[So what do we do? Just keep on going?]
I asked with some confusion.
[I... don't know. You just hit that thing like a swing of Volteris's Ax!]
[... I have no idea what that is.] I shifted my head back a bit in confusion.
[...weapon of the god of storms.] Korven explained.
[Now can we talk about you MELTING A HOLE THROUGH A GIANT EARTH WORM.]
I froze hearing him ask that.
Korven looked at me quizzically as my sides began to shake, I was trying to hold it in-
"RAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" My jaw opened involuntarily and a strange form of laughter came out as I fell onto my side screaming with mirth.
[Hraezalier, the mighty EARTH WORM!]
I kept dying of laughter, all my panic and stress releasing in the pure hilarity I felt.
Korven began to let out high pitches giggles(or that's the best I can explain the sound), shaking from laughter.
[I shall eat you!]
[I am mighty!]
[I am...! An earth worm.]
I don't know how long we spent laughing unable to stop as we kept making jokes, doing impressions of the worm and such, until finally the laughter trailed off.
We were lying on the ground, looking at the sky.
"Haaa..." I let out a breath. [Wow.]
[Yeah.] Korven agreed.
[So I'm... powerful huh. Like. Scary powerful.]
[Looks like.]
I looked at him. [Doesn't that scare you?]
[Yeah, but I mean. You already had the ability to kill me anytime and eat me seeing as you're a dragon. So why should this scare me anymore than that? It just means my death would be quicker.]
Wow. Korven that was edgy as hell... and kinda cool.
[Well. I'm not going to eat you. Might eat some of this worm if that is a good idea? I dunno, never eaten a magic creature before.]
Korven flicked an ear, the animal version of a nod. [Wonder what it's second element was?]
[Darkness? Maybe water? I dunno.] I shrugged-ish, more a movement of the wings than actual shoulders.
[Would make sense if he was part water, means he wasn't as resistant to your lightning.].
You know what? Sure. That's easier to swallow than me having the power of a demigod or some shit. I got lucky.
I'll just keep lying to myself until I can accept this.
[So next time we run into a predator, I should just blast it?]
Korven countered [But what if it survives?]
[We die.] I said.
I found him suddenly looking at me strangely.
[What?]
He seemed hesitant as he spoke. [Its just... you don't act like a hatchling, and the way you speak of your own death... I dunno something in your tone of voice seemed off from how most would talk of it.]
Damn. I'd like to say he's a perceptive little guy, but someone would have to be deaf and blind to not notice how odd I act for a hatchling.
The tone being off though... yeah I'll still say it.
'He is a perceptive little raccoon huh.'
That night I cooked worm meat with fire magic and had some nice barbecue... without the sauce... or seasonings...
'As a dragon I basically have no sense of taste... I've lost the joys of food.'
Korven widely chose to ignore his strange companion nearly crying after biting into the massive haunch of meat before him.
After the meal I stretched myself out with satisfaction.
[Wow I ate a lot.]
Korven looked at me. [Gee, 3 times your size is a lot? Never would have GUESSED!]
[Ahem. Yes. Uh... I'm a growing dragon?]
[Growing into a mountain maybe.] Korven mentally grumbled.
An image of a mountain range the shape of a dragon came through the message as well as the emotional inflections, a flood of information he seemingly let slip while thinking about it.
The emotions put into a mental message and how well our intentions are sent by spirit magic changes constantly, but this was the first time I got such a clear actual IMAGE from it!
[Wait- have you seen a dragon the size of a MOUNTAIN?!]
My mother wasn't that big! Nowhere close!
[Well yeah, it's the ancient earth dragon. Their famous, everybody goes and takes a look in this area.]
[...why is it so bloody huge?!]
[Dragons apparently never actually stop growing. They reach adulthood, and their body growth slows to an EXTREMELY slow rate, but a dragon who lives for thousands of years will end up being unimaginably huge.]
Korven casually spoke with a hint of surprise I didn't know something so basic about my kind that even a raccoon knows.
[So I will eventually grow to be... huge.]
[Well, unless you manipulate your magic to condense your body? I hear mythics can change their body size.]
Oh. Hooray.
And with that conversation ended, silence reigned until Korven spoke up.
[I'm gonna go to sleep now. Night hatchling.]
[Night, Korven.]
I sighed, looking at the stars above.
'Well I'm not tired... might as well try to figure out that water thing tonight.'
~ ~ ~
Kire stood in silence with handcuffs over his wrists.
"What are we meant to do? He's a war hero!"
"A boy becomes an awakened and slaughters his way through an army to kill a half giant, and we should just shrug it off and congratulate him?"
"He can't be awakened, he never learned to absorb world energy or pull apart the elements! Maybe he's a hybrid?"
"Negative, the church of Holy Light examined him with their divine arts, he's awakened for sure, yet has no idea how to nor signs of ever absorbing world energy before."
"So I'm meant to believe he just got 2 elements fused to his lifeforce and body by some miracle!?"
Kire stood in silence, all noise drowned out by his own heartbeat in his ears.
He couldn't hear anything, just the rush of blood through his ears.
Blood on his sword, his hands and the battlefield.
"-re!"
"Hm?" He looked up, confused to see all the higher ups, many of whom he did not even know the position of, staring at him.
"Soldier Kire, do you have any words for how this happened?"
"Uh..." he shook his head. "Maybe? A few weeks back I was making my way back to the camp after being separated from our forces in Geran'tla and I... I can't be sure."
"Speak soldier."
"I got hit by lightning by like... a furry lizard? Twice."
Silence.
"A furry lizard. Hit you with lightning." The official numbly responded.
"Yeah... after that I started noticing certain changes but I wasn't sure I could believe I had magic."
A captain looked to the side to the rest of the group. "So he himself wasn't certain of what was happening."
"So he says."
"If you don't believe him, call in a priest."
Kire stood silent as a man in white robes trimmed with gold and with a large golden sun emblazoned on the backs and sleeves came towards him.
The old man had a beard trimmed to only extend a few inches, and a stern and austere expression as he grabbed Kire's shoulder.
"God Holy Light, grant your divine power to shine upon the truth and pierce lies."
A golden power flowed from the priest, something beyond and not-quite light magic.
Something more.
"...he's telling the truth."
The priest stepped back.
"Well..." the general who'd stood silent this whole time finally spoke up.
"What shall we do with this awakened soldier? Propaganda, or punishment?"