Anastasia was sitting next to the fire with her cross. She had to successfully test it on something before she could officially become an adult. She had tested, for about a week and a half. Her catalyst was working fine, she just had trouble controlling the aspects of the elements. Was it supposed to be that difficult to use magic? At least she had talent, and maybe she could ask Alexei for help now what she exhausted all of her resources. The Bishel draogn looked over to her bondmate who was tuning his violin. How many months had it been since she started training? A long time, she knew that, but she had lost track with all the violin tuning.
Pictor, who stood over him, asked, "Alexei why... do you have your spare bolts in your violin case?"
"I have to keep them somewhere."
"But..." the Res shook his head, "never mind."
*Alexei?* Ana asked meekly, *Can I ask for your help?*
"Of course," He set his violin down and turned to his bondmate. Smiling he cradled his chin in his hand.
*About this magic thing... how exactly do I find the exact aspect I want?*
"This isn't my department."
*Whose is it?*
"Well," he looked to Pictor who shook his head, "I'm sure Ziven and Hosanna can help."
*But you have magic!* The dragon would have flailed if she was not standing on all fours.
The vampire blinked. As far as he knew he had none, "Even if I did, I'm not skilled with magic."
Anastasia gave him a grim look and eyed the girls, who were walking back from the hot springs nearby. They certainly had magic in them, but not as much or as strong as Alexei's. She swallowed her pride and turned around fully, walking towards the girls. *Uh... girls, I need your help.*
"Oh?" Ziven said in a cheery mood. "For what?"
"Oh! It must have something to do with the magic you've been trying to do," Hosanna said while drying her hair.
*Yeah...can you help.*
"Of course!" the girls said in unison. Hosanna motioned towards her tent, and lead the way to the comfy inside.
*This is a lot nicer than Alexei's tent,* the dragon said looking around. The inside was much larger than the outside. In fact, there was room to fit two Zivens in the place, and then there would still be spare room.
"Thank you," Hosanna grinned, "What's the problem exactly, besides the explosions?"
Sure. Rub it in. *I can't find an elements attribute that I want.*
"Humph," Ziven said from her pillows, "That's the easiest part for me. Then again... what element have you been trying to use?"
*Fire.*
The girls looked at each other. The sphinx tapped her paws lightly, "You should start with a nicer element, like earth, or use an element you feel is a part of you."
*I... so I should use ice?*
"If that's what you feel is your closet element. It is called the element of vampires, and since you are bonded to one that might be why you feel it's closer to you."
Ana did not exactly care why ice was so close to her, she just wondered if it would appreciate her tapping into the power. *How?*
The girls looked at each other again. Obviously this was a lot more complicated than they had originally said. Hosanna was the one to speak first, "Remember how you felt the magic before, when you were making your cross into a magical object of sorts? Try finding it again by your concentration and will."
The fuzzy dragon closed her eyes, and with surprising swiftness found the ice magic she was searching for. It was like wisps of strings and puffy clouds inches away from her talons. All she had to do was reach out and pull the magic back--but it crumbled when she touched it. That had not happened the last time she tried to tame the magic. She opened her eyes and looked to the girls. *How do I get the magic and put it into the bell?*
"Well," The water sprite said, "I'm not entirely sure."
The dragon closed her eyes again. This was more complicated than her catalyst. Ice magic had a specific feeling to it, and she assumed all of the elements felt different, so she needed to adjust to each feeling an channel the magic into the object. Not to mention the composition effected the magical flow.
Anastasia put her nose lightly on the bell, which gave a light tingly sort of feeling. Now she had to call the wispy feeling of ice and combine the two while giving it an action. It was a good thing she could multitask.
The ice was like a cloud, evaporating at the mental touch, she had to wave it into the bell carefully. The bell slowly changed colors, physically and magically, the tingle was slowly disappearing and turning into a clear vibration. Now, the final stage would be the orders, clear and precise.
What orders should she give to ice? It was sharp and strong so... she could use it like a sword or better yet at stake! That would be a simple form to take, and it would be easy to destroy obstacles.
A smile appeared on her face, not like it was visible under her fur, but it was still there as she submitted the order into the bell.
The dim light faded, and the dragon returned her attention to the girls. "Maybe all you needed was a tiny bit of advice," Ziven said with a smile, "you're a natural!"
*That's not what my teacher said.*
"Your teacher was an idiotic gryphon."
*She was not! She was just... antisocial or something.* The dragon shook her head. It was not nice to be mean to anyone who had skills.
"I'd go with the "or something,"" muttered Hosanna.
*Well, I guess all that's left is testing this,* Ana said holding the bell between her claws so it wouldn't ring properly.
"We'll save that for tomorrow," Ziven said as she turned over to fall into a deep sleep.
***
"So let me get this straight," Alexei stood besides his dragon who was holding the bell in her talons. She wanted him to tie it around her tail for testing and was now waiting expectedly. "You want this thing to shoot giant spikes out of the ground made of ice so you can hunt with us?"
Anastasia nodded.
"You know that's really dangerous?"
*It's less dangerous than using my claws.*
He would have facepalmed, he really would have. "Fine," the young man tied the bell around her furry tail.
She smiled, they others had cleared the way and were making their way to the nearest town. That meant she only had to worry about her bondmate, who would be fine.
Ana rang the bell once, the sound waves making their way skidding across the air like some sort of fairy. She wanted the ice to take out the tree over near the rock face in one shot, that would be sure proof that the bell worked.
When the bell fell silent the ground shook for a moment.
Alexei actually squeaked.
The purple Ana blinked. It was certainly stronger than she had thought it would be.
A large spiral of ice was sticking out of the ground, it had shattered the tree to tiny toothpicks, and the rock face was missing a nice chunk.
*Maybe I should try again? On something closer and smaller?*
"That might be a good idea, taking out your partners is a big no when hunting."
*Well, I would have gotten quite a few vampires with that.*
"And innocents."
*OKAY!* The dragon shook out the furry and excitement. She could do this. If she had managed to put the magic in the object she could easily use it. He cross glowed, reminding her that she had help if her magic ever went wrong. *Alexei, thanks for everything.*
"Um... you're welcome."
This time the dragon concentrated on a small sapling. It was about the size of an average person, it would work.
When the sound stopped this time, so did the small leap of power that the bell had released.
"Almost perfect," Alexei said grinning. "With a little more practice you'll be deadly."
*I'm going to be all grown up soon!* she giggled and ran to the path.
They sure did grow up fast.