"She is getting closer."

"How do you know?"

"I can feel it. Can't you?"

"All I can feel is my hatred of this loathsome imprisonment."

"We must bide our time, my friend. We shall rise soon. You know this."

"That doesn't mean I must enjoy the wait."

"Have patience. Use this time wisely, for it will be over all too soon."

"Have patience? Have patience?! How can you continue so calmly?! We both know that the desire to escape is shared between us."

"It is true. But I'm more prepared to enjoy having something in common to you. And just because I want to escape doesn't mean I'm unable to wait. Show a little self-restraint. All good things come to those who wait."

"Then I shall be rewarded the most glorious things this world can offer for my efforts."

~•~

I can't believe I'm saying this, but after a short while longer of talking to Eon, I'm growing more and more interested in his offers. Honestly, his input on my ability to control my powers reassured me a bit. I had put it down to my inexperience before this discussion, but it's still reassuring to know that someone else shared my opinion.

So the conversation was now a lot less of him offering things and me declining. I'm more interested now in what he has to say.

Actually, I even end up accepting one of his offers.

I'm now the official training instructor for Skylanders Academy.

After I finished reading and signing some paperwork, I got to go. All the Skylanders has been sent outside earlier, but now they were all crowded around me excitedly. "Did you accept anything?" They all asked in unison.

I get an idea and ignore them. "Vexelle?" Spyro asks, frowning. Everyone comes over again, but I just pretend to be sad and keep walking, still acting like they don't exist. They all grow upset.

"I guess she didn't accept anything after all," Stealth Elf sighs, ears drooping slightly at the tips. "I really thought she'd do good here," Jet Vac shakes his head. "I guess she's not awesome after all," Spyro huffs.

That's all I needed to hear. I turn and walk back to them, smirking. "Really, Spyro? Is that any way to talk to your new training instructor?" I tut in a jokingly disapproving tone.

They all gasp, then congratulate me on my new position. "You're gonna be great!" Stealth Elf grins. "Duh, she's a dragon!" Spyro replies. I roll my eyes but smile. "Of course you'd stick up for your own kind."

Jet Vac walks over to me, looking stern and slightly annoyed, but his aura is still yellow so I don't worry about it. Pop Fizz is doing the same thing. "I suppose we're colleagues now, too," JV says. "Though I assume you'll also be putting us Skylanders through our paces?"

"You all need to report to me at least once a week," I confirm with a nod. "According to Eon, and I quote, 'the Skylanders are all your problem now, whether they like you being boss or not'."

"You know, you'll have to get used to calling him 'Master' Eon from now on," Jet Vac advices. "At least to his face." "Of course I call him that to his face," I say. "He's my master now. And trust me, Aura Dragons know a thing or two about respecting masters."

"What do you mean?" Eruptor asks. "Well, Aura Dragons usually select a master to obey after certain rituals have taken place. I haven't gone through the rituals yet, so I don't see him as an official master yet, even if he is my master. Once I complete the rituals, I'll form a closer bond to him and I'll grow extremely loyal to him, though not to the point where I lose all reason just to defend him. It'll become instinct for me to defend him and I'll give my life for him without a second thought."

"Is that really a good thing?" Pop Fizz asks sceptically, scratching his fuzzy blue head. "It's better than it sounds," I shrug. "Especially for my kind. Though I could always break the bond if I felt sure I had to."

"Well... what are those rituals you said about?" Stealth Elf questions. "There's these sacred ancient grounds called the Aurascale Citadel," I explain. "My natural instinct is to go there once I've grown enough to complete the rituals."

"Well when will you be grown enough?" Spyro asks, always interested in acquiring new dragon knowledge. "I've been grown enough for ages," I shrug. "I just don't feel ready yet on a personal level. I want to keep training before I go there. I don't want to try completing rituals I'm not capable of completing."

"Well what rituals are they?" Jet Vac asks keenly. "They take around a week to complete, altogether," I reply. "I'm not completely sure what the rituals are, but I do know that finding the way to the Aurascale Citadel is a trial within itself. There are several trials I need to complete before I can begin each ritual. And I can only leave once I complete the trials and rituals... or I fail and get kicked out. If that happens, the place will vanish and I'll need to find it again. The location isn't set in stone."

"Then... how are you supposed to find it?" Eruptor asks, confused. "It's a magical place of my kind's magic," I smile at the very thought. "It's the once aura I'll never be able to absorb, though. Trust me, I'll know where it is."

"So when are you gonna go there?" Stealth Elf asks. "Eon says I can go whenever I like as long as I tell him first, but he wants me to get used to my new job first," I say. "So after that, I can go pretty much any time I choose."

"Can we go, too?" Stealth Elf and Spyro ask in unison. I laugh. "I'm not sure it's best to bring anyone who isn't an Aura Dragon, but we'll see."