practicing combat. Remember, you will not be perfect. Skills take years to learn, decades to master. You are growing at an accelerated rate due to your lineage, and will most likely pick up on things rather quickly. However, it’s important to remember that perfection is not the goal.”

“What is the goal? I know I have to fight multiple Titans at some point. But… what if I don’t win?”

Tairhn felt his heart drop, knowing this was bound to be a conversation they had at some point. Might as well have it now.

“It’s understandable for you to feel anxious about losing. There is so much weight on your shoulders, and you do not have long to process it. I truly wish you had come into this world under better circumstances. For that, I am sorry, little one.” He sighed, sitting back to find the words.

“I cannot say for certain that it is not possible for you to lose. There is always that possibility, for even though you have your mother’s god blood, your father is a demon. In that, demons can die, but you would not die the same way they do. If you were to pass from combat with a Titan, your body may be destroyed, but your soul will simply return to the Astral Plane where your mother and the other gods dwell.”

“But then the Titans would win. Everyone would suffer. Don’t I have to be the victor to prevent that from happening?” Aaron looked up with heavy eyes, clearly having been struggling mentally with this.

Tairhn sighed gently, setting his teacup down to focus on Aaron completely. The way he answered this could define how the child continued to progress. “Aaron, even the gods themselves are not perfect. You know the story of how your mother was tricked by Mortas?”

Aaron’s vision flick back down to his lap, fidgeting with his thumbs. “Yes, he promised her that should she lock her power away, he would keep the world in order so nothing horrible would happen to her people. She locked her power away within our sun, thus no longer able to join the Mortal Planes as she once did. Mortas then betrayed her, and the Titan’s began their rampage with him at their lead…” Aaron trailed off quietly, having heard this story a hundred times since he hatched.

“Yes, that’s right. Your mother trusted someone, someone who turned against her, which seems like an imperfection on her part, correct? Would you say her judgement was wrong in that case?” Tairhn pushed Aaron gently, wanting him to come to the conclusion on his own terms. No matter what the priests would say, even the gods were not infallible.

Aaron thought for a moment, raising his head again with a nod.

“So,” Tairhn continued, “If she is not perfect, why do you expect yourself to be?”

The child kept quiet for a moment, taking that statement in. “... I just don’t want people to end up hurt because I couldn’t save them… But, even my mother’s choices caused people to be hurt in the end, no matter how well her intentions were.”

“That’s right,” Tairhn agreed, smiling weakly. “I know it’s hard to accept, but no matter what Father Astrius, or anyone else says, no one can be perfect. It is an impossibility. Your heart shows that you have the fight to do whatever it takes to prevent the evils in the world from taking control. No one would doubt you tried your hardest, no matter what circumstances should happen during your future. The one thing I can ask of you is to try your best, each and every day. I will do my best to teach you everything you could need for combat, and those lessons, along with your abilities, I am confident you will be victorious.”

Tairhn leaned forward once more, continuing, “Whether you succeed or fail, the thing to remember is, these things would have happened if you had never been born in the first place. The fact you are even here to give this world a fighting chance is a blessing. Even if you were to fall in battle, the people would remember you for your actions and sacrifice. You cannot allow the weight of guilt to hold you down from what you can accomplish. Doubt is how we hold ourselves back.”

Aaron looked back down at the bun in front of him thinking deeply. “So… If I focus too much on what could happen, I won’t hold onto the information that can help me prevent those bad outcomes and can end up causing it anyways.”

“Yes, a self fulfilling prophecy so to speak. It’s best to devote yourself to your studies and focus on the battles as they come. I will teach you many tactics on how to use your abilities to your advantage. Battle is not simply about brute strength after all, you will need to make decisions on the fly. Being able to adapt is vital to surviving a battle that seems hopeless.” Tairhn smiled reassuringly, reaching for a rock cake himself. “I know that it is hard to not let those feelings get to us, but we have to remember your mothers teachings. Her light is yours, and you will be her Champion. She will give you strength where you need it.” He smiled gently down at Aaron, but inside he was feeling his own guilt at the fact that Aaron was not allowed to have a normal childhood.

Aaron smiled back weakly, going back to his rock cake. He felt a bit better, although it was not that easy to completely push away those doubts, and Tairhn knew this on a deeper level. This would not be the only time they had this conversation, and every time he would be right there to remind him they were valid, but it’s not healthy to dwell on when life is full of much more beautiful things to think about. He wondered when the boy got older if he would ever show an interest in romance, or if the priest's upbringing might prevent him from making those types of relationships.

Tairhn’s hope was that once the last Titan had been dealt with, that Aaron would be free to follow his own path, as Io intended for all of her children. Many of them stayed with their respective homes, but a few did follow their own destiny, away from the prying eyes of others while still influencing the world with their duties.

In a perfect world, Tairhn thought to himself. But since he knew the world was imperfect, he had to prepare himself for the possibility that this child might truly have to pay the ultimate sacrifice. Ultimately, it would be Aaron’s choice, as he could flee to save his own life in the hopes of coming back to fight another day. That was what Tairhn’s true lesson was for him, and he hoped the child would grow into a man that would remember to sometimes put himself first, even if it meant running away to safety.

For now, he would allow the child as many of these peaceful memories as he could, with Aaron enjoying a sticky rock cake, safe and warm surrounded by love. Tairhn could only pray that those moments helped Aaron to find the joys in life, even if he was locked away from the world. It was only right for Aaron to know peace from the harshness of the world, even if for a brief time.

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High Priest Astrius had been called upon by Io deep into the night. He wondered silently to himself as to what more she could possibly have for him, but he had to quiet his thoughts once he reached the alcove where the astral water rested in the form of a small pool. These pools littered the landscape as a thinning of the veil in between the Mortal Planes and the Astral Planes. Many of them were now encased within temples, but there were many expected to be undiscovered, and others still that were simply left to the wilds.

Kneeling, Astrius took place in the water, clearing his mind as he focused on the entrance into the Astral Plane.

It did not take long for Io to call him into the Astral Plane. Astrius squinted slightly when he arrived, his eyes still needing to adjust. Once he had collected himself and was able to actually see Io forming out of the brightness. Io came to a rest in front of him, laying down with her front claws crossed. Regardless of the fact that Io could not see him, he still bowed to her respectfully as he always did.

“My Lady, how can I serve?”

Io crooned softly, her scales shimmering brightly within the light. “I have called upon you to give you something for Aaron. He is going to grow very quickly over the next few years, and I believe it necessary to provide this gift now to aid his growth.”

With that, she turned to her side, and using her fangs, she gently preened out a single scale off of her body. Facing back to Astrius, Io gently laid the scale in front of her.

Astrius knelt down, lifting the scale up with some difficulty from its size in comparison to him. He held it in both of his claws, giving it a look over. This was something off of a goddess, astral material was somewhat unknown to the Mortal Realms. It had an iridescent white sheen to it, even though it had been removed from her body. It almost seemed to pulsate with an energy that made it feel alive.

“What will he use this for, if I may ask?” He looked back up at her, holding onto the scale carefully.

“This is to be his weapon. As it will be made of my body, it can only be destroyed by another ancient being, such as myself. Have him place his hand upon it, and the scale will reflect his inner soul. It shall take the form of the weapon that will suit him best.”

Astrius bowed gently again, “I shall give this to him first thing in the morning then. I thank you for entrusting this with me. I shall keep his weapon safe while he is preparing for the fight against the Titans.”

Io reached out to touch the scale gently one last time, knowing this was the best she could do for her son. “I may not be able to go into the Mortal Realms, but once an item leaves my body, it is no longer mine. I hope this gives Aaron some knowledge that his mother loves him, even if I am not with him.” She pulled back, knowing Astrius would need to return soon.

“Of course, my Lady,” Astrius knew her connection to her children was a large part of her love, and not being able to communicate with them regularly was difficult for her. Even more so since she had not been able to even speak with Aaron yet.

“I hope he is not angry with me for not being there for him. It is a shame we cannot speak with each other currently, but I know how volatile a youth can be with ancient blood. I miss my children equally but the ones I cannot speak with often are always the hardest on my heart.”

“I will be sure he knows of your love. Once he is matured, I am sure he will be able to handle the alcoves and the transition between realms.”

Io nodded gently, knowing it was for the best even if it hurt. “Take care of yourself, Astrius.”

Astrius bowed and soon felt himself being pulled back into the Mortal Realms. After his eyes adjusted back to the dimmer lighting of the alcove, he found the scale sitting in his lap, the water gently lapping around it from simple displacement.

The High Priest stood, pulling the scale up with him, needing to lock it away in his office. Even though he had just been in water, everything was bone dry, simply because astral water was not physical water that one would drink. Instead it was more a meta-physical water that allowed the transcendence between the realms wherever a pool had formed, a weakness in the veil so to speak. It was an unusual feeling to get used to for the new priests that had the privilege to use the alcoves, but those were few and far between.

Astrius brought the scale to his office, setting it on his desk gently. There was a wardrobe in there simply housing some basic clothes in the drawers below, whereas the closeted space above it had been left rather empty. After unlocking it, he looked at the edges, comparing it to the scale on his desk. It seemed like a good size for the scale, so Astrius returned to his desk to grab the scale. Once more, his arms already getting tired from carrying it, he lifted it up to place it gently in the closet, letting it rest against the back. It still seemed to glow, even though it was no longer within the Astral Plane. Astrius watched it, mesmerized briefly by the beauty of the ancient scale shimmering before him. He swore it almost had a hum to it.

He came back out of his thoughts, shutting the doors gently to the wardrobe, and locking it once more. Tomorrow morning, he would call Aaron and Tairhn to his office and they would allow the scale to do what it was meant to. But then it would get locked away again until Aaron was ready for battle. Astrius didn’t want Aaron to get too excited and try to use whatever weapon before he was ready. It was too great a risk of hurting himself, which was the last thing they needed to risk. He would already be risking life and limb fighting the Titans, but doing so before even facing them would be too much of a disadvantage.

After all, the time for battle would come all too soon, Astrius reminded himself. For now, at least the night was quiet as the city slept beneath the glow of Io’s eye. Both moons were half full in the night sky hanging over the land, an ever present reminder that Io’s light would touch those even in moments of darkness. The wind slowly blowing in gently from the north, a cautious reminder of things to come. All was quiet and peaceful tonight, but that could change in an instant.

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