"Do you feel any different?" Saphira's words echoed into Sona's soul and awakened the latent powers that were churning inside him. "Can you sense my feelings?" Saphira questioned as she took a step back. Sona paused for a moment and searched through his mind.
"This is..." Sona muttered and his body began to fall forward. 'There is so much information being projected into my mind. I can't process it fast enough.' Sona felt his mind and body grow heavy. "Master," Sona managed to speak as he collapsed into her waiting arms.
"I know, Sona. I have over 3,000 years of memories that are being poured into your mind and soul. It will feel like you have lived dozens of lifetimes. Just close your eyes. Let your mind wander in my memories," She tried to guide him through the transfer. Saphira shifted her body so that she was now sitting on her knees. Carefully she laid her students head into her lap while she stroked the top of his head, running her fingers through his hair. 'There is something different about you, Sona.' Saphira gazed down at the handsome man laying in her lap. 'Fiery red hair, with one matching eye, and the other green. You are very unique for a human.' She smiled softly and leaned her head down. Her strawberry blonde hair masking both Sona's face and her own. Underneath the cover of her hair, she kissed the lips of her sleeping student.
Sona awoke an hour or so later, his head still resting on Saphira's lap. Her head hung down low, close to his face. He could hear faint breaths coming from her lips. 'Did she fall asleep watching over me?' He was thankful she was asleep for now. This was a new feeling for him and he didn't want it to end. For the time being, Sona merely laid still as he watched her sleep. 'She spoke of my life in my world. Does that mean she has my memories? That's not embarrassing or anything. I was a total loser in my last life.' He thought to himself and sighed silently. 'Wait. Would that mean I possess her memories? She said it would feel like I lived a dozen lifetimes.' Sona searched his mind as he closed his eyes again.
After minutes of searching his mind, he finally found something lurking at the corner. It was a small, white flame that seemed to grow larger with each passing second. The flame soon enveloped Sona's conscious mind, and when he awoke, he was alone in a strange city. "Where am I?" His face showed clear confusion as he started walking around the city. "Saphira? Saphira!" He shouted the name of his teacher several times but was greeted with silence. He thought it best to ask some nearby people for help.
"Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" The people in front of him seemed to ignore his question. "I said, excuse me, I'm looking for someone to help me. Where can I find Saphira?" He tried asking louder but was still ignored. Hesitantly, he reached his hand out to touch these people. His hand moved through the people in front of him. 'This isn't real? Is this one of her memories?' Sona decided to walk around and look for Saphira since nobody here could help him. The village Sona found himself in was small and looked to be a very poor village. Several people sat along the main road begging for food or money. They were mostly ignored by Sona, except for a couple of kids down a back alley.
"Stop it. Leave her alone. She's a monster," a little boys voice piped up.
"Yeah, if you keep messing with her she will kill us all," another voice filled in the silence.
"Shut up. Saphira is a wimp. Watch," Sona heard Saphira's name and immediately ran over to the group of kids.
He arrived in time to see the brat push a little girl on the ground. She had strawberry blonde hair and her eyes were changing colors. "Saphira! Leave her alone you brat!" Sona's anger erupted and he tried to swing at the little boy, but his fist went right through him. "Damn it!" He tried to swing at the boy again but to no avail.
"Sona," Saphira's voice could be heard and she appeared beside him. "It's okay. This is a distant memory for me. You can't alter the past in my dream, but, I'm glad to know you would have defended me," She continued as Sona looked over at her. "That anger you felt, let go of it before it consumes you. Anger leads to hate, hate leads to violence. You of all people should know where violence gets you," Saphira grabbed hold of Sona's hand before speaking again. "Come on. We know the transfer succeeded. Let's see if you can summon my power."
Sona's eyes opened again but this time they were back in the forest. He stood up slowly and Saphira rose to her feet shortly after him. "You must harness my magic to call forth the power of the Dragoon. Focus on my power. Feel it flowing through your body," Saphira instructed her student and she watched him search his soul.
'Find her power? Easy for her to say. This is all so new to me. I feel like my brain is going to be crushed from all this information.' He thought to himself. Saphira eyed him like a hawk as he stood there trying to draw out her power. When she noticed he wasn't focused, Saphira walked over and smacked the back of his head.
"Don't think, feel Sona. Some things can't be solved by relying on your brain alone. Fighting requires instinct and finesse. A sharp brain helps, but over analyzing every situation slows down your reflexes. Now, try again," Saphira instructed as Sona rubbed the back of his head. He nodded at her instructions and tried to blank his mind.
'Feel, don't think. Okay.' Sona inhaled deeply and held his breath for a moment before exhaling slowly. Deep inside his body, he felt a power calling out to him. 'There!' Sona mentally moved towards the origin of this power. His body started glowing a warm, white light the closer he grew to the source. 'This light feels warm and gentle.' He reached his hand out towards the light and grasped it gently in his hands. Saphira felt a power building up inside Sona and took a few steps back. Sona's body was enveloped by that warm light and Saphira had to cover her eyes as his body transformed.
He was now covered head to toe in white dragon scale armor. Giant pauldrons adorned the shoulders and the armor extended over his whole body. 'It can't be.' Saphira thought to herself as she peeked towards Sona. The armor on Sona's body was adorned in gold trimming and pure white. Several minutes had passed before the light started to go dim. Sona was now covered from his neck down in armor. "The White Dragoon! Sona, you truly are an exceptional man," Saphira was bursting with pride. Her student had been reborn as the Legendary White Dragoon. This power had not been seen in over a thousand years, but Sona somehow called forth this power. 'He must be the child the prophecy spoke of in legend.'
Sona opened his eyes slowly and looked down at his own body. "Whoa," Sona said excitedly and raised his hands to look at his armor. "It's surprisingly light. Master, did I succeed? Is this the power you wanted me to harness?" Sona started walking around in the new armor and even threw a few punches. Despite appearing bulky and heavy, the armor felt almost like a second skin. Sona looked to his Master and was shocked when she extended her claws and dashed at him. "Master?!" Sona dropped down into a defensive stance as she drew near.
Saphira dropped her arm down low and swiped upward towards Sona's face. 'Use what Master taught me. Instincts.' He quickly raised his right arm, now armored with dragon scales, and deflected her claws. 'Whoa. She really meant to harm me with that attack.' Sona thought as he was pushed back a few feet. Not giving him any time to rest, Saphira pulled out a spear and started stabbing towards Sona. Following his instincts, Sona put both arms up in front of his body and parried several attacks but Saphira was relentless. She landed several blows on his chest, but none of the attacks ever penetrated his armor. Sona ducked down low and dashed towards Saphira using his arms to protect his head. Saphira jumped back but she was too slow and Sona grabbed hold of her. He picked her up and slammed her on the ground. Taking advantage of his position, Sona grabbed both of Saphira's wrists and pinned her arms to the ground. "What the hell, Master? What's gotten into you?"
Saphira burst out into laughter and closed her eyes as she squirmed around under Sona's body. "That armor won't be penetrated by my claws alone, Sona. You were not in any real danger. I just wanted to test your reflexes and how you would fight using your armor. Your instincts are right on point, but..."
"But what?" Sona asked as his grip on her wrists loosened a little bit.
"Isn't it a little bold of you to pin your Master down and stay on top of her? I mean, if you want to do that we can always go to my room," Saphira said sheepishly and played the part of the innocent woman.
Sona was confused for a second and then it clicked. 'Shit!' He quickly jumped off Saphira and stumbled over his words trying to get an apology out.
"I was only teasing you, but my offer stands should you ever want to take me up on it," Saphira grinned mischievously and stuck her tongue out at Sona. She was still teasing him, but Sona got the feeling that if really asked her, she would really agree. This thought caused his face to turn beet red.
"Master, that's embarrassing. Should you really be saying that to your student?" He averted his gaze from her face. It wasn't that he didn't think she was beautiful. Hell, the thought crossed his mind once or twice if he was being honest.
"You are only my student for three years. What happens after you graduate does not concern any one else. Wouldn't you agree, Sona?" Saphira chuckled at how red he was getting from her teasing. "Now I will teach you how to dismiss and summon your armor in an instant."