I reached down deep within myself, searching for something, anything, that resembled a connection to my element. There was nothing. Just an empty void. Even as flames licked at my scales, nothing arose from within me.

Surely being this close to flames should be enough for me to wield it, even as a Beginner.

I dared not step into the flames, for while dragon scales were incredibly resistant to heat, even they had their limits. I would only become completely resistant to flames after achieving the Champion rank, something that even Kazlar had yet to accomplish.

I came out of my trance just as he stepped up beside me.

"Still nothing?" He asked nonchalantly.

I gave him a nod before baring my teeth and snarling, "Why is it not working? Everything else comes quickly for me but the second it comes to elements everyone is better. They make it look so easy!"

"You're entire elemental acquirement is completely different than there's. Perhaps this is just a little different too."

With a defeated sigh, I allowed my head to droop a little. "Why can't I just be normal?"

Avoiding my question, whether intentionally or not, Kazlar rumbled reassuringly, "How about we take a break for a little bit? Perhaps when the sun is down you'll be able to focus more."

Kazlar was right, as always. Trying again and again was getting me nowhere; might as well take a break. Besides, I always did operate better at night.

I gave him a nod of agreement before following in his footsteps.

"Do you want to go and hunt again? You haven't eaten since this morning, I'm sure a little food would clear your mind."

Internally I froze while my physical self continued on as if nothing was wrong.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

This morning was a disaster, and I'd rather avoid hunting for as long as possible.

The hunt had begun great: I had caught the Sivritha, sunk my fangs into its neck, and killed it. That's where everything went wrong. Bloodlust in dragons only arose after a fresh kill and it was more severe in young dragons, such as myself. Knowing this, I had prepared, or thought I had, for fighting the rage that would overcome me. However, nothing could have prepared me for that.

Blood marred the ground, drenching the surrounding grass and flowers in a sheen of crimson red. The Sivritha was unrecognizable, its once silver coat ripped to shreds, giving way to bones and muscle. Even then, I continued on my rampage, hacking away at the thin layer of flesh that separated my hungry jaws from the creature's organs. A sharp thrash of my head later, and the rib cage was left gaping wide, flesh, organs, and blood all mixing together in a soupy mush. I watched from within the recesses of my mind as, with salivating jaws, I dove in, the bloodlust relentlessly dictating my every move.

"I'm alright. I don't feel hungry right now, just tired. Besides, my catch this morning was fairly large."

A Sivritha burst from the safety of the forest, his majestic form scrambling to escape my shadow. His coat had been gray in the shadows, though now it reflected the rising sun's light, generating a sheen of silver so bright I nearly had to look away for fear of being blinded. His towering black antlers were a sharp contrast, seeming instead to suck up the light, constantly remaining as dull and dark as obsidian. Not only was he a beautiful specimen, but also a powerful one, towering at just over a quarter of my height.

He eyed me suspiciously as if he knew something was up. Which, he likely did. He seemed to have an uncanny knack for spotting if something was wrong in other dragons, even more so with myself.

I copied Kazlar’s technique, accelerating quickly, braking sharply, and then bowling over the Sivritha. We tumbled across the ground for a few moments, mud and wads of grass sticking to both of us while the sharp tang of greenery filled my nose. The Sivritha let out a musical noise, ever beautiful and regal even as he neared his death. I dug my talons in so he couldn't escape, only relaxing my grasp when we came to a halt, and only just enough so I could pull myself up. His eyes flicked to mine, seemingly calm, maybe even accepting, as I stretched forward and buried my fangs in his neck in one quick motion. The light faded from his eyes, and with it my control over my body faded as well, leaving me trapped within my brain to observe the mutilation of the once stunning Sivritha.

"You sure you're not hungry?"

A red haze covered my vision, blurring everything that had been visible moments before. I snarled with no prompting, and moments later I could feel the rage building up within me. I clawed at the walls of my mind, fighting, and begging, for control. I pushed back as hard as I could, combatting my instinctual desire for blood and rage. I held it off for a moment, but it wasn't enough. It was as if I was a spectator through someone else's eyes, able to only view the carnage in horror, and helpless to intervene. I could not say for how long I was stuck fighting inside my mind, but I was left completely exhausted when the bloodlust finally relented. My chest heaved in great gasping breaths, both from exertion and terror.

I was a hunter, predator, made to kill others for sustenance, but this? It was too much.

It will not control me.

I shook my head, and, thankfully, he dropped the subject.

"Well then, I'll be off. Wait until I'm back before trying your element. I want to be there when it happens."

I nodded in agreement, although I was still skeptical that he would get to see anything, even after I took a break.

I watched him soar towards the valley for a few moments, before turning and heading for the centermost area of Yavleth, where all the shops were located. It was also where dragons went to socialize or, occasionally, hold competitions.

May as well see if anything interesting is happening tonight.