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Chapter 3:

Powers Revealed

Ten years have passed since Razial and Mazial, and all the other eggs of their generation hatched. Not only that but the discovery that Razial carried the Dragon's Head birthmark on his left foot, making him next in line to become King.

It was a great discovery to everyone that an heir hatched, but relatively rare, he had a twin. However, nobody thought there was any danger in this, so no one worried--everyone except King Zallerferd.

King Zallerferd never limited or did anything to stand in the way of this twin. He loved him with all of his heart but knew that the prophecy still lingered in the back of his mind. He just shook off these thoughts and decided to enjoy the day off with the rest of the Governors out on the beach.

This beach was only an hour's walk away from the Tower, so they took advantage of the convenience. A big pavilion was set up to shade them all from the two suns. Miles and Sarah were busy with a fire pit, setting up to rotisserie a hog. Both were adding different spices to it and smiled at each other. Miles was shirtless and wearing a pair of cut-off shorts while Sarah wore a simple white bathing suit.

Reed and Rita Earthbond were over by a table, setting up the side dishes and drinks for children and adults. As Zallerferd observed, Reed stood over him a good two feet plus a few inches and was twice Zallerferd's overall size. However, Zallerferd noticed the ram-shaped horns that all Terrain Dragons had and noticed he was chipped in some places.

Rita was very sensual as her dazzling red hair was shown in contrast to the light green scales. Her eyes were violet and full of life. She and her husband had purple bathing suits that matched the yellow front scales of their bodies. Unlike her husband, Rita had a much slender and sleek build. Like all Terrain dragons, they didn't have wings for flight but used long talons to tunnel underground.

Zallerferd's gazed wandered over to Viento and Aira Whirlwind snoozing lightly in lounge chairs. Aira wore a bright yellow bathing suit, and Zallerferd wondered how she or her husband could sleep. Viento wore white swim trunks and had his eyes covered with a spare towel he'd brought with him.

Finally, Breeze and Syron Stillwater were quietly chatting with King Zallerferd, and he was listening only partly, discussing new improvements to Tower protocol. Breeze was a dark blue that closely resembled midnight for his back scales while the front was silver. His green eyes stood out in direct contrast, and it amazed Zallerferd how genetics made up a being.

Syron's beauty was only matched by her intelligence and greatly exceeded in both. She was absorbed into the conversation as the windswept her long brown hair out of her face. Her scales were the norm for a Water Dragon of aquamarine and matched her silver bathing suit perfectly.

Further down the beach, Raz and Maz were building a sandcastle or attempting to create one. Maz had a bad habit of turning the sand into glass. "Sparks and embers, Maz! Would you stop doing that? We're supposed to be building a sandcastle, not a glass castle." Raz said in frustration.

Maz laughed and said, "Glass castles look better."

"True, but they can't support that much weight," Raz said as he and Maz had grown to about four and a half feet. However, they both were rather skinny compared to other Fire Dragons their age. Raz looked up from the crushed glass castle to see a young Water Dragon by the name of Buckner Stillwater, practicing his Water techniques. It amazed Raz how much Buckner looked like his father but gained some of his front coloration from his mother.

Buckner brought some water up and froze it, then did a front summersault kick into the ball of ice. The ice ball exploded on contact, sending shards everywhere. Raz remembered the first time he met Buckner. It was last year right here on this very beach. Michael's Academy had just finished with classes for the day, and Raz was feeling somewhat depressed. He had received low marks on his history exam, and now he would have to show his parents. The funny thing was, Raz loved History because it was kind of a story to him, but he had trouble remembering the dates.

Raz looked up and saw his brother heading his way. "Raz! Why did you leave like that? What's wrong?" Maz asked.

However, Raz was in no mood to discuss it and said, "Nothing. I just want to be alone right now."

Raz suddenly took flight and found the air warm to his scales. Soon, he saw the ocean and landed on the beach. He stared out at sea for a while, trying to reflect over the test, and walked down the beach towards the mountains. The two suns began to set, casting their orange glow upon the landscape. This light reflected something in the distance, and Raz looked to see someone out in the water.

As Raz drew closer, he realized that it was a Water Dragon around his age. It was the same one who had top marks in all of his classes, including History.

The Water Dragon pulled out water from the ocean and froze it as he made different shapes out of it. Then he tail-whipped it, shattering it into several pieces, and WHAM! Raz was knocked unconscious.

Raz remembered waking up to find the Water Dragon standing over him with trepidation on his face. Suddenly, Raz felt his head throb from a knot that formed just above his brow.

"Are you alright?!" The Water Dragon asked as he pushed his have moon glasses back up to his eyes.

Raz sat up and winced in pain before replying, "Ow! What did you do that for?! Are you crazy?!"

"No, I am not. It wasn't my fault you were too close. This is why I come out here, so I can practice without hurting anyone." The Water Dragon said as Raz looked around and saw the contents of his bag laid spread out on the ground.

"Here, let me help you collect those," the Water Dragon said as Raz saw him reach for his history exam scroll.

"I can manage, thank you," Raz said as he tried to get up, but the throbbing in his head made him a bit dizzy. The Water Dragon collected all his papers and scrolls, stuffing them back into Raz's bag.

Then he produced a vial of red liquid and said, "Here, drink this."

Raz took it and drank it down as the throbbing in his head went away and said, "Thank you."

The Water Dragon nodded and said, "I saw the low marks on your scroll. Is that the reason you are out here?"

"Yes. I needed time to be alone. Don't get me wrong, I love History, but remembering the dates and times are difficult." Raz said as the Water Dragon sat down next to him.

"I understand. There is a lot to remember, but I think I can help you if you want."

"Really? You would help me?" Raz asked.

The Water Dragon extended his hand and said, "Buckner Stillwater."

"Razial Drakken!" Raz said as he shook hands with Buckner.

"You're next in line to become King, right?" Buckner asked as Raz nodded.

"That's why I was so upset. I get top marks in everything else except History, and a King should know his History."

"Well, I shall help you. It's the least I can do since I clabbered you with a chunk of ice. Like you said, "A king should know his history." Buckner said.

Raz smiled because ever since then, if he ever struggled with a subject or concept, Buckner was there to help him understand. Although, Buckner did gripe at Raz and Maz for breaking the rules all the time.

Raz looked over and saw Rocky looking for seashells by the rocks. Rocky was taller and more prominent than the others by a half-foot but never used his size for fighting. However, he could lift anyone of them without a thought, whereas if they tried, they struggled. Raz found out one morning just how heavy a Terrain Dragon could weigh. It was also the first time he met Rocky, and it was one he would never forget.

Early one morning, two years ago, Raz set out for the Pearl Tower from the Fire Region to meet with the King for his early morning session. Raz was told to take a long way around to give his wings the exercise they needed for proper development. At this point, Raz was an adequate flyer but wasn't strong enough to fly in the planets Jetstream. So, he flew a little lower and was making good time when he heard someone cry out from far below.

Raz swooped down lower to find out who or what made the noise. Then, to his horror, he saw a small Terrain Dragon being swept down the river. Raz immediately dove into the tree line and narrowly avoided the branches as he went past.

"HELP!" Cried the Terrain Dragon as Raz quickly extended his arms.

"GRAB AHOLD!" Raz shouted.

The Terrain Dragon and Raz interlocked their arms as Raz began to fly up. Suddenly, there was a SMACK! as Raz collided with a low-hanging branch and dropped the Terrain back into the river. The Terrain hit his head on a rock and lost consciousness.

Raz looked up as he spat leaves out of his maw and gasped. Twenty yards away was the drop-off of a large waterfall. Quickly, Raz sped forward and caught the collar of the Terrain to find the weight greatly exceeded his strength. However, Raz slowly lowered their descent and was doing fine until he heard a rip. Raz looked down to see the collar of the Terrain's shirt was starting to tear and looked around quickly. He spotted the shore twelve feet away, and another rip told Raz he didn't have much time. He quickly half-flew--half-crashed landed just shy of the beach. Luckily, the water wasn't as strong here and made it to the shore.

Raz heated his scales, drying out his clothes in a few short moments. He then directed the heat towards the Terrain's clothes and dried them, too. Raz quickly tried to remember what helps a Terrain Dragon heal the fastest, which occurred to him.

Raz took some mud from the riverbank and placed it on the Terrain's head bump. The effect was instantaneous as the Terrain opened his eyes and sat up quickly. "Where am I?" The Terrain asked.

"You're on the shore by the river. You somehow were swept into the rapids." Raz said as The Terrain nodded.

"Oh, well. Thank you for saving me. My name is Rocky Earthbond," Rocky said as he held out his hand for Raz, who took it.

"I'm Razial Drakken. How did you end up in the river?" Raz asked as a sheepish look spread across Rocky's face.

"Oh, that. Well, I was trying a very advanced technique with Ground Element Working and did it too close to the river. That is how I was pulled in." Rocky said with a grin.

"Well, we're pretty close to the Pearl Tower, and I need to get to my early morning session with King Zallerferd," Raz said as Rocky looked around for his bag and found it on the bank.

"I'll go with you. I have a class early this morning that I'd rather not be late for." Rocky said as he picked up his bag. "Meet ya there."

With that, Rocky dove into the ground and tunneled away. Raz looked impressed as he kicked off from the ground and took flight.

Raz chuckled a bit as he looked from Rocky to Kyle, who was, just like Buckner, the spitting image of his father. He was sunbathing in a pair of blue trunks and looked utterly harmless. Nevertheless, Raz knew this was far from the truth.

Raz found this out one day six months ago when he and Kyle fought. It was at the end of a long day at Michael's Academy, and Raz, along with his brother and friends, were sitting on the main steps to the Tower, enjoying what Water Dragons called Chilled Cream. That was until someone called out, "Hey, Razial Drakken! If you're supposed to be the next King, that means you know how to fight."

Raz looked up to see a Wind Dragon looking at him with a cocky smile and was surrounded by his friends.

"I can fight. I'm the best there is." Raz said confidently.

Buckner whispered to him, "Raz, what are you doing? You know you're not supposed to fight on Tower grounds. You could get kicked out."

Raz waved him off as the Wind Dragon said, "Yeah, well, I'd like to see you prove it."

Raz stood up and walked over to this Wind Dragon, both raising their fists. However, before they could strike at each other, Miles and Viento stepped in between them.

"Alright, you two. What is going on here?" Miles asked.

Raz took a breath and said, "This Wind Dragon said he could beat me in a fight, and I was going to prove him wrong."

"Is this true, Kyle," Viento asked.

Kyle nodded and said, "It's true for the most part except for him proving me wrong."

Miles and Viento both looked at each other and smiled.

"Well, we might have a way to settle this dispute." Said Miles as he looked at Raz.

"Yup, and I have just the place," Viento said as they both marched their sons down to the sandpit for sparring matches. Soon a huge crowd followed them, and even King Zallerferd made an appearance. Raz and Kyle marched to the very center of the sandpit by Viento and were told to face each other.

"Alright, you two. If you're going to fight, then we will do it the right way. First off, let me set some ground rules: rule number one, no use of Element Workings at all. If I see it, I will end the match: second rule, no cheap shots. We want a clean fight. Again, if I see it, I will stop the match. Is that clear?" Viento said as both Raz and Kyle nodded while not daring to take their eyes off of one another.

"Good, now when I say go, you may fight." Viento said as he walked off of the sandpit to stand next to Miles and shouted, "BEGIN!"

Kyle and Raz charged at each other and started exchanging blows. Raz had initially thought that this match would end very quickly but found himself having to bring out his best moves to keep from getting hit. This Kyle was a far better fighter than he had thought, ducking a hook and pushed Kyle away with a thrust of both palms to the chest.

The crowd erupted into cheers as he and Kyle both panted, looking at each other with raised fists. Raz found himself smiling, which caused Kyle to become confused, and asked, "What are you smiling for?"

"I'm smiling because this is the first time I met someone worth fighting," Raz said with a chuckle.

Kyle smiled as well and said, "Indeed, you weren't lying when you said you were tough. Shell, we step this up a notch?"

"Gladly!"

Kyle and Raz exploded off of the sand, this time moving a lot faster as they flew a few inches up into the air and collided with each other. They exchanged blows so quickly that almost everyone had a hard time following their movements. Their wings kicked up so much sand that the crowd had to cover their faces.

Raz and Kyle thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they exchanged a few more blows before knocking each other back. They both panted hard as they lowered to the ground, each holding their ribs. They charged at each other again and interlocked their hands as they tried to push each other further back. Raz felt a knee go into his stomach as pain exploded across and felt the air leaving his lungs. Raz gave ground as he tried to recover and blocked another knee. He quickly grabbed Kyle's ankle with his tail and pulled, knocking Kyle off balance. Raz tried to capitalize by sending a roundhouse kick to connect to Kyle's head. However, Kyle narrowly avoided it by falling backward.

Finally, Kyle and Raz smiled as they both backed to the opposite ends of the arena. Both started to hover off of the ground for a few minutes before charging at each other at full speed. The sound they made when they collided was like that of a shotgun. Both fell back on the ground, knocked out cold. After that, Kyle and Raz became the best of friends, training with one another.

Raz looked over at the rock face and noticed a cave entrance he'd never seen before. The urge to explore it soon overtook his mind and signaled for his friends to come over. Rocky immediately abandoned his quest for seashells and walked over. Buckner sighed because he knew that whatever Raz and Maz were up to would get them into trouble. However, he had a curious nature that would override his best judgment sometimes. Kyle opened one eye and slowly got up from his sunbathing to walk over.

"What do you want, Raz?" Rocky asked Raz, who pointed to the cave entrance.

"I wanted to know if you guys want to explore that cave with Maz and me. It must have all kinds of hidden treasures in it." Raz said as the others nodded.

"I'm in," Rocky said

"Me too," Kyle exclaimed

"Raz, we're supposed to stay where our parents can see us," Buckner said.

Raz smiled and said, "Fine. Stay here if you want, but you might miss out on all its hidden information. Who knows what is in there? There could be hieroglyphs or even a tomb."

"Alright! Fine! So long as we are quick about it," Buckner said, and Raz inwardly smiled. He'd had known which buttons to push with Buckner to get him to cooperate. They all got up and walked over to the cave's entrance.

Slowly they entered the cave and could instantly smell damp earth mixed with saltwater. Once inside, the caves only illumination was coming from the door, and Buckner said, "Raz, if we are going to explore this cave, then will need some light."

"Not to worry. You're about to witness a master of fire at work," Raz said as he breathed out fire and overcompensated his control, causing the fire to lance out in all directions. Everyone except for Maz jumped out of the way.

"Holy Terra, Raz! You almost barbecued us," Rocky said while checking his scales for burns.

"So Raz, what was that about being a 'Master of Fire'?" Kyle said as he made air quotes.

"Shut up! I got fireball lit, didn't I?" Raz said impatiently.

"Yes, but you almost singed my tail," Buckner said as he rubbed the fin of his tail.

The light from the small fireball lit up only a portion of the cave. However, as they looked up, the ceiling was still within enough light to be visible. The walls were covered in moss and were considerably wet as the small party continued deeper into the cave. Soon, the ceiling had disappeared into the darkness as drops of water could be heard all around. It seemed like they had entered a cavern more than a cave and noticed the air growing colder to Raz.

Up ahead, they all saw what looked like a giant boulder sitting off to the right side of the path. But, as they grew closer, the vast boulder turned out to be a Colossus with an upside-down triangular head. As Raz estimated it to stand around eighty to ninety feet and half that around, the thing was massive.

"Raz, what is that?" Rocky asked as Raz shrugged.

"It looks like a statue," Raz said with confusion in his voice.

"It's a Colossus," Buckner said from the back as the others turned to look at him. "What? Don't you guys ever read history scrolls?"

They all shook their heads and walked down the path. Buckner was so caught up in the moment of looking at the Colossus that he failed to notice the light had almost gone. Suddenly, Buckner looked up and shouted, "Hey, wait for me!" as he ran after them. The Colossus' eyes glowed red and turned its head towards Buckner's direction.

At first, Buckner couldn't see a thing as he stumbled and adjusted his yellow swim trunks. He looked around and noticed the walls glowing a light luminescent blue, which he looked at in wonder.

"I hate it when they go off without me, but at least I have this light to guide me," Buckner said as he continued up the path. Eventually, he came to a fork in the road and sat there for a while, trying to determine which way his friends went.

Then he noticed a faint light coming from the right tunnel. "Hey, guys! Wait for me! Hold on!" Buckner shouted as he ran down the tunnel and rounded the corner to find a large cavern. He slowly entered and noticed the light was coming from fire cauldrons placed on a stone altar with numerous engravings. The back wall was covered with a script that caught Buckner's interest. He went over and started to examine the writings, noting the two giant Colossuses standing on either side of the alter.

"This script looks ancient. If I had to guess, it looks like Michael's Angelic Language, but different somehow," Buckner said aloud as the two stone Colossus' eyes glowed red and ever so slightly stepped off from their stands.

Buckner, suddenly, heard a sound like a rock falling behind him when WHAM! He was quick enough to jump clear out of the way of the Colossus' fist that smashed into the wall. Buckner rolled to a fighting stance and readied himself.

Meanwhile, Raz, Maz, Rocky, and Kyle took the left path. The tunnel appeared to be getting smaller as they traveled on and also seemed to take forever. At least to Raz. At this point, almost all of them shivered from the cold air as Raz increased the size of the fireball to add more heat.

"Raz, perhaps we should turn back," Rocky said as the others nodded, but they rounded a corner and came to a dead end.

A statue about ten feet tall was at this dead-end and looked almost exactly like Michael except for the black-feathered wings, blacken armor, and red hair. On the forehead were two little red horns protruding out.

"Raz, what is that?" Maz asked as Raz looked closely at the statue and knew he had seen this before, but where?

Then the realization hit Raz like a punch in the gut, and he felt the fear build in the pit of his stomach. "We need to get out of here, now!" Raz barked.

"Raz, what's going on?" Maz asked as Raz shook his head.

"Please do what I say! We are in grave danger! Wait! Where is Buckner?!" Raz said anxiously. Everyone looked around but couldn't see Buckner anywhere. "Damn it! He's always doing this." They all headed back up the tunnel.

Buckner stood there for what seemed like an eternity and tried to figure out his next move. The giant statues were closing in on him, and he took a step back, right into some water. He looked back and noticed a small pool behind him. With a smile, Buckner started Element Working the water around him and formed a Water Whip. This was one of the more advanced techniques that required great concentration, but he managed it.

The giant Colossus to the left launched his over-sized fist at Buckner, who jumped up and ran the length of the arm. With all of his strength, Buckner cracked the whip across the Colossus' face. He slid down the back and landed on the other side. He watched as the Colossus turned its head to which a scratch was barely visible.

"Aw, come on! What do I have to do?" Buckner said hopelessly as the second Colossus launched its fists at him.

Buckner rolled out of the way and turned his Water Whip into an ice sword. By this time, Buckner felt the strain of keeping the shape and felt his energy depleting fast. Quickly, he brought his ice sword down on the Colossus' arm and watched in horror as his sword shattered.

Suddenly, he felt something hit him and heard the bone in his leg snap as he cried out in pain. Then, Buckner felt lifted and put onto the stone altar as he struggled to free himself. The Colossus that had him pinned down changed the shape of its free hand to resemble a pike. Buckner watched as the pike made its descent and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a giant fireball the size of a massive boulder knocked the Colossus sideways into the other. Both fell to the ground as Raz, Maz, Rocky, and Kyle came running in.

"Buckner! Are you alright?" Raz asked.

Buckner looked up at him and said, "NO! I'm not alright! I almost died! The next time you...."

"Can we have this argument later? They're getting back up!" Kyle said as the two Colossus were, indeed, getting back to their feet.

"My leg is broken! I can't walk!" Buckner said as Rocky came around.

"Get on my back. I can carry you." Rocky said as Buckner quickly climbed aboard, and they all headed back up the tunnel, the Colossus in hot pursuit.

It looked as though they were going to make it when a third Colossus stepped out and struck the wall next to them. Rocks went flying everywhere as they tried their best to avoid getting hit. However, Kyle was knocked unconscious by a stray rock, and Maz was buried in the rubble. Rocky and Buckner laid sprawled on the ground.

Raz knew this was his fault, and now his friends were going to die because of him. But, no! He would make a last stand as he breathed out fire and formed a pure fire sword.

Raz and his companions found themselves surrounded by the three Colossus, who looked hopelessly outmatched. Raz charged anyway and was knocked back into the wall. The pain exploded across his body as he struggled up to his hands and knees. Raz knew he must defend and save everyone, getting back to his feet.

"AH!" Raz screamed out as he started to glow white, and everything stopped. He looked around and up at the Colossus, then at his hands and smiled.

"You guys are dead!" Raz said as he formed his Fire Sword again and went to work, slicing them up into pieces. And just as quickly as it happened, it was over. Raz fell to his knees with a THUD and could barely move.

Suddenly, something moved behind him, and he looked over his shoulder to see the original Colossus standing over him, ready to strike. In an instant, Raz felt the air turn cold as the Colossus was blasted with ice and froze on contact. Then Raz saw King Zallerferd come down on top of the Colossus with an ax kick and shattered it into pieces. Raz passed out from exhaustion.

When Raz regained consciousness, he was lying inside the hospital wing of the Pearl Tower and stared up at the ceiling. Then the realization hit him, and he sat straight up in bed, looking around for his friends. Nurse Gailheart, formally known as Gailwind, looked over and smiled as she walked over with a food tray.

"Are you hungry, my dear?" Gailheart asked, but Raz wasn't concerned with his hunger.

"Where are my brother and my friends? Are they alright?" Raz asked frantically.

"Yes, yes, dear. They are going to make a full recovery. Now, you need to eat." Nurse Gailheart said as a wave of relief washed over Raz.

With the anxiety gone, Raz suddenly felt his stomach growl and smiled up at Nurse Gailwind. He slowly took the tray and noticed he was wearing red-striped pajamas. He looked up and saw King Zallerferd standing in the doorway and suddenly lost his appetite again and said, "I don't deserve to eat. Not after what I did."

"Don't be foolish, Mr. Drakken. You've been asleep for two days. You need food." Nurse Gailheart said as Raz refused to eat. Nurse Gailheart looked at King Zallerferd with a helpless expression as he nodded.

"Raz, you need to eat. You need your strength." King Zallerferd said.

"But, Sir. I don't deserve any food after what I did to my brother and my friends. I deserve to die, for I did." Raz replied in his depression.

"That is enough! I will not have you speaking this way. Yes, you made a mistake, and yes, you will be punished, but I daresay you don't deserve to die. We all make mistakes, Mr. Drakken, and it is a part of growing up to learn from them and move on. However, as to your punishment, you will be providing services to officials here in the Tower for a year, and you will be cleaning the Throne Room from top to bottom every night before you go to bed. Are we clear?" King Zallerferd said.

Raz nodded and said, "I do, and thank you for your guidance. The only good thing to come from this is I have discovered my powers."

"Did you? Care to tell me?" King Zallerferd asked as Raz smiled and told him exactly what had happened.

Zallerferd nodded and said, "It sounds as if you have a speed ability or time. In our sessions, we shall discover which one, and I shall have you begin training with energy control."

Raz nodded as he hung his head and said, "Sir, I apologize for putting my brother, friends, and myself in danger. I should've known what that cave was, but I let my curiosity run away with me. When I saw the statue, I knew we were in trouble. I am so ashamed."

King Zallerferd looked up at Nurse Gailheart and nodded as she went back to her office. "Raz, it is good that you feel guilty. It is a good motivator for you to be more careful in the future. I know you care deeply for your brother and your friends. You would never put them in harm's way on purpose. Now, eat up, because tomorrow your work starts to atone for your transgression." King Zallerferd said as Raz nodded.

Raz still didn't feel very hungry but started eating at the King's command. King Zallerferd rose to leave and reached the door as he looked back.

"Your mother has grounded you for six months, as well. Best tread lightly around her for a while." King Zallerferd said as Raz sighed. He knew that his punishment was lighter than he deserved but decided it was best not to argue. He finished his food and laid back down, falling into an uneasy sleep.

Meanwhile, back in the cavern, a little bit of Buckner's blood laid upon the altar, illuminating the symbols and script in a bright red. The statue of the Dark Angel starts to rumble as the wall behind it sounds out with a loud CRACK. In the wall, a hairline fracture appears all the way across, issuing black smoke. The eyes on the statue glow red as an unnaturally deep voice laughs evilly and fades.