The soft mutter of the morning news echoes in our dorm room. "The Cadmar Tournament serves as a friendly competition between islands to promote a peaceful society."
Peter must be up.
"Here on Arcadia, the Cadmar Tournament is known as a rite of passage for students to become protectors, but that wasn't always what it was known for."
How early is it? Peter is usually gone by the time I wake up.
"This year, for the first time in centuries, we are bringing back one of our founders' long lost traditions."
I don't want to get up.
"A special ceremony will be held for the champion of this tournament to unify their connection with the Eder, or as the kids call them, bond birds. Everyone-"
"Turn off the radio. It's too early." I mutter into my pillow.
The volume increases.
"Peterrrrrr!" I turn to my side, glaring through unadjusted eyes towards the source of my sleep disturbance. A two foot tall mesh of feathers perched on the side table next to Peter's bed, pecking at the radio.
That damn bird. I should have guessed it would be him. Peters' Scarlet Robin has it out for me. It finds humor in putting worms in my shoes. Break the seams of my custom made armor padded dress shirts. So of course! Why wouldn't it wake me up at 3 AM?
I swear, what's this birds' problem? Eder are supposed to reflect the personality and characteristics of the person they are bonded to. I know Peter is a bit of a troublemaker but why do I have to get affected by this bird's pranks?
I open a window and shoo the bird away, but the robin decides to get all up in my face before taking off outside. Urg! I outta- I slam the window shut. The bird disappears through the black tinted window. No, you know what. It's not worth it to be mad this early. I'm just going to go back to sleep and pretend none of this happened.
I brush the feathers off of me and lie back down.
* * *
The room is enamored in light, students are yelling outside, and in the distance the faint sound of a bell rings out. Is it time for classes yet? I look at my alarm clock but the display is off. I jump up and grab the cord, there are little indentations cut into the chopped off cord. That damn bird! What time it is!
I grab my phone, "7:23 Tuesday August 5" it reads. I'm going to be late! I throw on the first thing I see, grab my bag and rush down the hall. I go flying down the stairs and nearly bang heads with another student on the turn out. I quickly exit the boy's dormitory and race across the dirt lot, kicking up a dust cloud in my wake. Aiming to make a ten minute walk in two, I make a dead sprint, ignoring every little, flutter, shift, and squawk in my direction.
Just as the pale face of the PAC building comes into sight I hear something overhead, "Lucian! What's the rush?" I see the three foot long feathered tail of light gray, leading up to the neon orange afro of a golden-crowned kinglet. On top of this six foot tall bird was Chad Dallas, a muscular guy with a clean face and a nasty smile. Chad darted by, trying to run me over and his gang soon followed. I pick up the pace, but I'm no match for the flock of fiends closing in.
I dive to the side as their talons slice past me, whizzing past my ear. A few stop in front of me and their riders depart while the rest circle above me. They all wore black leather jackets enamored in chains, piercings, crosses, and tattoos in some foreign language.
Tsk. Damn vultures. I press my hand to my hip, grasping at thin air. Shoot. I forgot my sword. I tighten my grip, digging my nails into my palm.
YOU ARE READING
Fallen
FantasyWar destroyed the old world, nothing remains the same. We call the new world Alya, a realm in the sky tied together by strange magic that had unusual effects on our world: Creatures of unusual sizes, trees as tall as skyscrapers, waterfalls that nev...
