'Hey, kid,' Drachnai suddenly said.
Elias stopped in his tracks next to the entrance of the training grounds. "Yeah?" he said out loud. Since everyone here in this sect knew what his spirit animal was, he felt more comfortable talking aloud when Drachnai called.
The dragon sniffed. 'Did you ever wonder why your sister seems more powerful and fluent in her powers?' he asked.
Elias blinked. "Because she's...better than me?"
'Pah!' Drachnai spat. 'No, you little brat! Let me ask you. In the past month or so that you've left the woods, have you ever trained?'
Elias grinned sheepishly, realizing where this conversation was going. 'No, I haven't,' he answered truthfully, scratching the back of his neck.
The black dragon snorted. 'Aragnes told me that your sister has been training with her every night. Now how can you just be so lazy? Don't think that just because you have me and have had my training that it is enough,' he scolded. 'There are many powerful opponents that you have never faced just yet. You might not know it, but hidden masters are everywhere. The power of these grandmasters isn't the limit to the world's power.'
Elias chewed on the inside of his cheek and continued walking, feeling his long hair swaying back and forth as he walked. "Hehe...you're telling me to go find a place and cultivate, aren't you?"
'Of course, I am,' the dragon huffed. 'The mountains look great and vast. How about we try it there?'
Elias glanced up at the tall mountain before him, covered with large boulders and trees. He nodded. "Okay, then," he said.
_______________
Eryn followed Milan to the peak of the mountain overlooking the entire sect.
At the edge of the mountain stood Wilson, Gena, and Alec, and the one dangling her feet over the cliff must be Teal.
Gena turned around as she heard them approaching. "Oh, junior sister!" she greeted, waving at Milan. "Eh? Behind you is...?"
Milan took a step aside and Gena's eyes widened as she saw Eryn. She threw up her arms and came running with a huge smile on her face. "Sister Eryn!" she cried, throwing her arms around Eryn's shoulders. "I didn't think you were coming!"
Eryn smiled in return. "Milan invited me here. She also said you were planning to set up a shield. I was intrigued, so I came to see for myself."
Gena beamed and led her to the edge. "Of course, we are. But we were just enjoying the view, first," she explained. She swept her arm across the air, gesturing at the sight before their eyes. "Look at that," she marveled. "Isn't it amazing?"
Eryn glanced down.
The lands stretched before them, lined and dotted with roads and buildings. Directly beneath them was the sect, and they were high enough that even the clouds were below them, drifting silently in the sky. Indeed, the view was glamorous, and it felt like they could see the entirety of the world at their point.
"Psh, what's so great about this, anyway," a voice interrupted.
Eryn turned her head to see a guy sitting atop a boulder some distance away from them, and immediately, she recognized him as the idiotic troublemaker...Shane Wang.
He didn't seem to be in a good mood at all, and he was still wearing bandages around his still-healing wounds from the fight he had with Elias days ago. Someone would think that such a defeat would've humbled him significantly, but it didn't seem that was the case.
Wilson whirled his head around a smiled dryly. "Junior brother, as a disciple of a martial sect, I'm your you'd have better behavior than most, am I right?" he warned.
"Tch." Shane crossed his arms and looked away at Wilson's remark, muttering some words to himself.
Wilson sighed and Alec shook his head. Shane Wang was just too difficult to deal with.
Eryn eyed him closely, trying to figure out this man's problem.
Shane caught her staring and glared. "What the hell do you think you're staring at?" he spat. "Do you have a problem?"
"Shane Wang," Gena thundered.
Eryn only released a breath before looking away. Perhaps that fight with Elias wasn't enough to beat some sense into him. She didn't like that snobby face of his at all. It was getting on her nerves.
"That's what I thought," Shane sneered. "Look away, you foolish woman-"
Alec clenched his jaw angrily as Gena and Wilson turned on him, brandishing their powers.
"Have you had enough yet?" Milan asked, stepping in front of Eryn like a shield. "I don't know what your problem is, but you better apologize right now."
Shane sniffed. "My problem? You people don't appreciate me enough. After all I've done for the sect, you guys always treat me like some animal-"
"You ingrate!" Alec condemned. "What exactly have you done for the sect? Teacher Li and Grandmaster Qin were kind-hearted enough to let you even stay!"
Shane scowled. "I see how this is. Are you all treating me like that after you've seen me defeated and humiliated? I'm telling you when I get the chance, I'll definitely crush that b*stards bones and make sure he regret-"
Eryn suddenly disappeared from her spot and shot forward, forcing Shane off the boulder and sending him skidding across the dirt and grass on his back.
"Sister Eryn!" Gena cried out as the rest took a step forward in surprise.
Shane pushed himself up on his elbows on the ground, wincing and clutching his chest where Eryn struck him hard with her elbow. He coughed and glared. "Are you crazy-?"
Eryn didn't stop. She walked up to him, an eerie calm storm raging before her eyes. "Am I crazy?" she repeated, her voice unnaturally frightening. It was as if hundreds of people were talking at once, just like the time when her white dragon appeared in front of everyone and spoke.
Shane flinched. "Don't come closer...ah!"
Eryn reached down and grabbed him by the neck, dragging him up to his knees with just the mere strength of one arm. "Now I know why Elias acted so rashly that night at the party," she hissed through her teeth. "Do you think I will have to tolerate you just because I am a woman?"
Shane paled, trembling in her grip. He choked and grabbed onto her wrists with his two hands, his eyes filled with sheer terror.
Eryn sneered. "Ah, yes...he was holding you like this that time, am I correct? All I have to do is squeeze tighter..."
Alec and Milan looked away at the sight, unnerved.
"Sis- Sister Eryn," Wilson cautioned. "I think it's best if you just let him go."
Eryn paused.
Then she tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at Shane. "So, what did you say you were going to do to my brother again?" she asked. "Crush his bones? Don't make me laugh, Mister Wang...how dare you speak ill of my brother."
She leaned forward and glared down at him. "This is your final warning," she said. "Think carefully before you open your mouth next time...or I won't hesitate to kill you in place of everyone else."
Then she slowly released him, letting him sink to the ground, coughing and holding his neck.
Eryn turned around without a bat of her eye. She took a breath and walked back to the others, where they were still and quiet, watching her walk back as if nothing happened.
She smiled and swept her hair to the side. "Let's continue, yes? I'd like to see how you form the shield."