Elem could feel the heat of the dragon’s breath on his skin as he dived behind a cluster of rocks to shield himself from the fire. Before he could catch a breath, the Wyvern instantly followed up with another attack. He dashed to the side just in time, dodging the shards of molten rocks catapulted through the air.
Elem ran from rock to rock, each time just narrowly escaping the beast’s fiery breath. How on earth was he going to tame a Summon that harnessed such power? He worried there wasn’t much- other than run for his life- that he could actually do. He certainly couldn’t get into a fist fight with that Wyvern just as he had done with the Kappa, that much was clear. The Fire Summon would simply fry him before he’d land a single strike.
He gritted his teeth as he rolled to below a wide-sloped rock, almost getting lit up in the process. Although he could utilize his Essence, there was no way to call upon his trusted Water Summon; it simply wasn’t possible to summon anything while opening a new Essence node.
But running away? That wasn’t a viable strategy either. He had escaped the Wyvern’s attacks only a handful of times and nearly gotten fried every single time. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the Fire Summon would catch up and take his life.
His gaze fell on a cluster of scattered rocks a little further ahead. The rocks looked as if something had crashed into them and caused them to collapse in such a way that they formed some type of shelter that resembled a primitive stone hut. The sheer size and quantity of the rocks looked as if they’d be able to sustain at least a few of the Wyvern’s breaths.
Elem peered up at the sky, watching how the Wyvern impatiently circled above the rock he was hiding under. He waited for the Summon to pass by and turn its back towards him and then rushed to his next hiding place.
The sprint couldn’t have been longer than a few seconds but when he finally dived under the collapsed collection of rocks, Elem felt as if he had just completed a marathon and a half. The constant stress and outbursts of energy was beginning to take its toll. He took a second to catch his breath but instantly knew that his new hiding place would only protect him for a little while. No matter how sturdy, the safe haven wouldn’t last forever. He had to come up with something quickly.
The Fire Summon circled around the stone refuge, letting out one harrowing growl after another. If the Wyvern had really been drawn to the emotions within Elem’s Essence there had to be something he could do. He and the Wyvern likely shared a sort of bond already and Elem suspected that, in a way, the being might understand what he was feeling. If that were true, then maybe the Wyvern could be convinced to connect with Elem and become his next Summon.
The Wyvern spewed out another of its combusting breaths, causing flames to cascade down all sides of Elem’s hiding place. Elem felt like a trapped pest with nowhere to go, waiting to be smoked out and exterminated. Despite the barrage, the integrity of the rocky formation held out well and continued to shield Elem from the flames. However, the heat of the Wyvern’s breath permeated through the rocks and became nearly unbearable.
Elem bit his lip until he tasted blood; a nervous tick he had turned into a regretful habit over the course of the past year. Besides the scorching heat, the fire surrounding him simultaneously swallowed all of the surrounding oxygen. As he gasped for air to stay conscious, Elem decided that hiding was pointless. No matter where or how fast he’d run, the Fire Summon would always be right behind him.
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“No,” Elem mouthed. He simply couldn’t be a coward. If he wanted the being’s respect he’d have to face it head on. That was the only way. He took a deep few deep breaths as he waited for the fire to finally subside and then emerged from his hiding place.
“Hey!” he shouted at the Wyvern. “You will be my new Summon, do you understand? Stop attacking me!”
The Wyvern could have scorched him right there but chose to hold back. Instead, it swooped down from the air and landed right in front of the young summoner. Elem noticed how the Wyvern’s irises glowed like two smoldering embers and the Fire Summon’s rage slowly seemed to make place for a cautious fascination with the little interloper.
The longer Elem stared at the Wyvern, the more impressive the Summon seemed. Its teeth were the size of daggers and its ebony scales had an almost metallic quality to it that shimmered under the purple skies. It had to be one of the most marvelous beings Elem had ever seen.
The beast roared softly, its pointed tail impatiently snaking through the air. It was clearly waiting to see what Elem would do next. The problem, however, was that Elem had no clear idea of what his next step should be. At this point, he could only follow his intuition.
The priest’s Qulapalik had referred to the Wyvern as an avatar of Elem’s trauma. Perhaps that was the key, he wondered. What if he could connect with the Fire Summon through what he carried inside him and use the scars within his soul like some sort of spiritual fishing line? To do this, Elem had to delve into the internal Essence burrowed deep within his being.
Using the full extent of his meditative rigor, he drew as much Essence as he could without passing out. Elem ignored the Essence inhabiting the world around him. He needed the raw energy produced by own body, the product of his tribulations, joys and sorrows.
And the Essence came. It violently coursed through his veins, feeling even hotter than the Wyvern’s fire itself. He noticed how his aura expanded beyond his own body like a purple glow. He had felt this sensation back when he connected to his Kappa but this time it felt far more intense.
Elem screamed and shouted, cursing the man who had forced him on his journey. He had not forgotten about Ferran, that dog would still pay for what he had done. But for now Elem needed strength. Enough strength to wipe that murderer and his bloody Divine Class Seraphim from the face of the earth.
The Wyvern replied to Elem’s shouts with a deep roar of its own. It then raised its long neck and began spouting a series of flaming columns into the air. Elem was undeterred by the display of power. He took a step closer and stretched his arms at the Summon.
“Stay calm,” he commanded, his soft voice in full contrast with the translucent Essence-aura flaring all across his body.
Smoke whirled from the Wyvern nostrils as it showed its long teeth and violently flapped its wings.
“Calm,” Elem repeated. And this time, the Fire Summon finally lowered its head. It’s eyes still burned like embers but it’s expression had somehow softened.
Elem placed his palms on the beast’s snout and could sense its Essence running towards him like a gentle downstream river. He smiled; the Wyvern had submitted to its new master.