Feng Gao had finally reached the Drogan's palace, and departed with Wang May. It took him awhile and a whole lot of false promises for her to stop pestering him about seeing her again.
"Clingy shameless girl. Why would I put myself with someone like her? A commoner with no value, she is nothing better than to become a noble man like me, concubine." Feng Gao had said to himself, as he watched the ambiguous girl, skipped off.
Feng Gao walked up to the Gates of the palace, smiling to himself when the palace guards surrounded him with their weapons.
"Ah, so news of my treacherous deeds have reached the ears of the Dragon's kingdom. And here, I thought that I would be welcome."
"Feng Gao, you have no business here. Now leave!" Feng Gao looked up, and spotted Li Jie standing on one of the beams supporting the Gates. Sword raised in his hand, ready to attack if necessary.
'Such guts you have.' Gao mentally scowled at Jie. "Ah, the young Dragon prince. Are you gearing up to take daddy's throne? Or are you just still pissed that he favours your junior sister more than you!" Gao taunts Li Jie.
He had never liked the young prince, and he wasn't going to start now. When he was younger and used to visit the Dragon's palace with his father, even Li Jie was younger than him. He would always teased him, just to pick a fight. And Li Jie, being hot headed since his eyes were at his knees (A/N. That saying means, from when he was young), never backed down from Gao. And always tried to make his dad see that he is a great warrior, and would become an even greater king. But he would often get the blame, because Feng Gao was always a conniving little bastard.
"You despicable ignorant tyrant!" Li Jie flew down from off the beam in a rage. Sword sharp, and aiming right at Gao's chest.
Feng Gao shifted to the side with a laugh, catching Jie off guard, and grabbed his foot as he narrowly moved by him. Swinging him, before throwing against the gate.
The guards charged at Gao, but Li Jie called them back. Too proud to let Feng Gao get the satisfaction of beating him, and also too hot headed to let someone else fight his battle for him.
Feng Gao laughed when he saw Li Jie wipe the blood dripping from his bottom lip, before he grabbed his sword and charged at him again. But Gao dodged him
"Oh, so you don't want to give up?" Gao said, still laughing. "What kind of honor do you uphold, when you aren't even fighting fear? I am defenceless because I don't have a sword."
Li Jie grit his teeth in anger. The fool always does something to anger him, and yet he can never get a win. But yet, he is here blurting nonsense, and him falling for it.
"Fine," Li Jie threw his sword aside, and directly faced Gao. Looking him straight in the eyes. "Let's do this the Mage way. If it's a magic showdown you want, then a magic showdown you will get!" Li Jie ran at him, because he must always be the one to make the first move, but Gao is swifter and blocked his contour attack.
Gao grabbed Jie's arm, flipping him over, landing him harshly onto his back. But Li Jie wasn't having it that way. No, he did a front flip. Landing smoothly on his two feet, then spin and hit Gao with a flamed filled open handed strike. Feng Gao staggered back from the heat and also the force that Li Jie hit him with.
"Oh, little princey got some stripes. But let me see if he can keep his balance." Gao levitates four medium size pebbles of the ground, and pauses them in mid air. Then flick his left wrist in a clockwise motion, and push his hand outward. Sending the pebbles straight at Li Jie, who dodged them gracefully with his arms stretched, and his feet firmly on the ground. Smiling snuggly at Gao, Jie lavitate in mid air, summoning his drogan spirit and throw fire at Gao.
Feng Gao who is no stranger to Jie's Mage powers, skillfully dodge every single one of them.
"Is that all that you have second rate mage and never going to become king?" Gao smile mockingly at him, and his smile became brighter when he saw Jie started to turn red from anger. "I can beat you without lifting a finger muckle face!"
The nickname echoes over and over again in Li Jie's mind, as an old childhood memory resurfaced.
"Haha, look at junior brother! He had fallening into the pigs barrow!" The young dragon disciples laughed.
They were out in one of the farming village, practicing on their mage skills. Feng Gao had accompany them, being a few years older than the rest, he was in charged of them until their master had returned.
The had came upon a nearby farmland, where they stopped to rest. A pig pen was near to the roadside, and the older disciples decided to test their skills to see who was the bravest. Feng Gao was up first, and created a talisman to separate the pig pen into different sections. The young disciples oohed in admiration, and that made Li Jie mad. He was the prince, their future leader. He was the one who should be getting all their praise. So out of jealousy, he pushed Feng Gao out of the way and float onto the fence post around the pen. He had balanced easily on the thin wood, but Feng Gao wanted to have a little fun with the young prince. And discreetly use his powers, flckking his index and pointer finger. Pushing Li Jie into the mud and grime of the pen.
Feng Gao was the first one who started to teased him, and soon, everyone else joined in. Li Jie was so humiliated, and he quickly run from the pen, falling a few times.
That memory triggered something from deep inside Li Jie, and he advance into the air and straight at Gao, like a comet shooting across the sky. His Drogan spirit had half taken over, creating a wave of fire. Which surrounded Feng Gao in a blazing force.
"Do you thinking I am weak now!" Li Jie yelled. He held out his hand, and Wonderer, his sword takes it's rightful place in his palm.
He swooped down into the flames, and advance forward towards Feng Gao, who subconsciously stepped back. But stopped, because of the fire sorrounding him.
"You always prevoke me, picked on me and redicule me. Now it's my time!" He uses his sword to control the fire. Slashing it at Gao, who jumped up out of the way.
Li Jie did it again, and yet Gao dodge it, stomping on the ground. Rocking it, making Li Jie losing his balance at bit. He raises a few squared bricks out of the ground and pushed them at Li Jie, but he use his sword to slice them in half.
Li Jie smiled when he saw that the heat of the flame is started to get to Feng Gao.
"Ah, the General's son can't take the heat of the Drogan prince." He manipulated the flame, turning it into a whip of fire energy, shifting his eyes to the side. And when he saw Gao do the same, he uses the whip and slash Feng Gao on his foot. Making him fall to one knee in pain.
But that didn't stop Gao from fighting back. He waits until Li Jie, laviated down to where he is. And created some explosive talismans, and slapped them on the ground. Making them explode underneath Li Jie's feet, knocking him to the ground.
With the lost of his balance, his sword fell from his hand. And a burst of fire shot out of it, hitting the dragon statue and shook the inside of the palace a bit
"What is the meaning of all this!" A gruff angry voice boomed from the Gates.
Feng Gao smirks, while Li Jie stiffen. "Father," Li Jie turned to King Wei and bowed. "I was j-"
"Feng Gao! It's been ages!" Li Wei interrupted his son, and hurriedly walked past him to where Gao is still kneeling on one knee. The burnt wound that Jie caused, still ached him.
"King Li Wei." He bow, wincing as he does so. But more out of sham than pain. "I am sorry for not greeting you, probably your Excellency, but have a strong and fierce son." He discreetly peaks behind Wei at a huffing Li Jie. "His Mage powers have improved, especially his drogan side." Feng Gao's face morphed into fasle pain, as he placed his hand on the ground, pretending to support himself to stand up.
King Li Wei looked at him with sympathy, turning to Li Jie with a scowl.
"Don't mind him." Wei turned back to face Gao. "He's just throwing one of his temper tantrums. Come, let's go inside and tend to your wound."
Wei put his arm around Gao, supporting him. As Feng Gao pretends to hubble in pain.
"Li Jie, clean up this mess that you made. And make sure you remove those smoke marks from the dragon statues heads." Wei commanded his son as he walked past him.
A smirking Feng Gao wobbled at his side, but it went away quickly when Li Wei turned to face him and he started with his acting again.
"You!" Li Jie pointed at him, but quickly bowed his head in submission when Li Wei turned to him with a stern glare.
"Why does he hate me so much? And all I ever do is be honorable to him." He heard Feng Gao say this to his father.
"I don't know. He just has a bit of insecurity." Was his father's reply, and that made Li Jie really angry.
"There is a reason why you are here Feng Gao, and I will make it my duty to find out why." Li Jie hands formed into fists, as he watched their backs getting further and further until they disappeared inside the palace.