Chapter 5: Dragon Knight's Training
The early morning sun broke through the thick trees surrounding the village, casting long shadows across the training grounds. Wicked and Isabel stood side by side, ready for their first month of training under Dragon Knight. His two children, Autumn and Junior, stood across from them, both prepared to join the intense lessons ahead.
Dragon Knight's towering presence commanded attention. His eyes, sharp and calculating, sized up the twins as he spoke. "For the next month, I'll be teaching you the ways of the hunt. But it's not just about hunting creatures. You'll learn to track, understand, and survive every kind of terrain and creature you'll face. From dragons to demons, humans to elves, and every other species in between."
Beside him, his wife—soft-spoken and wise—watched the kids with a warm but knowing smile. She balanced his intensity, often providing insights on strategy and understanding of the creatures they'd face, especially those with emotional and psychological depths that mere brute force couldn't conquer.
As Dragon Knight explained the schedule, Isabel nudged Wicked. "You paying attention, or are you daydreaming again?" she whispered.
Wicked blinked, breaking out of his thoughts about Tijuana's rebellious daughter. "I'm listening," he muttered, though his mind was clearly elsewhere.
What Wicked didn't realize, however, was Autumn's constant glances toward him. She admired his chaotic energy and the way he seemed untethered from the rules that others followed. But Wicked, oblivious to her feelings, was tangled in a messy relationship with Tijuana's daughter—a woman much older, with a rebellious streak as strong as his own. To Wicked, what they shared felt like love, even though Isabel had tried to warn him countless times that it wasn't.
"She's not right for you," Isabel had said just the night before. "You think you love her, but love isn't what that is."
Wicked didn't want to hear it. "You don't get it, Iris," he shot back, using her middle name as he always did when they fought. "I know how I feel."
Meanwhile, Tijuana's daughter, wild and free-spirited, was seeing other men without Wicked knowing. She treated her relationship with Wicked as a game, while he was convinced it was something deeper. Isabel watched with frustration, knowing this situation would eventually break him, but for now, Wicked refused to see the truth.
As Dragon Knight continued outlining their training, Isabel's mind briefly wandered to their childhood. She recalled the times when Wicked's impulsive nature got him in trouble during their early lessons. There were instances when he would wander off during hunts, thinking he could handle things on his own, only to get stuck or even captured by the very creatures they were learning to track.
Autumn had often been the one to help Isabel rescue him. One memory in particular stood out—Wicked had tried to sneak into a dangerous territory on his own. He thought he'd found a shortcut, but he ended up trapped in a fairy circle. The fairies, amused by his arrogance, had kept him captive for hours, toying with him until Autumn and Isabel found a way to bargain for his release.
Autumn had teased him afterward, but there was always a softness to her tone when it came to Wicked. She admired his boldness, even if it led him into reckless situations.
Junior, on the other hand, was more reserved. Unlike Autumn, he didn't idolize Wicked, but he respected Isabel's calm and collected nature. He saw in her the kind of leadership that his father embodied, a balance of strength and wisdom.
Dragon Knight's voice broke through Isabel's thoughts. "By the end of this month, you'll not only learn how to hunt, but also how to navigate the political and social complexities of every race. You'll need to understand that this world is divided—creatures don't trust each other, and they won't trust you."
His wife added, "There are layers to every being, to every creature you'll meet. It's not just about strength. Sometimes, the most dangerous creatures are the ones who can get inside your head. That's where your true test will be."
Isabel glanced at Wicked, wondering if he was truly ready for the mental challenges ahead. He was powerful, yes, but his heart and mind were clouded by emotions he didn't fully understand. Autumn, too, seemed distracted by her feelings for Wicked, though she kept them hidden.
Dragon Knight finished his speech, assigning each of them tasks for the day. "Remember, this is just the beginning. Next month, you'll be under the blacksmith's watchful eye, learning how to forge weapons and understand the science behind them. After that, Tijuana will teach you more than just etiquette—you'll learn the art of healing and the strength that lies within diplomacy. And then, of course, the thief—the Man of Mans—will challenge everything you think you know about boundaries and rules."
For now, though, the next few weeks were all about the hunt. Wicked, Isabel, Autumn, and Junior prepared themselves for the challenges that lay ahead, unaware of the emotional and personal struggles they would each have to face in their journey toward understanding their powers, their relationships, and their place in the chaotic world that was slowly opening up around them.