The Dragon Chronicles: The Arrival of The Heir

V

Kallum jumped back a few steps, his eyes widening as his vision took in the full scale of the large beast before him, his hand laying over his pounding heart as he took in deep breaths of relief, eliciting a chuckle from the King.

With his eyes still wide Kallum took in the King's appearance. He sat there on the ground, absent the purple and gold adornments of royalty, in a simple tunic and trousers, both grey with a dark leather breastplate strapped to his chest. Although the clothes were simple there was no mistaking the quality of their make.

"You can stop staring now," Eliot stated as he got up and dusted himself off.

Kallum dropped onto one knee and blurted out, "My apologies your Majesty."

The sudden awkward outburst brought forth a hearty laugh from the king before he walked over and offered a hand that Kallum quickly took as he rose to his feet. Placing his hand on the young man's shoulder Eliot spoke in a calming tone.

"I know that yesterday was a tense day for us all but there's often no need to be so formal with me. Once we're away from judging eyes then Eliot is fine. Simply put, crown off means first name basis."

"Thank you...Eliot. Now, if I may ask, where are the..."

"The dragons have already been relocated to the actual Academy. They need extra time to get settled. Frasa and I were here waiting for you before we got everyone on the move. The black dragon leads the flight each year and this year you are going to be leading it with me."

Eliot strode past Kallum, moving towards the opening at the entrance of the grove while Frasa stood up to her full height, shaking her wings free of any leaves that had fallen on her before bolting out through a clearing in the canopy, her wingbeat letting out a gust of air so powerful it threatened to blow Kallum straight off of his feet.

Quickly running out of the grove Kallum emerged just in time to see Frasa doing a quick turn in the air, her sleek form moving through the sky as hardly more than a blur before she dove down towards the ground, pulling up just in time to land safely while kicking up a cloud of dust around her.

Kallum quickly tried to shield his face from the dust and debris but through his squinted eyes he could see Eliot walking straight towards Frasa, the small pebbles flying towards him just sparking off before they made contact. What followed was a flash, nay a streak of crackling energy from where Eliot stood as he disappeared in the blink of an eye and appeared on Frasa's back.

Kallum stood rooted, stuck somewhere between confusion and awe, not knowing how to process what had just happened when suddenly Larko tapped him on his shoulder.

" They were showing off for you if you didn't put that one together," Larko said, giving a knowing nod towards the king upon the dragon. " Now go get up there and take your place before someone else does."

As Kallum walked up towards Frasa he was unsure about how exactly he was supposed to climb onto her back. Whereas Shola had more defined spots that could be used as footholds Frasa was smoother, designed for slick movements but when he reached out to touch her skin he felt a small jolt as his hand stuck to her storm cloud coloured body. Without any effort, Kallum found he could climb right up Frasa's powerful legs and onto her back. As soon as Kallum tried to sit on the black dragon he could immediately feel the difference. With Shola he had to fiddle and squirm to find a place where he could just sit, even after Larko's advice but when he sat on Frasa everything just fit. No shifting from side to side, no twisting and turning. He just felt a force adhering him to Frasa's body, a force that only relented when he actively tried to move.

Kallum positioned himself a few feet behind Eliot, still wary of the older gentlemen even though things had been cleared up. Eliot raised his arm above his head and Frasa followed suit, her mighty black wings streaked with lines of grey lifted high above the crowd as a hush fell and the clouds above darkened. With a swift downward stroke of Eliot's hand sheet lightning flashed through the dark sky as thunder boomed, the powerful rumbling only equaled by the wingbeats of a legion of dragons taking off. Frasa took the lead, her charcoal body almost blending in completely with the dark storm clouds, only highlighted by the occasional flash of sheet lightning.