Rose's POV
Mr.Casey grows some plants from the ground around me, trying to get me off balance, it almost works. He then takes a moment to breathe before I feel a vibration underneath me. I quickly move out of the way, in the opposite direction of the cactus plants, just in time to see Mr.Casey turn the ground I was standing on into quicksand. I have to remain weary of him and his abilities. I will the dirt to rise out of the tub, and it does so. I form a ball of dirt, about to throw it when it completely dispels. Mr.Casey took away my attack as if it were nothing.
I think for a moment before coming up with the perfect plan. I make more dirt move towards me, but instead of getting my advances ready, I form a dome shape out of it. I am holding it up, focusing on the vibrations in the ground. Due to the forceful vibrations approaching me, I can tell Mr.Casey is getting ready to hit the dome. The split second before the hit arrives, I fling the dirt of my dome all over Mr.Casey.
While he is confused, he walked right into my trap. Because he is at an arms reach, while he is still in shock, I put my right hand on his chest, feeling around for the dirt. When I feel it, I smirk. As if Mr.Casey just realizes what I am doing, he tries to step out of my wingspan, but it is too late. I do what I have seen Nicholas do plenty of times, I grow plants from the soil. But not just any plants, smilaxes.
Smilax is a thorny vine that is very sturdy. I grow the vines from the dirt on Mr.Casey by transferring my energy to the soil when I touched the nature master. I wrap the thorny vines around Mr.Casey, encasing him in a strong hold, making him vulnerable to me. He looks at me in awe and hangs his head, submitting to me.
"You are the first student to beat me since I have become a master, you should be extremely proud. That was incredibly smart of you." Mr.Casey complements with pride.
"Thank you sir. I look forward to learning more from you and the other instructors as I grow." I thank out of breath, blushing wildly at the praise. Mr.Casey nods and walks out of the arena. As if a tidal wave of pain comes hurling at me, my knees buckle and I fall to the ground. Not only was fighting Mr.Casey extremely tiring, but my side hurts even more from the attack Mr.Barden landed on me. I catch my breath again, my right arm holding my left side, and my left arm pushing me up. I can only imagine how I look right now, disheveled hair, sweat gleaming from my body, cuts all over my legs, arms, and face. I am sitting up on the ground, not having enough energy to move at the moment.
"You have completed your Nature placement test. You have one minute to will the element of fire." Headmaster says. A bunch of torches light up the arena space, the smoke being ventilated out. I don't even try to will fire, instead I get up and walk towards my sword case. I pull out the vial of my energy replenishment serum and down it all in one go. I wait a few seconds before I feel like I am going to be okay, my energy restoring.
I go up to the torch, and put my hand close to the fire. I memorize this feeling of warmth spreading along my hands, what it would be like for me to move this life form. I walk back to the center of the arena, facing Mr.Jacobs. I bow my head, then remove my shirt, thank heavens I wore a supportive sports bra today.
I take off my shirt, lifting it over my head, wincing all the while. I think the design of this shirt is cool, so I'd rather it not be burnt during my test. Although I feel like I had just before my tests began, the pain remains and is more present then ever. I hear gasps of the student body, some shouts of anger. I look around to see everyone fiercely looking at the side of my body. What I see makes me cringe, a large and nasty bruise is forming along the left side of my body, including my ribs.
I just look at Mr.Jacobs, ignoring the protests of pain from my body, getting into a defensive stance. But, to my surprise, so does he. I guess he wants me to try and manipulate fire first, so that if he attacks, I may be able to defend myself. I think back to how I felt when my hand was near the torch. The warmth of the fire heating up my already burning body. I utilize my body heat and do my best to will the fire to me, also sort of manipulating the air in the fire to move. A small ball of fire makes its way towards me, and I shoot it towards Mr.Jacobs. It is not too powerful, but still there. He easily dispels my weak advance, just as I thought he would. He gathers a large energy ball of fire and pushes it forcefully in my direction.
When it nears me, I think of how the fire went away, dispelled by decomposing its atoms. I remove the oxygen from the approaching blaze, just enough for it to die out before it reaches me. I use the fire from the other torches and do my best throwing them at Mr.Barden. He dodges and deflects them with ease, until I send a last minute blaze of fire around his feet while he is focused on the balls of fire from the torches. He yelps when the warmth reaches his feet, and turns to me with a fire burning bright in his eyes. Mr.Jacobs smirks at me and begins shooting fire balls at me guns and blazing. I don't have enough time to dispel it, so I do my best to avoid the fires. I move to my left, then right, duck, and move all around trying not to get burnt.
Sadly, my attempts see futile as the last fire ball grazes my left arm. I shout in pain, tears in my eyes. I can smell my flesh burning, I can see the charred remains of skin along my bicep. While I am momentarily distracted, Mr.Jacobs surrounds me in a ring of fire.
I hang my head, knowing that there will no way for me to manipulate enough fire to escape. I submit my defeat to him. The fire master accepts my defeat and dispels the fire, as if it were never there in the first place. I fall to the ground, making sure to land on my right side. Not only was I fighting with a massive bruise on half my body, I also got burned, on the same side may I add. I am panting in exhaustion, doing my best to catch my breath. Even with my energy replenishment serum, I am still worn out physically. I lay on my right side, not moving my left arm or making any sudden movements that might make me pass out in pain.
"You have completed your Fire placement test and elemental ranking battles. You have one minute to think of a plan on how to tame the dragon you will be tasked with." Headmaster Jackson states. I groan in pain, sitting up while wiping away the tears that have leaked from my eyes. I could care less about them seeing me cry. They do not know how exhausted I am, both mentally and physically. But I think everyone has a good picture with my body covered in dirt, sweat, cuts and other scrapes. As well as the now darkening purple bruise on my left side, adding in a 2nd degree burn just for the fun of it.
I push myself up, shouting in pain when my body does not agree. My burn now leaving areas of exposed nerves, charred skin, and oozing blood. I bite my busted lips to hold back a sob attempting to escape my me.
I already have my mind made up with how I am going to attempt to tame the dragon. I stand in the center of the arena, waiting for the dragon tunnel to be opened.
When the gates open, I hear a thunderous roar, my bones tremble from the vibration. I gaze into the tunnel and see bright red eyes looking back at me. I gasp. If a dragon has red eyes, it has gone feral, and has little to no chance of being tamed. The largest dragon I have ever seen steps out of the tunnel.
If I wasn't scared before, I am terrified now. The dragon is almost twice the size of Oceanus and has red eyes. But that's not all, the dragon is a healing dragon from the north. It is a rare breed because poachers have hunted down their species since the beginning of time for their moonlight white scales. I know this because I have been reading the book Kyle got me.
This dragon species is extremely dangerous, even more so if turned feral. They have never been known to have companions and dislike all human beings, magii users or not, due to their past. He crazily looks at me and growls louder. The crowd is completely silent, I don't dare take my eyes off of the dragon in front of me for one second.
The dragon, blessed to heal, threateningly walks towards me. Every fiber of my being is screaming to run, but I stay put. The majestic white dragon increases its pace to reach me; when it does, it stops right in front of me, lowering its head so that we are making direct eye contact. I don't think about moving a muscle, for the slightest shift in movement could be my end. We stare at each other in silence, the dragon looking like a predator, I am his prey.
"Cogitavi in corde meo." I tell the ancient dragon.
[ T : Enter my mind. ]
The dragon bares his teeth, showing that he does not want me telling him what to do. Yet, I feel a strong tug at my mind, stronger than any other ache. I let the healer into my mind, embracing the small ache. Immediately, I crash to the ground in pain. The dragon roars at my sudden movement, yet does not attack.
If I thought the pain from letting Oceanus enter my mind space was awful, this pain is tenfold. I am in crying in agony, I see black spots cloud my vision over. This pain feeling everlasting, my face scrunched up and cringing. Alas, the pain stops. I see black before light enters my eyesight. I close my eyes, my head still sensitive. When I open them, I see the healing dragon on the other side of the arena, prowling. He looks at me as if I am a threat, the two of us lost in our own world. I don't comprehend the shouts coming from the students, if the dragon hears them, he ignores it.
I slowly stand up, making sure not to make any sudden movements. I hunch over my left side and wince, I should not have fallen without bracing myself first.
'Who is this girl?' An extremely intimidating voice sounds through my head. I wince at the sudden noise level.
'Hello?' I think. The dragon snaps his gaze to me.
'Can you understand me?' He asks in momentary shock.
'Yes. My name is Rose.' I tell him in my mind.
'DID I ASK??' The white dragon shouts angrily and confused. I yell out in pain as the loud sound rings in my head.
'I am sorry, but please, do not shout like that again. I don't even know how this is possible.' I think to him.
'It shouldn't be possible, no rider has ever spoken to a dragon that wasn't their companion. My kind has been around for centuries, why must I be damned? What is your status little one?' The dragon demands.
'Multi-Wielder of all of the elements and Dragon Rider.' I respond. I notice a slight difference in vibrations as the dragon walks around threateningly, never breaking eye contact with me. He must be injured, favoring his right side. 'You are injured.' I state to the dragon, concerned.
'That is none of your concern little one.' The dragon all but growls at me.
'So your blessed species is able to heal others when they see fit, but are not able to heal themselves? Interesting.' I think to myself.
'I can hear your thoughts little one.' He says, almost jokingly. Progress.
'Sorry.' I tell him sheepishly. 'I may be able to help if you let me.' I say. The white dragon scoffs,
'Why would I let you even come near me little one? Let alone, why would you willingly walks towards a feral dragon?' The dragon questions, probably thinking that I am not the brightest.
'You would let me come near you because you are in pain and need help. Knowing I could possibly help you rid you of your wound would make me happier, even if you still despise me after. And, I would willingly walk towards you because you are injured. Being feral doesn't mean anything much, it just means that you rely more on your animalistic instincts. Also, it makes you more cautious and weary of everyone you come across. But just because you are feral does not mean you don't have morals as a dragon, they may be temporarily clouded by judgment, yet they are still there.' I respond to the dragon.
This whole conversation is insane, I am actually communicating with a dragon. A DRAGON!! He does not reply, choosing to think over my words.
'I can show you if you'd like.' I offer him. He does not think anything, just nodding.
I slowly walk to my sword casing. The dragon growls at me barring his insanely sharp teeth.
'Relax, I am looking for something in one of the pockets. Plus, why would you be threatened? You could literally tear me in half if you wanted.' I weakly tease him, my mind and body slowly giving into the pain.
'Don't tempt me, and the last time I saw a sword, it was being used against me. So I am sorry for wanting to protect myself from you greedy beings.' The dragon harshly says in my head. I look at him sympathetically.
'I am sorry. I will admit, many humans are greedy and selfish, but more are kind and forgiving. You have been exposed to the bad already, I guess us meeting is fate you could say. You were meant to meet me so I could show you the good. And, I want you to know, I would never harm you or any other dragon for any reason. You have my word.' I smile through my words, pulling out my healing powder.
'What is that?' The dragon glares at the vial.
'It is my healing powder that I made myself. I don't know if it would work on you because of you being a dragon, but it may.' I start. 'You see this burn on my arm," I motion to my left arm. The dragon nods, his eyes now a dull scarlet color, more progress.
'Well, when I sprinkle my healing powder over my wound, it will heal very soon. It depends on your wound, but it will take much less time than the average healing period. I have had many trials and failures with this until I got it just right. Now, I will demonstrate.' I finish. I open the vial by twisting off its cap. Holding the vile in my left hand, I take just enough powder to cover my burn evenly and gently tap my wound. Tears stream down my face when I gently press the powder onto my exposed nerves. When the burned area of my left arm is fully covered, the tingling sensation begins, meaning it's working. I close the vial, slowly enough for the somewhat-feral dragon to know I am not going to strike. In around 26 seconds, my burn is no more, my arm in perfect shape.
'See?' I excitedly smile at the dragon. 'It slightly tingled after I covered the wound, meaning that it was beginning the healing process. The part that hurts the most is when you apply it, after the wound is healed, it only slightly aches. Not too much though, almost as if you were punched, but not hard enough to bruise.' I tell him.
'So, want to give me a chance?" I ask.
'Alright. It will be hard to control my instincts to pounce on you as you approach me, especially when you apply the powder to my wound. I will do all I can to resist it.' The healer tells me. 'Don't think that I trust you, I am only doing this to relieve myself of my wound.' He spits out. I nod, just content with that fact that he will allow me to help him.
I very slowly inch my way towards the feral creature, holding out my hands with the vial still in my left. I can hear my instructors yelling at me to get back, I hear the cries of my friends begging me to turn away, but I pay no mind to it.
"Get away from the dragon!"
"The monster will hurt you!!"
"The creature will only cause pain, run!" I hear lots of voices insult the dragon as the distance between us grows smaller. I can tell the healer is upset with how he is being represented, for I can feel the sadness rolling off of him in waves, being sent through my mind.
'Don't listen to those idiots, half of them ran away from the wild dragons. The others just have the wrong perception of you, just like you did of me. You thought I would cause you harm, hurt you just like the rest of your species have been by us beings. Yet, your opinion of me is changing from your initial thought, and the same will happen with those in the crowd. They may be intimidated by your size and aura, but they will not think of you wrongly after today.' I reassure the rare dragon in front of me. He shifts slightly, showing me where his wound is. It looks like a poacher may have grazed his leg in attempt to capture him. I gradually make my way to the dirt floor, his leg now in front of me.
'You will want to distract yourself from the pain that will come. How about you tell me your honest opinion of me.' I inform him, opening the vial once again.
'You are wise for a 15 year old. When I first saw you- " The dragon roars as I begin applying the powder. He waits a moment to adjust to it before continuing. '- I was attracted to your aura. I knew you were powerful, so when you told me to enter your mind, I was shocked and frustrated when I couldn't access your mind. Then, it was like a wall being lifted, I could tell that you purposefully allowed me into your mind space. I thought I would just be able to read your thoughts, but imagine my surprise when you responded to my own. Anyway, I can tell that you think before you act. This is very good for battle, and in life too.' His deep voice pauses, I finished applying the powder while he was talking to me. I assume that the healing process has started now.
'I don't like this feeling little one.' The dragon frowns through his words.
'It takes some getting used to, but please, continue.' I say to him, in my mind. 'And my name is Rose.' I add. He ignores me and continues on with what he was saying.
'As I said before, you are extremely knowledgeable for your age. I can tell by the way you spoke Latin that you are fluent in the traditional dragon language. Also, you knew about the history of my species and were very perceptive of my capabilities. When you speak, you mean every word. That's why I decided to let you attempt to help me, because when you said you wouldn't hurt me or any of my kind, you were sincere and true.' He finishes.
'What is your name?' I ask.
'I will not tell.' The dragon sternly says. I sigh in slight disappointment, wishing for there to be something I can do for him to be able to trust me. The dragon noticed my expression and sighs in defeat. 'Belvedere.' He mutters.
'A beautiful sight.' I say, the meaning of his name originated from Latin. 'It's very fitting, I wouldn't think of a better name for you.' I tell him with a bright smile, glad he told me. I see that his wound has completely healed, my powder working on Belvedere after all. 'How does your leg feel now?' I ask him, a smirk tugging at my lips.
'It feels fine, why?' Belvedere questions, momentarily forgetting that he was injured. When he remembers, his gaze travels from me down to his healed leg. 'It worked?!?' He asks surprised.
'You ever doubted me?' I playfully pout.
'Of course.' He says seriously, with amusement shining in his eyes. Speaking of....
'You truly have beautiful eyes.' I honestly tell him. Belvedere scoffs.
'Yes little one, because red suits me so much.' He sarcastically replies.
'No, I mean the shining grey colored eyes,' I retort. 'currently showing disbelief.' I add.
'You ... you tamed me?' He asks in shock.
'Yes, I believe I did.' I answer with a huge smile.
'So I am not a monster anymore?' He asks excitedly, with a hint of sadness.
'You were never one to begin with.' I say convincingly. I slowly rise from my crouching position, wincing at the pressure on my ribs and the stinging from my body. Belvedere notices my discomfort.
'Who hurt little one?' He darkly thinks to himself, not remembering I can hear his thoughts.
'It was nothing, an accident at most. The person who tested me to determine my water level grew frustrated with one of my advances. In turn, he acted, not truly comprehending what he was doing.' I tell Belvedere. He moves his tail and pokes my injured side roughly. I shout in pain, crumbling to the floor.
'Why would you do that?' I glare at the tamed dragon. He mentally shows me an image of him rolling his eyes and wraps his tail around my waist, much like Oceanus did. I raise an eyebrow at the dragon. He ignores my unasked question; instead, bringing his snout to my forehead. I feel him channeling his powers into my body, relieving me of any pain.
We stay in this position for a moment before he gently releases me. I gaze at my body, looking for any signs of battle, none can be found. I am feeling better than I did this morning, feeling rejuvenated. I see that the bruise on my side has vanished completely, all the tiny cuts and scrapes on my body gone.
'You healed me, why?' I ask curiously.
'An eye for an eye.' The dragon says. I have a warm feeling spread throughout my chest, knowing that there is more to the story.
'Thank you Belvedere.' I say gratefully. I am sending waves of appreciation through whatever kind of mental bond we have when Belvedere begins growling. Not at me though, but behind me. I turn around and see Headmaster Jackson and the instructors I fought behind him. I notice that all of the elemental masters have personalized ear piercings, just as Headmaster mentioned.
"You have completed your Dragon Riding placement test. Please step away from the dragon while we announce your levels to the student body." Headmaster smiles widely at me. The dragon behind me begins growling louder, slight worry being sent through our mental connection.
"With all due respect, no." I tell Headmaster. Everyone gasps in shock at the portrayal of my behavior.
"What do you mean no?" Headmaster raises an eyebrow, daring me to continue. I do.
"I mean that Belvedere will stay with me." I respond defiantly. Belvedere looks at me with hope. Another emotion flashes through his eyes, but it is gone before I can decipher it.
"How do you know his name?" Headmaster Jackson looks confused.
"He told me, and although I do not know much about his species, I know that Belvedere is extremely hesitant to trust. So, because only I can communicate with him, my dragon will be remaining by my side as a companion." I inform my elder. Happiness is being sent through the dragon and I's bond in large amounts.
"I won't question how you are able to communicate with him but it is not possible for a dragon rider to have more than 1 companion. And, when your classes start, you will be drawn to your true dragon companion when you visit the dragon egg hatchery." Headmaster tells me slightly irritated.
'It is possible for a rider to have more than one dragon companion or companion equivalent magical creature. If both parties equally accept each other as companions, the rider will be given a mark-like tattoo that forms somewhere on their body. This mark is specialized to the pair and symbolizes that the rider and dragon have developed a companionship. It also does not affect the rider's bond to any current or future companions.' Belvedere correctly tells me. I recite the words my dragon told me word for word. Headmaster just looks at me undecided.
"Please? Where would he go anyway? His species is hunted everywhere in the magii community. Belvedere would be safest by my side, I swear on the goddess that I will protect Belvedere till my dying breath." I confidently and truthfully tell my superiors.
"I will allow you to keep Belvedere as your companion and exempt your defiance this once. But, for future situations, you will not disobey my word." Headmaster Jackson allows. "Now, onto your placements test." He continues.
I look at Belvedere. I know that no matter how I place, I did my best today. With my confidence somewhat returned, I set my gaze back to my superiors, ready to face the music.
^ Oceanus
^ Belvedere
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