14
Several of the young students woke early and went exploring about the camp, curious about their new home. They met Sam on his way to prepare breakfast. Firing off questions as they went they followed him into the cave and Sam put them all to work. By the time Daniel and Kate showed up he had enough of them. He shooed them out and told them to find the rest of their friends. They joined up with them and compared notes. No one had found out anything.
After eating a hearty breakfast, Daniel called them all together and they headed for Riders Hall. They entered the Hall and found Jeffery was already there with Jake. They lined up around the big table. Jeffery turned around and began addressing them.
“Welcome to Dragons Hill young ones! You have all been dreaming about riding dragons, very special dragons. Hopefully you’re going to do just that. But first you need a short history lesson, so settle yourselves down and get comfortable. Welcome to Dragon 101!”
Jeffery then began to give them a brief history of the dragons and their time in early earth history.
“It seems that ages ago Dragons and men worked together. They were a team on this planet. From what I could get from Jake and the other Dragons it was only in a certain area of the earth. It was a very mountainous region, and very high up. I was thinking the Himalayas, but they said no, there were four seasons each year. So I am not quite sure where it was located. But the important thing we are getting at is that they worked as a team. This was not a very safe time on the planet, what with all the dinosaurs, and large predators. The dragons and their riders kept the farmers safe. In tribute, the farmers shared a portion of their crops with them every year. Then some kind of calamity occurred; some catastrophe that engulfed the entire world. Dragons and riders were killed off. Jake believes that this was around the time of the great flood. Whatever it was, dragons and riders were wiped off the face of the earth, or so it seemed. Man forgot all about dragons as their helpmates. Except for in folklore, all records and knowledge seemed to have been lost. And so it went for thousands of years.”
“Dragons, in the egg stage, intuitively seek out their rider. Communication is on a telepathic level. If they cannot find a rider before the egg hardens; they will go insane. Daniel has explained how Archeologists stumbled into an egg chamber without realizing what they were doing. They brushed against some eggs and woke them; all it took was one touch. We can see the repercussions this caused by the state of our own world. These dragons are considered to be rogues; they flame and kill anything and everything. They are aware of the locations of all the hatching grounds on this continent. They will awake their brothers, and they will spread destruction and death across the globe. We are going to stop them.”
“Now as to your dragons; once you make contact you will find them to be very intelligent. Dragons are born with all knowledge; it is available when it is needed. This knowledge is shared with their rider when they hatch and see each other for the first time. There is a ritual that each dragon must follow. This process is called enhancement. The rider and the dragon are both engulfed by an energy force that changes them physically. Their bodies are brought to physical perfection, and their minds share the knowledge. This causes a deep bond between the dragon and his or her rider.”
“You all remember Michael, rider of Lady Jennie. Four years ago Michael went to the same place Kate had gone a week previously, and retrieved his own egg. He cared for his egg, talked to her, sang to her, and did everything she asked him to do. When Lady Jennie hatched he was the first person she saw; he was 10 years old at the time.”
“No way!” echoed throughout the cavern.
“You were all commenting on how beautiful Lady Sally was and how lucky Michael was to have her. When she entered the hatching grounds three months ago, Lady Sally was 9 years old.
“Son-of-a-bitch,” exclaimed Andrew, “I don’t believe it.”
“When Lady Kate found Jake, and began the journey that would lead us all here, she was seventy-four years old. She had lived her life; or so she thought. After the enhancement, she appeared as you see her today.”
“Wow! All right,” they all said.
“This is what you have to look forward to if you choose to be a rider. It is hard work in the beginning. First you must be able to connect with an egg, telepathically. When you hear it for the first time it will sound like a small child. The first touch will bind you to the egg, and the egg to you. It will feel like a small electric shock.” Jeffery looked around the room at all the students.
“Once contact is made with the egg you will then have to care for it. Rubbing it with oil when in the gelatinous stage to keep it moist; keeping it with you all the time, near your body. Lady Kate made a holder that you will put the egg in and carry with you at all times. While it is small take it with you everywhere. At night sleep curled up around it. Those of you with animals; let them join in the care of your egg. This will bond them to the dragon also.”
“Now this is very important, talk to your dragon. The more you talk to the egg, the bigger the dragon. Your dragon will share a great deal of knowledge with you. Tell him, or her, what you are doing during the day. Share stories about your life; tell it about your families that have passed on. Tell it about your feelings of all this; share yourself with it. Praise it constantly using your own mind. This is going to be your friend and companion for the rest of your life. You can tell him anything; he will never judge you; he will always be there for you.” He looked at all these young people and he saw the future of the world. “Now, I’d like you to all stand, and one at a time, state your name and age.”
“I’m Jason, 17; I’m Andrea, 16; I’m Gus, 17; I’m Emily, 15; I’m Will, 16; I’m Andrew, 15; I’m Lance, 15; I’m Roger, 15; I’m his brother Ben, 16; Susie, 14, and Darla, 14, we’re twins; Robert, 15; Taylor, 13; Sean, 15, Jim 14, Tim, 14; Mary, 15; Maria, 15; Diana, 14; Linda, 14.
“You are a good group, young and quick to understand. Those of you who do not dream of riding a dragon sit down.” Jeffery was surprised to see them all still standing. “This is very good. I now turn this meeting over to Jake.
Jake stepped forward and lowered his head to the students, Good morning, young warriors. You have heard what is required of you. Do you consent willingly to becoming a Dragon Rider of the Light?
Yes, flowed from the mind of each of the young candidates in the Riders Hall.
“Wait! They….. they are only children! It was Alex, maternal instincts kicked in and she was afraid for her children. She went to the kids and faced them. How can you do this? Think before you take this step. This is for the rest of your lives. Are you sure that you know what you are doing?
Alex, John, I speak for us all. It was Jason who stepped forward and answered for them all. We all decided long ago to see this to the end. We all freely decided that this was our destiny. We love you and John as our parents, but you cannot stop us from doing this; we want it!
John went to Alex and put his arm around her; she’s just a bit protective Jake. You all know how she can get sometimes. She loves you all as if she birthed you herself. I have every confidence in you, and I trust Jake with your lives. He turned around and faced Jake. They are all yours Jake, with our blessings.
Thank you John, and do not fear Alexandria, they will be well protected. Someone must become the fighters for this new world of ours, why not these exceptional young warriors? Turning around and facing the students Jake continued; do you all wish to go to the hatching ground? My Queen says that the eggs are almost ready to make first contact. You can all see the eggs for yourselves. Daniel and My Lady will instruct you.
Yes, yes! The students were all shouting in their minds.
“Ok guys listen up,” Daniel began. “When we go into the chamber I want you all to be very quiet. No talking, whispering, nothing. I want you all to look around and adjust your eyes to the near dark. You will see my beautiful Queenie standing guard over her eggs. You must bow to her in respect, and ask her telepathically if you may see her children. Jake will allow this conversation to take place. She will nod to you, then go into the second chamber and stand silently against the wall. Just stand and listen; do nothing else, understand?”
They all shook their heads in agreement.
“Though I do not think this will happen, if any of you hear a small child calling to you raise your hand,” Kate instructed them. “We will come to you and show you what to do. Understood?”
“All right then, line up and follow me.” Daniel led them towards the back of the Hall and down a set of stairs to the outside of the mountain. They continued down the side of the mountain until they came to a rather large boulder. Daniel, Jason, and with several of the boys helping, managed to roll the boulder aside. There was an opening and they all filed inside.
It was a huge cavern, big enough for a large dragon. They stood against the wall as instructed and let their eyes adjust to the dark. Gus was the first to see Queenie. Instead of looking around, he looked up; and there she was looming over them like a giant silver phantom. He elbowed Jason and pointed up. There was a noticeable intake of breath from them all.
She was enjoying their reaction to her beauty. But then of course she was a Queen; so why shouldn’t they marvel at her.