Chapter 31 - Chapter thirtyone: Mastering the fire

The next morning Sozin arrives via teleport and waits for Hi to come outside. "Sozin is here get ready to depart." Aria tells him. "I´m already getting ready." Hi says putting his armor on and getting his swords. "Before you go, take this. Some food I made for you and Sozin." Aria tells him giving him a wooden lunch box and a bag. "See you!" Hi says. "Goodbye!" Aria tells him. Hi goes outside the gates and finds Sozin waiting chatting with the guards telling a story about the dragons and the old kano country. "Storytime´s over let´s go!" Hi tells Sozin. "That´s all for today. My student has arrived." Sozin says leading the way. "Follow me!" Sozin says grabbing his shoulder and teleporting him away onto the mainland near the misty peaks and the great ravine that´s the border between the holy kingdom of light Rustil and Kinto country. "We´re going down there!" Sozin says pointing down the ravine. "If you say so!" Hi says. Sozin jumps down and cushions his fall with some fire. Hi follows soon after and they are on a thin path across the whole ravine with the long river traveling down until Tano country. "I´ve never seen such a path before." Hi says. "Because it´s supposed to be a secret." Sozin says leading them along the path southwards. In the ravine is a hidden dragonkin temple build into the face of the cliffside. "We´re almost there!" Sozin says showing him the path to the temple. They enter through the tough gates made from red wood and metal with a tori gate at the top. Inside there a two dragonkin monks wearing monk clothes red robes with golden embroidery and a dragon on it, standing guard being illuminated by fire. "So you are back Sozin, with a human student I see. I hope you got him in your reigns we don´t want any trouble with humans!" a guard says talking down. "I have my reigns on him, he won´t even be able to move a wrong muscle!" Sozin promises. "Just don´t cause any trouble." the other guard says. "Let´s go!" Sozin says leading Hi inside. They pass a lot of big rooms, a training room, a grand library, a dining hall , some healing hot springs and finally the ceremony room. They enter the ceremony room, inside is a big dragon corpse laying there exuding an occult aura on an altar and a basin underneath. "Here we are. I believe you are ready to perform the ritual of dragonification. Don´t worry your ears will just get a little bit pointier and your skin tone a little bit darker. The dragon scales will only show after you activate the dragon blood by using your magic energy. You will gain all the attributes of dragons including their vitality and youthfullness all year round, as well as resistance to fire." Sozin explains. "I´m ready." Hi says hesistantly. "It´s normal to be nervous it was a long time since anyone has done this ritual. Normal humans will succumb to Ryuonosuke´s will but if you are as strong as you are you will get his power." Sozin explains. "Ryuonosuke, that´s the name of the dragon?" Hi asks. "Yes, he told us to use his blood to preserve the dragonkin and any humans that want to undergo dragonification." Sozin explains. "Let´s begin the ritual. Sit down on that pillow." Sozin says pointing him to a red pillow. Hi sits down and closes his eyes and lets out a deep breath to calm himself. Sozin gets a round flat metal cup embroidered with rubies and gold depicting dragons. Sozin digs his claws into the old flesh and lets blood flow from the neck. "Oh, great dragon grant us your power and let the dragon´s live on in this flesh!" Sozin says filling the cup with blood. "Take on the power of the dragon or perish!" Sozin says giving him the cup. Hi drinks it. The dragon´s blood enters his system and runs wild getting into each end of his body whitout holding back digging into his skin pulsating with power. Hi endures through the pain. "Good job! You can now use my powers whenever you want. I will watch your journey with interest!" the voice of Ryuonosuke echoes through his mind with deep and resonant vibrations. The blood has calmed down and his transformation is comlete. Hi wakes up with a gasp. He takes deep breaths to calm himself down. "Congratulations on passing the dragon´s trial, younger brother!" Sozin says putting his fist into his palm and bowing. Hi does the same and stands up. He looks down on his body and sees that his skin tone got slightly darker and his teeth sharper. "Now that you have endured the dragonification it is time to meditate under the healing waterfall." Sozin says leading the way to the hot springs. The hot springs are inside natural rock formations with a giant waterfall in the back this room is way bigger than it looks. The cave is illuminated by glowing plants. "Whoa this is different than what I imagined." Hi says. "This is our hot spring for relaxation and meditation under the hot waterfall to master the control over fire deep inside of us." Sozin explains. "Now strip and follow me!" Sozin says. They both strip and put on their towels around their waist. They enter the hot spring and walk along the hot stones. "Ouch!" Hi says feeling the heat coming from the stones. "Endure it. You need to get used to your heat resistance." Sozin says leading the way to the waterfall. They sit down under the steaming hot waterfall and endure the heat and absorb the healing energy. "Now unleash your flame fully!" Sozin says unleashing his flames covering his body in flames outputting even more heat and power. "And calm yourself and just let it flow adjust the heat and take controll calmly." Sozin explains showing the process. Hi unleashes his full power and exudes more heat than Sozin but a violent one. The healing spring heals the wounds and makes his body stronger and more heat resistant. Hi endures through the pain. "Let it flow naturally let it leave your body but stick closer to it." Sozin explains. Hi calms himself down just letting it flow naturally now Hi feels no pain but the flame runs rampant. "Now slowly take the reigns and controll the fire!" Sozin says. Hi tries to get his flames under control. He struggles at first but understands it later. Controlling his fire and letting it flow according to his will. "With no strong emotions the flame cannot run rampant and destroy your body. Calm and peace tame the flames and allow it to be used more efficiently." Sozin says. "I feel like I´ve mastered a part of my body I never understood." Hi says. "With your compatibility with some of the dragon blood already all you needed to do is awaken it with more and to take on your true shape!" Sozin says. "This is my true shape not entirely human but also not entirely dragon." Hi says. "Thank you, master!" he says. "You have achieved your full potential. You´ve become stronger than me, but be careful it doesn´t automatically make you stronger my control over my fire and my expierence are what made me not the power of my fire, you understand that?" Sozin says. "I understand, I shouldn´t let my new strength get to my head and train it accordingly." Hi says. "So you do understand. Let´s go outside and eat lunch! " Sozin says leaving the hot spring with him and putting their clothes back on. "Let´s go eat lunch!" Hi says going outside. They pass some students who look at him with admiration not seeing that he isn´t quite like them. When they pass the guards they notice the change. On guard apologises. "I´m sorry for being harsh on you younger brother! Humans were our enemies once and wanted to kill us and take control over the dragon´s power, please forgive me." he says. "You´r concern shows how much you care, elder brother!" Hi says bowing with his fist in his palm the guard does the same. "So you´ve become one of us good job younger brother. Please come by again." the other guard says. "Farewell, younger brother and elder brother!" they both say bowing. They bow back and get on their way. "Farewell!" Sozin and Hi say. Going up the cliff faster than ever. "You´ve grown stronger just by taking control!" Sozin tells him. "I understand now how much energy I wasted and this dragon skin prevents me from having to worry about hurting myself." Hi responds. They get a little further away and sit down under the shadow of a tree on the green grass under the sunlight. Hi takes out the lunchboxes and opens them. They are filled with fish, meat, rice and vegetables. "Let´s dig in." they say beginning to eat their lunch. "This is good!" Sozin says trying the vegetables and the other homecooking. "You´ve picked a good wife!" Sozin says. "Talking about wife. How come you don´t have one?" Hi asks. "Let me tell you a secret. I had one long ago but she unfortunately passed away due to old age. She was the kindest human I ever met. No kids though. It was a good time but after she passed I took on my duty as dragonkin monk again and became a master. I still remember her face but it´s slowly fading from my mind. I will always remember her soul though, pure and fulll with kindness. Please don´t tell the other monks about it. It´s taboo." Sozin says. "Wow, you really have seen it all." Hi says. They finish their meal. "Thank you for the meal!" they both say. "I won´t be keeping you much longer go back to your wife and spend some time together. That´s the one thing I still regret spending too little time with your loved ones! As for me I´ll wander again to find my true purpose and collect stories and books about our ancestors!" Sozin says. "Until we meet again!" Hi says bowing before him. He teleports back home and Sozin starts his pilgrimage again