18. CHAPTER 18 #3
“Let’s shift the focus to the Drusearons.
I have a particular interest in and knowledge of their clans, since my husband is Drusearon.
As I mentioned earlier, you can’t be part of that branch unless you have wings, for obvious reasons.
We had four wonderful children, and three of them were born with wings, while our youngest was not.
She is as special as the others. She chose to follow my footsteps and joined the Sorcerer branch, which we expected.
What I didn’t anticipate was that our second son, who has the largest set of wings among them, would choose the Healer branch.
He’s considered a mender because his abilities are stronger than a typical Healer, but he isn’t quite a full mender.
The point is that Drusearons aren’t required to join their own branch.
The only one they can’t join, of course, is the Shapeshifters.
Historically, no winged Drusearons have joined as Riders either. ”
“Wouldn’t that be a sight—a winged Fae and a flier—falling off would be much easier,” a Rider said behind me.
“Yes, that would be quite something. And you might actually see it.
Sometimes, when we're in a battle, a Drusearon will ride a flier with its Rider and dive off for an unexpected attack. However, this depends heavily on the flier, its temperament, and how the Rider feels. Drusearons can have a wide range of abilities, from only performing simple magic to being very powerful. Similar to their abilities, their wingspans also vary in size. Speaking of their wings, when one can wield magic, some of them choose to keep their wings hidden. There are various reasons for this. It could be because, in their clan, it makes them a target for non-winged Fae. Wings can also be seen or felt as a vulnerability, so they only display them around people they trust. The most important thing is never to touch their wings without their permission.”
She looked around and moved toward the Healers.
“Healers are unique because most of you don’t have magical abilities, and without a rune, you won’t.
However, you are one of the most essential branches we have.
Most of us couldn’t live without you. If you are truly High Fae and join the Healers, you will be able to use magic along with healing.
Rarely do we see a high-level mender come from the Healer’s branch.
Generally, menders come from Riders or Sorcerers.
Like my son, he is considered a mender. However, he is a medium level.
That means he can mend flesh wounds, small fractures, and some poisons.
High-level menders can heal larger wounds and broken bones. "
“And let me guess, what about the nerds?” the cocky Shapeshifter said, looking at the Historian cadets.
“Watch your tongue before you find yourself out of my classroom. Historians are what keep the college running. They help professors and cadets with textbooks and document events that are happening so we can have an accurate record in the future. They may not be able to fight you hand-to-hand, but they can beat you in any kind of quiz.” She turned to him.
“And before you get any ideas, Historians typically don’t spar, and killing one without reasonable cause will definitely land you in more trouble than you think. ”
“For any High Fae who joins as a Historian, they have the option to add wielding and sparring to their course load. Most only choose wielding. Oftentimes, if you are a High Fae Historian, you are assigned to battlefields to document the events that occur because they can protect themselves better. Does anyone know the duration of a military term?” She looked around.
“Regardless of whether they are conscripted or not, once you have entered, you are required to complete four years of college and two years of service, unless you’re a Rider,” I said.
“And what about Riders?” she probed.
“They are a lifetime service,” I replied.
“Yes, but there are exceptions. All branches, except the Riders, can re-enlist and stay for various terms. However, if someone chooses to be a Rider, they will be committed for years to come. Fliers are dedicated to protecting their young and our continent, and when they take on a bonded Rider, it means they are fighting for the long term. A Rider can leave if the bond with their flier is severed. Doing so would take all the channeled magic with them, and often Riders can’t bear losing their fliers, sometimes dying of a broken heart.
Fliers often outlive their Riders, and some have had multiple Riders.
They do feel the pain of losing a Rider, and it’s common for them not to bond again for many years.
There are cases where dragons bond so deeply with a Rider that they also die of heartbreak if their Rider passes away.
A unique aspect of fliers is that they can form a bond with a second person, who is not a Rider.
” She looked at me and smiled. Did she know that Kim and I had something special? Was there a bond?
She continued, “It doesn’t happen very often, and the bond isn’t the same, meaning they don’t channel power.
We often think of it similarly to imprinting that can happen with wolves.
In the handful of cases where it does happen, it is usually a mate or a child of the Rider.
They sense each other and have a connection that fliers don’t normally get with another Fae.
Now that you’ve heard all of that, why do you think children of Riders choose not to become Riders? ”
“That’s easy. They don’t want the potential lifelong commitment to the military, especially the daughters who may want a family,” Thora, who sat at the end of my row, stated.
I never saw it that way. I knew I wanted a family, but I also watched my dad navigate it with me in tow, even after my mom died.
He had a lot of friends, mostly dragon Riders, who also helped take care of me.
“All students have their first hour here. Tomorrow, you will meet my co-professors. That’s enough for today.
Class is dismissed. You will go to your second class of the day.
And remember, make good choices—a bad choice can leave you with more enemies than you're prepared for.” She shot a look at the cocky Shapeshifter.
We all stood up and made our way out the exit.
“Why did she look at you when she mentioned a second bond?” Sadie asked me quietly.
“I'm not sure. My dad’s dragon and I did have some kind of connection, but I wouldn’t call it a bond.”
We kept walking, and our second class was with Professor Vindex, who taught magic.
First Squad stayed together for all lectures, while our platoon’s second squad had many courses that overlapped with ours.
My mind raced with everything I learned from Professor Melamora, or rather, all the things she was trying to tell me.
I felt a strong connection with Zane. I spent yesterday reflecting on everything .
“Do you think my dad dosed me to keep my powers diminished?” I asked Zane.
“I think it is very possible if you haven’t been exhibiting magic and you’re already twenty,” his voice sounded strained.
“But why? Are you okay? You sound—”
“I am not sure, love. I will come back to this in a bit, getting my ass handed to me on the mat, and you are the distraction they needed…” He told me, and then I felt a wall. It was weird and strange. It was like the connection went from stadium lights to a candle barely holding on.