The Dragoneer Manual

Chapter 32 - Ethereal Dragons

When Rory awoke the next morning,  the previous night felt like it had been a dream. Her memories of the castle, Zermit, and Bluejay... they all felt too surreal. And she couldn't get the story of Isla Maige out of her head. 

In her time so far at the Academy, Rory had been looking at everything through rose-tinted glasses. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten cruelty was a common denominator among humans, and course, it existed here too. What Isla had been through, it didn't excuse her behavior, but it certainly clarified it more. An anxious feeling stirred within Rory, and she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, since the sun had already begun rising by the time Zermit returned her to her dorm.

As she got up and made a brew of Dusky Dragon coffee, Rory noticed a letter underneath her door. It was different than the one Bluejay had sent the previous night. 

She opened it carefully and read the instructions within, which stated that all beginner and intermediate students were to attend a lecture at the cathedral with Professor Taylor at noon. Running her finger over the slightly raised watermark of a dragon blowing fire on the letter, she wondered what this could be about.

She arrived rather late, having had little time to dress and get out the door. Teak and Jay were sitting at a table near the front which was already full. 

Rory could tell that Jay looked well-dressed and freshly rested, unlike herself. She took a seat toward the back instead, next to Chase, which happened to be the only empty seat left. He smiled and looked happy to see her.

Professor Taylor was standing at the front of the class. He was dressed in all black, with a somber expression on his face. His silver hair and eyes stood out drastically from his dark uniform. Rory was apparently the last student to arrive, because Professor Taylor began the lecture as soon as she sat down.

"Students of the Academy," he said. "I've called you here today for an event which you will probably be thrilled about, but I urge you to see the bigger picture, which is actually quite vile."

The students looked puzzled at his comment. Professor Taylor went on.

"We have received notice that the cursed spirits have been spreading at faster rate than we originally thought possible, and they have been slaughtering the residents of nearby towns. We've done our best to curb their spread and multiplication, but it has gotten out of hand. So, as a result..."

Professor Taylor walked up to the chalkboard and began sketching a messy map of the forest surrounding the Academy. Rory could see where the pond was that she and Jay had visited, and she also recognized certain landmarks like Dragon Rock and Lavender Valley. These were areas Rory had studied only in name, in class, but had never been permitted to visit.

"Here," Professor Taylor circled an area toward the right side of the chalkboard, "Is where you will retreat for the day. Professor Flame has primed this area of the forest with a rare magical incense to attract the spirits of wandering ethereal dragons."

Many members of the class couldn't hold in their excited gasps, and Rory could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"Yes," Professor Taylor exhaled, waving his hand downward as if to bring down the excited reactions. "An event which is normally reserved for the advanced class of students is now being accelerated to both intermediate and beginner students, a process which, quite simply, is unheard of. Trust me, I would not have approved this had it not been at Professor Scale's incessant urging, and my realization the situation is truly dire. At this point, we must be prepared for the worst."

Rory's eyes flickered over to Teak, who was clearly ignoring the cynical perspective from Professor Taylor, and was visibly ecstatic, gripping Jay's arm and bouncing in her seat. Professor Taylor, who was also looking at Teak, let out a slow, defeated sigh.

Rory had heard about the ethereal dragons back in the Dragoneer Manual I, when she was a little kid, and certainly again in the Dragoneer Manual II, as an adult. The ethereal dragons were companions, which assigned themselves to one person for life. A Dragoneer could only ever have one ethereal dragon companion, and the same rule applied the other way around. No ethereal dragon can bond with more than one human. It was said that when a human Dragoneer crosses paths with an ethereal dragon, the human's soul is exposed. The ethereal dragons have the power to see into a human's past memories, current dreams, desires, and most hidden personalities. If the human and ethereal dragon prove to be compatible, then they will bond for life.

"Traditionally," Professor Taylor went on, pacing back and forth, "The Ethereal Dragons were referred to as Dragon Guides. The reason for this is clear. An Ethereal Dragon, once bonded, will stay with you for life. Since they are ethereal, their forms are invisible to the naked eye, but their human companions can summon them to the physical plane at will. For advanced Dragoneers participating in high-stakes battles, they are essential partners and assets to the teams. And they will be for all of you, who may be forced into battle sooner than you think."

Teak raised her hand up high, and Professor Taylor's serious gaze fell on her.

"Yes, Teak?" he said.

"What do we do when we get in the forest? How do we meet the ethereal dragons?" Teak was clearly trying to control herself, but the excitement in her voice was palpable, and it snapped everyone else out of the somber atmosphere Professor Taylor had carefully crafted.

"You do not have to do anything special. Find a spot away from other students, and they will find you."

Even from the back of the classroom, Rory could tell Teak was smiling ear to ear.

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A/N: Are you excited for the next chapter? <3