Brom pushed up at the 100 pound boulder pressing down on him. Oromis stood looking at him saying,"Come on Brom, continue, think of you're

family, they are the ones you're doing this for." At the thought of his family Brom pushed up harder, his arms felt as if they would just give then nd

there. Oromis looked him over and nodded saying,"There that's good, you can put it down now." Brom gasped as his arms began the seering.

Morzan stood over him and said,"Waise helli," and the seering ended. Brom looked at him and smilled,"Thanks, that's better." Four days he had

been training under Oromis and all that time Morzan had been over him and healed him whenever Oromis allowed it. Against Saphiras advice Brom

had began to look up to Moran, he was so kind. Saphira had been training with Glaedr, Oromis hard gold dragon. Every time she went with him she

looked at Brom with a look of concern, as if Brom needed to be worried about. This was the best place he had ever been to, Oromis was the best

master he had ever encountered, Morzan had never since Brom had arrived done anything not worthy of praise from everyone around. Once had

shown Brom a way to destroy a boulder with one hit to the top. He had been the best friend Brom had had in his life. Now, Brom was four days into

his training with Oromis, he could already cast small spells without a single problem. Although as hard as Brom had tried Morzan was always

there to surpass him. Always, always, always, casting spells, lifting things, vocal instruction, everything, Brom could not defeat him. He stood up

and muttered,"Skulblakas ven," he instantly saw Saphira as she fought against Glaedr in the sky. She could not breathe fire, a fact that Glaedr

made her despise as he would not let up his fire-breathing. He was not actually angry with her, just prepairing her for the event that she would

be at a disadvantage to any dragon in the air. Oromis hit him hard on the side of his thigh making Brom remember that he was still in a

practice duel with Oromis. On contact Broms hand flung his sword up and around his head in a over head swing. Oromis side-stepped and

before Brom could do anything, rasped him on the back of the head. He went down on one knee, gasping for the air that regected his lungs. He

said in a gasp,"Vindr," air whooshed into his lungs. The depletion in his strength was small but noticable. Oromis said,"Do not use magic for

something like that, take in air at a slow and steady rate, don't gasp, it will clog you're air way and worrsen the problem instead of fixing it."

Brom nodded understanding, since he had learned it, he could not help but cast small spells that in the long run would not help him in any

way. It was a probably unhealthy addiction, one that if he continued to pursue would probably kill him. He saw a dead plant and could not help

but say,"Fortha lif," and it burst to life. Oromis hit him on the back of the head,"I said don't use such spells for that sort of thing," Brom fell

forward and said,"Yes, Oromis-elda." Oromis stood up straight and said,"You're distracted, it's late, you are free to have the rest of the day to

yourself." Brom smilled and nodded,"Thank you master, I will enjoy exploring Doru Araeba." Oromis nodded and said,"Return tommorow

morning, no tommorow there is a celebration, in that case return in a week, practice magic and swordsmanship if you want to, but do not use

magic unless absoutley necessary," Brom nodded and walked out to find Saphira and Glaedr already there. He climbed on to Saphira and they

took to the sky, never looking back at Oromis and his home.

Brom woke up and found himself on the floor and freezing. Saphira was curled gentely around him warming him. He said with his mind,"Saphira,

wake up." She woke up and yawned, saying,"Good morning, Brom." He smilled and knew why she was happy. The Grand celebration of the elves

was the celebration that was to happen in three days. The three days were to prepare, all the Riders would be needed to get the celebration

ready. He laughed," I guess i'm not exactley Rider material yet, still an apprentice... ughh." Then the memories of his home and his family

assailed him. He remembered every minute detail of his former life, in crystal clarity as if he was reliving them. Then an image of his mother

bloody and broken appered before him. She looked at him and screamed, an awful, blooddcurdling scream. Almost a screch, then his father

showed himself. Shaking his head as if dissapointed," Only an apprentice, I see. Do better." Brom fell to the floor, screaming in auguish. He

looked at himself in the mirror and saw naught but a sceaming baby, incapable of fending for himself. Then he said," Enough, Jierda." The mirror

shattered into a million pieces leacing Brom, crying, on the floor. He hated himself for the fact that he couldn't hold out on the scrying spell any

longer, and moreover he hated himself for the fact that he was utterly spent by that one act of breaking the mirror. He said to himself," I don't

want this, I just want it to end. Nángoröth líf abr pömnuria, Blasted life of mine.That's it..." He had been about to end it all with the word deyja

which in the anchient launguage meant die. However before he could, Saphira slithered over and embraced him, mind and body. She said

soothingly," Brom do not hate yourself so. There may be many obsticles ahead but I will face them with you. You are weak at the moment, I am the

same way. Do not look at how weak you are now, look at how much more powerful you are compared with a few weeks ago. Look at Oromis and

Glaedr, how old they are, they have had decades to practice and become stronger. We will become like that, I promise. I love you, Brom." Brom gasped

at the strength in her words. Unlike himself she pushed not on how weak he was, but rather how strong he was to become. He replied," I love

you to, Saphira. Thank you for stopping me, a few instances more and I would of.." She stopped him, saying," There is no need to say what you are

about to, for it will not happen." He smilled and hugged her, wanting to say more but before he could a voice from below yelled," Brom, come on."

It was Morzan. Saphira immediately slithered back saying," Do not listen, he means ill," Brom looked down and said," What's going on." Morzan

replied," It is time for the preperation of the Grand festival. All the Riders are needed, even the apprentices." Brom looked at Sapira and said,"

There see, he means no harm. Anyway I need to go." She replied," I am coming as well. One of needs there senses." Ignoring her comment he

walked down the steps to Morzan. She jumped into the air and roared a warning. Paying no heed, Morzan immediately began walking to his

dragon, saying," The field is a few miles away, we will fly there." Saphira at his words circled back and landed for Brom to climb on her. They

took off to the field, which was supposed to huge. A few minutes later they reached the gigantuan field, it had to be over three miles. Brom

jumped off Sapira and walked over to Morzan who said," Come on, the Riders are assembling." When they reached the Riders Brom realized

that some were, on there dragons, hanging tapistris in the air, so thick they almost obsured the sun. Brom asked," Why are they doing that?"

Morzan replied," Another tradition. It's a perk really, the Grand festival will be held under the darkness of these tapistries. If you attend, you will

not see the light of day for three days. Then the Riders will assemble at the dawn of the third day and obliterate the tapistries. That is when

you shall see the power a Rider holds. Some will destroy it by freezing it so much that it will breack on contact, others will pumble it with rocks,

others will burn it, others will untie the threads that hold it together, and few of the more powerful riders such as Vrael will destroy the

meleculure structure of the thread, in which case it will seem to turn to dust." Brom was amazed at how many ways the thread could be

destroyed. Then looked at the black dragons working on the tapitries, flying around, soaring shadows, working colors not belonging to them.

Then he asked," But why do the riders destroy them, they must be worth so much?" Morzan laughed and looked at Brom with fondness," It

simbolizes that the Riders will stop at nothing to insure peace be kept, even if it means that the economy of the world be destroyed, they will

stop violence." Brom smilled at the thought that that was what he was to become.

For the next five hours Brom worked among the Riders. Setting tapistries, cook fires, lights, everything. At the end of the day he crashed into

his bed, utterly spent. He would begin talking to Saphira but he was to tired, she was the same way. The day had been altogether to

exaustiong. He said," Dang the Riders don't mess around."

The next two days were as such. Work, fire, tapistries, work, fire, tapistries. He began to hate every single thing about the tapistries. Thoughts

of how he would destroy them filled his mind, then it struck him," That is exactely what they wanted to happen. They want us to hate them."

From then on Brom worked as hard as he could. Oromis and Glaedr flew up to Brom and Saphira at one point and Oromis began teaching Brom

more of the Ancient language. He did not mind the intrusion, rather he engoyed getting his mind of the blasted tapistries. There were

thousands of them, one layer on top of the other. Brom wondered at how hot it would be under them. It was not until that point he realized

how high they were setting them, they were over five hundred feet. For the next two hours Brom worked on the tapistries. Weaving them so

that the light would not get through them. He hated every fiber of them, and would of destroyed them then and there if not for the stern look

he recieved for Vrael. Finally, at the end of an age to Brom, it was over. Tapistries hung, the riders were excused to regain there strength and

prepare for the festival. Oromis ran up to him and handed him a simple yet ellegant sword. He said," Here the Riders are expected to have

these, and you might get into a position where people will want you to fight. Be prepared and magic here is strictly prohibited." Brom took the

sword and went to prepare for the Grand festival.