The Unkown's (FOURTHWING X IRON FLAME)

1. ganga dauðans

(I'll let you know when I switch POV. Won't happen often though. Therefore everything will pretty much be in Tauri's POV)

- Well shit , that's a lot scarier than I was told. Looking down over the edge of Caricus city was the entrance to Dreka Reio, hopefully her new home. To be allowed within Dreka's walls you had to cross a 182 meter bridge with only a 10 inch width. The bridge was sturdy , or so she'd been told. With a deep breath she turned away from the caverns below and headed to a desk greeting a chubby old woman, " your name?" The older lady asked her voice was as rough as her callused hands that gripped the sign in sheet. "My name is Tauriel Tyrr." I said hoping my voice gave no hints of the fear I was holding towards what awaited me after this. "Mhm never heard that name before" she paused, " any siblings?" She questioned her eyes never leaving the paper. "No, just me!" I exclaimed trying to be optimistic, not ready to tell her my whole life story. Being unknown was normal. At first I hated it, always dreamed of people knowing my name,  whether it was for good or bad I did not care. Over time I realized it was better to be forgotten. To be alone and unknown in such a big, and cruel world. Easily hidden and forgotten is the reason I'm here today I reminded myself. Squaring my shoulders, I rounded the small satchel onto my back. The satchel that carried only stolen goods, 2 daggers and another strapped to my thigh, a book that was left with me when I was dropped off at Santiago Orphanage, and a hairbrush. I was three when I arrived at the orphanage. I remembered nothing before it and was grateful . I did not care for my past, or my family. Obviously they did not care for me, the director of the orphanage Ms. Santiago had explained when I was old enough to understand my parents dropped me off there and never looked back. Knowing that I despised my so called family even more. Growing up on the streets I learned to be observant and stealthy. Picking up the art of thievery quite fast. Not that I was proud of it but I had to do what I had to do. I was jolted out of my thoughts when the old lady had said something I did not catch," Am I good to go?" I questioned. She mumbled something under her breath , " Mhmhm" was her only reply as she turned to the next in line. Not the first time I've been dismissed. Bloodlines were everything in Croatia. If you didn't belong to a family you were a nobody. Having the last name Tyrr wasn't the best conversation starter either. It always ended with a rude joke or an uproar of emotions, mostly throwing me out of whatever joint I was in. Tyrr was the continent that rebelled against Croatia when King Tosl Wanted full control of the both continents. Queen Allyson Tyrr of Tyrr would not bend the knee and built a wall hundreds of feet high as well as establishing it as the continent of Tyrr (The free). With that King. Tosl locked his own people in and anything beyond the wards were not allowed in And we could not leave. A decade later Queen Allyson was mysteriously poisoned and the newly established continent went into chaos. King Tosl used this as an advantage and crushed the last of the rebellion including Atlas Hues father, General Hue. Cursing all rebellion kids to have one option at life. Dreka Reio. I turned myself towards the walk of death and closed my eyes and pictured everything I have dreamt for since I could remember. A friend. Not a human friend, gods humans sucked. Well at least every human I've ever met. But a dragon . My own dragon. Somebody who would truly be a part of me, know me. So I wouldn't be so unkown, so alone. A yell came bounding across to me, startled my head whipped up, "Tauriel Tyrr, your next get a move on!" A short, stubby man shouted next to the bridge. And with that I strutted forward, took a deep breath and never looked down.

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I tried my best to breathe, the air quality sucked up here and the wind would not give up. I willed my eyes to look up, only a meter or so left I can do this. I pleaded with my feet to keep steady and forward. My old boots which I'd stolen from a pawn shop were well worn out and probably gasping for air themselves. "Do not fall" came a deep grumble in my head. Gods I'm so scared I'm talking to myself! The wind tugged at my body urging me to mess up. My foot slipped and I let out a yelp as I lost balance and fell. My arms rapped around the bridge as my legs dangled. I can't die, not like this. Fearful tears splattered down my face as I struggled to throw my legs up again. " I said don't fall!" a roar echoed throughout my head. "I... I'm trying" I muttered . Grinding my teeth I gave myself one last push scrabbling against the wooden bridge. My hand grip loosened and then I felt the whoosh of air as I fell. The scream barely passed my lips before I was tugged upwards by my hands. "I got you! Hold on"  came a voice from above. I was hoisted onto my feet and only when I felt my feet sturdy beneath me did I let my eyes open. My savior held me closely to a chest.... His chest, and gods he was a very tall , very blonde boy. "Thank... you" I stammered still trying to shake the fear from my body. "No problem!" He offered a smile, " Names Samwell, you can call me Sam though! And you are Tauriel ... I heard the sign in lady call your name" he mumbled realizing he sounded a bit like a fan boy. "Tauri... you can call me Tauri" I said before turning around to face the direction I'd hope I'd make it to. I glanced back and Samwell... Sam gave me a big reassuring smile and a hearty thumbs up. I shook my head loosening a breathy laugh before I started forward. I was going to survive this.

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"Name" A short, purple haired woman asked. "Tauriel Tyrr" I mumbled, gods my legs ached when would I be able to sleep? "Welcome to Dreka Reio Dragon school" she said way less enthusiastic than the smile she was offering. "Please head over to the stage. Commander Pancheck will arrive shortly... oh and congratulations you made it" she turned away to face Sam giving him the same fake smile and speech. I started forward when I was bumped into, spinning around fast my eyes narrowing. Being an orphan and a woman there's only two reasons you'd get bumped into. One a drunk man was stumbling home from the bars, or two you were about to be taken.  " I am so.. so sorry!" A short, even shorter brown haired girl gasped. " I tripped and I couldn't catch myself!" She nodded her head, her eyes wide and round. "It's okay..." I mumbled , still not letting myself relax. Not till I was in a my own room and could memorize  every nook and cranny. She shoved her hand out, "Collette! Collette songsam, pleased to meet you. Might I add you are absolutely stunning. I mean if I looked like you... well I wouldn't be here that's for sure!" She laughed to herself, her smile beaming across to me. " Thanks.." I mumbled rubbing my shoulder awkwardly. Collette took her still outreached hand and grabbed mine, " come on let's find a good spot to watch, hopefully we are within the same squad! Could you imagine that!" She rambled on. She's said more words than I have in my entire life. Collette skidded to a halt a few feet away from the stage. "Perfect.... Perfect view! Oh gods I can't wait to see the dragons! What about you.. OH MY GOSH! I never even got your name. How rude of me!" She turned to fully face me, oh she was waiting for me to talk. " Tauri! I found you , I was looking everywhere. Oh look we have a new friend!" Sam pushed through the crowd stopping beside us , "well, hello!" he gave a small bow to Collette who in return gave him a ravishing smile, " Collette Songsam, and a trio it is then!" She beamed. I just stood awkwardly as they gushed on about their lives, and families, and everything I've never had. But for some odd reason... I felt a tiny bubble of happiness. A small crack in my heart healed at the thought of friends. I came into here telling myself it would be me, myself, and I ... plus a dragon (hopefully)... but friends, no that didn't sound too bad at all.

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"Listen up!" A well built man with a crown pinned on his chest in all blacks stepped onto the stage. He had a stubble beard and small beady eyes. His face and tone offered no kindness. " You all have made it to Dreka Reio... congrats. From here on out you are MY students. You will follow laws and rules and you will preform to your best abilities or you will die. We don't send kids home here." I gulped and glanced at Collette whose smile had faded ever so slightly. "Most of you won't survive till threshing. Meaning most of you will not leave or graduate with a dragon. In other words. Don't fail. Now Cadet Hue will assign you to your squads. May King Tosl bless you all." He gave a small nod to a ... wow he was something all right. Atlas Hue was definitely easy on the eyes. Atlas stepped up a few stairs with ease and his rebellion relic met the sun the black ink glistening. Right, he was a dangerous. I shook my head at myself and my stupid thoughts. He squared himself on the middle of the stage and was about to open his mouth when a thundering Roar burst through the courtyard. 5 dragons all numerous sizes and shapes came souring in. The biggest was a navy blue , her eyes narrowed at the sight of puny, scared kids. The five dragons landed simultaneously against the stage tucking in their wings. She probably wanted to roast us all right here and now. The navy dragon swiveled her head and snapped at a smaller orange dagger tail who made the mistake of landing too close to her. She glanced back and lowered her head until it was even beside Atlas's own. He was hers. The mistake everyone made was thinking we claimed dragons. In reality they claimed us, and he was most definitely hers. Her narrowed yellow eyes raked over us until they landed on mine. They seemed to become slits and she curled her lip ever so slightly. " Shes so amazing" breathed Sam breaking the awkward tension between me and this damned dragon. "Breathtaking" Collette agreed nodding earnestly. " Shes definitely something" I mumbled . Hoping the she dragon couldn't sense my nervousness. Atlas raised his chin, " Welcome, I'm sure you all know who I am." He bit out those words knowing damn well why we'd ever know him. Before he could assign squads a kid farther right of us let out a shriek and ran for it. "He's so dead" I bit out. " oh no" Collette whispered her voice dripping with sadness for a kid she didn't even know. " And that is why running has never done anything good... for anyone!" Sam joked. Collette smacked his shoulder and I glanced over at the navy dragon who lifted her head and within seconds disintegrated 10 kids, including the runner. Some more cries were heard as the kids around the circle of bones and ash held onto their now burned body parts.No one else dared to run. Atlas cleared his throat, " dragons sense weakness, it's better to die here and now then work hard and get to threshing just to disgrace a dragon" he proclaimed. With that he continued on naming squads. Me, Collette, and Sam ended up together in first wing, fire squad. How the gods had blessed this, I did not know.