Dragon of Legend: Destiny (Published)

Chapter 11

Falling asleep proved to be anything but difficult when Akira got back to the Academy. With everything that had happened that day, she was too mentally and physically exhausted to stay awake. Therefore, upon being shown to a small room, which she could call her own, she fell on the bed and drifted off within moments.

True to his word, the next morning Brandon didn't waste any time in finding Akira and taking her to the man who would oversee her combat training.

"Private lessons will ensure that we can focus on you so that you can catch up to the others as soon as possible," the old man told Akira as they walked down a hallway. "Hopefully, after that, you'll improve even further and surpass them," he added. He made it sound so easy, yet Akira was sure it would be far from it.

Upon turning a corner, they found a person standing by a window. With his back to them, all Akira could make out was that his head was shaved bald and that he was large and muscular.

"Ah, there he is." A smile made it to Brandon's face. "Levi!"

Upon hearing his name, the man turned around. Akira found a pair of grey eyes staring at her. She was distracted almost instantly by the scar that ran from his right eye down to his lip. It looked like he had once suffered a wound too deep for the healers to heal without preventing scaring, or, he had no healers around when he had obtained it. It struck Akira that he looked as though he never smiled and she felt that even if he did, it would most likely be the scary sort.

"I've brought you your new student," Brandon told Levi cheerfully as they came to a standstill before him. "I'm sure you two will get along."

Akira doubted it.

"Well then. I think it's about time for me to make my rounds through the Academy. Someone's got to check to see that everything is running as it should." Brandon turned to leave.

Akira wanted to protest, yet she felt too scared to say anything while in Levi's presence.

"I'll leave you two to it." Brandon raised a hand in farewell as he walked away.

Swallowing, Akira turned to face Levi to find that he looked bored. For a moment, the two stood in awkward silence.

Akira decided to break it, but Levi beat her to it. "First things first," he began in a raspy voice that made Akira jump. "There are two things I need to know." He held up two fingers as he spoke. "The first," one finger went down. "Ever use a weapon of any kind before?"

Akira stared at him, feeling intimidated.

"Well?" Levi asked impatiently when she didn't reply.

"A...A sword," Akira squeaked in reply.

"That's a start," Levi nodded his head. "In that case we should be able to skip through the basics." As he turned his piercing eyes on Akira once again, she shrank back from him.

"Number two," once more he was holding up two fingers. He leaned in closer to Akira as he spoke, "how committed are you?" His eyes narrowed as he waited for her reply.

"I-I'll do whatever it takes," Akira stuttered. She hoped that this was the answer he was looking for.

Levi let out a pleased grunt before he straightened up. "Right girlie, listen close and listen good. I'm going to give you a rule to learn every day we practice, you hear?"

Akira nodded vigorously, not daring to disagree.

"But, before I do that, I think I should let you know the most important one." He stared at her as he spoke. His eyes reflected just how serious he was. "Remember this well, girlie. If you die, your dragon could easily choose another rider. However, if he dies, we have to wait another hundred years for the next white dragon. Therefore, while you are replaceable, your dragon is not."