And there it is ....
It's really hard to see, but if you look closely you can see something hiding in a pool of lava. It's pure white eyes with black pupils look at me with a curious look. It crawls out of the pool and I finally get to see my soul animal.
It looks a bit like a small dragon, even tho it has no wings or scales. It's about half a meter long, with his tale about a meter tho, and it has 2 small, curving horns on top of it's head and one more on it's nose. It's entire body is made out of black and dark red feathers, which really surprises me. The only part of his body that isn't is it's face, which is covered by some sort of rough skin.
'How didn't these feathers burn because of the lava?'
It has paws covered by small feathers and large claws. It's long tale is also fluffy, but on the end of it there is a burning small, dark red flame. When he crawls out of the pool it looks like his body consumes the lava, which disappears on it's feathers.
"What is that?", Talissa says while looking at the creature in shock. Her feniks on the other hand doesn't seem surprised at all. It was even like her animal looked at the creature with ... respect?
"I have no idea, but I think it's my soul animal ... What do I have to do now?"
"Well," she starts, still in shock, "you should try to connect with it. You kinda have to make your souls meet. It's hard to explain, so I can't really help you much more, sorry ..."
"Well, better than nothing.", I say nervously.
I start carefully walking towards the thing, trying not to scare it. It looks at me with an almost curious look. He holds his head a little to the left and suddenly I can feel it. Something, some sort of power, trying to enter my soul. I relax and allow it in, and in a blink of an eye the small, dragon-looking creature is laying on my shoulders like some sort of scarf. I carefully start stroking him and he lets out some smoke out of his nose, enjoying my attention.
"He looks so cool! We should give them both a name!", Talissa nearly shouts out of excitement.
"I'm not really that creative ..."
"Ah come on, I'll help! I think I already found a name for mine."
"Oh really?"
"Yea, I think I'm gonna name her ... Mist."
"Sounds good! But now it's my turn huh ..."
""Maybe something like ... Dracio?"
"See! You are good in making new names! Let's go back to the house and show the others!"
We walk back to the island and see everyone already there.
"I guess we're late ...", I whisper to Talissa.
~
"Ahh, there you are, finally! I almost wanted to send Gajil to search you both ... Oh well, well, what do we have here?", Beanca says when we get closer, "Is that a feniks?! What a wonderful animal you have ..."
"Talissa"
"... Talissa, be sure to take good care of it. Don't you have a soul animal, Jason?"
'How does she even know my name? Do I already have such a big reputation?'
"I have one, right here on my shoulders."
"You must be mistaking, Jason, we can't see anything ..."
"What do you mean? He's right he ..." I indeed see nothing when I look back on my shoulders.
'That's weird ... Where has he gone?'
I try to feel where he is, but when I do so it feels like he's still sitting on my shoulders.
'Wait a minute ...'
I try stroking the 'air', but I suddenly feel soft feathers. He's camouflaged!
'Why are you hiding, little guy? Are you afraid or something?'
As soon as I think that he lets go of his camouflage and suddenly everyone is looking at us in shock.
"What a surprise, that's a super rare one ...", Beanca says with a surprised look. "Take real good care of it, Jason, it's a privilege that he chose for you."
"Excuse me, miss, but what exactly is it?", I ask before she can continue.
"It's a young Dragundur, family of Undur, guardian of the galaxies. Well, that's what they say of course, we don't know it for sure. They nearly never appear here ... You have heard of Undur, right?"
"Yes miss, I have."
"Then you know how powerful you're soul animal is and will become. Make sure to create a good band with him, he'll be a big help during battles. So, now you have all returned," she turns herself to the other students, "with or without soul animal, I believe I can send you back to the academy. Do you all know the way back?"
Everyone gives a quick nod and start walking back to the island's entrance.
"Ohw yea, one more thing!", Beanca shouts just before we reach the bridge, "if you need help or advice with your soul animal, you're always welcome here. You'll see me again during lessons, but you can come visit me anytime you want!"
We leave the crater and walk back to the academy. After saying goodbye Talissa goes back to her friends. Isa, the girl that asked that question about soul animals before, has one that looks a bit like a turtle with a long, fluffy looking tale. The cute turtle is hanging on her back with his 4 long, tentacle looking paws. It has a hard, dark blue shield on it's back, the only thing that isn't light blue colored. It would look a lot like a normal turtle, if it didn't have long white hairs on it's head, like a manly lion.
"Here you are! I finally found you! Where have you been?"
I scare up and look next to me where Amy is standing with a smile on her face.
"Well, I got kind of lost in that forrest, with all that fog and stuff ... you shouldn't have ran so fast, then I wouldn't have lost you out of sight!"
"Yeaa, sorry about that, but I was just so excited ... but at least you find your soul animal, I see. He looks so cool, do you already have a name for ... him?"
"Yes I have, his name is Dracio."
"Well, nice to meet you Dracio!"
She tries rubbing him under his chin but as soon as she gets close to him with her hand, he starts growling.
"Someone is a bit moody ...", she says while quickly getting her hand away from him.
'That's weird, guess he's just not that kind to other people ...' , I think by myself.
"Ah well, he still has to get used to all this, it's all new for him ..."
"Yea, that'll be it."
~
We continue talking on the way back to the academy about the other students' soul animals. Only a few others got one. Apart from me, Isa and Talissa 3 others students found theirs. I try looking for them, but I can't find them.
'Guess I'll just have to wait then, huh. I'll get to see them anyways when we go back to the crater to practice.'
We enter the academy and head towards the weapon arena for our first lesson in weaponry. We enter the arena, but our teacher isn't there yet. We decide to sit on the marble path around the arena and wait for him while chatting with our friends. Suddenly someone stands next to me.
"You're Jason, right?"
"Ehmm, yes I am."
I look up to the person who started talking. It's a tall boy with black hair and strange, light red eyes. He's really muscled and has a strict look on his face.
"So you're that filthy devil's son, huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me, you piece of garbage."
"... Yes I am, but I don't think it's your business ..."
"Ohww yes it is. You're a big threat for all of us! I can't believe they even let you in ..."
"Just shut up you, he might be the devil's son but at least he's not such a dickhead like you, Brandon.", Amy says with an angry look on her face.
"Ahh, you even made friends, I see. You can fool others, but not me!"
"What's your problem, Brandon?"
"My problem is you, filthy demon. You know, it surprises me that people even like you. Like that girl on earth, how is she called again? ... Emily, no?"
'How does he even know all that?'
"I got my contacts ... and not only her, also your 'grandparents'. Just for taking care of you they should burn in hell. If you help such evil as you, you don't even deserve to live anymore."
"You take that back ...", I say furiously. I can just hold the feeling of anger back, but it's almost winning ...
"Brandon, that's quite enough!", I hear Talissa say from the other side of the room.
"No, it's not!! You know, I think I know how his mother died. She probably killed herself! Better kill yourself than having to live with such an evil child!!"
"SHUT UUUUP!!!!!"
I can't hold it back anymore. The anger streams through my body and my sight gets dark red. I jump towards Brandon and ram my shoulder in his stomach. We roll over the floor and start punching each other in the face, the belly, everywhere we can. I hear Amy screaming I should stop, but I don't care. The other students are just standing next to us, not knowing what to do. I land on top of him and start hitting him in the face, again and again and again. I take a sword from the wall, hold it up and ...
"WHAT IN HEAVEN'S NAME IS GOING ON HERE?!!!"