Dragon Seekers

Chapter 21

Walking around the grounds almost felt like home to Jamie. The house was surrounded entirely by the large forest. It brought Jamie comfort and a little bit of homesickness. The trees, the earth, the familiar smell of nature all made him light and less tense. It felt like he had found a new safe place. The only difference was that there were crystals spread out in the forest. Most of the crystals were a luscious green, but the rest were also silver. Just like what happened back I'm the underground cave. All the crystals, even the silver ones had plants growing out of them. Ash stepped over to a silver crystal and rasped her knuckles on it.

"What's the deal with these crystals? They've never done this before," she muttered as she looked around. She then looked right at Jamie. "It all changed when you were getting your egg."

"I'm sorry that I caused this," Jamie found himself saying unconsciously. It felt like it was his doing anyway.

"What are you? Daft?" Ash suddenly shouted, crossing her arms irritably. Jamie flinched back as she said that. "How could you have caused this?"

Jamie struggled to come up with an answer. He couldn't just say that he picked up his egg and that's it. He felt like it wasn't a proper explanation. Ash looked impatient before she turned around and continued walking. Jamie followed as best he could all while hearing Cinder's wings above the trees. Ash only walked at a fast pace, keeping to the invisible path that she knew well. Jamie kept up, waiting for her to slow down so he could keep up. She didn't. She just kept on walking, following Cinder's harrumphs as the dragon seemed to have landed somewhere. She only came to a stop after treading down a slope. Jamie stopped right before he did the same. She was standing before a ring that seemed to resemble a bowl. It had targets that were beaten up and a rack full of different weapons such as spears, swords and even bows and arrows. There was also a small area where different crystals sat. All of them seemed to be one from each of the crystals that Jamie had already seen, even the blackened one and one silver crystal.

"Right! Let's start off with this," Ash muttered, suddenly grabbing a spear from the weapons rack.

"Start off?" Jamie echoed.

"What? You expect to not see yourself fighting?" Ash rolled her eyes as she shoved the spear into Jamie's hands.

"But, I'm not-" out came his protest, but Jamie didn't get to finish it.

"-not the fighting type, I know. You'd rather be a punching bag, right?" Ash rolled her eyes again, as she stood facing one of the targets.

"No! I just don't believe in violence to solve my problems," Jamie shouted, feeling his face heating up in anger. Ash glanced at him, a smirk gracing her face.

"Good. You're angry. Use that anger," she said. She suddenly brought up her spear, levelling it with her ear. She pulled back and with great strength, launched it through the air. It went fast and straight like a bullet. It caught the sun's rays as it flew. There was a solid THUNK as it hit the target. Jamie found himself stunned as it was a perfect bullseye. Ash looked satisfied, almost gloating.

"So, stay angry and hot the target," she said as she turned to Jamie.

"Wait! I've never done this before!" Jamie exclaimed, his hands shaking as he held the spear in both of them. It felt heavy, like it would take an Olympic weight lifter to carry it. Ash suddenly approached him. She hurriedly got him into the same position she was in. Feet spread apart, left in front of right. His body was facing toward Ash but she made him look at the target. She had him lift the spear up to where it was horizontal with his ear and have his left arm stretched out in front of him.

"When you're ready, step forward and throw as hard as you can," Ash smirked, stepping away from Jamie. He looked at the target. It was one next to Ash's. He couldn't stop looking at how easily she had done it. He knew that she was a fighter, and he felt more intimidated by how effortlessly she did that. He could never match up to that. He was pathetic and useless. He was weak. He couldn't even hurt a fly. The fly would probably hurt him first. He can't do this!