Chapter 23 Alar
ALAR
"A commander's strength is his troop's shield, his composure their courage."
—Commander Brusdick Gorlin, Elite Forces' Vedona Academy
Ahand shook my shoulder, dragging me from uneasy dreams filled with the smells of funeral pyres and echoes of heart-wrenching sobbing.
"Rise and shine, cousin." Codric's voice was unnaturally cheerful against the backdrop of my dreams and the pounding headache from lack of sleep. "I got you tea and a sandwich."
Did the guy ever think about anything other than food and women?
"Come on, Alar. Up you go." He set a steaming cup on the chipped chest of drawers wedged between our narrow beds.
"I have a headache." I turned on my side, facing the wall and hoping for a few more moments of shuteye.
"That's what the tea is for. I brewed it from the sachets Kailin's gran gave us. It's supposed to be a cure-all."
That got my attention, and as I sat up, I got a good look at my cousin, who didn't look as chirpy as he sounded. His usual easy smile didn't reach his eyes, and there were dark circles under them.
"Did you sleep at all?" I asked as I reached for the tea.
"My stomach was giving me trouble." He patted his midsection. "I spent what was left of the night on the toilet."
His stomach should have been fine after all the healing tea Kailin's grandma had made him drink. Besides, if he were still suffering, he wouldn't be thinking of food first thing in the morning.
I took a sip of the tea, letting its warmth spread through me. "Was it your stomach or the funeral pyres that didn't sit well with you?"
He scoffed at me. "Don't be dramatic, Alar. I've seen death before."
We both had, but this was different. This had been premeditated murder on a grand scale. The plan had been to kill as many Elucians as possible—pilgrims, their families, and most importantly, the shaman.
"Not like this." I set the cup down. "Not a hate crime perpetrated for no other reason than a twisted religion seeking to annihilate all who don't follow its vile death-god."
His shoulders tensed. "What difference does it make? Dead is dead. People die all the time." He forced a smile. "That's why we want to become dragon riders, right? To become immortal."
I snorted. "They should change the definition to not aging and not prone to disease. Immortal is misleading." I swung my legs over the side of the bed. "Dragon riders rarely get to enjoy their so-called immortality."
Codric nodded sagely. "If we get in, we will find a solution for that. Better armor, better harnesses, and whatever else that can help preserve the lives of the riders."
"We can do that even if we don't get in." I finished the last of my tea. "In fact, I should have thought of that sooner. If we come up with something like that, it could be a great way to foster more cooperation between the Elucian and Elurian forces."
Codric shook his head. "I don't know how you do it."
"Do what?" I stood up.
"Stay so unaffected even in the face of catastrophe. I mean, it's good because you don't lose your head and you do what needs to be done, but I wish I could be as cold."
I frowned at him. "I might not wear my emotions on my sleeve, but I'm affected."
He turned to face me. "I watched you last night, holding Kailin's hand while regarding the flames with that same calculating expression you wear when analyzing reports."
I thought he knew me better. Codric and I had grown up together, and he'd seen me at my best and my worst. I couldn't believe he thought that I was cold.
"I was raised to maintain composure in public. You know that. But don't mistake stoicism for lack of feeling."
Something in my voice must have gotten through to him because his defensive posture softened.
"I keep seeing their faces, Alar. Not the dead, but their families.
The way they looked when the flames went up.
.." He shook his head. "How do the Elucians endure it?
Living with constant attacks, never knowing when or where the Shedun will strike next, and if their loved ones or they will be next? "
"They don't have a choice.” I put down what was left of the sandwich he'd brought for me. “They endure because they must. And hopefully, we'll soon be part of their defenses."
That seemed to be the change in thought pattern Codric needed, and when he smiled, it was genuine this time. "We will." He put a hand over his chest. "I feel the gift thrumming right here. We will be riders, Alar. Mark my words."
I stifled the urge to roll my eyes.
It was so much like Codric to change moods on a dime. From the pit of despair a moment ago, he was now soaring on the wings of fancy, or rather those of a dragon.
I glanced out the window, but with the constant aurora lights, it was hard to estimate the time. "We should head out soon."
"I'm ready." He waved a hand over his fatigues. "I'm just waiting for you."
After stepping out of the lodge, we joined a stream of pilgrims making their way through the predawn streets. The air was crisp, and the auroras seemed muted, as if in respect for the night's ceremonies.
I kept scanning the crowd for a glimpse of golden hair, but Kailin and Shovia were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they were already ahead of us or maybe still at home preparing.
"Do you think the shaman will show up?" Codric asked as we followed the crowd. "After yesterday's attack, I wouldn't be surprised if he chooses to skip this one. If I were in charge of his security, I would advise that he skip it."
"He has to show up." I adjusted my pack. "If he doesn't, the Shedun win. They'll have succeeded in disrupting one of Elucia's most sacred traditions."
"Still, this once—" Codric's words cut off abruptly as we rounded a bend in the path and got our first clear view of the gathering place at the foot of Mount Hope.
Dragons.
My heart stuttered.
They perched on the lower slopes of the mountain, their massive forms silhouetted against the sky.
Even in the dim light, I could make out different colors: obsidian black, deep copper, and burnished bronze.
Their scales caught the shifting lights above and reflected them back, creating a mesmerizing display.
I'd seen pictures of dragons, of course.
Illustrations mostly, because photographs and videos were rare, but nothing could have prepared me for the reality of their presence.
They were enormous, magnificent, terrifying—every description I'd ever read seemed simultaneously true and woefully inadequate.
The riders sat astride their mounts with casual confidence that bordered on arrogance, which wasn't surprising, given how revered they were throughout Aurorys.
Well, except by the Sitorians, of course.
To them, dragons were the big demons, and their riders were the small demons, and both had to be wiped out of existence.
It boggled the mind how brainwashed and ignorant people could be and how easily manipulated and controlled by their leaders.
Genetically, there wasn't much difference between the three ethnicities, so unless rumors about the Sitorians' inbreeding practices were true, their twisted culture was solely responsible for their barbarism and lack of progress.
How could anyone look upon these magnificent creatures and not be awed?
I wondered if they were present for security or ceremonial reasons. Still, given that even some of the Elucians had stopped in their tracks, seeming overwhelmed by the sight, I had to assume that dragons weren't a usual part of the ceremony and were here to safeguard the shaman.
Codric stood frozen beside me, his mouth hanging open, and he didn't respond even when I tugged on his sleeve. "Come on. Let's find the girls."
He still didn't move. "Did you ever imagine..." He swallowed. "I mean, I knew they were big, but..."
"I know." I tugged harder. "But we can't stand here gaping like fools. The ceremony will start soon."
That finally got him moving, though his eyes kept straying back to the dragons.
I couldn't blame him. My gaze was drawn upward again and again, drinking in details I'd only read about before.
The way their wings folded against their sides, the subtle movements of their heads as they tracked the activity below, and the occasional puff of smoke that escaped their massive jaws.
These creatures were intelligent beings who had chosen to ally themselves with the Elucians. What would it be like to form such a bond? To share thoughts and feelings with a creature so alien and powerful?
For the first time since hatching this crazy scheme, I fully internalized the magnitude of what Codric and I were trying to achieve.
"There!" Codric pointed toward a group of pilgrims gathering near the base of the slope. "I think that's Shovia."
I squinted in that direction, looking for a glimpse of golden hair, but there were too many people clustered in that area, and I sincerely doubted that Codric had seen Shovia. The crowd was growing quickly as more pilgrims arrived, all of us drawn like moths to the flame of dragfire and destiny.
Above us, one of the dragons shifted position, its wings spreading briefly before settling again. The display sent several nearby pilgrims scrambling backward, but I found myself leaning forward, drawn by an inexplicable pull that seemed to resonate in my very bones.
"Alar?" Codric's voice seemed to come from far away. "Are you alright?"
I shook my head to clear it. "Fine." I gestured upward. "Did you see that?"
"I did." He surprised me with a knowing smile. "And here I thought nothing could affect the unflappable Alar."
"You are so full of it." I started walking toward where Codric said he'd spotted Shovia.
The dragons watched the pilgrims below with cunning eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of the ages in their depths. I tried not to feel like I was being evaluated and judged, but their presence pressed against my consciousness like a physical weight.
What would it be like to actually communicate with one? To form a bond that would allow a constant foreign presence in my mind?
How did the riders retain their sanity?
I pushed the thoughts aside. First, we had to get through the trek, then the testing at the summit, and if we made it that far, we hoped that we didn't get kicked out for failing during the training.
Only the best of the best got to be riders.
Those who didn't make it were assigned to auxiliary positions in the Citadel.
If faced with such an offer, I was not sure whether I would accept it or go back home.
Any position in the Dragon Force would give me access to information I wouldn't get any other way, but without immortality, the time horizon to achieve my objectives would be too limited.