Chapter 54 - Chapter 56 (1/2)

Gildarts had left the cliff side behind and he was walking inside the forest admiring the incredible feeling of power and tranquility this island gave off.

A mage naturally absorbed the magic particles in the air. This is how they evolve as mages and as they age, their capacity for holding magic increases and they get naturally stronger.

This island was a true paradise because of the sheer amount and quality of the magic particles in the air. This island had a constant connection with Dragon and his literal limitless amount of magic. This caused the magic on this island to become very pure and also very powerful.

If Gildarts wasn't Dragon's biological son, he wouldn't be able to reach the inner layers of the island. For two main reasons.

One was that the magic was so intense and in such huge amounts that his body wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of the magic particles.

The second reason was the beasts that lived on the island. To Dragon and Alora they weren't much trouble. But because they had lived and absorbed magic all this time, they had incredible strength and not many mages could defeat them alone. Especially the ones living beyond the mountain range, on the unsafe side of the island.

Gildarts had a inborn connection with this island so the magic here wouldn't slow him down like it would other normal mages. Still, it made him slightly slower then normal since he couldn't negate the effects of such dense magic completely.

He was walking along when he suddenly felt something lock onto him. It felt like two pair of eyes, and they were filled with nothing but evil intent and extreme hunger for blood.

He spun around and quickly tried to find the source of this killing intent. But he came up empty. He couldn't locate it so he stood still in place and decided to wait for the one responsible to show themselves.

*rustle*

The bushes behind him moved and Gildarts quickly turned around and prepared to face the opposition. He didn't expect this to be easy, but what he saw both excited him and scared him.

A giant tigers paw showed itself and then from that one paw, the rest of it's body soon appeared. Now in front of him stood a 6 meters tall tiger and it glared at Gildarts with eyes filled of blood lust.

The tiger lowered it's body and got into a stance ready to pounce on Gildarts at any moment. He raised his arms into a basic fighting stance. And the tiger took that as an invitation to attack because it launched itself towards Gildarts.

”Let's go!” The tiger ran at Gildarts and swiped his paw that was as big as Gildarts himself. He raised his arms and defended against the swipe. Gildarts didn't have enough physical strength and he got sent flying into a tree a ways away from the tiger.

”That hurt, you overgrown kitten.” Gildarts wiped some blood away from his lips and stared at the tiger. They both ran at each other at full speed. Gildarts suddenly stopped when they closed in and slammed both hands on the ground.

”HAH” The ground exploded and almost like a ground tsunami approached the tiger from the front. It's oddly intelligent-looking eyes flashed with clear intent and the tiger jumped high up in the air so that the attack passed by below him.

The tiger saw Gildarts still with his on the ground and it opened it's mouth quickly. The tiger gave a loud roar and together with it came a white-coloured thin beam that approached Gildarts at high speed.

”SHIT!” Gildarts used his crush magic and punched the incoming beam that he could just barely follow with his eyes.

*BOOM*

The two attacks clashed in mid-air and thanks to his crush magic his hands didn't get hurt but both himself and the tiger got flung back from the clash between their attacks. Gildarts crashed into a tree and the tiger was thrown through one.

”That hurts a lot.” Gildarts stood up and shook his head and quickly looked around for the tiger that also got thrown away. It didn't take long for the tiger to come out from behind a tree and blood was visible on it's body.

”Not so tough, are you kitten?” Gildarts said and smirked.

”Arrogant human!” The tigers mouth opened in one single motion, but two full words left it.

”WHAT!? YOU CAN SPEAK?” Gildarts almost fell backwards from shock. He had no idea animals could speak.

”Ignorant human. Prepare to become food.” The tiger started running and it shook the ground with each step it took. Gildarts slapped himself and snapped out from his trance.

”Okay, I'll deal with that later.” He ran and jumped up in the air. The tiger saw it and jumped as well. Another beam escaped it's mouth and Gildarts tilted his body so that the attack could pass him. Gildarts and the tiger approached each other and Gildarts used crush magic and punched the tiger that met his fist with it's own paw.

*BOOM*

Another explosion, but it wasn't s powerful as the last one so Gildarts managed to stay up and he delivered another punch to the tiger that sent it crashing down into the ground. Gildarts used Crush magic so the tiger was badly damaged by the punch.

”Don't get up! I have questions.” Gildarts said and landed on top the tigers back and smiled in victory. He felt the tiger try to move and quickly used some magic and delivered another punch on it's back. The tiger got buried deeper in the ground and at the same time it roared in pain and anger.

”I said i have questions. I know that you can understand me.”

”What do you want, despicable human.” The tiger muttered in obvious pain.

”First of all. How do you know i am a human? Are there others here or have you left the island before?” Gildarts sat down on it's back, much to the tigers annoyance and anger. Sitting on it's back was a clear hit to it's pride.

”Most of us are more intelligent than the average adult human. We know more about the world then most.” The tiger answered knowing that if it wanted to survive, he had to answer.

”Wow! Really? How are you so smart?” Gildarts asked excitedly.

”The magic here on god's island is many times better then anywhere else. The magic here have mysterious effects. It caused us all to evolve in one way or another.” Gildarts eyes became round.

”God's island? is that what you call this island?” In all the legends and rumors about this place, it never said anything about talking animals or a god.

”Do you see the mountain there in the distance?” The tiger said and used it's paw to point north.

”The tallest one?” Gildarts asked because that mountain was also his destination. He thought it looked like a place where the powerful would live.

”Yes! That's where the creator of this island lives. Our god. The one who gave us what we have today.” The tiger had pretty much calmed down, but you could still hear anger and annoyance when it spoke. It didn't like having a human on it's back.

”The creator? He lives there? Are you sure?” The boy smiled like a fool. He had finally confirmed where he would find his dad.

”Of course I'm sure. Everyone knows that. Even the island overlords stay away from that place.” The tiger's tone changed to one of fright instead of anger and annoyance.

”This island has things like overlords? Who are they?”

”Dragons. A couple dragons that each control a portion of this island. On that mountain lives the strongest overlord, Alora. She works for the creator himself. She is the only one that has seen him.” Gildarts thought he could hear jealousy in the Tigers voice.