After the elders left, it was almost midnight. Mariel snuck out of his house to his backyard. He chose to practice here as it was very spacious.
"Okay I'm outside, you said you teach people like us control right?".
{Yes} a voice resounded in his head.
"I want to learn control" he said in a low voice so as to not disturb people.
{I don't want to explain so I'll transfer the information straight to your brain}.
"Wait, how are you going to...grrr" he held his head as a sharp pain followed by new information flowed into his head, different techniques entered his head and it was as if he experienced it first hand.
{Be a man and bear it, it'll be over soon} Levi consoled him.
"You should have warned me that it will hurt" Mariel said as his head was a little dizzy right now.
{But it was worth it?} Levi asked.
"Yeah, it was" Mariel then stood straight and closed his eyes. He let out a long breath, as he opened his eyes, they were glowing red, his hair had turned red too and his vision was sharper. Two beautiful golden red wings like that of an angel sprouted out from his back, they were emitting a lot of heat and he was satisfied with the results. He wanted to jump and transform into a phoenix.
{STOP!!} Levi shouted.
"what now?" Mariel asked clearly annoyed.
{If you fully transform, the heat of the transformation will destroy everything in a 1km radius} Levi explained.
"Really!, wow, I'm too strong" Mariel said as he looked at his fist.
{The energy is still in the early stages, if you fully transform now, you might go unconscious for years} Levi explained tiredly. "Wow, I didn't even think about it, I was just too excited... Wait, let me check this out" he said as his wings lit on flames and he flapped them and he started flying.
It took him some time to get used to it but he soon got the hang of it.
In the midnight, at a tower, a man was meditating when he felt a strange surge of energy, he opened his eyes and they glowed white as he saw above a city.
"Another source of that strange energy" he said.
The first time he felt that energy was when a portion of land close to solace academy was erased by a strange and strong energy. But the first energy was far strong and more destructive than this one.
The man stretched his hand as a portal appeared to the place where Mariel is, he then shot out an ice spear through the portal from his hand.
***Meanwhile***
Mariel has been flying for about an hour when he noticed a strange blue light flying towards him at high speed.
"What is that?" he suddenly asked.
{It's coming towards you, quick, Dodge!} Levi shouted. Mariel used his phoenix eyes to see through the light. it was some kind of spear and the aura was extremely cold.
*Swoosh*
He swiftly dodged the spear as he tilted to the right while smiling. The look on his face changed as the spear maneuvered and starts chasing him again.
He threw some fire balls that he formed at the spear but it didn't budge or melt.
"What's it's deal?" Mariel said as he dodged the spear continuously again and again.
{Seems like someone doesn't like you}.
"And I can't use that ancient technique, we are too close to the city. Let me try to shake it" Mariel said as he went towards the city below. As he got close he made a swift turn and the spear pierced the floor.
"I did it, haha" he laughed as he saw the spear pierce the floor.
As he was celebrating his victory, the spear levitated off the floor and shot towards him with more speed than before.
"What is wrong with this thing?, isn't it just ice" he said as he dodged the spear and flew faster.
{It's not just ice, it's ice and it's fueled with a lot of mana. The only way to destroy it is to destroy the spear or stop the person who casted it. Obviously the second option is not valid} Levi said.
"That means I'll have to use the skill" Mariel said.
{Yes but fly far away from the city so you don't destroy things} Levi said.
"Then I'll have to fly out of the city. But my energy is almost depleted" he complained. {Do you want to die?}, "Of course not" Mariel replied. {Then fly out of the city and deal with this thing} Levi shouted.
Mariel then proceeded to fly out of the area to a place that has been isolated for miles. After a lot of dodging and flying, he finally got far enough. He readied himself for the skill. (Phoenix screech).
After he got enough distance from the spear, he channelled the skill. A large purple phoenix avatar formed around him. *screeeeee*
when the spear came in range he let out an ear piercing screech and the avatar amplified it causing a large amount of heat wave to sweep through the surrounding.
Immediately the wave touched the spear it shattered as it wasn't able to resist the massive energy and after the spell finished Mariel used his last remaining energy to fly back home from the isolated place.
***Elsewhere***
The old man has been watching this and was shocked. "Another gifted person. And he has a bird type beast spirit" he smiled as he thought of recruiting Mariel into his special team of gifted people.
"Gather information on him" the old man said to the two guards beside him. "Yes sir" the two guards said simultenously and they left.