Strings of Sin

Chapter 3

"How are you going to train me? What am I going to learn first? Am I really going to come here every day?" the youth pounded the old nightwing with questions.

"Hold your noble steed, Stardom. We'll begin with our first lesson right now," the wise teacher of war said and sat the young dragonet down. "Don't worry, I understand how you must feel right now. I'll try and make our trainings as least boring as possible."

And the nightwing dragonet smiled and felt like he was already beginning to like this nightwing for some strange reason, but he never liked anyone before because everyone is selfish, mean and dumb and...

"The first thing I want to teach you is that The Art of War in its simplest form is to win without the need to brawl," Enlightenment interrupted the dragonet's uncontrollable thoughts, and then the youth looked shocked.

"What do you mean? I thought murder was The Art of War," the curious dragonet exclaimed.

"That sentence sounds weird said out loud, right? Murder has nothing to do with strategy and victory," the wise teacher spoke and grabbed a spear from one of the weapon racks that hung on the stone brick walls. "Now prepare to defend yourself because I'm going to hurt you. Let's see what you got!"

"Aren't you going to give me a weapon?" Stardom stopped the teacher of war.

"This is your weapon," Enlightenment handed his young warrior the spear. "Now come on! Hit me with all you've got! I'll let you have the first attack!"

Stardom stood there with the spear in his talons, terrified. Enlightenment stood back and stared him in the eyes, waiting for pain's cold touch.

But Stardom never attacked.

And the old teacher tried to fill the dragonet's heart with courage. "What are you doing? Fight me! I'm letting you have the first attack!"

And Stardom's mind raced with memories of his mother as she pulled his strings.

***

"Don't ever hurt another dragon," their voice commanded.

***

And Stardom never attacked.

The teacher yelled and tried to fuel the fire in his warrior's heart again. "Stardom, attack me! Just once, please! You don't have to kill me because that is unnecessary! Hit me!"

Stardom never attacked.

Enlightenment watched the dragonet's soulless eyes and wondered why he refused to even move. "Why aren't you moving? Why won't you attack?"

And Stardom finally moved again and yelled back. "Never hurt another dragon! Mom said to never harm another creature!"

"What?" the old teacher looked surprised and sensed that something else was going on in his student's mind. "Drop your weapon, and share this wisdom."

Stardom felt pressure on his talons, and he let the spear go and watched it clatter to the ground like the trident that fell from his father's claw. "She said to never harm another creature because it is wrong. Violence doesn't solve anything."

"You are completely in the right, but this is going to be harder than I thought," Enlightenment puzzled. "Merciful is Dignity's love. Does she disapprove of letting me train you?"

"My mom is..." the dragonet started, and her spirit called out to him.

***

"Please take care of yourself, and make me proud," her breath of life whispered to him from afar.