The Dragon's Scale [COMPLETE]

8.1 || Only The Beginning

HE HAD THOUGHT it last night, but now, walking to the left end of the Sanctuary, he experienced just how large the castle was. According to Mara, as the main Paladin base, it had to be that big on the off chance that all the Paladins had to gather together.

"How many Paladins are there?" Josh asked.

"Around fifty at any given time," Mara replied. Her fingers danced as she walked, flecks of glowing snow weaving between them. "There's only about ten up here while others stay at the Sanctums."

Josh chuckled. "So most people up here are just normal then," he mused.

"Or retired." She shrugged at his quizzical look. "After about sixty or seventy, the bond is too much for a human soul to sustain. And speaking of souls..." The snowflakes vanished as she gestured ahead of them. "There's your next class."

An arching hole broke up the monotony of the hallway about thirty feet from them. With his goal in sight, Josh picked up his speed. He examined the room on the other side of the opening. Well, room wasn't the right word. It had a ceiling and walls, sure, but everything else looked like it had been plucked right from the Sanctum. Trees and shrubs sprouted from the grassy terrain. Rocks created a semi-circle around a small pond in the back corner. He thought he even heard the chirping of birds.

Despite the pocket of nature within the Sanctuary, what drew his eyes the most was the Asian man splayed out in the room's center. His eyes were closed, leaving the rise and fall of his chest as the only sign he wasn't dead.

"Is... Is he asleep?" Josh asked.

"I wish," the man replied, making Josh jump. His eyes remained closed. "But no, I was waiting for you."

"Oh, uh, sorry." Josh glanced at Mara. "Were we late?

The man finally opened his eyes and turned his head toward them. He grinned at Josh. "No," he said, then rocked into a sitting position and tucked his legs under each other. "I was early. Now, how about you join me down here?"

Josh hesitated, but when Mara walked over and sat, he slowly complied. The man watched, his head cocked to the side and his thick brows drawn together. After a moment, he extended a hand.

"Hello, Joshua Davidson. I am Hisato. I will be your magic teacher," he said, beaming. Somehow it just seemed right on his face, like he was meant to always be smiling.

It took Josh a moment to remember how to shake hands. Magic teacher? He glanced at Mara. The excitement must have shown on his face because she held a hand over her mouth, but she couldn't hide the way her eyes smiled. He grinned back. If this was only the start of the afternoon class surprise, he couldn't wait to see the rest.

"You can call me Josh," he said, shaking Hisato's hand. "I'm very excited to learn."

Hisato nodded his approval. "The best student is always the one eager to gain knowledge." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Let's start with this. I called it magic, but do you actually know what we are doing?"

"Oh, uh..." Josh opened his mouth, then closed it. "Well, something about light and dark. Able to make the elements do what you want. And, uh..." He shrugged helplessly.

Hisato considered for a moment. "Not bad. You at least grasp that we manipulate the elements." He stretched out his arms, motioning to their surroundings. "What is around us?"

Josh glanced around. This had to be a trick question. "Nature?"

"Precisely," Hisato said to Josh's surprise. "Nature at work. Nature thriving. Nature constantly giving off elemental energy."