Talon's of Life and Death

4

*Trigger Warning: Explicit Language used*

~~~

"I hope you understand how tired I am."

We had been flying for hours, my legs were numb, my teeth were chattering and the shift in weather was a heavy burden. I missed the clouds, the sun was too bright, I wanted peace from the sun, a sun I wasn't used to.

"You won't let me forget." Nikos responds, he wasn't bitter, he just sounded bored. Not bored of flying, of me. Him and Flora have spent so much time on the backs of their Dragons, they were used to the pain, and the boredom, but to them this was also home. Earlier, he had explained to me how it would feel to be on the back of my Dragon, soaring in the air, it was intoxicating and you could never get enough of it. Of course, it couldn't go on forever, exhaustion could kill your Dragon if you weren't careful or cautious enough of how much you were pushing your Dragon and the connection holding you both together.

"Look ahead Sith Cylon!" Flora appears beside us, Zola was now level with Roan and Flora was peering at the ground with a smile on her face. I quickly scramble to look over Nikos' muscled shoulder. Grabbing his shoulders, I carefully lift myself up to see Palin come into view.

I gaze, lost in the marble and colours of the capital ahead. I was startled enough to see Dragons circling the city in the distance.

"Palin Academy lies beyond the mountain!" Nikos gestures to the large pile of rock looming over the capital of Palin.

"Why so far away from the city?" I ask as Zola and Roan descend further towards the mountain.

"It was just built that way. All sorts of creatures attend the Academy, not just Riders. In all truth, Riders are the lesser specie attending Palin." Nikos answers, his chocolate brown curls springing into my face. As we pass further away from the Capital and closer towards the other side of the mountain, any glimpse of a life bigger than my own, disappeared with it. "Don't worry!" Nikos yells over the sheering whistle of the wind. "You'll get to go one day!"

My lips lift but I don't dare answer. Maybe I came from Palin? My heart pangs dangerously, pushing away any sort of emotion. I sturdy myself in the saddle and wait.

Palin Academy was not what I expected, it was a castle. The peak almost reaches the tip of the mountain, and caressed in front of the castle was green, fields and fields of green. It was stunning, with a forest in the distance and its own little village just out front, it felt magical. Students were littered across the green, some carrying books and heading into various buildings, assuredly for their classes. None of them looked up. Why would they? They must be used to Dragons.

"The castle is the heart of the academy, where the dorms and everything are. But for Riders, we have our own building and section across the forest." Nikos exclaims over the rush of the wind. Sure enough, Roan and Zola swivelled their wings to the left and headed away from the castle and over the forest. In seconds another clearing appeared, a large arena like dome made of sand and stone marvelled below us. I managed to take a peak and noticed people inside the arena, fighting with weapons.

The knives at my hips glittered with anticipation, a chance to be used.

Behind the dome in the clearing beside the forest was a building, it looked like a grande mansion but behind it stood a much bigger structure. Fit to house Dragons of any size, made out of wood and possibly magic. But, it was empty.

Roan and Zola, as if on instinct, landed just outside the mansion. The ground was hollow, rocky and imbalanced. I could feel it as Roan righted himself when his paws touched the soil. The ground had been worn, time and time again by various kinds of Dragons.