The ashes before Strife

Episode 16 : school ceremony ; 1

"Kai!" Katie jumped out of her seat giving me a big hug catching me off guard while Alma waved nonchalantly

"good morning prince Kai."

Katie pulled herself off me and quickly sat down appearing to be happier than ever "I was just telling Alma about how I met the partner of incursik on my way here! You wanna know too?"

I took a seat beside her making it obvious by my face I was surprised by this. "Really? How did you two meet?"

"He came shooting down from the sky like a meteor! And when he crashed his circuits were ruptured but he was still able to walk as if it was nothing!" I looked to Alma questioning if she was told this as well and when she noticed I was looking at her she nodded "he also had three special tames. One was a wolf which is called Lupra! She's beautiful and elegant almost like a princess of the beast world! It wouldn't surprise me if she turned out to be some sort of mythical beast!"

There was a luster in her eyes I had never seen before unnerving me while alma sighed, tired of hearing this again no doubt. "What about the other two?" I asked desperately

Katie snapped out of her monologue on the wolf and grumbled before she started talking again "fine. He also has a strange wooden golem with a violet core at its center. My court magician said it could have been a completely new species of spirit but he wasn't certain."

"Somehow it doesn't surprise me that the partner of the infamous Incursik has the most majestic wolf in existence and a new species of spirit," Alma spoke solemnly not showing any emotion making me question the supposed compliment.

"I know right? He also has this weird black lizard with silver horns that could tackle down my court magician as if he was just cattle!" This caught us both by surprise "I think it might have been a mutated drake. It had the appearance of a draconic species but it was too skinny."

"I heard that Incursik took the egg of the dragon he killed. Maybe it's the same thing?" Katie and Alma pondered my suggestion contemplating it "but I've also been told that its possible to create artificial life with alchemy." The two caught on to what I was saying but Katie busted out laughing at me while Alma hid a quiet giggle.

"Hahaha! As if that's even possible! We all know alchemy's only use is in rune carving and potions!" Katie's loud laughter brought a few eyes onto us from the other nobles keeping distance from us occupying the other seats.

They all had distasteful impressions of us since we all chose to stay outside the factions of children within the school not wanting to accidentally start international complications. But with the appearance of the dragon slayer's partner, I fear what would happen if he joined one of the many factions even if he isn't a noble. The school would undergo a massive change no doubt.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to give him any warnings since I doubt he will want anything to do with royals just like Incursik. I can only hope he's a private man.

The sound of claws striking into stone quietly echoed on the other side of the banister's wall and the same black lizard I saw resting on that boy's head poked its head over staring into the three of us before bringing up the rest of its body  "Thorn!"

Katie got up from her seat and immediately began petting the strange lizard looking at us with a happy smile "this is the lizard I was just talking about!" The lizard squawked slightly, moving away from Katie's hand then jumped onto her head, and not knowing how to react to the black lizard's claw stroking her ear Katie froze.

At least she's quiet now, the lizard looked into me unnervingly with its crimson eyes that seemed to demand violence then turned away from me looking at Alma who was also staring at it curiously. It obviously held intelligence and just like Katie said earlier it's definitely some sort of dragon but I've never seen anything like it in a book before.

The strange dragon lifted its forelegs up standing upright on both its hind legs and let out a short breath of crimson flames to us both. Its forelegs then burst into crimson flames turning into wide wings as it jumped off Katie's head gliding down to the area below.

"That was... oddly intense." Letting out a breath I relaxed my tense figure. As the dragon left my eyesight I turned to see Alma filled with fear while Katie made sure nothing was missing from her ears. "Are you okay Alma? Did the little thing freak you out that much?"

Pulling herself out of her stupor Alma shook her head "I'll be fine. I tried looking into it with my aspect but was denied right after catching a glimpse. Not as if it didn't have a soul but as if it was too powerful and old for me to see."

Alma had a unique aspect called soul gazer. It allows her to see the color and form a person's aura takes which can also show their strength level and emotional state.

For her to see nothing though the creature would have to either be incredibly old or platinum level in strength. A bead of sweat ran down my face as I wondered how strong you would have to be to tame such a creature "what could you see before it did disappear?"

There was a tinge of fear mixed into the usually emotionless princess as she spoke "A shifting bird made of shadows wearing a crown made of silver fire."

Before I could even begin to question her on what this meant a single loud clap echoed through the auditorium silencing the children and students in the room dragging my attention to the blond elf standing in the center of the stage wearing a green robe with a golden shield around a wheat field

"greetings students both new and old! I am headmaster Weaver!"