Exodus(Journal Of Baobab Of Pantala)

Exodus-Journal 3:Entry 1:May We Meet Again

Early Summer 6,219 A.S.
Hi, my name is Raegel, son of Baobab and Viserra, and this my recollection of The Great Return to come and my life in Alagaesia beginning with my drop off at the Pyrrhian and Pantalan Dragon Rider base.
Two years after I bonded with Oak my parents dropped me off at the temporary base of my father's order in Du Weldenvarden.
The base was still being established even after nineteen years of being in Alagaesia. But it was almost done.
   "Have fun and behave yourself." My father told me, giving me a hug before he went back over to Marula, who was saying goodbye to her son.
   "Don't pull something like your father did years ago and run away from your teacher. Okay?" My mother told me.
   I nodded.
   "Good. I love you, Raegel, with all my heart." She told me, giving me a bone crushing hug.
   I saw tears on the corner of her eyes as she climbed onto Marula and she and my father left me.
   "Come on, let's go." Oak said to me, nudging me in the direction of the Great Hall made out of trees.
   I could see five more young Riders—all were human—standing outside the hall as if waiting for someone.
I didn't want to go over to them due to the sour expressions on the black haired girl next to the haughty looking IceWing and the fire-red head boy with the annoyed looking SkyWing. They made me want to run home and stay there.
"You can do this." Oak told me. "Hey, those two look nice." Oak said, looking at the dirty blonde hair boy with the RainWing and the platinum blonde girl bonded with her DriftWing.
"Maybe, but—Hey! Where are you going?" I asked as Oak started over to the group of five kids and dragons.
Leaving me with no other choice, I followed after Oak, who was conversing with the DriftWing.
   "Hi." The platinum blonde haired girl said, her eyes shining like turquoise.
   "Hello." I muttered, not wanting to be associated with some of these other kids.
   "Jacquelyn."
   "W-what?" I asked. Was she calling me Jacquelyn?
   She laughed. It sounded like the clear melodic laughter of the elf children. "No, I'm Jacquelyn, but I go by Jack." She told me. 
   "Jack?" The girl with the IceWing asked. "What kind of girl goes by a boy name?"
   "Ones that aren't girly girls like you." Jacquelyn—Jack replied.
The girl with the IceWing didn't say anything. She seemed to be fuming in silent.
I had a feeling that this girl didn't like anyone here and thought she was better than all of us. I decided then and there to stay clear of this girl and her dragon.
   The twelve of us stood there waiting for whatever the others before Oak and I were waiting for.
   After awhile the doors opened and a man and dragon walked out.
   The man had shoulder length hair up in a ponytail and carried a sword at his side. His dragon was black with grey wings and under scales with reddish-brown eyes and a white skull mask on its face. The dragon creeped me out so much with its skull face that I considered once again running away to get away from this place.
   "We are Galahad and Bright Eclipse, and we will be taking you to your teachers." The elder Rider said to us. "Come." He said and started off into the huge tree-hall with his massive dragon by his side.
   The black haired boy with the TempestWing was the first to follow the man with the black and grey dragon.
   The other kids soon followed with me and Oak bringing up the rear.
They soon came to an intersection where two other Riders and dragons stood waiting.
"Welcome to Sílthrim." The man next to the woman said.
"Today you six will be paired up and assigned a teacher." The woman said. "Sarai, Skua, Jacquelyn, and Fiercedawn will be with me. Erik, Stormfinder, Markus, and Parakeet will be with Henrik. Quinn, Pyrrha, Raegel, and Oak will be with Galahad."
"Now that you all have been paired up, you'll be shown you accommodations." The Rider named Henrik said.
"Come." Galahad said to Quinn and me.
I didn't like how Quinn and Pyrrha both scowled like they thought being stuck with Oak and me was the worst fate in the whole world.
   Galahad and Henrik led us boys down one corridor and the female Rider led Sarai and Jack down another one.
   They came to a line of rooms on either side of the corridor.
   Galahad and Henrik showed them their rooms and then left them to settle in.
   I didn't know what to think of the room provided for Oak and I. It was marvelous and was made to house dragons several times larger than Oak.
   "Nice." Oak said, the plants moving slightly with his movements. "Reminds me of home."
   "Glad you like it." I said glumly. I still missed my family's home in Ellesméra, especially my parents.
   I collapsed on the bed, feeling empty and lonely, like I was unwanted.
   Oak nuzzled by face with his snout.
   "It will be okay. It will get better. I promise." Oak told me. It was something that kept me going through these lonely years. It was something that I would never forget even when I was at my lowest in life.