Amantha and the Last Song

Chapter 2 - The Trial

The princess had washed, eaten and changed into a fresh set of clothes before seven in the morning on the day of the Trial. They were blue and white, the royal colours, having borders embroidered with golden thread. Her long brown hair, which almost reached her waist, was neatly braided, and a gold ribbon had been expertly tied, so it wove in and out of her hair. She and her father were in one of the royal carriages, travelling through the roads of Gepki. Anxiety was a constant pull in her gut, as they watched the Dome rise before them.

Trials were held in Kaiden yes. But Rider Trials weren't. Rider Trials had been held in the Dome ever since king Ridren had climbed to the throne. The adjacent city of Gepki boasted this massive structure. Gepki was sixty miles from Kaiden. An arena large enough for any events the citizens would wish to host there, during Rider trials adult dragons fought one another inside the huge space and the strongest of magicians faced off. Three hundred and fifty six meters tall, including the three statues of Riders with their dragons on the roof. It was hemispherical with a roughly three hundred and forty meter radius.

The huge stone structure rose before them. A perfectly round arena, with a seating capacity of more than three thousand. It always filled up on the Trial days. Today, it was practically full.

Amantha had never seen so many people before in her life. Thousands of faces. The sound of a thousand voices talking filled the arena. Most of the citizens of Gepki came to witness the Rider Trials. On this occasion, people from the surrounding cities of Zhanga, Velumore and also Kaiden packed the seats. People had travelled far and wide across Ralkyre to see this Trial. Amantha Froengard was famous. Magicians who had been Riders had flocked to the arena. She felt overwhelmed to see so many people, who had come to see her Trial.This was the first time Amantha had left Kaiden. She usually stayed in the castle, accompanied the head cook to the market on occasions and only landed on certain 'safe spots' when flying with Earthsinger. Ceil's home in the Ruar mountains being one of them. Living in a place where everyone knew her, this was the first reaction she had seen of the outside world to her presence. She had often fancied landing wherever she wanted while flying, but had never dared.

She clutched her father's hand tightly and tried to disappear behind him. She wished a hole would appear in the ground and swallow her whole. But it was too late to go back now. When the king walked out with the princess, the crowd erupted in cheers. Earthsinger had not accompanied them. He would fly on his own and reach the Dome.

You'd think Amantha would be able to sense Earthsinger's presence if he was close or somehow communicate with him using something akin to telepathy. This wasn't true. Being a Rider did not give a person psychic abilities. Dragons were magical creatures. Bonding with a dragon ensured that the magic possessed by a dragon and that possessed by its Rider were linked. This was why a dragon and magician could bond if and only if they had a common magical Affinity. To be honest, dragons did not have Affinities, as such. They were of sifferent types. Fire dragons, snow dragons, terradragons, sea dragons, and so on. A common magical Affinity meant that the magic of the Rider and the dragon would be compatible. No dragon would bond with a human with who's magical Affinity it was not compatible.

Amantha couldn't spot Ceil.

Twelve examiners were setting up barriers in the middle of the arena. Two more watched on. Amantha could feel her father's hand tighten around hers. He was almost as tense as she was. An escort of twenty armed guards surrounded them in two columns of ten, to their right and left. The walls rose up to a circular oculus in the ceiling showing a large patch of blue sky. Their footsteps seemed to be inaudible amidst all the noise, as they walked towards the head examiner.