[https://i.imgur.com/zweWNHT.jpg]

Like long-lost pieces, the personas connect. A line of white auras links the three. Elkan and Axton look down in wonder at the tethers pulsing from their chests.

“What is… Why are…” Elkan wondered with a large, confused smile.

“I am strengthening the link between us,” Drac said, looking at Elkan as he sat down on the tree’s root. A tether linked him to the tree. “The orc is a tough bastard. I need a bit of advice. Up for battle?”

Elkan leaned on the tree beside Drac, crossing his arms with a smug smile. “Sure. I can take the time to guide a bad student.”

Drac turned to Axton. “Read-”

“Hurry the fuck up!” Axton excitedly jumped to sit beside Drac. “Do the thing!”

Drac opened his eyes. He felt their bond more than ever before. Flashes of memories flowed through his mind. Sweat splattered on the cave floor while an old man shouted directions. A boy concentrated in the dead of night as he chiselled runes on a piece of metal.

“So it's the buttons that are engraved with runes.” Drac tuned his aura to whatever engraved metal he could sense on his person.

Drac tuned Leviatation. The hem of his jacket slowly floats. Sleeves drift in the wind. Drac held his empty hand out. A rune hummed in the lining of his glove and Ignis created a ball of fire that nearly blinded him.

Information flowed through his mind in a rush.

“Aura on the joints to allow stable and quick movements.” Aura calmed around him, condensing into a haze around his body. His sword was bright with white energy as it condensed on Heilong’s blade. “Narrowing aura within your arm so when you lessen control, it rushes to your weapon. Ingenius!”

Hey mate! Don't go telling everyone my trade secrets.

So we can share our skills directly with you? You really are different.

Drac smiles to himself.

“Finished meditating?” said the goading Orc.

“First the father; now the son will also fall beneath my feet.”

Drac started a bounce, hopping to a rhythm. While resting his blade on his soldier, he left his empty hand low.

Kankraa rushed forward with aura-enhanced legs. Rock shattered and grass flew with every step the heavy monster took. With two hands, the orc brought his pole axe back for a wide and heavy swing down on Drac. A sidestep to the left and the boy avoided getting smashed. Drac imbued his arm with aura and with Ignis condensed, he struck at the Orc's large legs. like an axe weighed nothing, Kankraa turned to block with his pole. Palm and pole collide. Levitation increased Drac's weight, while the explosion rocked the orc off the ground.

Levitation switched and a pulse pushed him closer to the flying orc. Drac took his blade off his shoulder and slashed down.

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Absurdly nimble for his size, Kankraa regained his balance with a heavy step into the ground, causing a quake. Another quake shook the ground from steel hitting gold. Both fighters strain against each other's strength.

Levitation switched again. Heavy like lead, Drac surged with lightning flowing through his veins. Kankraa kneeled on a knee as he struggled under Drac’s power.

“A normal orc would have been slashed in half.”

Kankraa’s aura was set ablaze. He roared an air-shaking growl. The orc pushed his axe pole up and Drac's sword nearly went flying. Seeing Drac was open, Kankraa swung from his right, cracking the air.

A little bit.

Drac unknowingly took a step back and narrowly missed the edge.

Drac curled his aura around his blade like he had practised a million times.

Again.

Like a lightning strike from the heavens, he brought down his sword on Kankraa. Dragon-like tendrils of aura erupt from the point of his blade. They swirl and grow. Like a rock in high current, Kankraa was weathered down.

Another roar and aura dragon dissipated.

“Shit,” Kankraa pants, his arms bruised; grooves appear on the ground from when he was pushed back. “Now I know why my father had a tough time.”

Drac heard the subtle humming from Kankraa’s weapon.

He is charging. Watch out or we will become bits of meat on the ground.

Memories flash again in Drac's mind. A boy wearing glasses focuses as he directs an aura from the air around into an axe head.

“So it’s similar to a Teneo that charges and explodes on impact but can ignite at any time like a gun.”

Exactly… You can see?

Bits and pieces. Whatever you allow me to see, I think.

Kankraa lifted the pole axe high and smacked it to the ground. Energy ripples through the ground. Drac jumped up to escape the collapsing ground below. Hold his pole axe on the end, and Kankraa throws it. Drac jumped on a Murus platform as the axe span under him.

It is made of-

Gold. Right. Easy to Levitate.

Drac pushed off a blue barrier to his side and evaded the axe. The weapon stopped in the air. Like it had a mind of its own, it hurtled towards Drac.

Dejavu.

Same plan.

Drac pulsed-stepped gracefully on blue and avoided a strike from the Levitating weapon. Ignis was tuned to Drac's feet. Blasts of fire carried him to Kankraa with speed, making him a blur to the trained eye.

Aura sense told Drac that the axe was gaining speed on him and spun out the weapon's trajectory. Kankraa aura-jumped to catch his weapon with a meaty hand. Jewellery and gold jingled as he swung again at Drac. Light as a feather, Drac leaned under a horizontal slash. His hood flapped in the gust of wind left in the weapon's wake. Still in midair, Kankraa slashed down.

Wordless thoughts enter Drac's mind

I need a floor.

Drac tuned Murus and a foothold was created. Drac’s body moved on its own and repositioned itself on Kankraa’s left side. Heilong guides the axe down to the orc’s right. A pulse knocked the pole axe aside, disrupting Kankraa. Pulling him forward in the air. The human fighter pulse-stepped again, closing the distance caused by the orc's large reach. His weapon was set ablaze with white flames as it came for Kankraa’s neck.

Kankraa slid the pole up, blocking the powerful strike.

Drac smiled.

All the aura kept in his arm was let go. A great pulse blew the giant from the air to crash on the ground. Pulsed steps pushed him from Murus platforms and Drac crashed into the crater as well. The dust settled and a human stood over an Orc. Blade close to a green neck.

"So, are you coming with me?”

“Mm?”

“Have I convinced you of my abilities?” Drac lifted the blade from his neck and sheathed it.

“Oh! That! Sure. Sure.” The smiling Orc sat up, crossing his legs like a boy.

Drac folded his arms and gawked at Kankraa with wonderment.

“You just wanted a fight, didn't you?”

Kankraa grins, letting his large bottom canines show. “Who doesn't?”

A fine addition to the team.