Wyvern of the Wind

A Soldier's Conception

"Attention!" Bezaeel's loud voice boomed in the halls. Every young dragon in that room immediately stood up, their young shrill voices yelled out a firm "Yes sir!" in response. 

The feathered wyvern stood behind Adonia, startled by the sheer volume of the elder dragon's voice.

I didn't think he'd be that loud...thought his pipes must've worn down by age...I guess some dragons are more like Tempest than I thought...

Bezaeel looked around at his students. Seeing how they were all attentive, he nodded his head in approval before asking them to sit back down.

He motioned to Adonia and Aether standing by the entrance of the room, beckoning them forward. Adonia dragged Aether to the front with her, biting her tongue so she would stay silent lest she was tempted to yell at the juniors whom she found to be a nuisance. 

Aether followed, tucked right behind her much larger frame and rougher exterior. Better hide behind a known yet hostile acquaintance than merely look at unknown strangers..., he thought.

Bezaeel then beckoned Aether forward.  Aether gulped down nervously and peeked from behind Adonia. The wyverness lightly shoved him forward. 

"Don't embarrass yourself, chicken." she whispered to him with an exaggerated glare from her pitch-black eyes. Aether felt himself tremble as he stood in front of everyone. Not even the sympathetic looks given by Bezaeel were comforting him. He glanced slightly at the ground, helpless against the wave of pupils probing at him like a dog relentlessly digging on the sands for any mice that could be found. He felt every single gaze bore into him like needles, every prick made his heart beat faster and faster. His tail twitched as he tried to hear Bezaeel give his short speech of introduction before feeling a gentle nudge on his back. Surprised he turned around and saw that Bezaeel was nudging him.

"Your name, little one?" he asked gently. Aether took a deep breath, steeling himself before responding as he turned his face to the crowd with his head slightly bent down from the anxiety prior.

"My name is Aether..." he said, praying that no one else could notice his voice crack. Bezaeel nodded and asked another question.

"Tell us more about yourself," he probed. "like..what you like to do in your spare time...your hobbies, I suppose.."

Aether took another deep breath. "I..like to read..I also like to draw."

"What do you usually draw?" Bezaeel asked.

"Mostly birds..and the like, I guess.." 

"What's your favorite book?" 

"Um..tesyepver qetnh 'el hervh..Little Bird on The Wind." Aether swore that he could hear someone in the crowd snicker as he answered. Bezaeel seemed to have heard as well because he sent a menacing glare in a certain direction before turning to face Aether again.

 "How old are you?" he asked gently. Aether could tell that this may be his last question for him.

"Currently...I'm sixteen." This response sent the crowd into laughter.

"Sixteen?! He's older than most of us!" one voice yelled.

"Has he ever been to school before?" another asked in a mocking voice. "I bet he eats mice and rats on the streets!"

 "Are those feathers even real? Is he even a real dragon?" another pointed out. 

"He looks so....off. I doubt that he is a dragon.." another sneered. 

The comments kept coming as Aether's head grew heavier and heavier, lowering until his snout sunk to the ground. Adonia clicked her tongue in annoyance as Bezaeel glared at every student in the room.