Page 57 of Black Wing and Shadows
The projection cycled through the ten dragons before stopping on the last one. It was the smaller one that I saw during obstacle training. “This is Lakung, as you can see, he is a smaller dragon. Just because he and some others are smaller, do not count them out. While most dragons aren’t ready to take on a Rider until they are in their late thirties, sometimes for reasons unknown to us, some dragons choose to bond in their twenties. Dragons continue growing until they are around fifty. They experience their largest growth in the first three years, followed by another growth spurt around ten years and again around thirty years. It is believed that Lakung is twenty-five, making him one of the youngest dragons presenting themselves for bonding. Other than that, we don’t know much about him, as he has been in the Flier Vale.”
He moved on to show us the six yellow-gold dragons available. Each one was truly stunning. He didn’t highlight any of them specifically. He did mention that the yellow-gold dragons were brilliant, often preferring Riders who were also intelligent. They don’t care about the Rider's size. Statistically, they tend to choose more female Riders and can be particularly protective.
He flicked his screen and showed us four navy dragons, including the one that had a silvery tone. “Navy dragons are an all-around dragon. They have intelligence, humor, tenacity, and strength. They can also be frightfully ruthless. They tend to prefer warmer areas over colder mountains. Navy dragons are generally more reserved and less open.They also tend to be excellent mothers and often raise other hatchlings, especially those from bonded dragons.”
“What about the larger one with silver tones to it?” I asked. I wanted to learn more about him since he spoke to me that day.
"Ahh, that’s Kekoa. He is truly a beautiful one. If any of you are lucky enough to bond with him, he would be a magnificent dragon to be with. He is among the top twenty largest dragons on the continent. Kekoa is also an older dragon and has had three Riders in the past—two of them passing from old age and one in an accident. He hasn’t wanted to bond since his last one, and it’s been over twenty years. Like Albalta, when his last Rider died, he nearly didn’t make it," he told us.
“Is that how it is with all dragons? The more Riders they’ve bonded with, the lower the chance of surviving their deaths," asked one of the Riders from Eagle Wing.
“Sometimes, the bond between a Rider and a dragon, or really any flier, can be complex. Some dragons have had more than ten Riders and remain unfazed. This is said to be more common with reds and greys, but it doesn’t exclude others. The more complicated part is when the flier passes before the Rider. Phoenixes will be reborn, but they have only a limited number of lives. This also means that just because they are on their thirteenth life, it doesn’t mean they’ve had thirteen Riders. We know that the flier feels as though they lose a part of themselves when their phoenix dies and is reborn. It has not been recorded what happens if a flier passes away in their thirteenth life before the Rider does. For dragon Riders, when their dragons die, the Riders sometimes die too, and if they don’t, they often feel like they want to. They lose magic that channels their abilities, which can feel like a huge loss. That said, several Riders do survive the loss of a dragon, but they seem to lose a part of themselves, which changes them. They can try to bond with another dragon. Sometimes, an offspring of their dragon will take them. For griffins and their Riders, their bond is unique. If either one dies, the other will follow within the hour. It is catastrophic to lose any flier or Rider, and regardless of the loss, it is felt by all of them,” Vindex answered.
The entire class was silent. I didn’t know how many of us knew that last bit of information he dropped. I knew I didn’t. Of course, I had always focused on dragon kind.
“Now, let’s get back to learning about who is willing to bond.” Bhatta flicked his finger and showed us the three black dragons that were available. “Black dragons are ruthless and can be the cruelest of them all. However, some aren’t as cruel as others. They are considered quite intelligent and manipulative towards others.”
“The last two dragons willing to bond are silvers.” He grinned before flicking his fingers, showing us the two silver dragons, one much smaller than the other. “Silver dragons are one of the rarest types of dragons and sometimes result from the breeding of other colors. They tend to be some of the largest dragons on our continent. Silvers have the unique ability to spray ice as well as fire. They have an incredible sense of humor, are quick-witted, great parents, and have keen eyesight. If you're lucky enough to bond with a silver, you should take it. They can be a distinctly selective breed.”
“I thought you said they are large, but that one is much smaller?” a Rider from Dragon Wing asked.
“Yes, Esme hasn’t had her last growth spurt yet, as she is the second youngest dragon willing to bond this year, at only twenty-eight years young. She is stunning, isn’t she?”
Esme was her name. She spoke to me and expressed her desire. I found myself drawn to her because something about her felt strangely familiar and right. Kekoa was also incredible, but my heart told me Esme was the one.
“Now, we will move on to the griffins,” he told us.
“WOOOT!” one of the Riders in the back yelled out.
“I am glad we have some excited potential griffin Riders here. Griffins are such beautiful, unique fliers. They love their Riders with all their hearts. They will fight for their Rider until their very last breath. Griffins usually appear around twenty to twenty-five years old, placing most of them roughly at the same age as their Riders. Unlike dragons, where colors oftenindicate personality types, each griffin is different. Nonetheless, they are all smart and curious. Their talons can easily tear someone apart. Because they are smaller, they can maneuver a little more easily than a dragon.”
He flicked his fingers again, and light brown griffins appeared. “There are eight light brown griffins. Like the other fliers, every color has different shades and markings.”
He continued to show us seven black and gold griffins, three golden griffins, and two dark blue griffins. Like silver dragons, the dark blue color was rare, which made sense, as the first time I saw one was during obstacles.
“Now that we have discussed the sixty-eight fliers willing to bond, more might join on bonding day. Similarly, some of those fliers may decide not to bond when the day arrives—"
A Rider in the middle interrupted him. “Wait, so there could be fewer fliers than that?”
“Yes, that is what I said. Now, before I was rudely interrupted, there might be fliers out there with the same Rider in mind. If that Rider doesn’t choose them, they may decide not to bond after all and wait for another Rider they like. Like Fae, fliers can also have mated bonds. This can make things a little more complicated for Riders if your flier is mated. Usually, this means both Rider-flier pairs are stationed at the same fort or outposts near each other. If one of the pairs isn’t bonded, the other flier usually comes along and stays in the nearby lair or vale. Mated fliers can be separated for a while without issues, but sometimes they can get more temperamental. Unlike Fae bonded mates, they don’t lose their powers when separated.”
“There are… you mean… we could have a…destined mate?” Erik Zufall of Electric’s second squad asked.
“Yes. It isn’t a common occurrence, and sometimes it isn’t discussed in all the villages. I do believe it is something we should teach more about in lectures, as it appears every year, I have more students who are lacking.” He rubbed his hand through his brown hair. “I am going to give a condensed version because I don’t want to derail us off course. There are different terms used depending on what region you are from. Mates, soulmates,twin flames, bonded mates, Anam Cara, or forelsket are majority of the terms used to describe when two Fae are destined to be with each other. This destiny is something that occurs at birth, and when they meet, the bond begins, as both of them feel something incredibly unique. The key is that when the two consummate, they seal the bond. This means the couple’s magic becomes more powerful. They possess unique traits that only bonded mates have, and they cannot be separated for an extended period without their power diminishing. Any questions?” Vindex said, answering the question.
“If your mate dies, do you also... die, like fliers?" Akira asked.
My heart skipped a few beats—a realization I had never considered before. Our lives were deeply intertwined.
“I honestly couldn’t tell you. Most mated individuals don’t disclose when they are, and it can be classified. I imagine, based on what I do know about bonded mates, that if they don’t die, they probably feel like they want to. Another important thing is that priestesses have the unique ability to sense if you have a mate and when the mating bond has been sealed,” Vindex told us.
CHAPTER 22
“Nellie Pitino calls Auriella Blackcreek,” Professor Gile announced.
My eyes widened in surprise when I was caught off guard by being called out, but I shouldn’t be. Exactly as Professor Melamora explained, week three would bring changes to our courses, and it also involved calling out other cadets during sparring. All cadets sparred three times a week. We trained with Gile twice and Rivet once.
Our first sparring class of the week was a mix of our platoon, some of Dragon Wing’s platoon, a platoon from the Drusearons, and Infantry. The second sparring session included Shapeshifters, Healers, and a few Historians. The third sparring class had the largest mix of Sorcerers, Shapeshifters, Drusearons, and Infantry. I was sure that class would be intense.
