Training and Learning [Closed]

[Nepherion]

A nudge pushed against Nepherion's mind. It was gentle, but alarming, as if to get his attention. Through the clouds of a dream-less night, Starlight's voice begin to sound through. Wake up. It's time to begin. Nepherion pushed the covers off his torso and sat up in the bed. The rays of the sun shined through his bache tent, causing his youthful features to shine through. His low cerulean eyes gleamed as his tone muscles glowed in the sun bath.

We don't have all day. Time to get up Nepherion. Nepherion looked around his cot lazily , noticing that Starlight was no where to be found. He grumble as he got out the bed and notice the dragon's shadow outside of the tent. Stomping around whenever he made a step in a direction. From washing his face, to brushing his teeth, he could feel Starlight's thoughts tracing his every action. He brought the dampened cloth from his face. I'll be out their in a little. Almost done... I actually still have to put my vest on.

Starlight's snort could be heard from inside. After playing with the white wings of hair framing his face, Nepherion stepped out onto the morning dirt. The gray sky displayed the early morning hours. A few clouds drifted aimlessly in the heavens above. Starlight came from around the tent , his eye placed vaguely on him. Took you long enough. He stated as he stepped forwards.

Nepherion ignored his comment. He walked over to the broadsword on the wooden table and gripped it's handle. " Will you just be watching today ? " Asked Nepherion. Starlight stretched his wings out and brought them to his side, before settling to the ground. Yes. I will see where you need improvement in your style. And than I'll convey it to you.

Nepherion swipe the sword from the wooden table and to his side. " Alright. Eighth day straight. My training continues ! " He stated as he brought himself to the middle of his small encampment. He brought the blade up, faced towards an invisible enemy. He swung the sword through the air, cutting the humid wetness.

As he continued he begin to feel the weariness of it all. Forty minutes in and his arms were burning for him to take a break. He heaved heavily as sweat dripped from his face. Starlight offered his opinions through the strenuous workouts. Nepherion finally gave in to his arms pleas and let them rest to his side. The point of the blade etched the dirt. " I'll start again in alittle. My arms are killing me. " He announced to Starlight.

[Nepherion]

Nepherion plopped down onto the bench of table. He looked up towards the sky with studious eyes, contemplating the very existence of everything around him. Starlight hunkered down a meter or so away from him. Why do you always have your head in the clouds. Even though I practically live in sync with your mind. The countless things you think about are astounding. How you're capable of even waking up in the morning is a miracle. Nepherion chuckled as he heard Starlight's comment. " You think so do ya. Well, My thoughts are mines and yours alone. Hopefully no one else would think ill of me because of it. "

Starlight let a jovial snort as he stood to his paws. " Will we attempt to ride today ?" Nepherion looked towards Starlight with a smile. He enjoyed it when the temperamental beast actually became social. " Of course. We may be young, but what we lack in wisdom. We make up in strength and bravery. " He told him. Starlight smiled in his own way, before stepping over to him. Nepherion stood up on the bench than raised himself to the table. " BUT. After I finish my swordplay. "

He leaped off the table and begin to walk out to the middle of his encampment. Unsheathing the broadsword again, he begin to work on his sets against invisible foes. He swung left than brought it up to defend from a overhead slash, all in one fluent motion. His skills were improving but that wasn't all he had to work on. The duties of a Dragon Rider came before all in his book.

Another hour had sailed pass and Nepherion was more tired than he was last time. His arms roared in searing pain, making him dropped the broadsword to the ground. Dropping to his knees, Nepherion being to feel the throbbing in his arm. " Dammit. " He cursed to himself.

Starlight made his way to his side. Use my strength and heal your aches. That way we can continue with the training. Nepherion looked up towards Starlight and smiled warmly. " Thanks bud. " He closed his eyes and begin to concentrate on the bond they shared. Digging deep inside, the two minds begin to meld together. Nepherion was no longer just himself, but he was Starlight as well. If that had made any sense. Calling upon Starlight's massive reservoir of power was always a thrill. To try and tame such power was almost impossible, yet somehow he always manage to use what he needed.

His eyes opened as he held his arms. " Waíse heill " His voice was barely audible. His left hand glowed vibrantly as he felt the soothing energy take over him. It calmed his throbbing pain enough for him to continue on. Nepherion stood to his feet, he was a little lightheaded but was capable to continue. Starlight raised over his Rider. What now, Shall we Ride ? Nepherion smiled, feeling Starlight's anticipation. " Of course. Let's do this. " Starlight bent down to the ground so Nepherion could climb onto him. Positioning himself between the bone-white spikes on his spine. Twisting his palm around the spike he had grown accustomed too, Nepherion adjusted himself to be comfortable. " Let's ride buddy. "

Starlight looked back at his Rider. Hold on. . With a mighty push from his strong legs he burst off into the air. His wings expanded and flapped, pushing him even further into the sky. As he climbed higher on the warm current, Nepherion gleamed with a large smile. His clenched fist stretched outwards to his side. " WOO HOOO !!! " He yelled into the sky. Starlight locked his wings in and continued to speed through the wind. A little livelier than usual aren't we. Starlight pointed out. Nepherion hugged Starlight's hide with his thighs. " Yea. It's been awhile since we flew together. "

[Nepherion]

Nepherion looked beyond the blue sky as Starlight burst through a heavy cloud. The pristine droplets splattered against his skin, cooling his heated muscles. " Starlight, Let's unite shall we ? " A question that raised high hopes in Starlight's mind. The dragon banked left, leaving the Varden's campsite behind the wilderness.

Nepherion's heart raced as it always did before they started to become one. Their was something especially exhilarating about it when flying with him. His eyes closed as his consciousness begin to meld into Starlight's existence and vice-versa.

He saw through his crimson eyes, which emphasized the whiteness of the world more than anything. The clouds, the occasional powered torrents of a waterfall, all of that had heightened in color. The bond became stronger and stronger the more time went by. He begin to feel like a co-pilot in his own body and simply allowed it to lay against the dragon's scales. Starlight and Nepherion shared the pleasantry of flying together; though not as Rider and Dragon but as one. Nepherion saw everything that Starlight saw and could feel the rhythm of his wings beating against the skies current. This is how it should always be... Nepherion said softly. Starlight shared his wishes wit a gentle embrace of happiness.

3 hours had pass before Starlight and Nepherion had agreed to return back to camp site. Starlight circled the small area before landing carefully next to the tent. He pressed his paws against the ground, shaking his scaled body of the drops of water from his flight. Nepherion smiled at his transferred annoyance. " You should really get use to that. In battle, maneuvering through clouds will give us the advantage. " He said, stretching into the air. Starlight extended his wings over him before gazing at him with a single eye. That doesn't mean I have to like it. He told him indifferently.

Nepherion placed his hands on his hips in tightly clenched fist. " True.." He reached into the saddle. " But everyone feels that way one time or another. " Nepherion held up the list of spells that Nandon had given him to practice. Starlight chuckled inside of his throat. But everyone doesn't have as much responsibility as others He stated teasingly. Nepherion let out a deep seeded sigh before sitting at the wooden bench with the paper in his hands. He looked over the ancient words carefully. Speaking them back to himself until he knew he had them down. Their were certain words that confounded him until Starlight helped him through it.

Nepherion placed his hand on a certain word. " What's that word Starlight ? " He asked. " I don't think I've come across this one before. " The alabaster dragon looked over his shoulder before letting out a warm snort. He stared for a minute than clearly pronounced it. Evarínya. It means Stars to the ancients. Nepherion spoke the word with mistakes in the pronunciation.

His lips spread across his face into a wide grin. " I bet I can say Starlight in the ancient language. I already know the word light. " He said to himself. He thought on the words for a minute, than rearranged the way they were spelled until finally coming up with what he thought was the answer. He placed the paper onto the bench than stood up to face Starlight's large head. Placing a soft hand on the side of his jaw, he brought his forehead against his snout and said. " Your name is... Evaríngarjzla. "
....
The word was powerless and empty, but for some reason felt right to say. Nepherion could feel the rumbling from Starlight's throat as he shared his appreciation with him.

[Nepherion]

The small embraced ended once Nepherion pulled away from the alabaster snout. His hand patted the rigid scales of the dragon's neck. " Back to work buddy. " He said, initiating the final pratice they usually had. " This time don't hold back. I can always tell when you do. " He commented with a little animosity in his voice. Starlight blew a warm jet of air from his nostrils into his face. Nepherion flinched when the the blast of air hit him. " Not cool. " He said in a blank and flat voice.

Afterwards he spun around to the table where his sword had been laying, and clutched it's hilt. With a quick swipe to his side he could feel his sword slice the air. The sharp sound pierced his ears gently as he continued to walk to his sparring ground. A low grunt came from Nepherion as he rotated the blade with a flick of his wrist. He brought his blade up to position, than imagined a gang of enemies surrounding him. His eye closed as went through several moves and sequences that could lead to his victory. As far he knew, he was pretty well adapt at swordplay, even among humans he was one or two notches above the others.

A deep sigh was exhaled as he begun. He brought the blade around his head and slashed diagonally to his right. His opponent had obviously just been severed from shoulder to hip. But just than a empire soldier ran up from behind and brought his blade toward the back of his knee, attempting to decapitate him. A smirk appeared as he quickly brought the blade around and parried the invisible enemy. Just when he had parried him, a stabbing spear was thrust towards him, forcing him to backpedal from his opponent, leaving himself to face two enemies at once. Nepherion gripped the hilt of the broadsword with both hands as he glared at his intangible foes with iron knives. As he did this he kept a strong barrier over his head, reluctant to expose himself, even during simple practice. A bead of sweat developed over his temple and fell down his jaw. As he felt the irritating and yet strong probing of another's presence.

Starlight looked on at the partner-of-his- heart-and-mind with complete concentration. He could feel his bone-white talons dig into the crusted dirt. His tail swaying with little in mind than sweeping the soil from it's surface. As he watched Nepherion swat at the air in ruthless and heavy blows, he begin to perform his part in the boy's training. While Nepherion was busy slaying invisible foes, he begin to prob his mind, trying to find a way into his consciousnesses and disable him from the inside. This training was an important detail of combat, if he was every to face another magician than he would have shut his mind off to all... even him. Though he could never really shut his mind off to him because of the bond.

Nepherion ignored the jabbing from Starlight as he attempted to find gaps in his barrier. The dragon's mind encirlced his completely and though no malevolent intent could felt from the vast creature, he held all the persistence and mercilessness of an enemy. His chest heaved up and down as he blocked a swing from a empire's swordsman and with a elbow to the chest knocked him to the ground, disabling him permanently. Nepherion brought his sword to his side afterwards, his exhaustion was running high and he could barely think, let alone finish another invisible foe. He decided he would end that one with one of the seven words of death if he was ever in that situation. Which when he thought about it really messed with his nerves. Their were seven in the ancient language but Nandon-elda had only taught him three.

Just than Starlight enter through the broken barrier." So we're done for today , are we ? " Nepherion was drenched in sweat and was broken mentally and physically. All he wanted to do right than was hit the sac. " Ye, It's night already. " He stated tiredly, than suddenly begin to scratched the back of his head in curiosity. " Y'know...We haven't been needed at all today, no interruptions, no guard duties, no Nasuada. That's weird. " Starlight raised his head in looked in the direction of walking Varden warriors and merchants. " Maybe we weren't need today. I doubt they need a full-minded Rider like you anyway. " Nepherion knew the dragon was probably trying to tease him with that comment, so he simply raised a hand than flicked his snout. As usual Starlight flinched from the hit and sneezed in a quick burst of confusion, which was followed by a black ring of smoke from his nostrils. That part made it practically comical.

Afterwards Nepherion entered his tent and noticed the beginning phases of the approaching night. The sun had dropped below the earth's horizon. And now all that remained was the bright stars and the dark-sky that faded into blue at times from the moon's light. A few clouds traveled from the west and drifted among the current that him and Starlight loved so much.

Once inside, Nepherion begin to undressed, his shirt was the first to go and immediately the full stench of his day's workout engulfed his tent. He grabbed the tip of his nose and snarled up. " Eww. As usual I smell horrible. " From outside the tent he could hear Starlight rustling to the ground as he attempted to find his place near the bed Nepherion laid in. With a low, grunting chuckle Starlight responded. Imagine what I'm smelling. You should go down to the lake before sleep. Nepherion brought his last leg out the trousers and got into bed. " Nahh. I'll do it in the morning, right now my muscles are aching to much. " He pulled the covers over his shoulders and got onto his side, facing the giant shadow of his dragon. Slowly his eye begin to close and before he could feel the soothing embrace of sleep, he heard Starlight say " Goodnight, Rider. "