#field guide to dragonkind

[spiritofdragonfire]

Love these colorful Empyrean Dragon Breed Guides!

Disclaimer: I did not make these. These guides were created by @larita.reads on Instagram

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 16

Hi my Lovely Readers! Thank you so much for the messages, the likes and the reblogs. You're absolutely awesome. ❤️

Here comes the new chapter. Enjoy :)

Though this officer considers himself to be an expert on all matters dragonkind, there is a great deal we don’t know about the way dragons govern themselves. There is a clear hierarchy among the most powerful, and deference is paid to elders, but I have not been able to discern how it is they make laws for themselves or at what point a dragon decided to bond only one rider, rather than go for better odds with two.

—Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind

The Empyrean?

“What do you mean?” I ask Aon.

“Don’t leave the field. This might take a while.” He answers.

„What might—” My question dies on my tongue as the biggest dragon I’ve ever seen, even larger than Tairn, stalks toward us from the opening to the valley. Each dragon it passes walks into the center of the field and follows after, gathering dozens as it walks.

My breath catches and I can feel fear coursing over me.

“Is that…” Liam looks at me with wide eyes.

“Codagh.” I whisper.

General Melgren’s dragon.

I make out the patchy holes in his battle-scarred wings as he comes closer, his golden gaze focused on Aon in a way that makes me nauseous. He growls, low in his throat, turning those sinister eyes on me.

Aon rumbles his own growl, stepping forward so I’m between his massive claws, with Liam at my side.

There’s zero doubt I’m the subject of both disgruntled snarls.

“Stay close to your friend until we return.” Aon orders.

The riders are eerily silent as the dragons empty the meadow, taking flight in a steady stream near the end and landing halfway up the southernmost peak in a shadowy grouping I can barely define in the moonlight.

The second the last of the dragons flies off, chaos erupts. First-years swarm the center of the field, where I happen to be standing, shouting in exuberance and searching for their friends. My eyes scan the crowd, hoping for some glimpse of—

“Ethan!” I shout, spotting him in the mob. I grab Liam’s arm and pull him toward Ethan.

„Aelin!” He crushes me into a hug, and after a moment Liam joins us.

“I’m so glad you’re both okay.” I whisper them.

“And we all bonded.” Liam laughs as we stand in a tight circle.

“Who did you bond?” I grin at Ethan.

“A Green Daggertail.” He says with a wide grin. “Cáradh. And it was easy. I saw him and just knew.”

“I’m so happy.” I say and I mean it.

We’re alive. And we’re Riders. We can stay together.

“Did you see Rio? He’s not here. Not that I miss him.” Ethan looks around.

“He is not here. And he won’t be.” I say in a cold voice.

“What do you mean?” Liam looks at me, then the blood on my clothes. “Did he…”

“He ran and took with him one of my daggerrs.” I shrug. “But it’s not his blood.”

“What the hell, Aelin?! What happened?” Ethan stares at me with a shocked expression.

“They tried to kill Violet, along with Jack and Oren.” I watch Violet as she talks with her friends. “I killed Oren, and Rio. Tynan was scorched by Tairn. Unfortunately Jack is still alive.”

“What the hell?” Ethan asks again. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.” I smile at them.

“Cadet Melgren.” I hear a familiar voice behind me.

“Yes?” I turn around.

Fuck, he’s The General’s aide.

“General Melgren wishes to see you.” He says flatly.

I can feel the colors draining from my face.

“I’m coming.” I say but as I try to follow after him, Liam grabs my arm.

“Aelin, are you sure?” He whispers.

“I can’t avoid him. And you know that.” I smile at him sadly. “Don’t worry, I’ll be alright. We’re in public.”

I follow the aide, and we arrive sooner than I hoped.

The General stands beside the dais as I approach. He looks over me with critical eyes.

“Walk with me.” Without waiting for a response, he walks toward the forest.

It’s dark and I doubt that anyone can see us from the field. I stop at arm’s length.

He turns and looks at me with cold eyes.

“I assume that is not your blood. I trained you better than that.” He says, reffering to my clothes.

“It isn’t mine.” I say. How nice of him to be concerned, I think sarcastically.

“Hm. You should have been more cruel at the challenges. Then they wouldn’t dare to attack you.” He gives a disapproving look. “I didn’t raise you to be soft-hearted.”

“I wasn’t the one who was attacked.” I try to answer briefly.

“Then you were the one who attacked them?” He raises his eyebrows. “Good. Finally, you show some resemblance.”

I won’t correct him. Believe what he wants.

“Now, that you have an even stronger connection with that Riorson boy, I expect more information from you.” He says with a glint in his eyes. I don’t like it.

“Stronger connection? What do you mean?” I ask in a confused voice.

“Your and his dragon are from the same den. They share their parents.”

What. The. Hell.

“Then… are they siblings?” I ask in a schoked voice.

“According to our current knowledge, yes.” He nods. “That’s why I expect from you to get closer to him.”

“Do you have a reason why you suspect him?” I ask hesitantly. I need to know if he has proof. “I mean I haven’t seen anything suspicious yet.”

“It’s not your place to ask questions, cadet.” He says coldly. “I have every right to be suspicious. He’s the son of Fen Riorson.”

“I understand that it’s not my place. But if I have more information then I can be more efficient in obtaining information.” I try to convince him.

“I’ll think about it. I expect your next report soon, cadet.” He says and without a word walks away.

Damn. I can feel myself shaking as I lean against the tree. It went… surprisngly smoothly.

I have to convince the General to share information with me. Then I can try to avoid certain topics.

In the silence I can hear voices not too far away from me.

„That’s unfair to ask him.” I hear Violet’s voice as the sound of whipping wings interrupts the night. The dragons are flying back. They’ve made their decision.

“I’m ordering you to answer, squad leader.” I hear Xaden’s voice. What are they doing here in the dark?

“No. I wouldn’t have.” Dain too? Interesting. „It would have killed me to watch something happen to you, Vi, but the rules—”

“It’s all right,” I hear Vi’s weak voice.

What the hell happened?

“The dragons are returning,” Xaden says as the first of them lands on the illuminated field. “Get back to formation, squad leader.”

I see as Dain walks away then I walk to where Violet and Xaden are.

“What did you do with Dain? He looked like he bit into a lemon.” I say.

Violet turns around and smiles at me. Unlike her Xaden glares at me.

“What are you doing here, sunshine?” He eyes me warily.

“I had things to do. It’s none of your business.” I look at him then Violet. “Probaly we should go back.” I say to Vi.

“Yeah, let’s go. I don’t want to stay here with him.” She says angrily and marches away.

“What did you do to her?” I ask Xaden. “I’ve rarely seen her so upset.”

“It was not me. Your friend Dain.” He crosses him arms.

“He’s not my friend. I don’t like him more than you.” I say. “Now if you excuse me, I have to go back.”

Suddenly he grabs my arm and looks at me with something in his eyes. Is it…concern?

“Are you all right, sunshine?” He asks. “You seem a little bit shaken up.”

I stiffen and I look away for a moment. “Yes, I’m fine. But it’s nice of you to worry about me.” I wink at him.

“I don’t worry about you. It’s just… I’m curious, sunshine.” He relases my arm and steps closer. “Did something happend after the dragons left?”

“Why would you think that?” I ask with raised eyebrows.

“I watched you. You were so happy to see your friends, and now you look like a ghost.” He says leaning closer. “You were the same weeks ago when that man told you your father wishes to see you.”

I try to pull away but he gently grabs my shoulders.

“You can tell me, Aelin.” He whispers.

That’s probably the first time he said my name.

But I can’t tell him. He protects the marked-ones and I’m basically a spy. He would hate me.

“I’m fine, Xaden. Really.” I smile at him with warmth in my eyes. He’s really worried, and it feels good to know he cares about me. At least a little. “I have to go back, Aon will be worried.”

He slowly relases me and I quickly walk away. I search for Aon and I see him next to Tairn. Is this some sort of order? Tairn is the center and next to him is Aon. It means that Aon is the second strongest?

“Yes, it is little one.” Aon answers in my head. “And I told you to stay with your friend.” He lowers his head as I approach him.

“I know, but The General wanted to speak with me.”

“We’ll talk about it later. Now you should pay attention.” He nudges me between his legs with his head.

What did they decide?

General Melgren moves toward the front of the dais, his uniform dripping in medals. Violet’s right in one way—the top general in our kingdom is terrifying. He’s never had an issue using infantry for fodder, and his cruelty when it comes to overseeing the interrogation—and execution—of prisoners is well-known, at least at our family’s dining room table. His enormous nightmare of a dragon takes up the entire space beside the dais, and a hush falls over the crowd as Melgren angles his hands in front of his face.

“Codagh has relayed that the dragons have spoken regarding the Sorrengail girl.” Lesser magic allows his voice to magically amplify over the field for all to hear.

“While tradition has shown us that there is one rider for every dragon, there has never been a case of two dragons selecting the same rider, and therefore there is no dragon law against it,” he declares. “While we riders may not feel as though this is… equitable”—his tone implies that he’s one of them—“dragons make their own laws. Both Tairn and…” He looks over his shoulder and his aide rushes forward to whisper in his ear. “Andarna have chosen Violet Sorrengail, and so their choice stands.”

The crowd murmurs, but my shoulders sag in acute relief. That’s fantastic.

„As it should be,” Aon grumbles. “Humans have no say in the laws of dragons.”

Violet’s mom steps forward and makes the same gesture with her hands to project her voice, but I can’t concentrate on what she’s saying as she closes out the formal portion of the Threshing ceremony, promising the unbonded riders another chance next year. If they don’t manage to kill one of us while our bonds are weak in the next few months and try to bond our dragons themselves.

I belong to Aon…and…

“Is Sgaeyl your sibling?” I ask Aon. I have to know if it’s true.

“Who told you that?” He asks and glances at me.

“When I talked with The General he said that you share your parents.” I look at his golden eyes.

“That’s true. She is younger than me by a couple of years.” He blinks at me. “Why does it matter?”

“It’s not that. I was just curious.” I answer.

“You can’t keep secrets from me, little one. I’m in your head. And I trust you to do the right thing.” He lifts his head up.

The right thing? It’s not that easy.

I glance across the field at Xaden. As if sensing my gaze, he looks over and holds my gaze with a raised eyebrow.

“Welcome to a family that knows no boundaries, no limits, and no end,” General Sorrengail finishes, and a cheer resounds around the field. “Riders, step forward.”

I look left and right in confusion, but so does every other rider.

“Five steps or so,” Aon says.

I take them.

“Dragons, it is our honor as always,” Mom calls out. “Now we celebrate!”

Heat blasts my back, and I hiss in pain as riders on both sides of me cry out. My back feels like it’s on fucking fire, and yet everyone across the field is cheering raucously, some of them racing our way.

Other riders are caught up in embraces.

“You’ll like it,” Aon promises. “It’s unique.”

The pain fades to a dull ache, and I glance over my shoulder. There’s a solid blue…something peeking out from the vest. “I’ll like what?”

“Aelin!” Liam reaches me. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I guess now we’re officially riders.” My lips curve. It’s all…surreal, all too much for one day.

“Where’s your…” He lets go and circles me. “Can I unlace this? Just the top?” he asks, tugging at the raised neck of the back of my vest.

I nod. A few pushes and pulls later, the crisp October air nips at the base of my neck.

“Holy shit. You have to see this.”

“Tell the boy to move,” Aon orders.

“Aon says you should move.”

Liam steps out of the way.

Suddenly, my vision isn’t mine. I’m looking at my own back through…Aon’s eyes. A back that has a glistening blue relic of a dragon with an open mouth, ready to torch someone. It’s huge. It reaches from shoulder to shoulder with his wing, down to my waist, where his morningstartail curls.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. I’m marked by his magic as a rider now, as his rider.

“I know,” Aon answers.

I blink, and my vision is mine again, and Liam’s hands lace up my corset quickly.

“You look fantastic.” He winks at me.

I laugh and glance at my side where Violet is and…

Dain is fucking kissing Violet.

What. The. Hell.

[inlovewithquotes]

Do not mistake a dragon's bond for fealty. If you expect a dragon to choose their rider over the well-being of their own kind, prepare for two things: disappointment and death.

-Colonel Kaori's Field Guide to Dragonkind

[theshadowsingersraven]

I SWEAR I've been writing but I keep forgetting to post it. Now I gotta make up for the past two days lol:

Snippet from Chapter two of my Bodhi/OC fanfic that I've been chipping away at for days 2 & 3

Tagging everyone participating in the challenge

@matrixsss @praetorqueenreyna @achaotichuman @chunkypossum

“You needed something?” Kestra asks, straightening up to her full height. She’s only a few inches shorter than Bodhi, but he knows for a fact that wouldn’t stop her from knocking him flat on his ass. And for some reason, he isn’t sure he’d mind. Not that he’ll give her a reason to, of course. He's supposed to be the most reasonable of his section, after all.

“Yes. Well, technically, the Assembly needs something from you. They asked me to bring you so you and the Professors can sort out teaching all the cadets here.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “They're asking me to teach? I'm still only a cadet. And what would I teach anyway?”

“Dragonkind. You're Kaori's daughter--if there's anyone they expect to know enough about dragons to help the first years keep their seats and maneuver in flight, it's you.”

Kestra frowns, a sight that Bodhi couldn't have anticipated disliking so much. He watches her raise her hand to her face and pinch the bridge of her nose. Her sigh is sharp. “This is why Dad and I kept that little bit of information a secret.”

Bodhi grimaces. He’d technically volunteered her even though his main goal was just to get the Assembly off of Xaden’s back. He hadn't thought about the pressure that might put on her, and he suddenly felt guilt knotting his stomach.

“They think you're capable, at least,” he offers, his voice a tad softer.

“They want me to be his replacement,” she says, her voice slightly clipped. “I mean, I get why on some level. I practically learned to read off of his Field Guide to Dragonkind, but I'm not him. I can't be him. Not without at least another ten years of experience and study.” Her hand lowered from her face

Bodhi shrugs. The smile he offers Kestra is hesitant, but genuine. As if he could try and nudge her forward with a mere expression alone. “Maybe they don't need you to be him, Bishop. Maybe they just need you to be you.”

The tightness of stress and agitation loosens from Kestra's expression like a curtain billowing from an open window. His words seem to make her pause, something like appreciation dancing in those forest green eyes of hers. “You think?” she asks, sounding surprisingly unsure of herself.

[empyrean-thrones]

COLONEL KAORI'S FIELD GUIDE TO DRAGONKIND

Blue-tongued Daggertails

(Some notes on daggertails from my Fourth Wing rewrite series)

[breathe2-fr]

Canonizing Fandragons (Lore)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Ancient depictions of the Second Age show a civilization unlike dragonkind has seen. They are reminiscent of Beastclan but bear distinct differences: almost monkey-like, but with no tails and limited hair. Initially, scholars and historians didn't know what to make of these creatures, and they were simply referred to as the Clans of the Second Age. These clans are still under active investigation to this day.

Since the opening of the Forbidden Portal, there has coincidentally been an uptick in dragons approximating guesses to what the Clans of the Second Age may have looked like. Dragons have been spotted sporting magical disguises taking on the shape of these creatures. Calling themselves "humans," these strange beastclan-like forms walk Sornieth (yes, walk!) with apparent confusion. When confronted, they often act unfamiliar with their surroundings and common knowledge. It is expected they have fantastical stories prepared of a false life lived in far away lands or worlds. These dragons commonly form their own clans with others of their affliction, where most if not all members wear a human guise, but are also known to join regular dragon clans or beastclan tribes.

It is the opinion of the Baldwin Alchemical Society that these dragons are mages or scholars who have lingered for too long near the Forbidden Portal. The Society hypothesizes the chaotic Arcane and unknown energies that emanate from and around the portal have affected the minds of these curious dragons, who may have come to the portal with good (or bad) intentions, and causing them to transmogrify themselves into such forms. As such, dragons suffering from what we are calling "humanization" are in need of treatment.

The Society continues to discourage visiting the Forbidden Portal for any reason. If you have encountered a humanized dragon, please follow our guidance below:

Tell the dragon they are not a "human," but a dragon. Do not escalate if they become hostile! But they must be told to initiate their recovery.

Encourage the dragon to remember their past life as a dragon. This cannot be forced, but if the dragon consents, alchemy and magic may be used to retrieve their lost memories. We have found that most humanized dragons do not consent, however, stating that they "already know" their past. Please see page 1109 of the Baldwin Alchemical Society's Field Guide (BASFG) for the memory retrieval potion formula.

Brew a potion of Breed Changing for the dragon and have them consume it. This will immediately remedy the situation by giving them a draconic form, even if they are not restored to their original breed. While it's always best to return them to their original breed, discerning what this was may be difficult if the dragon continues to deny their situation. Please see page 744 of the BASFG for the Breed Change potion formula.

Guide the dragon through the culture of your clan, similar to how you would for a dragon of a foreign element or a hatchling. In most cases, they will not immediately remember most (if any) common dragon culture, and specifics to your own clan or element may vary from others regardless.

As always, treatment can only go forward if the patient accepts it. Be clear with your intentions and never force treatment nor coerce consent. Treat all patients with care and respect - while many will readily return to a life of wings if offered, some may not. And understand that even after breed changing back to a dragon, they may still suffer from confusion with regards to dragonic culture, history, biology, and other common knowledge.

Signed, Pennitar Bogblot Communications & Outreach Director The Baldwin Alchemical Society

[fr-breakpoint]

When reality is pushed to its breaking point, it fractures. Someone has to mend it.

Welcome to Breaking Point Incorporated, one of the leading sources of innovation in Sornieth. Here, we aim to improve life for all of dragonkind.

And as those lives are improved, we ensure the safety of them by discovering and mending any fractures in reality.

Here at Breaking Point, you are our number one priority.

// hi! i'm bit/proxy, i'm 18, and this is my sideblog for flight rising!

// my main which i'll interact/follow from is @bitratelimited

// on flight rising i'm breakpoint #433973 and all my important links are right there in the clan profile :]

+++

Tag Guide: #on break - misc talking tag #clocked in - lore/lair posting #field notes - doodles/scribbles #official report - actual drawings/writings, likely rb'd from my main #bulletin board - asks/submissions #profile: [name] - posts about specific dragons

[snowbird-down]

Prompt 10: Avail

“Come on! You’re not going to let a mortal outrun you, are you?”

Laelia laughed, racing full-tilt towards the edge of the artificial island. Behind her, with a gait that was half-flailing as much as it was a sprint, ran a blue-scaled dragon. A large strip of fabric was cinched over his eyes, the loose give beneath it hinting of hollow sockets.

There was a time, not so long ago, when she and a handful of others had unwittingly released him from a prison sentence that had lasted five millennia. Laelia was fortunate that Lucas had been a part of that team, otherwise she might never have secured permission (however under the table it was) to help nurse the creature back to health. She had only ever been trained in field medicine, but she knew at least how to clean wounds, remove bullets, and apply patches; healing potions meant for Spoken apparently had middling effect on Dragonkind, but it was better than nothing. What was more important was that he was fed proper fresh meat again, and given fresh water to drink, and that had proven the harder part. Now that he had regained his strength, however, it was on to the next challenge: returning vitality to muscles long-atrophied.

And so, rather than visit her new friend Tharl Ohl after her shifts, Laelia visited him in the morning instead and dragged him along on her daily workouts. He jogged around the facility with her, lifted heavy equipment, and mimicked her squats and lunges and pushups as best he could with four legs. Day by day the dragon grew heartier. He began to shed old claws and teeth and scales as he filled out and increased in size. Laelia collected them, both as proof of his progress and as personal keepsakes.

But there was still one challenge he was yet to overcome – and it was the one that hurt him the most.

As Laelia skid to a halt near the edge of the island, she whirled about and cried, “Now!”

Tharl Ohl hefted himself into the air, snapping his wings out, sweeping them in a powerful downbeat –

--all to no avail.

He crashed snout-first into the rock-hard earth, skidding a small ways before losing all momentum. And there he laid miserably, wings and tail going limp upon the ground. Laelia rushed over to make certain he was unharmed, but as usual his body endured; it was his spirit that Allag had broken. Somehow, that was worse than any physical damage they had visited upon him. To see a creature as proud, as powerful as a dragon, reduced to what he was…it was perverse. It was wrong.

“You got higher that time!” she said, reaching out to pat his neck so that he knew she was there.

Tharl Ohl whuffed miserably.

“It’s alright,” Laelia said. “Wings are complex muscles. It’s going to take a long while before they’re strong enough to carry you again.”

What good am I, if the skies yet elude me? came his voice in her head. She’d only now gotten used to it; nor was she really certain how he was able to pull such a feat. Laelia had brought others to visit him – she’d had to, as group travel was a rule – and they all had been able to understand him as well. It was evidently some power dragons had that she’d sure as hell never learned about.

“As good as any other life on this Star,” she replied, firmly. “Even if you never flew again – which sure as hells won’t be the case on my watch – you are still a Spoken being. You know someone back in my homeland once calculated the probability of even being born in the first place? Needless to say you and I won the jackpot, my friend, and our reward is years and years of experiencing this beautiful world. You moreso than me, heh.”

…I know not this word, ‘jackpot’.

“I’m trying to give you a motivating speech and that was your takeaway?”

Tharl Ohl snorted at her, enough to muss her hair. Laelia wasn’t sure yet whether or not dragons had a sense of humor, but she’d learned at the least that it wasn’t necessarily a negative reaction on his part.

“C’mon. On your feet, soldier.” Laelia tried to heft one of his enormous paws, with…moderate results. Gods, he’d grown so much since she’d first met him. “You are a great and powerful dragon, and you’re not going to let a mortal beat you. Repeat after me now.”

He was silent.

“I can’t hear you!”

I am…a great and powerful dragon.

“And?”

And no mortal shall best me.

“Good. Now keep repeating that while I walk you back, and we’ll try again. Doesn’t matter if you only make it up a few more ilms; any progress is good progress.”

Laelia rested a hand upon his side, so that she could guide him along back to their starting point. All the while Tharl Ohl craned his head around as though to watch her. The pilot wasn’t smart or empathetic enough to even begin to guess what he was thinking – all she knew was that, slowly but surely, she was gaining the dragon’s trust.

[paladin-andric]

Blackheart, Chapter 24: Shattered Memories

“A gorgeous day, is it not?”

Basilrin lay in the fields of the park. Wind swept across the grass as the clear skies bathed the area in sunlight.

“Indeed it is,” his brother answered politely, staring off into the sky. Basilrin could sense he appeared...anxious.

“Is something the matter? You seem restless...or bored!”

All around them, the people of the city were crowded around the two dragons, all gazing at them in awe and admiration. The family lived in the caverns below the city, which were off-limits, at is was considered their “residence” and therefore private property.

That didn’t stop several “dragonchasers” as they were called, from delving into the caverns without permission to see them. The family of dragons were welcoming, but as they broke the law, the city guard were less amused.

As such, it was a rare treat to get to see the large and powerful beasts up close, and when they lounged in the park, many cityfolk visited to see them.

Most numerous among their admirers were the kobolds, who, for reasons relating to their very existence, were inexplicably drawn to seek out and serve dragonkind.

Julroul hesitated. His eyes narrowed just enough for Basilrin to notice, radiating awareness of something that no one else could notice.

“Are you...cold?”

Basilrin frowned. “Of course not. It is sunny and warm!”

“I feel a chill in the air.”

His brother closed his eyes and focused, hard. He blocked out the rest of his sense as best he could and felt every inch of the wind in the air, lightly breezing across his form.

The air was indeed quite warm, but...he could feel it. A tiny sting of coolness across the end of each gust of wind.

Something he wouldn’t have noticed if he wasn’t looking for it.

“...I suppose the wind is cool. What of it?”

“That is not the wind. Something is different. Surely you can feel it?”

Basilrin tried again. He closed his eyes and focused.

“Mmm...no. I do not follow. What is different?”

Julroul smiled. “I do not know, but...it excites me, for some reason.”

It was after that remark that everything changed.

Before Basilrin could ask what his brother meant by such an odd statement he noticed something truly bizarre.

Everything was getting darker.

The various people around the pair noticed as well. A koutu looked up at the sky and frowned.

“Huh? It’s getting dark? But it’s midday…”

The dragon looked up and, sure enough, that was the case...at least partially.

The people of the city seemed to think the sun was setting, or the sky was getting dark, but Basilrin could tell what was really happening.

His draconic senses, superior to all others, honed in on the strange and near-unnoticeable patterns in the sky. Slowly they were wrapping around the entire skyline in a sphere, and began to grow in size.

Mist was starting to form above them, building in intensity.

As soon as he noticed that, the dragon could feel the air growing colder, ever colder around him. This was what Julroul had been talking about.

“What in the world…?”

Someone in the crowd had uttered it, though Basilrin was thinking the same thing himself. As he focused, he noticed something else. Something far in the distance, that the crowd surely couldn’t made out.

Screams.

“Something is very wrong,” he spoke hurriedly, rising to his feet, “We should-”

“Do nothing!”

The voice had come from nearby, but it was...all wrong.

The distorted, otherworldly voice immediately set Basilrin on edge. As he turned his gaze to the person it belonged to, he realized his instincts were all too reliable.

The creature was very large, at least by “normal” standards. Compared to the dragons of course, he was still small. He wore armor that looked scorched by flames and had nasty, pointed edges all over. His helmet had horns...or perhaps, they had openings for the beast’s own. He was outrageously large and stocky, and in between the gaps of his gnarled armor, the dragon could see purple skin and black eyes. The beast also had a spaded tail to top it all off.

“D-demon!” someone in the crowd screamed, the others quickly joining in with terrified cries of their own. They all backed up, hiding behind Basilrin for protection.

“Good eyes,” the demon spoke mockingly, “But unneeded.” He looked over at the two dragons, a predatory glint in his eyes. “You pair, however…”

“Begone!” Basilrin snarled, putting himself in front of the frightened crowd, “Crawl back to the hellscape you came from!”

“Eheheh...not an option. This place will be my home, now...as it will many others. This land belongs to the Underworld, but we are not adverse to letting you live under us. Now, rejecting me is a dire mistake, dragon. I will give you one last chance to change your tune. We are looking for champions, and dragonkind would make mighty warlords indeed. There is so much power you could have in exchange...”

Basilrin lunged forward, slamming his claw into the ground the demon stood on, smirking in satisfaction as he smashed the earth with murderous strength.

As he lifted his claws however, he found...nothing.

“W-what?!”

“A fair attempt,” the demon offered, several yards away, “But even your kind cannot match our might. Perhaps a demonstration will show you who you should strive to please…”

The demon gestured wildly, but before Basilrin could even move to stop the fiend, it was already over. The demon’s arms rose into the air, and Basilrin felt a sudden, intense pain in his feet. A boiling, blistering pain.

The dragon looked down, disbelief overwhelming him as he saw fire emerging from the earth itself, coating the entire area in a sea of flames.

It didn’t kill him, or even wound him. It hurt, certainly, but it took more than fire to kill a dragon.

The same couldn’t be said for the others.

He turned to see that massive crowd behind him, so varying in appearance and size and manner...being utterly consumed. The fire rose up to their heads. The wolf and birdfolk, the kobolds, the insects and lizards and everyone in between...all were being enveloped.

Their screams of agony were cut short as they collapsed into the flames, cries dying out as they breathed their last.

“NO!”

Basilrin could barely comprehend the terror and fury coursing through him. As the hellfire died out, sinking back into the soil, all that remained was the now barren soil...and the charred corpses of all the citizens that had been happily watching the dragons just moments ago.

The young dragon was hardly even an adult. He had lived a sheltered, innocent life during his very short stay on this world. In his time being raised by his mother and father, and growing alongside his big brother, he had not seen so much as a scuffle.

He knew of death, understood it...but he had never witnessed it.

“You...you MONSTER!” Basilrin screamed, lunging out towards the demon. Anger and heartache overwhelmed his rational senses, and he ignored the gestures the demon made as he closed in.

With a flick of a finger, the demon cast another mighty spell. Suddenly Basilrin was no longer flying towards the demon, but away, further and further. He slammed into the ground and rolled along it with the speed he was launched with, leveling several trees as he kept going.

He finally slammed into one last tree, knocking it over as he came to a stop. He groaned as pain filled his body. To be tossed aside so effortlessly, he, a mighty dragon…

“Wow…” Julroul muttered, breathless.

“Indeed. Incredible, isn’t it? And it could all be yours…”

“You...you could truly give me such power?”

The demon grinned. “Indeed. All you need to do is let me give you my gift, and you will have the world at your mercy…”

Basilrin snarled as he climbed back to his feet. “Hah, as if we would ever join you…”

“Yes, give me the power!” Julroul cried, “I want your strength!”

“W-what?!” Basilrin shook his head. “What are saying, brother?!”

The demon’s grin widened. “I knew you had it in you. Come here, and receive my power…”

“He just slaughtered everyone!” the younger dragon bellowed, “Get back, brother!”

“Do not tell me what to do, whelp.”

Basilrin blinked, having trouble believing his brother’s now cold and distant tone. “B-brother?!”

“A worthless bond. All my life I knew I was destined for greater things. You and father blathering on and on about peace and love...soft things, you are! It is why we pathetically submitted to the humans...no more! I will make them pay! I will crush all who oppose me!”

“Brother...this is not who you are! I know it to be so!”

Julroul grinned as he stepped forward and leaned down to the demon. “You have forgotten what you are, ‘brother’. For so long I knew I was superior to humans, yet they thought they could order us around?! With a flex of a claw, we could crush dozens without a thought. It is time they understood and respected that.”

The demon worked his magic, dark mists flowing from his hands and into the dragon. As the corruption flowed into him, his thoughts only darkened further and further…

“Mmm...yesss...I will show them their place...they will kneel...they will ALL kneel!”

Julroul snarled and growled as his mind slipped, becoming more feral and guided by instinct. His new dark, base way of thought made what were once inklings at the back of his mind full-blown wishes and fantasies.

“Gaaah...yes...no more kneeling, no more submission! I will show them what happens when you strike out against your betters!”

“Brother, get a hold of yourself!” Basilrin pleaded, “He is controlling you somehow! Fight, you must fight it! Reclaim your true self!”

“This IS my true self,” Julroul answered with a laugh, “I have only been hiding it, to placate my weak family.”

“Yes, embrace it!” the demon shouted, “Show them who you REALLY are!”

“Yesss,” Julroul hissed, mind unraveling, “Who I am...who I am…”

His body began to warp just as his mind had, swelling in size. Basilrin watched in shock as he grew past the size of their parents, and kept going. Not soon after, his scales changed. The once vibrant green began to dim and darken, growing to a pure black and becoming reminiscent of jagged glass in shape.

Not soon after, the color left his eyes as well, the blue and gold bleeding away until only pure white remained. His irises and pupils left him as well, giving his visage a new blank look about them. Soon, even his brother could no longer read him.

A coating of mist enveloped him, the same, purple mist that seemed to emanate from the demon. It was at that moment it all came to a stop. The demon lowered his hand as the ritual came to a close.

It seemed that somewhere along the way, he did truly change. While his evil urges and dark thoughts had already been there, merely teased out into acceptance, his desire to be a ruler and master were quickly thrown away as the now demonic looking dragon dropped to the ground and lowered his head in submission.

“Master Helical...your servant thanks you.”

His voice now carried that same distorted, unholy tone the demon possessed.

“A mere taste, my slave. Your new power will grow as you embrace its use.”

The demon turned his gaze to the other dragon, who felt very small all of a sudden. “Kneel.” What was once his brother turned to face him, his maw now bearing a blank, wild looking grin.

“Join us! Feel the might, the sheer power coursing through you, and discard all other thoughts…”

“Never!” Basilrin cried defiantly, “Murderer, I will never submit to the likes of you!”

“I see.” The demon turned to the other dragon and nodded. “Slave.”

The beast, now looking like a dragon made entirely of shadow, stepped up to Basilrin, that unnaturally wide grin seemingly plastered there for good.

The much smaller, green dragon shook his head, beginning to step back. “Brother...I know you are still there, somewhere. I cannot hurt you. I shall not.”

That grin, though it already appeared too wide, only grew wider as his words.

“But I can hurt you.”

That was the only warning he needed. Basilrin threw himself out of the way as his brother lunged forward with blinding speed. He only just cleared the larger dragon as he slammed his claws to the ground, causing the earth itself to shake.

Basilrin righted himself just in time to avoid yet another lunge from Julroul, who seemed remorseless in his attempts to kill the smaller dragon.

“Stop this!”

Julroul laughed as he continued swinging, the other dragon just barely moving out of the way each time.

“Come to your senses! I am your brother!”

“I know. You are also dead.”

Another swing. Basilrin backed up, holding a defensive stance.

“Please, stop this!”

There was no answer as the larger, corrupted dragon lunged at him again. This time he actually grabbed onto Basilrin’s leg as he leapt away, but the smaller dragon slipped free before any harm was done.

There was no way for him to win this. His brother was so much more powerful now. A single, well placed swing from those claws and…

Basilrin shook his head. He couldn’t do this. Not only did his brother massively outclass him, but his heart wasn’t in the fight. He didn’t want to hurt Julroul...but his brother seemed all too gleeful about cutting him down.

He kicked off, launching himself into the increasingly dark sky and looking back at his brother fearfully as he flew away.

“I...I will get help!” he cried, “I will purge you of their influence! I promise!”

Julroul moved to pursue, crouching low to launch himself into the air, but the demon raised his hand.

“Don’t.”

The dark dragon looked at the creature in confusion.

“Let him come crawling back with others. Then we will have more to swell our ranks.”

Julroul got out of his crouching stance and stood up. He turned to the demon and bowed deeply.

“As you wish, master.”

Many days and nights had passed since then. Basilrin did indeed make good on his promise, and returned with the rest of his family to seek out Julroul.

They found him, and he managed to push them all aside, even slaying his mother in the process. Aurelio was badly wounded by him, and so he and Basilrin retreated back to their caves.

It was there they lay, despair overwhelming them. Aurelio couldn’t get up and Basilrin fearfully crept out into the park to find what little there was left to forage for.

Basilrin had nearly given up all hope...until he spotted a certain, familiar dragon flying towards the academy one day.

“...and that is how all of this started!” Basilrin finished.

Razorwing sighed. “My goodness. This evil...it has ruined everything. Even dragons aren’t safe from the destruction.”

“The true extent of the darkness’ might is frightening,” Charles noted, “I can only imagine what would happen if we don’t stop it…”

“What’s been keeping them in the city, anyway?”

Alexander scratched at his face as he asked the question. “I mean, we’re damn lucky they’re not moving out, but...why aren’t they?”

“The corruption,” Andric answered.

“Huh?”

“That’s right,” Leianna agreed, “They can’t go without it.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lexius stepped forward. “You know by now that the demons and their minions spread the corruption wherever they go, correct? You can see it in the sky, the stone and the very earth in this city.”

Alexander nodded. “Of course.”

“Well, they had to work to make it that way, and if they have plans of world conquest, they’ll need to do this a million times over.”

The knight shrugged. “I’m...not following.”

Andric chimed in again. “Think of it like this: Imagine a priest or magician’s magic. The more they use, the more they exhaust themselves. Use too much and they need to wait until they regain their energy, correct?”

“I get that.”

“Well, if they leave the area they’ve corrupted for untouched ground, they’ll begin to die. They subsist on the evil as much as they spread it. A sort of balance, like how humans and trees need one another for air.”

“Well, why don’t they make more? They did a damn good job of it here.”

The paladin gestured toward the cave exit. “The entire city’s been corrupted, and only a few demons have actually crawled out of the hole that is their homeland. The ones that have obviously used up all their dark energy corrupting the city and sealing it in a fog of darkness. Hell, they still need to work on the park, it’s still pure, mostly. While the fog and the corruption in it is ever so slowly growing on its own, it’ll be ages before it can swallow all the land around it like that.”

“So the demons are...recharging?” Alexander probed.

“Correct. Also gathering more of their ilk. Once a demonic army is assembled, they’ll be able to spill out into the kingdom and quickly corrupt the land, claiming more and more for themselves.”

“So we’re on a time limit,” the knight said knowingly.

“Indeed...which is why we should hurry and kill that abomination!”

Alexander sighed. “Right...off we go, than! Tourthun, Basilrin and Aurelio! We’ll need all of you to beat that thing, even if it isn’t immortal anymore. I can’t imagine my blade would do much against something that large…”

Tourthun rumbled quietly. “...whatever is needed to stop this, I will do.”

Aurelio nodded. “I shall fight to my last. It is...the least I could do.”

“Perfect!” Basilrin shouted, “Let us be off!”

The group left the caves, preparing for the confrontation with the monstrosity that had kept them trapped here for all this time. Once the way was clear, civilians could flee and the army could be brought in. Soon enough, the final battle would truly begin.

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[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 13

Hi, everybody. I hope you all had a pleasent Easter! Now, we continue our story. Threshing is just starting. It's a really short chapter, I'm sorry, guys. :( But I plan to post the next one on Saturday.

There is nothing quite as humbling, or as awe-inspiring, as witnessing Threshing…for those who live through it anyway.

—Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind

October first is always Threshing.

Monday, Wednesday, or Sunday, it doesn’t matter where it falls on any given year. On the first of October, the first-year cadets of the Riders Quadrant enter the bowl-shaped forested valley to the southwest of the citadel and pray they come out alive.

I will not die today.

I didn’t bother eating this morning, and I pity Ethan, who’s currently heaving up the contents of his stomach against a tree to my right.

A sword is strapped to my back, the hilt jostling against my spine as I bounce, stretching my arms across my chest one at a time.

“Remember to listen here,” Professor Kaori says from in front of the 147 of us here, tapping his chest. “If a dragon has already selected you, they’ll be calling.” He thumps his chest again. “So pay attention to not just your surroundings but your feelings, and go with them.” He grimaces. “And if your feelings are telling you to go in the other direction…listen to that, too.”

“Which one are you going for?” Liam asks quietly.

“I don’t know.” I shake my head. At this point, Mira knew she wanted to seek out Teine.

“You memorized the cards, right?” He asks, lifting his brows. “So you know what’s out there?”

“Yes. I just don’t feel connected to any of them.” I shrug. “And what about you? Do you have this ‘feeling’?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” He says. “I thought I felt something.”

“Which one was it?” I smile at him. He totally deserves to be chosen.

“One of the reds.” He grins. “I felt strange when you dated with the greens.”

“Hey! It wasn’t a date. I really thought that I’m done for good.” I narrow my eyes at him.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t have called it a date. I don’t want to upset a certain wingleader.” He winks.

“Liam!” I hiss and elbow him in the ribs.

And he just laughs. God, he’s annoying. A little. But I like him.

We’ve only seen professors this morning, but I know the second- and third-year riders are scattered throughout this valley in order to observe.

„If you go in groups, you’re more likely to be incinerated than bonded,” Professor Kaori argues with someone near the center of the valley. “The scribes have run the statistics. You’re better off on your own.”

“And what if we aren’t chosen by dinner?” a man with a short beard to my left asks.

Looking past him, I catch Jack Barlowe running a finger across his neck at Violet. So original. Then Oren, Rio and Tynan flank his sides.

So much for squad loyalty. It’s everyone for themselves today.

I better watch them. They’re a nasty group.

“If you’re not chosen by nightfall, there’s a problem,” Professor Kaori responds, his thick mustache turned down at the ends. “You’ll be brought out by a professor or senior leadership, so don’t give up and think we’ve forgotten about you.” He checks his pocket watch. “Remember to spread out and use every foot of this valley to your advantage. It’s nine, which means they should be flying in any minute now. The only other words I have for you are ‘good luck.’” He nods, sweeping his gaze over the crowd of us with such intensity that I know he’ll be able to re-create this moment in a projection.

Then he leaves, marching up the hill to our right and disappearing into the trees.

My mind whirls. It’s time. I’ll either leave this forest as a rider…or likely never leave.

“Be careful.” Liam pulls me into a hug and he tightens his arms around me.

“You too.” I squeeze him back and am immediately swept into another pair of arms.

“Don’t die!” Ethan orders.

That’s our only goal as what’s left of our squad separates, each heading in our own direction like we’ve been flung apart by centrifugal motion, at the mercy of a spinning wheel.

***

Guessing by the position of the sun, it’s been at least a couple of hours since the dragons flew overhead, landing in the valley in a succession that sounded like thunder and making the earth shake.

I’ve come across two greens, a brown, four oranges, and—

My heart stumbles and my feet freeze to the forest floor as a red steps into my field of vision, its head just under the canopy of enormous trees.

This is not my dragon. I’m not sure how I know, but I do.

I hold my breath, trying not to make a sound as its head sweeps right, then left, and my gaze plummets to the ground as I bow my head.

For the last hour or so, I’ve seen dragons launch into the air with a cadet—now a rider—on their back, but I’ve also seen more than a couple of plumes of smoke, and I have no desire to be one of those.

The dragon huffs a breath, then continues along its path, its daggertail flicking upward and catching one of the lower-hanging branches. The limb falls to the ground with a monstrous crash, and only after the footsteps recede do I finally raise my head.

I’ve now come across every color of dragon, and none of them has spoken to me or given me the sense of connection we’re reportedly supposed to feel.

My stomach sinks. What if I’m one of the cadets who’s destined to never become a rider? One who’s thrown back time and again to restart first year until eventually something puts me on the death roll? Has this all been for nothing?

I don’t want to die. I don’t want to be useless. I don’t want to be seperated from my friends.

I feel happy with them. For the first time in my life I feel important. And I don’t want to lose them. Liam. Violet. Ethan. Not even Xaden, despite our strange relationship.

The thought is too heavy to carry.

Maybe if I could just see the valley, then I’d get a feeling like Professor Kaori was talking about.

I spot the nearest climbable tree and get to work, scaling branch after branch. Pretty sure the higher branches aren’t going to support my weight, so I stop about three-quarters to the top and survey the immediate area.

There are a few greens in plain sight to my left, standing out against the fall foliage. Oddly enough, this is the one time of year when oranges, browns, and reds have the highest chance of blending in. I watch the trees for movement and spot a couple more directly south, but there’s no pull, no aching need to head in that direction, which probably means those aren’t mine, either.

Relief hits me embarrassingly hard when I count at least half a dozen first-years wandering aimlessly. I shouldn’t be so happy that they haven’t found their dragons, either, but at least I’m not the only one, which gives me hope.

There’s a clearing to the north, and my eyes narrow as a flash, like a mirror, catches the sun.

Or like a golden dragon.

Guess the little feathertail is still out here appeasing its curiosity.

There’s another movement. There’s a woman with wihitis hair. Violet.

Then I spot three man entering the clearing.

Shit. They must be Jack and his group.

I climb down and keep my footsteps silent and race across the forest floor as fast as I can.

I am thankful I grew up playing hide-and-seek with Violet in the woods. This is one area of expertise I can confidently claim.

The clearing is closer than I realized, so I kick up my speed, my gaze darting between the leaf-covered path I’ve chosen and where I think they are.

The meadow is big enough for ten dragons, ringed by several large trees, but the golden one stands alone in the center, in front of the dragon is Violet.

I was right. The group I saw was Jack’s. They surrounded Violet.

Four man against Violet, and a dragon. Probably a baby if based on it’s size.

I feel my anger rising. I will kill them.

I unsheathe my sword but before I can say anything or take a step, I hear a low threatening voice.

„I would strongly recommend you rethink your actions,” a voice—his voice—demands from across the field.

My scalp prickles as each of our heads swivel in his direction.

Xaden is leaning against the tree, his arms folded across his chest, and behind him, watching with narrowed golden eyes, her fangs exposed, is Sgaeyl, his terrifyingly beautiful navy-blue daggertail.

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 12

Hi, My Lovely Readers! I really appreciate your messages. You guys are awesome!

And as I promised the new chapter is here. Enjoy :)

Presentation Day is unlike any other. The air is ripe with possibilities, and possibly the stench of sulfur from a dragon who has been offended. Never look a red in the eye. Never back down from a green. If you show trepidation to a brown…well, just don’t.

—Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind

There are 169 of us by the time the morning is done and, and with our time we’ve placed first out of the thirty-six squads for Presentation—the piss-inducing parade of cadets before this year’s dragons willing to bond.

Anxiety seizes me at the thought of walking so close to dragons determined to weed out the weak before Threshing, and I suddenly wish we’d placed last.

The fastest up the Gauntlet was Liam, of course, earning him the Gauntlet patch. Pretty sure he doesn’t know how to take second place. But I’m really proud of him. He deserves it.

The box canyon that makes up the training field is spectacular in the afternoon sun, with miles of autumn-colored meadows and peaks rising on three sides of us as we wait at the narrowest part, the entrance to the valley. At the end, I can make out the line of the waterfall that might be just a trickle of a creek now but will rush at runoff season.

The leaves of the trees are all turning gold, as though someone has brought in a paintbrush with only one color and streaked it across the landscape.

And then there are the dragons.

Averaging twenty-five feet tall, they’re in a formation of their own, lined up several feet back from the path—close enough to pass judgment on us as we walk by.

“Let’s go, Second Squad, you’re up next,” Garrick says, beckoning us with a wave that makes the rebellion relic on his bared forearm gleam.

Theo and the other squad leaders stayed behind. It’s only the five of us.

“Into formation,” Garrick orders, his tone all business, which doesn’t surprise me given that his leadership style is more mission first, niceties last. Go figure he seems to be so close to Xaden. Unlike Xaden, though, the right side of his uniform has a neat line of patches proclaiming him Flame’s section leader as well as more than five patches advertising his skill with a multitude of weapons.

Interesting. We’re in the Tail section. Why is he here?

We comply, and Liam and I end up near the back this time.

Garrick’s hazel eyes skim over us. “Hopefully Theo has done his job, so you know that it’s a straight walk down the meadow. I’d recommend staying at least seven feet apart—”

“In case one of us gets torched,” Ethan mutters from ahead.

„Correct, Ethan. Cluster if you want, just know if a dragon finds disfavor with one of you, it’s likely to burn the whole lot to weed one out,” Garrick warns, holding our gazes for a beat. “Also, remember you’re not here to approach them, and if you do, you won’t be making it back to the dormitory tonight.”

“Can I ask a question?” Vila says from the front row.

Garrick nods, but the ticking of his jaw says he’s annoyed. I can’t blame him. Vila annoys the shit out of me, too. It’s her constant need to tear everyone down that makes most of us keep our distance.

“After Gauntlet I met a couple of the second- and third-years, and I talked to some of them…”

“That’s not a question.” He lifts his brows.

Yep, he’s annoyed.

“Right. It’s just that they said there’s a feathertail?” Her voice pitches upward.

“A f-feathertail?” Rio sputters from directly in front of me. “Who the hell would ever want to bond a feathertail?”

I roll my eyes, and Liam shakes his head.

“Professor Kaori never told us there would be a feathertail,” Ethan says. “I know because I memorized every single dragon he showed us. All hundred of them.”

“Well, guess there’s a hundred and one now,” Garrick replies, looking at us as if we’re children he’d like to be rid of before glancing back over his shoulder at the entrance to the valley. “Relax. Feathertails don’t bond. I can’t even remember the last time one has been seen outside the Vale. It’s probably just curious. You’re up. Stay on the path. You walk up, you wait for the entire squad, you walk back down. It really doesn’t get any easier than this from here on out, kids, so if you can’t follow those simple instructions, then you deserve whatever happens in there.” He turns and heads over to a path before the canyon wall where the dragons are perched.”

We follow, breaking away from the crowd of first-years.

“They’re all yours,” Garrick says to the quadrant’s senior wingleader, a woman I’ve seen a few times in Battle Brief murmuring to Xaden. Her uniform still has her signature spikes on the shoulders, but this time they’re gold and look sharp as hell—like she wanted to throw in a little extra badass today.

Cool.

She nods and dismisses him. “Single file.”

We all shuffle into a line.

Liam is at my back and Rio just ahead of me, which means I’ll be treated to his commentary the whole time, no doubt. Awesome.

“Talk,” the senior wingleader says, folding her arms across her chest.

“Nice day for a Presentation,” I joke.

“Not to me.” The senior wingleader narrows her gaze on me, then motions to the line of cadets before her. “Talk to your nearby squadmates while you’re on the path, as it will help the dragons get a sense of who you are and how well you play with others. There’s a correlation between bonded cadets and level of chatter.”

And now I want to switch places.

“Feel free to look at the dragons, especially if they’re showing off their tails, but I would abstain from eye contact if you value your life.” She pauses long enough for that bit of advice to sink in, then adds, “See you after your stroll.”

With a sweep of her hand, the senior wingleader steps to the side, revealing the dirt path that leads through the center of the valley, and up ahead, sitting so perfectly still that they might be gargoyles, are the hundred and one dragons who have decided to bond this year.

The line starts, and we give one another the suggested seven feet before following.

I’m hyperaware of every step as I walk down the path. The trail is hard beneath my boots, and there’s a definite lingering odor of sulfur.

We pass a trio of red dragons first. Their talons are almost half my size.

“I can’t even see their tails!” Rio shouts from in front of me. “How are we supposed to know what breed they are?”

I keep my eyes locked at the level of their massive, muscled shoulders as we walk by. “We’re not supposed to know what breed they are,” I respond.

„Fuck that,” he says over his shoulder. “I need to figure out which one I’m going to approach during Threshing.”

“Pretty sure this little walk is so they can decide,” I retort.

“Hopefully one of them will decide you don’t get to make it to Threshing,” Liam says, his voice quiet so it barely reaches me.

I laugh as we approach a set of browns, both slightly smaller than General Sorrengail’s Aimsir, but not by much.

“They’re a little bigger than I thought they would be,” Ethan says, his voice rising. He’s in front of Rio. “Not that I didn’t see the ones at Parapet, but…”

I look over Rio’s shoulder to see his wide gaze flickering between the path and the dragons. He’s nervous.

“So Ethan, how long do you know each other with Liam?” I ask him, continuing to walk forward past a handful of oranges.

“What?” He asks.

“We’ve been squadmates for a few months now, but I don’t know much about you.” I try to distract him.

“Well our family were close before…you know.” He says slowly, tugging down his sleeves. Yeah, I know. “We practically grew up together. And we were always in trouble. Mostly because of him.”

“Come on, really?” I laugh and glance back at Liam. He smirks and shrugs.

“Yes. He and his sister were real troublemakers.” Ethan laughs with us.

“But you never said anything. You always took the blame with us.” Liam says behind me.

“That’s true.” Ethan nods. “Because we’re friends.”

“I didn’t even know about your sister.” I say over my shoulder, lowering my gaze immediately when I accidentally make eye contact with one of the oranges.

“She’s just like you. I think you would get along well.” Liam says. “Sloane is fierce and her personality is matches yours.”

“What do you mean by that?” I glare at him.

“You’ll see. She joins us next year.” His voice is thick with concern.

“Don’t worry, Liam. We will be there for her. I promise.” I smile at him.

I will do anything to make him survive the year. That’s the least I can do for him.

“And what about you?” Liam asks. “Are you going to write someone once we get priviliges?”

“Yeah. Probably for Mira.” I say. “She used to write letters for Violet and me. And I think it’s a bullshit rule that we are not allowed to write letters in the first year.”

“You don’t think it encourages loyalty to the wing?” He asks.

“I think I’m just as loyal to her whether I’ve had a letter from her or not,” I counter. “There are bonds that can’t be broken.”

“I’d be loyal to her, too,” Rio says, turning around and grinning as he walks backward. “She’s one hell of a rider, and that ass. I saw her right before Parapet and damn, Aelin. She’s hot.”

We pass by another set of reds, then a single brown and a pair of greens.

“Turn around.” I make the spinning motion with my finger. “Mira would eat you for breakfast, Rio.”

“I’m just wondering how one of them got all the good traits and the other looks like she got the leftovers.” He refers to Violet.

“You’re an asshole.” I flip him the middle finger.

“Just saying, maybe I’ll write a letter of my own once we get privileges.” He turns and continues walking.

We pass more dragons, and my breathing starts to settle. The smell of sulfur disappears, or maybe I’ve just grown accustomed to it. They’re close enough to torch us, but I can’t hear them breathing or feel it, either.

We pass the halfway mark and continue.

Is the way the dragons stare at us scary as hell? Absolutely, but they want to be here the same as we do, so at least I hope they’ll be judicious with their firepower.

“When did you come up with your plan about the rope? Or the dagger?” Liam asks. “I know it bothered you a lot, that Violet couldn’t make it to the top. You could have told me. You can trust me, you know.”

“I trust you with my life, Liam! And we didn’t think of it until yesterday,” I answer, taking the time to look over my shoulder so I can see him. “And if it didn’t work, I didn’t want you to be an accomplice. You have a real future here, and I refuse to bring you down with us.

“I don’t need you to protect me.”

“I know. But it’s just what friends do, Liam.” I shrug as we walk by a trio of browns, the soft crunch of our boots on the dark gravel path the only sound for a few minutes. “You protect me, I protect you. It’s simple.”

“You keeping any other secrets up there?” He asks.

“I think it’s impossible to know everything there is to know about someone. But you know me the best.”

He snorts a laugh. “If that wasn’t skirting the question.”

“At least I was honest.” I laugh too.

“You guys done bonding back there?” Rio sneers. “Because we’re almost to the end of the line, if you haven’t noticed.” He pauses in the middle of the path, his gaze swinging right. “And I still can’t figure out which one I’m going to choose.”

“With arrogance like that, I’m sure any dragon would feel lucky to share your mind for the rest of your life.” I pity whatever dragon—if any—chooses him.

The rest of the squad is gathered ahead of us, facing our direction at the end of the path, but all their attention is focused to the right.

We pass the last brown dragon, and I inhale sharply.

“What the hell?” Rio stares.

“Keep walking,” I order, but my gaze is transfixed.

Standing at the end of the line is a small golden dragon.

Sunlight reflects off its scales and horns as it stands to its full height, flicking a feathered tail around the side of its body. The feathertail.

My jaw drops as I take in the sharp teeth and quick, darting movements of its head as it studies us. At its full height, it’s probably only a few feet taller than I am, like a perfect miniature of the brown next to it.

I walk straight into Rio’s back and startle. We’ve reached the end of the path, where the rest of the squad has been waiting.

“Get off me, Melgren,” Rio hisses and shoves me back. “Who the hell would bond that thing?”

My chest tightens. “They can hear you,” I remind him. “And who the hell would bond you?”

“It’s fucking yellow.” Vila points right at the dragon, disgust curling her lip. “So not only is it obviously too small to carry a rider in battle, but it’s not even powerful enough to be a real color.”

“Maybe it’s a mistake,” Ethan says quietly. “Maybe it’s a baby orange.”

“It’s full grown,” Liam argues. “There’s no way the other dragons allow a baby to bond. No human alive has ever seen a baby.”

“It’s a mistake all right.” Rio looks at the golden one and scoffs. “It’s freakishly weak.”

“It looks powerful enough to burn you to death,” I counter.

“Maybe you should be the one to burn to death, Melgren.” He sneers. “You’re useless. You’re only trying to protect Sorrengail because she’s weak, and because of this you’re weak too. The likes of you should be eliminated.”

Before I can say anything Liam lunges between us, grabbing Rio’s collar. “Don’t ever say that about a squadmate, especially not in front of unbonded dragons.”

“Let him go—he’s just saying what we’re all thinking,” Vila mutters.

I turn slowly to stare at her. Is this what happens to us the second we’re out of hearing range of any superior cadet? We turn on one another.

Ethan puts his hand on Liam’s arm. “Don’t make a mistake in front of them. We don’t know what they’ll do,” he whispers. And now we’re grouped up.

I shuffle backward a little as Liam drops Rio’s collar.

“Someone should kill it before it bonds,” Rio sputters, and for the first time in my life, I actually want to kick someone while they’re down…and keep kicking until they stay down. Or I should simply kill him. It would be easier.

„It’s just going to get its rider killed, and it’s not like we get a choice if it wants to bond us.”

“You’re just picking up on that now, are you?” Liam shakes his head.

“We should go back, they’re staring at us” Vila says, her gaze darting around the group.

We take off one by one, leaving the suggested space between us. Rio is the first, Liam goes before me this time and Ethan follows behind, with Vila bringing up the rear.

„They’re pretty incredible, aren’t they?” Ethan says, and the wonder in his voice makes me smile.

“They are,” I agree. “I’m so excited to see which dragons will choose us.”

“They’re honestly a little underwhelming after seeing that blue at Parapet.” Vila’s voice carries all the way to Liam, who turns around with a glare.

“Like this isn’t stressful enough without you insulting them?” He asks.

I need to defuse this quickly. “Yes, Sgaeyl is amazing but, don’t think these dragons sizes mean they’re weak. And it could be worse. We could be walking past a line of wyvern, right?”

“Oh please, Aelin, spare us. You’re ridiculous.” Vila says sarcastically. “Let me guess. Wyvern are some elite squad of gryphon riders created because of something we did at a battle.

“You don’t know what a wyvern is?” Liam asks, then begins walking again. “Didn’t your parents tell you bedtime stories, Vila?”

“Do enlighten me,” Vila drawls.

I roll my eyes, continuing along the path. “They’re folklore,” I say over my shoulder. “Kind of like dragons but bigger, with two feet instead of four, a mane of razor-sharp feathers streaking down their necks, and a taste for humans. Unlike dragons, who think we’re a little gamey.”

I notice each dragon as we pass, but my heartbeat steadies. “Violet’s father used to read to us those fables every night,” I tell her. “And Violet seriously asked him one time if her mother was going to turn into a venin because she could channel.” I laugh at the memory.

Liam chuckles as we walk by a set of glaring reds. “Did he tell you people supposedly only turn into venin if they channel directly from the source?”

“He did, but it was after her mother had a really long night, and her eyes were bloodshot red, so she freaked out and started shrieking.” I laugh harder. “She took her book of fables away for a month because the guards all came running, and Violet was hiding behind her brother, who couldn’t stop laughing, and, well…it was a mess.” I keep my eyes front and center as a large orange sniffs the air when I pass.

Liam’s shoulders shake with laughter. “I wish I could have seen it.”

“That sounds like some border-village nonsense.” Vila scoffs. “Venin? Wyvern? Anyone with a modicum of education knows that our wards stop all magic that isn’t channeled directly from dragons.”

“They’re stories, Vila,” I say over my shoulder, and I can’t help but notice how much ground we’ve covered.

One of the dragons blows air on us. There’s a smell of sulfur. Maybe we should hurry before the dragon decides to scorch us.

„Oh my gods, the smell,” Vila complains.

“What did you expect? They’re dragons.” I roll my eyes, turning around to level a glare at her, but Liam’s face makes me pause.

His eyes are as wide as saucers, and his mouth hangs open. “Aelin.”

It’s a whisper, and I wonder briefly if I heard him as much as I saw the word forming on his lips.

“Ael—”

A warm huff of steam blows against the back of my neck. My heart thunders, the beat increasing erratically as I take what might be my last breath and turn toward the line of dragons.

The golden eyes of not one but two greens meet mine, consuming my field of vision.

Oh. Fuck.

To approach a green dragon, lower your eyes in supplication and wait for their approval. That’s what I read, right?

I drop my gaze as one chuffs another breath at me. It’s hot and appallingly wet, but I’m not dead yet, so that’s a plus.

The one on the right chortles deep in its throat. Wait, is that the sound of approval I’m looking for? Shit, I wish I’d asked Mira.

I lift my head and suck in a sharp breath. They’re even closer. The one on the left nudges my hands with its giant nose, but I somehow stand my ground, rocking back on my heels to keep from falling over.

Greens are the most reasonable.

The one on the right sets its nose right at my breasts and chuffs again.

What. The. Hell.

It inhales, making that noise in its throat, and the other shoves its nose into my ribs, making me raise my arms just in case they feel like taking a little nibble.

“Aelin!” Liam whisper-shouts.

“I’m all right!” I call back, then wince, hoping I didn’t just seal my fate by screaming in their ears.

Another chuff. Another chortle, like they’re talking to each other as they sniff me.

The one under my arm moves its nostrils to my back and sniffs again.

Realization hits and I choke out a tight, surreal laugh. “You smell Teine, don’t you?” I ask quietly.

They both draw back, just far enough for me to look them in their golden eyes, but they keep their jaws shut, giving me the courage to keep talking.

“I got if from Mira.” Slowly lowering my arms, I run my hands over my snot-covered vest and the armor carefully sewn into it. “She collected Teine’s scales after he shed them last year and had them shrunk down so she could sew them into the vest to help keep me safe. You will meet her sister too. Violet is here and she has the same vest as me.”

The one on the right blinks.

The one on the left sticks its nose in again, sniffing loudly.

“The scales have saved me a few times,” I whisper. “But no one else knows they’re in there. Just Violet, Mira and Teine.”

They both blink at me, and I lower my gaze, bowing my head because it feels like the thing to do. Professor Kaori taught us every way to approach a dragon and exactly zero ways to disengage one.

Step by step, they retreat until I see them take up their places in line in my peripherals, and I finally raise my head.

“Thank you for not eating me.” I smile at them.

“Aelin!” Liam groans.

Taking several deep breaths, I try to lock my muscles to keep me from shaking.

 „Aelin.” Liam is only a few feet away, a look of terror in her eyes. He must have been right behind their heads.

“I’m fine.” I smile and nod. “I have dragon-scale armor under the vest,” I whisper. “They smell Mira’s dragon. Please don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t,” he whispers. “You’re all right?”

“Other than having a few years of my life shaved off.” I laugh.

“Let’s get out of here.” He nods, his gaze darting toward the line of dragons.

“Good idea.”

He turns and walks back to his place, and once there’s fifteen feet between us, I follow.

“I think I just shat myself,” Ethan says, and my laughter only pitches higher as we move through the field.

“Honestly, I thought they were going to eat you,” Vila remarks.

“Me too,” I admit.

“I wouldn’t have blamed them,” she continues.

“You’re insufferable,” Ethan calls back.

I focus on the path and keep walking.

“What? She’s obviously not fit to be a rider. We need to be strong and mercless. We need to choose a dragon-“

A blast of heat singes my back and I halt.

Don’t be Ethan. Don’t be—

“Guess the dragons think she’s insufferable, too,” Ethan mutters. Our squad is down to four first-years.

[fourthwingfan]

Madness - Chapter 3

Hi guys! With this chapter we're finally at Basgiath. From this point it will be more exciting, at least I hope so. Aaaand there are some Liam and Garrick moment. Enjoy it :)

Warning: It's a war college, you know the drill

Blue dragons descend from the extraordinary Gormfaileas line. Known for their formidable size, they are the most ruthless, especially in the case of the rare Blue Daggertail, whose knifelike spikes at the tip of their tail can disembowel an enemy with one flick.

– Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind

If Jack wants to kill me, he needs to get in line. Besides, I have a feeling Xaden Riorson is going to beat him to it.

“Not today,” I respond to Jack, the hilt of my dagger solid in my hand, and I somehow manage to suppress a shudder in disgust as he leans over and breathes in. He’s scenting me like a fucking dog. Then he scoffs and walks off into the crowd of celebrating cadets and riders that’s gathered in the sizable courtyard of the citadel.

It’s still early, probably around nine, but already I see there aren’t as many cadets as there were candidates ahead of us in line. Based on the overwhelming presence of leather, both the second- and third-years are here as well, taking stock of the new cadets.

The rain eases into a drizzle, as if it had only come to make the hardest test of my life even harder…but I did it. We did it.

We’re alive.

I made it.

“Vi, we did it. It’s over.” I turn to her with a relieved laugh.

“Yeah, you’re right.” And I saw her body begins to tremble. She takes a step and I see her sway a little.

“Come on, we need to explore this fantastic place.” I try to distract the people around us in hope they won’t notice Violet’s condition. I grab her arm as if I want to hurry her, when in reality I only want to support her.

“I think you made an enemy there,” the redhead says, casually shifting the lethal crossbow she wears strapped along her shoulder. She glances at us over the scroll with a shrewd look in her hazel eyes as she looks me up and down. “I’d watch your back with that one if I were you.”

I nod. I know that we will become irresistable targets.

Shit, I knew it before the Parapet, it’s just now it feels all too real. As if I make a mistake then Violet’s or my life is over. I can manage myself quite decently, but I grew up with Vi, and I really like her despite her naive way of thinking. I mean she wanted to be a scribe for her whole life and now she have to watch her back for 24/7. I feel sorry for her. My only option was to be a rider, but I wanted to be a rider, unlike her.

The next candidate approaches from the Parapet as someone grips Violet’s shoulders and spins her around.

My dagger is halfway up when I realize it’s Rhiannon.

“We made it!” She grins at us.

“We made it.” Repeats Vi with a forced smile, that I know all too well.

I manage to sheath my dagger at my ribs, with my other hand still holding up Violet.

Now that we’re here, as cadets, can we trust her? Probably yes, but we’ll see it.

“I can’t thank you enough. There were at least three times I would have fallen off if you hadn’t helped me. You were right - those soles were slick as shit. Have you seen the people around here? I swear I just saw a second-year with pink streaks in her hair, and one guy has dragon scales tattooed up his entire biceps.”

“Conformity is for the infantry,” I say as she loops her arm through Violets and tugs us along toward the crowd.

Damn it. Violet surely hit her knee when she tripped on the stones. I can feel her leaning on me more.

“Speaking of which,” she says, glancing down. “We need to trade boots. There’s a bench-“

A tall figure in a pristine black uniform steps out of the crowd, charging toward us, and Violet stumbles into his chest.

“Violet?” He asks.

Fuck that’s Dain Aetos.

I was hoping to see him much, much later.

Well, truthfully…never.

Violet looks like a lovesick puppy. Smiling… and that’s a blush?

Gods help me.

I really don’t like Aetos. Violet thinks that he’s a charming and kind, good man, but I doubt that. There’s something in his eyes that screams he wants to know all of your secrets. As if he wants to open your skull and drag out every dirty little secret that you own. I believe that he will betray every single one of us if his father gave him the order.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He barks, the shock in his eyes transforming to something deadly.

“Dain. It’s good to see you.” I greet him in a sweet voice.

In this moment Violet’s knees gives out and I had to use both of my arms to keep her up.

“Damn it, Violet” he mutters, hauling her back on her feet. With one hand on her back and the other under her elbow, he quickly guides us away from the crowd and into an alcove in the wall, close to the first defensive turret of the citadel. It’s a shady, hidden spot with a hard wooden bench, which he sits Violet on.

“I’m going to be sick.” She says.

“Just breathe Vi, you’re going to be okay.” I try to reassure her.

“Head between your knees,” Dain orders in a harsh tone as he starts to rub circles on her back. “It’s the adrenaline. Give it a minute and it’ll pass.” I hear approaching footsteps on the gravel. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Rhiannon. I’m Aelin’s and Violet’s…friend.”

“Listen to me, Rihannon. Violet is fine,” he commands. “And if anyone asks, then you tell them exactly what I said, that it’s just the adrenaline working out of her system. Understand?”

“It’s no one’s business what’s going on with Violet” I hiss at him sharply.

“Agree, so I wouldn’t say shit.” Rhiannon backs me up.

“You’d better mean that,” he warns us.

“Fuck off Dain. You know that I care about Violet. You don’t have to play the boss here.” I grimace.

“I’m a second-year rider, cadet” he growls.

“I don’t give a shit if it’s about Violet. Besides it’s just us here, who will know if I don’t show you the respect you deserve?” I ask him with a smile.

“No one can see you here Vi, so take your time,” Dain says softly.

He’s ignoring me. That’s fine with me.

“Because puking my guts up after surviving the Parapet and the asshole who wanted to throw me off it would be considered weak.” Violet rises slowly, sitting upright.

“Exactly,” he answers. “Are you hurt?”

“My knee is sore,” she whispers.

“That’s all? You’re sure?” His hands run down on Vi’s sides. “Are you wearing daggers?”

“Three at my ribs and one in my boot.”

“And she knows how to use them.” I butt in.

“Huh.” He looks at me as if he want to say something then his gaze slides to my boots then to Rihannon’s. “Get your boots switched. You two look ridiculous. Vi, do you trust this one?” He nods toward Rhiannon.

“Ridiculous my ass.” I mutter then I take off my left boot to switch back with Rhiannon. My darling comfy boots. “And it’s her and not this.” I add helpfully.

Vi snickers and nods.

“All right.” Dain turns toward us. There are sheats at the sides of his leathers, too, but there are daggers in each of them. “I’m Dain Aetos, and I’m the leader for Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing.”

Wow. A squad leader? I wonder how can he managed to become one. He’s an ass. But that means I better watch him.

The highest rank among the cadets in the quadrant are wingleader and section leader. Both positions are held by elite third-years. Second-years can rise to squad leaders, but only if they’re exceptional. Everyone else is simply a cadet before Threshing - when the dragons choose who they will bond - and a rider after. People die too often around here to hand out ranks prematurely.

“Parapet should be over in the next couple of hours, depending on how fast the candidates cross or fall. Go find the redhead with the roll - she’s usually carrying a crossbow - and tell her that Dain Aetos put both of you and Violet Sorrengail into his squad. If she questions you, tell her she owes me from saving her ass at Threshing last year. I’ll bring Violet back to the courtyard shortly.”

“Wait! Where are you taking her?” I ask suddenly.

“It’s none of you business cadet Melgren.”

“Aelin, just go. I’ll be fine with Dain.” Violet says, trying to ease my suspicion.

I glance at her and Rhiannon.

“Go before someone sees us,” Dain barks.

“Shit. Fine.”

I say then Rhiannon and I are trying to find the woman Dain mentioned. It’s not an easy job with so many people gathering here.

“Look, there.” Rhiannon points toward the other side of the courtyard.

“Hey, there.” Rhiannon greets the redhead woman as we approach her.

“What do you want?” She eyes us suspiciously.

“Dain Aetos sent us to told you that he wants both of us and Violet Sorrengail in his squad.” Continues Rhiannon

“Dain? Why would he do that?”

“Because he’s a fucking teddy bear at heart.” I said sarcastically.

“She’s just kidding.” Rhiannon interrupts me, and elbows me in the ribs. “He told us to tell you that you owe him for Threshing.”

“Fine. I can put you and cadet Sorrengail in his squad, but not Melgren. I received instructions from a superior about her.”

“Who gave these ’instructions’?” I ask her.

“I can’t tell. Now I’ll go, I don’t have time for chatting you.” Leaves us the woman.

“Higher ranking than Dain? Do you have an idea who gave that order?” She asks curiously.

“No, I don’t.” I say. I mean I have ideas but I don’t know for sure. “Let’s split up. I want to observe the other cadets.”

“Well then see ya later.”

I walk to a spot where I can see everyone in the courtyard and then I lean against the wall. There’s more and more people. Surely we will be over a couple of hundreds cadets this year. I mused in myself when a light blonde man approached me.

“Hi. Why are you so far away from everyone?” He asks.

“I don’t need friends or whatever so go away.” I say sharply.

“Good. I just wanted to find a quiet corner.” He answers with a smile.

“Then try to find it elsewhere.” I snap back at him.

I don’t want to make friends or get acquainted with the other cadets. Most of them are going to die, and if I have to kill one of them to save our lives, I don’t want to hesitate. But why is this man staying here with me? It’s not like that I was kind to him. Actually I was a real bitch. So what does he want?

I glance at him at the corner of my eyes. He’s tall, has light blonde hair and blue eyes. Quite handsome. He shifted his weight and now I can see his other arm. The dark lines in his skin. A rebellion relic.

“My name is Liam Mairi.” He says turning fully to me. “ And you? Or should I call you Snappy?”

“Don’t you dare!” I glare at him. “I’m Aelin Melgren.”

“Melgren?” He asks “Then I think you know what is this.” He points to his arm with the relic.

“Yeah, so what?” I ask.

“It does not bother you?” He lifts his brows.

“Why would it? It’s not like you did something to deserve it.” I say silently looking at his arm.

“I like you Melgren. You can be my friend.” He smiles at me.

“Who said I want to be your friend?” I narrow my eyes.

“Then I will be your friend. Snappy.” Liam winks at me.

“This is the most ridiculous nickname I’ve ever heard.” I hiss at him. “I have a name you know.”

“Liam. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” I hear a voice calling to Liam. “What are you doing here?”

“I made a friend.” He answers smiling.

“I already said that I don’t need friends.” I roll my eyes at him.

“And I said that I will be your friend. You’re stuck with me.” Then he turns to the man in front of us. “She’s Aelin Melgren, she doesn’t know how to behave properly, and a little bit snappy, but that’s fine.”

“Melgren?” The man asks in front of me.

“Yeah, so what? You’ve got a problem?” I grumble with raised eyebrows. I’m really bored that everybody asks the same questions. All the time. Melgren? That Melgren? General Melgren’s daughter? It’s really tiring. I sigh.

“No. It’s just surprising that he sent his own daughter to this death roll school.”

“Well it clearly shows that you don’t know him.” I laugh bitterly. “And who the hell are you?” I look at him properly for the first time since he’s here.

The first thing that I notice are his eyes. They has a beatiful hazel color, with dark curly hair that looks really, really soft. Oh and he’s fucking tall. And I saw a rebellion relic on his arm too. That explains why they know each other.

And what is it with this school? Only handsome men attends it? God, the world is soo cruel.

“I’m Garrick Tavis.” He nods at me, then turns to Liam. “You should join the crowd, it will starts soon.” With that said he walks away without sparing a glance at me.

“Let’s go Aelin.” Liam says while looking at me, waiting to join the other cadets.

“Fiinee.” I sigh then follow him.

The clouds are breaking, and the drizzle is burning off as the gravel crunches beneath my feet on my way toward the riders and cadets. The massive courtyard is shaped like an angular teardrop, the rounded end is formed by a giant outer wall at least ten feet thick. Along the sides are stone halls. I know the four-story building carved into the mountain with the rounded end is for academics, and the one on the right, towering over the cliff, is the dorms. The imposing rotunda linking the two buildings also serves as the entrance to the gathering hall, commons, and a library behind it. There’s stone dais on the right side of the Parapet, occupied by two uniformed men I recognize as the commandant and executive commandant, both in full military dress, their medals winking in the sunlight. Then finally the last of the cadets walks into the courtyard, followed by the riders from the other turret.

Xaden is among them. It’s not just his height that makes him stand out in this crowd but the way the other riders all seem to move around him, like he’s a shark and they’re all fish giving him a wide berth. For a second, I can’t help but wonder what his signet is, the unique power from the bond with his dragon, and if that’s why even the third-years seem to scurry out of his way as he strides up to the dais with lethal grace. There are ten of them in total up there now, and from the way Commandant Panchek moves to the front, facing us seems that we’re about to start.

“Three hundred and one of you have survived the Parapet to become cadets today” Commandant Panchek starts with a politician’s smile, gesturing to us.

“The guy has always talked with his hands.” I whisper to Liam. He doesn’t answer just gives me a look which I know is meant to silence me. It’s a shame because I really like to comment these things. “Good job. Sixty-seven did not.”

„As the Codex says, now you begin the true crucible!” Panchek shouts, his voice carrying over the five hundred of us that I estimate are in this courtyard. „You will be tested by your superiors, hunted by your peers, and guided by your instincts. If you survive to Threshing, and if you are chosen, you will be riders. Then we’ll see how many of you make it to graduation.”

„Your instructors will teach you,” Panchek promises, his hand sweeping to the line of professors standing at the doors to the academic wing. „It’s up to you how well you learn.” He swings his pointer finger at us. „Discipline falls to your units, and your wingleader is the last word. If I have to get involved…” A slow, sinister smile spreads across his face. „You don’t want me involved.”

„With that said, I’ll leave you to your wingleaders. My best advice? Don’t die.” He walks off the dais with the executive commandant, leaving only the riders on the stone stage.

A brunette woman with wide shoulders and a scarred sneer stalks forward, the silver spikes on the shoulder of her uniform flashing in the sunlight. „I’m Nyra, the senior wingleader of the quadrant and the head od the First Wing. Section leaders and squad leaders, take your positions now.”

People starts pushing past us until there are about fifty people in front of us, spaced out in formation.

„First Squad! Claw Section! First Wing!” Nyra calls out.

A man closer to the dais raises his hand.

„Cadets, when your name is called, take up formation behind your squad leader” Nyra instructs.

The redhead with the crossbow and roll steps forward and begins calling names. One by one, cadets move from the crowd to the formation, and I keep count, making snap judgments based off clothing and arrogance. It looks like each squad will have about fifteen or sixteen people in it.

Jake is called into the Flame Section of First Wing.

Rhiannon and Violet are both called to Second Squad, Flame Section, Second Wing. Good, at least they together. Now which wing I will be in?

„Second Squad, Tail Section, Fourth Wing.” the redhead continues.

„Liam Mairi” He grins at me, then goes to join his squad.

„Aelin Melgren” It seems that I have no luck today, I sigh and the sorting continue.

„Hi Snappy. It’s good to see you can’t let me go.” Liam winks

„Shut up. It’s not like it was my choice” I grumble. But I admit that it could be worse.

We’re silent as the rest of the cadets are called. The sun is out in full now, beating into my leathers and scorching my skin.

When the order sounds, we all turn to face the dais. I try to keep my gaze on the roll-keeper, but my eyes jerk right like the traitors they are, and my pulse leaps.

Xaden watches me with a cold, calculating look that feels like he’s plotting my death from where he stands as the wingleader for Fourth Wing.

As I said no luck today. Shit. He’s my wingleader. And he’s still handsome.

I lift my chin.

He cocks his scarred eyebrow. Then he turns his attention to Violet and he says something to Second Wing’s wingleader, and then every wingleader joins in on what’s obviously a heated discussion.

Finally, the wingleaders turn around to face us, and the slight tilt to Xaden’s lips makes me instantly queasy.

„Dain Aetos, you and your squad will switch with Aura Beinhaven’s” Nyra orders.

Wait. What? Who is Aura Beinhaven?

Dain nods, then turns to his squad. „Follow me.” He says it once, then strides through formation. They’re moving to Fourth Wing. My wing. Xaden’s wing.

„Shiit, it gets better and better” I murmur.

There’s a fucking smirk on Xaden’s arrogant, and handsome face.

Then it clicks.

We’re entirely at his mercy, a subordinate in his chain of command. He can punish us however he likes for the slightest infraction, even imaginary ones.

Nyra looks at Xaden as she finishes assingments, and he nods, stepping forward and finally breaking our staring contest.

„You’re all cadets now.” Xaden’s voice carries out over the courtyard, stronger than the others. „Take a look at your squad. These are the only people guaranteed by Codex not to kill you. But just because they can’t end your life doesn’t mean others won’t. You want a dragon? Earn one.”

Most of the others cheer, but I keep my mouth shut. Liam as well.

Xaden’s eyes find mine, and my stomach clenches before he looks away. „And I bet you feel pretty badass right now, don’t you, first-years?”

More cheers.

„You feel invincible after the Parapet, don’t you?” Xaden shouts. „You think you’re untouchable! You’re on the way to becoming the elite! The few! The chosen!”

„Man, he completly lost it.” I facepalmed.

„Shh.” Hisses at me Liam.

„What? It’s true.” I blink confusedly.

„Maybe, but it’s not the right time to talk about this way for your wingleader.” He explains and I shrug. Whatever.

Another round of cheers goes up with each declaration, louder and louder.

No. That’s not just cheering, it’s the sound of wings betaing the air into submission.

Oh. My. God. They’re magnificent.

Just when I think they’re about to fly overhead, they pitch vertically, whip the air with their huge semitranslucent wings, and stop, the gusts of wing-made wind so powerful that I nearly stagger backward as they land on the outer semicircular wall. Their chest scales ripple with movement, and their razor-sharp talons dig into the edge of the wall on either side. Now I understand why the walls are ten feet thick. It’s not a barrier. The edge of the fortress is a damned perch.

A few cadets scream.

Guess everyone wants to be a dragon rider until they’re actually twenty feet away from one.

Steam blasts my face as the navy-blue one directly in front of me exhales through its wide nostrils. Its glistening blure horns rise above its head in an elegant, lethal sweep, and its wings flare momentarily before tucking in, the tip of their top joint crowned by a single fierce talon. Beautiful.

Their tails are just as fatal, but I can’t see them at this angle or even tell which breed of dragon each is without that clue.

All are deadly.

There are three dragons in various shades of red, two shades of green – like Tein, Mira’s dragon – one brown, one orange and the enermous navy one ahead of me. They’re all massive, overshadowing the structure of the citadel as they narrow their golden eyes at us in absolute judgment.

If they didn’t need us puny humans to develop signet abilities from bonding and weave the protective wards they power around Navarre, I’m pretty sure they’d eat us all and be done. But they like protecting the Vale – the valley behind Basgiath the dragons call home – from merciless gryphons, and we like living, so here we are in the most unlikely partnerships.

A cadet bolts out of Third Wing, screaming as he makes a run for the stone keep behind us. We all turn to look as he sprints for the giant arched door at the center. I can almost see the words carved into the arch from here, but I already know them by heart. A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead.

Once bonded, riders can’t live without their dragons, but most dragons can live just fine after us. It’s why they choose carefully, so they’re not humiliated by picking a coward, not that a dragon would ever admit to making a mistake.

The red dragon on the left opens its vast mouth, revealing teeth as big as I am. That jaw could crush me if it wanted, like a grape. Fire erupts along its tounge, then shoots outward in a macabre blaze toward the fleeing cadet.

He’s a pile of ash on the gravel before he can even make it to the shadow of the keep.

Sixty-eight dead.

Heat from the flames blasts the side of my face as I jerk my attention forward. If anyone else runs and is likewise executed, I won’t watch it. More screaming sounds around me.

There are two more gusts of heat, one to my left and then another to my right.

Make that seventy.

The navy dragon seems to tilt its head at me, as if its narrowed golden eyes can see straight through me.

I force my shoulders back and lift my chin.

The dragon blinks, which might be a sign of approval, or boredom, and looks away.

„Anyone else feel like changing their mind?” Xaden shouts, scanning the remaining rows of cadets with the same shrewd gaze of the navy-blue dragon behind him. „No? Excellent. Roughly half of you will be dead by this time next summer.” The formation is silent except for a few untimely sobs from my left. „A third of you again the year after that, and the same your last year. No one cares who your mommy or daddy is here. Even King Tauri’s second son died during his Threshing. So tell me again? Do you feel invincible now that you’ve made it into the Riders Quadrant? Untouchable? Elite?”

No one cheers.

Another blast of heat rushes – this time directly at my face – and every muscle in my body clenches. But it’s not flames…just steam, and it blows back my hair as the dragons finish their simultaneous exhale.

They want us scared. Mission accomplished.

„Because you’re not untouchable or special to them.” Xaden points toward the navy dragon and leans forward slightly, like he’s letting us in on a secret as we lock eyes. „To them, you’re just the prey.”

[empyrean-thrones]

Chapter 13

“There is nothing quite as humbling, or as awe-inspiring, as witnessing Threshing…for those who live through it anyway.” ~ Colonel Kaori’s Field Guide to Dragonkind

Ao3 Link

[empyrean-thrones]

Dragons

"The Children of Fire were the first to descend and raise the earth at the behest of the Conqueror." ~ translation of an ancient slab found in the Morraine Province

Some say the first dragons were born in the midst of a great calamity that caused the continents to split. Others believe they were born from Dunne's blood when she first bled. Their origin, much like themselves, remains a total mystery to humans. The little information we know about these winged creatures is mostly vague and up for debate in some areas. They feel no need to explain themselves to their human comrades; they are perhaps one of, if not the most prideful creatures in all of Awis. They bow to no one, heeding only the words of their sovereigns, the elusive Empyrean. According to Lieutenant Brennan Sorrengail's mount, Marbh, most dragons typically grow old at around the age 200 and retire from duty when they reach 205. Hatchlings enter what is called a "Dreamless Sleep" — a stage similar to hibernation — at around the age of 5, in which the they retreat to their birthing nests and enter a long slumber without dreams. This is when "the old flesh is discarded and a new, truer form takes its place." While information on this topic is limited, I did manage to find from a dragon who prefers to remain anonymous that hatchlings typically grow their thagomizer and begin channeling magic during this stage. Colonel Kaori's Field Guide to Dragonkind states that "the most common species found in Navarre are the blue-tongued daggertail, Ospon clubtail, frilled swordtail, plated scorpiontail, and rhinestar vishap. They are often deployed in battle against the Poromish gryphon fliers who seek to destroy our homeland." However, after scouring the Archives and countless other sources outside of Basgiath and even Navarre's borders, I've found that there's one other dragon species we've failed to take into account due to their abhorrence of violence: the feathered vishap.

~ Professor Cillian Sorrengail's unpublished research, pg. 14

For more in depth information regarding the various deployed species, please refer to “Dragon Species of Navarre and Notable Figures” for more information.