Heroes aren’t Born, they’re Made

At the end of that very same week, Shynerai and Shadow took off to begin their training.

Shadow decided that the perfect place to train him would be at Blackhorn Mountain behind the Ruins of Glynnfoldt.

After saying their respective goodbyes the two embarked on the first of many great challenges that he would have to overcome.

When the two arrived at the eastern base of the mountain, they were greeted to the sight of a quaint-little homestead with an equally small wheat farm dotting the backyard of the said homestead.

This is where the two of them would be living for the duration of Shynerai's training.

Shadow had the liberty of sending for the construction of the estate as he would be the only one making trips back home so he needed to make sure that Shynerai had reasonable sustenance and shelter whenever he would leave.

Once Shynerai was done sight-seeing he went back to help Shadow unpack.

After an hour, they had finished and were now quenching their thirst with some juice.

Shadow then called Shynerai and told him that his training would begin now...he proceeded to give him a satchel which had his training gi and told him to change and to meet him outside.

Several minutes pass.

Shynerai stepped outside to reveal a young boy clad in golden tan and donning short snow-white hair, wearing a gold and white training gi.

Now that he was ready they decided to begin.

Shadow picked up a stick off the ground and began drawing strange diagrams in the dirt for a while...until Shynerai began to recognize the intricate drawings.

Shadow stopped drawing and told Shynerai to pay attention. 

He explained that though all of the mortal races can or should be able to use magic, it is still possible to not have that ability. That being said, there are a lot of alternatives to magic such as Alchemy, Sacrificial magic, Seals, Sigils, Runes and so forth.

Shadow then proceeded to ask him if he was still unable to use magic. Shynerai nodded in approval despite his obvious look of displeasure but strangely enough in a split moment, Shadow produced a satisfied grin but quickly gained his composure.

Shadow went on to say

"Like I said there are other alternatives and don't worry I'll find the most suitable techniques to make you an S-rank Hero." 

With Shadow's words Erai found a new source of encouragement and was now more fired up than usual but he was quickly brought back down to earth when Shadow began an analysis of him to determine what would be the best thing to teach him.

"It looks like we first need to make you stronger considering how weak your body and senses are, not to mention that you also need to be capable of fighting on par with beings that will be able to use magic. You are definitely going to be a handful but I think I know what to do".

Shadow stopped his explanation and stood, asking Shynerai to do the same.

"Shynerai for the next seven years, I'm only going to teach you how not to just defend yourself, but defend others as a hero. This training will be the toughest thing you've ever done in your short life, but if you live through it, you may yet survive the perils of the world. So do you think you're up for the challenge?"

He was a bit shaken but he accepted with little to no haste. 

"Good, because we'll be starting right now. You'll need every second from this moment if you're to learn. For someone as weak as you I shall teach the oldest of the Guardians' techniques, ones that were used in the time before the Originals, when the angelic Adhao were the only protectors of this world"

"Techniques like that still exist? How can anyone still remember them enough to teach them?"

"By constantly practising them. The teachings of Atash and the Words of Power never truly faded, only superseded by the far more practical magic systems" Shadow explained.

Only for the moment to end when Shynerai realized he had no idea what Words of Power let alone what that strange word he just used was

'Atash…'

Shadow assured Shynerai that he only needed to worry about it after his body was strong enough, making that the sole focus of his training for now.

Returning to the ruins of what was once their home could be seen as bad parenting on Shadow's part but for Shynerai to grow stronger, he'll have to face whatever demons may come his way...even those of his own past.

During his earliest time at Blackhorn Mountain, Shynerai spent most of his days doing survival and endurance training while at night he would either be resting or meditating.

His initial training would consist of him spending extended periods of time in the Wildlands of the Mountain where he was expected to find food, shelter and ensure that he survived...all by himself.

To push him even further, Shadow would occasionally let loose vicious monsters in the Wildlands for him to deal with.

If he was injured, he had only himself to rely on. This meant he was limited to his knowledge of medicine that he received from his father, as well as the meditative techniques Shadow had been teaching him. 

Sadly, he didn't get much rest when should've, since most of his nights were plagued with recurring nightmares of the Horrors that befell Glynnfoldt.

Afraid that telling Shadow of his ailment would slow or even stop his progress, he opted to remain silent, choosing to instead spend his nights meditating to avoid his trauma.

Fortunately for him, due to all the time he spent meditating, his healing and rejuvenation had become drastically more effective...so much so that he was eventually able to operate for several days with little to no rest.

In only 18 months, Shadow had pushed Shynerai 's mind and body far beyond their limits. And even more surprising was how quickly he had begun showing signs of the kind of development he had expected after at the very least five years of persistent training.

With all these clues Shadow decided that it was finally time for the advanced training he needed, it was finally time that he was taught the...Words of Power.

Shadow interrupted one of Shynerai's daily training routines which were several consecutive laps around the mountain to inform him that his Advanced training was about to begin.

Having spent almost two years doing hellish training, Shynerai's disposition had been molded to an incredible level...even so, he was not beyond producing a smile to show his excitement at the fact that he is moving one step closer to his goal.

Shadow had Erai sit down in a meditative posture as he began to explain what would come next.

"Before you can actually use the 'Words of Power' incantations, you will first need to know what they are."

These incantations are gifts that FAE gave our protectors, the Adhao along with others such as immortality so that they were fully equipped to protect all the mortal races.

The base of these incantations is 1) the incantation itself, 2) the condition of the incantation and the source of power for the incantation.

The power is sourced from all manner of powerful beings and creatures that formed contracts of obedience with FAE. The condition of every incantation must be met or is to be fulfilled afterwards so that the incantation can be called.

"Finally for the incantations to work, the user must know and understand the full incantation".

Shynerai felt a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information but he was able to get the gist. Though he did have a thought lingering in his mind and so he asked Shadow:

"Uncle Shadow, if that's all it takes for me to use a Word of Power, then why did I do all that training".

"Oh, you see, some of the incantations can make you lose your mind or even tear your body apart if the user isn't strong enough. That's why with the intense training you've done, we've just killed two birds with one stone"

Shadow remarked with an expression of certainty, hoping that the young boy wouldn't stare for too long and reveal his concern.

After he got his answer Shynerai asked Shadow if they could begin and so they did. 

The work required for them to simply begin was enormous, enough that on most days Shynerai would have attempted to call upon the power only once before being drained for the entire day. 

But for the training to work, he had to persist. With the first signs of the next step in his growth only showing after three and a half difficult years.

Shadow continued to teach him more and more about the Words of Power whilst intensifying his physical and mental training. The harder he pushed him, the easier it was to wield the power, even if it was only briefly. 

And the more he used them, the better he understood them. Another surprising discovery was what he termed as High Speed Incantations. Something that would only be possible after Shynerai had become proficient in the use of Words of Power.

They stand out because to use them, the wielder has to understand the incantation well enough that they can call upon the power by only focusing on the core aspect of the incantation instead of the whole thing. The obvious issue is that in tense moments very few people have the mental strength to maintain the focus needed to focus solely on the fundamental aspect of the incantation. But those that do, seem to move over this hurdle, capable of wieldings Words of Power as efficiently as a Mage would their spells.

Questions of just how much potential the young boy possessed had bothered Shadow from the moment they began his training, though at the time he simply dismissed his accelerated progress as a result of not being able to use magic, his natural instincts were able to easily attach to the use of the incantations…but now. He was confronted with the very real possibility that Shynerai may have the talent of a hero.

There were occasions whereby Shynerai didn't train but that was only to do his chores and to take care of the fields with Shadow also taking the time to visit Sarah.

Although one day out each year, Shynerai neither trained nor was he even at the homestead.

October 10th was the day, and every year on this very same day, Shadow and Sarah would accompany him to Glynnfoldt cemetery...to see his parents.

Refusing to spend his birthday any other way.

Despite how close Sarah and Shynerai were, Shadow would always insist that she give him some space during his memorial, which meant that often, they would wait by the benches while he went to visit their graves. 

Always taking with him Blue and Violet Bellflowers, and returning with glassy eyes and tear-ridden cheeks before falling into their embrace.

The last two years of his training were focused entirely on combat, both hand-to-hand and armed fighting as well...with Shadow finally teaching him his "trump card".

Seven years had gone by and Erai had almost finished his training with only one test remaining.

During one of these mornings, Shadow woke Erai early and told him that they were returning to Sprite Fontiss that same night but before they could, he would have to complete his final test.

They headed outside towards the base of Blackhorn Mountain where Shadow proceeded to give Erai one and only one instruction, for him to hit the mountain as hard as he could. 

From that moment on, Shadow refused to tell him anything else...the rest was up to him. Shynerai was confused but he trusted his uncle and did something completely unprecedented...

"OK then...I'll use everything I've got. First I'll use the Word of Power: Beowulf and to push my limits I'll use my own...Word of Power: Mark...of a Beast."

With these words Shynerai got into his lowered stance all the while the ground beneath him struggled under the force of his power, the energy radiating from him was enough to draw in dark clouds in the sky and if Shadowwasn't casting a Multi-Layered Ward, then even the neighboring areas would be affected...but before Shadow could ask Erai were exactly he got this power...Erai struck the mountain.

His fist traveled with such speed that it exceeded and even surpassed the shockwave that was building around it...when it made contact the energy rocked the mountain with explosive force as if it were about to fall apart.

The chaos didn't stop as the shockwave finally made contact, the strength of which was enough to draw in the surrounding clouds like the beginnings of a fierce storm.

When the chaos finally ended, dust and debris fell to the earth...with a panicking Shadow making sure that his quaint-little abode wasn't destroyed but much to Shynerai 's surprise...the mountain was still intact...a sight which brought him to his knees as the exhaustion and disappointment began weighing on him.

Despite the results...Shadow broke out into joyous laughter while remarking how much Shynerai has managed to grow beyond his wildest expectations.

Wiping away the little tears of laughter, he looks at him with a smile.

He explains that the aim of the test wasn't for him to destroy the mountain...but for Shynerai to see for himself how far he has managed to come.

Shadow went on to state that the only reason they used the mountain was that it was the only thing they had on hand that could withstand being used as a punching bag.

For the first time in a very long time, Shynerai 's eyes began to gleam as he produced an enormous smile of joy all the while trying to hold back his tears.

"Anyway let's get some food and get clean so we can head home"

Shadow said after helping him to his feet.

As he stood up, Shynerai couldn't help but feel excited...he was finally walking the path to being a Hero as great as his uncle.