It has been great fun, and with the girls here I finally calmed down. I completely forgot that I am not the only person that was shaken by what happened, and the girls even encouraged me.

During our talks I also asked for forgiveness for thinking about fleeing, only to be told that in the end I stayed, which proved to them that I care about them, which resulted in Anna suddenly hugging my tails.

Sadly the one she caught still hurt a bit, which resulted in another embarrassing yelp from me, causing the girls to laugh before we continued talking.

After some time we even started to talk about our plans for the future, and honestly, I just want to go home to the Dragon-Mountains and stay there for a while.

It's not that I dislike the Elven-Island, I just miss the games and fun times with the dragons and foxes there. And even though Rune's and my past was a bit problematic, we already long made up and even play together sometimes. Even Sumi already forgave him, which I think is amazing considering what she went through due to him.

Well, he recently even managed to beat me in chess, so I have to stay strong otherwise he will continuously win! I can't accept that! He even said that it is because he learns with his new retainers, which I thought was weird. He was not even eighteen yet, so why would he have retainers?

Anyway, in the end, all four of us decided to become stronger, the girls agreeing to continue training together with Uncle Black and me.

Speaking of him, he said that the whole throne-heritage situation isn't really moving forward, which is why he will let me and the others talk with them for a while, saying something along the lines of him becoming to incensed whenever he meets them.

Alice joked about him having no patience when it came to me, meaning he wanted me to be able to leave the island too, which I think is nice.

Still, having been given this duty he can't just leave, which is why he thought about letting us have a talk with them sometime soon. Not that I mind, especially so since I remember now that I still have to ask the youngest of the royals where he picked up the scent of chocolate.

And here I nearly forgot about that. Additionally, after I told Alice and Anna about that detail, both of them stared at me in shock. Anna even complained about me not having told her sooner, yet Alice told her that scent didn't equal that chocolate did exist. It appears that the two of them also found out the hard way that there is no chocolate, a shame.

Anyway, having had some fun we return back to the castle and my room. Once there, however, I spot uncle Black, Mom, and Saria standing in front of the door, all of which look at me with smiling expressions.

While I was wondering why they were here, Saria stepped forth and dropped something into my hand.

"I think you want it back, it isn't really doing that well." With those words she stepped back, leaving me to look at the item she has given me.

Turns out it was the remains of the magic-essence I turned into a pendant containing the egg of the days-hummingbird I found. Sadly, the life inside was slowly draining away, probably since it didn't receive any aid in all this time.

Quickly taking out the egg while reabsorbing the essence, I enter my room in order to take a look. Everyone else followed after me, but I didn't really pay much attention to it.

Once inside, I went to my table and placed the egg in a secure spot, trying to inject some more light-mana into the egg. However, it was rejected! The egg didn't take any of the life-mana anymore, it's capacity overloaded! Worried I thought about what I could do, was there any other way?

Looking back at Uncle Black, I ask him and the others if they maybe have an idea.

"There may be one way, though I am not sure about it." Uncle Black's voice was weirdly evasive, as if he didn't want to talk about it. It was only after another series of inquiries that he let loose, removing something from his spatial-ring. What he held in his hand afterwards was a brightly glowing orange ball of magic-essence, an essence that I could clearly remember.

Like a glowing fire, deadly and mad, I saw it in front of me, the Phoenix in its full form.

Before I collapsed, suddenly I felt mom's hand on my shoulder, hugging me while covering me from seeing it.

"It's fine Arin, it's dead. This is only its remaining essence, there is nothing to fear." With mom's words, the images in my head were dispelled, but still, remembering that awful experience my whole body tensed up, making me uncomfortable.

Even the girls nearby started fidgeting, probably feeling similar to me. Yet before I could even ask Uncle Black why he took out this thing, he answered with a small frown.

"Phoenixes naturally have essence-bodies, which is why they can reincarnate given their soul is still there. However, now that it is gone, maybe you can use it to heal that hummingbird of yours, after all, bird-essences should be compatible." Uncle Black's voice was slightly heavy, as if he was hiding something in his words, yet hearing his idea I finally understand.

I don't have to look at this as the Phoenix, but more like a medicine with which I can save the hummingbird's life.

I slowly approach Uncle black who then carefully puts the essence into my hands, causing me to shudder in reaction. Yet just as I was about to drop it, Uncle black held my hands with his and wrapped them around the essence, shielding it from my line of sight.

"Little Arin, it is good to show fear, but don't let it control you. If you are scared then defeat it, it's still not too late to retreat and come back with allies if it's not possible, okay?" Towards Uncle Black's new senseless quote, I nod, feeling a bit better.

I said I will grow strong, and if I am even scared of the remains of my enemy then I am not worthy of it. So taking a deep breath I then tell Uncle Black that I am ready, to which he removes his hand, causing the orange glow of the essence to come out again.

I was nervous, but fighting down the heavy pressure on my chest, I carefully carry the essence over to the table, placing it next to the egg. Once there, I thought about how I could ingest the essence into the egg, before deciding to just cover the egg in the essence.

Sadly, to do so I need to interact with the mana contained within, which I dread.

However, clenching my teeth, I slowly extract my own mana and guide it towards the essence. The moment my mana contacted the one within the essence, I felt it. The same heat, fire and power that mercilessly pounded against the shield I was putting up back then, it was here! The burning fires everywhere, wearing down on my mana, always threatening to take our lives...

In a panic I fell back, breathing heavily. Sweat permeated my skin as I felt myself fall back to those events. All my tails even stood on end and I was even about to make my own magic attack, wanting to shield myself.

No more, no longer, I don't want to!

I was on the verge of crying when Mom pulled me into her embrace, soothing me with her tails.

I was still shaking, my whole body shivering against my will. Why? Why can't I stand against it?!

Calming my breathing in Mom's embrace, I suddenly heard Uncle Black talk, but not in the human language the girls also understood, but in the dragon-tongue.

[Arin, calm yourself. It appears that it was a bit too much for you alone. So here, take my hand, both Lumi and I are here right next to you, there is nothing to fear.] Towards Uncle Black's word I carefully lay my hand in his, once more noticing the sheer difference in size.

With him guiding me back to the table, I once more approach the glowing essence with my hand, feeling myself freeze a bit.

Once I was close enough, I made my mana move, trying to once more reach out to the essence. Yet the moment I felt my mana interact with the essence, those images appeared again!

I wanted to back off, feeling my breathing become unstable. Yet before I could, Uncle Black strengthened his grip on my hand, his figure looking at me with a reassuring gaze, urging me to go forward again.

Nodding once, I calm down again, not willing to stay weak and covering in front of this foe.

With this conviction, and with both Mom and Uncle Black covering me I begin interacting with the essence once more, causing the essence to release some light as its control went to me.

Still, I felt great repulsion the moment I felt it, fear and panic gripping my heart. Before I let go again, however, suddenly mom's tails covered my eyes, stealing away my vision.

“It's fine Arin, you are not in danger. Just guide it towards the egg and then disconnect, here...”

With those words Mom suddenly touched my hand that was floating above the essence, a thin flow of mana entering my wrist before transferring to the essence, suppressing the flames within.

“They are not scary if you know how to deal with it, so don't fear, I am here after all. And Uncle Black is also here, no matter what attack, he can deal with it.” Mom whispered reassuringly, letting me calm down again. While feeling the essence rouse itself to my command, I began to move it towards the egg while using extra mana to form a small shield around my hand.

Mom just released a chuckle when seeing my way of doing it, yet she didn't stop, helping me by guiding my hand towards the egg.

Once there, quickly command the essence to wrap around the egg which Mom confirmed to me.

So the moment I felt it finish taking shape, I immediately cut the connection and pull my hand back, shuddering a bit as I back off. In the meantime Mom also removed her tail that was covering my eyes, letting me regain vision.

Having done what needed to be done, I felt myself relax a bit more, Uncle Black suddenly kneeling in front of me, holding both my hands while his eyes were on the level of my own.

[See, it's not that scary, and even if it was, haven't you just proven that you can still do it? I am proud of you.] Uncle Black said in dragon-tongue, his voice somewhat more smooth in comparison to when he talks in the human-language.

Still, having been told that by Uncle Black, I felt some tears stream down my face as I hug Uncle Black. Yet as Uncle Black returned the hug, he continued to speak.

[You have done well. Over time you will learn how to face it yourself, and until then, I will be glad to help you out whenever necessary. Of course, the same goes for you three too.] Towards those words I cried, Uncle Black taking it in strides while Mom and the girls watched us with warm eyes.

Actually, Uncle Black's last sentence was aimed at the girls, whom then nodded shyly in reaction to his soft gaze.

Later I would find out that the three girls also had trouble conquering their fear, yet as I am the only person with energy that can manipulate the essence of others, I was the only one who could do this.

Afterward, having gone through this, it was Saria who picked up the egg and essence and brought it out of the room, probably understanding that it still made the girls and me very nervous.

As a result, I learned for the very first time what it means to face fear directly like this. It was scary, uncomfortable and nerve-wrecking, yet I also felt good once it was over, as though a weight on my heart was lifted.

In the end and after those events, I spent time with Mom and Uncle Black, as well as Saria and the girls. We even pulled forth one of the board-games Anna and I recreated, trying to convince everyone to play with us.

However, Uncle Black refused at first, saying that playing games wasn't really his thing, yet in the end, we still managed to make him play along, only for him to be the one whose the most invested by the end.

During the game, we often talked about smaller topics, such as Anna and Alice questioning the reason why they couldn't learn the dragon-tongue from Uncle Black. As a result, Uncle Black gave them an easy sentence of three words they should try to repeat, intending to show them why.

Listening in, Anna and Alice tried to pronounce the words 'I love you' in the dragon-tongue. I don't know if it is just because they are rather simple and easy that Uncle Black chose them, or because he is trying to troll them.

However, every time they spoke, the result was abhorrently wrong, the words coming out completely crooked or even indistinguishable from one another, as though they tried saying the same word again and again. This time even I was curious, as I had no trouble speaking the dragon-tongue, and I learn more complicated words sometimes and even those don't make me trouble. So why do Anna and Alice fail with such simple ones?

Looking up at Uncle Black, he begins his explanation while throwing the dice and moving his figure forward three steps.

“The reason the dragon-language is so hard to learn if not near impossible is because someone needs to use their mana and normal voice simultaneously and on the same wavelength, otherwise it won't work. The reason even Arin, Sumi and Lumi can speak it is that it is an instinctual language to most ancient races. Every race's ancient tongue sounds different but can communicate with one another. Today it's just that the Fox-kin Ancient tongue is mostly gone outside the mountains, leaving the people to just call the Ancient-Language the dragon-tongue.”

Having finished speaking, Uncle Black moved his figure to jump over my own, leaving him with a grin as he placed mine back into the starting-spot. “And that's why most dragons also learn the human-language of the northern countries in order to be able to communicate with most races near the mountains.”

Now sitting calmly with a victorious grin on his face, he looked at everyone, waiting for his victory. Uncle Black had extreme luck during this round, allowing him to have three figures of his already in the end-position, leaving only the last one which needed only a few more steps to the end.

Besides that, however, Anna and Alice were feeling down, and not because of the game. Additionally, I was also shocked, only now finding out that there were such differences in the Ancient Language or the fact that it is even called as such.

On the other hand, I am a bit angry at Uncle Black right now for pulling me out of the round like that, it's not fair!

Pleadingly I look over at Anna who has the best chance of stopping this, as one of her figures was close to Uncle Black's one.

“You can do it!” I whisper as she throws the dice. The result, a clear three, just one point behind what we needed!

Seeing this, Uncle Black's grin got even wider, feeling victory already in his grasp, I can tell. Yet before it's his turn again, Sumi throws the dice. The result: Special action. Thinking for a moment, she then moves her own figure and exchanges her position with Uncle Black's one.

“There!” She said with a smile on her face, while Uncle Black's expression crumbled.

“No, I was so close!” He nearly yelled, devastated at Sumi's clever move. All those still in the game let out a relieved sigh as the game continued. Sadly, I was already out, so I could only continue to watch.

In the end though, and after several close calls between the ones still competing, Uncle Black managed to grab onto victory, barely...

And like this, a wild but nice day came to an end, my mood restored a bit and even the girls feeling better.

Actually, after dinner, I felt motivated again, so I went through the stances Uncle Black taught me, focusing more on the specific steps in order to not to shoot off another attack like back on the ship. Sumi, on the other hand, shot a few arrows towards a distant target. I think her range increases every time I see it.

Furthermore, Alice and Anna were also training, mostly deploying their domain while trying to move and react to small rocks that Saria threw at them. It was crude training, but Saria was at least not throwing the rocks at high-speed, trying to prevent injuries, and more just letting them get a feel for it. Honestly, it feels good seeing someone else struggling with rocks thrown at them, even if not as extreme as in my own training.

Afterward, I freshened up and went to bed.

As for the next day, it was decided that our small group will visit the farm of the older prince in the morning, and in the afternoon the laboratory of the younger prince. The reason was simple, we should try to convince them, yet I wasn't sure we could.

Well, there were still some things to be finished before we could leave. Though, I hope that at least the rest of our stay here would be comfortable, and not filled with more mad killer-birds.

For now though, having a yawn escape me, I close my eyes for today. Good night.