Advisory Training: Part 2 (Wake)

After the unexpected interruptions and sudden reappearance of Ecil, to only disappear again, left the elder a bit heart broken from when Wake returned to relay what happened. For some time he didn't feel to be in the right mind to teach the young rouge and so asked him to give him some time to collect his thoughts for a while along with postponing his teachings.

This had been a couple of months ago, though to Phant it almost felt like years as he rested alone in his den. A lot of truths were revealed during his private thoughts, to which he still winces from the memories alone, the once kind and playful elder sat in solemn silence. His true scale color, pale white, showing truly and a semblance of his true age seeming to show as his wrinkles seemed more pronounced, the horns on his head completely worn looking, his beard slightly longer along with being fully white, and seemingly more frail looking overall.

If Wake did indeed show up, he would probably think the elder aged in those few months apart, an aspect not lost to the Elder Thantos. A similarly wrinkled paw touched his and felt a familiar warmth nuzzle him, "I'm...so tired Casa."

"I know."

"I'm scared, scared of what'll happen next."

"Were here with you,"

A cold breeze blew through the den causing him to shiver slightly in his lonesome den. ...always.

Wake flew quietly towards Thantos' den. It had been month since he last saw the dragon, and a lot had changed since then. Wake had had new powers begin to show themselves, but not something normal. He could produce storms now. Way more power than he ever thought was possible, and he was still having trouble controlling it.

It would definitely be an interesting thing to discuss, but Wake wanted to focus back on learning illusion magic. The wyvern soon landed near Thantos' den, and looked around. "Thantos? You here?"

The, now composed, elder walked out slowly from a side of the den and hadn't bothered to renew the illusion that made him slightly younger then he looked now. A sad smile on his snout as he sat in front of Wake with a grunt.

"First.....I'm so sorry I kept so much about my appearance such a secret Wake. I..." He struggled a few seconds to find the right words before continuing. "Was just so happy to have a willing student. I was scared you'd think so much differently if you knew and....worry, so much about everything thats happened so much over your training."

He fidgeted nervously before continuing, "After whats happened and some time thinking about it, maybe it's time you had a talk with him. With Mal, as I'm sure he's mentioned his supposed name to you already." A guilty look soon overtook his saddened face and looked away as if feeling solely responsible for what's happened to the young wyvern in front of him.

Wake tilted at the explanation that Thantos gave him. He was worried that the wyvern wouldn't have wanted to train under him if he showed his true appearance? Ok, that was fair. He was also worried about everything that happened, which Wake understood. He was still a bit shook up over everything, but then Thantos said he could speak to... Mal.... Wake shuddered a bit.

"I... I'm not sure I'm ready for that...." Wake shook his head a bit before remembering something. "There's... something I wanted to tell you too. I... unlocked something."

He was taking it....relatively well, that's good so far to Thanto's end. Then he said he's not sure he's ready to talk with Mal and he understood why. After whats happened he's not surprised he'd be, hesitant, to have a personal talk with that dragon. When he considered the ramifications of that truth again his young student added he unlocked something.

Now this piqued a curiosity, a slight break in his solemn look to reflect this, as he tilted to Wake's statement. "Well, now you got this old timer's attention Wake. How about you go first, then I'll go next? It has been a while so I'm glad to see you still well and curious to know how you've been?"

Wake smiled a bit and nodded.

"Well, I ran into this dragoness, and she called me a gutter, which for a hybrid like me is an insult. Anyway, it got heated and I challenged her to a race. I won, but she didn't let up and.... Wake pause for a moment, thinking. "I got mad, and... well... a storm formed. In seconds. Clear day to a torrent."

"Well...that's certainly, interesting."

Separate voices meanwhile were discussing different subjects within Thanto's mind.

"That's it?"

"Quiet you."

"We both know that isn't particularly much to go on on by a scholarly view."

"Yeah, well that's why he's asking us."

"Thanto's technically, but Mal does have a point."

"I-you-ugh! Seriously?! Whatever! Anyways, clearly one of us needs to step up."

"Got it!"

Thanto's shook his head a bit before collecting his thoughts. "Sorry, a bit of an ache popped up a second there." He rubbed his white beard contemplatively over what Wake said. "Clearly it's not magic. I know magic can be quite powerful like that, but it would take a bit for an affect like that to occur and-"

*Poof*

A familiar yellowish-white scaled aged dragon with a purple underbelly seemed to almost appear out of thin air near the two other dragons. "Its not mag-!" Then he noticed the strange looks being given and his cheerful demeanor turned to that of nervousness.

"Bad time?"

A low sigh and a facepalm is all that came from the elder Thantos with what seemed like a tinge of embarrassment. "Yes...just a little bit Volan."

Wake listened carefully to Thantos, hoping to finally get some answers. Not magic? How could it happen then?! What in the world other than magic could cause a storm to appear out of nowhere!? And then another familiar face appeared.

"Uncle Volan? Yeah not the best timing."

"Oh....Nice to see you again Wake!" Volan cheerfully said without skipping a beat.

"Other then magic," Thantos resumed after collecting himself, "SkyWings naturally have to ability to manipulate the air around them. The level of control your saying happened though Wake...would most likely be something of a higher nature."

"So like something a God could do or something?"

The elder stammered a bit, "Well yes, but it could always be a hidden ability."

Volan shrugged and rolled his eyes, "Or a blessing by a god. Still don't acknowledge them after all this time still?" He said with a cheeky grin.

The elder did not look pleased and looked away with an annoyed look. "Yes my favorite nephew, 'Thantos' here doesn't believe in the gods."

"I believe in what 'I' can see in front of me, Volan. And why are you still here?"

In response to that the other older dragon sat down comfortably, "It has been quite while since I last got to see Wake, Elder brother. So why wouldn't I want to spend some time with our adopted nephew?"

"Hmph."

A light chuckle came from Volan before he turned towards Wake, "So, how have you been doing Wake?"

Wake chuckled a bit as he listened to pair argue. He wasn't too surprised that Thantos didn't believe in the gods though. Most dragons today didn't. But maybe...

"I may have somethin' that'd change your mind on the gods. A gold Kelarth feather." Wake then showed the feather that hung on his neck.

"Its a...very nice feather. With a hint of magic I can roughly guess?"

Volan rolled his eyes at his response. "Ehh, some tend to get set in their ways as they get older Wake. So it's a lot harder to convince older dragons their wrong on certain things."

Thantos had a exasperated look of being verbally struck. "I beg pardon step-brother? I am quite offended that'd you say such a thing about me."

"Pffft. You know it's true, heck, you even gave a Lecture to us about it once."

"Hmph!" He turned away with a very annoyed look, to which Volan merely sighed and shrugged. "He knows you don't lie Wake, but...his stance on the subject of Gods is a bit rigid."

Meanwhile in Thanto's mind.

"He is quite stubborn."

"Better choice of words indeed."

"So who wants to make their next sudden appearance then, hmm? No takers? Good, then may-"

*Poof*

Another twitch came from Thantos as another dragon randomly appeared out of thin air. This time an elder EarthWing with a familiar dark green hue of scales and light brown underbelly with a white mane-like beard.

"Ain't this a surprise?! Teron! Didn't think you would come out next you big lug!"

A twinge of embarrassment crossed his broad snout before taking a seat near them with a thump. "Its nice to see you again Wake." Then surprise overtook his face as recognition dawned on him. "Is that....a feather of Kelarth?"

"Uncle Teron?" Wake was definitely surprised to see the other older dragon appear. He then looked down at his feather and smiled. "Y-yeah. A gold one." It was then that the wyvern started to notice something seemed... of about Thantos today. The smaller dragon cocked his head to the side as he slowly walked towards him.

"Thantos? Ya don't look so good. You ok?"

"I-I'm fine Wake." Thantos said as he rubbed the side of his own neck. Both Volan and Teron shared knowing looks, "Yeah...I'm gonna get Casa."

"Wait wha-"

*Poof*

In Volan's place now rested a very confused looking, aged, white scaled dragoness. "Ummm..." Both Teron and Thantos face-palmed at this chain of events. If he didn't know now.

"Volan?"

"Volan."

She sighed and smiled warmly towards Wake. "I wish this was under...less awkward circumstances. But I'm happy to see you again young Wake."

Wake stumbled and fell as Casa appeared out of nowhere. What the heck was going on? His horns were completely spread now, clearly showing his stress at this situation. Wake then slowly walked up, then looked at Thantos.

"Are.... Are they all... illusions?"

A heavy sigh and sad look crossed the elders face as he looked back at Wake. "Yes. They are." The other two, Casa and Teron, both shared their own sad looks from the truth being revealed. To which the dragoness got up, walked over, and nuzzled Wake warmly.

"Were sorry for keeping the truth from you Wake. While it hurts, do know it doesn't matter and it doesn't change how we feel about you."

"Honestly...it feels, kinda nice. To finally be able to tell someone." Thantos said as tears began to form and finally fall. A sad smile forming as Teron came over and put a comforting paw on his shoulder, with a simple nod to confirm his feelings.

Wake looked stunned, and while he did accept the nuzzle, his mind was racing. How was this possible. Were they just... extensions of Thantos? No... they seemed independent of him somehow. Wake looked at Casa, then Thantos, clearly tearing up.

"H... How is this possible? I know, but... I can't even tell, and.... They don't act like illusions."

The elder sniffed as he calmed down from the sudden emotions going through his mind. "It's...a bit difficult to explain, but the most simplest answer would be yes and no." And another hard truth to tell the young wyvern. "Their more like twins, almost, of the original enough so that could pass off as them if they wanted to. Only..."

"The originals aren't with us anymore."

A hurt expression flashed over Thantos from Teron's statement and flinched slightly. "Another truth we didn't really want to say, but yes. Me, Teron, along with the others you have met, our originals passed a long time ago. While it had only been a brief time we got to know them quite well and still glad to have met them."

"They were technically younger when they first met, but after centuries long of mourning, regret, and remorse...I just, tried to fill the void left by their passing. So without realizing it as I got older," he gestured to both of them sadly, "They did as well. And so began to see them not as copies, but as the originals themselves."

Wake still looked confused, nuzzling a bit into Casa. He was still shocked and tearing up. The wyvern then looked around, before looking at Thantos again.

"What about everything before? The dreams, the odd goo dragons?

"The dreams I could understand, Illusion magic can allow one to enter another dream, but the extent is limited to what you could do."

Then he gave a somewhat confused look, "The goo dragons...are a result of illusion magic going awry. Your mental state is much more connected to it then most other types of magic and my state of mind at the point..." He shook his head sadly and sighed deeply, a pained expression written over his face and regret.