Tales of The Mighty Dragonair

"So, eating this meat would grant me strength like what that heart did?" he asked.

"In theory yes, but the amount of energy in it isn't comparable to the heart you ate," Arthur replied.

"Then we need to eat hearts like that," Madly said, in an aggressive tone that was so childish to make Arthur laugh.

"Sure, I will make sure you all eat hearts like him," he simply replied.

"I recall you mentioned something about colors," Ouly suddenly said, as he rubbed his chin while recalling what were these colors, but he couldn't.

"That's a manifestation for special abilities," Arthur replied, without any further explanation.

"What abilities?" Ron asked, as he wanted to know.

"Abilities that are driven from your innate talents, let's take Madly for example," Arthur then pointed his finger to her, "her special ability is called mind control. During the fight with me back then, she managed to observe my moves and anticipate them. she also can communicate with other members in her team, giving them mental orders, arranging their positions and drifting plans according to circumstances in battle."

"Wow!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise and admiration, while Madly just raised her head up high while arrogantly muttering:

"I'm your leader, fools, surly I have a monstrous special talent."

Arthur just chuckled, before pouring cold water on top of her arrogant raised head, "You are mistaken, there is another one with the same talent as you, plus there is even one with much stronger talent than you two."

His words made her face change. If he was someone else, she wouldn't hesitate in teaching him a lesson in manners with her sword, but she knew even if all of her gang jumped up over him, they would eventually lose. So, she just swallowed the insult and said in dejected tone:

"Who are these two?"

Arthur didn't comment on her obvious discontent, but replied to her question by pointing out to the two he meant by saying:

"Drago and Tarry," he simply replied.

"Really?" Drago replied with surprise, as his short body bounced up and down from excitement. "What ability do I have?" he urgently asked.

"Mind control as Madly," Arthur replied, "As for you," he added while looking towards the bewildered Tarry, "your ability is quite unique, which reminds me of something important."

Arthur then moved as he looked around for something. After some time of keen search, he returned to the group with a flat piece of wood that wasn't regular, plus the skin of the monster he just killed.

"Are we going to eat the skin now? is it useful?" Lily asked, with uncertainty.

"No," Arthur simply replied, "I'm trying to make a shield here," he simply added, "Start some fire," he requested from the group as he put down the two objects before he went again looking for something that could be used as a glue.

Arthur didn't know if there were shields in this world or not, but the innate talent of Tarry would be wasted if he only used swords. He had to use a shield, as using the shield would disrupt the enemy's attacks, hurting him deeply, and rendering him vulnerable for the sword to claim his life or cause a deep wound.

Arthur had chosen this style for him, for now. if in the future he found a better thing for Tarry, then he would reconsider. After quite some time, he finally found something that was on top of a large rock nearby. It was dark in color, sticky in nature.

He used a branch from a nearby tree to collect it. it had a hard consistency, which made it difficult to be taken away from this rock. Arthur, once finished, returned to the group, finding the old fire was ignited again.

He didn't speak much, as he brought the piece of wood, started to shape it, roughly, using the sword they used to dissect the monster with. After he felt some content with the result, he went to the skin and started to cut it according to the size of the shield.

He did these in front of everyone, while feeling astonished, Ron was feeling shocked. He knew his master never had such talent, especially when he didn't know what he was doing, and for what.

Arthur kept cutting the monster skin layer upon layer, until he finally made five layers of the skin available to him. Once finished, he put the first layer on the wooden shield, then put the branch with the ball the size of a human head, directly on fire.

When he heard the sizzling sound of that strange lump, he moved the branch and started painting the shield with it. Then he put the skin over and stumped his foot many times until he felt satisfied.

He repeated the process again, and each time he finished gluing one more layer. Once finished, he used the sword to make a cut into the back of this hastily, ill made shield in his opinion, marvelous work in other's eyes.

Once done, there was a hand grip in the back, suited for Tally to pass his hand there and hold the shield firmly. Arthur swore silently he would seek a better shield, or make it himself with the craft knowledge he carried with him from his past life.

He handed the shield to the astonished, extremely delighted Tally. "Carry this shield in one hand, and the sword with another. Like this you can use your talent."

Tally grabbed the shield and played with it like a little boy. "What is my talent that requires using something precious like this?"

Arthur chuckled over Tally's words. "It's called an irresistible talent, it's a very handy, extremely precious talent. When we face a monster later, you will have a chance to test it out. Just use the shield to defend the opponent first, then follow with your sword strike."

Arthur then turned to look at the others as he said, directing his words to them, "from now on, Madly and Drago will be our leaders in any battle. You two will carry the toll of guiding us, discovering the opponent's weaknesses and strategies, his next move, pattern of attack, and you will have to guide us over the field, rearrange our places, order us to move, and most importantly tell us when to retreat."

Everyone was taken by what he said, as they never heard someone in this world speak like him, or use these strange arrangements in any fight. However, they knew how special Arthur was, how unique his eyesight was, and how lucky they were to be with an extraordinary person like him.

"What about you?" Madly asked, with a blush over her face. She once saw him as a nuisance, and now she felt gratitude to him, how weird it was for her.

"Me?" Arthur replied, "I will act as your ace, the one who will be able to do special attacks, relieve any pressure, save any life, and kill whoever you can't deal with."

He then looked around him, they stayed enough time here. it was time for them to move, as their training was just getting started.

"Let's move, follow me and keep your distances from each other. Be ready for any fight at any given time. Ouly," he then looked towards Ouly, who was sitting on his share of meat, eating it with extreme devotion and flushed face of excitement, "wrap what's left and eat it along the way."

Arthur then took the lead, with the advantage of his super senses, he was sure to spot any monster from far. They didn't walk for long, as after half hour of marching, chatting excitedly with one another, Arthur had to stop this little picnic as he raised his hand high, while ordering:

"There is another monster coming up our way.

Once he said it, he swore he felt a wave of heat coming forth from his team. It seemed they had acquired courage after opening their talents, with no fear at all from facing monsters, but eager to test their new powers.

Saying this wild spirit, Arthur decided to step aside, letting the space for them to test out their abilities. He retreated to the back while saying:

"As we agreed, Madly and Drago have the reign of leading you here."

"What about me?" Ouly, who was still eating his meat, enjoying the extravagant sense of each bite, asked.

Arthur glanced at him, with conflicted ideas in his mind. He didn't know what his talent would be, so he just replied:

"Try to use your daggers and kill the monster with them. After the fight, let's talk."

Ouly seemed doubtful, "Is there anything I should take note of?" he asked, as he didn't like this casual reply of Arthur, and didn't expect it.

"No," Arthur shook his head, as sometimes stress might mess things up, "just be natural and do your usual fight," he added, in a try to boast the poor youth's low moral.

Ouly just shook his head, as if he was disappointed, or shaking off any bad, distressing ideas from his mind, before he went up to join his mates. Arthur looked at them, marveling this little group of his, hoping to find more special talents here.

The monster that showed up was like a giant bear, moving slowly with its huge body, with each step the ground trembled and its body vibrated with it. Arthur felt some danger coming from that monster, as this one was somehow hard to deal with.

"Listen up, it's a slow monster, yet it has a hard skin, strong defenses, and very strong offense. Do anything, but don't get hit directly by it."

Arthur's warning words made the team, intoxicated in their new strength, return to reality. They thought they could kill any monster now, but the first monster to meet was something this powerful that even Arthur dreadfully treated it.

"Hold right there, this is my pick."