I look over my shoulder in the mirror at my relic. I woke up in the middle of the night to a warm, tingling sensation spreading across my lower back. I only saw it in the dim mage light before the sun rose. After waking up I couldn't fall back asleep, I debated on going on a walk, but couldn't gather enough strength to get dressed and leave my room,the pain from the day before very much present. I opted to talk to Beliz, who I can't say appreciated it, but he definitely enjoyed telling stories from his featherling years. I'm his first rider, and I already rue the day he has to choose a new cadet to bond.
We'll be changing into our flight leathers for our first flying lesson today, but I still need to get changed for breakfast, the rest of them will be heading down too. Reluctantly I pull my training tunic and pants on, then shove my feet into my boots and lace them up tight. I can't wait to fly again, I'm jittering just thinking about it.
A feeling of hunger rushes over me just as I start making my way over to the door. It's so intense that I double over and clutch my stomach. I don't remember ever being this hungry.
We will fly soon, now go eat or you will fall off.
"Are you telling me to eat, because you're hungry?" I ask.
It takes more energy to talk to you than you think. Beliz retorts.
"Really, that's just rude." I say out loud but get no response back.
I make my way down the stairs and see Ridoc waiting for me at the bottom of the first flight.
"Morning Saeri, have any fun last night?" He smirks.
"If by fun you mean talking to Beliz, yes." I snap, and smack him on the back of his head playfully. We start to make our way down the stairs and I trail my bandaged hand along the cold walls for support.
"Right, I forgot you're basically celibate." He laughs.
"Ass." I respond.
"So where's your relic?" He quips.
I lift the hem of my top up, revealing the red-blue relic spreading across the entirety of my lower back, dipping down and covering the side of my glutes with swirls mimicking the blast of dragon fire, but he can't see that, it's covered by my pants.
"Damn, bless the man that gets to see the rest of that." He laughs.
I tug my shirt down. "Stop being so dirty minded." I glare at him. He holds his hands up in defence and grins.
"Hey. I'm Just saying."
"What about yours?" I ask. He shoves the sleeve of his tunic up to reveal the brown mark of a dragon silhouette on his upper arm.
"Snazzy." I respond.
"Oh come one. That's all I get?"
"All you get." I confirm. "Where's Sawyer?" I've just noticed his absence, he usually joins us by this time.
"Unlike you, he had some fun last night." Ridoc winks at me.
"Good for him." I roll my eyes. Ridoc always always encourages me to let loose, and while I appreciate the sentiment, I don't want to lose focus.
We spot Rhiannon and Violet further down the stairs and shove our way through the crowd to get to them. It's a miracle we didn't push anyone down the stairs.
"Good morning, ladies." Ridoc says, throwing his arms over their shoulders. "Or should I say, riders?"
"I like the sound of riders," Rhiannon chimes, shooting a smile in his direction, and lifting a hand to greet me.
"It has a certain ring to it." He agrees.
"It's definitely better than dead. Where's you Relic?" Violet asks.
"Right here." He takes his arms off their shoulders and shoves his sleeve up. "You?"
"Can't see it, It's on my back."
"Hey, Saeri has hers on her back too, lower back, pretty hot if you ask me." He says then looks back at me and grins. He loves teasing me because I hate it. One too many people have asked if we're together and I've had to awkwardly explain that he's like my brother.
"No he's right though. Show me when we get the time." Rhi smiles up at me.
"What about you?" I ask her.
"Somewhere you'll never see," She responds.
"You wound me." Ridoc slaps his hand over his heart.
"I highly doubt that," She retorts, trying to hide her smile but it reaches her eyes. We move through the commons and into the gathering hall, then make our way through the line for breakfast. I see Oren on the other side of the counter, seems like he didn't bond. I want to laugh out loud but restrain myself, not wanting to be left out from the first flight lessons as a punishment for getting into a fight in the gathering hall. Serves him right for trying to kill Violet and one of her dragons.
"Asshole," Ridoc mutters under is breath. "I still can't believe they tried to kill you."
"I can." Violet responds as nonchalantly as someone who was almost killed can. "I'm the weakest link, right? Unfortunately for me, that means people are bound to try and take me out for the good of the wing."
"We'll kill anyone who looks at you with the wrong intention." I assure her.
"Yes, you would, but we won't kill everyone who does, or you'll be able to say you're a serial killer." Ridoc jumps in. He gives me a look, telling me off. I stick my tongue out at him. We head over toward the Fourth wing section and spot a table with four extra seats.
"Mind if we-" Ridoc starts.
"Absolutely! It's yours!" A couple of guys from Tail Section scurry off the bench.
"Sorry, Sorrengail!" the other says over his shoulder as they find another table, leaving this one empty.
"What the fuck?" I scrunch my face up.
"Well, that was really fucking weird." Rhiannon rounds to the other side of the table, followed by Violet.
"Even weirder?" Ridoc remarks, gesturing across the hall toward First wing. I look over to where he's staring at and see Jack Barlowe being forced away from his table.
"What the hell is going on?" Rhiannon bites into a pear and chews. We watch as Barlowe moves to another table, but they won't move for him, leaving him standing ,dumbfounded.
"How the mighty have fallen," Ridoc notes with amusement in his voice.
"Hey, Sorrengail," A stocky girl from fourth wing says as she passes our table.
"Hi." Violet waves awkwardly, then turns to us. "She hasn't spoken to me since I took one of her daggers in that challenge."
"It's because you bonded Tarin." Imogen throws her leg over the bench and sits beside me. "Morning Eiran, I thought you didn't make it." She acknowledges me. We see each other training sometimes and we've shared tips and tricks here and there. "The morning after Threshing is always a clusterfuck. Power balance shifts, and you, little Sorrengail, are now about to be the most powerful rider in the quadrant. Anyone with common sense is going to be scared of you."
"Which is why you're now sitting with us?" Rhiannon arches a brow at her. "Because I can count on one hand the number of nice words you've said to any of us." She holds up a fist with Zero fingers raised.
"Hey, I'm nice to Sariah, we chat when we train." Imogen retorts.
"That doesn't count. I wasn't aware of that till now. Plus my point still stands, you've never been nice to the rest of us." She glares.
Quinn, a tall second-year student, sits beside Imogen and smiles at her as she says something. Then Sawyer arrives taking a spot beside Rhiannon.
"You weren't interesting enough to sit with before," She responds, then bites into a muffin.
"I usually sit with my girlfriend in Claw section. Besides, no use getting to know you when most of you die. No offence." Quinn adds.
"None taken?" Violet says, then starts on her apple.
"Hey, who chose you?" Imogen turns her head to me. "No one saw, since you got in after we all left."
"Don't shit your pants but she got a red-blue." Ridoc says through a mouthful of food.
"A what?" She cocks her brow.
"His name is Beliz. He's a red.. and a blue I guess. His scales kind of fade from one colour to another. He told me it doesn't happen often" I try to explain.
"Cool shit. Your table is getting more and more interesting." She nods.
" I thought Seifert would bond," someone from behind me says. Heaton says to Emery who takes a seat on the opposite bench. The only third-years in our squad. Thank god leadership eats at a different table because I don't think I'd be able to deal with Dain this early in the morning.
"Other than losing to Sorrengail, he nailed every challenge."
"He tried to kill Andarna," Violet hisses. The seniors turn their heads towards her. "My guess would be that Tarin told the others." She shrugs.
"But Barlowe bonded." Ridoc states. "Though from what I've heard, his orange Scorpiontail is on the smaller side,"
"She is," Quinn confirms. "Which is why he's struggling this morning."
"Small dick, small dragon." I joke.
'You know that, how?" Quinn raises her brows in disgust.
I realize what I've just implied and groan.
"No. I wouldn't touch that guy with a ten foot pole. He just has small dick energy." I explain.
'Oh, I see." Quinn nods.
"And here I was thinking you finally let loose." Ridoc teases. "Even if it was with Barlowe." He makes a disgusted face.
"Don't worry-I'm sure he'll make up for his lack of social standing in other ways," Rhiannon growls. "You have to have some protein, Vi. You can't just survive on fruit" She frowns at Violet's tray of food, consisting of only fruit.
"It's the only food I can be sure isn't tampered with, especially with Oren behind the counter." Violet frowns.
"Oh, for fuck's sake." Imogen scrapes three pieces of sausage onto her plate. "She's right. You're going to need all your strength to ride, especially with a dragon as big as Tarin."
Violet stares at her food for a good while before picking it up with her fork. We eat in silence until we can't bear it anymore.
"What's your signet?" Rhiannon asks Emery.
Air rushes down the table rattling the glass, making the leftover food move on my tray.
"That's epic!" Ridoc's eyes widen. "How much air can you move?"
"None of your business." He responds not bothering to even look at Ridoc. He may be our senior but he doesn't need to be an ass to us. I scowl at him.
"Sorrengail, after class is out today, you're mine," Imogen says.
"I'm sorry?" she strains.
"Meet me in the sparring gym." Imogen states.
"I'm already working with her on sparring-" Rhiannon starts.
"Good. We can't afford for her to lose any challenges. I'm going to help her with weights. We need to strengthen the muscles around your joints before challenges resume. That's the only way you'll survive." She responds, then looks at me. "You're welcome to join us if you want." I nod, making sure to remember the offer.
...
A few hours later, after the squads are rearranged and the death roll is read, all the first-year riders in Fourth wing stand in our newly issued flight leathers, waiting in front of our dragon on the flight field. The uniform is thicker than our usual one, with a full jacket buttoned over my tunic. Unlike our regular uniforms, flight leathers bear no insignia besides our rank and any leadership designation. No names. No patches. Nothing to give us away if we're separated from our dragons behind enemy lines. Just an adamant amount of sheaths for weapons. I have to say the new leathers are a bit constricting, I'm hoping it'll get more worn in soon.
I can't seem to stand still as I wait in front of Beliz. The thought of flying sends jolts of electricity through me. He decided the best spot to stand was besides Tarin, despite the others giving him a wide birth of space. He's slightly bigger than the others, but not as big as Tarin, however his wingspan is the same if not bigger. The pair of dragons are bringing more attention to us than I'd like. Being relatively unknown worked in my favour these past few months, I can forget about that now.
I sigh out loud.
Being known is not something to be ashamed of, you are more known than you think, even without me. Beliz's voice echoes through my head.
"People knowing about me means more people trying to kill me." I respond.
You'd kill them before they lay a hand on you. He chastises.
"You do wonders for my ego." I smile.
Make sure it doesn't go to your head.
"I could say the same for you." I laugh.
A growl sound from above me. Pay attention, you annoy me now.
I let out a snort, but listen to him.
"... and at only ninety-two riders, you are our smallest class to date." Professor Kaori says from the middle of the field, using lesser magic to amplify his voice. "There are forty-one unbonded riders who would kill to be standing where you are." He continues "And your dragons know that your bond is at its weakest point right now, so if you fall, if you fail, there's a good chance your dragon might let you if it thinks the unbonded will be a better choice." Kaori pauses. "Now we are going to mount, then follow a series of specific manoeuvres your dragons already know. Your orders are simple today. Stay in your seat." Then he turns and breaks into a sprint, racing the dozen feet toward his dragon's foreleg and making the vertical climb to mount. The last obstacle was more useful than I'd like to admit.
I walk a few feet aways from Beliz's leg then make a run for it, grappling my way up his scales.
"That's not fair, you're taller than the wall carved into the Gauntlet."
My size will only be to your advantage, you climbed a tree to find me, stop whining. Now hold on.
I pull my flight goggles over my face and we're off. My stomach dips as we climb higher into the air, flanked by Tarin and Violet. We're so much higher than we flew yesterday and it gets adrenaline pumping through me.
"I don't think I'll ever get enough of this." I smile.
We could have more fun, but unfortunately I have to follow Smachd because he bears your professor.
"You don't think we could get away at the end?" I ask Beliz.
If that's what you want, but you'll be the one to deal with the consequences. He warns.
"I'm willing to do just about anything to stay up here."
Kaori banks to the right and Beliz follows, sending us into a dive making me clench my legs before I start falling backwards, I can feel myself slipping a little but hold my seat. Then he starts to climb again, twisting himself as he turns left. I see Violet falling as we make the turn.
"Violet!" I shout, but the wind carries my voice away. There's no way she heard me.
"We have to save her!" I urge Beliz.
Tarin won't let her die.
I twist my upper body to look back down. I let out a sigh of relief when I see Violet being thrown back onto Tarin's back.
Now worry about yourself.
"Why? Would you let me fall to my death?"
No, but you'd embarrass the both of us.
Then without warning he plunges.
...
Flight class is coming to an end. We've been following professor Kaori for a good hour and a half, weaving in and out through mountains and going through basic flight manoeuvres.
"Brace yourselves as you land. Do not get off until I signal to do so or you might just get crushed by another landing dragon!" Kaori amplifies his voice, then begins to land.
Do you still want to get away? Beliz questions.
"Hell yeah." I can't hide the smile spreading across my face.
Beliz waits for a moment, letting the other dragons begin landing. Then he turns, making his way through a cluster of dragons waiting to land. I know people are looking at me and him. They'll tell Kaori what happened, but I couldn't care less. The second we get out of the cluster Beliz spreads the full length of his wingspans and shoots off.
...
It's even better than I remembered. The wind whistles in my ears as we make our way across the forest, closer towards the mountain range. It's amazing how far we've come in such little time. Beliz pushes upwards then flips over, holding me with his power making sure I don't fall off his back. He turns his head as he spots a glacier lake and dives towards it.
"Beliz. What are you doing?"
Hold your breath.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I pull in a deep breath of air only seconds before we plunge into the icy water. I feel it pull past me as Beliz moves through the lake. Just as I'm about to run out of air he breaks through the surface, climbing and spinning back up into the clouds, whipping the droplets of water off of us. He comes to a steady cruise, turning us back towards Basgiath.
"I'm still drenched."
You need to get better flight gear then.
"They hold well against rain, but I don't think they took swimming dragons into account when making them." I grumble.
You'll need to fix that then
"Why? Plan on making this a regular thing?"
You never know what we'll come about.
...
It's afternoon by the time we approach the gates of Basgiath. We're immediately flanked by two dragons being ridden by guards. One of them growls to Beliz, who growls back at her.
It seems your professor didn't appreciate our stunt very much.
"Who would have thought." I reply.
Beliz tucks his wings in, and starts to dive toward the ground. For a moment I'm worried that we'll crash, but I trust him. At the last second he stretches his wings out then comes to a halt, landing on the ground.
I See Kaori come out of the gate, stomping towards me. "Eiran, get down here right now!" He shouts up at me.
We could take off again if you want. Beliz suggests
"I'd like to, but I think they would actually kick me out for that." I laugh, throwing my leg over, then slide down his leg.
"Would you like to explain?" Professor Kaori cocks his brow.
"Nothing to explain." I raise my head and hold eye contact with him.
"Right then. You'll be on breakfast duty for the time being, and you can forget about flying tomorrow, seeing as you've taken it upon yourself to fly for three more hours today, cadet." He says sternly. "You're lucky I decided against telling the commanders of your little trip, now get to class."
"Yes sir." I drawl. Turning to Beliz, I run my hand against his leg. "I'll still see you tomorrow?"
Your professor does not dictate what I do, we will meet tomorrow.
"Now, Eiran." Kaori snaps. I roll my eyes then make my way over towards the gate, smiling. I'll have one hell of a story to tell the others when I see them.