Ray stared at the flying wyvern with a blank expression. “It wouldn’t land here, would it?” As the wyvern flew into the distance, Ray crossed his arms and thought. I wonder how big it is. He glanced over at the dormitory. Could it be that large?

  The men in red-white rushed past him, carrying several boxes, and put them in front of the stage. One of them entered the academy and went to the second floor. After knocking on the door, he informed them about the uniforms. Lysa’s voice carried over the wind. “Give them to Max, Brant and Iuna to distribute among the apprentices.” The man nodded and left.

  Inside the room, Lysa stood by the window, looking over the distant plains. A map lay on the table behind her, with a knife pointed at it. Her hair flowed freely in the wind that carried the scent of blood, smoke, and burnt flesh. “It left.” She let out a deep sigh. “Thank God it didn’t descend.” She stretched her arms, and she pulled the knife out of the wooden table and exited the room.

  She climbed down the stairs, while the apprentices, some wearing white and some wearing maroon, greeted her. As she exited through the main entrance of the academy, she spotted Ray staring at the sky. She sighed and walked toward him. “What are you doing, Ray?”

  He looked over at her and said, “I saw a wyvern flying by.” She patted his back, saying, “Did you? How was it?” Ray scratched his chin. “I could barely see it. I figured it was a bird at first.”

  Lysa’s lips curled upwards. “No wonder you would say that. They do fly really high in the sky.” They both stared at the sky, with the clouds passing over them and the sun shining brightly. Lysa took a deep breath and asked, “Are you interested in hunting one?” Ray blinked and squinted his eyes. “Are you kidding me? I’ll probably die.”

  Lysa’s laugh rang across the ground. “That is true.” She then took a deep breath and asked, “Do you want to watch me hunt one?” Ray pointed at the sky, asking, “The one that was flying above?” Lysa nodded. “Yes, that one.”

  Ray thought for a moment. This offers me an opportunity to observe Lysa in action, plus a chance to observe a wyvern up close. But is it worth the risk?

  “Will you protect me if something happens?” Ray asked, his fingers on his chin. Lysa shook her head and raised her shoulders. “How can I protect you while fighting?”

  Ray frowned and asked, “Wait, you’re going alone?” Lysa nodded. Before Ray could say anything, Lysa smacked his back and laughed. “Don’t think too much; I’m not gonna take you with me, anyway. You’ll only hold me back.”

  Why the hell did you ask then? Huh?

  He took a deep breath and sighed. “But why are you hunting it?” Lysa’s face turned stone cold. “It has been here long enough for it to start burning villages.”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  She rubbed his hair and said, “I’ll be back soon, don’t slack off,” and walked toward the front gate. She stopped and glanced back at Ray and winked. “I’ll bring back for you and Vivian some wyvern souvenirs.”

  Ray waved her goodbye and walked toward the dormitory. What kind of souvenir would it be? Scales? Bones? Teeth…?

  “Ray!” Sera called out to him from near the back gates. She waved him over. Ray sighed and walked over to her. She handed him the uniform and said, “This is our uniform.”

  Ray looked at it and nodded. “Thanks.” And walked back to the dorms while Sera tilted her head, muttering, “He looks lost.”

  Ray, on the other hand, wondered. Tail? Nails? Eyes…?

  He almost bumped into someone, but the person tripped and fell anyway, her red hair falling over her shoulder. Ray broke out of his thoughts and looked at them. It was a girl wearing a maroon tunic, unlike his deep navy-blue one. She immediately shot to her feet and bowed. “I’m sorry.” Ray waved his hand. “It’s fine; we didn’t collide.” She slowly looked up at him, rubbing the dirt off her beige trousers. Her purple eyes widened when she saw his face. “Aren’t you Ray? One of the top prospects this year?”

  Ray smiled as he scratched the back of his head. “I’m famous already?” She tilted her head, looking him up and down. “But why are you here?” Ray squinted his eyes and asked, “What do you mean? I’m headed to my room.” She blinked and looked behind her, then back at him and said, “But this is the girls’ dorm?”

  Ray’s eyes widened, not slightly, as he frantically looked around. What the hell? Why am I here?

  He chuckled, his breath shaky. “I-I don’t know.” She stared at him for a moment, the other girls around them gossiping, and let out a quiet sigh. “It’s fine. I don’t think the girls mind, actu—”

  “But I do.” Ray said as he ran towards the boys’ dorms. The girls giggled; one of them added. “I didn’t know the top prospect this year was a pervert.” Another one continued, smiling, “He’s good-looking, though.”

  The girl who almost bumped into Ray took a deep breath. “Will you girls stop fawning over him? He’s younger than us.”

  “Only a year younger, Ruby, I think that’s fine.” A girl with a ponytail said, her voice low, and placed her hand on Ruby’s shoulder. Ruby swatted her arm away and turned to face her. “No, it’s not fine, Violet.”

  Violet shook her head and let out a deep sigh. “You have always been like this; not fun.” Their banter continued, while Ray rushed inside his room and slammed the door shut, huffing. Alright, that’s it. Throwing his uniform inside the cupboard, he jumped on the bed. With a yawn, he closed his eyes, and then slept.

  Somewhere on the eastern side of Acacia, a few miles away, the thick scent of blood and burnt flesh filled the air. The sun reflected through the now almost-dried pool of blood. Charred bodies — bodies of men, women, children — lay on the ground. Houses, or what was left of them, had fallen. The fragile ashen structures crumbled under her footsteps as Lysa walked through the carnage. Her face expressionless, fists clenched, and steps heavy. She looked around; the dead people stared back at her. The children lying lifeless questioned her. Questions that she asked herself. A roar carried over the wind, distant at first, then right above her.

  Wings flapped and gusts of wind blew by as the wyvern landed in front of her. Almost as big as the dorm inside the academy, its scales darker than the night sky, eyes red like the blood sea. It stared at her, growling as she glared at it. Cracking her neck slightly, she unsheathed her twin swords. Crimson flared inside the wyvern’s throat as it opened its mouth. The air around her grew heavy and charged, beginning to crackle.