by James Patton
“What about those that believe dragons with riders are Tainted then?” She asked and flinched after she remembered where she heard it.
“Fools. All of them.” Midnight shifted, and she saw the way his eyes scanned the room. “Where did you hear about them?”
Rather than talk she just waved her hand around the room indicating rows and rows of books. It was not exactly a lie because she did learn it here.
“The followers of the Code are of the belief that activating their second heart makes them weaker. A Drache has two hearts, and bonding with a two-leg activates the second one. It is this heart that pumps our rider’s blood through our veins and how we share ourselves with them. Bonded are considered Tainted because we have two-leg blood pumping through our veins.”
She paused for a moment before changing the subject. “And who is Haase at war with, and why?”
“The Brocard Talon, they are a nation to the west of here. Maybe a three day ride from Haase if they go all out. As to why they are at war- I am not sure. Most believe Brocard’s Monarch wants Sorcha, the dragon Monarch of Haase, as a mate. Sorcha also has a human rider that few have ever seen, and I believe she is close to ascending to an Ancient.”
“That doesn’t explain much, why does he want her so badly?”
“To breed. My king uses her as his concubine, and the Monarch of Brocard wants her for his. The king can do nothing about it without breaking the truce unless he takes her as his queen, which he will not do.”
“Sounds like more chauvinistic bullshit.” She told him. “Why should I trust you?”
“Because I care about Haase. It is my home, the place I hatched. I have seen many champions come through here, and you have the willpower of four men combined. That means you have the greatest potential I have ever seen, but in my experience, that kind of potential also comes with a heavy heart.”
“What do you know of hardship?” She snapped, her anger rising at his words.
“Look at me girl!” He growled. “I’ve faced down horrors you cannot even imagine, and I am still here. My friends are not. I have seen the same war repeat itself several times over the past few centuries and suffered more than you could imagine.”
It was the first she recognized the warrior in him, and she did not flinch away. She could hear the pain in his voice. Another tortured soul whose harsh tone caused her anger to disappear as fast as it arrived.
Ignoring the fact that he was a dragon, she scrutinized Midnight and found all the things she had missed in her self-centered assessment of him. His posture was not quite right, and above his front leg, three long scars had torn away scales and did undeterminable damage beneath the skin.
His narrow body held itself like a hound sensing danger, but even his stance felt stiff. Midnight had so many scars and missing scales that it should be the first thing anyone noticed about him. There was a nub where a finger once existed on his back talon, and the talon itself had not healed right. Something had crushed it in the past.
The scars on his face she had seen previously. The gouge above his eye was a bullet wound. A few centimeters lower, and it would have drilled into his brain. One of his back talons had a finger that ended in a nub, and the bones in the talon had not healed properly.
Midnight was no ordinary dragon, he was a seasoned warrior, a killer. His good nature was hard to reconcile with the deadly beast before her. The dragon’s haunted look said more about his hardships than all the wounds combined. She knew that look.
“Who was it?” She asked, indicating the gouge above his eye. It was an intuitive guess, but it felt personal.
“My rider.”
What do you say to that? She thought to herself, and instead of using words, she did something that went against her nature. She touched him, felt the divots in his flesh where scales were missing, and his flesh scarred.
A scale popped off into her hand, and she fumbled it. It bounced across the tips of her fingers before she pinched it and got control of it. It did not feel like ceramic, which she was not sure why she assumed it would. It was more like hardened leather or maybe Teflon.
You opened a sub-branch of Agility called Reflexes.
- Reflex +1, Reflex is now 1.
Reflexes help your reactions in all situations and is an invaluable attribute for Dragonriders.
- Note: A sub-branch of an attribute can never be higher than 50% of your parent attribute.
“I am sorry,” she said to the dragon, trying to hand the scale back. “Did that hurt?”
“No little one. I am fine, and keep the scale, as a reminder of our talk or a token of respect. Few Champions are ever respectful, but eventually, they learn.”
You have received Midnight’s Dragon Tear.
Dragon Tear - A Dragon Tear is a dragon’s scale that is gifted. A dragon’s trust is the only way to gain a Dragon Tear, which makes it a unique gift. Keep it safe, because you may never know when it might come in handy.
“We call those Dragon Tears. If you turn the scale upside down, you will see why.” Midnight lost his train of thought temporarily, and then his head tilted to see her better. “My wounds are mostly from battle, a lot of them earned through carelessness. I tell you this because I gravitate towards action. The scar above my eye is the only exception.”
She watched as his finger gently caressed the gouge, and his gaze grew distant. The wound itself was superficial, and she knew it could not compare to the scar on his heart. Midnight suffered, and her empathy was too high to let her hang-ups get in the way of respecting his sacrifices, she was a better person than that.
“We all have wounds others cannot see, but without them, we can never know where our true strength lies.” She told the dragon and patted him on the side.
“I hope you find your dragon little one. Dragons are stubborn and obnoxious and believe strength is only in our limbs and body. However, even I can feel the strength of your words. It has been a long while since I have met a two-leg with the heart of a dragon. Haase does not know it yet, but they need you and your kind of courage.” The dragon smiled at her. “I hope you are not afraid of heights.”
Boh
Chapter 24
Metallicore
I doubt anyone would have taken my dad as a fan of heavy metal music. The man was mild mannered professor, and few people knew the real man. The man that climbed mountains, took me fishing, taught me how to handle a gun, took me to World War I reenactments, and spent hours lecturing me on the finer points of heavy metal classics. That was my dad.
-from Boh’s Journal, December 13, N141
A saddle appeared on Midnight’s back, and his arm went out to provide a way up into the saddle. It was a move that he performed with ease, but the way he did it reminded her that he is a veteran of battles and war. His short-snouted face never turned to look at her as he scanned his environment.
The urge to run to the dragon and leap on him was strong, but she kept her cool for as long as she could. She climbed up the proffered limb and eased herself into the saddle. There was a contraption built into the stirrup, and she was not sure what to do with it.
“In the stirrup, press down with your heel.” She did like the dragon said, and the stirrup stretched downward, and she heard a click. Plated shin guards snapped across her lower legs securing her into place. Panic set in for a second, as she tried to move her leg and found it securely fastened to the side of the large beast. “To release, push down against the stirrup and push your knee away from my body.” She did that too, and the guard snapped back releasing her.
“What happens if that gets damaged?” Boh asked, worried about getting trapped.
“If you look on the back of your calf where the guard snaps into place, you will see a pin. Might take a bit to work it free with your strength, but pull that and it will release the entire contraption. Do NOT do that while in flight or you will regret it.”
“Got it, let's do this.” Boh felt her stomach tighten in anticipation, and maybe fear.
In her head, she started singing a heavy metal tune from Metallicore.
The song filled her, and she felt her excitement rise.
“Dun-dun dun-dun-dun.” She let the beat of the song overtake her as she started rocking her head back and forth. The dragon moved towards the door, and she allowed the song to fill her, releasing her anger into it.
Without missing a beat, Midnight joined her.
“Sky is bleak, nothing to see
Drifting on groundless sea
I lose a part of me
Just let me be!”
Holy shit! The dragon knew Metallicore’s music, and he was singing Disembarked with her. There was no time to comment as they launched out the window and soared through the air. She had not realized it was night, and a giant moon lit up the sky.
“Time to say goodbye
Time to fly
Time to die
Time to say goodbyyyyyye”
She howled the lyrics into the wind as it tore across her face causing her eyes to water. Her stomach lurched as they fell towards the sea.
“If I had any more to give
I would fight to live
I embrace my empty sky
Let me fall, let me die”
Midnight continued singing as he spun in the air while plummeting, causing her to lose her sense of up and down. She saw the mountains below and could hear the waves crashing upon them as they dropped. She put her goggles on and wrapped the scarf around her nose and mouth, and she felt like a kamikaze as she dropped into the darkness.
”Anger rides me like a stowaway
Leaving me empty inside
I lost the ability to feel
And what is real”
She screamed into the wind and felt nothing but excitement as she watched the water approaching closer and closer. It felt like skydiving, and she never realized how much she loved the open sky.
“The void take me
To end my apathy
Last dawn before the endless dark
I’m done, disembarked”
She felt gravity stealing her stomach away, but all the way down to the sea she never felt fear. Just complete freedom. The wind tried to rip her from the saddle, but she leaned closer to the dragon willing him to go faster.
“It is too late to save me
Not fated to live, not willing to try
No more tomorrows, I am free
The ground greets me
. . . Time to say goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye”
Midnight’s deep voice bellowed, perfectly in tune as his wings finally unfurled and caught the wind, causing Boh to slump as gravity took hold. They rose and shot across the moonlit sky roaring out lyrics for all to hear.
“Faster!” She yelled out with raw emotion that made her voice crack. Dark Queen be damned, nothing compared to this moment, and she cried out in sheer joy. Midnight capitulated as they picked up speed and even the weighted scarf around her face had the ends flying back behind her.
On cue, they both belted out the final refrain. Midnight and her were out of sync and out of tune, but the music transcended it all.
“Time to say goodbye
Time to fly
Time to die
This is goodbyyyyyeee!”
Midnight tucked his wings and went into a barrel roll as they skimmed the ocean. At this point she could feel the salty sea mist against her face and for the first time in a long while, she felt truly alive. She knew she would never leave Seventh Talon.
After a while, Midnight slowed and rose higher as he settled into a more natural pace. The saddle rode higher on the dragon’s neck, giving her a less restricted view. But, with the moon as her only source of light and an open sea, there was not much to see.
The dragon gave off a lot of warmth, so even with the biting wind she never felt chilled. She laid her head against his neck to feel the warmth against her face. It also put her close to his ear, which was a hole just behind the crown of horns and spines.
“What kind of dragon are you? I know almost nothing about dragons.” She asked loudly. That was not necessarily true, but in this world, she did not understand them.
“The history book you have, it will explain much. All dragons are always made up of two elements, and I am of Dark and Water.”
“What about just a pure Dark dragon?”
“Elemental purity is uncommon, but it still consists of two elements.”
“Two of the same element?”
“You catch on quick. There are seven known elements, which you already know from your shielding and skills. Hang on, grab the handles in front of you.”
“What hand— oh.” There were two leather bound hand grips on either side of the pommel. They were built into the saddle itself and barely budged as she gripped them tightly.
The wind almost seemed to boost them along, but it turned suddenly, and their altitude dropped. Midnight’s wings extended out and the membrane between the bone like structure flexed as it caught the wind. They shifted back and forth as the crosswinds pummeled them but Midnight maintained his altitude.
The wings reminded her of bat, and their thin membrane flexed to give them more lift. The rough air did not last, and then they broke free and glided through a smooth wind stream once more.
“Was that turbulence?” She asked Midnight.
“Yes, the crosswind was pretty strong. Anyway, back on topic. The Void element is probably the one you are the least aware of, and that is because Void is dangerous and volatile.”
“Aren’t some dragons part Void?”
“Yes, and you should avoid casting spells at them. There is no telling how it will react. Imagine if you cast a Fireball and the Void element negates the Fire Element, the fireball is still active, but maybe the element changed. Cold fire? Ice? A gravity well? It is impossible to predict.”
“Then how do you stop them?”
“Physical damage. Or Radiant spells are still safe, a Radiant spell uses all elements, including Void. They are versatile and unique spells, but more commonly, they are one-off spells. That just means the spell does not have higher ranks.”
She unclenched her hands from the handles and flexed her stiff fingers. The turbulence was unexpected, and she had not realized how hard she had gripped.
“Can you breathe fire?”
Midnight started laughing at her, and he turned his head to look back at her.
“Am I of the element fire?”
“Oh. No, I suppose you are not. So do you have an attack like breathing fire?”
“All dragons, except pure Void have a breath attack. Drakes inject via teeth, wyverns by their tail, and Salamanders don’t need anything. Do not piss off a Salamander. In my case, my breath is more about control. Not all Fire dragons breathe fire, it just depends on their second element.” Midnight huffed.
“You are a grumpy old dragon.” She patted him on the side of his neck. “But you know Metallicore, so I forgive you, and I want to know that story. What is your breath?”
“I have a cursed fog. Anything that flies through it is blinded. The trick is to keep the fog thin, so no one sees it until it is too late, just takes a little bit of practice to master.”
“That is wicked. Do dragons only get one skill like that?”
“We only have one type of breath attack, and most are similar. So most dragons of Water and Dark will have the mist, but the curse might vary slightly. Read up on them. It will help you identify the threat at a glance.”
“And that’s it? No other special attacks?”
“We have spells, but they are the same spells you or any sentient beings can learn. I do have a rare curse spell, but it was a skill I acquired at great risk.” Midnight said, looking back at her. “You are just hungry for knowledge. I will tell you more if you tell me why you came here.”
“Dragons.”
“How about more clarity? Why did you come for dragons?”
“It is hard to describe, do dr
agons grow up wishing to see something they never believed to be real? A fairy tale beast.”
“Aliens.”
She sputtered, coughed, and then laughed. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. Your kind talks about aliens, these beings from other planets. I used to tell my hatch-mates that I would be the first dragon bonded to an alien race.”
“My fascination with dragons is like that. Where I grew up, dragons were only legends and myths. My father used to make up stories about noble dragons, fierce creatures that fought with honor and courage. It- it got me through some bad times.”
“And is your father here?”
“No. He died many years ago.” She felt herself frowning, and wished again that he could have been here to see this.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry, but for what it is worth I am glad you are here. I got a good feeling about you.”
They flew in silence for a time. The day was starting to break, and the sun crested the horizon off to her right.
“I think you owe me more information. I told you why I came.” She told Midnight. “Tell me more about elements. My strongest element is Air, what does that element do?”
Midnight shook under her, and his laughter carried up her legs. Looking back at her, he smiled.
“A deal is a deal.” He agreed. “All elements have quite a few spell lines, and they all have five ranks. Some spells are easy to find and acquire, Air, for example, has Wind and Lightning spell lines. Against people like me, Lightning is going to hurt more since part of my elemental make up is water. Wind I’d probably just ignore. So elements do not directly oppose each other, they are all in opposition. Fire against a water spell would fail, but fire against an Ice spell would be highly effective.”
“Ok, so common sense in other words?”