Chapter 1: The Egg selection

The sun had been up for nearly an hour now yet the city still remained dark. The city of Tagrok, a relatively large city on the very western edge of the Beor Mountains is slowly starting to become more active as the first rays of light pierce the cities walls. A young lady not more than 17 years of age is running down the main street towards the fortress at the center. She is wearing long slacks on her legs, a shirt that is about a size too big, large boots, and a head wrap keeping her long curly golden hair out of her eyes.

Her breath was heavy as her mad dash for the towering fortress continued. Shops were starting to open as this six foot amber eyed mini titan passed them by. A man opening a bread store saw her and laughed a hearty bellowing laugh.

"Overslept again eh Aranas?" He called out to the girl.

She waved at him and smiled. "Yeah I did but I've still got a good feeling about this year. I know I can make it!"

The man chuckled and went back to opening his store. She could soon see the entrance to her destination. There before her stood tow large door to the fortress being guarded by ten men with pole arms. Outside was a massive crowd of people waiting in front of the doors. She ran up to the back of the crowd and leaned over putting her hands on her knees for support and tried to catch her breath. When she had she looked up and observed the crowd.

There were many Humans of all shapes and sizes and just as many Dwarves. She only counted six elves two male and four female, though there may have been more since they could easily blend in such a large crowd. The one that stood out the most though was the rather large male Kull standing near the front. Most everyone had some form of weapon at their sides and a few were conversing amongst themselves.

Then out from the sky came a mighty roar and the sound of massive wing beats. Everyone looked up to see a large silver dragon the size of three war horses descend from the sky and land on an opening in the top of the fortress. On the dragons back was a silver haired male elf strapped into his saddle. Everyone moved closer towards the entrance to try and get in, while the guards tried to stem the tide. After about five minutes of trying to calm people down the doors began to swing outward. The guards and the crowd backed out of the way as the doors creaked open.

Aranas gulped and walked inside looking up at the ceiling in awe. She made it inside as the doors closed. She smiled and squeezed her hands together to stop them from shaking with pure excitement. She'd never made it this far before, the doors always closed before she got there. One of the guards with a slightly fancier uniform than the rest-most likely the captain-stepped forward.

"All right listen up! You're all here to touch the eggs that our Dragon rider emissary has just brought in. We've received word that he's only managed to bring 17 eggs with him." There was a momentary uproar from the mob before the guard captain calmed them.

"Look they've been having trouble with the native Taja kesh balla tribes."

Aranas remembers the stories of the Taja as they're called around the city. They're a group of feral humans local to the area who believe that the Dragon Riders are unholy demon spawn. They also believe that their god has demanded they exterminate them and then take over their home land to prevent their evil from spreading further. There were apparently other stranger creatures that inhabited the land but there wasn't much talk of them.

The guard continued to speak. "The Taja have powerful mages and Our Rider says that they were lucky to get what they got. But because of this they're going to allow people in for the next three days to get ALL the eggs to hatch. So everyone of you will get a chance unless all 17 hatch before you get there. So get in line and we'll get moving. LET'S GO PEOPLE!"

Aranas got stuck way at the back of the line to where her back was almost up against the door they came through. The front of the line wound through the halls and they soon began to march forward. They eventually wound up a stair case and got to the roof where the room opened up to a large circular walled off area with dens carved into the walls. There in the center curled up on the floor was the massive silver dragon. In front of it was the silver haired elf male who rode the shinning beast in.

He looked over everyone then began to speak. "Greeting candidates! My name is Andrastos. As any of you who have been here before know I am the emissary between the riders and the town of Tagrok. For those of you that didn't you now know. Now things will be going differently this time around than any other. We usually let individuals touch eggs and wait for them to hatch on their own but time is of the essence. Therefore we have cast a spell each of the dragon eggs that will cause them to hatch after no longer than ten minutes. This is something we usually wish to take its course naturally but winter is coming and soon our passage will be frozen over."

He held up his hands to silence the hushed muttering. "Now listen we will begin the process immediately. Any ceremony will have to wait for when we arrive at our destination. Now the first person step forward and touch the first egg."

Time seemed to slow down for Aranas as she stood at the back of the line waiting to get her try. Eventually after what seemed like days she got to the front of the line to see a golden egg in front of her. She held out her shaking hand and touched the egg. What felt like an eternity passed and then, nothing. The Rider declared it a dud and called for next. She walked away and went to one of the dens carved into the wall where she wept gently to herself. This was supposed to be the day. Her thoughts were gloomy and of having to go back empty handed. The air eventually filled with the sound of little squawking dragon babies. This did nothing to help alleviate her heart ache. Then she heard the Rider say. "There is only one egg left. Who has not touched this egg yet. Aranas shot up and ran over throwing out her hands.

"I haven't!" She yelled desperately.

Andrastos the Rider looked at her outstretched hand and nodded. He placed the egg in her hand and she held it close. After about ten minutes Andrastos sighed and said.

"I am sorry young one but it is not meant to be."

She cradled it close and sobbed once not wanting this to be it. Then there was a soft squeak. She looked down at the egg wiping away a tear. She heard pecking at the inside of the egg. A crack appeared on top of it. She laughed once, twice, then lost control and jumped to her feet helping pry the top of the shell off.

"Come on little one you can do it. I believe in you!" She cheered at the hatchling.

Then it went still and some soft grunting and shifting could be heard inside the egg. Then four limbs pierced four parts of the egg and shattered it. There before her eyes sat a beautiful almost entirely Jade dragon with spines of a deep ocean blue. Aranas shed tears of joy and nuzzled her head against the dragons. "Hello there little one."

She then felt a sharp jolt in her arm and yelped setting the dragon down gently still wincing from the pain. She looked at her hand and saw the mark appearing before her eyes.

"Well I heard it was much worse tha-" Her words were cut short as a mind numbing pain racked her body. She fell to the floor and writhed for a moment then laid still trying to catch her breath.

She sat up slowly with the help of Andrastos the dragon by her feet looking concerned. Andrastos smiled at her and nodded.

"Welcome to the riders apprentice."

She wept tears of joy again and picked up the brilliant shining dragon and placed it on her shoulder. She stood there among many others with and without dragons. Andrastos strolled over to his dragon and smiled at everyone.

"Dragon Riders is what you have become today. You are protectors of peace and warriors of what you believe is right. Now there won't be any long speeches now. We haven't time. But just know that you have been accepted by your dragon. They chose you over everyone else. They are your life partners and that means you must be good to them so they will be good to you. Now the guards will take you to the closest entrance to the dwarf tunnels until you reach Tarnag where you will be sent up the Az Ragni and from there you shall go to the Gaena river. From there it will go East until you reach our destination. Now get moving and may your journey be safe. I shall meet you at the ships." And with that he hopped onto his Dragons back and launched into the sky buffeting them all with a gust of air.

The guard captain began to bark out orders. "All right you heard him! Those of you with Dragons get moving. Everyone else good luck next time. No time to say goodbye and I hope you have things packed and ready to go. Now move!" They were ushered out of the building and towards the outskirts of the town where the walls stood. They exited the city gates and made for the mountains. They eventually reach a steep cliff face and stopped. The guard called out a phrase that Aranas couldn't understand and then the wall began to move. The entrance was dimly lit and seemed cold.

Aranas was hesitant at first, shaking in her boots in a literal way. Then her dragon nuzzled close to her and she felt it's warmth, and her fear washed away. She looked at the cave entrance now and smiled. She stepped into it with everyone else and her last thoughts before the wall closed behind her were I'm going to be a dragon rider!