More on my Dragon Story

I had such incredible writers block for "The Final Great Ones" and I heard that writing something else can help, so I started writing my dragon story (that still doesn't have a title). This is a different and longer version of those three paragraphs from so long ago.

The night was dark and quiet, most people having already gone to sleep. If one were to listen closely they would hear the soft footsteps of a young man walking slowly through the town. At random intervals, the young man again became visible as the moon stole away from the clouds covering it, but that was always brief. The young man didn’t stop until he came by a list posted on the wall of a building that he was going by. This list was posted all over the city, the young man reasoned; it was happenstance that I should pass by this one.

He couldn’t help but smile as he saw his name at the top of the list.

Jason Claudius

He had already known that his name was there, but it felt good to see it just the same. There had been a crowd of people at each of these lists earlier in the day after they had been posted, hundreds of young men and women trying to see the list, wanting to see if they had been chosen. Jason had been watching them with scorn, how could they expect to succeed with such poor patience. He had heard many of them shouting when they found their names on the list, and Jason had taken special note of each who had made it, scrutinizing them, weighing them. None that he had seen would present any challenge for him, he was sure of it. Jason had to smile when the people in the crowd had read aloud his name and asked if anyone knew who he was. Of course they would recognize his last name, but none would know of him. Even if his parents were known by all, it didn’t mean he was. He wasn’t foolhardy enough to show himself to those who were likely to make it on the list, possibly exposing a weakness that could be taken advantage of in a dire situation. He could see that he needn’t have worried.

Jason was about to leave the list and head home when he saw who was directly below his name on the list. It wasn’t surprising really, that she had made it so high up on the list with her skill, what was surprising was that she had even attempted to make it on the list in the first place. He hadn’t expected that. She was probably the only person who knew of his weaknesses, probably better than he did. If she wanted to, she could be a great threat to him, but that wouldn’t be a problem. Jason knew her as well as she knew him, or he thought that he did. He never would have expected her to sign up for this. He sighed to himself. She had the skill, but he felt like she wasn’t cut out for it. She would be a problem only because he would have to look out for her.

Jason continued his silent walk through the town, satisfied with what he saw. He had been waiting for this his whole life. It felt surreal to finally see his name on the list. His training would start in just a few weeks. The wait would be agonizing, but worth it. Nothing was going to stop him now.

~

Serena dreaded her walk, because she knew where she was headed. Yesterday, the list had been posted on just about every willing wall in town. She couldn’t bear to check it. She had made every excuse to stay inside. She hadn’t told her parents that she had tried out for the list. If she had, they would have insisted on checking it the moment it was known to be out. Instead she had waited until all of the clamor had died down. Nobody would be checking the lists anymore a day after they had been posted, so she would be able to do it with no one around.

It wasn’t that she was afraid that she wasn’t going to be on the list, she hoped that somehow she hadn’t made it really, she was afraid of how high on the list she would be. She had heard stories of how dangerous it was to take part in this training. Many don’t make it, and some have even died. The whole thing is taken so seriously by the participants that some will do anything to make the final cut. Serena did not want to make the final cut, but that would disgrace her family for generations. She didn’t have to worry if she wasn’t on the list, but she knew that she probably was. She didn’t thing that she could handle all of the horrible things she was likely to face. The training wouldn’t be a problem; it would be those training with her. They would be cruel and unforgiving, and she didn’t want to put herself in that kind of environment.

She finally stopped walking and looked at the list that was on the wall.

The following individuals have been tested and found worthy to be trained as a Royal Knight under the Order of Dragons.

Jason Claudius
Serena Lucetta

She was second! Serena felt her heart drop and her stomach fill with butterflies. A normal person would love being second. The list goes in order of skill shown with the tests. But it also meant that she would be a target for all those hoping to make it to the top. She would have to defend herself from all sorts of people aiming to hurt her in all kinds of ways. Serena wasn’t sure she would be able to.

The only hope she felt upon seeing the list was that Jason was just above her. Jason was one of her best friends, and she was pretty sure that she was his only friend. She knew that he would be surprised to see her on the list, but maybe he could help her. There would be many people who would try and deceive or hurt her, and she felt like Jason would try and protect her, though he would deny it outright. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she thought.

Serena read the instructions on the bottom of the list.

The above named shall report to the castle of His Royal Majesty, King Ignatius, two weeks after the posting of this list.

Serena was not looking forward to this in the least, but at least Jason would be there. Jason wasn’t always easy to be around, but Serena felt like he genuinely cared for her. He wouldn’t stand by and let someone hurt her or cheat her. She needed a friend more than anything with what she was about to go through.

It wouldn't let me center just a part of it without centering the whole thing, so pretend that the list is centered. I would have written more, but I was tired.