How to Train Your Dragonblood

Heart Ache

The remaining six students all gathered out in front of the arena, patiently waiting for Ed and Edna to come and open shop. When they did finally arrived, Jay thought everyone was surprised to see him armed with a shield and small sword, but he knew today wasn't doing to just be a walk in the park. Unlocking the door, they all followed the couple into the stadium. Ronin and Dareth were about to walk in when Ed turned to them.

"Now boys, it was very hard to pick between the two of you, so I've decided to kick you both out, maybe next year." He said and the brothers had identical looks of shock on their faces, but Ed shut the door never the less, leaving them outside. "Now on with the program." The teacher turned back to all the other students and they all stood straight and tensed, like soldiers going to war.

"This will be one of the toughest lessons yet, and if anyone were to die in this training it will be today." Edna cautioned and Jey felt his eyes widen and everyone else had the same reaction, even Cole. "Today, you duel a Poison Dragonblood, and I felt it was only fair to give you a warning." She added as Zane stepped forward, and Jay swore he was paler than usual.

"Mr. Walker, sir, I seriously doubt that anyone here is ready to fight a dragonblood that powerful." He said but the older man glared at him, who stepped back beside Jay.

"What does a Poison Dragonblood do exactly?" Jay whispered. He did partly know why a Poison Dragonblood was one of the most feared next to a Fire and Water Dragonblood, but it always reassured him to hear it from Zane, because with Zane it was straight from the book.

"A Poison Dragonblood emit a green mist-like substance, and somehow the fog gets into your head and makes your mind think that the dragonblood is whatever you fear most." Jay gulped, and Zane nodded. "It's all self-defense, you're less likely to engage it in battle and if it corners you you're too scared to fight back." He explained. They both looked back to the others and realized that everyone was silent, listening to them. Ed nodded, and for the first time ever Jay regretted talking.

"That was a fairly accurate description, and now you all understand why it's one of the final dragonbloods you duel; once I release the dragonblood you all have five minutes to try and defeat it, but if it gets too dangerous or you run out of time then my wife and I come in and finish it off before anyone gets hurt." He explained carefully so they all understood. One or two of them nodded solemnly, but Jay was too busy thinking of what he would see.

He wondered what his darkest fear was.

His mind flashed back to when he was a little kid and he shuddered. If he was lucky, his late mother wouldn't walk out of that cage and stay in his nightmares where she belonged. Ed walked over to a large silver cage, but unlike the others the walls were made of sheet metal as well as vengestone, leaving whatever was contained invisible to the human eye. His grip tightened on his shield and sword as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Get ready," Edna warned one last time.

The lock suddenly came off, and before Jay even had a chance to glimpse inside the cage the whole arena filled with green. Not a ray of light made its way through the fog, and Jay was lucky to even see his hand right in front of him. Everyone was silent, and a single pair of footsteps could be heard walking across the concrete floor. Something to his left whimpered, and he realized it was Zane, and he was right next to him. That meant whatever scared him so bad was also right next to Jay, if it was close enough for Zane to see.

The footsteps got closer, and Jay found himself looking in a different direction every two seconds trying to locate the source of the sound.

He heard running to his left, maybe to his right, he didn't really know.