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Ch1:

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Redd looked out of the window of the small war ship. He thought of back home, of what had just happened. On April 17, 1996 he was woken early in the morning around five by a man wearing a blue mask with the crest of a black dragon on it. He had seized him by the arms and covered Redd's mouth while holding a long dagger to his throat.

"Be quiet or it will be the last thing you will say," a sharp rasping voice ordered.

He was dragged out of the house and out of the kingdom with the dagger still to his throat. The man wore all black, with a light blue dragon as the crest. He was set astride a horse and tied to it. He was scared, but he knew he couldn't show fear. Redd had watched the familiar landscape fly by. The large prairies of Nebraska flew by him. However, he didn't know that it would be the last time he would ever see that land. The last thing he would see before he disappeared to a different world.

Although he was treated like a prisoner he was told why all this was happening in a brief way. The ruler of an unknown world called Alegasia chose him. There is a school there that the chosen people are taken. There they learn how to fight and use the power within them. Only a dragon would choose six of the lucky kids. This was what had puzzled him the most, the dragon chose the kids, the kids did not choose the dragon. The dragon would be a yearling, old enough to ride but still in its growing stage. There was a war going on in Alegasia, a cruel merciful war. The school was created years ago to train young kids and teens how to fight and protect themselves.

After being chosen the kids must leave their world behind. Redd would never see his family again. Never fall into his mothers arm; never feel the strong embrace of his father's arms when he did well.

The way time worked in Alegasia confused Redd as well. He was told that one day in the real world would be four years in Alegasia,. Therefore it would be like Redd was never gone. He felt tears coming but abruptly stopped them. He didn't want to show fear to these strange people. Many of the adults wore masks that revealed nothing but there eyes.

After entering a war ship he was locked in the captain's cabin where he couldn't escape. He was told the journey wouldn't take long. That was all he knew of what was going on. All he knew of the school, all he knew of what was going to happen, and all he knew about what he was leaving behind. The war ship was large. He was told it had cannons on the bottom deck and it looked similar to a pirate ship than a ship in Redd's opinion.

Redd was drawn away from his thoughts and worries." We're here boy, follow me," the man with a raspy voice ordered.

Redd immediately followed, still fearful of the man. He had just realized that he wasn't the only one on the ship that was chosen. Most of the adults were still wearing masks. Redd noticed the man that had kidnapped him almost immediately. The night's event was not dim in his memory. There were kids on the ship too, also being led by the strangely dressed adults. Most of them were younger than Redd around ten to thirteen years old, which made him too old. Suddenly there was a loud howling wind and Redd saw it, he saw a Dragon. It flew near the water, it's black scales shimmering from the sun ahead. There was a rider on it, a female. He couldn't get a good enough look before the dragon and rider were a speck in the sky.

A voice broke through the crowd, "Welcome our newcomers. You will follow me down to the tables where you will be separated by your powers. The powers are air, fire, water, earth, and all four powers combined, that is called mage. Redd and the others were led down a long rode until they confronted the walls of a large castle. "This castle does not only hold you students and staff, it holds horses, wolves, and…Dragons." The voice said. Redd looked up at the palace, not surprised that it could hold dragons.

They were led through a large hall, large enough for a dragon to fit through that's for sure, Redd thought to himself. Suddenly a door at the edge of the hallway opened. Redd made his way through the crowd up to the front. Then he saw the man who had been talking before. He was old, withered really, his hair was short but his beard was still in a goatee. He had spectacles on they were shaped like stars. They were strange to Redd and made him feel a bit more uncomfortable.

They were led inside the large room. They all jumped as they saw the large black dragon that had flown over them before.

"Don't worry students he doesn't mean any harm, just curious is all," the old man explained. "Skye, if you mind calling him off," he asked politely looking at a young teenage girl about Redd's age.

"Sorry about that, he tends to get curious," she said touching the black dragon. The dragon backed up and crossed its legs, watching them walk down the isle.

"Now, my new students, it is time to separate you," The old man said. "However before I do, I think I should introduce myself. My name is Professor Vulkrey," he continued. "Now, who will be the bravest to go first?"

Nobody walked up or raised their hands. Might as well get it over with, Redd thought to himself as he stepped up.

"Ahhhh, so we do have a brave one this time," Professor Vulkrey said looking down at him. "Now my boy what is your name?"

Redd gulped, "Redd O'Malley."

"Alright Redd lets see which group. Any dragons sense it, any at all?" he asked out loud, looking at the dragons. Redd had just noticed there were other dragons besides the large black one. The large dragon had caught his attention fully and he wasn't observant to his surroundings when he came in. One was in the northern corner and was a dark forest green, giving off the impression that he was a skilled fighter because his green eyes darted back and forth, as if examining every face in the room, his long wiry body looked quick and hard to kill. His rider was also a female. The dragons face was darker than its body. Its wings were tightly pinned against its back and it was scrawny compared to the white one Redd saw next.

The pure white one in the southern corner gave off the impression of wisdom. Its pearly white eyes were calm and dull. It seemed bored of all the things that were going on. He lay down with his head held high as if he were a noble warrior.

There was another in the western side, its body was a crimson red, giving off the impression of being angry and furious. Its eyes were mere golden slits. Every time it breathed Redd could see a small puff of smoke appear under his nose. His teeth were showing, and it was standing up on its feet with its wings pinned back. Redd couldn't tell if any of the dragons were female or male, however Redd was quite certain that this red one was a male. He looked tense and alert, he never let his guard down.

The impression the Blue one expressed in the eastern corner was speed and curiosity. Its slick beautiful body was muscular, but his eyes were curious. He cocked his head as Redd looked at him. His eyes were large, almost the size of a gold ball.

Out of all the dragons in the room the most intimidating of them all was the black dragon. He seemed young but had a piece of each impression of the other dragons. His eyes were a bright green and were the size of a small plate. His stance was casual but he still held his head high. His eyes darted around, slower than the green dragons but still just as oddly. A very small puff of hot steam came out of his large jaw as he breathed. He was a very muscular dragon and was the largest of them all. However something in the dragon's curious eyes gave him the impression that he was the youngest. Of course this was all Redd's inspection. He turned around at the others and they all were cowering, trying to shrink as far down as possible.

Redd was examining the black dragons markings on his face when the dragon met his eyes. He saw the light green eyes but felt as if the dragon were searching him for something. A voice interrupted the contact, it was the voice of the professor, his tone seemed stunned, shocked almost." A dragon has chosen! Redd you'll be in the mage group."

There were many gasps that erupted in the room. Redd of course didn't understand. "Redd, go sit next to Skye please. She's the one with the black dragon."

Redd began to make his way through the crowd towards the dragon.

"Over here," the girl yelled.

Redd finally got his first glimpse at the female rider. She had dark black hair, cut short at her ears and growing longer in the back. Redd recognized it as the army cut from books on wars and dragons. Ironic, he thought to himself. He took a seat next to her, but not before he caught her eye. Her eyes were the same color as the dragons; they were a beautiful forest green.

It seemed like seconds when everybody in the crowd was separated by their powers. Suddenly young children between the ages of seven to the ages of twelve came in with trays of food. As the plate was set in front of him Redd smiled to himself. There on his plate was his favorite meal; steak with mashed potatoes with a side of cabbage. When he looked at the teenage girl's plate beside him he wondered, strange, how do they know what we want to eat? He thoughtthis because she had steak but also had oatmeal on her plate with nothing else.

The black dragon made him jump as he put his head down to eat off of a large tray with a dear carcass on it. Five twelve year olds carried it in!

"My name's Skye," the teenager with the dragon said, introducing herself.

"Redd," Redd said shaking hands with her.

"This is my dragon Thorn," she answered pointing to her dragon. The dragon politely nodded.

"So why did everybody gasp when I was told to go here?" Redd asked.

"Because you are the second person to be chosen to come here right off the bat. Some kids build their way up to this level when they find their other powers," Skye explained.

Redd had noticed she had finished eating already and was just sitting there calmly. "Who was the first?"

"Me," Skye replied. "I was also the youngest to be chosen by a dragon. I was chosen by Thorn when I was only twelve years old. Now I'm sixteen."

Redd nodded in understanding. "Where do we sleep?"

Skye sighed and quietly laughed to herself, "You really don't know anything about this school do you?"

"No," Redd replied a little ashamed.

"Time to sleep!" Professor Vulkrey yelled over the crowd.