Black Sapphire | Zilphyer

VI

・・・　・・・　・・・

     The only cool thing about Basgiath was the dragon class.  I've always been fond of learning about animals, though it has often been much more hands-on.  The Professor, I believe named Kaori, had a signet that allowed him to display projections from his mental image into a holographic form in the world.  He also had a fascination with dragons entirely, which made him a perfect fit for the class.  
     A projection of a green daggertail rotates slowly in the middle of the tables pulled into a circle we're seated around.  He's explaining the different attitudes and approaches that come with each type of dragon, through their den and then down to their tail.  A brown swordtail, a red swordtail, and a red scorpiontail are all different.  
     It switches to the last, and I realize the models are scaled correctly to one another.  It's a little under 6 feet tall, but the size does not lose any detail as I can make it each individual scale on his body.  
     They continue discussing approaches and the dwindling number of dragons willing to bond as Kaori flips through a couple more projections.  Then, it switches to Sgaeyl, her daggerish golden eyes staring straight at me.  It makes me shiver, remembering how she's been in front of me twice, leaving me completely to her mercy.  By some fucking miracle, she has yet to rip me to pieces.  

     "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," the professor tells us.  
     "So you can fucking run," Ridoc chuckles.  A few laughs flutter around the table and plenty nod, including Kaori.  
     "She's a blue daggertail, the rarest of the blues, and yes, if you see her without her bonded rider, you should... definitely find somewhere else to be."  I cock an eyebrow at him not using Xaden's name.  "Ruthless does not begin to describe her, nor does she abide by what we assume to be what 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 of the blues, don't approach them, just..."
     "Run," Ridoc finishes.  Kaori nods.  
     "Run."  He gives a sloppy smile as Ridoc runs a hand through his hair, both oddly relaxed for the discussion topic at hand.  But I guess most everyone here is used to this kind of thing.  "There are a handful of other blues in active service, but you'll find them all along the Esben Mountains in the east, where the fighting is the most intense.  They're all intimidating, but Sgaeyl is the most powerful of them all."  
     That makes Xaden's shadow-wielding make sense.  A powerful dragon, a powerful signet.  What doesn't make sense is the ruthless comment.  If Sgaeyl was, truly, I doubt she would stand for a person falling onto her back.  

     "What about the black dragon?" one of the first-years asks.  "There's one here, right?"  
     "I want that one," Jack pipes.  
     "Not that it's going to matter."  The professor swirls his hand and the projection reshapes itself.  In Sgaeyl's place takes a massive dragon, permanent shimmers on his shoulder scales.  "But just to appease your curiosity, since this is the only time you'll ever see him, here is the only other black besides General Melgren's."  
     "He's huge," Rhiannon comments, her breath airy with mystique.  I can't blame her.  "And is that a club tail?"  
     "No," Kaori replies quickly.  I watch as the projection spins my way.  "A morningstar.  He has the same bludgeoning power of a clubtail, but those spikes will eviscerate a person just as well as a daggertail."