It has been three long months, the academy exams appraisal exam will start the very same day... It was a prominent day for all young and old to see the new generation of Dragon Riders and graduates take to the skies antop of magnificent beasts. Soon, Zariah looked at Ashter, she smiled, almost reminising in the old years of her youth.
"You remind me so much of your father." She said, pushing his longer hair back behind his ear. He looked so much like him...
"You just... Grew up to become a handsome young man. I hope you find someone to share your life with just as much as-" Zariah is cut off, with a blushing Ashter,
"M-Mom... I still have many years ahead of me..." He said,
"I know." Zariah pulls her hand back,
"But for a Dragon Rider... I fear... I fear you..." Zariah almost cried as the man chuckled,
"Don't worry, mom, I'll be fine." He said, as Bismuth lands on the floor, his body grew a lot bigger despite being 3 months old.
"Take good care of my boy, alright, Bisy?" Zariah asked, as Bismuth growled, as if trying to speak with her,
"Kraa..." In response, he said yes, he would take care of Ashter. After all... He's a dragon unlike anything witnessed before.
While many can become a higher rank... Bismuth knows his worth.
After all, he's not supposed to have the size until way later in life. He is, after all, bigger than those his age. For a specific reason to...
But as he walked to the door, Ashter stood... He reminisces on the times spent here... His life... All comes down to this. A simple motion of his hand is seen, stopping before touching the door.
"..." It was... A lot to take in. To leave his mother... His home... As in his hand, some guilt, a guilt that...
"Something the matter, Ashter?" Zariah wondered, unsure as to why he was so hesitant.
"I-I am just worried you might feel alone... Maybe miss us..." He shows his concerns for his mother, as Zariah was a bit taken aback, but smiled. She always knew Ashter was overly sensitive like a little boy who broke a prized heirloom. Guilty, an adorable guilty expression.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Worry about yourself. Worry about your dragon." Zariah guides her hand to the dragon, betting on the large white head, the horns curved and swirling back, as the scales were hardened due to the magical power of a dragon or the natural growth of the dragon in question. Maybe both. As they developed, dragons developed ways to keep themselves clean and in tip-top shape. Their scales can be used to make weapons and are particularly valuable, more valuable than the dragon, due to the production of HUNDREDS of scales that are infused with years of magical power that dictate their strength and combat capabilities.
For example, a Silver Rank scale can be used for basic armors and weapons. Maybe even jewelry as dragon scale jewelry, is a forever trend that mainly nobles can afford.
"Remember to assign the land where Bismuth will be placed," Zariah said, hoping that he and the dragon would be the best.
"I will, Mom." With a bag in hand... He breathed, before he opened the door...
"I LOVE YOU!!!" Zariah shouts, as Bismuth crawled beside him, the dragon jumped, as...
"Ah...!" With a bit of hoisting, the dragon's wrapped around its owner, its head resting on his shoulder. He was indeed a big boy as the wings rested on Bismuth's back.
"You know we'll only look ridiculous as you grow," Ashter complained, but Bismuth blew a bit of warm breath as if not giving a crap.
"... I hope I can learn some magic stuff with you..." He sighed... Passing by many, he waved to familiar faces, many cheered as the 5th Circle was... Not a nice place. But there are plenty of hard workers here, from farmers to artists, who are just getting by. Many gates are seen, as Ashter flashed a badge of the academy with has three rough claw marks symbolizing a dragon's claws. The guards let him through... As one by one, from 4 to 3 and 2 and finally... The 1st Circle. Staring at the HUGE building, Ashter walked to the school, and many students talked and discussed their future classes. Dragons of varying sizes, many of which had their eyes closed or on their owners, suddenly peeked and looked at the boy.
"?" Ashter noticed the glares from the dragons. It was a bit intimidating since many of them are developed in stages, where they can use magic, and the rider can utilize their magic in small amounts.
"...?" But then he noticed that the stares were pinned at Bismuth, the scaly white dragon, only resting, his scales shimmered in the sunlight.
"What is going on with them?" He wondered, as many of the dragons were smaller than normal, due to the ranks, most likely.
"Why?" He wondered, as Bismuth was only three months old, yet it was far larger than the majority of the dragons here.
"?" But then some people notice the dragon... They stare, awed by the shiny scales, but dare not get closer, in case it's some rich boy who managed to get the dragon because of his family. Meaning they're influential. If they're rich too, that means a world of pain if...
"His dragon is a lot bigger."
"Maybe it's an older dragon?" People gossip,
"You're putting so much unnecessary attention on me, Bismuth," Ashter complained, but sighed and smiled as he is then petting the dragon, Bismuth only growled a little in a soft purr.
"..." Soon, Ashter walked into the academy entrance, as it was... Wow...
A grand room, tall and authoritative, is seen. Many different decorations yet such simplistic designs screamed "old" as the academy was made in ancient times, when the Castalix Kingdom had its first wave of Dragon Riders. The academy's ceiling is far above their heads, almost as if an elaborate church, its peerless appearance due to...
"FWOOSH!" Small dragons of Bronze Rank are seen with dusters cleaning the hard-to-reach areas, and some Silver Ranked Dragon Riders help, riding their dragons, which were in the Adult Stage but were only bigger than their owners, allowing for flight.
But then he noted something... Students with their Bronze Rank dragons... Small dragons in bags, on their shoulder, it seems there's a trend amongst the students.
"There's a big trend in fashion," Ashter noted that amongst the richer students, it seems they have decorated their dragons by adding jewelry on their heads, clothes on their backs with varying designs, and makeup.
"Krrrrr..." Bismuth didn't like that. Staring is disdain at the pampered dragons.
"So you're a trend hater? Makes you the only one." Ashter personally liked the concept. But Bismuth might not be up for it. But soon he comes closer to a desk in the middle of the room.
"Uh... Hi." He soon walked up to a woman, and as she noticed him,
"Oh, welcome-" She stopped as if seeing a ghost. But what she's seeing...
"What a peculiar dragon." She said, gazing at it...
"Wow..." Awed, she soon confuses the boy,
"Thanks? L-Look, I am just here to receive my ID." Ashter responds, much to her surprise,
"Ah! Excuse me for my... What's your name, sir?" She immediently cleared her throat, regaining her composure.
"Ashter Lake." He said, and with a bit of surprise,
"Ah... Hm? Ashter Lake? Did I hear..." She noted his white shirt and brown pants. It looked... No, it can't... Can it?
"Huh..." She was thrown for a loop, before shaking it off, she looked at the list of people. Their birthplace... Everything was on paper.
"My apologies once again. Here is your ID. Please head to the dining hall for your appraisal exam." She said, as Ashter walked amidst the hall of other students, many of whom do not have their dragons, while some do, but many are small, little guys. Some of them are bigger, almost the size of their forearms.
Growth of a Dragon!
Hatchling, 1-2 months old. They are generally as small as a fist, and when elongated, can be as long as a forearm.
Wyrmling
The first stage of a dragon's growth is 3 months old. They can glide in the air and can produce magical attacks.
Young
Around 4-6 months old. They're able to fly for short periods and can morph into weapons for their masters to use.
Juvenile
When becoming a juvenile, before turning 1 year old, they're around the size of a horse. (Possible retcon)
Adult
The largest size is around 5 years old. They can fly, fight, and their masters can utilize their full magical capabilities and perform the "Bond Skill" that fuses their beings.
They're generally this age throughout their life until hitting their Elder years at 75 years old. Then, even beyond their master's death, when released into the wild as a form of departure between the dragon and their master, they would soon live and have their children. When reaching hundreds of years old will become Elders and throughout the time their magical pool is beyond the adult that no rider can tame them.
Some students had Juvenile dragons, but...
"Why are they so much smaller?" Ashter deduced it by their capability to fly and by utilizing magical attacks. Bismuth is only a Wyrmling after all, barely hatched from his egg.
"..." He hopes he isn't some giant that he needs to care for. As he entered the hall, many students sshowedoff their dragon, showing their wingspan, and even utilizing their magical capabilities, them being in the "Young" stage.
Some can't, so that's that.
As he sits down, Bismuth lies on the table.
Hopefully ,I can make a mark here for Bismuth to rest. He's getting too big for my neck...' Ashter rubbed it, as other students gazed at it, the dragon was indeed pretty, even Ashter ensured he was properly clean. Of course, as time goes on, Bismuth can learn how to use magic to clean his scales and even the ones that can come off, the ones with gaps and where bugs and such can come in.
'Wait...!' Ashter realized...
'If Bismuth becomes a Juvenile... I can use his scales to make awesome stuff!' He said that dragon scales can be used to make armor and rarely weapons. If shaped right and if the dragon's scale is big enough. Gold-ranked dragons, after all, can grow (Possible retcon) to rival the size of buildings! Silver Ranked dragons can grow to be larger than horses. Bronze Ranked dragons are typically smaller and can't grow much, and are the size of big dogs. But they're perfect for herein,g, that's for sure.
"Who's the kid with the white dragon?" People began to talk, as Ashter listened,
"..." He pulled Bismuth to him,
"Krm?" Bismuth growls a bit,
"!!!" Everyone watched, seeing the sparkling rainbow eyes.
"!?!" Everyone grew awed by it, but when attempting to go close...
"Huh?" The other dragons kept their distance, while some whose dragons were registered at a resting location came to him.
"Excuse me, what's your name?" A girl wondered, as she gazed at Bismuth,
"Your dragon looks so beautiful!" She said,
"Oh... Ashter." Ashter responds, as Bismuth takes note and even allows Ashter to wrap his arms around the dragon.
"Wow...!" The girl gushes as others gather around, asking questions after-
"Students, students. There's no need to cause such a commotion before the appraisal exams!" Spoke...
"!!!" Everyone turned, as there stood...
"It's Principal Janus!" Spoke the students, as...
"ROOOOAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!" Roared a mighty dragon, a Diamond Ranked dragon. But despite its mighty roar, it was in the form of a dragon head with a wisp of flame to compensate for its large size, the principal shaped it using magic to accommodate its large size by making it into a wisp.
"Students... Welcome one and welcome all to Dragon Rider Academy! I am Principal Janus." Janus introduced himself,
"And these are my humble staff members. They will all teach you the ways of being a Dragon Rider here at Dragon Rider Academy." He said, as three teachers are seen.
"Hello, students. I am Professor Lola. I teach Dragon Care and Grooming." Lola said, as her blonde hair was long and her figure was as beautiful, making many boys stare... The girls are awed; they never think such a woman existed!
"Don't worry, students! For I, Fran, will be teaching you Dragon Riding and Combat!" Spoke to a shorter girl named Fran,
"I am Lukas. I will discipline you in the art of strategy and Dragon Studies." Lukas said, as Janus smiled, as the three professors gave their speeches about what they will expect from the students, yada yada yada.
"Now..." Janus claps his hands,
"I know you all are wondering about your ranks. Dragons have latent magical power that we utilize in the skies and on the ground. Ever since Dragon Rider Academy was made, science and technology flourished and birthed the machines we use to this very day!" Janus said, as he strolled in, a large ball was seen, and everyone looked at it.
"The markings on your hands..." Janus shows the marking on the top of his hand,
"Are how we channel and read the magical power of your dragon, and put your given ranking on your IDs. As you place your hand here..." Janus demonstrates, as....
"CLICK!" Many clicks are heard, as cards are flipped...
"Diamond Rank," it said,
"Your dragon's ranking will be shown here. You have the chance of receiving Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, and Platinum, the five ranks that have been used since the VERY first Platinum, Gold, Diamond, Silver, and Bronze dragons were ever born! These five shaped the world we live in, and we prosper in harmony with our companions." Janus said, before...
"Come on up, single-file line!" Janus said, as everyone was apprised...
"Bronze. Bronze. Silver. Bronze." Many Bronze and Silver Ranks were shown,
"Gold Rank!" A few tens had the Gold Rank, and these students show it with pride, others forming groups with them or others as if finding their pack like animals.
"Krrr...?" Bismuth isn't sure what Janus said, but grew curious by this... Thing.
"It's a machine that reads your magical power." Ashter rubs his chin, as Bismuth purred a bit,
"But we did something better for you. My neck is killing me." He chuckled, staying in the far back...
"DIAMOND!?!" Everyone gasps as one girl with long white hair is seen,
"..." She is silent, as her dragon wasn't there, but her results show...
"Diamond..." Ashter said,
"Haha, how are we supposed to get Diamond?" Ashter wondered,
"..." The last student... Ashter. There were over one hundred Bronze Ranks, over 50 Silver Ranks, about 13 Gold Ranks, and 2 Diamond Ranks. A boy and a girl. But as Ashter placed his hand on it...
"SHING!" The ball glows a brilliant light, as...
"!?!" The marking glows just as bright as the four staff members gasp,
"Ah!" Everyone gasps, as...
"PLATINUM!?!" Everyone goes BALLISTIC,
"HUH!?!" Ashter's hand pulls back,
"Platinum...?"
End of chapter 2.