Experiment

Elementless crystals were scarce, and deliveries arrived slower than anticipated. Granted a few days off by Kari, I found myself with idle time. I sought out a location where I could hone my combat skills in my recently acquired form. I asked royal advisers about the existence of an arena or similar space where I could experiment with my elemental abilities. They dismissed my request laughing, suggesting I attend lessons first. Despite my attempts to convince them of my previous training, they remained incredulous.

My only alternative was to seek help from Freya again, and she unexpectedly agreed to personally escort me to the training space. She instructed the palace guards to remain behind during our absence. En route, she regaled me with stories from her past, and gradually our conversation took a more personal turn. I wondered about her openness. Was it mere friendliness, or perhaps benevolence? Yet, there was an undercurrent in her voice, a lover's tone she used persistently, flirting and inviting me to share more about myself. I felt no romantic inclinations towards her, so I treated her with the respect and deference befitting a royal queen.

Upon arriving at an arena where several adult dragons trained with their elements, we were greeted respectfully. All were wind dragons, save for a lone wyvern. Freya asked them to leave the arena for me, a special guest she called me. The entire arena was now at my disposal. Guilt washed over me for disrupting their training, but with the newfound space, I was free to experiment. Freya encouraged me to demonstrate my abilities, eager to witness my elements in action.

I didn't comply immediately. First, I summoned some ice and smashed it with brute force. I attempted to replicate the attack that Fyrenthos used on me, creating a thick ice wall impervious to fire. I then tried to conjure fire around me, but it was not my strongest element. My bare-handed punch against the wall was unsuccessful, resulting in self-inflicted pain. Freya's laughter echoed in the arena, and I felt a flush of embarrassment. She then advised, "Use your head." I asked for clarification, "Literally or figuratively?" She nodded towards my horns. I reiterated, "You mean literally?" She affirmed, "Yes, big head."

The advice seemed absurd. What did she expect? Did she want me to charge at the icy wall like a novice duelist, hoping to break it? It seemed fraught with danger. I feared cracking my skull, but with her cheering me on, I decided to trust her advice and brace myself. Lowering my head and aiming for the target, I launched myself forward. A layer of ice formed on my head near the horns just before impact. The sensation was cold, but not freezing. The wall shattered into a thousand pieces upon impact, but my momentum didn't stop there.

I tripped over the base of the shattered structure, falling headfirst onto the ground and scraping my knees and tender belly. Freya's laughter faded into a chuckle as she said, "Careful, don't spoil your beauty." I was about to dismissively reply, "Don't worry," but I paused to consider her words. I waited for my wounds to heal before standing up, mindful that moving prematurely could exacerbate the damage and pain. Gathering my courage, I thanked her, addressing her as "my mistress," and moved on.

Resuming my ice target practice, I conjured ice shards. I launched them at the target using my wings, obliterating it once more. Freya inquired about my favorite element. I considered her likely preference for "wind," but I was honest and admitted my preference for ice. "My favorite element? I'd say ice. It's great with the wind," I responded. Freya admired my choice, "Ice, what a lovely element! How about you conjure them, and I guide your shards to a target?" Her offer surprised me. I warned her, "Ice shards can be dangerous." Unfazed, she assured me of her confidence.

As she prepared to guide the ice shards, I offered, "Alright, I'll conjure just a few at first in front of you. I'll start counting, so you can get ready for it. What do you think?" She challenged me, "Conjure more than you can. No warning needed. I can handle them." Intrigued, I agreed, "If you say so, as you wish, my queen." I initiated a countdown: three, two, one, and then released a swarm of ice shards. I was careful to conjure them neatly, in a circle. Freya guided them with a powerful gust of wind. She divided them into two groups, one she flung at the target, and the other she sent hurtling towards me at a high speed. I instinctively shielded myself with my wings. The ice shards landed in a perfect circle around me, piercing the ground like daggers. When I dared to open my eyes, I was relieved to find no damage. I was simultaneously terrified and amazed. I found myself at a loss for words, until she broke the silence. “So, what do you think?” Still trying to regain my composure, I managed to utter, “Wow.” After a pause, I added, “I’ve never seen the wind element used like that. You’re good.” She offered, “I could teach you that if you wish.” Excited, I replied, “Really? Sounds great. I’d appreciate that.”

She then enquired about my proficiency with wind. I revealed, “I was trained by Cyrus for less than a month, but I think I’m somewhat good. I could beat every wind dragon at the academy, but I didn’t have this form.” She responded, “Alright, then we’ll see. I hope you’re already as good as you say.”

We spent the entire day at the arena. She refreshed my basic skills, then we progressed to more advanced techniques. I learned to control the wind much better than before. By the end of the day, I could conjure ice shards while flying and keep them around me without losing them while moving. However, I didn't master the technique she had demonstrated earlier.

On the second day, I attempted to emulate everything she had done, except for splitting the shards into groups. I found it challenging to control them after that, and I’d always lose one of the groups. But I was determined to master it. Sooner or later, I would.