Burning Promise I a fourth wing ff

Parapet

1,2,3,4,5 I count all of the daggers hidden in various places on my body to make sure they're all there.Conscription day, the day i've been waiting for since the age of fifteen,the day I decided I would never be vulnerable ever again.It took two years to convince my parent to let me join the riders quadrants. I would have done it anyways,but i'd rather go with their blessings.Now five years later I only have dad,but he's all I need to get through this.Thankfully after moms disappearance he gave in and let me start training. All that training leading up to today, the day I either succeed and jump into the fire or fail and fall.

I walk out to meet my dad in the kitchen waiting for me with something wrapped in the leather at the table.

"Good morning"I smile trying to hide my nerves and sleeplessness.

"Good morning Sariah love" my dad responds.He reaches for the leather, unravels it and reveals a gorgeous red hilted sword and a dagger. "Forged them myself just for you"

I grab hold of the sword examining it and reflect the sunlight off of the blade.

"It's ... .gorgeous" I breathe out.

"Well it is my craftsmanship isn't it" he says teasing. "Now don't go falling off the Parapet I worked hard on these, it would be a shame if they went to waste."

I shoot him a look as he grabs the sword and fastens it onto my back.

"I don't plan to" I snap then grab the dagger attaching it onto my belt.

5 small daggers,one big dagger,and a sword. If I don't fall off the parapet I'll surely be able to defend myself against any cadets with murderous inclinations.

...

The bells rings in the courtyard and I feel the pit of my stomach drop.

"I love you Sari I know you'll be able to do it" dad says resting his forehead against mine."for mom"

"And for you" I add on.I look at him one more time knowing that for a year I wont know if he's okay or not and he wont know if im alive or not.I don't understand the point of cutting us off,but I know one thing for sure.He won't be called back here tomorrow to burn my things.Not tomorrow, not any day.

I step into line taking a deep breath.It starts here and it will not end here.The line continues to move as candidates begin to cross the parapet.I wonder how many will fall today,how many families will lose a beloved child today.

"Looks like it's going to rain by the time we get there" a boy behind me says.

I swivel my head to look at him and see a brown skinned dark haired man smiling at me.

"Well that's comforting" I snap at him thanking myself for wearing grippy boots."I hope your boots have good grip" I say.

"Of course they do,doesn't everyone know smooth soled boots mean certain death up there?" he asks, raising his eyebrows at me." Ridoc Gamlyn by the way."

"Sariah Eiran," I respond.

"Nice sword by the way," he quips.

"Thanks, my dad made it."

Before I even realise it we're almost at the parapet and the nausea hits me. The wind is howling and the rain is beating down now making this ten times harder than it would be. I might throw up on Ridoc. I hear some commotion up in front of us, but i'm too caught up in myself to hear any of it. Ridoc takes my shoulder and looks at me concerned.

"Hey you're okay, and if you're as badass as you look you'll make it across the parapet,"he assures me.

"Right,but I don't feel badass," I hum to ease the sickness boiling up in me.

"Name?" the senior cadet asks the boy in front of me.

"Jack Barlowe" he says before he walks out to the parapet.

Oh shit I'm next.

"Hey Ridoc, don't fall, you seem like a good person." I say to him before I walk up to the cadet.

"Sariah Eiran." I say before they ask. The cadet raises his eyebrows at me and motions for me to move on. Just as I step out to the parapet I see the Barlowe guy throw the boy in front of him off and speed up towards the girl with brown silver tipped hair.I hope he falls the fuck off so we dont have to deal with that motherfucker I think as I step up onto the parapet. I turn my focus away from the murderous asshole and reach my hands out to the side. I take my first step. Then the next. The wind whips around me moving the rain in all directions making it incredibly hard to see, and even worse making the parapet slippery. I drag my feet along with every step tightening my core as sweat drips of my forehead even in the cool, or is that the rain? Just as i'm taking a step a lose rock slips and I fall.Fear rushes through my whole body as I await the certain death waiting for me at the bottom,but the feeling off falling doesn't come.

"You better get your ass back up here Eiran or I'm going to kill you!" Ridoc shouts at me holding my forearms. "Come on, pull yourself up!!"

I zone back into the situation and scramble to throw myself back up the wall but be careful to not pull Ridoc down with me. I sit on the wall as Panic rushes through me swallowing my breaths.I have to get up. I begin to crawl the first few inches then push myself back up into a standing position and walk.Focusing on my steps.Step after step not breathing out. I let out a breath as I jump off the parapet Ridoc coming right after me.

"Names?" the red haired Cadet asks.

Ridoc Gamlyn and Sariah Eiran" He answers. "Come on Saeri let's go" he says, grabbing my shoulders. It takes me a few moments to process what's happening before I finally speak up.

"I would be dead without you" I look up at him."And you could be dead because of me" I snap into realisation.

"Yeah well I wouldn't want to lose the first friend I made before even making it in, ya know"he replies.

"You're stupid" I say deadpaning.

"Well that makes the both of us" he shoots back.