The Inner Kingdom

Chapter Eleven - The Retaliation

Location: Training Grounds

◑ Angie ◐

After we left the table in the clearing, I was not surprised when Prince Leev activated a celta, which made the entire table and seat vanish underneath the ground.

"I must be going now; Mina really drained herself yesterday with all the preparations we had to make."

"She'll be okay, right?" April questioned with guilt written all over her face.

"Do not worry. She is a very tough woman and very stubborn, like her father," Pearl joked, before she kissed her husband on the cheek and began to head back toward the castle.

Turning to look at Prince Leev and Leo, I saw them huddled together and surrounded by members of the royal guard. "What's going on over there?"

Nolin followed my gaze and smiled. "The royal guards are undergoing their own form of training. Now, let's begin ours. Today, you will learn how to draw your energy."

"We already know how to do that," I interrupted, reaching for my sisters' hands.

"No, what you know how to do is to draw off one another. Each of you, step away from one another," He instructed walking in front of us, pushing us farther apart, appearing more like a drill sergeant than a sweet old man. "Try to draw upon your own energy."

Closing my eyes, I tried to focus, but every time I caught a glimmer in the darkness behind my lids I couldn't pull and expand it; The sensation in my hands never came, no matter how hard I tried to draw on my energy.

I was trying so hard, I began to shiver from the wind blowing against the moisture collecting on my arm and face. "I give up."

"Me, too. There is something wrong. I don't feel anything," Ashley agreed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Not as simple, as you once thought, is it?" Nolin chuckled.

"I don't understand. We weren't close by when Ashley almost attacked Prince Leev," April reasoned.

"Arrogance, fear, jealousy, and anger," Nolin named out one by one, looking at each of us as he spoke. "These things can give one immeasurable strength, and if you are not careful, these emotions can take over your energy and taint your heart."

As he was talking, I began to remember the times when I felt the most powerful were when I was angry or...

"I am curious about something, besides the time when I was mad, since arriving here, every time I am around fire I feel stronger."

"That is because each dragon warrior has an element that they become one with, and in return it gives them strength. You, my dear Angie, are from the Ruby Kingdom, which is also known as the kingdom of fire."

"Let me guess, and Sapphire Kingdom is better known as the kingdom of water?" Ashley guessed.

"That is correct. Not only water, but healing. Many of our healers come from Sapphire Kingdom."

"Are you sure? April healed almost immediately after being shot with the arrow," I reminded him, looking in the direction of the person who was responsible for the entire incident.

"That was because Ashley was near."

"If I had to guess, I would say Emerald Kingdom, is also known as the kingdom of Nature," April figured. "That would be the only thing that makes since my energy orb was green.