Bolt's eyes widened. He had heard whispers of it—myths passed around by the older villagers—but he never believed it truly existed.
Suddenly, the sky above let out a high-pitched screech. The wind whooshed past him as something massive soared overhead, casting a shadow that swallowed the forest floor.
Bolt looked up.
Wings… horns… scales… That's a—
Before he could even react, a hand shot out from behind the trees and yanked him back.
"What do you think you're doing, you idiot?!" Master Thomas barked, voice sharp with panic.
Bolt stumbled backward, dazed. "I-I came looking for you!"
The Master glared at him, eyes wild. "You're lucky I was nearby! That dragon nearly spotted you. Let's get out of here—now."
As they hurried back toward the safer part of the woods, Bolt finally asked, "Why don't the dragons ever come past this forest? Why don't they enter the village?"
The Master didn't look back. "Because they can't. The village is surrounded by Dragon Tags—the ones you saw. Those tags are coated in the dried mucus of dragons who died long ago. The scent drives living dragons mad. They can't stand it, and they won't cross it."
Bolt's eyes widened again. "So that's what those tags were for…"
"Exactly. They're the only reason your home still stands."
The tension eased slightly as they re-entered the clearing. Master Thomas turned toward him. "But enough about that. Tell me—why did you come looking for me?"
Bolt stood tall, breath steady.
"I've mastered it."
For a moment, silence hung in the air.
Master Thomas blinked. "The Crimson Stone?"
Bolt nodded. "The blue flames… they surrounded it. Controlled. Stable. It didn't break."
A rare smile appeared on the old man's face.
"Well done… I didn't expect you to achieve it this soon."
Bolt:
"…But after months of training… the only thing I can do is control Sage Aura within my body."
He looked down at his hands—steady, glowing faintly with the soft blue aura he had worked so hard to control. The same energy that once exploded out of him wildly now flowed calmly beneath his skin… yet that wasn't enough.
His fists clenched.
"I still can't shape it. I can't summon it outwards. I can't use it in battle. What good is all this if I can't even protect myself or anyone else?"
Master Thomas stood quietly for a moment, arms crossed, eyes sharp like blades cutting through Bolt's doubt.
Master Thomas:
"Control… is the foundation. Most warriors never reach that stage in their entire lives. You think it's nothing because it's silent. Because it doesn't explode like a firework or shake the ground."
He stepped closer and jabbed a finger into Bolt's chest.
"But you've built something solid. That's what makes you dangerous. And when the time comes… you'll shape it into something the world won't be ready for."
Bolt didn't reply immediately. His breath was still heavy, part frustration, part exhaustion. But deep inside, a small ember of determination flickered again.
He looked up. "Then… what's next?"
The Master turned his back, gazing at the mountains beyond the valley.
"Now… we begin learning to bring your aura outside. To give it form. To turn energy into will."
"Before we move on to the next stage… there's something you need to understand."
He paused and glanced at Bolt with sharp, expectant eyes.
"You might've noticed that your aura is blue… while mine is white. Do you know why they're different?"
Bolt shook his head.
"I don't know. But I've always wanted to ask you that. Please… tell me."
Master:
"Good. Then listen carefully."
He stepped forward, the air growing slightly colder around him as his presence intensified.
"The reason our Sage Auras are different in color is because our Sage Natures are different. Yours… is Lightning. Mine… is Ice."
Bolt muttered under his breath with a smirk,
"So that's why you're always cold as ice…"
Master:
"What did you say?"
Bolt:
"Nothing! I mean… I never knew you had Ice Nature."
Master gave him a long look before continuing, unfazed.
"It's because my parents belonged to an ice village… but we'll talk about that some other time.
Now, as I was saying — each Sage Nature has a unique aura color. Fire has red. Water glows light blue. Wind usually shows up as white, like mine. Earth gives off green.
And Lightning, like yours, is always a deep, sharp blue."
He raised his right hand, letting it glow brilliantly with his white aura, swirling and humming with contained energy.
"But aura isn't just about color. It also takes form. Each nature allows you to shape aura in different ways."
Then, slowly, he placed his palm flat on the ground, channeling his aura deep into the earth. In seconds, the air around them turned chillingly cold. The soil crackled.
FWOOOSH!!
Massive ice spikes shot out of the ground — sharp, solid, and glistening like glass blades, towering around Bolt in a circle.
"This… is how Ice Sage Aura takes form through the earth. Yours will be different. It'll crackle. Spark. Explode.
But only once you master its shape."
Master:
"Now… it's time for you to figure out something crucial."
He walked a few steps ahead, the crunch of frost still on the ground from the ice spikes he'd summoned. Turning back to face Bolt, he spoke with a firm yet thoughtful voice.
"You need to discover the true shape of your Lightning Nature.
Not just the color. Not just the energy.
But the way it moves… the way it behaves… and how you can use it."
Bolt looked at his hands, small flickers of blue aura still dancing faintly across his skin.
Bolt:
"But… how do I know what shape it takes? I mean, it's just lightning, right? Fast… wild…"
Master:
"Yes. But it's more than that. Every Sage Nature has a natural form—
For Ice, it's sharp and solid. For Fire, it's blazing and wild.
For Lightning… it's unpredictable.
It doesn't bend. It snaps. It doesn't flow like water—it strikes.
You cannot guide it like a stream…
You must become the storm that releases it."
He walked over to a large, flat stone and struck it lightly with his foot.
"Your task now is to experiment. Let your aura out. Let it crack, arc, lash out.
Not to destroy, but to understand.
Once you feel the shape of your nature…
Only then can you learn how to truly wield it."
The Master paused, his eyes locking with Bolt's.
"This stage won't be easy. You may shock yourself. You may fail.
But once you understand Lightning…
You'll stop trying to control it.
And start becoming it."
Then he turned and began walking away.
"I'll be waiting."