"Sudden recklessness..."
Maleficent carefully preened the glossy feathers of a raven perched on her arm. She lifted her head in contemplation, plucked a single feather from the bird, and unfurled it between her hands. The feather transformed instantly into a leather-bound book.
Sterling, who had been practising controlling two swirling fireballs of magical flame, hurried over to examine it. The cover appeared peculiar, seemingly crafted from interlocking scales that shimmered in the dim light.
Written across it in gleaming golden ink were four large characters: "Heart of the Hero".
Maleficent regarded Sterling with a complex expression before handing him the book and settling back into her high-backed chair, massaging her temples with obvious discomfort.
As Sterling opened the book, a deafening dragon's roar exploded from the pages, violently blowing his hair in all directions.
"In facing dragons, their magic-resistant scales render the vast majority of spells nothing more than laughable parlour tricks."
Inside was a vivid illustration of a wizard being bitten clean in half by massive dragon jaws.
"The villagers, paralysed by terror, rarely seek aid from great wizards when confronted by these beasts. Instead, they foolishly turn to the king's knights, whose soft swords and blades cannot even cut through a dragon's eyelashes."
"It is well known that all true dragon slayers are great wizards, but the ignorant villagers mistake the magic those wizards employ for the knights' mundane weapons. This magic is known as the 'Heart of the Hero'. Now, I shall teach it to you, the one currently reading this tome."
What followed was a series of deliberately vague magical descriptions involving heroic deeds like "Rescuing ten innocent souls from burning homes" or "Offering warmth to starving, shivering children." These were common themes found throughout dream world magical texts.
On the final page, the author had signed the name "Siegfried" in flowing, elegant script.
"Is this some sort of specialised dragon-slaying magic?" Sterling asked Maleficent. Nearly every example of power detailed within the book involved dragons. For instance, the basic initiation test was the ability to slay a vicious dragon only one month old.
Indeed, to actually slay one.
This magic condensed raw magical power into physical cold weapons. It wasn't limited to swords either. Spears, shields, or any weapon imaginable were all possible manifestations.
"Not entirely," Maleficent replied with obvious disdain in her voice.
"Killing dragons represents the most common application, and besides direct intervention by archmages, it remains the only magic capable of slaying an adult dragon. But Siegfried didn't name it 'Dragon Slayer Magic' without good reason. That means its most crucial purpose lies elsewhere entirely."
At the mention of Siegfried's name, Maleficent's expression darkened as if recalling something deeply unpleasant.
"Actually, if you examine it closely, you'll discover it is fundamentally magic designed for the weak to triumph over the strong."
"Don't focus obsessively on the physical form the magic takes. Many spells manifest as tangible shapes. But only the weapons Siegfried's magic conjures can effortlessly cleave through dragon bones. That represents its true strength."
Maleficent wielded a thorned vine, circling it meaningfully around the word "heart".
"Do you remember how I first taught you to summon magical flame?"
"Of course!" Sterling replied with complete confidence. "Extreme anger. When you desperately want to destroy everything before your eyes, the magical flame ignites naturally within your heart."
"Precisely correct. His magic operates on similar principles... Turn to page thirty-two."
There was a detailed illustration of a battle-worn hero rescuing a small girl from between a dragon's massive jaws.
"As long as you hold something precious to protect within your heart, then bravely face an enemy far superior to yourself, you'll discover that the moment you draw your wand, magic automatically converges to forge blades and swords for your use."
"And those once-fragile weapons can suddenly dispel powerful spells and slice cleanly through dragon bones... All of this transcends mere magic. It's your heart itself, the genuine Heart of the Hero."
"This represents the authentic method for learning this magic. The stories about saving those trapped in burning homes and warming orphaned children... all exist solely for cultivating that heroic heart."
Maleficent returned the book to its raven feather form and vigorously wiped her hands with a silk handkerchief.
She truly despised discussing this particular subject.
This reaction was completely understandable. Maleficent was the Dragon Witch. Once transformed, she became a mighty dragon herself. How could she possibly favour magic specifically designed to slay creatures like herself?
Still, Sterling didn't fully understand the connection.
"Does this somehow relate to my current situation?"
Maleficent nodded gravely, her brows knitting together with concern.
"Your current condition perfectly matches the typical performance of someone just beginning to practice Heart of the Hero magic... The one thing that confirmed this diagnosis for me was the intensely annoying sensation I experienced when looking at you earlier."
That final comment was probably the crucial clue.
Sterling had noticed how throughout the entire day, Maleficent had been directing his magical practice with hardly a single word of casual conversation.
"But I haven't consciously studied this magic yet?"
"This particular magic is one of thirteen spells officially recognised by the Queen herself. It can awaken spontaneously in dream world residents... It's genuinely strange that yours manifested autonomously in this manner."
"The Queen?" Sterling immediately seized upon this first mention of a mysterious figure.
"She serves as the temporary ruler of our dream world," Maleficent explained curtly. "Don't even consider attempting to find her. At least, not until you can stand as an equal against me in battle."