The day starts with Aziel waking up early at dawn, he went to the top of the mountain brining the three times heavier boulder, meditates until the sun rises.
He went back to the cave and greets his two companion a good morning. He ate his breakfast without saying much, and proceed to his boulder training.
He did the boulder training longer than he had anticipated, however, he discovered that if he uses his inner power, the boulder seem to weigh less and the more he casts his energy the less the boulder weighs. That's what happened to him during his second day of training, which he just discovered how to do it during this time.
This discovery made his training easier, and the time for him and Drako to fight has come.
They both stood in front of the huge tree, Eleanor had become their referee.
"Are you ready kid?" Drako asked him, not sure whether he was ready himself.
"Do I have a choice, old man?" Aziel replied in a short sentence.
"You both get ready!" Eleanor announced.
"Start!"
Drako and Aziel both launched themselves in battle. In just a few seconds Aziel was knocked out cold. At the same time the magic casted to him by Eleanor activated.
"AHHH!" Drako was electrocuted.
"Why did your magic activated?" Drako asked Eleanor about what happened.
"I told you, I the magic sensed you that you're holding back, the magic will activate itself." Eleanor replied.
"Haaa! Haaa! Haaa! Did I really hold back my strength?" Drako is panting as he asked himself, then he realized before hitting Aziel in his chin, he hold back about half of his power.
"AHHH!" He was electrocuted again, for some reason.
"Why did it get activated this time?" Drako asked Eleanor again.
"That was for figuring you mistake out." Eleanor replied.
Drako couldn't move his body due to the electricity surging through his body.
Both of them laid there in front of the huge tree. And Eleanor was sitting in her magical chair sipping her tea.
A few hours later when Aziel regained his consciousness, he found himself under the tree, and
Drako was sitting next to him with his legs crossed, and eyes closed.
"Mr. Drako, Sir." Aziel slowly talk to Drako.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you Sir." Aziel began to cry.
He thought that he was already capable of giving Drako a great fight, but it was over in an instant.
He was so disappointed to the result of the fight that it made him cry.
"Make… sure to last… a little longer… tomorrow!" Drako spoke in a robotic way because he can still feel the electricity in his body.
"What is wrong Mr. Drako?" Aziel asked Drako.
"It was nothing… try meditating… constantly… do it while... you were moving… as if it was a… part of your life… like how you… do breathing… That way… you will become… stronger faster… and I won't have to be like this any…more, you stu…pid kid." Drako continued to talk like a robot.
"I don't really understand everything that you said, because you were talking in a weird way, Mr. Drako." Aziel honestly assessed Drako's way of talking.
It made Drako snapped, and give Aziel a smack on his head.
"Do your meditation to heal yourself… because you still need to do the hunting, you idiot!" Drako yelled at Aziel after smacking his head.
"Ow! Why do you always do that, you old oaf!?" Aziel snapped back, yelling towards Drako.
"Because you had a really thick skull… that it makes me want to crack it!" Drako shouted preparing for another smacking.
"Alright! Alright! Just stop it already!" Aziel jumped from where he lie while covering his head.
Drako returned to close his eyes, and Aziel sat beside him closing his eyes meditating. After a few minutes, his body healed and he pick his cloak to hunt for beasts outside the barrier.
Drako continued to sit there with his eyes close, trying to meditate to ease the pain of being electrocuted.
Eleanor saw the interaction and smiled.
"Aziel, you really made this place a fond place to stay. Even the grumpy Drako, turned into a jolly oaf because of you." Eleanor's thought.
"Milady, I heard that!" Drako yelled towards Eleanor, telepathically.
"Oops! Hehe, my bad Drako." Eleanor Apologized in in a playful tone.
The sun sets when Aziel came back to the cave, bringing a massive three horned tiger-like beast.
"You finally decided to come back, kid!" Drako initiate the teasing tournament again.
"Don't start with me, old man!" Aziel yelled towards Drako.
"Hahahaha! You really are a kid!" Drako continues to tease Aziel.
"And you really are an old man, with an amazing but weird costume!" Aziel mocks and praised Drako at the same time.
Drako doesn't know how to counter it, so he shut his mouth for the time being. He snatched to beast in Aziel's hand to clean it without saying a word. Eleanor just giggle watching the two quarreled. After cleaning the beast he brought it to Eleanor for her to cook it.
Aziel continue his meditation and pick another scroll for magic training. Aziel decided to practice an 'ANCIENT ICE MAGIC'.
This ice magic can turn anything into an ice in an instant.
After a month of fighting against Drako, Aziel was able to last for a few minutes of their battle. He also able to perfectly cast the ancient ice magic. He was doing most of his training on his own, following the instruction of Drako that he needs to meditate constantly even walking.
The next month, Aziel practice healing magic, this magic can heal his wounds immediately. It can regenerate amputated parts of his body, and he perfected it after another month. During this time, meditation has become almost part of his system. He can meditate during his battle against Drako.
In his six months of training, Aziel mastered four ancient magic and healing magic. He can also meditate while sleeping. Eleanor and Drako find it an impressive feat no one could attain. Only he could make the impossible, possible. Aziel became stronger than anyone has ever did in that small amount of time training.
In nine months of training, Aziel was able to last for hours of fighting against full forced Drako, which made him scared down to his core, but also happy at the same time.
"How much more can you improve in a decade, kid? I never thought time would come that, I, Drako Magnifico will be defeated by a human in just a short amount of time. I want to see your future, I need to be there and watch you conquer your dreams." Drako's thought, as he smiled during their battle.
In his one year of training, Aziel was able to master seven ancient magical spells. Aziel now has Fire magic, Ice magic, Wind magic, Earth magic, Healing magic, and including the light and dark magic that he had mastered recently, and all of it were Arcane magic. He also fully opened his magical core and can control its power at will.
His body now radiates energy the same as that of a god. And finally, after his whole year of hard work, Aziel had finally defeated Drako's full force using only his physical strength and not with magic.
This achievement made Aziel scream triumphantly.
"YAAAAAH!" Aziel screamed from the top of his lungs.
"I FINALLY DID IT! MISS ELEANOR, I DID IT! I DEFEAT MR.DRAKO!" Aziel roared with all of his strength while kneeling to the ground, clenching his fist as he face the bright blue sky with his eyes closed.
Aziel cried from happiness, and thanked Eleanor and Drako for their patience and guidance throughout the whole year.
"Yes! Congratulations, my child." Eleanor congratulated him, as she picked Drako up.
"Congratulations, kid! You became stronger in just a single year. If anyone deserves your thanks, it was yourself. You made me a believer, kid." Drako applauded Aziel's hard work.
"This calls for a celebration!" Eleanor announced.
"Yeah. Celebration for my loss." Drako said, a little sad.
"Aziel's victory is our achievement. Be proud that you became a part of this success, Drako." Eleanor encourages Drako to raise his head high.
"I know, Milady. I'm just a bit jealous of this kid's talent." Drako added.
"So, what do you want for dinner kid? I'll do the hunting this time, as a reward for your hard work." Drako said.
"Hmmp. Can I have a suggestion, just for tonight?" Aziel asked Eleanor and Drako.
"What is it, kid? Name it, and it the name of my father, I promise to make it happen." Drako said with his fist in his chest, facing the clouds in the sky.
"Could you lend me your ear, Mr. Drako?" Aziel told Drako to lean a little closer.
"Whisper" "Whisper"
"WHAT!?" The first one to react was Eleanor.
"I don't know the purpose of your whispering, but to do it in my face? Are you underestimating me, my child?" Eleanor was a bit annoyed by the whispering that Aziel did, her nerve can be seen in her forehead.
"No, ma'am. You misunderstood it. I purposely did that because I know that you could hear anything inside this barrier, and since Sir Drako here said that he will do anything do make it happen. I'm sorry, hehe." Aziel apologized in a playful tone, while holding his head.
"If you want to make that suggestions of yours happen, you asked the wrong person, kid." Drako said standing back.
"I know Mr. Drako. I just use you, but that was actually for Miss Eleanor, hehe." Aziel smiling towards Drako.
"Tsk! This kid!" Drako was about to snap, and smack Aziel's head, but since it was his reward. All he could do was smile in defeat.
"I don't think it's a bad idea. It's been ages since the last time I experienced, and tasted something as delicious as your suggestion." Eleanor said while imagining the feeling.
"Alright, just for tonight. We will do what you suggested as your reward, and to celebrate your one year living here with us." Eleanor added.
"YES! Thank you Ma'am!" Aziel bowed down, thanking Eleanor.
The night has come, and the three of them can be seen on top of the mountain having bonfire, grilling meat, and drinking sake.
"This suggestion of yours isn't so bad, huh, kid? I commend you courage for actually suggesting it to Miss Eleanor. Why don't we it more often?" Drako suggested, but it was quickly dismissed by Eleanor.
"No! I forbid you both from indulging in these things, or any things that could sway you away from your purpose, and mission. Besides, we still need to prepare before facing the other, and you know that Drako." Eleanor said in a serious tone.
This time Eleanor was a bit tipsy, she wasn't much of a drinker.
"Yes, Milady. I was just kidding. My apologies." Drako quickly apologized.
Aziel stood up, holding a cup of sake and began to have his speech.
"I suggested to have a celebration here, instead of inside the cave because, I want to promise the both of you that this is the beginning of your freedom to go outside the world freely without worrying about the other gods." Aziel said as he raised the cup of sake in his hand.
"By the light of the stars in sky, I, AZIEL MATEO, vowed to be the sword and shield of MISS ELEANOR GAIA, and I also vowed to fight in the battles of MISTER DRAKO MAGNIFICO. This cup of sake serves as my utmost resolve, by taking this cup of sake, I, AZIEL MATEO, vowed to never back down against my word or against any god, in order to give you both the justice that you both deserve." Aziel finished his speech and drank the cup of sake in one gulp.
This made Eleanor blushed and happy as she heard an honest words of Aziel. At the same time Drako who was already drunk was crying as he hugged Aziel's leg.
"Thank you, kid! I… had never heard something so… wonderful in my whole life. And… I never thought the day… would come that someone would come to my aide. I will… forever be your friend!" Drako cried, his snots were coming from his nose, as he wiped it through Aziel's training pants.
"Ew, old man! Don't wipe your snot in my pants! You're drunk, already? How many did you drink?" Aziel asked when he saw that three huge jar of sake was already empty, and Drako was holding the last small jar in his hand.
"I… am not… drunk, kid… I have never… been more… awake than this moment." Drako was speaking in a weird way again.
"Yeah, you're drunk." Aziel affirmed.
"Thank you, Aziel. You grew up and become a fine young man. I hope for your success, and prosperous life ahead of you. Thank you for assuring not just me, but also this drunk oaf." Eleanor thanked Aziel, as her tears began to fall from his eyes.
"I really appreciate you being here, but I must remind you again. The path that you are about to take is much harder, and harsher than any of you training. You need to be prepared, prepare your body and mind, and steel your resolve. You got that?" Eleanor added as she leaned forward. Her forehead touched Aziel's forehead.
"As a reward for your hard work. I will grant you my blessing, this blessing will protect you from the harms of mental or emotional attack, and it will also protect you from all illness. But, it can't defend you from any physical attack. So, try to protect yourself at all times, is that clear?" Eleanor move away her face as she asked Aziel.
"Yes, ma'am." Aziel answered looking at Eleanor's beautiful eyes.
"Alright, close your eyes." Eleanor ordered.
Aziel closed his eyes following the order of Eleanor.
Eleanor kissed Aziel's forehead, casting him her blessing. And a light had flashed from the top of the mountain.
The blessing casted by Eleanor made Aziel fall asleep, and they all sleep in top of the mountain for the night.
The morning come and they all went down from the top to prepare for Aziel's departure, as he was ordered by Eleanor to enroll in a different Academy. This order was made for Aziel not to cause any suspicions to others.
If he was to go back to his Kingdom after missing for over a year, everyone who knew him will automatically noticed something, so they decided that Aziel must be admitted to a different Academy. Which Aziel doesn't have an objections, he already vowed to Eleanor to use him as she see fit.
Drako gave Aziel the set of gloves that he had prepared including the set of rings, and a bracelet for Aziel's left fingers and right wrist that seals his magical energy. The original plan was just a single glove and a ring, but as Aziel continued his training, he had surpassed their expectations, so they made him a set of rings and a bracelet, aside from the gloves.
He also give him his spear that was upgraded. Drako had melted Aziel's old spear, mixed it with his indestructible scale and created a new one. He also added his blessing to the spear where it can extend or shrunk at user's will. But Drako warned Aziel to use its ability only when really needed, as it may attract unwanted attentions, which Aziel understood instantly.
"Now, for the last part, before you go to the Academy, there are few important things that you need to remember." Eleanor said.
"Your name is Aziel Mateo, fifteen years old, from Viscount Von Rayshik's domain, in the outskirts of Emberheart's Kingdom. The King's name is Leol Emberheart, who served under Apollo. Apollo is the god of prophecy, and truth. You can trust him, or not is up to you, but you must not do anything that could give out your true intentions. Don't lose any of your gloves and your rings because your energy will swell up and everyone will know that you have a great power. Just show a bit of your strength when needed. You need to be extra careful when you get there, is that clear?" Eleanor finished her advice to Aziel.
"Yes Miss Eleanor. I will do everything to live up to your expectations." Aziel assured Eleanor.
"No, my child. Do your mission but I don't want you to just put your focus in it. You still have a life to live. You don't have to carry that huge burden by yourself. Don't forget to enjoy your school life, and enjoy your teenage life, okay?" Eleanor ordered Aziel.
"Yes, ma'am." Aziel replied in a melancholic tone.
"Why are you sad?" Eleanor asked Aziel what's the problem.
"I will miss you both." Aziel responded.
"You don't have to because we will always be beside you. My blessing will stay with you forever." Eleanor give Aziel a hug, while patting his head.
"And your spear has my blessing so we will still be with you, even though you cannot physically see us." Drako winked at Aziel while giving him a thumbs up.
"Now that you're all set. Time for your own adventure." Eleanor said to Aziel.
With that, Aziel came out of the barrier and starts to travel towards the Emberheart Kingdom's Capital.
-End of Chapter-