Coming out from the cover of the shadows that had protected him. From the elves intense gaze the sky was clear not a cloud in the sky. The blueness of it reminded him of the days back home when it was this rich of a color. Cominus began to wonder what it would be like when it became time for him and Darjin to ride the currents of the air.
“Welcome riders,” said Bojanks. The wood elves muscles bulged underneath his tunic. His long waist length hair flowed in the air with the tint of green to blue. A long elven sword hanged at his waist. “You are here to learn the means to create your dragon armor. I will teach you how you interweave the spells that you wish into the armor. How each scale must fit perfectly in order to get the maximum of its flexibility and the protection of the scales.” Cominus scanned the crowed of elves he noticed that these where not the same group that he was in a few weeks ago. Fear that he had was not meant to be attending this gathering. Yet his brother had told him to come to the courtyard.
“Ah, we have a guest today,” Bojanks said as he spotted Cominus amongst the crowd of elves. “You have all heard of the exploits of this young rider. Traveling to Shadleel he fought against a Char and won alone, I might add. When those evil kin attacked the city walls it was this man and those that travel with him protecting the Queen from their evil ways. To his battle with the undead in the mountains of Talnos, I give you Lord Cominus the rider of Darjin,” Bojanks said bowing. Heat flushed his cheeks as the elves looked at him. Faint whispers and mummers filled the crowd. Could he go any where in this land and find no one that knew of his exploits. Cominus did not think that he deserved such treatment when others had fought long and hard, long before he stepped foot into this land.
As his eyes lifted to the elves that were gathered in the courtyard. Cominus was prepared for the heated looks and their abhorrent of his race. Yet he saw nothing in their ageless faces other then acceptance with curt nods, they returned their attention back to the instructor. Holding a heavy leather breastplate in his light tanned hands, Cominus wondered how he would attach the sleeves to the piece of leather.
As apprentices exited the forge carrying wooden chest, all eyes were on what lays in the confines of the wooden box. As the chest rested that the feet of each elf, Cominus wondered if he was just here to watch. Yet as the door to his smithy opened two of Bojanks apprentices rushed out into the courtyard. Carrying the leather in their arms were they trying to insult him, or did Draco not give them time to prepare for his arrival. Bojanks noticed the scowl forming on the riders face, he was just as aggravated at his own trainees to allow the insult to stand.
“Where is this rider’s chest,” Bojanks screamed at the young elf apprentice as he made his way past his master.
“Master he is human to treat him as such is a disgrace to us,” said the shaky boy. Grabbing the boy collar of his tunic Bojanks pulled the boy and inch of his face.
“He is a rider you dishonor him and me when you spout those words. If you do not see fit to serve this man, as he deserves to be treated then leave my forge. Return to your mother's teat and never show yourself in front of me again,” Bojanks said dropping the lad to the ground.
“My father will hear of this,” huffed the boy.
“Your family holds no power any longer, banished from the city for your grandfathers act of treachery against the crown,” waving the boy off having no more use of the boy. “Darion see that Lord Cominus has a chest by the end of this sentence.” Dashing back into the smithy Darion sought to fulfill his master’s order. As Cominus watched the lad wander off back to the home he no longer had. He had no animosity towards the boy yet he was growing tried of the attitude of the high elves. Through he had met few high elves he could not put in that category. His mind could not help but flash back to Tarisha how her touch eased the soreness he had received the night before. How her soft folds enchased his manhood how sweet the passion they shared in that tub.
He had to keep his body from hardening when the image of her prefect round breast hanged in the back of his mind. The thud of the chest hitting the ground brought him out of his wonderful daydream. The varnished red pine chest, iron bands ran across the lid. Polished brass covered the corners of the chest to protect from constant use. The dovetail joints that held the chest together protected by more iron bands that covered the joinery.
Placing all but the breastplate into the chest Cominus wondered how he was suppose to attach the scales that Darjin would shed in her molting stages. As he looked to Darjin for answers a quarter size scale fell to the grass. As he picked up the glistening scale, two protruding points caught his attention. Where they once hung on to Darjin's body, an idea formed of how the scale was to be attach to the three quarter inch thick leather. As he examined the leather breastplate his brother’s words rang back into focus. It would indeed take a great number of scales to fill just the breastplate. Bojanks boots filled his view looking up to the wood elf. Cominus berated himself for letting his imagination getting the better of him. “I know this must be strange for you young rider,” Bojanks said offering his hand to Cominus. “Why your brother put you so far ahead of the others I do not know,” said Bojanks.
“How do you mean,” asked a perplexed Cominus.
“Well the basics of this training would have been drilled into you over the months. That it would take to get to this stage of your training.”
“Months,” Cominus mouthed the word. What was his brother planning he knew that with Darjin, he would venture out to find Chad and Heaven’s Wing. Why was his brother rushing his training was the war not going the way. That Draco had hoped or was something else brewing that his brother was fearful of. “Now if you gather your chests and follow me,” Bojanks said leading them to the smithy. As Cominus entered the forge, elves and dwarfs worked side by side. Hammering out shields and armor at rates that would be hard pressed by their human counterparts. Cominus would never believe his eyes it would seem that the elves and the dwarfs had laid down old hatreds for the common good. “Welcome to my smithy here you will learn how to construct your armor. For only a rider can forge the scales to the leather with the help of his or her dragon. No other in the world can craft such unique pieces of armor to the dwarfs displeasure but that is about to change. It is good to have a one of our brave small friends joined with a dragon. But I digress, now come and do not wonder I would hate to have to tell his lordship. That one of his riders was injured before they had the change to take flight.” As the elven eyes fell upon him, Cominus got the sense that Bojanks last sentence was meant for him and him alone.
“I know all of you have been wondering, “How do I go about attaching the scales to my armor,” again Cominus felt signaled out. “The dragon’s magic will yield wonderful but terrible results if you do not concentrate on the task at hand. This will be a test of you dragons ability to maintain their breath of fire.” The image of Draco covered in soot flashed in his mind. Cominus looked down to Darjin her tail wagging with delight. “Now the armor that has been given to you, our strongest magi has placed spells upon the leather. So when you and your dragon begin the forging process the leather does not become an ash pile on the anvil.” As they neared the end of the complex, two large wooden doors loomed before them. As Bojanks pushed against them all work in the smithy stopped for reverence for the room.
Seeing how he was the last to enter the room Bojanks signaled for Cominus to shut the door. For no other then the riders themselves where meant to enter this room other then the instructor. Thirty workbenches spiraled throughout the room standing about waist height. Anvils commanded the surfaces of those worktables. Tools sat neatly in there cubbyholes waiting for strong hands to use them in their craft. Cominus looked at this marvelous workshop with glee. Bojanks moved into the center of the spiral where he could view the trainees work progress without obstruction.
“Now you may ask, “If my dragon’s fire is to be used then how do I go about the process with out my hands becoming charred stumps,” again all eyes where on Com
inus. “These though they may not be proper rider gloves but you can thank. Shadow Fang for looking out for the future of her dragons riders,” said Bojanks as his only apprentices left. Placed dragon scale gloves upon the worktables before the soon to be riders. The black scales gleamed with use of the years under the angry flames of the dragons that came before them. As the elves took their places at the tables, as the tables filled Cominus was soon left out in the cold. Which he did not mind he knew Bojanks had not known that his brother would push his train forward faster then Cominus was prepared for. Cominus could still watch and learn. Even if he could not make his armor at this moment that day will come soon.
“I am sorry Lord Cominus there are only enough tables for last years chosen,” Bojanks said apologetically. Cominus could see that it had hurt the wood elf not to fulfill his lordship request in teaching this young rider.
“It’s ok Bojanks I still have eyes and ears to watch, and learn even if I can not perform the task at the moment,” Cominus said reassuring the elf.
“Indeed that you can,” Bojanks said a smile touched his five-century-old face. “Well just don’t stand there musing set that down and join your mates. Watch and learn my boy for when your time comes you have the edge of the others,” he said patting Cominus on the shoulder. As Cominus walked around the room, observing the others as they set to the task of preparing the leather. Surveying the tools some he knew from tack hammers to punches of different sizes. To a wicked looking par of pliers that where meant to bend the two protrusions into the back of the leather after Darjin would heat the points to a near molten state. The outer doors of the workshop opened dragons lounging, bathing in the sunlight waiting for their riders call. Far larger by size and weight Cominus wondered, what these riders had seen in their time together with the dragons that they cherished.
A small pair of calipers’ seat nestled in small wooden boxes off to the side. Safely tucked away from the awkwardly trainees yet were within reach if the student needed the trusted devices. Cominus approached a wood elf already set to lay his first row of his dragon scales. The sky blue scales reminded him of home when he would look up into the spring sky. Cominus waited for the elf to return from his communion with his dragon. Cominus knew how it felt when people gathered around you when you where conversing with your other half. As the elf returned with the glowing scale held in outstretched tongs, backing way to give the elf the room he needed to work. The searing of the leather left an oily feel to the air. Lifting her head Darjin wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant smell. Rising from her resting place, she strode out in to the sun to bath in the warming spring sun. As she exited the workshop the resting dragons raised there heads at her approach. Their minds flooded into to hers. Hello sister,” said a dusty brown dragon. Brother are you well,” Darjin asked resting on the sun baked gravel.
My rider treats me well though not that her teachers like the fact that she feeds me an extra mutton leg or two.” Darjin agreed with the dragon she would have to get Cominus on her much need increase in her diet.
Maybe if you behave,” Cominus voice rippled across there mental link.
Hey I am not the one who goes and gets involved with an elf in that city,” teased Darjin with a hint of jealousy behind her words. Cominus fell silent closing their link, Darjin did not mean to hurt him by her words. However she could fell the hurt and regret of his actions. Even though the time he had shared with Tarisha was blissful but it was conceived under false pretenses. That fact will haunt the young rider throughout his days in the land of dragons.
So tell me what is it like to be bonded with a human,” asked the curious dragon. Darjin contemplated on her words for a moment, yet all she could think of their joining was they where a natural fit.
I would say sometimes it is a challenge but I am sure that when you where. First joined with your rider there was a period that neither of you saw eye to eye. Then again there are times when any of us,” her gaze sweeping the field strewn with bathing dragons. “That we are parted with our rider's, and every moment that we are separated it feels as if we are no longer whole. Yet we know that just minutes away they are safe, and sound yet we know that we can not be there with them. Then there are days that it is just the two of you and you wish that time would stop,” Darjin said even though they had only had last night together to themselves it had been wonderful. The dusty brown dragon only nodded his spear shaped head in response to her answer. For all dragons felt the same for their riders whether you were human, elf, dwarf even the evil races of the land.
As Cominus watched, the elves skillful work on his sky blue dragon scale armor. Laying down the first row of scales at the base of the leather; overlapping the pieces of the dragon scales in the middle of each scale. As the elf started on the second row allowing the scale to come to rest in the middle of the lower scale. This would provide protection from arrows and other projectile weapons from what Bojanks claimed. To Cominus how the scales were laid about on the leather it reminded him of how shingles where laid on a roof. To allow water to shed off with out damaging the wood underneath.
“Now that you all have the means to attach the dragon scales to the armor. Allow me to show you have to go about attaching the sleeves,” Bojanks said taking one of the trainees leather breastplates in hand, telling the elf to call his dragon into the workshop. Bojanks using the medium sized punch to set five holes into the leather armor, doing the same to the other leather piece. As the trainees pushed the tables out of the way of the double doors, to allow the dragon access into the building, the dusty brown dragon that had spoken to Darjin made his slow way into the workshop. Watching his steps and the sway of his tail not to disturb anything in the shop. Stopping a few feet away from Bojanks and his rider.
Taking a half dollar size scale from the surface of the table; placing the scale in the grip of the tongs. Bojanks in the worn black scale gloves, telling the dragon to let out only one single jet of flame from its nostril. As the blue flame jutted out of the dragon’s nostril only a few inches not to scorch the tile floor. Bojanks began to roll the scale in the hot flame. As the scale increased in brightness coming to a white-hot state, taking the scale over to the anvil. Replacing the tongs with long tweezers like pliers from the cubbyhole, Bojanks began to roll the scale on the anvil. As the scale formed into a tight log, with a few gentle taps of the tack hammer, Bojanks decreased the size of the scale to, a length no more then two inches. Taking the scale while it was still red-hot treading it into the corresponding holes. The oily smoke filled the wood elves nose and those around him. Taking the wicked looking par of pliers twisting the two ends of the scale together until they mash into one leaving only a half an inch gap, clipping of the ends of the twisted scale wire. Placing the leather onto the anvil taking the tack hammer back in hand, hammering the two places of scale wire until they could no longer be distinguished as two half’s of the same scale. With the scale wire now formed into a larger diameter it would give the armor strength and flexibility during the most gruesome of the battles to come. “Now that you have the knowledge I shall leave you to finish for the day. I know that not all of you can make a complete set today, you are always welcome here so do not hastate to pick up the hammer and forge anew,” Bojanks said bowing waving for Cominus to follow. Taking his chest in his arms with Darjin trailing behind him they followed after the wood elf. Leaving those to the task set before them. Bojanks remained silent as the three walked out of the forge where racial hatred came to an end.
“I hope that you enjoyed the lesson today I am only sorry that you could not participate in today’s lesson,” Bojanks said turning towards the young rider.
“Well yes I know that Darjin has more to grow and more scales to shed. I am just glad that you allowed me to stay and watch so that. When it comes time for us to take part once again in your teachings then the elves that despise me. Will watch as I will have mastered what you have shown me today. While they will only stand and stare at their scales and scratch their
heads wondering what to do next,” Cominus said bowing to the master smith as far as he could without tipping over from the weight of the chest.
Chapter Eleven
Since his return to his brother’s castle he had began his training the moment he got back. It has been the worst two months of his life since coming to this world. Aryl has taught him many magical spells that would heal any number of wounds. She has also taught him many destructive spells to aid him in times of trouble. His long days of training with Ergan taught him he could not match his speed of an elves so he had to out smart him. Though the first real days of his training he went to bed with many cuts and bruises on his body. As the months went on his skills had improved with the sword. Ergan was most pleased at his friend’s improvement. Though Cominus had more to learn Ergan was happy that he would not die in battle to quickly.
That was not, the most challenging ordeal of his training the moment that Darjin was large enough. His dragon training began, the elves thought him how to enter the wind currents. What magic spells to use so you and your passenger's skin would not be ripped off, from the high-speed winds that plague the wind currents.
Within ten days into his training, they were ready for mock battles with one another. All seemed to be going well the dwarfen dragon riders’ choosing to fight among themselves. The elves that had been chosen had made an agreement to hone in on Cominus. After the first five failed to win the wager, the other four chose to fight as one against the white rider. There came a roar that cut to the bone of every rider there, Cominus looked up to see where the sound came from. Alone dragon high above the clouds Cominus could see the glimmer of red shining off the scales of the dragon.
Then drawing closer another roar as the dragon and rider dove into a deep dive. The remaining elves were too stunned to move from the positions as the dragon neared. Fighting off the dragons fear one elf managed to free himself of the hold.
The Terra Drago Chronicles: The Sacrifice (Rein of Fire Book 1) Page 28