Bob The Dragon Layer

Training, Wind, and Lizard Facts

The path to the western border stretched before them, the landscape growing rougher with each passing mile. Tall grass swayed in the breeze, and the occasional mountain loomed in the distance, casting long shadows across the plains. Bob, Anyala, and Tarran had been traveling for days, with their destination finally in sight. The journey had been long, but the company made it bearable—especially with Anyala's unpredictable quirks.

It had started innocently enough. They were riding side by side, with Tarran up ahead as usual, scanning the horizon. Bob was adjusting to the feel of his wind powers, subtly testing his control, when Anyala, seemingly out of nowhere, began to speak.

"You know," she said absentmindedly, "lizards shed their skin when they grow. It's a fascinating process. Some species even eat their shed skin for nutrients afterward."

Bob blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in conversation. He glanced at Anyala, who seemed completely focused on the topic. "Uh... really?"

"Oh, yes," Anyala continued, her tone now almost academic. "And some of them clean their mandibles by rubbing them on rocks or even using their claws. It's actually quite efficient for getting rid of debris, you know."

"Wait lizards have mandibles?" Bob raised a curious eyebrow.

"Errm some do, yes definitely," she responded before continuing.

Bob couldn't help but grin, amused by how invested she was in the subject. Tarran, on the other hand, was not as impressed.

After another hour of lizard facts—this time about how some species can regrow their tails—Tarran suddenly turned back, his face a mask of resigned frustration. "I can't take it anymore," he muttered, pulling something from his saddlebag.

Bob squinted at what Tarran was holding. "Earplugs?"

"Yes," Tarran said with a weary sigh. "The endless lizard talk is... too much." He shoved the plugs into his ears with a grunt, clearly trying to block out Anyala's cheerful rambling.

Bob burst into laughter, unable to contain himself. Anyala, catching the reaction, suddenly froze mid-sentence. Her silver eyes widened, and for the first time, a hint of pink rose to her cheeks.

"Oh... I've been talking about lizards this whole time, haven't I?" she asked, almost embarrassed.

Bob nodded, still laughing. "You have. I didn't mind, but I think Tarran's had enough."

Anyala blushed deeper, her usual composed demeanor slipping for a moment. "I... don't know why I went on like that. Forget I said anything."

Bob chuckled. "I thought it was interesting, actually."

Tarran, completely tuned out now with his earplugs in, missed the rest of the conversation as they continued their journey. Anyala, after catching herself, stayed quiet for a while, but Bob noticed her glancing at him now and then, still embarrassed by her earlier ramblings.

As they rode through the afternoon, the wind began to pick up, rustling the grass and sending dust swirling through the air. Bob focused on the breeze, feeling the power in the air and trying to channel it through his shield. The wind responded, but it was still unpredictable, more force than finesse.

"Here," Anyala said, breaking the silence. "Let me teach you something useful."

Bob turned to her, intrigued. "What is it?"

Anyala extended her hand, her fingers lightly tracing patterns in the air. The wind seemed to shift around her, bending to her will as if it were a living thing. "With your wind power, you can do more than just blow enemies back or create gusts. You can create vacuums."

"Vacuums?" Bob asked, confused.

"Yes," she explained. "A vacuum can extinguish fires by removing the air. It can suffocate enemies if you create one around their face. You can even make micro-vacuums inside their bloodstream, which can cause serious internal issues."

Bob's eyes widened. "Wait... what?"

Anyala smiled, though there was a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You can also use wind to rupture the air around someone's eardrums, creating pressure that could cause a brain hemorrhage."

Bob stared at her, half in awe and half in horror. "That's... terrifying."

"It's effective," she said matter-of-factly. "But it's also a lot of responsibility. Don't go around doing it unless you absolutely have to."

Bob swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "I'll... keep that in mind."

They practiced as they rode, Anyala guiding him through the motions of creating subtle shifts in the air. Bob found himself both excited and unnerved by the destructive potential of his new abilities. The thought of creating micro-vacuums in an enemy's bloodstream or using wind to collapse someone's brain didn't sit well with him, but it was powerful knowledge nonetheless.

By the end of the day, Bob had improved significantly, though the darker aspects of wind manipulation left both him and Anyala sharing nervous glances and awkward chuckles.

"Well," Bob said with a nervous laugh, "at least I know how not to use my powers."

Anyala grinned, her earlier embarrassment forgotten. "It's good to know all your options, right?"