Wyvern of the Wind

Genesis (2/2)

Aether walked to the entrance of the Stronghold. He looked to his side. No one else was there. 

His heart skipped a million beats a second. 

Alone...with no one to help him..

He glanced around. Other than the sound of fountains that echoed in the fields outside, no other sound was made. Not even the birds were there to greet him. He looked up at the sky.

"Of all the times to be alone, why now?" he shivered as he spoke to the endless space above him, who was still gray in slumber, barely awake. 

He hummed to himself, his gray eyes darting around, capturing every detail of his surroundings in quick succession, waiting for someone to jump at him. As luck would have it, two guards flew right down next to him, which caused him the fall back in shock and fear.

"Hey, isn't this the bird we ran into earlier yesterday?" the copper-colored one spoke before his dark-purple partner could sigh in apprehension.

"I doubt he's a bird," he uttered to Bivyres before turning to Aether. "I'm sorry for the little commotion we had yesterday. Bivyres was just a bit too excited after being cooped up in the Stronghold towers-"

"I was coping just fine, Noctifer!" Bivyres jutted in before Aether could hear the rest of his apology which earned him an annoyed yet playful glare from Noctifer. Aether looked up at the guards' soft bantering with their eyes. Whatever internal monologue they shared, it made the wyvern relax a little.

"U-Um..it's okay. I think I kinda look like a bird anyway," the young feathered wyvern said with a nervous smile. Bivyres chuckled.

"Aw, don't worry 'bout it, kid. Now we know that you are most definitely not a bird." Bivyres said with a grin. "Say kid, this your first day here, huh? A word of advice from a former student here: next time when you're coming in, make sure to address the guards with our lovely sigil."

The copper-colored dragon then handed him a small scroll that displayed a symbol encircled with ink. Aether looked at the sigil with sparkling eyes that shifted in size at every angle of the symbol.

"Did ya even think that we got calligraphers from the far north to get this sigil written for us? The Stronghold always fancies looking..well..fancy!" Bivyres bragged as Noctifer handed him a pensive look.

"You don't need to bring the scroll everywhere. Just keep it for yourself for now. The rest would be explained to you during.." Noctifer then sighed. "...during the briefing."

"Oh, and make sure to pay good attention to what your teachers say during that time. It's very important." Bivyres added while patting Aether on the head.

"Um.. okay.." Aether responded as he placed the scroll inside his pouch bag. "So..where should I go from here?"

"Just head on inside," Noctifer said as he beckoned Aether with his tail while opening the large door that led into the front court. "We will accompany you, kid."

The young wyvern then slowly entered the building, swallowing his nerves down his throat. His claws felt the carpet below him as he slowly walked forward. The hall was dark, with only small, warm lights lighting up the hallways to his sides. In front of him was a large, looming staircase that led to a platform above before intersecting into the east and west ascending above the corridors.

Right in the middle of the wall, hanging above the platform, was a large bronze-alloy shield, a spiraling wooden wyvern with silver detailing surrounds it as a smaller wyvern in a curled up position, its claws wrapped around its tail as it sleeps gently with closed eyes was carved on the center of the shield and lined with rose gold that looked exactly the same as silver to Aether.