Steven opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of a raging inferno.

  “Steven”, a familiar voice called out for him. Steven then turned towards it only for his eyes to widen in shock upon seeing who it.

  “Susan”, Steven spoke as he glanced at his sister who stood by the corner away from him and the raging flames that surrounded looking at him, their gazes filled with nothing but terror. Steven then took a step closer to her causing her to flinch and shift further back into the corner.

  “Stay back”, said Susan, her gaze filled with fear.

  “What’s wrong?” Steven asked as took another forward.

  “I said stay back Steven”, Susan with even more fear emanating from her voice.

  “Susan what’s...”Steven paused, noticing his hand as he stretched out to her with his eyes widening in shock and dread upon seeing that it, along with the rest of his entire body, was engulfed in flames.

  Steven then shifted his gaze to the raging inferno that surrounded him with it now dawning on him that was the source of its raging flames.

  “What’s going on?” Steven asked as he took another step to his sister, causing her to back away once more as the flames followed him.

  “Stay back Steven”, Susan spoke once more, gesturing for him to stay away from them.

  Steven then looked at Susan, seeing how she looked at him with tears in her eyes and fear in heart as if he was some kind of a monster.

  “Susan”, he called out to her softly as he stretched out his hand to them, his family, ones he who he wanted to grow strong for, to protect, the flames followed. Stretching out of the inferno, and engulf her along within it.

  “NOOOOOO!!!!!!!” Steven yelled as he got out of bed.

  Panting and out of breath with his heart racing and pounding from within his chest, Steven took in a deep calming breath and then let go.

  “It was just a dream”, he mumbled to himself as he let out a sigh of relief.

  He then heard a dragon’s roar coming from outside. He then let out a tired sigh before making his was out of bed and to the window. Looking out through it he saw a group of dragon warriors flying off in to bright blue sky of the new on their dragons with each of them wearing armor with that bore the crust of the golden dragon. Spotting a familiar fire and water dragon pair leaving with them, Steven just let out a sigh before leaving the window.

  Opening his room door and stepping.

  “Steven, are you awake”, a chirpy and cheery Susan greeted him enthusiastically with a bright smile on her face but he just walked past her.

  “Er...Steven, where are you going?” asked Susan.

  Steven then looked at her, seeing her sweet and innocent face as she greeted him with a warm smile before flames began to appear, engulf both and her smile. Steven then took a breath, snapping out his nightmares and back into reality before turning away from Susan once more.

  “Out”, Steven spoke in a somewhat cold tone as he made his way to the door.

  “Aren’t you going to have breakfast, mom prepared something for us before she and dad left”, said Susan.

  “I’m not hungry” Steven replied coldly before walking out the door.

  Susan, upon watching him, just let out a sad sigh.

  Steven made his way to the forest, making sure not to venture deep, recalling what happened that night along the beast that attacked both him and his father, not wanting to have to run into another beast like that again. Steven stopped once he reached an open field filled with nothing but short grass and a few wild shrubs.

  Steven then heard rustling from one of the surrounding bushes, causing him to shift his gaze towards it, thinking that there was someone or something might be spying on him. He, knowing that he hadn’t ventured out too deep in the too stumble across one on of the many wild beasts roamed about through the forest, couldn’t help but approach the rustling bush with caution, recalling the beast from that night. Conjuring up a flame on one of his arms, slowly made his way to the bushes ready to strike down whatever it hiding behind them.

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  Then, just as he was about to reach the bushes with the flames on hand ready to burn whatever came rushing out of bushes, a group of small squirrels scurried off, out of the bushes. Steven them let out sigh out of relieve as the flame on his arm died down, thankful they just squirrels not a wild beast.

  Steven shifted his attention away from the bushes, recalling why he had chosen to come to the forest in the first place. Conjuring up a fireball and then proceeding to hurl it straight to one of the nearby shrubs. Steven watching as the shrub burned recalled what happened during his nightmares. The raging inferno that surrounded him and Susan, and how she was engulfed by the flames.

  Steven then took in a deep breath and then let go before focusing on flame, watching as it flicker and twirled about in the wind. He then stretched out his hand and took in another breath before letting go once more. The flames then, following his rose and fall. He then took another and then let, and followed, rising and falling as inhaled and released his breath. He then took another with the flames still following, then another, and other, with the flames still following. Steven took a final breath, closing his eyes shut, his hands still stretched out to the flame. Feeling the heat and warmth of the flame as it rose with his inhale before releasing his breath.

  Steven then heard the sound of a door slam shut only for him to open eyes and himself back home in front of the shut doors. He heard come from right outside the window followed with the dark silhouette of the shadow of his parent’s dragons as they rode away on them.

  “Mom, dad”, Steven cried before rushing straight to the door, grabbing the handle and tried to open it but the very moment his hands made contact with the door it burst into flames sending Steven flying straight to the ground igniting as well the moment he crashed onto the ground.

  Steven then looked around him, and saw not but the glowing red infernal flames that surrounded, threating to engulf him.

  “Your flames can burn as bright as the sun but if you lack control it will just burn and consume everything including you”

  “Steven”, a familiar voice echoed through the flames before he felt a wave of water wash over him.

  Steven then slowly opened his eyes and found himself, drenched and lying on the grass cover floor. He then slowly got up, wondering what happened and why he was soaked. Then out of nowhere Susan appeared and engulfed him in a tight hug.

  “I’m so glad that you’re okay”, Susan spoke as she embraced her dear brother but Steven gave no reply or response to her, instead he focused on the burnt and singe remains of the shrub he set ablaze, soaked and steaming with his flames having been quenched.

  Steven then pulled away from Susan’s embrace, an act that both took her aback and saddened her heart. She then watched as Steven worked past her and made his way to the shrub.

  “Were you the one that put out the flame?” Steven asked, his voice cold and void of almost all emotion.

  “Yes, I followed because I was worried about you and when I found you, you were staring at this burning shrub. I figured you were just training again and thought you would be mad if I interrupted you so I hid behind a few bushes and just watched. Then the flames grew and grew and almost…”Susan was cut off before could finish her sentence by Steven saying coldly, “You shouldn’t have put them out”.

  “What?” said Susan, shocked upon hearing him tell her that shouldn’t have put out the flames.

  “Did you hear me, the flames were growing. If I did put them out they might have spread throughout the forest and worse, hurt you”, said Susan.

  Steven’s eyes just widened upon hearing what Susan said before clenching his hands in to a tight fist out of frustration.

  “I’m a fire dragon warrior, the fire can’t hurt me”, said Steven with fury and rage building up within him, manifesting itself through his body’s rising heat.

  “So I was just supposed to watch as the flames consume you along with the rest of the forest”, said Susan, failing to notice the fumes of heat that surrounded Steven.

  Steven upon hearing what she said and with his gaze still fixed on the burnt shrub.

  “This is why you cannot join the join the guard Steven”

  His father’s words echoed in his mind as the events of that night replayed in his head.

  “Strength isn’t just about power but also control and that’s what you lack”

  His mind then trailed back that night, recall how his father once again said no to request to join the golden dragon, recalling the reason his father gave why he couldn’t join th guard was beause he laked proper control over his flames despite after he put in to mastering his flames. Steven looking at the burnt and scorched remains of the shrub he set ablaze, was remind about that day, reminded about how due to his lack of control over his flames he set a portion of the forest ablazing drawing the attetion of the beast, reminded of how helpless and power he felt when facing the beast, how his flame couldn’t even stratch its tough hide, remined of the look his father gave him after taking care of the beast and putting out the flames he caused, recall how despite all the work he had put in to his training and mastering his poweer he was still not strong enough, he wasn’t good enough and it made him angry and his blood begin to boil.

  “Steven”, Susan spoke with concern and worry etched in her voice as she was final able to feel the heated air coming from Steven.

  “Are you okay”, she spoke softly, her voice still laced with concern but this time with a slight hint of fear.

  She then slowly made her way toward him before reaching out a hand to grab hold of him but just as she was about reach him, his body erupted in flames, and before she knew it Susan found herself on the floor with the hand she used to grab hold singe and slightly burnt as she casted a fearful gaze Steven, who, as he stared back at her and seeing her hand, looked at his hands and saw the raging flames that surrounded his body, before shifting his gaze back, with eyes filled sadness, shame, and guilt before open his mouth to say with a trembling and shaking voice, “It was an accident…I’m sorry”