After Gwen satisfied her appetite, she and Sibby parted from Rose to get to their flying lessons.
The training grounds were situated in a secluded corner of the academy, one side opened to the Great Dale and the other was hidden behind a large wall and surrounded by dense trees and bushes.
The area was equipped with various structures and facilities including a landing zone, a large open space that allowed dragons and wyverns to take off and land safely. The landing zone was covered with a special material that could withstand the heat and force of fire.
There were also several training modules where cadets learned how to ride and control their firebreathers, which included mock battles, obstacle courses and various exercises to improve their skills. There was a separate training area for the Drakes as well.
"I hate this place," Sibby muttered, her voice taking on an edge. "It always feels like a prison."
She was practically bristling with anger and tension, her eyes darting around and for a moment, Gwen expected something to jump out of her.
However, despite Sibby's tense behavior, Gwen gave her a reassuring pat on the back, her expression sympathetic. "I know what you mean," she said, her eyes studying the training modules with a mixture of distaste and resignation.
"It's so... structured." Sibby muttered, her voice laced with disgust. "All of this... training. Sparring. Formations. It's like they've forgotten that battle is supposed to be chaos and fury. They've turned it into a damned sport."
Gwen had this urge to know why Sibby seemed to be so bent up in finding drama and trouble all the time, but she thought better of it and sighed, "Unfortunately, we have to deal with it whether we like it or not." Gwen glanced at Zyre who stood nearby, his silver scales gleaming in the sunlight. "And we all know he certainly doesn't like it."
Zyre huffed in her head, "This place is a mockery. A pitiful attempt at preparing young, naive children for the true horrors of war"
"You know, for an ancient, grumpy dragon, you've got a point," she muttered back in the bond.
"Bala doesn't like it either," Sibby gestured towards her own Ember Crystal Wyvern who seemed to be glaring and flaring her nostrils at every human that passed at a fifteen feet distance from her.
"Looks like she'd much rather be burning this place to the ground than be here," Gwen remarked as they stepped towards the two-legged firebreather. She stood all in her fierce glory, her crystallin scales were a deadly combination of red and black and her dark skin slowly dissipated into branches as it reached her mighty bright red wings.
She was fiercly gorgeous.
Her mismatched golden and blue eyes landed on Gwen and narrowed, making her halt in her steps.
Shit.
Being so casual with Zyre made her forget how deadly the firebreathers could be.
Zyre growled from a distance, warning Bala with his blistering glare.
Bala huffed in response.
Sibby patted her scales, "Easy there, girl. I know there are humans nearby, and you don't like their smell but Gwen is a good one." Bala regarded Gwen suspiciously for a moment before diverting her attention to her bonded flyer again.
Sibby looked at Gwen and chuckled, "Don't worry, her bark is worse than her bite." Gwen took a deep breath before Sibby added, "Mostly."
Right.
Leaving the fierce duo to themselves, Gwen began to trek where Zyre stood at a distance from the other Firebreathers. Zyre stood tall and majestic, his silvery scales gleamed in the sunlight and for a moment, Gwen was taken aback by his beauty and grace.
Show-off, she thought to herself that earned her a huff.
"Perhaps you are mistaken, chosen one. I do not show-off. I merely exist in my splendid form to humble the likes of your kind," he replied with a flick of his tail.
Gwen chuckled, shaking her head. "You know we have to go through the training exercises together, right?" She reminded him, but he let out an annoyed snort.
"I have no patience for such foolishness," he said snidely. "I am the Legendary Monarch, not some puny pet to be trained like the others."
Gwen rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips in frustration, "Yeah, yeah, I know you're the Legendary Monarch with a huge ego and all that, but you got to play along."
Zyre huffed in disdain at Gwen's comment, his tail swishing in irritation. "I do not have a huge ego," he snapped back, his eyes narrowing. "I simply possess a sense of superiority befitting one of my stature."
He took a moment to glare at the other Firebreathers nearby, his silver scales glinting in the sunlight. "I am the Legendary Monarch, and the thought of being trained like a common pet is absurd. I am a force to be reckoned with, not some child's plaything."
Gwen opened her mouth to retort but a loud whistle echoed in the training grounds, making her turn around to glance at its origin Her face immediately dropped.
It was the same Professor with salt and pepper hair who pummeled her to the ground the day when she bonded with Zyre. It seemed that a wave of recognition hit Zyre as well because the dragon began curling his tongue, seething at the middle-aged man.
"Good morning, cadets. I hope you haven't eaten excessive breakfast today because we are going to practice somersaulting."
Dread coated Gwen's insides as she heard the Professor's words. The food in her stomach was already churning just by hearing about it. The very first day of her flying lessons, and she would already do somersaults?
The Professor spotted Gwen and a grin displayed on his features as he approached her.
"Cadet Evegheden," his smile was wicked, "I see you have bonded with the Legendary Monarch." There was a spark of awe in his eyes as he took in the length of the majestic firebreather.
Zyre growled, "That insolent cur. Allow me to crush the life out of him with a single talon."
"Since you skipped a year, you will have to take extra classes with Cadet Thorndyke," he frowned and Gwen held on that last restrain to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Not fucking Thorndyke again. "Due to this reason alone, the Monarch will too have to work side by side with you outside of class timings."
Zyre's tail thrashed with irritation as he muttered in her head. "That spineless piece of—"
"Zyre," Gwen warned, but he carried on without pause.
"To think that this buffoon has the audacity to give orders to me," he huffed, his nostrils flaring with disdain. "The sheer cheek of him is mind-boggling."
It appeared that the Professor got a hint of Zyre's wrath because he suddenly paled a little and backed a few steps. He cleared his throat, trying to feign indifference as he continued, "As I was saying, Cadet Evegheden. First, your House Captain will tutor you the basics, then we will begin with your normal classes. You will have to keep up yourself in order to graduate."
Otherwise, you will be responsible for the consequences. The words were left unspoken as the Professor grinned and turned, leaving to look at the other cadets.
Gwen could help but groan. First, they themselves made her skip a year for God knew why and now they wanted her to keep up with her year while studying the basics of the foundation year as well?
Trollshit. Utter trollshit.
She didn't sign up for this when she stepped on Mount Percival.
"Spine made from limp noodles," Zyre muttered, his eyes following the Professor who was now talking to Thorndyke, "He might as well be a jellyfish. He has the same resilience."
Gwen mentally rolled her eyes, trying to keep her own annoyance in check.
"We have to play nice," she reminded him, but Zyre continued to grumble under his breath.
Gwen raised her chin as Thorndyke approached her. Beside him was the same female Nightstorm from the other day who appeared to show defiance towards Zyre.
"Saya," he grumbled under his breath, "Luther's insufferable heir and this boy's bonded one."
Almost on cue, Saya narrowed her eyes at Zyre, her teeth baring in a snarl.
"I have half a mind to burn them all to ashes right here," he growled, his scales bristling with pent-up frustration. "What an utter indignity, being forced to train alongside such impudent creatures."
While Zyre was blazing in fury, Gwen had her own problems to deal with. Like restraining herself from wiping that smirk off Thorndyke's smug face.
"Looks like you've got your hands full there," he drawled, gesturing to Zyre. "Hope he doesn't burn this whole place down in his rage."
Zyre's silver eyes narrowed on Thorndyke, his scales bristling. "Careful, boy," he growled. "I ought to burn more than just this place down for this insult."
"He threatens to reduce you to cinders," Gwen's smile was clipped, she herself was offended at his comment.
Saya growled almost immediately, seething at Zyre and he flicked his tail as a reaction.
They looked less like the legendary dragons and more like two dogs barking at each other through a fence.
Thorndyke, the intolerable jerk, crossed his arms, "Easy there, big guy. We're all on the same side here, no need to threaten anyone just because you're a little too proud."
Thorndyke was enjoying it and Gwen could sense it all too well. The tension between the two firebreathers was growing so, before they reduced the entire academy to ruins, Gwen interrupted them.
"Alright, knock it off, you two," she said firmly to Zyre and Saya, "we're supposed to be cooperating, not tearing each other to shreds."
She turned her pleading eyes to Saya who caught Gwen's gaze with her cold one, but there was a spark of amusement in her blood red eyes.
A moment passed before the female Nightstorm took a step back. The tension in Gwen's shoulders relaxed slightly, thankful at the Nightstorm for the small display of understanding.
Atleast someone was wise here.
Zyre muttered under his breath. "Just because we're cooperating doesn't mean I won't incinerate them the moment they overstep their bounds."
Gwen shot Zyre a look, silently urging him to keep his temper in check.
The last thing they needed was a full-on dragon brawl in the middle of the training grounds.