Draegon Rider History (Draft 1)

Chapter 11

Butterflies flew around in my stomach at the thought of meeting the Matriarch and Five Pillars of Sage's clan. If I wasn't found suitable they held the power to terminate my life. Not even Sage could not them, unless she wanted to be named a traitor like Vesper.

A multitude of roars answered, echoing off from the floating rocks creating a symphony of sound. The counsel fixated their stares on me as I sat on Sage' back. Their pinpointed judgmental stares were on the verge of becoming uncomfortable.

Sage landed before the five pillars. Dismounting I move to stand next to her, keeping a hand on her neck. They began their discussion soon after, making noises I have never heard before. Clicking their teeth together and producing varying degrees of high pitched noises. Some sounding like chirps, others taking on a deep rumbling tone.

A snarl from a dark silver draegon commanded all of our attention. Hissing while clicking its teeth. Its tail flailed behind it as it fluttered its wings. Breaking off from the group to stalk forward. Its snarling ad hissing growing louder with every step in my direction it took towards me. Intension to possibly harm me reflected clear in its eyes.

A whimper threatened to escape my lips but I managed to push it down, not willing to show weakness in front of the counsel. Sage moved to where she stood in front of me. Wings flared out, and puffed out so she looked twice her size. Protecting me from her kin. Roaring out a challenge of her own, daring them to try and get past her.

The pressure behind my eyes built up, creating a massive headache. Threatening to possibly make me faint. I don't know exactly happened as I could suddenly hear a bunch of voices. One standing out more than the others, one I knew instinctively was Sage's. "Mine! Mine to me!!! My human. My Rider!" Her tail wrapping around my waist, bringing me under the safety of her wings as if I was her hatchling. Our connection feeling different than it was before. It was far stronger than it was before, it felt as though it wasn't just connecting us by our minds but by our hearts and souls as well.

Was this a result of somehow fully accepting each other? I was dumbfounded at being able to hear the voices of the draegons until the pain within my body erupted. The pain was intense radiating through my entire body in wave. Starting from my forehead, reaching all the way to my toes and fingers.

My knees buckled underneath me. I curled into myself as I clinched my jaw, trying to keep myself from screaming out from the pain. The stabbing pain transformed to a burning, causing sweat to build up on the skin of my back and forehead. The voices echoing around not helping the pulsing within my head. Eventually the burning ebbed, soothing to an itch that went deep than the skin.

The first thing in my immediate vision was my arm that curled around my head. The scars from years of hunting still there but in addition an emerald green color marked the skin, taking the shape of what looked like part of a wing. As my vision cleared I could identify other hints of green mixed in with the emerald.

Feeling warmer than I previously had I gaze up. During my moment of weakness Sage had covered my entire body with her own, standing over me. Wings outspread, tail up, and her head down by my own. Full body protection. Lifting up my hand I stroke underneath her jaw line, "I'm alright, Sage." My voice changed, taking on a slight rougher quality with a light unplaced accent.

Our eyes met and her surprise rushed through the link. Before I could ask she sent me a picture of myself with some changes. Curled about my neck was more of the marking, however this portion took the shape of a draegon head, the neck disappearing underneath my shirt. My eyes had permanently changed color to emerald. My hair grew longer and looked thicker than before with the addition of green streaks weaving through the blonde.

Pushing Sage's head to the side I climb to my feet. Inspecting the mark that extended down my arms all the way to my fingertips, a pair of wings that accompanied the draegon mark. I had a sneaking suspicion if I were to check the body would span across my back and the tail would wrap around one of my legs down to my toes. The detailing of the mark was exquisite, noting the scales and the patterns of the draegon mark.

A motherly voice pulling me from my own world that circulated around admiring my new mark, "Back off Kio." The draegon in charge not being Atria, the black draegon from the memory dive, but a female draegon a light green color. The color of meadow grass in the spring. Her eyes a familiar shade of emerald. Atria must have passed the matriarch role to this female draegon. "This situation just evolved into something unknown. Therefore we cannot be hasty in our decision."

Her appearance and tone of voice familiar but I couldn't place her. The only draegon I ever really met being Sage. The draegon called Kio following the command of the matriarch took his place back with the group he had previously left. "My daughter chose this particular human for a reason. We will see if her judgement is sound. By testing this human to prove if she is indeed trustworthy." Sage's mother eyes the newly acquired mark with interest on the brink of curiosity. "I task the human with the duty of watching a nest of hatchlings for the afternoon while we discuss what we are to do with the current situation." The leader qualities within her voice leaving no room for argument.

Sage nudged me to the direction of her back under the watchful eyes of the counsel. We left the Hallelujah arc to a lower level of the floating mountain where a large population of nests were located. A multitude of different eyes watching our every move as Sage flew lower. Apparently Sage knew exactly what nest her mother was talking about.

Dismounting after having landed I begin to ask my questions that have been burning like an uncontrolled fire within my mind. "What happened to me Sage? Why can I suddenly hear the counsel speak? Hear you speak?" Running a hand along her cheek.

Her eyes focused on the wing marked upon my arm, I expected to hear full sentences and was a bit disappointed in what was pushed across the connection. "Bond. Mine. Rider." Humming as she seemed deeply pleased with the mark on my skin and her explanation.

Irritated I let out a little huff, "What does that even mean? Bond? Rider?" Was she referring to the connection between us? And I have never heard of a rider before. What were they?

Sage caught my eyes. Both of us studying each other. The two ends of our connection pulling our minds together, sending us into a trance-like state.

Before me an image of a battle raging about. Near the center Sage fighting hard and me sitting astride her back firing off arrows at the draegon who dare fly near. Both of us fighting as one unit, becoming one.

One goal, one mind, one heart, one soul.

"I don't really understand that much of it yet. But I believe when we can understand each other's languages when we become in sync. Like now for example. When our minds become attuned to each other, becoming one entity." Sage's words shattering the quiet but oddly comforting. "I know you have questions, some that I don't even have an answer to. But we have to put those aside right now. For the counsel to even begin the process of trusting you, you are going to have to prove yourself by completing the task the matriarch set before you. Taking care of hatchlings for the afternoon."

Not sure if I could communicate verbally I opted for the mental connection instead, "How hard can that be?"

Amusement with slight worry leaking into the environment mixing with the confusion I felt. "Harder than it sounds. I will take you to the nest that you have been tasked with caring for but that is where we will part until the counsel has made its decision."

Our bond pulling us apart until we separated from the trance. The thing binding us to each other was more than a mere connection. It was a bond, a deep and true bond. Linking us together. Warm hair was blown into my face until my eyes focused on the amused draegon standing before me. Realizing she finally caught my attention Sage nudged me in the direction she wanted me to go.