Storm Wolf: Tranquil waters - 47. Chapter 10 - Cirrus clouds 10.3

Having just gone through the ordeal with Master Sunflare, I really didn't feel like seeking out another dragon right away, but it seemed I had no choice, and breaking an appointment would be incredibly rude.

The sliding door panel displayed a default green light for clearance, so I let myself in.

If Master Sunflare's office resembled a lair, then Master Field's office was truly a lair.

It wasn't just my overactive imagination or some stereotype at play; there were gems scattered everywhere, cut in various ways, each refracting dazzling lights of different colors. The chaotic spectrum of colors made me feel slightly dizzy. If you looked carefully, you could even spot some uncut stones, still embedded in the raw crystals or metals they were originally a part of.

Among this overly vibrant and chaotic scene, there was a wafting... scent. I lifted my head and sniffed, noticing the source of the smell: a large glass jug on a table filled with dark brown liquid.

"Stand still. Don't resist. I don't want to waste more time." I hadn't noticed when he appeared, but my tail instantly shot up. "I said, don't move!" A consciousness circle enveloped me, and something cold began coursing over my body. It felt similar to a probing wave but more like the cold slithering of mercury, sinking into my spine... no, deeper this time, directly soaking into my soul, penetrating my essence.

I maintained my stance, shifting my eyes to glance at the dragon beside me.

He wasn't as tall as Master Sunflare, but he was about the same size as Qana. His tightly packed deep-brown scales didn't reflect much light, only dispersing to reveal a glimmering green around his eyes.

His pupils were spindle-shaped, like Master Sunflare's, but unlike Master Sunflare, he wasn't covered in spikes. Instead, behind each of his eyes, there were two horns curving back along the arc of his head. They weren't large, so they resembled raised ears, and their color was a shade lighter than his scales.

"Good. You have potential." I assumed this dragon must be Master Field. His voice was deeper than I expected, like grinding stone plates together. But most importantly, he didn't seem as strange as I had feared. "I enjoy carving raw stone."

I glanced at the scattered gems, unsure what to make of that statement.

At the same time, Master Field walked over to the glass jug, poured some of the liquid into a mug, and sat at a workbench, picking up a crystal about the size of my head to examine it.

"Why are you still here? The interview's over. I agree to be your mentor." After quite some time, he seemed to notice I was still standing in the room and asked with a tone full of confusion. I think I was starting to better understand the meaning behind the dragon's song-like language.

"Uh..." I scratched my ear, searching for the right words. "But I haven't decided if I want you..."

Master Field set down the crystal and the mug, exhaling a sharp breath through his nose.

"Fine. If you like playing this game, consider this a welcome bonus. I'll break my rule and spend a bit of time giving you your first 'guidance' lesson." He stood up and walked toward me. I was sure he hadn't seemed this tall just a moment ago. "Of all the cosmic truths I could teach you, the most important one is this: Don't waste my time!"

My tail automatically curled between my legs, and my ears flattened against my head without me being able to control them. I didn't mind lowering my posture before a more experienced elder, but the overwhelming pressure made me want to resist a bit. However, I suppressed the impulse, remembering what Qana once said: a qualified psychic should rise above that instinctual, insect-like reflex to defend itself.

"The bighorn sheep has no ability to guide you, so that's out. If you want to work with diamonds, without the right tools, you won't even be able to cut them, let alone carve. And even if Dawn gave you everything she knows, using psychic abilities to patch up bodies would be a complete mismatch for you, like trying to cut an emerald without using an Asscher cut." The dragon shuddered as if disgusted by the idea. Meanwhile, I caught sight of how a dragon rolls its eyes with its nictitating membrane.

Then, Master Field leaned down, bringing his snout close to mine, staring directly into my eyes with his emerald green ones. I could see the complex crystalline patterns spread across his irises. Beautiful.

"And if you truly have the potential I believe you do--trust me, my judgment is sharp--then there's no way you'd degrade yourself by allying with someone like Farsight." He paused for a moment, his pupils narrowing as if confirming something. "Unless, of course, you have an extreme desire for self-destruction. Otherwise, you wouldn't try to reject all of us. Because while you may be strong, you're not strong enough yet to take on everyone."

The dragon finished speaking and quietly stared at me as though waiting for a reply.

I couldn't find any flaws in Master Field's analysis, and I was fairly sure I didn't have a strong self-destructive impulse. So, I did the only logical thing.

"Yes, Master." I bowed my head and said it with the most submissive tone I could muster.

"I enjoy carving raw stone." The dragon stepped back and waved his hand at me, clearly indicating I had taken up too much of his time. "But I'm not sure if raw stone enjoys being carved." I tried to suppress the strange images that popped into my head but couldn't help glancing at the shattered fragments of raw stone on the ground. "Let's hope we both enjoy this process."

He returned to his workbench, took a large sip from the mug filled with that dark liquid, and focused back on his task, no longer paying me any attention. I could still smell that unique fragrance, wondering if it was some kind of product from Ceres.

I decided to act as if I had understood the first lesson and bowed as I took my leave. As the sliding door closed, some process Master Field was conducting caused a sharp scraping noise that pierced directly into my eardrums, making the fur on my body stand on end.

Trying not to let the ominous scene get to me, I smoothed my fur and made my way toward my final destination.

As the sliding doors parted and I stepped into the greenhouse, filled with plants and potted greenery, I was stunned for quite a while.

The various fragrances of the plants filled the entire room, along with the rich smell of the soil beneath my feet--yes, actual soil. I couldn't recognize any of the plants, whether they were growing in the ground, floating in water, or climbing up the walls. Some bore vibrant flowers, others had swollen branches, and some even had sharp thorns.

I think I liked the arrangement.

Glancing up at the transparent structure overhead, and seeing my shadow cast on the ground, I wondered if this was real sunlight.

I continued observing the window-like structures, trying to find some clues. However, before I could reach any conclusion, I heard a noise behind me. I quickly turned and greeted the newcomer.

"Richter." I gently pressed my paw to chest, lowered my ears and gaze, and bowed to introduce myself.

"Dawn Gray." The Master returned the gesture in kind, and I straightened up after she did.

Her pure gray fur and gray eyes were the standard appearance of the Gray faction.

"Thank you, Master, for your invitation. I'm grateful you're willing to meet with me, but I've already spoken with Master Field, and I've decided to choose him as my mentor." I didn't want to waste Master Dawn's time, so I explained the situation directly.

But the gray wolf casually waved her hand and walked deeper into the greenhouse. Unsure of what to do, I followed her.

"Do you like my little garden, Richter?" the Master asked, gesturing toward the nearby cluster of plants.

"It's... abundant, Master." I wasn't sure what to say and scratched my ear awkwardly. Her voice was so gentle... and oddly... familiar.

"What do you hope to build with your abilities, young wolf?" the Master asked, stopping to inspect a tall herbaceous plant with purple bell-shaped flowers at its top.

"I..." A strange warmth surged to my ears. "...I don't know." But I was sure it wasn't the kind of thing Master Sunflare wanted. "Something that could help everyone."

"Ah, so it's a legacy." The Master chuckled softly. "You're the type who enjoys leaving something grand behind."

The warmth in my ears intensified, and I lowered my gaze, embarrassed.

"I didn't invite you here to recruit you or for any other reason, so don't worry." The Master turned to me, looking into my eyes with her gray ones. "Choosing Field as your mentor is a very wise decision."

"Then..." It must be my imagination, but why do her ordinary gray eyes seem... "Why did you invite me, Master?" I drooped my snout and folded my right ear as I asked.

"One reason is that I wanted to show you this place, to show you what psychic abilities can be used for." She turned back and looked around the greenhouse. "These plants only exist here because I created them with my abilities."

I perked up in surprise, my mouth hanging open. Creating... life.

"Adapted for low-nitrogen environments, capable of growing in zero gravity, requiring no substrate, silicon-based plants..." The Master pointed to each one, explaining to me.

I followed her gaze, studying the unique plants in turn. The silicon-based plants looked incredibly shiny, almost like... crystals. I couldn't resist raising my hand, wanting to...

"Ow!" I yelped in pain, pulling my hand back to find a sizable cut on my fingertip.

"Forgot to warn you, the edges of the Eternal Flower are incredibly sharp." She chuckled and extended her right hand toward me, palm up.

I was a bit puzzled, but the Master gestured again. Once I understood, I hesitantly placed my injured paw in the gray wolf's palm.

"Good, this is just a superficial cut, so the interference from the existence circle won't be too strong." After saying that, the Master's gray eyes turned completely crimson, followed by a warm current enveloping my fingertip. "All done."

The warmth only lasted a moment, but a lingering sensation resonated within me. I could feel something deep inside me responding to the wave the gray wolf had just created. As that peculiar feeling faded, I realized the cut on my fingertip had healed, as if repaired by nanobots, leaving no trace behind.

I gazed at Master Dawn with uncontrollable admiration. This is... what I want...

I suddenly regretted agreeing so quickly to the eccentric dragon, even though his analysis had made sense earlier. But this... this...

"This is nearly impossible to use on others, so don't idolize it too much." The Master chuckled again. "It's only because our waves synchronized so easily that I could do it." The gray wolf shrugged. "Otherwise, as most people understand, applying psychic abilities to healing is pointless beyond theoretical discussions."

I lowered my ears in disappointment, but I took note of the Master's earlier statement--our waves synchronized easily.

I lifted my head, met her gray eyes, and opened my mind to feel our waves. Yes, just as the Master said, our waves weren't as similar as mine and Piqsirpoq's, but with careful comparison, I could still find matching frequencies.

Wh-why?

"And that brings us to the other reason I invited you here." As if she understood the question I hadn't asked aloud, the Master spoke slowly. "I wanted to see you."

It was like a jolt of electricity, freezing my muscles, almost causing me to spasm--if I hadn't been paralyzed already.

Master Dawn gently cupped my face, tilting her head, examining me closely with her gray eyes.

"I heard Qana trained you?" The Master's lips curled into a smile, slightly exposing the tips of her canines. "You have his jawline. I suppose that makes the guilt cut a little deeper." The gray wolf whispered, as if recalling distant memories.

What... are you talking about?

It took me a considerable effort to get my brain circuits working again.

The impact was like being hit by an asteroid.

I hadn't misunderstood, had I?

Didn't I just say something was biologically impossible?

"...But your ears, without a doubt, are inherited from Breeze." I hadn't heard the middle part of her sentence, only catching the second bombshell she dropped.

What?

"...Ah, I seem to have kept you too long." Master Dawn said, pulling me out of my blank thoughts.

How long had I been out of it?

"Although I'm not your mentor, it doesn't mean I can't teach you a few..." The Master tilted her head, thinking for a moment. "...tricks." She smiled at me and lightly patted my head, causing my ears to flatten immediately. "You're welcome to visit anytime, Richter." The gray wolf led me back to the door and saw me out. "There's plenty we can talk about."

The last image of Master Dawn saying goodbye, especially the hue in her gray eyes, lingered in my mind for a long time. It was... like the warmth of golden sunlight melting snow.

I gently rubbed my fingertips, still feeling that lingering warmth--it was... something flowing through my blood.

"Breeze..." I murmured softly, sensing a distant and hazy image beginning to take shape. "Breeze." I successfully spoke the name with determination, recalling the residual warmth on my head. "Breeze." Now that I had a name to call it, that concept suddenly felt less unfamiliar, less abstract, and more within reach.

As the warm tears uncontrollably slid down my cheeks, I felt like my place in the world had become just a little bit clearer.