7

  I was wrong. Oh, boy! I was so, so wrong. There was no magical relic to make me stronger. Jena put me through my paces. We have been at this for many sleeps. All we did was train me, take a break for me to eat and then train again. We did that until I couldn’t train any more then I would soak my sore muscles in the bath tub before sleeping. Sleeping wasn’t a problem anymore. I slept like a log. Jena was surprisingly, a good housemate. He didn’t need much. He didn’t eat or sleep. When he wasn’t training me, he was just sitting and staring into space. He said he was meditating.

  What surprised me the most, was that the more I trained, the more I enjoyed it. There was no better sound as the Ding, telling me I am leveling up. I think this system works because of the instantaneous positive feed back. I could literally feel and see my self growing stronger. It’s addictive even for a grown woman like me.

  I also think I enjoyed and appreciated this body which I was molding because I had experienced the debilitating weakness of an aging body. My body could now sit-up, push-up, chin-up and many number of contortions that Jena deemed necessary without breaking a sweat. I could now lift double my weight. I have never being this fit. And I have never enjoyed exercising as I was right now. Life in my old world was a paradox. Time and your body conspired that one never fully realized their potential. By the time you have the wisdom, time and resources to do whatever you want and enjoy life, your body can’t function. So although I miss my family and home every single day, I also enjoyed and lived for here and now.

  I set up from my sleeping mat and stretched. My day was about to began. I pulled up my status. I had stopped leveling up the last few sleeps. At first, Jena thought it was because the excises where no longer challenging enough but later we realized it was because I needed to level up my mind. So today was the day.

  Status Update

  Name: Anesu

  Mutupo: Dragon

  Bonded Companion:

  Name :- Jena the Dragon

  Bond Level: locked.

  Bonded relics: 1

  Jena Dragon lair

  Base Attributes

  Strength: 4

  Dexterity:4

  Constitution:4

  Intelligence: 5

  Wisdom: 6

  Charisma: 7

  General passive skills unlocked

  Running: L3

  Endurance: L3

  Pain Tolerance: L2

  Balance: L2

  Awareness: L2

  Danger Sense: L1

  Climbing: 2

  identify: L2

  Way finding:L1

  cooking

  swimming

  housekeeping

  Class: pending

  Abilities: Pending

  Minimum base attributes thresholds required for awakening

  Good luck!

  My attributes were still too low and Jena was not happy with the progress but I was happy. First off, I had an amazing body. Second, I had an amazing body and lastly I wasn’t in a hurry. Jena wanted to save his city, me not so much. It’s not that I didn’t feel any empathy for his people. But I was old, I had seen nations rise and fall. This is the way of life. Kingdoms, just like everything else, change. When Jena the Mage rules the city that was his era but now is someone else’s time.

  Also, I knew from experience the slow way is the fast way. Jena tried to impress on me the urgency of the matter. I simply didn’t see it or care. He even promised me that when I get my powers to unlock his, he will let me be and he will save the city by himself. Although I didn’t like the fact that he said he would let me as if he had control over me, I let it slide. I had come to understand our bond more and more. Our bond was like a marriage. Married couples have a right to each other but whatever they do has to be by mutual consent. Whereas in some marriages that consent can be overlooked, my bond with Jena was magical such that consent can not be overlooked. Jena can’t force me to do anything. I understood his position. What he needed from me was to unlock his magic. By doing this for him, I will be giving myself freedom. So I consented to the training.

  Today way the first day of learning magic. I was giddy with excitement. I had tried to read Jena’s journal but I think Jena the Mage’s idea of basic knowledge was not the same as mine. I couldn’t understand it at all. Jena the dragon, was going to give me the introduction to basics today. Hopefully that should kick start my leveling. Ding! For me now, in this cavern, the best sound ever was the the Ding! I smiled as folded my bedding and tidied my space and went looking for Jena. I didn’t need to look far for Jena because he was always by the pool. He loved the water. If I didn’t know any better, I could say he was a crocodile in another life. I made my way to the pool with it beautiful pillars. This place was a marvel.

  It turns out the interesting etchings all over the lair where runes. They were like electricity, they powered everything. The ones on the tub heats the water and the one is the chamber pot made stuff disappear. The ones on the cardboard in the kitchen kept the food stocked in there from spoiling. It was stocked with dry food I could cook. The runes on the counter were heating runes I used for cooking. I didn’t have to clean up or wash anything as long as I put it were it supposed to be.

  “Hello!” I greeted and cute looking dragon.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Good morning! ”Jena said. I still couldn’t get over how his deep rumbling voice was very contrary to his baby dragon looks. He was leaning his spiked back on one of the pillars with his eyes closed. Such a shame, I love his eyes. They change color with every blink.

  “We don’t know if its morning.” I retorted. This was our standard greeting every time I woke up. There were no window or door openings in this cavern. I don’t know how we got oxygen. Jena said, the lair was enchanted so that we can breathe. I couldn’t wait until, I too can disobey the laws of physics with magic.

  “I know.” That was new, Jena always never responded which I always took for agreement. Apparently I was wrong. “I will show you.” He continued as he stretched his right fore leg towards me without looking at me. I touched his scaly paws, wondering what he meant. As soon as my hand made contact, were instantly transport. We were definitely not in the cavern anymore.

  “Where are we?” I asked as I looked around. For once I want to travel to places like normal people in this world. Or is this the normal way people travel here?

  “In the forest, where you arrived in.” My first thought was, this can’t be right. The forest we were is was gray and dull. Is this what the mist did to the forest, I wondered.

  “How is this possible? I thought you don’t have magic. I thought you were stuck with me in the lair.”

  “That is true. The thing is, I am here… but I’m not fully here.”

  I frowned at him. “What do you mean? I am literally touching you!”

  “The same way I enter the cavern is the way I leave it,” he said calmly. “If other people were in this forest right now, they wouldn’t be able to see me. You are the only one who can see me.”

  “What! You can be the Ding! You are real. You are not in my head.” I wanted to shake him but instead I squeezed his right foreleg paw. I didn’t understand what he was saying. He can take me out of the cavern but he hasn’t done that. Is he like a ghost only I can see? If he is not really here. Where is he?

  “Aww, aww! You have grown really stronger. Stop it. It hurts,” I narrowed my eyes.

  “How can it hurt if you are not here?” I asked.

  “ I know you have many questions. We will talk when we get back but first your first mental challenge. There is a lone hyena coming this way. You need to capture and subdue it without killing or hurting it.”

  “Wait! Hold on. What? Why?” I asked clearly confused.

  “It’s your training. Good luck!” An he disappeared.

  “Oh, he didn’t!” I fumed. A dramatic exit? I don’t know what kind of relationship Jena had with his previous bond companion but that wasn’t going to fly with me. He can’t just arbitrary decide on a course of action for my training and with out even discussing it with me just enforce it. I am not a teenager and neither am I naive. I know I don’t know very many things and I need Jena to teach me but I will not be treated like a child. This is my life and I will do what I want. Also he didn’t tell me he can teleport me out of the liar? How can we work together if he is holding off information from me? What am I going to do? I knew I cannot allow myself to carry on like that.

  I sat down on the blackened forest ground. I didn’t care about making my pyjamas dirty, there was a washing drawer, one of liar’s brilliant ideas. I was very upset with Jena but I knew what I wanted. Freedom to enjoy my new life in this body. To do that I needed Jena but I don’t need to be treated like a child. Also fighting off a defenseless hyena is not my kind of fun. What should I do?

  I was still thinking when I head a low growl. The hyena was here. Ether my fear was muted by my fear resistance or knowing that Jena was around made me bold. I didn’t even flitch.

  I could sense it sniffing and silently snicking on me. I don’t move. I didn’t want to fight the hyena and if I play my cards right, I might get my wish. Hyena are not predators. They are scavengers. They are clever, opportunistic hunters. All I needed to do is let it know that I was scary and it will run away.

  As I stood up to face the coming hyena, it jumped me. I had misjudged the distance between us. Apparently sitting down wasn’t very intimidating. I screamed as I swung my hand to protect my face. I face palmed the hyena and I heard a crack. I looked to see the hyena twisted in the air and it fell to it death a few paces aways. The force of my open palm had broken its’ neck. How is that possible? I didn’t even actively put power in it.

  Ding!

  You have defeated a baby cub, level 1!

  It was a baby! Jena made me kill a baby! I was more than furious. I punched the tree next to me and it shook. How am I this strong. I was only level 4 strength. I had thought it meant I was 4% stronger. Just then Jena appeared.

  He looked about and then said, “Oh, you killed it! The idea is for you subdue not kill.” He said in a bored voice. I just looked at him, too upset to speak.

  “Ah well! Better luck next time.” He touched my should and suddenly we were in another part of the forest. I didn’t say anything or ask anything. I just glared at Jena. “There is a herd of deer around here somewhere. Capture one of them. Do not kill or injure, just capture.” Jena continued like there was nothing was going on.

  “Jena, we have to talk.” I finally managed to speak.

  “Sure! Capture the deer and we will talk.” He said as he disappeared.

  The nerve! I wasn’t going to capture any deer. This is my life. He can’t just make me kill things! I felt like a child having a tantrum and that made me even more furious. I need to clear my head and think more clearly. Knowing Jena, he will keep giving me challenges until I pass them before we can talk. I need to change that.

  I started walking to release tension. I don’t know how long I walked in the forest when there was suddenly a break. There were millet fields in front of me. Or rather there was what should have been millet. The crops, just like the forest, were gray. I stared at the field not comprehending what I was seeing. I had not seen another human being since I got here. There were people clearing and pilling up the grey finger millet.

  “Hello?” One of the people shouted, a man by the sound of his voice. I waved at them and walked towards them. I must have looked a sight. Wearing my dirty pyjamas and bare footed. As I got near, there was an older woman, who looked at me worriedly .

  “Are you okay, ma’am?” She asked with a concerned looked.

  “I am now,” I smiled at her.

  “Would you like something to drink? Can we help you?” The men asked?

  “I sure hope so.” A plan was forming in my mind. Jena needs to learn that am I an independent grown-up person and he can’t just make me do what he wants.

  “Really?” Said the woman.

  “You see,” I said, “I am looking for a job. I am good with my hands. I will work for food and board.” Take that Jena!