Chapter 8

Upon hearing the sound of the ringing the students of the academy quickly finished their meals and then headed out to start their classes. David followed his friends out and waved them goodbye as they left for their classes.

“Good luck on your classes”, said David.

“Classes, the worst part of the academy”, said Flora with a look of dread plastered on her face.

“You do realize the whole point of the academy is to learn right”, said Akiri as he walked by Flora’s causing her grown.

“Don’t remind me”, said Flora with her face bowed down as not looking forward to having to head back to class and pretend to be interested in whatever topic the teacher would be busy teaching while also simultaneous fighting on her desk.

Akiri by contrast seemed excited to return to class eager to get back to his studies especially since he was a bit reoccupied during the past few days, spending them with most Flora as really needed someone during back then and for whatever reason she came to him. It wasn’t something that he expected but he wasn’t something that he hated either, sure he loved to spend his time in the library studying but he also deeply cared about Flora, and he needed someone as well.

“Come on, Flora don’t be like that. You know knowledge is the most important and crucial thing in the world”, said Akiri.

“Is that why I have to trade my sanity and peace of mind to get it”, retorted Flora as she continued to drag her feet forward, seemingly forcing them to move.

“Bye David, good luck with your new classes”, Susan waved back at him.

“Thanks Susan”, said David with smile on his face as he watched as she, a reluctant Flora and an eager Akiri left, leaving him standing all alone in front of the cafeteria’s doors.

He let out as he watched them all leave, once again finding himself standing all alone. He couldn’t help but feel a ting of sadness way against his heart as thought to himself if this could one day be the new norm in his, standing alone with no one, friends, family, just him. Bring out the locket that hung on his neck, replaying the events that happened that day in his mind, recalling how they all looked at him with hopeful eyes as though he was some kind of a saviour. Those eyes, all staring at him all at once, made him feel as though he was crushed and suffocated by the overwhelming weight of all the hopes and dreams being mounted on his shoulders and all because he was the son of Ibierana, the apparently the next Golden Dragon Warrior.

“Hey kid”, a voice spoke snapping him out of his thoughts.

David, as he came back to reality, locked eyes with Flani who was now standing in front of him.

“Sorry I’m a little late, I got side tracked by something”, said Flani.

“Anyway, come on let’s get going, you’re already late for class as it is “, said Flani as she grabbed David and proceeded to drag him away before he could say or do anything.

The next thing David knew he was out of the academy’s gates flying high on Flani’s fire dragon.

“When Richard told me you couldn’t summon your dragon I honestly thought he was joking”, said Flani, still couldn’t believe that David couldn’t do something as easy as summon a dragon.

“Yeah uhm, I guess I never really learnt how to”, said David jokingly while scratching the back of his head.

“That’s like saying you were never thought how to breath”, said Flani.

“Oh, then I don’t really know”, said David as it began to dawn on him just how peculiar his inability to summon a dragon was.

Flani just let out a deep sigh before saying, “Well you aren’t exactly a normal dragon warrior, give it time kid, I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually”.

“Yeah”, said David with a slight smile on his face.

David then looked down noticed that they just flew past the Golden Temple and upon doing so a thought crossed his mind, where exactly where they headed to.

“Where exactly we going, shouldn’t my new class be in the academy”, said David.

“You’re a golden dragon warrior, do you honestly think the academy would be a suitable place to train you”, said Flani.

“So where are we going?” asked David.

“Oh, you’ll see soon enough. Hold on tight”, said Flani as she increased the speed of her dragon, causing David to instinctively hold on to her for dare life.

Moments later the red fiery dragon made its way down, descending down from the sky and landed next to a lake that sat in middle of the forest.

“You sure took your time to get here”, greeted Araban who standing next to none other than Richard and Boma, the academy’s nurse next to the lake.

Flani and David then came down from the dragon.

“You’re fashionably late my dear”, said Richard.

“We aren’t that late”, said Flani causing Araban to roll his eyes in annoyance.

“Time, especially when performing a task a demanding as this, is something that should not be wasted”, said Araban.

“Another one of your oh so great parables, you know Araban, you should have been a teacher in the academy instead of gate keeper”, said Flani.

Araban simply scoffed at her statement before, “Please, if I had to spend more than a second around those undisciplined trouble makers I would go mad, especially if it were the insufferable fire dragon warrior Richard had to oh so brilliant idea to dump on me”.

“Oh, you mean Steven. Yeah, he’s a real piece of work, a little rough around the edges but kid’s got potential”, said Flani.

“Oh Steven, that boy worries me. I can’t count the number of students that had to pay a visit to the infirmary because of him”, said Boma with an exasperated sigh as she recalled all the students she had to attend to all because of Steven

David just wore look of confusion as he watched them all continued their gist, thinking that Flani was supposed to take him to his new class not to a lake in the middle of the forest to meet the Head Master, nurse, and gate keeper who were all business discussing to attend to him.

“Er…excuse me”, David said, drawing all their attention him.

David, seeing that all eyes were now on him, couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed.

“Uhm”, he spoke, his nervousness showing in his voice, “I thought I was here to start my new classes”.

“Ah yes”, Richard spoke up.

“My apologies David, please come”, said Richard as moved closer to the, inviting David to follow.

David, not entirely sure of what exactly was going on, simply followed, moving forward and joined Richard.

“This should be good”, said Flani with a slight smirk on her face.

“Indeed”, Araban added.

David, now standing next to Richard, turned to him, with a look of confusion still plastered on his face before saying, “Er…sir, what exactly am I supposed to be doing here”?

“How proficient are you at using the power of the earth”, said Richard.

“Uhm, pretty good I guess”, replied David.

Richard then grabbed hold of David’s arm, bringing it down and placing on the ground mere inches away from the lake.

“I want to extend your sense, make them penetrate and reach down deep in to the earth”, said Richard.

“Why?” asked David.

Richard upon hearing David’s question just smiled before saying, “You’ll see”.

David just let out a deep sigh before doing as Richard instructed, closing his eyes shut and focusing on the earth below.

“What do you sense David?” asked Richard.

“Nothing much, you, Mrs Flani, Mr Araban, and Mr Boma, the surrounding trees, a few rodents running around a couple of insects and…”, David paused, sensing something below, something big, underneath the lake itself.

“You feel it don’t”, asked Richard.

“It’s massive”, replied David.

“Good, raise it up”, said Richard.

“I don’t know if I can”, said David.

“You’re Ibierana’s son aren’t you? Of course you can”, said Richard.

David then let out another sigh before doing at Richard instructed, using the power earth to try and raise what laid underneath the lake. It took a moment but soon the earth began to tremble and shake as earth rose out from the waters of the lake.

David then opened his eyes before collapsing on his butt while panting out of exhaustion.

“Well done David, to think you were able to accomplish this on your first try”, said Richard with a proud smile on his face.

David was too exhausted to bask in the praise Richard gave just continued panting.

Richard then went up to the massive piece earth David rose up from the lake and, using the power earth, he split it open it upon to revealing a hidden tunnel and a flight of stairs leading down deep in to the lake.

“What? Stairs?” David spoke up in shock upon seeing the stake of stair hidden with the earth.

Richard then went in, making his way down through the stairs followed by Araban and Boma.

“Come along kid”, Flani didn’t even give David a moment to fully process or get out of his shock before dragging of the ground on to the stairs, following Richard along Araban and Boma.

Down below as they descended deeper in tunnel, the lightly slowly dimmer and dimmer before eventually fading away completely but Flani, using her powers, conjured up a flaming ember on her hand to light the path ahead.

David, looking around the tunnel, was able to notice just how old it was it was from the cracks licking out lake water and muss growing around the walls and floor.

“What is this place?” asked David.

“You’ll find out soon enough kid”, said Flani.

David was beginning to find that phrase to be somewhat annoying.

Araban who walked next to Richard couldn’t help but chuckle lightly before saying, “You know the situation we’re in is somewhat ironic”.

Richard upon hearing what Araban said could help but smile in agreement.

“It seems as though not too long ago, we along the rest of our brethren were training to the next overseers to help guide and mentor the next golden dragon warrior”, said Araban.

“Remember how much we’re looking forward to it”, said Richard.

Araban couldn’t help but chuckle a little more at his statement, “You looking forward it. If I remember correctly you thought it was a boring job and would much rather go goof away playing all day then study the ancient text along with the rest of us”.

“What did you expect, I was child back then. We all can’t be born bland and dull like you, you know”, said Richard while laughing.

“Bland, excuse me, just because I was serious about fostering the next generation of our world’s greatest and most powerful protector I was bland and dull”, said Araban.

“You would wake up at the crack of dawn, when the rest of the village was sleep just to study”, said Richard.

The both of them then laughed together as they reminisced about the past.

“You know, you’re right. It is ironic”, said Richard as he stopped laughing.

“I thought we lost Ibierana back then I lost my chance to make up for my juvenile behaviour back then. I still remember how childish and immature I was back”, said Richard with a weak smile on his face.

“Hmm, you were but you matured and you honoured our fallen village by creating the academy”, said Araban.

“I know but it wasn’t enough”, said Richard.

There was a brief moment of silence shared between the two men as they continued walking along side each other, a moment shared in memory of past and what they’ve lost to it.

“I still hear them you know. Late at night whenever I shut my ears, there screams forever haunt my dreams”, said Richard breaking the silence.

“As do I” said Araban.

Richard then shifted his gaze to David before smiling.

“Maybe fulfil the task entrusted to us all those years ago, we can truly honour them and silence the screams that plague our dreams”, said Richard.

“Oh the sweet irony of it all” Araban said as they continued making their way through the tunnel.