Chapter Four #2
“Students, this is Veronica Wren. She is a third-year tamer who has kindly offered to show you around.”
“Hello first years, as you just heard, I am a tamer. I got my badge at the end of second year,” she says, pointing at the stitching on her suit. “Those of you unfamiliar with elions, there are some ground rules we must go over before heading in.”
Her tone is more serious now. “No shouting at any point. Refrain from screaming even if you are terrified. The elions do not take kindly to loud noises and can be easily startled. No running. If an elion sees something running, they will think it is prey, and you are no exception. Elions are slow burners; they take a while to warm to you. Especially newbies, but the bonds forged between elions and Sunkind, when nurtured correctly, are very hard to break. Elions are loyal creatures, and it is not unheard of for one to put its life in danger to protect a tamer. And last but not least, have fun!” She smiles.
“This is your chance to see if you have what it takes to become a tamer.” I gaze at Nala, whose eyes are wide with hope.
“Follow me closely, no running off,” orders Veronica as her boots lead the way into the stable.
I glance around the large room before me.
Wooden panels lace the floor, creaking religiously as the class walks along them.
The stories of the ancient profession of taming cover the walls in Enchantra.
A shimmering gold ink outlines each etch, just like the ones in the first quarter.
Portraits of tamers on the backs of elions in battle line the rest of the walls.
Tamers and elions are normally positioned on the front line.
They fly above the Palidonian army to assess the enemy’s locations.
There isn’t much else in this room other than four crescent-shaped benches split down the middle, planted one in front of the other.
“This is where you will learn the written aspects of taming.”
The class looks around dumbfounded.
“What, you didn’t expect it to be all hands on, did you? How else are you to know the do’s and dont’s of the art,” Veronica says. “If you go through that door on the left, you will find a separate healing quarter solely for the students who get injured whilst taming.”
The class turns in unison, staring at the door beside us. It shows just how dangerous taming must be to have their own healing quarters.
“This way for the real show.” She walks towards the door on the far wall.
This door is larger and a much darker wood.
It has metal slabs lying horizontally across it, making the door more metal than wood.
Bolts line each slab, ensuring they are secured together.
In its middle is a circular metal dial. It looks like the wheel of a ship.
Yep, this door is the only thing keeping us safe from the beasts.
Veronica stands in the middle of the door.
Her muscular frame suddenly does not look so big as the door towers above her.
She places her hand onto the dial as if waiting for something.
After a few seconds, the door clicks and she begins to spin the dial in a clockwise direction.
“The door is Influenced to recognise tamers and will only unlock if you are a tamer or taking the class.”
She pushes at the door that leads to the viewing platform.
I gulp.
Cool shivers work their way down my spine, causing my hair to stand on end.
I hear faint ‘shrieks’ gradually getting louder as the door opens slowly.
A deep rumble floods my eardrums; an unmistakable growl.
I feel sick. Miss Worthington’s words play on repeat in my mind like a bad record: “they can smell fear, refrain from looking at them in the eyes”.
My mouth trembles, and the taste of bile floods up to the back of my throat.
I gulp and push it down. I take a deep breath and hold on to it.
I exhale with purpose as if trying to expel every inch of fear from my body.
Nala’s words fight to the surface of my thoughts: “Just stick with me, you’ll be fine.
” I throw my arm out towards her hand and grab onto it tight.
She chuckles a little and looks at me with reassuring eyes.
“With a grip like that, the elions should be afraid of you.”
I relax a little as a small chuckle escapes my mouth.
The door is open now, and I can see the other side.
I feel as though I am on autopilot, my feet moving forward blindly before my brain can register what is in front of me.
No fear. I remind myself. No fear. Maybe if I say it enough, I will start to believe it.
My arm is still glued to Nala’s like cement, she doesn’t look like she is afraid, which is keeping my heart rate steady, apart from the few droplets of sweat that form on her brow her demeanour is flat, not even a shaky breath vibrates out of her lips.
She is braver than me. I know I am vulnerable, but next to Nala, I feel stronger. I grip her like armour.
We head through the doors and step onto the viewing platform; it has taken us back outside to a balcony that overlooks the elion stables.
I don’t know why they call it stables because this is nothing of the sort.
I gaze over the endless valleys, stilt-like buildings scatter across the land carved out of the ancient oak trees that used to claim this space.
They must be at least fifty feet high. Large, flat wooden platforms sit at the top of each oak stilt, covered with a fresh bed of straw.
Veronica clears her throat and then points to the oak stilts.
“These posts are where the elions sleep. Elions do not like to feel trapped and, in fact, feel safer in the open air. They thrive in cold weather, making the frosty peaks of these valleys the perfect climate for them.”
The cold air nips at my shoulders, taking my breath away for a second.
The altitude is different up here. I can see the breath like hot steam evolving from each of the students’ mouths.
There is no protection up here, just an iron rail that runs from one end to the other.
We all gather in rows, filling up the platform, looking down at the feeding frenzy below.
The elions are all gathered on a large, flat icy peak, only a couple of metres away from us.
I wrap one hand around the cold rail in front of me, the other still clinging to my armour.
My body is pressed firmly against the railing.
I can’t help but think about falling. I push my intrusive thoughts to the back of my mind and watch as the elions get ready to hunt, kill and slaughter their prey.
I can see a few tamers in the distance below, standing next to a large iron cage.
Inside the cage are gazelles, goats, sheep, and deer.
Confined in a small space, the fifty or so animals seem clueless that they are being led to their demise, each one of them cramming to the front of the cage, itching to be released.
The tamers pull open the cage door, and like dominoes, the animals fall out one by one, each with a spring in their step and filled with promise at their taste of short-lived freedom.
This is cruel to watch. The elions trill with excitement at the four-course meal paraded in front of them.
I stare as one swoops down from its post and grips onto the small frame of the gazelle; the sharp talons rip its flesh like butter.
I listen as the sound of snapping bones tortures my eardrums. We are all stunned into silence.
The Elion tightens its grip and carries its carcass to its perch to devour it further.
“The students in the taming class also tend to the animals as well as the elions,” Veronica teaches.
“Those of you who think it’s cruel may not have what it takes to become a tamer.
The Sun Gods gifted us these majestic beasts, and we do whatever it takes to keep them alive and well.
In order for an elion to trust you, it must know you are capable of tending to its every need.
This is how the bonds are forged. In return, it will protect you and let you ride it. ”
The class still fixates on the killing spree down below.
“Do any of you know how tamers and elions communicate?” she asks, looking around at us all.
“All elions can communicate using a series of clicking and humming sounds. The array of clicks depend on which region the elions are found in. Just like how North Palidonian’s and South Palidonian’s have slightly different accents,” Nala states.
“We Sunkinds, over the centuries, have mastered the ancient communication of the beasts and translated it in the scribes.”
“Correct. We do, in fact, teach the language here, but an elion will have to have complete trust in you in order to respond. If you practice enough and pay attention in lessons, you will be able to communicate freely with one by the end of your time here at Sun Sovereign.”
“How long does it take to ride them?” a deeper voice asks.
I turn to face the voice, and it is Charlie. He seems nice. Nala and I were seated near him at first meals. He is rather handsome and definitely Nala’s type. She watches him, admiring his features. Looks like he is an aspiring tamer, too. He looks back at her and her cheeks redden.
“As long as it takes. We have had students come in and not bond at all. Others can form a relationship within the first few months,” Veronica responds, smiling back at him.
“Are they going to ride them today?” another student asks, clutching his hat in his hands so the wind doesn’t blow it away.