First Days in the Dragon Knight Academy

Amphere Harrison

“Introduce yourselves in front.”

The very first command in the school year. I guess every school does this.

“Amphere Harrison.”

My name was finally called. It took me three seconds to think if I should just go with the flow or run away. I’m feeling grumpy and not in the mood to do this. I wanna go home and ask Estoff why he lied to my parents. About working as a Dragon Knight of the empire. Opposite. The truth is I will be working with the terrorist group Arcadia.

I guess I could go with the flow for now.

As I stood in front of the classroom, all of their eyes switched focus on me. I’m definitely in the hotseat, but it doesn’t mean that I am pressured right now. What I’m feeling is hate. Hate to this very world. I wanted to become a Dragon Knight but not like this.

I kept my pokerface and tried to speak as loud as possible.

“I’m Amphere Harrison. My mother forced me to come here. Don’t touch me, don’t talk to me, I don’t like anybody. Thank you.”

Then I went to my seat. There’s no reaction from the class. There’s literally no reaction. Nice. I don’t want any attention on this very first day.

My actual style of studying in this academy is gray. Avoid recitations, never raise questions, forbid yourself from raising your hand, focus on the professor’s word but don’t take down notes and act like you can memorize it. Yeah, I’m fun at parties. I have low grades on high school too.

My first day on this very academy went on smoothly. Nobody talked to me, nobody befriended me. Not until dismissal of my last subject. A loud idiot hooked his arm to my neck like we’re even close.

It’s Rudolf. Yeah, we’re close.

“I never thought that we’re going to enter the very same academy after high school!” He said it loudly so that other students could clearly hear. He’s like proclaiming our friendship to the whole world.

“I never knew that you have a plan to become a Dragon Knight.” I commented bitterly. I honestly didn’t know. Last time we talked about our dreams, he said that he wanted to become a computer engineer. And me, a computer engineer. Too. Who knew that we would still end up in the very same place!

“Well, there’s a drastic change of plans.” Rudolf scratched his head. “Anyway, what’s with that grumpy attitude of yours this day? Did you eat something bad? It looks like you really meant everything you said in that introduction earlier.”

“Well, kinda. It’s a long story and also a drastic change of plans.”

We parted ways when we finally reached the main gate of the academy. He was living on the dormitory south of here where almost every student resides. Me? I reside in the small Inn Estoff owns near the academy; A.K.A the Arcadia’s secret base near the school. It is a lot cleaner and wider than Airi’s Inn in the slums so I feel a lot comfortable now.

When I opened the door, Estoff was already there in the round table drinking a can of beer. It’s still early afternoon and he’s already getting himself tipsy.

“How was school?” He greeted me like a drunken father.

“It was fine.” I said coldly. “You know, a Pentagram Knight like you shouldn’t waste your time drinking.”

“Bah! Shut up. This is my rest day. I could do what I want. Tomorrow is more paperworks. Do you even know what paperworks mean!? It’s hell! You know, being a Pentagram Knight is a pain in the ass! Literally! Totally!.... Hey Airi…”

Estoff immediately shut up after seeing the woman on my back. It’s Airelina on her sailor uniform. I don’t know how I didn’t notice her tailing me but I know she’s with me as soon as my classes dismissed. I forgot that dragonoids like her are attending the same school as mine. I almost forgot that I have a dragonoid. Maybe because I always go home all alone when I was younger. Or maybe because I don’t like her a little.

No, It’s not that I hate her. I love her because she’s my first dragonoid friend. It’s just that…I don’t like what they’re forcing me to do. Entering the Dragon Knight Academy to overthrow the empire…It’s just ridiculously evil.

“It seems like we needed to talk.” Airelina seriously glared at me with her ruby eyes. “Totally.”

I have a lot of questions and complaints to Estoff but I know I can’t talk to him right now, not on his current state. Besides, Airelina is the Arcadia’s sub-commander due to her battling and leadership skills. It is just logical to discuss all these matters to her.

So I followed her to her room, and then she shut the door.

“Hand.” She said.

“…” I slightly twisted my gaze to her, wondering what would she like to do.

“I said hand.” Then she grabbed my right and held it with her warm hands. “Geez, totally!”

Then there was a strong silence. Even crickets won’t dare to break this awfully awkward atmosphere.

“Don’t worry. We wouldn’t do anything dangerous again. Not with you. Totally.” She said serenely.

Arcadia fight for the freedom of all dragonoids, and to end mankind on its cruel abuse of their power. The empire is the very source of this evil, so being in Arcadia means defying the very law of mankind and its empire. I have seen enough dragonoid blood and corpses to join their cause, yet I’m hesitant to fight with them. My heart is split into two- one is logical, and one is pure justice. The logical choice is to stay alive and go with the flow and ignore my ideals, while my sense of justice says that I have to free every dragonoid who has been oppressed.

“Estoff and I talked about it yesterday. We will never involve you on our ‘acts of terrorism’, totally! You will be totally safe in our care. We’ll assure you that.” She made an innocent smile and a cute blush that grabbed and threw my bad vibes away. I know that I can trust her.

It even made me smile for some unknown reason.

I don’t know what’s the real meaning of the Vesryn Pulse.

All I know is that it is the synchronization of a human and a dragonoid’s heart.

Does it involve fast beating? Butterflies on stomach? Blushing?

Being in love?

Is it all somehow connected to the Vesryn Pulse?