Chapter 20
The fire elemental had been a blessing in disguise, more useful than I had initially imagined. Over the past weeks, it had provided guidance, helping me to refine my fire magic with a precision I had not previously thought possible. As I practiced alongside the elemental, I realized that fire, though volatile and powerful, was also highly adaptable—an energy that required respect and balance. I had mastered Tiers 1 and 2 with relative ease, and Tier 3 was coming along faster than I expected.
However, my other elements, particularly ice, had stagnated. There was something about ice that resisted me, a reluctance in the mana to fully cooperate. It was not my natural element, and the environment around me did not favor it either. The beach, with its constant warmth and the sun’s heat, was no place to develop my proficiency in ice magic. I considered putting ice aside for now. The lack of progress was frustrating, but without a cold environment rich in ice mana—or better yet, an ice mage instructor—there seemed little point in continuing.
Unfortunately, finding an ice mage willing to teach a dragon was almost impossible. Dragons, as a rule, were proud creatures, and many mages were wary of us. Even those who didn’t fear us often found it difficult to relate to the way we naturally harnessed magic. The idea of apprenticing myself to someone for ice magic was not one I particularly relished, either. I was a dragon, after all. Asking for help from a lesser being was not in my nature.
Once I perfected Tier 3 fire magic, I dismissed the fire elemental and returned the kobold tribe’s books. Azark Stormclaw, the blue kobold chieftain, accepted them graciously, his ever-watchful eyes gleaming with approval. “You’ve learned quickly, Your Majesty,” he said, bowing. “Fire magic seems to come naturally to you.”
“It does,” I admitted. “Though it helps to have the right guidance.” I glanced at the fire elemental, who was fading from view, its task completed. It bowed slightly before vanishing completely, its presence no longer needed in the material world. “Now that I’ve reached this point, I think I’ll shift my focus for a time.”
“Shapeshifting, perhaps?” Azark asked, his voice as sharp as ever. He had a knack for understanding my next moves, even when I hadn’t quite settled on them myself.
I nodded. “Yes. I’ve made progress, but there’s still much to perfect.”
Shapeshifting had been another one of my focuses during my training. Over time, I’d managed to refine my form, reducing myself to the size of a hatchling dragon. It was a strange feeling, being so small, but it had its advantages and disadvantages. As I compressed my form, I found my mana control became more precise, more attuned to finer details. But also drawback I felt cramped and weakened when going smaller The process, though difficult, had its benefits. My seventh hatching day had come and gone without much fanfare, as dragons didn’t particularly celebrate such occasions. For us, only stage transformations—like reaching a primordial dragon status—were truly noteworthy. And those were far rarer.
After all, shapeshifting was a delicate art, especially for dragons. Compressing my massive form into something small required significant mana control, and even more so to maintain it for long periods of time. My goal was to master this ability, not just for the sake of battle but for mobility and strategy. If I could take on the form of a smaller creature, I could go unnoticed when I wished to. The element of surprise was a powerful tool, and I intended to use it.and also to explore the human kingdoms. I wanted to get my hands on some magic books after all.
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I’d heard rumors that the kobolds had tools that could assist with mana manipulation, so I sought out Azark again. When I inquired, he confirmed what I suspected. “Yes, Your Majesty, we do have a device—a magic conduit, if you will. It allows neutral mana to flow more freely, assisting in delicate spellwork such as shapeshifting.”
“Could I see it?” I asked.
Azark nodded and led me to a small, concealed area within their encampment. There, resting on a pedestal made of dark stone, was the device. It was simple in appearance, almost unremarkable. The conduit was a smooth, crystal-like structure, glowing faintly with neutral mana. It was designed to help regulate the flow of mana in a user’s body, especially when attempting complex magic that required precision.
“You’re welcome to use it whenever you like,” Azark said, gesturing to the device.
I approached the conduit, feeling the neutral mana it emitted washing over me. Its energy was calming, balancing. I placed a claw on its surface, and immediately I felt a change—a smoothness to the mana flow in my body. It was easier to focus, easier to control the minute shifts necessary for shapeshifting. With this, my practice sessions became more efficient, and I could hold my smaller form for longer periods without strain.
But there was still more to learn. The kobolds, being a highly adaptive species, had their own natural abilities that allowed them to shift and mold their bodies for various tasks. I stayed close to them during my practice, observing their physical forms, their movements, and how they interacted with their environment. The more I watched, the more I learned about the subtleties of transformation.
Eventually, I managed to shift into a form resembling that of a large kobold. I was still distinctly draconic—there was no hiding that—but I could pass for one of their larger kind. I stayed with them in this form, learning how they moved, how they interacted with each other. The kobolds were surprisingly tolerant of my presence, perhaps seeing it as a sign of my interest in their ways. Their magic, while not as potent as mine, had its own intricacies that I found fascinating. but it also felt cramped not as bad as a human form would be but not like my dragon form I was weaker in this form.
Azark, always curious, watched my progress closely. “Your shapeshifting is coming along well,” he noted one day as I adjusted my form.
“It’s far from perfect,” I said. “But it’s improving. I’ve learned much by observing your tribe.”
Azark bowed. “We are honored to assist you, Your Majesty.”
I smiled slightly. “Tell me, Azark, what more do you know of shapeshifting? Do your people have techniques I could learn?”
The chieftain’s eyes gleamed with a thoughtful expression. “We do, Your Majesty. Our shamans possess ancient techniques, passed down through generations. They’re not as powerful as your own magic, but they may provide insight into the finer details of transformation.”
“Good,” I said. “I want to know everything.”
With that, Azark summoned one of the kobold shamans, an old and wizened creature who seemed frail but held a wealth of knowledge. Over the next few days, I learned the kobold techniques—small tricks and tips to help refine my form, to control the flow of mana in more subtle ways. It was fascinating how much detail they put into even the smallest transformation.
By the time my training with the kobolds ended, I could shift my form with ease, holding the appearance of a smaller creature for extended periods without issue. The mana conduit had helped significantly, and the kobolds’ teachings had refined my abilities even further. I felt more confident than ever in my shapeshifting abilities.
Now, with fire magic and shapeshifting well under control, I was ready to move on to the next challenge. Wich was convincing my mother to let visit a human town to explore their magic