Chapter 7
The sun was high in the sky when Vraels eyes next opened. His muscles where cramped and he was sore. Sitting up he saw his friends scattered around a new campsite nursing wounds and talking to another group of Riders. As Vrael shifted looked up but at the word of a older rider who appeared dwarven she didn't come to his side. Willis was being healed by none other than the Red Rider. Leaning back against his dragons side Vrael caught his breath when a tall, lean elf walked towards him. The elf was dressed in the orange color of his dragon and he had shaggy raven black hair. At his side was a long slim saber. When the elf reached him he bent down and said "Young Rider I will not stand on formalities at such a time but I am Master Lorthran, Rider of Valior and your new master."
Looking at his new master Vrael nodded weakly before saying "Yes Lorthran-elda." The young riders head was pounding from using so much magic in the ambush. He felt the partner of his heart Terrorith wake as he rested there and welcomed his friend into his mind. "Young one you were rash in your decision. You and our friends could've defeated those soldiers without resorting to such a method." Terrorith's booming voice said.
"Aye I know my friend but it would've taken far more energy to defeat all of those troops and would've left us weakened against their commander. Although I don't think our new master approves of it." Replied Vrael with a small smile. The Elder Riders moved to the center of the campsite and Murtagh took charge saying "Riders give us your attention. It is time we introduced ourselves as a group. As some of you may know I am Murtagh, son of Morzan, and Rider of Thorn. I am going to be training Willis, Rider of Aiedal. The elf to my left is Lorthran Rider of Valior and he shall be training Vrael Rider of Terrorith." The human to Murtaghs right was introduced as Garrow son of Roran Stronghammer and was the Rider of the white dragon, Eridor, and was training Felix. The second human was named Jorgen and had light brown hair as well as startlingly blue eyes as well as being tall was the Rider of the aquamarine dragon, Athenos, and was training Wolfia. The massive Urgal who was only short of being a Kull rode the steel grey dragon Nightstalker was training Rosaline. Finally the Dwarf who was of course short with black hair and a beard rode a brown dragon named Farthen was the master of Luna. At the conclusion of his speech Murtagh dismissed them to recieve instructions from their master. Moving to Lorthren, Vrael bowed deeply saying "Master Lorthran". His master looked at him with a strange look of pride and disapproval at the same time. Finally the elf said "I know you did what you did to protect your fellow Riders and that is admirable but you put yourself at risk recklessly in a situation in which it wasn't required. Now for your first challenge. You are currently wearing your traveling clothes and sword. I want you to go to your saddlebags where I have left a suit of light armor. You will put it on and strap your pack on your back. You will run from here to the river and back for the next three hours nonstop am I understood?"
"Yes Ebrithil." Vrael said with his head bowed before moving to his dragons side. In total he spent fifteen minutes equipping what his master called "light armor". A leather padded shirt with a chain mail shirt over it. Over the chain shirt was a leather/metal breast plate and protecting his legs where metal leg guards whose name he couldn't recall. His arms were strapped in steel gauntlets with chain gloves covering his hands. In all it weighed a lot. Cursing under his breath Vrael began the long two mile trip down the cliff face to the river.
Time jump 3 hours.
After the three hours were up Vraels good mood was gone and he was annoyed and sore from running in the armor so long. Once he returned to his master he was assigned another task. He was to shield his mind from his master who would attempt to gain control of his mind. Closing his eyes Vrael visualized the blade of Edoc'sil long and golden. He focused on every detail. Suddenly a powerful mind slammed into his own. He stood there holding the image in his mind for what felt like hours before a fourth and final massive attack broke his concentration for good. Withdrawing from his mind his master nodded and said " Not bad for your first try Apprentice Vrael. Now I want you to follow me through the dance of the snake and crane. Hours later after spending a full day training Vrael fell asleep in his cot worn out and aching.
The next day the Riders left early to arrive at a Riders out post where they would spend the next month training. A routine was soon set for Vrael as he was constantly running and fighting. His mind remained linked with Terrorith as they trained and the pair were quickly becoming a good Dragon Rider pair. He saw little of his friends during this time until the night came and they stopped for food. He had grown closer to Luna during this time and had even acted as the best man at Willis's and Rosalines wedding. He still remembered it with a smile. Murtagh-Elda preformed the ceremony. All of the Riders at the out post wore their official robes and the apprentices wore their formal robes over their armor for the duration of the wedding. Except for a strange Urgal who wore nothing but a loin cloth. When Willis had turned to him for the rings Vrael had smile and whispered a spell. In Willis's outstretched hand appeared a beautifully crafter pair of rings one red one neon green. It had been a great day of rest and relaxation. His muscles had harden and his reflexes sharpened. Terrorith was quickly growing to a massive size and would soon be able to breathe fire. They had become much stronger Riders when their month was up. Mounting Terrorith, Vrael buckled the straps around his legs and settled in the saddle. His masters mind which was now familiar touched his own and said "It is time for the journey to our home my apprentice. This is the hardest step for young Riders. When we reach the coast your mission will be to journey into the mountains along the River Brisingr. You and Terrorith will spend a week inside the mountains looking for the Ring of Argetlam which is the mark of becoming a Riders apprentice of Doru-Garjzla."