Dancing Darkness

- chapter seven.

"I never had the chance to be soft. I was always bloody knuckles and shards of glass. I wanted people to be afraid of hurting me." — XADEN RIORSON'S SPEECH, 'DragonFire'.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Chapter 7 - Classes.

" I Keep the temperaments of each specific breed in mind when you decide which dragons to approach and which to run from at Threshing," Professor Kaori says, his eyes dark like obsidian and serious like steel as he looks down his nose at us all, as if examining who has a chance here.
Definitely a superiority complex.
Than, after a beat— or three, since he paused on me, even though I hid my relic quite well with my mask, mind you— he changes the projection he has presented to us all, swapping to to a Red Scorpiontail.
The intricacies that are in the illusion is outstanding— every scale gleaming in a natural light that isn't exactly there, as if this was a portrait from a different time and technically, it is.
The Red Scorpiontail in the middle of each and every one of our tables is a fraction of its actual size, possible six feet fall, and that means I can stand and be taller than it. The only disturbing part of it is that it is an exact replica from the last Threshing, and even that makes me queasy.
I keep my face neutral and resting, but it probably looks like I'm glaring the the Professor as he speaks.
"Red Scorpiontails, like Ghrian here, are the quickest to temper," his voice is steady and in control. Like everything else in his vicinity, it steams. His pens are in a color coordinated row, along with his scrolls, ink pots, and books.
His perfectly trimmed mustache curves with his smile at his creation— as if he see's himself in the dragon. The only sounds in the room is the never-ending bickering between Sloane and Aaric and the rustle of parchment against the leather of our tight uniform.
"So if you offend him, you're.. lunch," Professor Kaori's lips quirk up once again, as if it was some sort of inside joke. He clears his throat. "So what's the best way to approach a Red Scorpiontail?"
I'm not exactly paying attention, and this is the last class I need to focus on.
Math? That's a different story.
Aaric snorts at something Sloane says, because I have given up on listening to them both. "You're going to bond at the end of the year, Sloane, whether you like it or not." Aaric rolls his eyes as he speaks.
A shrug from her. "Who know's if I will survive?"
"You will." I grind out.
I usually have control of my tone.
In this moment, I do not.
Both of their heads snap towards me as if I told them to ride a gryphon.
"And how do you know that?"
"Because I will make sure of it."
"You can't possibly—"
"Watch me."
She stops arguing, her lips slightly pursed as she is suddenly enticed by her notes. Meanwhile, a raven-haired man leans back in his chair, "Approach from the right or the front," he huffs, resting his hands behind his head like a mock pillow.
Sloane perks up at that. She has a weird obsession of being a know-it-all; beating people is her kink, basically.
"You mean the left?" She all but shouts.
I don't believe she notice's that this man is double her size.
Trying to avoid conflict in his own classroom, Professor Kaori continues, "Exellent," he nods. "For this Threshing, there are only two Red Scorpiantails willing to bond."
A new dragon spins into view, a Blue Clubtail. "How many dragons are there this year?" Aaric adds, scratching the side of his neck.
"Ninety two, I believe," Kaori answers, swapping the image once again, to a Green Swordtail. "But some of them might change their minds when they see you all at Threshing."
We are a pitiful group, I can admit that.
Not me specifically.
I ignore the jab, taking in the words the Professor spouted. Eight less than last year, and even if that does not seem like many, it is dropping.
Drastically.
And it might be even fewer if they don't like the look of us. But than again, so many will die that it isn't a huge problem anymore.
Fewer dragons are choosing to bond, but the number of riders entering the quadrant has remained steady, as if something is happening.
And only the dragons know it.
"Why don't they just.. tell us why.. why the number are dropping?" A first-year mumbles, a bit to loudly.
"They can't, dumbass," Raven-hair snorts, his bright blue eyes that look like crystals narrow on the cadets face. "Dragons only talk to their bonded riders, and it seems like if you don't catch up, you won't have a chance, hmm?"
The other cadets face turns cherry red.
I tap one, two— three fingers on the wooden desk in-front of me, my mind and body already bored of the conflict.
Professor Kaori sends Raven-hair a look that shuts the first-years mouth shut but it doesn't stop him from scoffing at the other cadet. "They don't share their reasons," he says, as if this is a rehearsed speech, "And anyone who respects their life won't ask a question they're not willing to answer."
Reason 471 of why I should not be here.
"Do the numbers affect the wards." I try to make it sound like a question, but my voice is so monotone that it sounds like a command.
The Professors jaw ticks. "We're not sure. The number of bonded dragons has never affected the integrity of Navarre's wards before, but I'm not about to lie to you and say that we're not seeing increased breaches when you know from Battle Brief— we are."
The image changes to a navy-blue dragon named Sgaeyl. My brothers dragon. I find it hard to look away from her beauty— but the thought of my brother makes me stare at the oak binding my ink pot.
I swear I see Sloane stare at me with something akin to worry out of the corner of my eye— it must be my mind playing tricks on me.
"You won't have to worry about how to approach blue dragons, since there are none willing to bond this Threshing, but you should be able to recognize Sgaeyl if you see her," Professor Kaori shoots a pointed look in the Sorrengail's direction. "Just incase Cadet Sorrengail has a visitor this Threshing."
She pinks a bit, the cool shade covering her defined cheekbones.
Kaori continues, "She's a Blue Daggertail, the rarest of the blues, and if you see her without her.. bonded rider," he spares a glance at me and I meet it, letting my onyx clash with his own.
Needless to say, I won the silent battle.
He clears his throat yet again, looking a bit uncomfortable as he speaks, "You should.. definitely find somewhere else to be. Ruthless does not begin to describe her, nor does she abide by what we assume to be what the dragons consider law. She even bonded the relative of one of her previous riders, which you all know is typically forbidden, but Sgaeyl does whatever she wants, whenever she wants. In fact, if you see any blues, don't approach them. Just.."
"Run." Raven-hair smirks, still using his intertwined hands as a pillow.
"Run," Professor Kaori agrees with a one sided smile, the mustache on his top lip giving him a older look. "There are a handful of other blues in active service, but you'll find them all along the Esben Mountain's in the east, where the fighting is most intense. They're all intimidating,  but Sgaeyl is the most powerful of them all."
I keep that cool mask of indifference close, still feeling the white hot stare that Sloane is giving the side of my face.
In the short amount of time we have been here, Sloane and I clicked. I don't ever do that with anyone— except Sloane and my br.. Xaden.
I don't like to think about him.
Or hear about him.
Or even see anything that reminds me of him.
That's why it's so hard to look in the mirror.
"What about that black dragon?" The first year next to Raven-hair questions, seemingly curious. "Sorrengail's dragon." She specifies.
"Not that it's going to matter." Professor Kaori flicks his wrist and Sgaeyl disappears— thank the gods— and a massive and familiar black dragon from the first day at Basgiath forms before me. His illusion is much bigger, making me look up from where I am seated.
"He's huge," Aaric breathes. "What type of tail is.. that?"
"A morningstartail. He has the same unimaginable power of a clubtail, but those spikes will eviscerate a person just as well as a Daggertail."
Everyone shifts to look at Violet after that, who is in a deep conversation with Imogen, both of their faces like granite.
Everyone turns back around.
"I would pray to any god that I get two dragons," Sloane sighs, resting her head in her heads, as if in agony.
"Don't we all," Aaric mutters.
I don't speak.
"He sounds like a killing MACHINE!" A cadet shouts out, stomping her feet down twice, giddy like a kid in a candy store.
"He is," Kaori answers. "But what can you tell me about black dragons?"
"They're the smartest and most discerning," I pause, brushing off invisible king on my shoulder. "They're the rarest, too. None have been born in about a century that humans have been aware of."
Kaori stares at me with a mix of emotions I can't quite place, a mixture of surprise and disdain.
".. Correct, Riorson," He clears his throat once more, and now everyone is looking at me.
Every.
Single.
Person.
In.
The.
Room.
If anyone had a sliver of doubt of who I am, now they don't. I'm sure that no one knew Xaden even had a sibling.
Fuck.
Kaori continues, spinning the illusion again, and I'm met with a glaring pare of yellow eyes that pierce through my soul, uncovering all hidden secrets and hopes.
"They're also the most cunning. There's no such thing as outsmarting a black dragon. This one is a little over a hundred, which makes him about middle aged. He's revered as a battle dragon among their kind, and if not for him, we probably would have lost during the Tyrrish rebellion. Add to it that he's a morningstartail, and he's one of the deadliest dragons in Navarre."
No one here has even been in a close range of a dragon, but only the description of Sorrengail's had some of the cadets trembling, and now it's easy to pick out who will die first.
It won't be me, that's for sure.
A ginger girl with a face full of freckles raises a sheepish hand that is slightly shaking, her body slim and gangly. Kaori calls on her with a bit of a scowl and his eyes on the clock. "Yes, Cadet?"
She clears her throat a few times, and it somehow gets everyone's attention, even the third years that have barely paid attention to this class after the first day.
"I have hea.. heard about a- um.. white dragon?" She stammers over her words, but now my heart is beating into my ears and I think the walls are shrinking in because I always am prepared.
I'm prepared for everything so why am I not prepared I should have expected this what could I have done to prevent this—
Kaori pauses, his whole being becoming so eerily still along with most of the other second and third years.
I realize they are talking to their dragons.
"Holy shit," Sloane sputters, her head snapping to me. "Is she saying the truth?"
Why did my heart stutter?
It must be a disease.
Maybe it's a infection going around Basgiath.
A muscle pops in my jaw as I twist towards the girl, avoiding eye contact with Sloane. "I couldn't tell you," I put all of my attention on the ginger woman, attempting to use everything in my book to get something— anything— out of this girl. "What is it called?"
"There calling it a White Scorpiontail— b.. but that's all I know."
I bite the inside of my cheek— a bad habit since I was just a girl— and look back towards Kaori, who's blood has drained from his face like a leech stuck itself to the side of his face.
Everyone else's dragon came up empty handed.
So everyone is looking to the one person with answers, someone who can deescalate the situation and bring it down to just a rumor, or drop the bombshell on us and tell us there are 8 breeds—
SEVEN.
I meant seven.
The bells rung around the room, signaling the end of class and we all don't move.
We wait.
We stare.
And then the questions hurdle at Kaori from every side of the room.
'How big is the Scorpiontail?"
'What does it look like?'
'Is that what is affecting the wards?'
'Is it powerful?'
'What signet does it produce?'
"CLASS IS DISMISSED." Professor Kaori bellows, making most of us flinch, but the only sign of my surprise is the slight tremor from my left hand.
But that isn't the important factor here.
The real question is..
What is Kaori hiding?
And what the fuck is a Scorpiontail?