Reynold catch his breath for a moment. His chest was rising and falling as be breath. Then he stood up straight after he recovered.
Professor Dayne stared at him for a while before asking. "Ready to give it another try?"
Reynold nodded. "Yes."
Before he could move, professor Dayne stepped closer. "When you want to maneuver, keep your body low and don’t sit up tall, instead, sink your weight into the saddle and feel the dragon under you. If you stay stiff, you will fly off again."
Reynold nodded. "Thank you.."
"Do you know the Draconic commands for the dive and the recover?" she asked. "And the physical signals that go with them?"
"Yes," Reynold said and then went ahead to say them. "Thren vok! is the command to dive and maneuver. You lean forward, and put your weight on the withers, either right or left, to tell it which direction to go. Then Vaesuth ra! is the command to pull up and recover after a dive. You shift your weight back, palms flat on the nape as you give the command. Riders use it right after a dive, before impact."
Professor Dayne gave a small nod. "Impressive. Now let’s see you put it to work."
Reynold climbed onto Aurion’s back. He pulled the rein gently and the black dragon pushed off the ground and fly into the air.
They flew for a short distance. And the wind was rushing past Reynold’s face.
From the ground, Professor Dayne’s voice sounded through the air. "Dive now!"
Reynold leaned forward and put his weight on the withers and called out, "Thren vok!"
Aurion dropped hard immediately. The ground rushed up. Reynold’s body slid and for a second he almost fell off again.
But he gripped the rein tight and forced his legs back into position. Then he shifted his weight back, pressed his palms flat on the nape, and shouted, "Vaesuth ra!"
The black dragon leveled out at once. They pulled up smooth and clean with Reynold falling.
Reynold let out a short chuckle that almost turn into a smile.
Once Aurion was steady again, Reynold did it for the second time.
"Thren vok!"
The dive was quick this time that he nearly lost his seat once again, but he held on and recovered.
"Vaesuth ra!"
He said again and the dragon pull up smoothly again.
Reynold face turn into a smile and he did it for the third time. This time his body stayed firm and he did slip or scramble.
Reynold started laughing.
He shifted his weight down and back in a slow, steady motion and gave the landing command. "Kaeldrun."
Aurion started to drop slowly. The dragon’s wings caught the air and they landed soft on the training field.
Reynold did not climb down right away. He sat on the dragon back smiling, as if he still could not believe he actually did it without falling.
After a moment he slid to the ground.
Professor Dayne walked over. "You did great."
Reynold grinned. "Thank you, Professor."
She checked the watch on her wrist. "I have to go. I have a meeting with the headmaster."
Reynold nodded. "Thank you."
Reynold did not leave the training field immediately. With the smile still on his face, he walked back to where his three dragons were. He stopped by Aurion, and rubbed his black scales before pressing a quick kiss to his snout. He then moved down the line, doing the same to Pyreus, the dark-red dragon, and Thornox, the brown one, petting them one after the other.
He was still rubbing Thornox’s brown neck when his eyes lifted to the sky. A small flock of birds were flying above the field.
Reynold raised one hand and thin threads of storm light gathered around his fingers. Then he sent a quick strike upward.
The birds dropped.
Reynold picked up one of the fallen birds and tossed it in front of Thornox. "Zharaak, vrek!" he commanded.
The brown dragon breathed out a a short jet of fire. The meat charred in an instant and Thornox swallowed everything immediately.
Reynold chuckled and he took another bird and did the same for Pyreus. The dark-red dragon burned it and ate it. Then he fed Aurion the last one.
He waited until every scrap was gone.
Every rider knew the rule—never disturb a dragon while it is eating, or you will learn the hard way.
When they finished, Reynold stepped close again. He kissed each one and gave three firm pats on the neck. The three dragons turned, spread their wings, and flew off toward the stables.
Reynold let out a long breath. The smile was still there as he left the training field.
He was out of the training to see cadets were rushing toward the information board. Most of them yelling at the other.
"Hurry up! The tournament list is out!"
The moment Reynold heard the words, he changed his direction quickly. He reached the board and stretched his neck to see the Year One names.
Just then, someone shouted near the front. "By the flames, they got Richard on the list! They actually got the master of gambles on the list!"
The voice belonged to that brown-bag dude with the thick British street accent.
Another student gasped. "Holy flame... how did they get the master of gambles to agree to this?"
A third voice murmured, ""I’m actually liking our chances in this tournament now."
Reynold frowned. Who the hell is the master of gambles? He had never heard the name Richard before.
And everyone around him sounded excited about the boy.
Reynold shake his head and stood onto his toes and scanned the Year One list. His own name was there.
A small smile touched his mouth. He turned and started walking toward his dorm. He still needed to get ready for magic-user class.
Just then Nymeria stepped directly into his path.
Reynold’s smile vanished immediately seeing who it was. "Hi."
She looked him over. "Wow. Looks like someone made the list."
"Yeah," Reynold said. "Thanks... about that."
Nymeria’s voice was calm. "Just like I told you. Nothing is given for free. I’m not really a bedtime-story person, so I will pass on that offer. But you own me one. And who knows? It might come in handy one day."
She gave a small tilt of her head. "Have a nice day, Starweaver."
She walked past him without another word.
Reynold turned his head and watched her go. He did not speak but just stare at her.
Nymeria walk towards the magic user building and then head straight to the Year Three magic-user dorm. She stopped at one of the doors and knocked.
After a moment, the door opened with a a soft click of magic sound.
Inside, a boy was sitting and facing the window. Nymeria could not see what he was doing, but she already knew. She didn’t need to have a glimpse to know he was either playing chess or card game.
Nymeria stood at the doorway for a moment. Then she spoke, slowly and quiet.
"I might have gotten your name on the list. I know you don’t want anything to do with the school tournaments ... but I really need you in this one."
The figure did not move at first. Then, after a moment, the boy slowly rotated his chair while still sitting.
His voice came out low, smooth, and almost poisonous.
"Pick a game," he murmured, his gaze fixed entirely on Nymeria. "Anyone with the better score decides. Five rounds. If you win, I participate in the tournament. If you lose, I am completely out."
He paused, shifting his head very slowly to the right, as a dark, amusement-filled glint in his eyes.
"What do you say, Nymeria? You in, or out?"
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