She stood among the candidates for black Ash riding academy. She stood out, not because of her title, but her looks. A frail looking, innocent inky purple eyed, silver haired teenager. She seemed more of a dark,frightened prey than a harmonious predator. As her title demanded, she was expected to carry herself with the aura of pride as a princess, and give out contemptuous sneers, but instead she was the one receiving them. How ironic!
It wasn't something she enjoyed, being part of the academy left her no choice than to yield to her father's wish. coming from a wretched girl like her. she would have chose to sit all day reading books and watching the horses than to be in this ride or die academy. Audrigald was fortunate to have the academy, the strongest dragons and dragon riders, but it was not enough, every royal family at the age of sixteen, was expected to try for the dragon riding academy.
The young man before her move into the seal circle, the headmaster, Alaric fouston motioning to a brown scaled wyvern towards the boy. Alaric's signet was called unveiling. A magic of detecting how viable a person could bind with a dragon. The dragon closed it's eyes and a warm silence enveloped the hall. The young man gripped the blessing in his palm. The gift he was born with.
The crowd gasped in sweet relief as a warm incandescent flow of Mana. His gift was capable, viable being the word. Such warm, sweet, harmonious gift could attract a dragon to him. " How lucky!" She shrugged indifferently. Being pessimistic or was it being utterly useless was her gift, either way she hoped that it turned out well, all the family were watching her. She had to display something...unbelievably good.
"Audrigald finest. Princess Elara ashwood of Audrigald." The reader announced. She could feel the rush of adrenaline, the jagged edge of her gift meeting her palm. She inhaled sharply with both fingers crossed. The dragon meirnach could also feel her title. Welcoming her with a low grumble if respect. Weird. Dragons do not normally acknowledge human titles nor respect them, but her case was highly unusual.
She stood inside the seal circle. Letting her blessing dance slowly in her right palm. She exhaled. Allowing meirnach incandescent warmth pervade her. Everyone watched. What was the country's princess unique gift, could it be light or perhaps future seeing like her mother. Or maybe chronomancy like her great grandfather. The previous warmth turned to icy harshness. Filling the people with dread, a mixture of sadness, anger and dread.
A shadow red vortex formed around her, forcing a command of dark dominion around her. Every one could feel it, despair, hopelessness and fear. Every heart became burdened as f a bad memory had returned. Meirnach roared in fear, scampering backwards and bowing with a loud cry. Other dragons followed likewise.
Alaric's eyes transforming to fear, anger and shock. '' Heresy!!!'' He muttered rushing down the fleet of stairs. His dragon refused to come any further. '' She deserves to die. Such heresy deserves to be exorcised. '' An elder yelled, he seemed to walk right through the balcony and appear in front of Alaric. Elder Marrouc the fourth clasped his hand as blue hue shone brightly and the ground shook.
There were rare signets that were only available to a selected few. Marrouc not exempted. The power of inevitable judgement was among such. The signet that can contain evil and any dark aura. She was a threat, to the kingdom, to the realm. No sane dragon would been and her. It was that energy, she was filled with every atrocity the nation exorcised. And for once, in the history of Audrigald, Marrouc's signet could not contain n another dark entity. Shock ebbed into every one in the Hall at the outcome.
The elders muttering in hushed whispers among themselves, Alaric was busy calming his terrified dragon while marrouc stood with despair in his cynic eyes. His dragon ' blameless' had flown n, with shimmering blue polished scales and golden eyes. Spreading it's wings over marrouc as if protecting him from her, and at the same time warily watching Elara in fear. She dared not look back at the spiteful crowd. Even her head couldn't proudly lift up. Yes, her gift was mind blowing, extraordinary but just... Utterly unacceptable. A gift that defiled every thing they stand for, that hangs the fate of Audrigald on a balance.
'' we can't keep her in the academy. '' called to Marrouc. He scowled and glanced at the elders as if communicating an information. They looked at him grimly and then, at the source of the abomination. Her. They rose in unison, their dragons rising behind them. Little admiration from the crowd lightened the atmosphere. This was the first time the elders dragons had surfaced. Dragons that looked like gods. Air of authority and dominion revolving around them. Elder marrouc turned and raised an arm. Bluish energy of majestic dominance covered the entire Hall, soaking up all the misery, fear, and hatred the crowd had felt. She could feel it too. Such signets that defy the psychology of the mind, reinstating a warmth in the hearts of the crowd. That was what a gift was, elder marrouc's sgnet was breathtakingly food and she hated it. Hated the ignominy of what she had suffered. He turned, his face returning to his steel expression.
'' upon an unanimous decision, the elders have decided that Elara Ashwood would not be offered a place in the academy. She is hereby sentenced to the dark zone. '' elder marrouc said. Instead of a relaxed atmosphere, the tension in the hall tripled. The dark zone? No one who entered there was heard of again. That was how the elders wanted together rid of her. Allow monsters to feed on her. Letting them do the dirty work. They were cowards afraid of a frail looking girl like her. Elder marrouc turned to her he s expression tightened. '' I hoped...'' He muttered under his breath. '' You can't even behead a girl right? '' she cursed.
'' Sending you there is not a choice miss Ashwood. I hope you understand.'' Elder marrouc said. '' I imagined better. '' Elara scowled wearing a vengeful scowl on her face. '' We must Contain the dark entity. '' Marrouc said feeling his dragon's touch. She turned with a horrid look. '' is that what we call things we fear? '' she asked sarcastically. A sneer in her lips as she was cuffed. Elder marrouc turned vanishing back to the balcony, his dragon taking to flight after him. Meirnach, nearly recovered from that show, stood proudly to unveil the next gift.
***
The man in the carriage offered no look of pity, only a scowl on his face, unlike the others he didn't flinch when she stretched to make contact. He moved the carriage down a steep alley with mighty fences. She wondered why he didn't have his own dragon, every one in the academy did. She sat in solitude, forcing herself to swallow the anger and resentment she felt. They were right, she was cursed. Her blessing was cursed. Her gift was an instrument of terror, but she wasn't evil. She was sane enough to know that.
The rebellious clanking of metals seem to warn her. As if yelling her to retreat. She walked past soldiers lying side by side. Each was a non bonded high rank assassin. '' escape is futile. '' she muttered. A silhouette image stood in the dark far end of the corridor. His form seemed to scare her off, but somehow she was not afraid, maybe her curse had made her have an higher threshold for fright.
'' how ironic! Out nations' own is condemned to death. '' his husky baritone cackled. His form finally materialized. Clipped red hair, amber eyes and firm jawline. A tal five feet seven inches man. She knew him, had seen him on the newspaper. What was his name again? She bit her bottom lip, each step closing the gap. '' Silas cadisbury, headmaster of dragon black academy, what is called death zone. '' his lips thinned. Yes! He was the one. Tortured twice for allowing a dragon escape from the death zone.
'' The is isn' t the palace Elara Ashwood. No titles are regarded, you are a forbidden, one that must be expelled at all cost. '' Silas said without any iota of pity, but bitter sarcasm. He was perhaps overjoyed at seeing his enemy daughter under his control. He turned without loss of energy, a flawless action from the most imperfect man. '' how can such graciously harmonious man be part of the forbidden.'' Elara wondered. '' if you are hoping to be pampered, I am so sorry, but you will be treated like the ugly beast you are. '' Silas said as they entered the last corridor before a massive vault door. He turned to her, '' tacky isn't it? '' he smiled wide spreading his arms. '' your first lesson miss Ashwood. The cursed arts of a forbidden rider.'' He laughed and the door opened. The sight sending a full rise of adrenaline in her. Those onyx eyes glancing at her with predator instinct. A push from behind. '' survive!!
She could see the onyx eyes of something far more terrifying than any dragon in the academy. It's back was shadow black with tattoos awkwardly covering it's scales. It's wings were malevolent and seemed torn but could remain perfectly stable on air. It's size was double that of any dragon the academy had shown at the entrance exam. The dragon flew displaying a series of steep dives and flawless acrobatics. The dragon turned, done with it's performance and ready for the meal. It gave a cry and black shadow vortex formed shooting out green balls of demonic aura. She did not wait to see what the balls did. Jumping of the platform and Falling into a bottomless abyss.
She landed into a murky pit feeling her nasal passage congest with disgust. The dragon could sense her down there filled with more pleasure as she hid. She had heard of stories of how death by a monster was gruesome. She hoped they were wrong. But the monster seemed to prove their claims right. A ball of green monster energy fell into the pit and she could feel her bone squeeze, her limbs shooting up in pain, she bit her lip drawing up blood, it was almost as she if she were mentally unstable. monsters could feel every ounce of her pain, growling delightfully at her sorrow. She could feel it now, why they were all terrified at the dark zone. This was a hell hole.
She pulled her hands up drawing herself out of the pit and falling helplessly on the floor. The dragon's beat of wings reminded her that she was still in danger, she stood up limping under an arch Stone but the dragon's attacks destroyed the little arch to pieces, blasting Elara to the ground, the dragon gliding down behalf and her as it's sharp claws dug into her back. She skidded landing with a thud. The dragon elevating in the far end. She could now begin to count the wounds she had sustained, survival chances were slim. She could hear the beat of wings behind her, turning in fright, she pulled out a dagger from her vest and slashed an ant sized wound on the dragon's feet.
A cry rose and multiple green blasts followed resounding behind her as it slammed the ground, she skidded down and jumped suspending herself to gravity. Her veins pulsated wildly. The thought of death loomed in her mind. Every brain cell was thinking of survival, but in such a place like this, surrendering was the only option. The black dragon diving after her with shimmering onyx eyes. Another scream blasted upwards as the dragon lost it's balance and crashed into the rocky abyss wall. She landed not so gracefully, the impact spiking up pain in her knee, falling in agony, fear danced on her intestinal tract.
Looking behind, the figure that dove upwards tripled that fear. A spiked bodied red daggertail dragon blasted upwards. The other black dragon had left the rock wall and was now shooting out green balls of energy from it's mouth. She dragged herself on the floor, feeling wet metallic scented liquid ooze out of her hand. Her clothes arm burning to crisps to reveal her arm long tattoo.
She pushed the stones out of her way and waited. She could hear something, like a great bellow. It was like a siren warning. The two dragons stopped fighting and began scampering to safety. Other forbidden monsters she had not noticed were taking flight. The ground vibrating. The tension coming from below her. She pushed herself upwards and tried to run, but the ground exploded beneath her feet and the flash of silver petrified her.
She fell, gracing the rock slabs with mighty thuds of her body. Her bones nearly shattered to crisps. For some people they would have died a very long time ago, but she survived till now...till her next fright began. The malevolent dragon spread out it's flawless wings and she could see the silver rings scattered over it's back. It's body was filled with blade like protrusions and a powerful tail that ended with the tail of a fish. The dragon spiralled upwards releasing demonic aura around itself. She knew this dragon, the most strongest among the forbidden realm. An apex class predator of class F.
She grabbed a rock slab feeling her bone snap, and perhaps... Her sanity too. She moved through a small opening just as a hot stalactite rammed into her shoulder blade. Pain bursting in her brain, forcing her down. The dragon's eyes commanded more stalactite without loss of energy.
The communication was terrific the dragon's eyes holding nothing but grudges, hatred and authority. This was what fear was. Her final sight was this dare devil monster. Alaric was right, no monster or dragon would ever bond with her. She was utterly unapproachable. The next snap took her mind with it. She was gone. Princess Elara Ash wood had become so distant. Like a memory that refused to surface. The dragon flared upwards releasing grumbles of discontent at her.
Her silver hair remained sprawled on the floor, blood stained. Her purple eyes staring at the dragon.
For once she could see every thing. She had not been born with a tattoo without a reason. She was not a blessed, wasn't even a proper princess. Audrigald would not have prospered with her has it's ruler. It was a lost cause from day one. She had hid it, lived with it, only to come face to face with it now. She realised it now... The curse never existed, she was the curse. And she had two options now... Tame it or be tamed.
The dragon vanished as if dissatisfied at her corpse. All the other dragons flew in to savage what was left of Elara Ashwood the cursed. She could see them fly down, rushing to have all that cursed energy buried inside her. She could feel the resentment deepen.. The ange and hatred for every thing. They flew without control... Without a leader. Her blessing remained tied to her paln. She clutched it's jagged edges, anger spiking up with adrenaline. She could not die now. Let them mock her again for been weak. She wanted her revenge so badly, she could taste it to n her tongue, feel it on her throat and burn in her heart.
It's time to accept her curse and tame it... Evil was not a choice now. It was mandatory. Her only hope on a world built on lies. She reached to touch... Reached to grasp something to be Hers. Anger in her eyes, blood on her hands...it was it. What she wanted, where she wanted. The first dragon reached to taste such divine cursed energy and she could feel it, the terror in it's eyes. What she wanted... Fear me!!!
***
The hall had returned to it's peaceful state. The air remained humid with scents of desperation from the candidates, from the elders from Alaric. The next candidate, a boy with mild chestnut hair stepped forward as his name was called. '' Prince Maurice archantia of greenloock.'' The reader said. Maurice stepped into the seal circle. Fear in his heart, nervousness on his mind. Meirnach moved forward bowing lightly and a blue wave of energy ignited the seal circle. He could feel the warm and gy pervade him. Seek an outlet and soon, it did. Waves of blue warping him as he slowly began to shimmer becoming a translucent void of impossibilities.
The crowd marveled at such a mystical sight. It was nice, appalling and just good. Maybe his dragon might be a blackstylet breed. He moved forward for the elders verdict. Elder marrouc vanished from the balcony again and appeared before him a smile on his face. '' prince Maurice archantia is admitted to the academy.'' Elder marrouc smiled. A shout of triumph escaped Maurice's lips. The crowds were screaming in delight in a mixture of happiness and admiration.
'' a blackstylet breed? We have not seen that in ages. It would be good to see them again.'' Elder marrouc said at Alaric. Even meirnach hopes so too. Maurice moved out if the seal circle. Receiving his letter in delight. He moved back to the crowd to move his baggage into the academy and turn in his letter for admission. The next name erupted whispers. The reader seemed marveled at it too. '' prince ashdod telayne of norticadia.'' The reader announced.
A fine looking young man walked out, gold clipped hair, as over eyes and a tall physique. He looked perfect in every aspect. He moves into the seal circle. And the dragon nudged at him. He stood perfectly still. The blue wave warping him harmoniously. He waited. They waited. A magnificent void filled with tiny golden stars formed. His blessing in his hands, tightly grasped. He inhaled and looked up. The elders shocked. This was the dragon star. A rare sight, once in a millennium. The only thing that could tame the golden crystal tail dragon. He was the one, the perfect rider in the prophecy. He could destroy her..the curse.. The forbidden.
''