The School of Dragon Riders [Dragon Riders #1]

Chapter 4 (edited)

We were at the headmaster's for five long hours. By the impressed look on the headmaster's face when I gave my answers to his questions and gave my reaction to the scenarios he thought of, I guessed that I was pretty good. Tactics and strategies have always been my strong side. For a moment, I became so annoyed by some of the student's answers that I had to speak up. One of them said that if the school dormitory were on fire, he would call his dragon to help before attempting to do anything else. He didn't even mention using a water Element or evacuation. I couldn't manage to hold it in, and I told him that the dormitory would have burned down before his dragon opened an eye.

I was extremely tired by the time we finished. I undressed quickly and slipped into bed. I am a human as well as a Dragon Rider. Well, not really. By that time, I'll already have gotten over the shock. Not wanting to think about my origins again, I started thinking about the Element test tomorrow.

I hoped to be a dual caster, but being able to cast one thing is good as well. Even the Basic Elements are very powerful. Then I decided that I would practice my Element every day. Mastering it would make my path to the Army Commander much easier. Others would probably respect me. I already knew how to use knives and daggers. I was fast and it suited me. Tanya used the broadsword. Most of the first year students already knew how to fight. All of them knew the basics. I learned the knives and daggers from a family friend. Knowing how to fight was another thing that cleared my path a little, but the other students knew how to fight as well, since they were older. I was a natural with a knife. I started training when I was six. Too young? No. Tanya started training sword fighting when she was five.

I frowned at the memories. Tanya was always beating me up with a stick, so I decided to ask Father to let me train with knives. He wanted me to train with swords, but I was fast, not strong. He agreed after days of begging. Yes, I actually begged, and that's why he agreed.

I didn't remember falling asleep, but the alarm bird was a loud wake up. I just then realized how hungry I was. Lunchtime was probably at the time I was with the headmaster, and I was so tired that I skipped dinner.

I dressed quickly and went to the Great Hall. I took a seat far from Tanya and ended up surrounded by students who seemed a bit scared of me.

"I'm scary, aren't I? If you keep staring at me, I'll turn into an ice giant and eat you," I said. I couldn't keep a smirk off my face. Their scared looks turned into confusion. Their expression softened after a few moments and they started talking among themselves, ignoring me completely. That was fine with me, since I didn't like them. Nevertheless, I wasn't about to start breaking rules on my second day. Two interesting things were going to happen that day- egg hatching and the Element test.

I ate a bit and then went towards the woman from before, along with the other students. The woman was waiting for us, her face expressionless, as always. After we were all there, she nodded at us without saying anything and started walking towards the egg room.

Once we got there, she told us to go to our eggs and put both of our hands on them. I did that and felt something on my palms. I felt the magic of my dragon inside the egg. It felt like water running down my whole body.

By the gasps around me, I guessed that everyone felt the same.

"Now that you've felt the energy, I will help you open your minds to your dragon. I am a Mind caster, and I will break through your mind defences and your dragon will invade your mind. When the dragon does so, it will hatch. Dragons grow quickly, and you will be able to ride them by the first class day. Just concentrate on the magic you feel on your egg," she said. I did as she told us to do, and after some time, I felt something in my mind.

I knew that it was the woman, but it felt strange and I felt my mind resist against my will, but the woman was a Mind caster, so she broke through my defences and left. I felt another comforting presence. It felt like standing next to a fireplace on a cold day. Not like I could enjoy that, but it felt familiar. That was definitely my dragon.

After a few moments, I heard a cracking noise, so I opened my eyes. My dragon was hatching. I felt that it was a male. He struggled with his shell for a while longer, and then I saw him completely. He was black and had a few dark green stripes. His scales were shiny, like they were polished.

Areton. Why did I think, Areton? Then it struck me-that was his name.

"Areton," I murmured. I turned around to see other students whispering their dragons' names as well. I then looked at Tanya. Her dragon was sea blue. I caught her saying, "Nagda."

"Now, we're going to the roof. You will find your dragon a nest and it will stay there. You're not allowed to visit your dragon until the classes start. If you do, the dragons won't think of you as a rider, as a friend, it will think of you as a mother or a father, and if that happens, you won't get along."

cbWPU