The king brought the boys back to the throne room, where the assembled guards awaited their return, their faces etched with concern and curiosity.
"Your survival here depends on your usefulness, and that means mastering control over your powers. If it wasn't for Jörmundgander I'd kill you both right now, so be grateful and learn to harness your abilities and do it quickly. Korthok, effective immediately, you'll serve in Ash's training as his Master, you should be more than enough for this task"
Korthok's eyes widened in confusion, and he spluttered, "Master? Chief, why me? Why do I have to be that child's Master?"
Ash piped up, "Yeah, I don't want him as my Master either. He looks like he doesn't even know how to wear clothes"
Drakonis ignoring their objections completely, his voice unwavering. "The Varaxxas tribe, Korthok's people, are renowned for their expertise in beast subjugation. While Korthok may not be a BeastMender, his skills in handling beasts are unmatched. His tribe's capabilities will serve you well, Ash. And as for their...unconventional appearance, I'm sure they'll prove more than capable despite their rough exterior."As for you, Axel, I'll dispatch a convoy to the Pixies'. So that they'll bevexpecting your arrival.Though we have wizards of our own none of them are as skilled as them, so you'll need their expertise to unlock the full potential within your veins and master your powers,korthok will also be going along with you two,though Jörmundgander will not be, she has her responsibilities here to take care of"
Korthok crouched down on the floor accepting his defeat being comforted by he fellow tribesmen responded "yes Chief"
"Show them to their quarters, Korthok. I'm sure you'll get along well. You'll be spending a considerable amount of time together from now on," the king said with a knowing smirk.
After the lot left the throne room the king's gaze met Jörmundgander's mischievous stare. "You're a handful, you know that? Always sneaking out and causing trouble. What's wrong with just relaxing in the lake? And why do you keep shrinking yourself" Jörmundgander's response was a sheepish grin. "Lake life's boring, Your Majesty. I wanna have adventures like big bro.
The king's fingers pressed into his temple, as if trying to ward off a migraine. "Your brother's going to lose his mind when he finds out about this."
Korthok stalked through the corridors, his long strides forcing the brothers to hurry to keep up. Ash and Axel bombarded him with questions, and Korthok's annoyance simmered just below the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment.Korthok shoved open the door and propelled the brothers inside. "We're here! . Ash, training begins tomorrow. You'll learn as we travel, so be ready."
The brothers stood in stunned silence, lost in thought, until Axel finally spoke up, "So, we really have powers huh?" Ash stood frozen staring at himself in awe. They gazed at each other, Axel's grin mirroring Ash's excitement. "This is so cool," Ash mumbled. The night dissolved into endless chatter as the brothers speculated about their abilities and the adventures ahead. Korthok burst into the room, the door slamming open as he entered, "Rise and shine! Time to get moving, boys!" He tossed a set of rugged, red and black garments onto the bed. "Put these on. You'll be heading and head to the throne room immediately."
The boys' filled with excitement and anticipation hastily prepared and rushed to the throne room. There, they found the king and Korthok waiting. Drakonis nodded curtly. "Excellent, you're both here. The Pixie king awaits your arrival. Korthok will guide you both there,you should reach the land of the pixies within a month, you now represent me, so do your best to not sully my name" thus they left the castle set on their journey.
As Korthok and the boys journeyed to the land of Luminari, leaving the castle in the distance, Ash asked, "Korthok, why does your tribe wear less clothing than other people Drakkor?" Korthok's face lit up with pride. "My tribe, is the Draknari, is one of Drakkor's oldest tribes, a tribe of fierce warriors and skilled hunters, before my people made this much advancement in technology my tribe was crucial to our survival.My ancestors thought that having scars is a mark of experience, so we often wear less clothing than others to honor them."
Axel snorted,"That's stupid. Who'd want to get hurt while hunting? Wearing less clothes just because your ancestors did it? Doesn't make sense to me." He shook his head," I'd rather wear whatever keeps me safe and warm, not some outdated tradition."
Korthok's expression darkened, a menacing smirk spread across his face as he looked at him, his voice taking on a sinister tone. "We'll see how much you're talking after I've worked you both to the ground I'm going to push you both to your limits, physically and mentally, in martial arts. Ash, as a BeastMender, this training will complement your abilities perfectly. And Axel, despite your magical talents, I won't have you relying solely on spells to get by. You'll learn to defend yourself without magic, and I won't tolerate any weakness. You wouldn't want your brother to outshine you, would you?." The words hung in the air, a clear test of their resolve.
"First, Ash you first must form your mana core. ThIs core will serve as reservoir for your magical energy. Ash, your core will fuel your physical enhancements and transformations, allowing you to tap into the raw power of the beasts you bond with. Axel, wizards mainly use Mana Veins as Mana cores are mainly for martial arts or physical enhancements so you won't need to do this.Ash to create your core, you will need to meditate, focusing your mind to condense the ambient magical energy that surrounds us into you to create your core."