Alduin snaps awake in his bed. The sun had barely risen and the sky was a very pale blue. Roughly a month and a half had passed since he'd gotten captured. In the meantime, he'd kept up his training regimen and daily meditations. As Alduin lowered his legs off the side of the bed, he looked at his hands. They were dark like the dark elves that had wronged him. In the month he'd been here, he was treated well as a prisoner of war. He wore no chains and was allowed to leave the house, even if he was always being watched. Did they think he didn't notice? No, of course, they knew he knew, but what would he be able to do with his power sealed? Nothing, that's what.
Alduin got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to get ready for the day. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and washed. The technology here was more advanced than at home in the palace. Even if it did take him some time to get used to everything, he was adjusting well to his new life. He could hear Lacey stirring in the other room. His warden was finally up. Alduin hurries out of the bathroom and walks down the stairs to the back porch. He looked over the city and took a deep breath. Even if he was being treated nicely, this is still a prison. What little power he'd regained was nowhere near enough. Alduin sat down and crossed his legs for meditation when he heard a knocking at the door.
Sora kept knocking at the door, and after knocking once more, Alduin opened the door. Sora had gained some muscle since we last saw him. He couldn't fight well yet, but his body base was progressing nicely. His horns were also a little longer now."You've gotta learn to be a bit more patient, boy. Just because you knock doesn't mean someone will be right there immediately."
"Well, it's the weekend. We always start early on the weekends, master Alduin. Not to mention school will be starting soon. If I don't get stronger, I won't be able to stick up for myself."
Alduin and Sora start to walk toward the back porch. When they pass by Lacey, both Sora, and Lacey greet each other happily.
"Sora, Alduin's treating you nicely, right? I'd hate to have to go upside my roommate's head because he was mean to a child."
Sora laughs a little before saying, "Master Alduin is nothing but respectful and kind to me! Although he is a little strict sometimes, I know it's for the best!" Alduin turns away to hide the smirk on his face. Lacey laughs with the boy before Alduin drags him to the back porch to train.
"See you later Ms. Lacey! Time for my daily meditation!"
Lacey looks at the boy, chuckling and content. It was odd watching Alduin interact with him like that. He held no hatred in his heart for him even though he was a dark elf. While it was vexing why the boy alone received his good graces, it was a welcome change. Lacey goes into the kitchen and opens the fridge only to notice that there's a shortage of groceries. There was almost nothing in there. How was she supposed to make breakfast if there was no food?
"Alduin! I'm going out to the grocery store. We need breakfast supplies!"
"Alright, Lacey. Don't forget to grab some salt. The last thing we need is bland food."
As Lacey heads out the door, Alduin gets deep into his meditation. The second seal that had plagued him was almost undone. Even if he wouldn't be able to rip and tear his way through the capital, with this much of his strength, he'd be able to escape. He cared for the boy Sora. The suffering the boy endured at the hands of his bullies was very similar to his own. Maybe that was why, the likeness of his pain. It was easy to overlook his race when Sora smiled at him. The way his pearly white teeth shined as he talked about training with him.
Sora is deep within his mind. Alduin was teaching him an unorthodox method to unlocking his mana usage. He had told him, "Feel your core." or whatever that meant. As a dark elf, he already knew where his core was, his heart just like everyone else. Whenever he brought this up, he was met with a shushing. So, Sora meditated to find his core. "What even was a mana core to Alduin?" Sora thought to himself. Sora opens his eyes and notices a bird flying in the wind. It was beautiful. The way its feathers shone in the dawn's light was something else. More importantly, the bird was free from everything. The thought of freedom sent a chill down Sora's spine. Freedom, what did it mean to be free? Was it the ability to be careless or reckless? No, Sora thought. Something as trivial as that couldn't be freedom. Maybe it was the ability to go wherever you wanted to go. To not have to be brought down to the ground by rules.
Alduin felt mana spark across from him before opening his eyes. Sora levitates off the ground with a blueish-green aura surrounding him. It had taken a month, but Sora had finally found his core. Alduin continued to watch as Sora continued to glow and levitate before he fell to the ground.
"Ah, I see you finally found your core, Sora."
"Yeah, why didn't you just explain that it was an idea? An abstract concept. It probably would've sped things up a bit."
"Maybe, but then it wouldn't be as important or powerful. The core has to be strong so that your magic can be strong. The core method is an ancient method used in times long past. It drew your power not only from an idea but your soul. To be fair, this method can be dangerous since the user is drawing power from their very soul ad ambitions. If your core is broken, death or fates worse than death are likely and a very real possibility. Not even my son knows this method."
Sora stares blankly at Alduin before a huge grin crawls across his face, "So you taught a really strong method for growing my magic? Please tell me what you did. It would be so cool if that's what you did!" Sora looks at Alduin, impatiently awaiting an answer. As Alduin watched him, he was caught in the ecstatic joy and light beaming from his eyes. The light and innocence there. Did it make Alduin…upset? He turned away for Sora to hide his eyes. He didn't want to look at the boy like that, but he was still a dark elf, a demon, but the light in that boy's eyes was so pure. It was a turmoil that only Alduin knew. He…disliked dark elves. He could kill a dark elf and not bat an eye, but Sora was different. He was positive, eager to learn and train. He reminded him of his son before he had to go off to war.
Alduin sighs and turns back around while saying, "Yes. That's what I did, kid. Don't let it get to your head though, you can still get your ass handed to you by anyone better than you." Alduin pauses, "Y'know, not even my kid knows magic. He wasn't trained to use magic, but it's been a while since I've last seen him…I miss my son."
Sora looks at his master Alduin and starts to pace. "What was your son like, Master Alduin? You talk about him from time to time, but you've never gone into detail. Is he like you?" Alduin chuckles to himself, "A little bit. He has my charisma and charm." "Besides that, he also inherited my hard work ethic and never quit attitude. The kid loved competition more than anything. I hope he grows outta that though. To enjoy competition is one thing, but if you let someone goad you into a fight you can't win, you'll just embarrass yourself."
Alduin raises his index finger before turning to Sora, "Actually, write that down! Don't fall for people's attempts to goad you into situations you can't win." Sora looks around frantically before finding a piece of paper to write that down. As he finishes writing Alduin's advice down, Lacey comes through the front door. She starts to cook, and Sora starts training under Alduin.
Training goes as it normally would. Alduin explains magic and how to use the body in a fight. They ate, trained, ate some more, and then finished with meditation. The day went by in a flash. It was almost as if nothing had happened at all.
"Will I be coming to see you tomorrow, Master Alduin? I noticed that you were seemingly in a daze for most of our training." Alduin paused at the boys' words. Had it been that obvious that his mind was elsewhere? Before Alduin says anything, a knock can be heard on the door. Lacey, who was reading on the couch, looks up before saying, "I got the door, boys. You two continue your goodbyes." Lacey walks to the door, and as she stands in front of the door to look out the peephole, a voice speaks. "You're not going to keep me waiting outside the door, are you? That'd be rude." That voice was all too familiar. It was a powerful voice full of confidence that commanded respect. Lacey opens the door quickly and gets on one knee. It was none other than the Queen, Akal. Sora slowly turns around slowly. When he looks upon Akal, incoherent words flow out of his mouth due to his stammering.
"I- you are, I can't believe, what-how? Queen Akal?!" Sora continues to stammer until he passes out in disbelief. "I do tend to have that effect on the common folk when they get too close. I think it's because of the difference in mana." Akal says with a smile on her face. Akal says cheerfully, "Be a darling, Lacey and take the boy home. He's just had a rough day of training. Please take the scenic route, darling," Akal looks intensely at Alduin, "Alduin and I have much to discuss." Lacey scoops the boy up gently before closing the door with her foot and disappearing.
"Oh, Alduin, Decimator of Dark Elves, Royal Guard captain of Calydonia, Slayer of Dragons, and Father of the thirteenth hero. Do you know why I've decided to grace you with my presence today?" Alduin watches Akal as she walks toward him. She put flair into her steps, this extravagance, it was nothing like their first meeting. Alduin, in a quiet tone, says, "Why have you come to visit me, Akal?" Akal is now directly in front of Alduin. They lock eyes, and Akal smiles. "That defiant look in your eyes, how charming. To think we fought only a month ago. It feels as though it has been much longer." "What is your point, Akal?" Alduin states. "Oh, look at you getting all huffy and puffy. The truth is that I've come to make you an offer, a deal." Alduin takes a step back, turns his head away, and sighs. "Fine, what is it that you want from me? It's not like I'm in a position to fight back anyways." Akal waves her hands as a glass of red appears in her hands. After taking a sip of her wine, she says, in a calm voice, "I require your hand in marriage."
Alduin freezes on the spot before the room starts to heat up. He turns his head to her, flickers of Orange flashing in his eyes. "What the fuck did you just say to me, woman? Did I just hear you right," Alduin approaches Akal with fury ablaze in his eyes "You, want me, a prisoner of war and an enemy of your kind, to fucking marry you? Are you mad?" Akal takes another sip of her delicious wine as she sits back in her chair. "Yes, yes, and no. Although I wouldn't call you an enemy to dark elves. Prejudiced, yes, but we've crossed that bridge of racism now. At least, I'd have hoped so. After all, haven't you taken a liking to that Sora boy?" Alduin grunts and looks away. "Yes, I know all about your mentorship of the boy and how you met. I also know about you undoing some of your seals." She takes another sip, moaning in delight at the taste of her drink. "I have my reasons for coming to you for this. Political and personal. However, you have much to gain from our wedlock. I'd finally be able to stop the war that your people started, I wouldn't have to marry that pig Sebastian, and I'd undo all of your seals. All of them. Even that one."
Alduin sits down to think about the proposal in front of him. He hates Akal with all his heart, she took everything from him, but what she's offering him was worth so much that he needed to stop and think. He'd be free from that Dragons' seal and finally be at full strength for the first time ever. "I'm already married, and I'm a human. I'd be betraying not only my people but also my vows with the goddess. Even if I did marry you, I wouldn't live as long as you, nor would we be able to have children. It's all doomed." Akal looks at her fine glass before drinking the rest of it. "It is funny you say that to me of all people, I am one-eighth human. So it can be done. It would just be a matter of extracting seed, plowing fields, and keeping up appearances. Also, I can make you live longer. That's what happens when you have a deep knowledge of the arcane with the mana pools to back it up. As for your wife and family, they can move into the country, or better yet, be the final piece to creating lasting peace. Lastly, that goddess you worship is worshipped by the dark elves, so you wouldn't be getting married under the jurisdiction of a different god."
Alduin looked at Akal, surprised by how well-thought-out her plan was. He had no good reason to not take the deal. Everything could work. "Even if I were to say yes, I don't think my Sylvia would like me fornicating with another woman," Alduin says with a hint of southern draw in his voice. "So that's your hometown accent, how adorable. Well, I'll leave you to think. While you can say no, you'd lose out on a lot by not taking the deal." Akal gets up from the table gracefully and moves to the front door, "Oh, don't forget how wonderful you've had it as my little prisoner. I don't like threatening men I plan to marry, but if you turn me down, I can make your stay much more… prison-like."
Akal leaves and Alduin is left standing there powerless. His mind was blank and clear. Everything was changing and all he could do now was stare at his hands, his weak rough hands. He clenched them tightly as he shed a single tear, he had a decision to make and he had to make it soon.