The Dragon War - Chapter 24

Chapter 24
Dragon Training

I felt bad for Alexander and Ferox.  So much had been happening at the academy that there was barely enough time for Dragon Keeper training.  Once Elysmere hatched, though, we got back into our original routine.
Neither of the boys had gotten the chance to fly with their dragons, and since Symphony was now large enough for Kara to ride, we decided it would be best to teach all three of them to fly at once.
After Tash died, it rained for quite some time, even into the following day.  So we waited for the perfect chance, and it came two days later.  Not a cloud was in sight.
As soon as I woke I found Alexander in the training area with Ferox, Zilia, and Luke.  Ebony was with Silvia in the sand pit, working on her balance in the air.  I could tell from the way Silvia challenged her with different extremes of fire and wind to see how well the white dragon could really fly.
"Where do you want to take off from, Alexander?" I asked him as I walked over and sat with the group.  His eyes lit up like lanterns.
He grinned wide and immediately said, "The Hanging Steps."
"We're going flying today," I promised, indicating to Ferox that he would fly too.  As they began talking again, Zilia entered my mind shyly.  I watched her eyes as she spoke.
Natasha, can you do me a favor? Her hazel eyes pleaded with me.  I nodded once at her.  Do you mind taking Alexander and Luke outside, for at least a moment?  I don't mind that Silvia and Ebony are here, but there's something I have to tell Ferox, and I can't just do it through mind-speak.
Of course, I replied.  "Alexander, Luke," I said aloud.  "Come with me.  I want to show you something." I wasn't sure what that something was yet, but I wanted to get the boys away primarily because Zilia just might tell me later what was to happen between her and Ferox.
I demonstrated to both boys how to saddle a dragon using Icemoon as an example, even though Luke didn't yet have a dragon of his own.  Finally, I found Ferox in the hallway with Darkin and searched out Juniper so that we could begin while Alexander went to get Ebony.
Kara was already waiting for us at the base of the ladder that led out onto the roof with Symphony, who was already so big.  I remembered seeing the Carn Dragon as a little hatchling, no longer than my forearm.  As I walked up to her and gave her a scratch on the nose, Kara grabbed my arm and pointed up through the roof of the academy.  I gave her a questioning look.
"It's Uphorus and the beacons.  They're in a disagreement," she whispered.  I climbed the ladder, sure to have Moonblade's hilt in reach at my hip, ready for anything.
"The sirens aren't worth a fraction of the leather they're made out of!" I heard Kash shout.  Uphorus was standing at the edge of the roof, every last one of the beacons glaring at him.  I thrust my mind into the mix of consciousnesses and heard the dragons reply.
I agree completely.  They're fools!
"Then why did you ever help them?" Rikit shot.  It was the loudest I had ever heard him speak.
I didn't.  They helped me.  I only went to them because they would suit my purposes fine, and if I lost them, it wouldn't matter.
Just as Deck was about to make a rebuttal, I pushed my way in between the dragon and beacons.  "This ends," I said, drawing my blade if anyone was to question me.  "Uphorus has changed his ways.  He doesn't like the sirens any more than you do, so why are you arguing?" I asked the beacons sharply.  None of them could make a reply.  Miplin bowed her head in guilt and defeat.
I saw Juniper scowl, but she couldn't say anything in response.  She knew I was right.  "It's time to fly," I said, sheathing my sword and calling Kara and Symphony up onto the roof.
Uphorus left then; where to, I couldn't know.  He flew off to the southeast.  I just hoped he would return.  Icemoon arrived soon after with Ferox, Alexander, and their dragons.  Both Ferox and Kara wanted to fly for the first time from the roof of the academy, so we would lead them into the air first.  Since Alexander wanted to fly with Ebony from the Hanging Steps, he would ride Icemoon there with me and it would be his turn to mount his dragon.
I could tell Juniper was still rattled by the confrontation with Uphorus, but she turned her attention to Darkin and Symphony.  "You will hold your wings to your side as your rider mounts, as always.  When you lift off, you must remember to stay firm and straight at first; there is a big difference with a keeper on your back.  Do not lose contact with your Dragon Keeper throughout the flight, because communication is key.  They do not have the strength you do to be in very high altitudes.  Make a system of understanding with your keeper so that neither of you become confused." The dragons absorbed all the knowledge with excitement.
"Keep your wings as steady as possible, and take this time to really become one with your keeper.  By the time you have finished your first flight, no other human should be able to ride you with such ease."
With that, I turned to the keepers and showed them how to saddle their dragons, making them repeat the motion several times until they had the potential to do it with their eyes closed.  I showed them how to properly strap in their legs.
"Remember to stay relaxed.  Don't hold your dragon in a difficult position; you have as much power over them as they do over you.  You can't tense and confuse them, or they'll have a hard time flying." Alexander, Ferox, and Kara continued to nod at me, all of them serious.  I could see the glimmering happiness in their eyes, though, and soon Kara and Ferox were sitting on their colorful dragons, looking out into the endless expanse before them.
Juniper stood there beside Icemoon, who I was mounted on with a smile as I watched the two new keepers.  With the same rhythmic movements, the dragons dipped their heads forward, fanned out their wings, and soared into the air.  Icemoon followed with haste.  I laughed as Kara and Ferox tried to adapt to the flying.  Their dragons did very well in staying steady.  I was glad that nothing bad happened like the last time someone got to fly for the first time and Juniper was captured by the sirens.
Once Darkin and Symphony both landed on the roof again, we readied Alexander to go to the cave.
Our whole family wanted to see him take off, so Silvia and Silvertongue carried them over.  Since such a large chunk of the academy was leaving, everyone else decided to come too.  We all left at different times.  I got there first with Alexander on Icemoon's back to show him the final things he needed to know.  Ebony was readied, the elegant Snow Dragon lifting her neck high up into the air to see the sky and surrounding area from the top of the Hanging Steps.
By the time Alexander was strapped into his saddle, the entire academy was below us in the training cave.  Every keeper mounted their dragon in preparation to fly out after us.
"Make it a good run, Alexander," I said.  "Give him a spin or two," I added to Ebony.  The young dragon smiled at me.
When she tensed her muscles and leapt into the air, I got the rushing feeling I first had when Icemoon did the same thing over a year ago.  Alexander let loose a cry as Ebony soared up and out of the cave.  Icemoon followed her soon after, and we watched Alexander the whole while, laughing.
Soon the air was filled with dragons.  I had never felt so at peace than I did there.  There were 11 dragons total, including Silvertongue, Lathlia, and Crypten (all the keeperless dragons).  Aestus and Valli stood at the top of the Hanging Steps with their hatchlings, eagerly looking forward to the time when they would fly.
The dragons spun around one another, underneath one another, and with one another.  I saw flashes of color all around me.  Glittering scales sparkled in the sunlight.  Green, purple, orange, and silver.
It was while we were flying that I saw Twilight suddenly drift out of my sight.  Zilia was pulling him to the back of the horde and watching everything from a distance.  I saw a serene, calm smile on her face.  She was always so lost and tense in her feelings, but I saw a change in her.  As I brought Icemoon near, I noticed the reason for the difference.  The haven she wore around her neck was not the same gem as her sword.
Did you and Ferox exchange havens? I asked her.  Startled, she turned to me.  Twilight was pretending to ignore the conversation, but I could see the curiosity in what we were saying in his eyes.
Yes, Zilia said, another smile lighting her face.  We were motionless there in the air for several moments as we watched the Dragon Keepers.  What advice would you give me? The question surprised me.
I can hardly give you advice, I replied with sarcasm.  We're the same age.
Age doesn't matter, she retorted.  If you could give me any advice, what would it be?
I thought hard for a moment.  How could I give someone else counsel about their feelings?  Then I looked out into the air and watched Judah as Aduro spun and playfully chased Crypten.  My eyes never wavered as I told Zilia, The only thing I can tell you is to never let go of what you have.  Even in the most dire of circumstances and the most frightening of moments, you have to focus fully on why you are there, and who it is you love. I only glanced over at her when she didn't respond.  I could see her thinking about what I had said.
By that time we were slowly pulled back into the group of dragons, so there wasn't anything else to say.  We flew for at least two hours there together, and arrived back at the training area to find the others eagerly waiting to go back to the academy.
I would never forget that time we all spent together as a family.

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Nearly a month had passed and I started watching Lathlia with a keen interest, even though she didn't know it.  There was a reason for it, too.
I was in the training area with Valli, Aestus, Alexandria, and Relia.  Even though Relia wasn't yet a Dragon Keeper, I knew she had enough potential to be a part of our training that day.  Uphorus was over in the corner eating.  He had only drifted around the academy like a lost dog, unsure of whether he wanted to stay or not.  Whether he actually came inside or not, I often saw him at the bottom of the mountain over Tash's grave alone.  Garnet never seemed to visit it at the same time he did, even though she often tried to do it that way.  She was trying to draw closer to the old dragon since they had such a connection.
Anyway, Elysmere, Celeste, and Prophecy were all with Silvertongue in the rocky area of the room, learning from him about Ka'ash Dragons.  It was especially good for Elysmere.
I, on the other hand, was teaching the girls with me more about sword handling, since they all had a knack for it.  Aestus was better with a bow, so she carried her cedar bow and a quiver of arrows with her nearly everywhere she went.  She received a sword from Sam upon Celeste's hatching, though, and I was trying to teach her how to wield it.
"No," I said sharply to Relia as I concentrated again on her sparring with Alexandria.  "You both do this over and over again." I walked toward them as they froze in position.  I tapped on the bottom of Relia's blade.  "If you don't keep your sword up, you leave yourself open to attack in the most vulnerable place."  She nodded and corrected her mistake.  Since I had mentioned that aspect of their sword handling, both students tried to avoid making me mention it again.  They did a good job, and Aestus learned a lot from that session.
Sam joined us later with Lybia.  "Can you watch her for me, Natasha?" he asked, obviously in a rush.  "I'm late for my own class." I nodded at him and he was gone before I could blink.  I sat there with Lybia for some time listening to the dragons learn, since the students I had been teaching were all gone now.  They had taken Aestus to her first weapons training class.
Lybia looked often from me to the dragons, then back again.  She transfixed her blue eyes on everything in the room at least twice before Lathlia came.  And when Lathlia arrives, it's all over.  Lybia nearly leapt from my arms toward the yellow dragon in excitement.  She babbled over and over again in that little baby language that no one understood as I held her in front of the dragon's nose.  Lathlia breathed a soft, warm air in Lybia's face, but she wasn't fazed in the least.
I sat on Lathlia's back for the first time then just so Lybia could experience what it was like to be a Dragon Keeper.  She's quite a handful, I laughed to the dragon.
An amusing child, though I see something special in her. I didn't reply to that, just thought about it.  
Finally, after holding Lybia there for a while, I asked, Do you still consider Steven to be your keeper? I felt the dragon's neck tense, though her answer was calm.
No.  He never really felt like a keeper to me.  He might even be dead. That was how the idea arose to me that Lybia could potentially become Lathlia's Dragon Keeper.  When a keeper died, they could be replaced by one who can speak to dragons but doesn't have a dragon or isn't destined to have one based on Coleck Malathai.  I kept this to myself, though.  I would tell Lathlia only if I continued to feel that way.
I smiled down at Lybia as I watched her finger a yellow scale.  Why not?