Freyr

CHAPTER 2: The Edge of Destiny

"OMG, we're here!" Isobel screamed in my ear. Her excitement cut through the roar of the crowd around us—hundreds of students packed into the academy's oval, buzzing with anticipation.

"In less than fifteen minutes, we're finally going to see the Five!" she gushed, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"That's if they're even real."

"Oh, shush, Amory. They are real! They're going to save everyone!"

"Yeah, whatever." I rolled my eyes, trying to sound casual. But I couldn't stop the strange flutter of excitement creeping into my chest.

Fifteen minutes passed.

Then thirty.

Then a full hour.

Nothing.

The crowd began to stir with restlessness, whispers rippling like wind through dry grass. The headmaster slowly rose from his seat and approached the microphone, a shadow of regret in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, everyone... but it appears the Five are not coming."

A heavy silence blanketed the oval.

I turned to Isobel.

The look on her face—pure heartbreak—hit me harder than I expected. A sharp jab of guilt twisted in my gut, though I had no reason to feel it.

Still, it didn't go away.

Chairs scraped. People stood. A tidal wave of disappointment surged through the crowd as they shoved toward the exits.

We'd just stepped out into the open when it happened.

A blinding flash of light.

A thunderous roar that cracked the sky in half.

The sound shook the earth beneath our feet and sent the crowd into chaos—screaming, stumbling, dropping to the ground in fear. I shielded my eyes just in time. Isobel froze beside me, her hands clamped over her ears, eyes squeezed shut.

But me?

I felt calm.

The roar wasn't terrifying—it was right. Familiar in a way I couldn't explain. Like the world had been holding its breath and finally exhaled.

And then came the wingbeats.

Not one. Not two.

Five.

Five distinct sets of wings slicing through the sky above.

The Five. They were real.

"I knew it," Isobel whispered, barely audible over the rising voices of the crowd behind us.

People began filtering back into the oval, wide-eyed and trembling. All heads turned upward as five dark shapes broke through the clouds—growing larger, clearer, more magnificent with each second.

A moment later, they descended from the heavens.

First came the dragons' colors—each one more breathtaking than the last.

A deep crimson dragon whose scales shimmered like living fire.
A pale blue dragon that sparkled like sunlight dancing on ice.
A flash of electric blue, streaking like lightning across the sky.
A grounded, earthen brown giant whose body moved with weight and power.
And finally—the last to appear—was a dragon unlike the rest.

She was white... but not truly. Her scales shimmered with a swirl of iridescent hues, like stars trapped under her skin. The colors shifted and flowed with every movement, yet she felt steady. Right. As if she'd always been meant to exist this way.

I couldn't look away.

She was impossibly beautiful. Ethereal. Ancient. And something deep inside me stirred when I saw her, something I couldn't quite name.

When I finally tore my eyes away, the crowd had fallen into stunned silence. Everyone stood frozen, mouths agape.

"Which one's which?" I asked Isobel, voice low.

She blinked, then pointed.

"The brown one—that's Panjaka. It means born of earth. He's male.
The red one is Titus—to burn. Also male.
The electric blue one is Zephyr. Wind. She's female.
The pale blue one is Delta—sea, river. Another female.
And the last one..." she paused, eyes wide as she stared at the white dragon.

"She's female too."

"Freyr," I whispered.

She snapped her head toward me. "What?! How do you know that? You never remember anything I say—so why this?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just... remembered."

Isobel stared at me, eyes narrowed, like she was trying to solve a puzzle I didn't understand. Then she looked away, back at the dragons.
They were colossal. Each stood at least ten times my height—but Freyr towered even above them, a full five meters taller. Her presence was overwhelming.

And yet... not frightening.

Suddenly, a loud screech pierced the air. The crowd flinched.

"Was that the Dark Lord?" Isobel whispered.

"He wouldn't dare show up now," I said, heart pounding. "Not in front of the Five. And... I'm pretty sure it was just the microphone."

She gave me a half-hearted glare.

The headmaster stepped forward, visibly shaken, casting nervous glances toward the dragons as he adjusted the mic.

"Ladies and gentlemen... I'd like to thank you all for being here on this historic day." He paused again, swallowing hard. "The Five have returned. And now... they must choose. Good luck to you all."

He stepped back, bowed awkwardly, and quickly moved aside.

Then, silence.

Until Panjaka, the earth dragon, stepped forward.

His eyes scanned the crowd, slow and deliberate. There was wisdom in them—an ancient kindness that softened his heavy form.

And then, he stopped. His gaze locked on a boy standing a few rows behind me.

Zyg.

Thin. Quiet. Largely unnoticed. He lived in the room next to mine and Isobel's.

But the dragon saw something in him the rest of us hadn't.

The crowd parted as Zyg stepped forward, trembling slightly. Panjaka lowered his massive head. Their foreheads touched, and a soft, golden light flared between them—visible only for a moment.

Then Panjaka dipped low, allowing Zyg to climb onto his back.

One by one, the others stepped forward, choosing their riders—strangers I didn't recognize.

Until Zephyr, the wind dragon, moved.

Her gaze swept across the crowd... and landed on us.

My heart leapt into my throat.

I looked to Isobel. She was already staring back, her eyes locked on Zephyr's.

Everyone around us stepped aside—everyone except me. I reached out and grabbed her hand, refusing to let go.

She didn't even look at me.

She pulled away and walked forward.

And just like that... she was chosen.

She climbed onto Zephyr's back with ease, like she'd done it a thousand times before. They stepped back into the line of dragons.

And now... only one remained.

Freyr.

And she was staring straight at me.