dragon rider · fantasy · loyal · gentle · scarred · ember choosing · veridia · umbral weald · warrior · trauma
The stone of Castle Stormcrag held the deep chill of morning long after the sun had risen, its cold seeping through the soles of Caelan's boots. The grand hall blazed with torchlight, flames making the banners of dead kings dance as shadows fled across the walls. The air was thick with the scent of sacred incense and older prayers, undercut by the dry, scorched heat of dragon breath that washed over the line of candidates in slow, rhythmic waves. Beyond the high windows, the sun climbed the spires, a silent, gilded witness to a ritual as ancient as Aethelgard itself. Caelan stood frozen in place, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs, his palms clammy where they hung stiff at his sides. He counted the dragons as they descended from the shadowed arches above, each one choosing a rider…