Wyvern of the Wind

Formless and Empty (3/4)

(A/N: yep, these chapters would be called Formless and Empty for now. Until when? Who knows :) )

[a few hours before Aether's arrival at the Stronghold]

The elder, sandy-colored wyvern practiced her magic intently. Runes circled around her as meditate. Her eyes were closed, and her throat rumbled as she let out a slow hum. 

Beside her, a wyvernness, who was far younger than Aether was, meditated beside her. However, her tail twitched in agitation as she tried to keep still, ultimately failing.

"Settle your heart down, Obsidiana...I can hear it beating from here." Tempest groaned slightly. The dark wyvernness sighed in frustration.

"It's just...I have to arrive at the Stronghold right after dawn. I can't be late again, morah." she pleaded. 

"I'll notify Bezaeel, dear gem. Don't worry." Tempest sighed. "But in order to practice balance, you've gotta meditate. Don't want to be lost in a pickle, now would ya."

Obsidiana sighed and closed her eyes once more, trying to meditate.

"Try to think of things that you look forward to...maybe there's someone you yearn to be with...? Or maybe it's the thought of spending time with friends that eases you...." Tempest suggested. 

Obsidiana took a deep breath, feeling her heartbeat pulse with ferocity. She took another breath...then one more, feeling the tight grip around her heart and chest loosen with each breath.

This feeling...she wondered. This'll do for now...

You don't need to be a warrior for today...now...you need rest...

-

[present day, outside the Stronghold fields]

Aether flew as fast as he could, trying to keep up with his classmates. He felt the clouds and mists above spray his feathers with cool water droplets as he squinted to see where he was.

His feathery wings fumbled and flapped helplessly as he tried to push through the air and be ahead of everyone else. He felt hot tears forming in his eyes due to the amount of effort he put in.

Soon, he saw everyone dive down towards the flag where they were supposed to land. He dove with them, tucking his wings. At once, he remembered when his father Crimson dove down the skies with him when they arrived in the Imperii. 

The image of his father diving down the skies flashed in his mind as he tried to copy what he had witnessed. But alas, he ended up fumbling the landing and tumbled onto the grasses below. 

"A-Argh..." he rubbed his snout as he winced in pain. Bivyres, who was ordered to witness the training as a guard, headed over to him immediately.

"Hey kid, y'er alright?" he said quickly. Aether groggily nodded. 

"H-Huh..." he sighed out as he groaned in pain. "I-I'm fine...". However, as he got up, he felt a rush of blood exit his nostril.

"Someone get a medic!" Bivyres called out as he wrapped his tail around Aether and helped guide him back. "Hey, Adonia. Can you get a medic for me?"

Adonia looked at him in frustration, but when she saw the sight of Aether's profusely bleeding nostril, she immediately went inside without a word. It wasn't until a few long minutes later when the two heard yelling from the inside as the wyvernness dragged out a medic.

"Darned medics. Sluggish as always..." she muttered as the medic quickly rushed Aether inside. As Adonia was about to walk away, she paused and groaned.