Chapter Sixteen #2
I look back at him, puzzled. I can’t believe that really worked. I look over at Nala who is smiling widely at me. I didn’t even notice when everyone around me stopped the exercise.
“Must’ve been some feeling,” Mr Knight grins and nudges my arm before heading back to the front of the room.
“You don’t know the half of it,” I whisper to myself as I take my seat next to Nala.
“Asha, your masking is incredible.” She looks at me in disbelief.
“Mr Knight used an airhorn as his last fear technique. It shook the whole class and startled us all. You were the only one who didn’t move.
You kept your focus the whole time… You were amazing.
” That can’t be right. An airhorn? I didn’t hear an airhorn?
“Mr Knight is just a really good teacher,” I reply, still shocked at this information.
“Yes, he really is,” she says emphatically, and focuses her attention back on Mr Knight, who is, in fact, carrying a red airhorn.
We stand in silence, listening to Mr Knight. We are about to meet the elions.
“You all now have the ability to Mask, some better than others.”
He looks over at me and then carries on his speech to the rest of the class. “When you are in the taming enclosure, please do your best at using this ability. Faro and Kadaer are out with their riders, but Harlo, Kareem, Nakka, Daksal, Ridette, Pytha and Craize are present for you all to meet.”
He pauses. “They will not be sociable on the first meet; they may be curious and come to get a closer look. If anyone is unsure of their masking abilities, feel free to wait in the written room. Everyone else… follow me.”
He leads the way to the big double doors and places his hand on the locking mechanism.
I hear the click, and the wheel begins to turn.
He Influences the door to move and beckons us all through the doors.
My heart starts beating a little louder.
What if the Elion didn’t know my mum and was just checking me out before it slaughters me?
Nala looks over at me and takes my hand before giving it another squeeze.
“Craize is the leader of the pack, so please, everyone, be wary of him.”
He lines himself on the edge of the viewing platform and glances at the valleys before him. He points out Craize in the distance, whose head is turned towards us all.
“Right, no time like the present.”
He stands on the long metal bannister that wraps around the viewing platform and places his fingers between his lips.
He blows, and a loud whistle is heard. The class watches in awe as he calls out to his beast. A moment passes, and nothing.
The class look around at each other. Maybe it didn’t work.
I look up at Mr Knight, who is in no way complacent and stands proud on the beam.
A small smile spreads across his face, and I look into the valley to follow his eyeline.
A fluorescent speck is seen in the distance.
It is enlarging as it moves closer to us.
I can just about make it out now. An Elion. Wow!
It heard Mr Knights call from hundreds of metres away.
It is flying towards us, its white fur glowing under the sun’s rays.
Mr Knight lunges off the bannister, and the whole class gasps.
I run to the edge of the bannister. This man is crazy.
The Elion dives down, and I watch as the magnificent beast catches Mr Knight.
He sits on its back, holding on to its white locks.
He clicks an instruction, and the Elion rises to become level with the class whilst Mr Knight sits very comfy on its back.
“Everyone, this is Nakka. Our bond is extremely strong. I would trust her with my life.”
He strokes her head, his hand getting lost in her thick white coat, and she purrs back at him, her eyes partially shut as she relaxes into his touch.
“Right, everyone, meet me down in the valleys and you can meet the rest of the pack.”
He clicks to Nakka, and she proceeds to glide down to the heart of the valley and lands. Mr Knight gets off and beckons the class over by waving his hand. Nala beams at me and runs towards the stairs that lead down to the valley. Mr Knight definitely has a far more efficient way of travelling.
The stairs are steep and unevenly spaced in a spiral design.
Each step is floating and bounces slightly with every step I take.
There is a rope that winds itself around the spiralled stairs for students to hold on to.
This is also floating, and makes my stomach knot a little.
I reach the mossy ground and speed up a little to be closer to Nala.
She is talking to Charlie at the front of the group.
I look around and can’t see any elions apart from Nakka with Mr Knight.
Somehow, this frightens me more because I know they are around here somewhere.
The group gains on Mr Knight, who is sitting on the ground, resting his head up against Nakka’s back as she lounges on the grassy floor.
He makes her look adorable; for a moment, I forget she could kill me with one swipe.
She yawns, and a small roar escapes her mouth before she closes her jaw and lounges again.
Those teeth remind me that she is more of a weapon than a pet.
“Class, gather round.” Mr Knight ushers the class around him and encourages us all to take a seat. The grass tickles my ankles as I sit down, running my fingers through its blades.
“This is probably the closest all of you have been to an Elion. The rules still stand: no sudden movements or loud noises. Although she may look docile, I have seen her rip students apart in the past.”
The class tenses at this but quickly remembers to mask.
“Nakka and I have been bonded for seventeen years.” He pets her back and looks around at the class again. “Anyone have any questions?” he asks, and Nala’s hand shoots up.
“How long did it take you to bond, sir?” Nala’s voice echoes slightly around the valleys.
“Great question, Nala. It took me six months for Nakka to even acknowledge me. Faro, on the other hand, started warming up to me within the first month. It just depends on the elion and the tamer.”
“How long until you were able to ride her?” Charlie asks from beside me.
“Around two months after the bond was formed. I thought I was getting nowhere with her until one day she started clicking at me to get on her back.”
I look around at the class, they are all nodding at Mr Knight, some ‘umms’ and ‘ahhs’ escaping their mouths.
“You will learn this. Don’t give up; the elions will bond when it is right for them.”
“How many elions do you have a bond with, sir?” a small, tanned boy from the back of the group questions.
“I have bonds with all the elions here at Sun Sovereign apart from Craize. He is the hardest to gain trust from because he is the leader and they don’t bond easily; they have a pack to protect.”
Mr Knight stands up and Nakka nuzzles her head into his hands.
“I know some of you met Craize the other day. He is the biggest and definitely the most ferocious.” Nala gives me a look. Craize is the one who almost had us for supper.
“Right, questions over. Now it’s time for the initiation. Everyone, activate your masking… It’s time to meet the others.”
Mr Knight beckons us to our feet and gives us a moment to sort out our masks.
I think of Ryder and feel the world disintegrate around me.
If the Sun people knew he was my anchor, they would for sure banish me.
I open my eyes and become one with my surroundings, shifting my weight to my feet to ground myself.
I’ve heard about initiations before; they can go very wrong if not done properly.
Mr Knight turns to look at Nakka and gives her a few clicking instructions.
She launches into the air and shrieks into the distance.
The wind picks up around us. I hear the shriek echoing around the valley.
This is it. I look over at Nala, who is bravely standing her ground.
Nakka lands back down by Mr Knight and stands behind him.
“Rules of the initiation… Space yourselves out. Try not to move and keep your mask up.”
The sound of wings pummelling the air gets louder. “The elions need to acclimatise to your presence. They might give you a sniff to check you out, or they may keep their distance. Each one is very different, as you will see.”
Nakka and Mr Knight click’ and ‘hmmm’ a few times to each other before Nakka bows slightly.
Mr Knight grabs a tuft of her white fur and hoists himself up onto her broad shoulders.
“Nakka and I will keep watch over you. Remember to keep your Masks up.” His voice gets quieter as Nakka flies towards the sky.
I look up and watch as she circles us so effortlessly; she barely has to flap her wings to gain power.
The rest of the class joins me in adoration. Nakka is really incredible.
The earth shakes around me, and I find myself reaching out for something to hold on to.
I steady myself and watch as each elion lands with a thump, causing the ground to quake.
The sun is behind them, casting an eerie shadow over us all.
Their sheer size is making me anxious, but if Ryder is the dam in my mind that will stop the fear gushing out, I need to think about him.
His lips come to my mind first and my body starts to tingle.
I focus on that feeling and sink into it.
I let out an exhale as I watch the last of the pack land.
Nakka must be the smallest of the pack because some are twice her size.
I mentally size up each of these beasts, which makes me gulp.
I feel vulnerable as their shadows tower over me.
I can spot Craize— the biggest and fiercest. I didn’t notice when he was staring me down last time that the tip of one of his ears is sliced off and he has a scar that runs down the left side of his cheek.
He hangs back, and the rest of the pack investigates us.