The warmth on her face all felt surreal. She had survived. Somehow she had scared the dragons off. Her purple eyes opened to view this world. Walls of the red with shelves of ancient books, she laid on a chair, her silver hair sprawled behind her back still stained by blood. Her tattered clothes still glued to her skin. The familiar face before her, clipped hair and perfect jawline, Silas cadisbury sat before her with a devilish grin. '' our princess survived, marvelous. I hope you survive the next fright, you only kill to survive here. '' He smirked pushing a frothing wine glass across. She sat up glancing around, this was like a Gothic room, each corner holding secrets. Silas watched her with the corner of his eyes. She turned to him with fear. '' how do I get out of here? '' she asked. Silas laughed wholeheartedly and sat up to gaze at her.
'' Darling, there is no out world, you are a forbidden. You have been quarantined from the academy, from Audrigald. To them you are a threat. '' Silas said standing to meet her. She turned to meet him, surprise in her eyes. Silas turned to her with a grin. '' your life is not guaranteed here, every single time you close your eyes, death hangs in the distance. Every time you trust, your life suffers the pain of betrayal Elara. You have no choice but to become a tyrant, a villain. Because in this world, that's all you will ever be.'' Silas said.
She blinked back the tears fighting a battle within her, she must charge forward, but each step determines her humanity, who can she survive n a world where she had to kill to survive, have to pretend to overcome, have to die to live. This was worse than death. Silas knelt before her gazing into the inky purple void in her eyes, he could see her, could see them all. Lies. '' no crying here ashwood. Your only strength is fear, fear brings control and control brings dominion. Make them fear you.''
***
The hall was filled with a hundred students like her. Waiting for leadership. She watched in silence at their faces. They weren't in despair like her, they were willing, willing to be black, to see a black world. She had to be too. She stepped in, their eyes turned to her with angry whispers. What was that in their tone? Spite. As she moved forward curses followed. She turned behind Silas cadisbury was gone, the hall filled with balconies and open air spaces where dragons flew around to burn the entire hall.
Was this another test? She could feel her heart pound, feeling the knife in her vest. Someone pushed forward to meet her. A girl with amber coloured eyes in tattered vest. '' had she just ended her own trial? ''. Elara thought moving a bit backwards. The girl stopped in front of her with a polite bow. Her red braids falling with her. Elara was gone taken aback. She thought titles were not regarded. The girl smiled holding her hands. Elara flinched at the coldness.
'' oops sorry. My name is relma fenigton of oaks. '' the girl said mildly pushing vibrantly through the spiteful crowd. Someone grabbed her hair and slammed her to the floor. '' hypocrite!! '' the person cackled. Relma turned pushing the girl backwards and ramming her palms into her face. '' can't you obey royalty?? '' Relma snarled moving down to help Elara up. Elara turned as the fallen girl rose with a jaunted knife to stab her. Relma intercepted her amber eyes illuminating a fluorescent yellow glow. '' retreat I order. '' Relma said in a husky bully like tone .
The fallen girl, dazed at first obliged and moved away. Elara was shocked that the girl obeyed. She turned to Relma a shocked look on her face. Relma gave a tiny smile that did nothing to help Elara's condition. '' I will explain later before we miss the fun. '' Relma smirked pushing past the others to the front. The balcony was no longer empty at all the elders were here to dictate the rules to the new intakes. These cursed forbidden. Relma smiled and turned to Elara. Elara was conference used, how can someone be so happy to be in a death zone, others were not showing any optimism at all, just brutal vengeful snarls.
Elara turned to Relma taking a good note of her. She was Nice, too nice for a forbidden. The elders gave disapproving expression at the population this year. They were too much. Elder marrouc was there, glancing at her with pity. She was not instead giving her best snare at him but he remained unchanged. The rules were read slowly and with emphasis. Elder Elaine the second glanced at them after all the rules had been read.
'' any disobedience results in death. I hope you understand. '' elder El aine said wryly. Elara turned to Relma who was giggling uncontrollably now. She turned behind to see a boy in emerald green vest and poised hands as if playing a piano. Elara turned, looking up. A tiny flickering arrow was taking form, about to ram into elder Elaine head. Her eyes glistened in shock. They were about to murder an elder. Elara turned to Relma trying to free herself but relma was cautioning her against such betraying behaviour against her fellow intakes. She was still glancing at the arrow which was malevolently becoming more deadlier.
Elder Marrouc glanced at her sensing her glowing dread, his signet could judge not decipher. He could see the dread, could read her fear but not the source. She turned to relma and at once the arrow launched into trajectory. As elder Elaine lifted her head a deafening roar was head. A blue feathertail dragon was struck by the demonic arrow. It's left wing burning with a pale blue flame. The hall became rowdy, each candidate seemed petrified and satisfied at the action. A mild laughter erupted from the candidates and Elara could feel Marrouc's eyes on her, dread and anger for them all.
'' Silence!! '' Elder Marrouc yelled. The hall went as silent as a graveyard. He vanished through the balcony as security and medical personnel surrounded the dragon. Marrouc turned to the forbidden, a deadly glare in his face. She saw it now, why a forbidden was a threat. Their abilities were the only ones that could harm a dragon. Elder Marrouc turned to her. '' who did this ashwood? '' he said in a whisper. Elder Elaine looked up at ashwood, relma squeezed Elara's palm and all the forbidden turned to her, what would she do now. Tell the truth obviously. But all the forbidden glared at her in malice as if knowing her choice.
'' you would be immediately admitted to black ash Elara. Who did this? '' he asked again with authority. The blue wave of magic surrounding him, Elara wanted that, wanted freedom for herself. She swallowed slowly opening her mouth but no words came out. Relma turned away as if disappointed at the friend she had chosen. Elara swallowed and began to speak. '' ...''
***
He sat at the front row, his golden hair in a perfect position behind him, his eyes locked on the book before him. He turned to see the professor continue the teaching about dragon bonds. Professor Enoch stewalds glanced at the chosen cadets this year. Twenty nine of them. Perfection surrounding them. Most of all he glanced at prince ashdod telayne. The dragonstar of the decade. He could destroy the forbidden. '' bonds are not Just a connection, they are a relationship binding a dragon and a rider. Your bond allows you to wield, to hear your dragon, to let them trust you. '' professor Enoch said. He turned to them as if giving a speech to the whole of Audrigald.
'' you were not chosen because of royalty, it was because you are special... You are unique. ''. Professor Enoch said. Ashdod could feel all eyes on him, his heart did nor escalate, he was still the best intake. He was born a leader, and he would lead the dragons, the riders and Audrigald. He turned to scribble something down. As he looked up his eyes was masked by a black void, the class had vanished Enoch's voice was Luke a distant whisper. All he could hear was beats of wings and a serene heart beat.
'' Perfection, perfection, perfection. You will lead Audrigald, you are chosen you are nice. When will the lies end? When will the deceits stop? '' a voice asked. He stood inhaling slowly. He tried to harness his blessing like at the entrance exams. A soft cackle rose mocking him. '' you want to fight a dragon, unbelievable. '' a husky baritone sounded. As if by force, an arrow spear rammed between his chest cavity, splitting his rib cage. Pain flooded his being and he could feel burns around had s back. '' and you are to lead Audrigald...despicable. '' the voice laughed.
'' from now on I will pass my message through you, you will be an instrument for my HEART to destroy Audrigald. You will lead her to me, and she would lead me home. His does it feel like when all your prophecies turn lies.'' The voice smiled. He knelt in pain holding his ears and crying madly. '' how does it feel like when... When all you see is black.''