There were many magical creatures humans were aware of.

Fairies.

Unicorns.

Elemental creatures like fire and earth salamanders, or water spirits.

Dragons.

In recent years, there were some remarkable discoveries regarding other species that, for decades, had been completely hidden from human civilizations—creatures that, just like us humans, were also intelligent and capable of speech.

Beings like sirens.

Gnomes.

Orcs.

For those reasons, people were constantly debating creatures that could actually exist, and those that are nothing but tales and forgotten legends. Some would die saying giants were myths, while others would swear they had seen one alive. Others dreamed about encountering a real elf, when some researchers were bent to prove they were nothing but fiction.

Never once I thought about undead creatures actually existing. The entire concept felt far too silly to me. Yet looking at my classmates, and at my own reflection, made me rethink my concepts and beliefs.

Somehow, I knew I shouldn’t be alive. Still, for some reason, my mind was still working.

To some extent.

“…hey El. Did you answer everything?”

There was a long pause.

“I think…I forgot to write my name…”

There was another long pause.

“You know what? I think I forgot, too.”

“…mom once told me one of my biggest flaws is that I don’t pay attention to the things I’m doing. I guess she must be right.”

The three of us were sitting on a bench, staring at the sky.

“Wow, really…? Is your mom my mom? I hear the same thing…”

“…that’s insane, huh?”

They prepared different exams.

“…yeah…”

Those bastards prepared a different exam for each student.

As soon as the time was up and Professor Bel retrieved our exams, the students started exchanging answers and—to their surprise—only a few questions were the same for the entire class.

Whether it had been Belenus Kairon himself, or the records gathered from our black spheres whenever we went to the library, the exams were tailored in a way that the hardest questions—the ones worth more points—were from the subjects we knew less.

Which meant my exam was a fucking anatomy briefing. There was probably an entire dragon there, with all the muscles, bones, and damned tissues mentioned in each question.

Occasionally there would be some tricky questions about flight theory and riding techniques, asking me to explain with excruciating details how to perform certain maneuvers. And I knew, I just knew, Belenus was responsible for them. That he had purposely chosen those questions for me.

Fuck Ergos.

Fuck exams.

All I wanted was to sleep. To go home, take a hot bath, and forget I existed for the next three days. Yet one of the most important exams was only a few hours away—

And I had to prepare.

I was too tired to speak, so all I did was stand up and make my way to where Styx was.

Luckily for us, there were no practical exams scheduled for the other classes. So I was able to book some slots for our training. There was no way to know how the practical exam would be, so the training plan I made was based on my previous lessons with Bel, and what I thought he could ask.

While I finished setting up Styx’s saddle and reins, I counted the treats I had brought in my pocket.

“Listen, I already placed the order for your winter flowers. It should arrive at the states in a couple of days. However, I got you some water berries. They are not in season, so it was not easy to find.”

Styx’s eyes lit up as he started sniffing me out to make sure I was not lying. When he got the scent of the berries, I swore he looked just like a kid about to open a nice present as he wagged his tail.

I picked one of the berries, the fruit the size of my hand, watching as Styx’s body shook in excitement.

That was a rare sight.

He looks kinda cute.

“Well, I remember that crazy lady saying you love those…and how your previous owner always got you some before and after every race. I know this is just a practical exam, for an unofficial reinforcement class, but…”

I clenched my fists, locking my eyes with him.

“Consider this my motivation to you. The better we do, the more berries you get to eat. What do you say—”

Before I had even finished, Styx sucked the berry from my hand. The black dragon chewed a few times before swallowing the entire thing.

A weak laugh escaped from my lips. “I’ll take that as you accepting my offer.”

Styx’s gaze changed, a new intensity flowing through his eyes as he stared at the metal rings in front of us. I knew he was ready when he finished stretching his wings—by the way his claws scratched the ground, and how his breathing slowed down.

And from the moment Styx set flight until it was time for the exam, we never again touched the ground.

----------------------------------------

Different from all other exams and tests, this time it was an individual session.

Professor Bel was calling us one by one, while the others awaited in a separate space. Apparently, they didn’t want us watching each other’s examinations.

Elowen had previously said something about his dragon during Morr’s elective, yet it was my first time seeing the animal while paying closer attention.

She was definitely one of the best four-legged dragons I had seen in the reinforcement class, and was in quite the good shape. I wouldn’t give her more than six years, give and take—she had a lot of potential.

Though some breeders and tamers could tell a dragon’s core just with a few glances, I could only guess. In my experience, dragons whose colors were more of cool tones and shades often had cold cores, and the opposite applied to warm cores. However, that was not a hard rule.

The four-legged dragon was of a beautiful purple, its tone dark and impressive. The creature’s eyes, however, were of a very gentle and light violet, making her facial expression much more delicate and elegant. Though her build was strong and wide, she was not overly muscular—for four-legged standards, that was.

“I think I have a stomachache.”

The boy’s words left his mouth with the same strength he showed in his gaze—none.

“You will do fine! You are always one of the first to clear Professor Kairon’s tests, this time shouldn’t be any different.”

Ceres was being as cheerful as usual, yet I knew I was not imagining the lingering fear flooding in her gaze, or the way her hands were tightly clasped together, almost as in a prayer.

And I knew her worries were not regarding Elowen.

I glanced toward Cornelius Romerio the Third, the white dragon viciously biting and chewing the iron cage he was in.

That is why riders usually rode dragons, at least, five years old.

After lots of training.

He was far too young, and Ceres had far too little experience to train and tame a dragon with his temper.

And she knew that.

“Mom says I should never be too comfortable or confident about anything in life. Says people only achieve greater things when they know they are still lacking.” He kept staring at the ground, his face somewhat grim. “I’m sure feeling anything but confident right now. Not one bit comfortable, either.”

Ceres bit her own lip, her eyes meeting her dragon’s for a split second.

“Well, my folks use to say a stable mind calls forth a strong heart.”

He raised his eyes toward her. “Are you stable right now?”

She blinked. Muffled a cry.

The boy nodded, as if in a trance. “Yeah, same.”

“Elowen and Emrose! Your turn.”

The moment he heard his name, Elowen’s face turned green. He froze, his dragon having to nudge him forward to force him to move his legs—and even then, he almost fell face-first to the ground.

“G-good luck! You both will do great!” Ceres shouted with her fists raised, yet her voice lacked spirit.

She let out a sigh, resting her body against the pillar behind her. She looked at me, her gaze analyzing my face for a few seconds before a weak smile broke into her face, a faint chuckle escaping her lips.

“…aren’t you nervous, Vex?”

I clenched both my hands a few times, still fighting my own heart to keep my heartbeat steady.

My own dread and fears at bay.

“It’s Belenus Kairon. You can never know what he will pull.”

Ceres hugged herself, her hands clutching her arms with a firm grasp. “Yeah, I guess you are right…it’s just…” She met my eyes again, a new emotion crossing her gaze. Something I couldn’t identify well. “You seem so composed. So strong. Like nothing could ever faze you.”

Because I was taught what can happen when you show too much of yourself.

And that was a lesson I was forced to learn—quite well.

“You should stop worrying about me and Elowen and focus on how to convince your dragon to collaborate with you.”

She bit her lips again, her nails digging deeper into her skin.

“You are right…I know you are. Of course I know this.” As she spoke, her voice failed. A voice that barely needed any tears.

I looked away, not desiring to see more of her vulnerability. It was not as if there was anything I could do for her. If she couldn’t control her own dragon during a race—if the mount himself became a liability and hindered their performance mid-flight—he could be one of the best dragons at Ergos.

She wouldn’t last long.

And coating that fact with some honey-covered words wouldn’t do her any good.

Still…

Watching her in that state made me uncomfortable.

“…this is only the first exam.”

Ceres’ widened her eyes a bit.

“Huh?”

I cursed myself in my head as I kicked a pebble, not daring to face her.

“You have also passed Professor Bel’s previous tests. And from what I’ve seen so far Cornelius listens to you, at least to some extent. As long as he doesn’t try to pull any pranks on you, I think you will be fine.”

I did not look at her, so I couldn’t see her expression. However, her voice became a bit warmer.

As if she was a tiny bit relieved.

“Connie does seem more calm today. And you are right again! This is only the first exam. We still have more chances to show what you are worth, isn’t that right, Connie?!”

The dragon barely acknowledged her, trying to chase after his own tail yet failing due to the restricted space.

I’m not sure how much time passed after that. At some point, Ceres was called. Then, it became just me and Styx.

And even when Belenus called our names, I was still trying to convince myself of the lie Ceres seemed to believe.

The one saying I was not nervous at all.