Some snarls and thumps sounded from the cell of the two dragons. Fia and Viliant circled one another. She tried to scamper away from his blunt attacks, but the close quarters gave her no place to run or hide. Viliant trounced her and inevitably pinned her for the umpteenth time.

"Ugh," Fia moaned. You're too big! I can't fight you without magic.

How will you manage against something like the leo medusa, then?

With fire! she shrieked in his head. Her legs were pressed into her body, and her belly against the cold ground.

Viliant kept his weight over her back. He hovered his head alongside hers, so that he could gaze at her with his jeering eyes. Try again.

Fia let out a high-pitched whine, characteristic to an angry lizard. How will you manage against a magical creature?

I already do just fine, Viliant said.

Then a little fire won't hurt you! Fia summoned a ball of fire.

Momentary fear flashed in Viliant's eyes, but he dodged to the side in the knick of time. The fireball sailed past him and burst against the wall. Viliant turned around to stare at the scorched bricks. Your temper's getting a bit out of hand. How about we take a break—?

No! Fia gathered a second fireball, larger this time. She spit it out faster.

To avoid this one, Viliant needed to dive and roll. This left him open to a brief attack. Fia pounced and snagged her claws around his neck.

Before she could proclaim her victory for this round, Viliant headbutted her. His large horns helped him gain leverage, and he threw her off.

Fia let her talons scratch grooves into the stony floor. In a low crouch, she prepared for Viliant to rush her again. Their claws clashed briefly. Both dragons successfully blocked each other's hits. Their serpentine bodies sprung apart and readied for the next bout.

You know, there's another way for you to unlock your magic! Fia said to him. Have you ever tried calling on your power during a real fight?

The energy isn't as strong out there as it is in here…. Viliant feinted one way, then turned the other and lashed her with his tail.

Fia jerked back. The sharp tip sliced by the thin scales on her face. If she had not moved in time, she swore Viliant would have just taken out her eye. Stunned momentarily, she was now the one vulnerable to attack. Viliant tackled her on her back and pinned her once more.

"Ah!" she screamed. Thrashing every which way, Fia could do nothing to escape short of a fireball to his face. Viliant was a lot bigger than Arenis, so the same techniques did not work on him. She was forced to relax under his weight and give up.

There, he spit. Are you happy? Still couldn't beat me, even with fire.

Only because I didn't wanna hurt you, Fia muttered. Before their sparring session, the dragons had agreed not to injure each other in the slightest. One bad scratch might compromise them in the next fight, since they could not count on the healer visiting them before then.

Viliant scoffed in her face. You weren't holding back. I'm holding back! More darkly, he said, You were out of control.

Sorry, Fia said sheepishly. I'm a fire dragon.

I'm aware. Viliant released her and shuffled over to the scorched wall. Already, he acted like he was done for the day when Fia was only getting started.

Her claws tapped eagerly across the ground as she approached him. You said the magical energy is stronger down here. Try calling on that power as we spar! Fia said. It might help if you fight—really fight—so you can be pushed past your limit.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster, Viliant replied. The healer only visits if we're injured. Neither of us are injured.

Fia pouted. A different week then?

Doubt tore up Viliant's pinched eyes. A different week, he confirmed.

***

It did not take long until one of them had gained a mild injury on competition day. The healer only addressed life-threatening wounds during the event itself. The rest, he tended to throughout the week whenever his mana reserves allowed it.

From the most recent fight, Viliant had a large gash struck across his breastplate. Even though the cut had scabbed over, it would rip open if he moved around too much. In Fia's eyes, these were the perfect conditions for them to spar.

For the past week, Fia had daydreamed about the Blazing Ritual. Her childhood friend, Arenis, claimed to have snuck up the mountain to watch his older brother partake in it, and he babbled ceaselessly about it for a full year.

All prospective warriors underwent a rite of passage, administered by the master of their element. The initiate must battle the master, close to the point of death, in hopes that they would unlock their final, ultimate spell and become a master in their own right. There were some cases where the participant died—either accidently, or they refused to yield when the master dismissed them. Those who survived and completed the ritual had new, destructive power at their command.

Of course, Fia did not want to take things that far, but she thought the pressures of a real fight might help Viliant uncover his magical potential. She started by spitting a fireball into his wounded chest.

The older dragon howled in pain. What was that for?

Fight me! Fia snarled gleefully and performed a new technique that she had been practicing. Her claws were enveloped in fire, and she swung them for Viliant's face.

He was forced to back off lest he wanted to get burned again. Swiftly, he tried to rush her from a new angle.

Fia flashed her fiery claw. This time, she spit another fireball at him when he tried to fade away.

Their dance continued. Fia refused to give up ground to Viliant, always trying to keep him at bay with her flames. Eventually, he decided that he must endure the heat if he was to land a hit on her.

They became a tumbling ball of wings and horns, scales and tails, as they wrestled each other across the ground. Fia's scratches dealt more damage onto Viliant, scorching his scales and burning the flesh beneath when she ripped through them. The tips of his claws pried desperately at her scales. Even when he pierced through them, he left only a scratch.

Alright, he said. I'll let you win—

Fia used this opportunity to level his favorite tactic against him; she clipped their telepathic link.

His face fell in a dumbfounded look of surprise. Then, he was forced to writhe in pain and yowl while her flaming claw pressed into the gash at his chest.

She was deliberately trying to put Viliant in pain when they had agreed not to bring each other harm. The swell of his anger thrummed in her mind. Viliant wanted to chastise her, but she had nothing to say to him besides, Sorry! This is for your own good.

I just want to rest—!

She was filled with a sense of vindication, ignoring his complaints for a change.

Viliant kicked her off with his superior strength and scampered to the other side of their cell. The fight went on with a new vein of desperation between the young dragons. Viliant just wanted her to knock it off, while Fia dared to push him harder than before. Her snapping jaws threatened to nip at his wings.

Viliant drew away and closed his eyes. Their dim cell suddenly turned darker. Even when Fia started a fire for some light, she could scarcely see an inch in front of her nose. The muffled tap of claws could be heard through the murk. Viliant was circling her. The subtle, auditory cues were the only thing that gave her any hint as to his location.

The shadows seemed to swirl in a slow-moving vortex. Out sprang Viliant. His extended claw was coated in a dark, purple energy which struck her in the back. The claws ripped up her scales and left a deep gash. The sinister energy passed through her body with that same momentum.

Her blood went cold all at once. The breath was stolen from Fia's chest. She fell straight to the ground and found Viliant looming over her. Rolling over onto her back, she extinguished her flames and yielded. Her vulnerable belly was exposed while she looked at Viliant's enraged face, upside down. A demure look settled across her eyes as she tried to calm her palpitating heart.

Their mental link was reestablished, and she cheered in his mind. Did you see what you just did? Look around you!

Viliant did so. His eyes slowly widened in a mixture of awe and horror at the swirling shadows. His wavering voice whispered, "No."

No? Why? Dejected, Fia felt like all her efforts had been for naught. For once in his life, Viliant was supposed to feel happy over something. He had just unveiled his element!

This is wrong, he insisted. I'm supposed to be a metal dragon.

Well, you're actually a shadow dragon. That's a powerful element! You should be happy!

Viliant shrunk into himself, wincing with his eyes squeezed shut as tight as they would go. I suppose… I should thank you. At least I have potential to become a strong shadow mage. A baleful glint entered his emerald eyes. Can you guess what energy empowers a shadow dragon?

The dark element must involve something equally sinister behind it. Pain? she asked. If that was the answer, she hoped it was not the pain of others. Fia backed up slowly, fearing that he might restart their fight with his newfound power.

Instead, Viliant folded his wings into himself. Quietly, he said two words in his own language and shared the meaning in her mind. "Misery and despair."