DragonBound (Complete First Draft)

Chapter 12

Occasionally, Rioan would find himself watching the dragon riders venture through the skies. Amongst the riders were his peers, including Kajil who had dragons large enough to carry themselves to higher skies. Even the hatchlings he had seen of other first years were quick in their growth. On the other hand, Yueraza had seemingly no change in her body. She was becoming more of a midget compared to the others of her generation. Though, due to her comfortable size, she was so far the only dragon that was allowed attend lessons taught by the professors. As it was, the other hatchlings were quite simply too hyper to remain inactive during hours of theory. Though, most practicals had the inclusion of all dragons within the training grounds.

And after a few more meetings with Rastella in the library's balcony, Rioan finally got a calling from the professor Dendreia, telling him to meet her during the afternoon.

He rapped his knuckles against the door, before entering to find Dendreia's desk littered with notes and on top of those papers the crystal ball sitting there, menacingly.

"Bit rude of you to come unannounced," she grumbled.

"I knocked."

"Not important if you didn't wait to hear my opinion on that. Give me a second."

She busied herself with organising the paper. A second passed.

Need me to burn anything?

"Yes please," Dendreia placed a stack of notes on the floor, away from all other forms of documentation littered around the room and then busied herself tidying up.

Raza snorted, and set alight the pile of paper.

Finally the Professor finished.

"I believe it has been more than a second."

Yes. In fact I believe it has been several minutes.

"Very funny."

She then proceeded to place the orb in Rioan's hands. Again, a tiny black flicker sparkled in the centre of the orb, the tiny abyss holding a flux in its form.

"Pull up your sleeves."

Rioan, rolled up his sleeves while holding the orb. The professor examined his forearms.

"As, I thought. I might be the greatest researcher of all. You're to come back here everyday. I figured out how Void magic works. Though, to clip the dragon's tail, void magic does not exist externally from the body and as such cannot be procured in such a way. Instead it should be birthed inside the body and pushed out. You can praise me now."

Rioan remained silent.

"Not even you Dragon Princess?"

Yueraza remained silent."

"In anycase, experimentation happens now."

She ushered him to a seat and flung the crystal ball away, it landing with a crash but not a scratch.

"Open your palm."

He did so.

"As I'm sure you're aware, magic is the ability to manipulate the alternate of energy, mana. But seeing as you can't feel energy, mana should not be able to felt."

She lightly traced her fingers in circles on his palm.

"-But, sensation can be felt. That in its own right is a form of energy. I know you've had periods of hyper activity. Try to recall what that's like."

"What do you mean?"

Like when we ate mother.

Rioan then recalled it, the branding he received on his soul. The burn that had rendered him insane and feral.