Her Name Means Death | Fourth Wing Fan Fic

Chapter 1: Conscription Day

The trials are physical but, the challenge is mental.

-Excerpt of recovered correspondence of Lieutenant Xaden Riorson; beneficiary unknown.

The relics on their arms could have parted the sea of civilians that lined up at Basgiath War College. Conscription Day brought amateurs from near and far who thought it was honourable to join the rider's quadrant. And on that day, Thana and Liam were among them.

As they made their way through the admissions building toward the winding staircase that led up to the parapet, Thana kept close to Liam. Although they had been training for most of their lives for this, the possibility of losing him terrified her.

Thana came from a long line of riders on her father's side but, she didn't know if she wanted to follow in their footsteps. She spent her childhood wanting to become a healer following the untimely death of her mother. After the rebellion, that choice was taken away from her and her destiny was put in the hands of Lilith Sorrengail.

~

Liam observed Thana as she meticulously assessed the wannabe cadets lining up to cross the parapet. The intensity in her gaze hinted at her scrutiny of any potential threats. As her tense posture eased and she offered him a tight-lipped smile, Liam sensed that none of them posed a threat. Her arrogance was laughable. Her skill was leathal.

In the quiet moments of waiting, Liam couldn't help but overhear the conversations swirling around them. The voices of the girls behind him drew his attention. The taller girl was called Rhiannon - quite beautiful - and the other was Violet Sorrengail.

Leaning closer to Thana, Liam murmured into her ear and gestured subtly toward the nervous duo. If looks could kill, Violet Sorrengail would be dead.

~

Thana and Liam watched the cadet ahead of them crawl through the threshold and onto the parapet. His arms were spread wide as he recited a prayer to Zihnal, the god of luck.

"Bring on the next one, Riorson," Garrick called from where he was leaning against the opening in the turret. He avoided eye contact as he scribbled her name down on the scroll. If she wasn't about to face certain death, she'd tease him for his solemn dedication to duty. But at that moment, all she could focus on was drawing air into her lungs.

Xaden stood behind her, and she felt the heat of his body penetrate her fighting leathers, "Don't fall, Arcassian," he murmured, "I still have a lot more to teach you." He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before returning to his post atop the stairs.

With a terse nod from Garrick and a steadying breath, she took the lone step out onto the parapet.

"See you on the other side," Liam's voice trailed from behind, but she couldn't bring herself to glance back.

~

She was halfway across when the boy in front of her lost his footing and fell into the ravine. She remembered what Xaden had written in one of his letters: The trials are physical but, the challenge is mental.

She knew Roman Halt; they had been friends since they were small, and she wondered if his brother was waiting for him on the other side. Thana shook her head to clear the thought and pressed forward, purposefully striding past the spot where he'd slipped, refusing to succumb to the temptation of looking down.

~

Garrick lingered by the threshold, his gaze fixed on the parapet beyond. A soft chuckle escaped him as he observed Liam's effortless stride across the dangerous expanse.

"Go on, Thana," he whispered, a note of admiration in his voice. Even though she'd spent msot of her days locked up in the chambers of Lord McAllister's estate, she had been training, and it was evident. Despite the times that the wind threatened to knock her into the ravine, she walked across with lethal grace.

He didn't realise he was holding his breath until they both stepped off the parapet and into the Rider's Quadrant.

With the rush of relief flooding back, Garrick's command pierced the air, "Next!" He quickly resumed his duties as Violet Sorrengail stepped up to the parapet.

~

As the Basgiath bells rang, Thana watched Garrick and Xaden join the other riders on the dais. She locked eyes with Xaden, who offered her a curt nod of approval before averting his eyes.

Thana stood vigil beside Liam as Captain Fitzgibbons read the names on the death roll. One by one, the names of the fallen were spoken for the last time at Basigath War College.

She couldn't get the image of bodies being dragged from the ravine out of her mind. She wondered if that was the same courtesy they showed her father in the wake of his execution. She refused to let the mundanity of the death roll dishonour the marked ones who had died, so she whispered a prayer for every one of them.

Lost in her thoughts, Thana barely registered Commandant Pancheck's presence on the dais. Her mind wandered to plans for vengeance against Lilith Sorrengail. She had crossed the parapet that morning with more weapons sheathed under her leathers than the King's Armoury, so, as Panchek's speech drug on, she plotted General Sorrengail's demise.

"My best advice? Don't die," Pancheck said before he left the dais.

As names were called for squad assignments, Thana observed the assembly of cadets scrambling into formation.

Liam and Thana were called to the Second Squad, Tail Section, Fourth Wing and got into formation behind Exo Halt. They waited for the last cadets to be called before returning to face the dais.

The scorching sun beat down on the courtyard, making Thana's leathers uncomfortably warm. Restlessness gnawed at her as she struggled to maintain focus. Almost drifting into a daze, she was jolted back to attention when Nyra called Dain Aetos' squad to join the Fourth Wing.

A chill ran down Thana's spine when she realized Violet Sorrengail had been summoned to the Fourth Wing by Xaden Riorson. She needed to know why.