"Don't get smart with me now, flame head. I'm trying to say that you shouldn't bottle up your emotions to the point of exploding. Losing control of your emotions is bad, but it's equally bad if you force yourself to be calm when you shouldn't."
"If you're pissed off, then be angry! I don't give a rat's arse if you're a Mage with powers or a human with none... No one should bottle their emotions like you've been doing for the past few years! For God's sake, man... It's like watching a walking volcano trying to erupt!"
"So do me a damned solid and get angry! Punch something, destroy the forest with that flame of yours! Be useful with your emotions while you're at it so I can make more villages for the rising populous, " scolded Phanm, who was also ready to punch something.
Back then, Wald couldn't understand why his superior was yelling at him at the top of his lungs and could only stand there in silence with a blank stare. A stare that made Phanm even more angry. Wald could be sassy when he wanted to, but he still had an air of staleness.
"I can't stand that still face of yours... That expression that is devoid of all life and spirit... I can't stand to look at someone who has helped me majorly during my rise to this rank suffer this badly. I have to fix this. If not, I might pop a vein soon."
Was I suffering? I didn't get it... Why was his superior caring so much for him when no one told him to? Wald's face was still blank as he stared at the raging commander. Phanm raked his hair in stress as he tried to devise something to cure his best friend.
"Listen... I don't know how you've viewed me as an individual ever since I found you dying on the streets... But I know I am still treating you as an equal, as a friend, so please... Show some anger because I can't have a ticking time bomb on my team during wartimes."
"I know how to get you to release all that pent-up stress and anger in you. Follow me," instructed Phanm, gesturing for Wald to move.
What transpired next was Wald standing in the middle of the Eastern Forest, where no one from the Five Domains had yet claimed its territory. The ex-Pyromancer had the time of his life as he shot out spell after spell and threw his wrath onto the trees and area.
Now, back to the battle within his mind, Wald was reminded of that flashback and smiled as he allowed himself to be angry.
"So long as you put that rage in you to good use, I have no problem with you being angry. Let it all out, flame boy!" were the words that Phanm gave to him.
As the beast tried to swallow Wald whole, the ex-Pyromancer leaped upwards and delivered a powerful kick to its snout's tip, causing its entire head to slam onto the wall. Wald landed back onto the ground, but there wasn't any time to lose.
The Dragon shook its head after the hit and used its arms to swipe at Wald, only to have its enemy dodge the attack to slam his axe down into one of its hands, creating a huge gash. But Wald wasn't satisfied as he ran along the Dragon's arm and jumped into the air.
The beast turned its head and tried to summon a mini beam of Elemental Energy onto Wald's figure, but he quickly slashed its shoulder, slicing off its arm. The Dragon howled in pain as the purple flame head landed on the floor and rolled away from the angry beast.
That one move sent the Dragon into a frenzy as it was now stomping and attacking Wald with everything it had, starting from its scales. Wald was ready as he ran around the area while the Dragon unleashed its scales onto him like a bullet rain.
Bullet rains were Phanm's favorite move against his enemies, as the action could take out many enemies simultaneously. The kid uses it so much that the technique has been burned into Wald's brain for life, so much so that he could deal with it like another Monday morning.
Wald swung his axe around in different directions to combat the scales, deflecting them away and, sometimes, towards the Dragon. After the brilliant display of agility and strength, Wald sprinted towards the Dragon and leaped to strike its wing.
As he had predicted, the Dragon's wings were more robust than its arm, even without the protection of its scales. Wald cursed as he was forced away when the Dragon shifted its position. However, Wald had another trick up his sleeve.