It took a while to sort out different groups just because the majority were my children and like I figured, they all wanted to be with me, well I tested them by having them group up into teams of 4 and them challenge me or Sondar.
(I did it this way as a dual test, 1 for me, and 1 for Sondar.) I would fight them half heartedly for 5 minutes and for every 4 it seemed like atleast 2 were unfit or lacked the current strength to be a part of my team. But I told them afterwards that they still showed promise to be a part of the guard squad.
I made sure beforehand that Sondar was cool with this test in replacement of what he had planned and he agreed since he was just going to do the same. He was happy that I volunteered to fight because he was a bit worried about fighting my kids even though he made leaps and bounds in terms of power.
The other 2 groups had a decent group of people already as a few of my children who weren't fighting oriented showed healing potential and some even showed high speed brain functions aswell. I was happy to see that they were taking my advice and making their own decisions and becoming their own person.
Sondar came up to me and nudged me with he shoulder. "Hey what should we do about those 3?" He said as he nodded his head towards the 3 strongest of my children.
They stood there watching the others doing their tests but had not taken part in any of them. So I walked over and asked them.
"Hey guys, whatsup? Why haven't ya'll picked a group yet?"
Michael was the first to step up and speak. "Well because we figured we were already picked to be in your group dad." He had a look of certainty in his eyes but I had to unfortunately break that up.
"Oh man, Michael I'm sorry but like I told the others, You all will have to be tested to get a spot. Just because you 3 are my strongest doesn't mean you automatically get a spot. To be a part of my squad you have to have more than just power, you have to have teamwork and be able to strategize in the heat of the moment. Plus there's only 3 of you and I remember saying that everybody will be in a 4 man squad on their missions."
It was Adalinda's turn to speak up this time but she was pouting as she spoke. "But dad, Don't we deserve some kind of favoritism after all the hard work we did? I know it isn't fair but what we went through wasn't fair to us either."
Grayson spoke up and agreed. "Yea, plus I had to defend and fight against those giant bastards while you were away. I think I deserve something in return."
As they made valid points I was at a loss for words until Kitsoma walked up next to me and helped by saying. "Now, now just listen to your dad. How about this? You fight him just like every body else that applied and that way you guys can release your pent up aggression that every kid has towards their parents and at they same time show him how powerful and reliable you 3 have become?"
She smiled after she spoke and then she turned her head and looked behind them towards a corner of the base and spotted another Dragonant that was just sitting there looking down and not really caring about the world but looked sad at the same time. She walked over and sat down.
"Hey little one what's your name?" She asked and waited for a reply which took a few minutes.
The Dragonant finally looked up after me and the kids walked over.
Harper* looked over at the one looking down and sighed.
The Dragonant that just looked up sighed back before speaking.
"Hey Harper, Hey dad..... I'm sorry I'm not in line to join the others, I just don't feel in the mood after everything that's happened."
I squatted down and rubbed her scaly head. "it's ok baby I understand, I know this is a lot to take in but I need you to be strong for me ok? If you want why don't you join your siblings for a fight with me? It might make you feel better to have an way to focus all those feelings your having."
She looked back down and seemed to get lost in thought for a moment before responding. "Um... I'm not really a fighter, But I can manipulate mana like you do so maybe that could be useful for something?"
"Oh man are you kidding, that is the best thing to have for a fighter. You can do so much with it if you train that skill. But first you were one of the ones that didn't receive a name right?" I asked embarrassingly. I know that I didn't get around to naming all of my children which I feel so bad about but I was in a time crunch waiting for the next phase of feralness to overtake my mind.
"Yea I'm nameless right now, but if I join does that mean that I'll get a name?" She asked with hope in her eyes.
I looked at her for a moment to absorb the look in her eyes and smiled. "Ofcourse, As a matter of fact from now on your name will be Grace. How does that sound?"
Grace upon hearing her name smiled from ear to ear with happiness. "Oh, daddy thank you, thank you so much, I know you had a lot going on but I always hoped you would give me a name..... I just wished that my brothers and sisters were here to get names to." She said while tears of both sadness and happiness flowed from her eyes.
"I know Grace... I do aswell, I wish every second that I could have gotten there before your mother started killing them..... The weight of guilt will always be on my heart..... But do you think you can help me? I need the remaining Dragonants to get stronger and become the people that will never let those horrible acts of violence ever happen to us ever again. Do you think you can do that Grace?"
She stood up with the help of Kitsoma and when she did I was shocked as she wasn't standing on all fours like the others but instead had a bipedal form.
"Grace.... I don't remember any of your siblings walking on 2 legs? Did you always walk like this?" I asked in amazement.
"No, after everything happened and we came here I blacked out from the stressful situation and when I woke up my body just sort of instinctually started walking like this. It's almost like this was how I was supposed to walk since birth. Why do you ask, is it weird?" She said with a nervous expression.
"Oh gods no, as a matter of fact this is amazing. In my old world it was always thought that when my old species evolved from a species called apes. We gave up our quadripedal/bipedal form in exchange for complete bipedal form while also gaining finer motor control and a higher brain function. This just means that if your brothers and sisters can become like you than they can also become smarter and stronger as a result." I said with clear excitement and wonder on my face.
my brain was working overtime with the implications but then I got a slap to my arm before I looked over at Kitsoma who pouted at me and shook her head.
"You fool, you just told a girl that she was special and 1 of a kind, only to immediately tell her that you wanted others to be like her and thereby take away what makes her special.... Great move dad." She said while still shaking her head.
It clicked in my head as I looked over at Grace with a look of realization. "Ohhhh, Grace no, I didn't mean it like that, You are special and I so didn't want to ruin that for you I was just looking towards the future and wanted what was best for my kids. I'm so sorry honey please don't think that your not special." I said as I walked up and hugged her.
"It's ok dad, I know what you meant, and I want what's best for everyone to. But if you can, can you please let me be the only one like this? Atleast for a little bit? I know I'm not the strongest or even come close compared to Harper, Michael or Grayson, but with this I feel like I'm on the same level as them, even if for a completely different reason." She said with a hopeful smile.
I nodded and led her towards the makeshift arena with my arm around her shoulders and the others following behind us. "Ofcourse honey, you are totally special just like them... Now I think it's time you and your siblings team up and have a crack at your old man, How's that sound?"
I left them and stood at the other end of the arena while the 4 of them stood at the other side and talked amongst themselves for a minute. I could have easily used my powers to enhance my hearing and find out what they were planning but I decided not to and be surprised by whatever they came up with.
After a few minutes of them strategizing they all turned around and got into position. Grace and Harper were in the back while Michael was in the middle and Grayson was in the lead. I could see how they formed the group. Grayson was tank/aggro, while Michael was damage dealer and then the girls were either long range dealers or support. It was a good formation so I gave them points for that as I smiled and got ready.
"Are you ready for this? I'm going half speed but even then don't take me lightly." I said as I crouched down.
"Yea, yea old man I'll wipe the floor with you." Grayson said but with his fiery attitude I expected him saying something like that so I just laughed and after they all nodded I had Sondar count down.
"1.....2...3" And on the 3rd count I shot out a burst of fog at them from the start.
"AHH! Where is he? I can't see."
"I don't know just stay in position. Grace, use whatever magic you have to try and clear the smoke away. Harper figure out where he is coming from."
"Got it"
"Understood."
I could see clearly through my own smoke but still I was pleasantly surprised by their teamwork and by Michaels quick wittedness and leadership.
"I got him..... um.... he's just standing in front of us?" Harper said and I then noticed that her eyes seemed to glow a faint blue, I didn't really figure out their powers but I didn't expect her to have a ocular ability.
"Yea he's just standing there smiling at us."
"Got it.... Grace how's it coming with that clearing?"
"I'm still working on it.... Mana takes a little bit to focus and control." She said but then I appeared next to her in a split second.
"Well that's because Mana is pure magic. It's not tainted with the elements so in turn it takes more mental power to handle."
She screamed and the others turned to look at me.
"But... But how? He was just in front of us?" Harper said with clear confusion on her face.
"I seen this. He moved like that when he killed the royal guards. He has insane speed and can damn near teleport." Grayson said with a look of annoyance on his face.
"Actually it's the result of your old man training his skill to the limit and combining it with a skill called quick step. Well it evolved since then and is now called Spatial blink but it would allow me to quickly dash a short distance. It's good for when I need to quickly attack an opponent and surprise them. It has its pros and cons but in a speed battle it's a good tool to have. So I guess lesson 1. Don't underestimate your opponent."
I then smiled and quickly grabbed Grace by the hand and tripped her while guiding her body to the ground. "Your out honey, I'm sorry but I could feel the mana starting to bend to your will, if it wasn't for me interfering and having higher mana control you would have definitely succeeded. Congratulations you passed."
She smiled but was still upset as she walked off the arena floor.
"Now it's just you 3 I took out your artillery so now what should I do? Maybe take out your eyes and ears?" I said before flashing behind Harper.
"Or maybe I should take out the person responsible for defending?" Then I appeared behind Grayson. I was going to speak but then a fireball came from his mouth close to where I appeared at. I barely moved my head as that was all it took to dodge it but the heat was near unbearable as it passed my head.
"Hey you little shit. That was close." I said as I grinned at Grayson.
"Shut it old man. Your not hard to read, you appeared behind the girls so I figured you'd appear behind either me or Michael so I took a gamble and shot a fireball behind me."
I looked over at Michael to see he had turned to look behind him and saw that he had actually swiped his claws over an area that I had thought about flashing to.
"Well, well, well it looks like my strongest kids aren't called that for nothing. I give up I think you have what it takes to join my team. But I want you to take Grace and form the 1st team you'll be the ones to provide the examples to the rest and do your best got it? Welcome to the group."
Afterwards I walked up to face everybody that was finished being assigned into a group and saw that the fewest members were the item management group, but they had members who were quite intelligent and fast thinkers. The healing group had the second lowest but I didn't worry to much as they had 2 of the best healers I could ever be so lucky to meet. Next was my team, and again I wasn't worried as I knew that the ones who joined were taking a huge risk to their lives. Then finally the guard team was the biggest. I even saw Hannah and the twins in that team aswell.
"Ok, it looks like everybody is in their respective groups? Now for the fun part, We have to work our way back to the tunnel entrance while staying alert and fighting whatever may come. Sondar I want your team in front and leading the way. Me and mine will be the rear, Sylvania I want you and Kitsoma to stay in the middle and provide support to whichever group needs it ok? Lets move out."
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Author's note - I changed the name Adalinda to Harper.. I'll try and go back to edit if I remember.
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