Kenan spent two weeks in bed. Each day he felt his body reclaiming once lost strength. The temptation to test what had returned was strong, but ultimately he resisted. His body needed time, he understood that. Yet his kidnapped sibling made him want to get better every waking moment. So he opted to test, and learn his magical capabilities.

He began two things, the first, the excavation of another mana gate. Slowly using his pure mana to erode and break down the impurities in them. It was a patience game, for it would take months, if not years to open at least one. Unfortunately, he heard each consecutive gate got harder to open. Also, he had finally cracked open the red tome. In the two weeks he had only managed to produce a small flame at the tip of his finger, while small, it was a victory.

On top of those, he also experimented. First he tried to expand his actual dantian. It seemed impossible. There was a certain amount of give, but it would revert to its original size shortly after.. He felt as though he was missing something fundamental. On the flip side, he managed to strengthen in. Which was a give and take. While technically he held less mana overall, the force in which he was able to push mana out had strengthened. He often tidied up a magical science with a few rounds of widening his mana gate.

His curiosity went further than his dantian and gates, usually going towards The Black Blade. One night, he recognized there was a tendril of mana connecting him and the sword. He tried to either weaken the connection, or completely sever it. All those attempts came to no results. But he could amplify the tendril.

Now, he was sitting on his bed, legs folded with the sword on his lap. Contemplating while fidgeting with the sword. Flipping it, sheathing and unsheathing it. Something nagged, pulled, tugged Kenan's mind. Doco had said the blade was cursed, yet he felt no want to kill endlessly. Maybe the curse has yet to fully settle in? Perhaps it simply doesn't affect him. The burning questions needed answers. Closing his eyes, he placed his hands on the black, muted blade. He sent it mana over it and within it.

His inner eye delved into the sword. It felt like he had just jumped into the void. Going deaf and blind to the outside world. He dived even deeper, unafraid of any consequences. Before any apprehension could kick in, he saw a glint of light in the abyss. He took to a rapid pace to reach it, but soon found nothing. Or at least he didn’t find the light, instead he hit the ground. No, his inner eye did. Wait. Something was wrong.

Kenan was no longer in bed. Instead in an endless sea of black. There was no time to think of what had happened, for danger announced itself in Kenan’s instinct. Not sure where it was, he looked frantically around. A minute passed, nothing happened.

As soon as he relaxed, directly in front of him he heard, practically felt, something large growl. Something impossibly large. Whatever it was, opened its eyes. Kenan saw that it’s eyes were completely black, with a thousand different white dots swirling inside them. It then roared. It had so much strength it knocked Kenan back, and so deafening he nearly lost conscience.

When he opened his eyes, he saw he no longer was in an endless black landscape. Instead he was surrounded by rock. The stone was obviously touched by sentient hands, for the wall was almost completely flush. Only symbols carved into the huge slabs of earth cut through the monotony. Hundreds of these strange shapes covered the walls. In front of him were gigantic iron bars. Kenan’s brain, who lived a relatively small life, couldn’t fully comprehend the full scope of this room.

What was inside of the bars shocked the poor boy more. Immediate reaction told Kenan that he was looking at an overgrown lizard. He was sure he could carve a house out of one of its teeth. Four large and powerful legs were quickly followed by a menacing swinging tale, creating a strong gust with each flicker of movement. Two wings tucked to its back, covering the beast. Each scale of this monster, easily thrice the size of Kenan, shined in a brilliant white light. The only thing breaking the white field were the large endless black eyes.

It snapped at the cage, biting it. A maw wrapping around the iron bars so big it could swallow the planes whole. Hundreds of sharp teeth, all in rows and each one bigger than the last. Kenan involuntarily crawled back. Fear beckoned him to do so. Who knows if this iron will hold. There was no demon inside the blade.

It was a dragon!

The beast backed up. Licked its lips. Then paced back and forth. Like it was going to strike at any moment. A predator locking in it’s prey. “Hahah.” It chucked. It’s voice is vibrating Kenan's bones. The laugh came out as more of a growl. Then it layed in the middle of the cage. It’s head is just barely a hair away from the bars. “It’s exhilarating to see mortals cower underneath superior might.” Shock completely paralyzed Kenan. The dragon sniffed the air. “What is that?” Again he sniffed. “Come here boy.” Kenan backed up even more. “I said come here!” The dragon raged. “Listen to my command!” It boomed. Kenan sensed that mana flowed intertwined with its words. He could tell the dragon's mana tried to force itself into his brain, but it didn’t need to. It’s mana touched Kenan, and poured into him. Mingling and synchronizing with his own power. making no effect. The dragon’s eyes pulsed blue for a moment. “Totally immune to my command.” The dragon’s tone changed from rage to curiosity. “I’ll ask again, boy. Come close to the cage. I cannot harm you, not at all. Besides, I’m magically incapable of killing you.”

Kenan took a few breaths in, and out. Calming himself down. Was this dragon the black blade? Are dragons real? Fear and curiosity warred inside of his head. It took a great length of time, but the burning questions won the battle. Kenan stood and started forward. Rational still held sway and he didn’t get too close.

The dragon sniffed at the air again. “Yes. Yes.” The dragon started to move and stand, looming over the mortal. “I see. We are alike, boy. Yes. I see. But you haven’t been trained, or awakened. You have seen the edges of your possibility.” Suddenly the dragon came real close to the bars. “What is your name, boy?”

“Kenan.” He gulped. Waiting a few moments. “Yours?”

“Careful child. Names are dangerous. Once a name is known, it can be called upon. Oaths can be sworn and debts pushed. A Mark of death and decay placed.” The dragon smiled, in which it came out as a face of hunger. “My name is Nattura.”