Burning Promise I a fourth wing ff

Across the Parapet

We have to split up to take our bags to our rooms but agree to meet up when we're called to the courtyard. I walk up the stairs noting that there are no rails. If someone really wanted to, they could push another off. What an easy way to kill each other off. It's almost as if they want us to die, I remark annoyedly. After walking up not one but three sets of railingless stairs I finally get to my floor. I make my way to my door and open it, walking into a small room with two beds and a desk for each person.I don't see another cadet yet but there's still about an hours worth of people left out there. I throw my rucksack onto the floor beside my bed choosing the one closest to the window. I start taking deep breaths to calm myself but I break down crying.Sobs echo through the empty room as I let it all out. I almost died today,all that training and I almost died, almost left my dad all on his own. I take a few ragged breaths as I hear other candidates walking down the hall. Standing up I wipe the tears from my eyes looking at myself in the mirror across the room and see the girl from five years ago stare back at me.The stupid helpless fifteen year old me. Even after all the strength I've built I still feel helpless and I hate it.

I walk down the steps focusing on centring myself, no one, no dragon likes the weak. I step out into the courtyard and look for Ridoc. I walk around for a bit before seeing his back. Smiling, I decide to sneak up on him. Filtering through the crowd and grab him from the back. He turns in surprise and backhands my face with the back of his palm. Probably assuming I'm someone trying to kill him.

"Holy shit Saeri I'm so sorry" he says between laughs, although somehow still sounding concerned at the same time.

"It's fine, should have remembered its cadet on cadet homicide in here" I say, holding the left side of my face laughing at my own stupidity. Ridoc begins to say something but before I can hear what he says a loud voice bellows through the courtyard.

"As the codex says,now you begin the true crucible!" shouts the man from the dais. A general or professor I'm assuming.

"You will be tested by your superiors, hunted by your peers, and guided by your instincts. If you survive threshing, and if you are chosen, you will be riders. Then we'll see how many of you make it to graduation."

So very motivating I think sharing a look with Ridoc who I'm assuming feels the same way.

"Your instructors will teach you!" he says motioning to the professors standing on the side.

"It's up to you how well you learn" he adds eyeing us."Discipline falls to your units, and your wingleader has the last word.if I have to get involved..." he says, a sinister grin flashes across his face "you don't want me involved."

So everyone just wants to kill everyone. Great. I knew it was bad but to this length?

"With that said, I'll leave you to your wingleaders. My best advice? Don't die," he says, finishing his speech and walking off with the commanders, and professors leaving only the wingleaders on stage.

A brown haired woman takes to centre stage. "I'm Nyra, the senior wingleader of the quadrant and the head of the first wing. Section leaders and squad leaders, take your positions now." People begin moving and pushing through the crowds until fifty people stand in formation out front. Four wings,twelve sections, thirty-six squads.

"Cadets, When your name is called, take up formation behind your squad leader,"Nyra instructs.The squad leaders begin to call out cadets to join them.

"Hopefully we'll be in the same squad"Ridoc whispers.

"Same,at least I'll have a person who I know won't try and kill me. Hopefully," I smile at him.

The asshole from the parapet ends up in the flame section of the first wing. Please gods place me anywhere but there.

"Sariah Eiran flame section fourth wing" someone shouts. I look to Ridoc before going to take my place. A few more names are called out before I hear Ridoc's. Luckily we end up in the same squad. We share a smile as he takes the spot beside me. Just as we think everything is all organized someone gets moved to our squad.

"Violet Sorrengail and Rhiannon Matthias to the second squad, flame section," Sorrengail? As in General Sorrengail? She has another kid?

The wingleaders finally turn to face us. "You're all cadets now." he says, his voice carrying across the courtyard. "Take a look at your squad. These are the only people guaranteed by the codex to not kill you. But just because they can't end your life doesn't mean others won't.You want a dragon?Earn one." We cheer,glad to have survived our first challenge.

"And I bet you feel pretty badass right ,now don't you, first-years?" cheers roar up around us once again. "You think you're untouchable! You're on the way to becoming the elite! The few! The chosen!" I squint my eyes, I don't particularly like this guys speech. I begin to hear the sound of wings beating against the cheering.

"Oh gods, they're beautiful" I hear a girl beside me say. Looking up I see multiple giant dragons preparing to land. They really are beautiful. Suddenly the fire in my chest reignites after the parapet. I'm excited again. As they land a huge gust of wind whooshes up almost toppling over all of the new cadets. Their scales move as they take steps, their tails swaying, heads up proud daring anyone who challenges them.

The moment is interrupted by multiple cadets screaming. Which in my opinion is completely fair , they are as terrifying as beautiful. I scan the dragons being careful not to make eye contact with them, I wouldn't want to burn to death, that would be lame.

A cadet from another wing bolts out of formation screaming, making a run for the stone gate behind us. Everyone turns to look at the running cadet. My heart drops into my stomach, I know what's coming and it won't be pretty. A red dragon standing on the left opens its enormous jaws and fire flows out along its tongue then erupts forward. The heat from the flames warms my whole body threatening to melt the clothes I'm wearing to my skin.

We look back to see what was the cadet, now a pile of ash replacing him and the smell of sulphur stinging at my nose. I hear two more cadets scream and make a run for it. The same heat rushes past me twice, the same fate taking these two cadets as the first.

"You'd think they'd stay put after the first one" Ridoc says with the same horrified look on his face as mine.I can only nod as an answer. Dragons hate the weak they weed them out so that no dragon has to suffer the shame of having a weak rider, no dragon would be willing to pair with a failure. I need to get stronger is the only thought running through my head,I 'm not ending up like that.

"Anyone else feel like changing their mind?" the wingleader shouts, scanning the remaining cadets, many looking down as his eyes pass "no? Excellent. Roughly half of you will be dead by this time next summer" there's no more cheering from the cadets,only suffocating silence.

"A third of you again the year after that, and the same your last year. No one cares who your mommy or daddy is here. Even king Tauri's second son died during his Threshing. So tell me again: do you feel invincible now that you've made it into the riders Quadrant? Untouchable? Elite?" The deafening silence remains as no one dares to say anything,no one dares to move.A heat rushes at us but no flames burn us, no smell of sulphur reaches me. Only steam.They want us afraid,they want to weed out the unworthy as soon as possible.

"Because you're not untouchable or special to them." our wingleader says motioning to his blue dragon. "To them, you're just the prey."