Wyvern of the Wind

Stronghold of Germanicus (1/2)

A/N: this chapter is longer than I expected it to be. I am so sorry y'all :''''')

The dark sponge-like traces near the roots of the trees seemed to form a path leading to the farthest end of the seemingly endless river. The cold waters flowed north towards the edge of the forests; the roots that were tightly woven among the grass and berry shrubs far south became loose and unraveled as the ground began to run dry.

The scent in the air has changed as well. The damp scent of berries and wheat that warmed Aether's throat is now replaced with an arid scent of sand and dust. The river now curved away from this portion of land whose only flora are a few stalks of tall weed sand flowers and patches of yellow grass and reeds. As Aether flew, he accidentally caught a stalk in his mouth. His nose scrunched up as he caught its sudden aromatic scent, and he accidentally bit into it; the odd taste filled up his mouth like a bite of raw meat.

"What in the world have you caught, Aether?" she asked, as her son chewed the plant to adjust to the flavor. Aether shook his head, letting the leftover stems whiz past him and fall into the river.

"Reeds," he said. "It tastes really bitter."

"The papyrus around here tastes like that," she said. "This area doesn't get as much rainfall as the others, so the plants around here die a lot quicker." 

Aether licked his lips to get rid of the leftover flavor. "Are you sure that it is edible? It tastes so weird!"

Dawn laughed. "Of course it is! I tried it myself when I was a dragonet."

"The bitter ones? Really?" Aether asked, tilting his head in confusion. Which dragonet would willingly eat bitter reed?

"They are delicious when cooked, you know," Dawn replied. "Hmm, maybe I should take you to Aspa Aaru sometime."

Aether could slightly see the outline of a large building from afar. Even though he has never been there himself, he recognized the tall pillars from one of the books he read about Imperii's history and architecture.

"Is that-?" he asked his mother. Dawn nodded excitedly. 

"The Stronghold of Germanicus," she confirmed. As they got closer, the ground beneath them began to show hints of color: the yellow slowly turned into a light green as grass slowly appeared from the soil. Aether saw large pools teeming with life as reeds grew on the damp ground. Small colorful fish swam in the shallow waters as young wyverns drank from its banks with the elders watching over them. As his eyes strayed from nature and went towards the Stronghold, he couldn't help but stare in awe. The watchtowers that make up the corners of the plot of land the Stronghold resides in seemed taller than mountains, and the main building was forged by stone and wood, with hints of marble and other precious trinkets that stood nearby the school crest above the main gates. The building itself was large, yet not as tall as the watchtowers. The east and west wings spanned far and wide, taking up most of the space like an orchestral building. 

Their shadows were cast over the palace, looming and large like the returning flock of birds that migrated away from their motherland during the winter. Dawn breathed in the familiar scent that smelled slightly of fragrant flowers and swamp. She smiled, slightly opening her mouth to taste the air. 

"Mom?" Aether asked, tilting his head. Dawn gave her son a soft gaze with her gray eyes. 

"You'll make lots of memories once you become a student." Dawn says. "But you won't be a student forever, so...embrace it while it lasts."

Aether was silent for a moment before he hummed in response. "Don't worry, mom. I will make good use of my time here." 

Before his mother could respond, a pair of armored wyverns quickly approached them, their wings spread out wide and the spearheads attached to their tails seemed to make them sway like a rattlesnake. Dawn placed a protective wing in front of her son, standing in between him and the guards.