The Immortal / Fourth Wing

Chapter Twenty

POV: Xandor Galadon

The afternoon skies above Basgiath were crystal clear in the middle of May for the first battle of the War Games that signified the approach of graduation.

Right now we stood in formation in the center of the courtyard with the rest of Fourth Wing. "What do you think our assignment is going to be?" Liam asked Violet to his left from my left. "Deigh thinks we're on offense. He won't stop going on about getting to kick Gleann's ass -" He paused, as if listening to his dragon. "Guess dragons hold grudges," he finaly whispered.

Leadership was gathered ahead of us, getting their assignments from Xaden.

"We're definitely on offense," Rhiannon answered. "Otherwise, we'd already be in the field. I haven't seen a single rider from First Wing since lunch." Smart girl. I was wondering how long it would take them to notice that.

"I think she's right," Violet told Liam. "Why do you think riders wear black anyway?"

"Because it's badass," Ridoc answered from behind me.

"So it's harder to see when we bleed," Imogen chimed in.

That made more sense. I personally wore it because I think it looked good. And Liam and Garrick looked delicious in it. Black tight leather was really my thing.

The leadership meeting broke up, and Dain headed over with Cianna. He was practically beaming, his hand clenching and unclenching with nervous energy.

"Which is it?" Heaton asked. "Offense or defense?"

"Both," he said as the other squad leaders report back to their riders. "First Wing has taken a defensive position in one of the practice first in the mountains, and they're guarding a crystal egg," Dain told us, and the older riders in our squad murmured with excitement.

"What are we missing?" Ridoc asked. "Because you guys seemed thrilled about an egg."

"From past years, we know that eggs are worth more points," Cianna said, grinning enthusiastically. "Flags have statistically been the lowest, and captured professors rank somewhere in the middle."

"So how is this both offense and defense?" Rhiannon asked. "If they have the egg, then clearly we should go get the egg."

"Because we've also been given a flag to defend and no outpost to do it in." He grinned. "And our squad has been assigned to carry it."

"And who is going to carry the flag?" Imogen asked.

Dain somehow managed to smile even wider. "That's going to be the fun part." Over the next twenty minutes, we were drilled in strategy during the walk over the flight field. I would definitely not take orders from a child, but I could take them in consideration.

The plan was simple: play to our individual strengths and pass the flag often, never giving First Wing a chance to spot who was carrying it. When we got to the flight field, there were dozens upon dozens of dragons filling the muddy field, all positioned as though they had a formation in their squads, too.

Unlike the months before, Dâmoren had actually landed this time and was towering over every other dragon from his place at the other side of the flight field. As soon as I stepped on the field, his head turned around and his eyes met mine. I followed Liam to Deigh and stopped him before he could climb up.