Xiao Yan finally calmed down after knowing that it was Ancalagon in front of him. He couldn't believe that this big bag of destruction was the easy-going humanoid he talked to almost every day.
"Where is this place? How am I here?" Xiao Yan began his questions from there.
"This is the Dragon lair. My lair and the Flame Kingdom of the Celestial City. Welcome to my abode, my contractor." Ancalagon bowed with his head touching the ground. It was an honest and heartfelt bow that even Xiao Yan felt the honesty in his bow.
"But how did I get here?"
"Although this is in Dragoonia, it is for those with Draconic bloodline in them. When a Dragon descendant reaches the realm of a Dragon Halfling, He is tried through his Draconic energies. Since you have the flame energy, you will tried solely on your flame energy and only freed to go to the next energy after you have passed a certain criteria given by the Elder Dragons of that realm."
"So am guessing you are the Elder Dragon of this realm right? What are your criterias?"
"I only have one criteria to be fulfilled."
"And that is?" Xiao Yan looked at the Elder Dragon Ancalagon, smiling evilly. He knew that it was not gonna be an easy feat with this wicked Dragon.
"I want you to create a concept."
"A concept? What is that?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.
"There are people who master a certain energy to the extent that they are capable of creating their very own concept. A concept is a stage where you can use natural energies and make it into yours. Concept differentiates between normal combat mages and normal ones due to the fact that normal combat mages use normal magic powers while those that have created a concept use natural energies and harnesses it to fight. Come…. Walk with me."
Ancalagon took Xiao Yan through the flame valley and no being attacked Xiao Yan due to Ancalagon's presence. They walked for more than thirty minutes in silence without uttering any word to each other. Xiao Yan on the other hand was confused by Ancalagon's behavior.
Suddenly, they reached a huge valley which had a cave as its entrance.
"Many people yearn to have at least one concept, but you have the opportunity to create more than one concept. Please put your mind to it. Xiao Yan, the human realm presently is in peril. We need all the help we can get to go through what is about to befall your beloved realm."
"What do you mean by what you just said? The human realm in peril? And why am I cooped up here if the place I call home is in peril?" Xiao Yan felt like screaming his lungs out.
"Young Yan. There is something you need to understand. Not every battle needs you to start. There comes a time when you need to make an entrance in the middle of a battle when you are sure that you can win the battle. Not going to sacrifice yourself in the name of wanting to be bold. In this training realm, time is almost halted, so even if you stay a thousand years in here, only one or two days will be what you're losing in your realm."
"But do you guys have up to one day? How many days do you think you guys have? And how many thousand years do I have to learn to create a concept?"
"Little Yan. You think too much. Don't forget, you're no longer a human. You have the greatest Draconic bloodline anyone would have wished for. Just believe in yourself. For you family and loved ones at least. Do your best and do it fast. Be diligent and don't try to take the low road. I won't always be there to help you Xiao Yan but I can at least give you advices. After now, you will not see me again till after you have cleared the quest. So am gonna give you a cheat. Here, you can recruit Divine beasts by giving them a mark of ownership. They will be stored in your knowledge sea after that to be summoned when needed, but don't depend wholly on them."
"Why are you speaking like it's gonna be goodbye?"
"Because it will be goodbye till you pass all the quest you need to past. All for the sake of getting stronger. Don't worry. I will make sure that you're friends get amplified so as to match your strength when you're back, hopefully. Goodbye and good luck Yan boy."
"Hey… wait up…"
"hehehehe…. I will be waiting for you." Suddenly, Ancalagon disappears.
"Fuck this…..."
Xiao Yan was so frustrated that he spent over an hour thinking of what to do. Now he had a lot of shits on his shoulder to carry. He couldn't back down now because he needed to get stronger than anyone else. At least for his loved ones. It was the least he could do for those that gave him the opportunity to be where he is presently.
"Fuck… I guess we are doing this…..." He looked at the cave that Ancalagon stopped at. Ancalagon that he knew always had a reason for doing whatever he did so he suspected and entered inside.