***Important AN: Hey guys I'm back sorry for the long hiatus but I hope you guys can find it in your hearts to forgive me and keep going on this journey. Trust me it's going to be so much better than the first time and I won't be stopping any time soon. As always if you like power stones and reviews are welcomed. Ok sorry for the long tirade but for previous readers I've made some small but pretty significant changes so it won't hurt to the rest these older chapters as I post them. Now enjoy the story Primal out. End AN***
With a start he awoke, his eyes shooting open, his pulse pounding with a mixture of adrenaline and fear, the pitch black enlarged pupils on his face frozen in silent terror. A tense moment passed and whatever horrors lurking in the boy's mind seemed to go back into hiding as his pupils returned to normal and the boy finally registered that he was no longer in the nightmare as his gaze roamed along the dark marble ceiling above him.
He turned over in his bed, infusing a sliver of his energy into the circular port located at the top of the clock resting on his nightstand. "5:00... huh" he muttered as he slipped out of his warm bed shivering slightly in the cold morning air of his bedroom as his bare chest gleamed with its dark bronze color as it was touched by the early rising sun that peaked through the royal purple curtains covering most of his room in darkness.
He had recently become accustomed to the feeling and grown to enjoy the refreshment and calmness that washed over him as he breathed in the slightly colder kei elements mixed in the air. Now, he could fully agree with the elderly people he always saw on his early morning runs that there indeed was no better way to start the day.
A fact that became more apparent to him in the past few months. He shuddered again, this time from trying his best to forget the nightmares that still plagued his mind. "Still the same dream... honestly a couple times can be chalked up to over active imagination but this doesn't make sense".
Noticing that he was starting an internal rant that won't give him any answers or explanations that hadn't crossed his mind already as possible reasons for the extremely vivid, familiar, and yet unfamiliar visions haunting his subconscious. He took a deep breath, allowing the cool, slightly charged air to calm him down as it passed through his chest, warming it completely and leaving him refreshed as the ambient kei energy slowly stopped being attracted to him.
"Everyone says attending the Royal Academy can make new enrollers nervous, maybe I have just been allowing my nerves to get the better of me," the boy thought as he sat down on his cultivation mat, the pitch black cloth covered in tiny complicated patterns of gold that glittered with a metallic shine yet felt as soft as a warm pillow when touched.
Though he could not help feeling like there was something more to his recurring dreams that he was missing. Clearing his mind once again, the boy finally began to focus on his morning practice and actively utilized the ability engraved in the mat, specifically made to enhance one's senses towards the kei energy in the world and began his daily training by pushing his distracting thoughts and feelings to the back of his mind.
Finally relaxing entirely and allowing his basic breathing method to calm his still racing heart and restless mind. As his breathing stabilized and his body stilled to an almost unnatural extent, a ripple seemed to appear out of thin air behind the boy and began to slowly spread out in the space behind his head.
With barely a whisper, the space seemed to flicker out of existence only to reappear a moment later the space now occupied with a complex yet ancient looking symbol reminiscent of the shapes of stars and planets yet with a black shimmering glow to it.
Now floating a foot above the boys head behind him it could be seen that the symbol bore a faint outline of scales that seemed to form the hazy image of a coiling black dragon with wings tucked to its side.
It started to glow with a piercing purple light making the ripple appear as a lifelike work of art and slowly became more stable. The ripple settled and what was left in its place was a pitch black door, three feet wide and four feet tall, wrapped in 10 chains that glowed a brilliant silver in the dark room with the same image from before now imprinted upon the chained door.
Slowly an outline appeared on one of the four previously unseen orbs embedded in the door as one of the dim orbs began to glow with a pure white color that could stun the eyes. As the glow subsided it became apparent that the boy was no longer alone in the room.
Floating in the place of the somewhat ominous seeming door was a floating orb of pulsing black light that was shaped almost exactly like an egg and pulsed like a beating heart.
Upon entering the room the thing seemed to awaken and stretch out to reveal a being that briefly appeared to be made out of living shadows and thunder clouds. Amethyst eyes so dark they glowed nearly red, the shadow around its figure bubbling quietly as the floating eyes still ablaze with an otherworldly splendor shifted for the first time and registered the boy sitting unaware on the floor.
The shadows boiled fiercely for a second longer until finally it stilled all at once almost unnaturally as the being stepped out of the shadow as if emerging from a distorted mirror. What appeared was a four foot long serpentine body, gleaming with such a deep black color that if not for the dim sunlight shining in from the curtains and the blazing eyes adorning the figure that glittered with a vicious light, it would appear as if nothing was even there.
As its clawed feet and small pair of wings spread open the creature seemed to find the environment enjoyable when its mouth opened to reveal a genuinely happy smile that seemed more intimidating than anything else given the razor sharp teeth that filled its gums giving the creature an appearance that suggested she was most definitely no animal of prey.
The creature stretched and extended its wings that showcased the underside of its body and wings that appeared to have a smokey gray pattern that brought to mind thunderclouds and stormy nights presumably inlaid in such a way to provide camouflage against its unsuspecting prey on land.
The pattern seemed to move as the little light that managed to infiltrate the room reflected off the wings and revealed a wingspan of nearly five feet long. Feeling the presence behind him, the boy opened his forest green eyes to watch the actions of the summoned being behind him.
Seeming to finally gather its bearings, the dragon looked ahead to find her companion, and sprang onto his back folding her growing wings tightly to her side and loosely wrapping her body around his waist and neck showcasing a flexibility and ease that many would sooner associate with a snake than a majestic and feared creature like a dragon.
The boy panicked for a moment assuming that he was going to be in for another painful session of back aches when the dragon became covered in a purplish black membrane of energy, and in the blink of an eye the human sized dragon was gone and in its place on his back was his number one companion in her smaller form of only two feet long with her wings tucked in wrapping around his torso and neck with her head resting on his right shoulder.
Seeing the playful glint in the dragon's sparkling amethyst eyes, the boy patted his partner on her head with a smile and opened his mouth, "I am glad to see that you have finally managed to use your kei energy to control your size, it would have been a shame if the great Lightning Shadow Dragon Azera was the only innate spirit to fall behind on the very first day of orientation,"
the boy grinned a bit wider as he felt his best friend squeeze his stomach area a bit and he could have sworn he even saw a faint blush on the young dragons face and despite the creepy repeating dreams and the fact he was going to be surrounded by the continents best and brightest in less than four hours with no way to know who would be his allies or enemies the boy couldn't help but laugh out loud and feel lighter in his heart knowing that no matter what at least he would never be alone.
The boy took one more fond glance at the haughty yet loveable thing that was blowing little purple sparks into the air in boredom and snuffing them out with a flicker of shadow then resumed his meditation, this time with a clearer mind and a faint smile on his face.
(Lyon's POV)(3rd Omsct)
Roughly an hour later, I opened my eyes once again and exhaled the slightly turbid kei energy remaining inside me with a breath. More awake and ready to face the world I opened the door to my bedroom and stepped into the hallway of the mansion I call home.
Seeing me, a passing servant stopped to greet me. "Good morning, young master Lyon," the young servant girl said, bowing slightly in respect. "To you as well, Maria" I began "I had better get to breakfast. Feels unreal that this will be the last time I eat at the house for a long time to come." I say, thinking again about my upcoming term at the Royal Academy.
Noticing my reminiscent and slightly sad look the girl panicked slightly and hurriedly attempted to cheer me up, "Young master is always welcome back to the manor" she replied with her eyes beginning to redden likely from realizing that I really will be gone for possibly years.
Thanking Maria after speaking a while longer, I continued on my way to the kitchen. Walking down the halls, I started to think of my life and goals.
Born to the Duke Sable household on the Continent of Alcatum, as a royal family name we are situated in the kingdom's capital Aserx, and today is the day that I am to go to the Royal Academy.
Spending the next five years learning the ways of Kei Masters and training to become one or if I'm lucky even a World Master. Thinking about the mini life story I just gave to no one but myself, I resolved to no longer stay up watching KV(Keilivision) after arriving at the academy it would only lead to more internal monologuing than I already did and there was no need to get a reputation as a crazy person lost in his head in the beginning of my first year.
Having reached a consensus on a critical problem, I looked up only to realize I had already walked down the stairs and all the way to the kitchen and thankfully some food.
Finally reaching the door that led towards the kitchen, I proceeded to enter and noticed the only other person living in the family mansion besides me. "Good morning, uncle," I said.
He turned his silver head towards me and I could see his murky brown eyes start to clear in recognition. "Ah… Lyon, my young wannabe warrior nephew, morning to you as well" he replies with his usual dry tone while taking some toast and spirit eggs onto his plate and moving towards the dining table on the other side of the room.
Shaking my head at his comment yet smiling at the clear worry he tried and failed to conceal with his reply, I simply watched my uncle moving past me.
Still I can't help but silently sigh with a complicated light in my eyes as the man who looked so put together has become more of a shell of his former glory.
Mark Sable with his silver streaked black hair and 6 foot 4 frame that while frailer now still had the shadow of the great warrior he once was. He certainly still makes for a fearsome sight to some.
To me though, he appears more like a rundown war machine that has been decommissioned for years. Clearly still a deadly weapon, yet with scars and burdens untold. In comparison, while I also have a decent frame for a 15 year old I am still only 5 foot 3 at the moment.
Unlike him however, I have pure silver hair that spiked outwards from the top of my head to my neck looking similar to certain cartoon characters that made it even harder to go unnoticed in a crowd with forest green eyes that flashed emerald when the sun hit them.
Together with my dark caramel brown skin I am told I look like the perfect mix between my parents. Leaving my weird heritage alone for the moment I move towards the food the cooks have prepared and grab some juice, eggs and toast then proceed to the table to finally eat.
After a couple of minutes of a quiet eating my uncle decides to break the silence. He sits up in his chair and clears his throat to gain my attention, "Nephew you must remember that when you are at the Academy there will be danger. Just because the teachers will be with you for most of the time doesn't mean you will always be safe. Not to mention the school missions after your first year, once you go for your other Kei monsters or Keis you will be left to your own devices. Considering your Innate Spirit you will have to be extra careful and if possible team up with others."
At this point he pauses as his murky brown eyes move up from his plate for the first time since he set down and I could barely stop myself from jumping away. His usual murky eyes were gone and now they glowed with an almost otherworldliness, a subtle but intense brown color that tended towards black and gave me the illusion that I was looking into a deep cavern where a slumbering beast was waking up.
"But above all else do not do anything that will get you killed" he said with such seriousness that for a second it seemed that the very air around us stopped as if being suppressed by an existence far above the natural order.
I had only seen and felt a similar situation two times in my life before then. After seeing me nodding my head he looked me over one time, and finding nothing else to say he sighed and slumped back in his chair and went back to eating while his eyes went back to normal except that now they flashed with undecipherable thoughts and emotions.
I thought about saying something but just sighed and continued to eat my food while thinking. Pushing those thoughts out of my head I finish eating and feel a pull on my spirit connection and see Azera, my midnight black dragon appears before me with some raw bacon in her mouth and crumbs falling to the floor leaving a mess for poor uncle blue to clean up.
Upon seeing me she squeals in joy though the sound is muffled by the kei beast meat in her mouth. Sighing again at how different my partner acts in public and private, I send her my thoughts to let her know of our departure. I make my way back towards the stairs with my uncle next to me and Azera wrapped around me once again and pass the stairs continuing through the foyar and towards the front door and the beginning of something I could never have imagined given a hundred more dreams like the ones I had been having.
Pausing before I leave the mansion, I look back at my uncle standing at the entrance to the stairs watching me off in his own way and stare into his once again muddy brown eyes with my own green ones flashing with determination. "Uncle, I will excel at the academy and become a World Master and find all those who hurt our family".
Hearing my words, his face twitches and his eyes shake before turning into a calm expanse of brown that gazes at me calmly. "Stay safe before you think about that, nothing can be accomplished if you die and I would have no way to explain your death to your parents when my time comes"
Uncle replies and then begins to head back upstairs. I watch him leave and see him pause and look back at me, a strange feeling appearing in my heart that it would be a very long time before I saw him again, if ever.
"Remember to stay safe, and don't ever forget there is family here who loves you Lyon" and with that he ascends the stairs and leaves my sight. Standing there for a moment, I let the unknown, foreboding feelings pass through me for a second.
After collecting myself I check the table to my side and grab the letter of acceptance the Academy sent and clench the gold embroidered packet it came with.
Deciding not to look back towards him and the only place I can call home again, I leave the mansion to walk towards an uncertain future. Looking back perhaps my life would have been simpler had I just listened to my uncle but that is a story for much later on.