'Is my mana really that powerful? That if I let it go unrestrained I could cause so much destruction?'
"You will need to practice for years to gain any level of mastery over a mark of destruction. It took your father a little under a century to be able to selectively use his mana and not just wipe everything in an area out. But your father did not possess the mark of Domination like you, it is the only reason you have been able to create runes at all." Grandfather said
'So that is why I couldn't get my mana to form runes until I bound it with one from the mark of domination.'
"Grandfather through my own trial and error I was able to form a rune with my mana from the mark of domination, then using that I was able to create runes with the mana from my mark of destruction. Before that I could form even a single rune." I said
"That is quite inventive and that explains your level of rune creation, normally a dragon with the mark of destruction had the most difficulty forming any runes as it is a pillar and does not like to have its nature changed. But it is important to note that although you have the ability to create runes now, you must still master your mana in its raw form.
"The easiest way to accomplish this is by using your dragon breath, I will make a target and I want you to imbue it with a small portion of your destruction mana."
I nodded my head to show acceptance, and then Grandfather formed a pillar from the lava pool below motioning for me to start.
Focusing I started concentrated on moving my mana to my breath glands at the back of my throat, I felt the familiar tingling sensation as they burst to life. After just a moment my eyes flew open and I aimed my maw at the pillar grandfather had made. What followed was the same river of flame that had incinerated the humans back in my birth cave. Only this time I could feel that the more mana from my destruction mark I channeled into it the stronger the more the pitch black tendrils grew within the flame.
Upon hitting the pillar the flames wrapped around it not so much as blemishing the surface, but as soon as the destruction mana came into contact with the pillar it started to fall apart wherever it touched.
The red hot fire only grew slightly more powerful while I continued channeling in more destructive mana whereas the black tendrils would grow steadily. I would say the ratio was about five to one, meaning that black tendrils increase five times faster than the flame.
I continued slowly pouring more mana into my glands and right when the pillar looked to almost have been disintegrated grandfather motioned for me to stop
"That is enough for now, I can see that you at least know how to separate the two forces within you, no doubt that is your mark of domination at play. Your control is remarkable for your age, but still needs improvement."
Creating another pillar grandfather said "Now again but focus on only destroying the very center, leave the edges of the pillar untouched."
So I started again, but this time, the same as before the pillar was uniformly destroyed.
"Again." grandfather said.
We continued for hours until my mana finally ran out and I was thoroughly exhausted. My breath was ragged and my entire body felt like it was burning from the inside out.
"We will resume tomorrow morning, rest until then. I will make a platform for you to sleep on." Grandfather said then immediately I felt the ground shake beneath me and a large platform rose from the lava.
Bowing my head I then turned and made my way to the platform, and with a dull thud laid down on the ground still hot from being submersed in lava. With no mana left and the physical exhaustion taking hold I quickly fell asleep.
I woke up to rays up sunshine coming through the top of the volcano. Standing up I stretched my body and unfurled my wings letting out a yawn. I could feel that my mana had been restored from my restful night.
I then made my way over to grandfather and waited for him to wake up, I didn't have to wait long before he started to stir, then lifting his head from the lava he looked at me and said "Shall we begin?"
I bowed my head then without another word another pillar formed
"Your assignment is the same as yesterday, begin." He said while looking at me
I didn't bother bowing my head at this point and just began to channel my mana.
-----------------------------------------
This cycle continued for three more weeks I would wake up try to only destroy the inner portion of the pillar, and fail, again and again, then I would go to sleep exhausted, and repeat the next day. Although I still could not complete the task that Grandfather had set for me I could feel my control increasing with every passing day, along with my mana stores. According to grandfather running your mana dry over and over again made your capacity larger over time.
But today when I made my way to the spot where we had been doing my training, Mother was already here speaking to Grandfather, he turned to me and said "you will be heading back today, it is Apolloians time to take your place."
"Yes Grandfather." I said bowing my head, Mother then walked over to me and brought her head down in front of me saying in a low voice "I hear you have done well."
"I owe all of my progress to Grandfathers endless knowledge Mother." I replied
Nodding her head he then motioned for me to follow her and we made our way out of the belly of the volcano. When we got to the fork in the path instead of going straight back to my sisters we took a right, and continued walking.
'Why would we head back to the entrance of the cavern?'
After hours of walking we finally made it to the entrance with the sun high in the sky, mother then motioned for me to come closer. Suddenly she picked me up and jumped out of the cave, I had panicked initially but once I saw that she had a firm grim on me I calmed.
She mad her way to the tallest mountain that I could see, and landed with a dull thud on the snow capped peak. In front of us was a sheer cliff that must have been hundreds of feet high. Mother then melted a area of the cliff near the edge and set me down.
As soon as I was placed on the cleared stone area, mother took to the sky once more. She then turned to look at me and said "Jump."