Private Tales Unsuited for the Rage of War

[Vhagor]

Ōmeyōcān, Training Arena

Time erased all memories eventually. It had most certainly removed the memory of Ōmeyōcān from the minds of ordinary people in Thanasis. The looming mountain range was nothing more than a great shield that was the cities last defence should the worst happen. For the dragons, however, Time was not such a cruel mistress. The dragons remembered the old uses of the great tunnels, caverns, lakes and other dark secrets and they shared them with those they chose to bond. It was one of the most sacred measures of trust between dragon and rider that could only be beaten by a dragon taking their rider to the Heartstead. It had been of no surprise to Vhagor therefore, that when he had first been taken into the dark depths by Nyx, there had been an odd sense of reverence that had surrounded the place. More so than any temple he had ever set foot in anyway. There was a sense that this was a place where futures were decided. Would you live, or would you die?

It was that question he was here to answer. Not about himself like he had the first time he had stepped onto this very training arena at an already ripe age for a rider. No, today it was he who would begin to pass judgement on a mere servant.

Most of those he had trained over the years had been from the ranks of noble houses, with the odd plucky soul who had managed to survive The Rising and claim an unbonded dragon or an egg. Even then, most of those who managed to survive were fighters. You had to be to survive The Rising. Soldiers he understood, he had been one himself, but servants? Why would a servant wish to be a rider? Being a rider was a death sentence. A glorious one to be sure but a death sentence never the less. They were the front line of defence, the first to head into danger without a thought, the first to die.

At the end of the day, a dragon could always choose another rider.

Why had this one chosen a servant?

Nyx huffed a plume of smoke across the arena with just the merest hints of flame within. She was impatient to get this done. Vhagor set a hand on her long neck but the blue dragon only bared fangs as long as he was tall.

"Look, there they are," he murmured as the drifts of sunlight that made it through to the caverns of the mountain caught off the scales of a white dragon.

 

[Briseis]

Briseis clung to Ciraxis's back as they descended in a slow spiral towards the intimidating sight of the training arena below.. Her nerves churned inside her, threatening to overwhelm her composure. "Niiice and easy, Ciri.. Just...Act....Casual..." she whispered to her dragon, her voice filled with a mixture of anxiety and determination, hoping that he wouldn't feel the need to show off with some fancy stunts and unseat her. She needed to project confidence, even if she didn't quite feel it, and clinging on for dear life was not a good look.

As Ciraxis's claws touched the ground, he skidded slightly in the dusty arena, causing Briseis to lurch forward. She tightened her grip on his scales, barely managing to maintain her balance. The slip-up filled her cheeks with a burning flush of embarrassment, and she hurriedly dismounted from Ciraxis's back, sliding down his shimmering smooth scales to land in the plume of dust beside him.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Briseis patted Ciraxis's neck, finding solace in his calming presence. He stood faithfully beside her, a silent source of support and reassurance, a soft rumble resonating in his chest. With renewed determination, she squared her shoulders and began making her way towards Vhagor, mindful of Nyx's penetrating gaze fixed upon her.

Each step felt heavy, her cautious approach reflecting her apprehension. Briseis could almost feel the weight of expectation bearing down on her. She desperately wanted to prove herself, but the fear of failure lingered in the back of her mind. She kept reminding herself that she had been chosen by Ciraxis, that she possessed the potential to become a skilled rider, otherwise he would not have chosen her.. would he?

As she stood before Vhagor, she straightened her posture, steeling herself for the trials to come. Briseis knew that she must embrace this opportunity, to learn and grow as a dragon rider. With Ciraxis at her side, she would face the training, the battles, and her own fears. She was ready to rise to the challenge and become the rider she was destined to be..She just hoped it wouldn't hurt too much.

"High Ascendant Vhagor." she dipped her chin respectfully to him, and then to his dragon. "Nyxondra... "

"I am Briseis." she said, her gaze returning to the high Ascendant. "Here to start my training, Sir." she smiled hesitantly.

 

[Vhagor]

Nyx's lips curled back to reveal her razor sharp teeth in what was her signature greeting and Vhagor rested a hand on her scaled neck to stop her from snapping at the white dragon. There was a tiredness to the movement, as though it were a ritual he was bored with having to go through every time a new dragon encroached upon her space. He watched in silence as they approached. After a brief, cursory glance over her mount, Vhagor focused all of her attention on watching the girl. That, after all, was why he was here. Ciraxis had been through the training before, it was his rider who would be the dragons biggest weakness.

Thanasis couldn't afford for their dragons to have weaknesses.

"Welcome, Briseis. Well met again, Ciraxis," Vhagor inclined his head politely to the dragon though showed none of the same formality to Bri. Instead he folded his hands behind his back and stepped forward. He took his time walking around her, inspecting every angle with a critical gaze.

"No muscle" was the first comment. "Too skinny," was the second. "Short," the third, said with a sigh for that was not something he could fix. "Clumsy, scared of her own shadow," he finished the circle and looked from her to her dragon with a raised brow.

"Why?"

 

[Briseis]

Briseis stood tall, or at least as tall as she could, trying her best to maintain her composure under Vhagor's scrutinising gaze. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease as Nyx bared her teeth, a clear display of dominance. Vhagor's tired intervention prevented any escalation, but it served as a reminder of the challenges she would face in earning her place among the dragon riders.

As Vhagor's attention shifted solely to her, Briseis felt the weight of his gaze upon her and her jaw tight, and she took a moment to gather her thoughts, her determination overriding the sting of his words. Her gaze shifted to look Vhagor straight in the eye, and she spoke with unwavering resolve. "I may lack in physical prowess and experience, but I am here to learn. I am willing to put in the hard work and dedication it takes to become a skilled dragon rider," she responded, her voice firm and steady. "My bond with Ciraxis is strong, we trust each other.. I am ready to prove myself to him."

Briseis's gaze shifted from Vhagor to Ciraxis, silently conveying her trust and determination to her faithful companion. She knew their journey would be difficult, but with their unbreakable bond and her unwavering determination, she would rise above her perceived limitations and become the rider she was meant to be.

 

[Vhagor]

Vhagor was only half paying attention to Bri's justification of herself. She had spine, he would give her that. No, the High Ascendant was looking directly at the towering white dragon. Slowly, Ciraxis lowered his head so that they were almost level and very gently he rested a hand on the dragons nose.

Dragons did not communicate in the way humans did. But as a Rider grew into their skin and their bond there were ways to learn what the scents, images and emotions all meant. It was those the white dragon shared with the High Ascendant now. As they stood there silently Nyxondra turned her attention fully to Bri. The giant blue dragon wound her long neck down to where the girl stood and stopped when her eye came level with her. A rumble built in her throat.

"I wouldn't touch her," Vhagor finally said just as the seconds began to turn into uncomfortable minutes and he drew his hand back from Ciraxis who looked pleased with himself. "Ciraxis is rather attached to her," he mused and turned to consider the girl whom the white dragon spoke so favourably of.

"We'll start with your fitness."

 

[Briseis]

Briseis watched with anticipation as Ciraxis and Vhagor engaged in their silent communication. It was a moment that held a certain weight, one that conveyed the unspoken understanding they shared. She marveled at the apparent connection between them, the way Ciraxis lowered his head and allowed Vhagor to touch him, exchanging scents, images, and emotions.

As Nyx positioned herself to be eye-level with Briseis, the girl's heart pounding with a mixture of awe and trepidation. She couldn't help but feel a sense of both privilege and vulnerability under Nyxondra's scrutiny, and she wasn't sure if it was wise to look the creature in the eye or not, and so she did the only thing she could think of and smiled with a short curtsy in greeting. Warmth and respect.. Ciraxis liked her, after all, and that had been all she'd had to offer him.

Vhagor's words broke the silence, drawing Briseis's attention away from the captivating dragons. His cautionary remark regarding Nyxondra echoed in her mind, a reminder of the delicate dynamics she had to navigate. She couldn't take their trust and acceptance for granted.

"Ciraxis is rather attached to her," Vhagor's observation sparked a flicker of pride within Briseis. The bond she shared with Ciraxis was genuine, one that had formed against all odds. She felt a renewed sense of determination to live up to the faith he had placed in her.

As Vhagor turned his attention back to her, Briseis met his gaze with anticipation.

"We'll start with your fitness," Vhagor declared, signaling the beginning of her training. Relief washed over her, and she took a deep breath, grounding herself in the present moment. She knew that physical conditioning would be the foundation upon which her skills as a rider would be built.

"Thank you," Briseis responded firmly, certain that this was going to hurt.

 

[Vhagor]

Nyx withdrew her head with a gwaff then suddenly spread her wings and took to the skies. She landed on one of the higher up shelves on rock where she could watch from a distance and Vhagor got the curious sense she was going to find this entertaining in the manner humans did a puppet show. He didn't bother to watch if Ciraxis joined her.

"Let's start with your legs, those are what keep you in the saddle. Without them you're dead, or worse yet, your dragon is dead," Vhagor had seen more than his fair share of riders who had done something so foolish the dragon had perished too. "Have you ever done a squat..."

Vhagor was merciless. Squats were joined by lunges, leg curls, hip thrusts and several laps of the training arena before he took her through them all again in another order.

"Get some water, you can have a little break," he nodded to the side where drinks and snacks had been assembled.