The Sixth Dragon Rider

Part 1

*Author's Note: The name of the dragon may switch from Nirvana to Heaven and back at certain parts of the story as it is currently under revision, sorry for any confusion this may cause*

Aura ran down the hillside toward the village. Rocks and branches scraped her feet through her thin boots, but she kept running. Today was not the day to be late. Today was a day that only came once every year.  Today was the Dragon's Picking.

Every year on the morning directly after the full Harvest moon new dragons would hatch, and when they did they would be drawn, as if on a string to the boy that would become their rider. Only 5 dragons hatched and picked riders on this day, which was why it was a big deal to be picked. Only boys that were 17 winters old could be picked, so Aura wasn't sure why everyone had to attend the picking, but they did.

She skidded around corners and raced down the streets, rushing to get to the city centre in time. Two minutes until the gong signaling the beginning of the Dragon's Picking would ring. One minute to go, she could make it! Aura skidded into the edge of the city centre right as the gong rung, releasing a deep sound that reverberated throughout her entire body.

In the center of the crowd stood all the boys eligible for the picking, in a circle around a pedestal. The pedestal held a large stone known as the Dragons Heart. Every town had one and on Dragon's Picking they would get it out and it would supposedly help tell if anyone would be picked.

The crowd stood still with anticipation, waiting to see what would happen. The stone suddenly started to glow, shining a golden light over the crowd. Everyone in Elvenmire knew what this meant, it meant a dragon was coming to pick a boy from the village. Soon you could notice a small shape, winging its way toward the village on the horizon. As it grew you could tell it was a dragon, but without a rider, meaning this could be the one coming to their village.

It was midday before the dragon got so close as you could actually see its coloring and shape and such. Once it was over the crowd, the dragon tucked itself in and began to descend toward the village, everyone backed up, giving it a wide berth in the center of the group. Everyone except Garret though, he was one of the eligible boys who had been in the very center and was currently unmoving. The dragon is going to choose him Aura realized, he can feel the connection that brought it here.

The dragon swooped low over the crowd once, causing many people to duck, before landing in front of Garret. Tentatively the boy reached out and touched the nose of the yellow dragon. It snorted and pushed its nose deeper into his hand, and then, by if some unspoken signal, Garret began to pet the dragon's long snout.

By now everyone had gotten over their shock, and a man was working his way through the crowd. His name was Inven, Aura knew, and it was his job to instruct the new dragon rider of the village, should they have one.

"That's it boy, gently now, see if he'll give you his name," Inven said, his voice creaky.

"He-he says his name is Ralarth," answered Garret.

"Very good, now come with me, what was your name?"

"Garret, sir."

"Come with me Garret, we'll get you a saddle you like and get you headed to Stone Haven Academy," Inven said, leading him away.

Everyone stood still, unsure what to do, People slowly began to trickle away toward their homes to make lunch, and Garret's parents headed toward Inven's house to join their son. Aura herself began to climb the hill back to her family's farm. Her mom would be making lunch and she would get in serious trouble if she dawdled and did't help. She pushed her way up the hill through the brambles and bushes to the house.

Inside her mother was finishing the stew she had started that morning for lunch and gave Aura some cheese to slice. Aura grudgingly took out a knife and began cutting the cheese. When she finished she brought the slices to her mom, who placed them on already ladled out bowls of stew. Giving the bowls one last critical look her mom picked them up and began placing them on the table. On the table already was some fresh baked bread and butter to go with the stew. As soon as everything was on the table her mom gave a loud whistle and her two little brothers and father came running in. Everyone sat at the table and started their lunch. Usually they all talked while they ate and filled the house with their chatter but today's events had their minds on other things. It had been 35 years since the last dragon rider from Elvenmire was chosen, and some had begun to think they were cursed.

As soon as the meal was finished Aura, her mom, and her sister Myrra who had still been in the town when lunch was prepared picked up the dishes and began to wash them. When all the dishes were washed Aura's mother sat at her spinning wheel and began spinning. Myrra grabbed her cloak and left to go find her friends in the village. Aura herself though went out the back door and started running back toward the forest where she had been before the Dragon's Picking. She had always loved being in the woods, but something stronger was pulling her there today and the closer she got the stronger the pull got. She was at the treeline when the tribal horn calling everyone to the city centre sounded, but she, for once, ignored it, instead choosing to enter the forest. She didn't truly know where she was going but she just followed the pull the invisible thread tugging on her hut. Soon she stood outside what she thought to be a secluded clearing, although she rarely went in. Keeping her hand on her knife in case of danger, Aura cautiously entered the clearing.

In the clearing was an egg, bigger than any she had ever seen. It was covered in rainbow colors and shaking slightly. She, by some instinct, knew it was about to hatch and approached it. A crack began to run down the side, and soon a little claw poked out and began to tear away the shell. Soon the crack in the shell was big enough to see a small reptilian figure inside tearing away at the shell diligently. Suddenly the egg broke away and the little creature fell out. It was a dragon, and the most beautiful Aura had ever seen with pearly scales that shimmered like an opal, covering the dragon in rainbow colors.

The little dragon picked itself up and crawled over to Aura's lap. My dragon, she realized as it curled up, this is my dragon.