Aerin stood at the center of the arena, surrounded by the echoing cheers of the spectators. She glanced up at the imposing Dragon priest, his stature commanding the attention of the crowd. His gaze met hers, a mix of curiosity and something else lingering beneath—a shadow of sorrow or maybe a touch of empathy. It was as though he held a hint of sadness at the revelation of her talent. She couldn't decipher whether it was a piece of good or troubling news. The way his eyes flickered, though, conveyed that this development carried significance.

"Please step down, little one, the festival must continue," he said surprisingly gently, despite his physical presence being imposing he spoke with a gentleness that suggested he was older than his looks implied.

"Calm down, Aerin! You need to focus on the next round and ignore what happened, move forward." Aerin clenched her fist and actively ignored the stares and gawking coming from all around.

Without missing a beat the two dragon priests turned to the two groups and motioned for everyone to line up again. However, this time when Aerin tried to back up the line backed up with her. Aerin looked back to see all of them had volunteered her as the first one to go up and get her mana tested.

"Are you kidding me?" Aerin muttered to herself, "all this because I got some unique classification?"

The Dragon priests called her forward before each of them levitated a small orb just big enough to fit in two hands. Aerin looked at the dark orb that seemed to have a dark-swirling underneath its crystal-like shell.

"Put your hand on and when you feel a force enter your body do not panic, it is part of the process." The large man said, his eyes laid on her calmly.

Aerin took a big gulp before reaching out and placing her hand on the orb. A chill seemed to envelop her body as if being plunged into a snow-covered mountain top. Aerin felt an energy seem to be sapped from her body before it ceased and her hand, which had seemed to be stuck like a magnet, was released, causing her to stumble backwards one step.

The Dragon priest smiled as if he was expecting her results. The boy who stood opposite of her had been announced as a fire attribute, but no one was particularly interested in him, so he stepped down mildly annoyed at his rotten luck.

"Dark attribute." the Dragon Priest uttered two simple words which again were foreign to her ears. While it wasn't entirely uncommon for Draakin to get other attributes besides fire it was uncommon, but a dark attribute from her memory was completely unheard of.

The crowd did not react the same way as before, only muttering to each other as if confused. Such an attribute would likely be difficult to train in, since most Draakin were experienced in fire. Also, the Flamespire mountains were in a warmer climate which meant few of them were covered in such a decidedly abnormal attribute.

Again the large Dragon priest ushered her down to go stand with the boy who had just been tested to await for the final round. Aerin already knew she would have a target on her back. Since she could only rely on her combat abilities, she didn't care as much about her mana attribute, since she had never been trained in magic abilities as it was.

Aerin closed her eyes while in her heart she was nervous. She was also for the first time confident that her future was not destined to be a farmer.

Aerin turned around and stepped down the clamor and conversation between the spectators still fervent as the last couple went up the platform. Aerin had no idea what a Wyrm was and, by the looks of many of the youths who waited in the already tested section, they didn't either. Only a handful of the higher-tiered dragon class youth seemed to have an inkling of what a Wyrm was.

Eyes seemed to pierce in Aerin's direction from all over. No one seemed to be able to take their eyes off her. It was going to be the next round for her group soon, and she wasn't entirely sure what to make of the situation.

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Dark attribute sounded like something taboo and Aerin wasn't sure what to make of it. The entire event so far was a mixed bag of emotions. Closing her eyes, she sent a quick plead for clarity and help to the Dragon God.

Her thoughts drifted also to her parents and how they couldn't know of a unique bloodline within their family tree. Something like that should have revealed itself multiple times in the family tree. Aerin wasn't sure what Wyrm bloodline was, but the reaction clearly indicated it was incredibly uncommon.

...

"This is a most interesting year, isn't it Darling?" a mature womanly voice purred.

In a room high above the Grand Arena on a balcony sat a draakin whose horns were decorated in jewelry and who wore expensive clothing fit only for the highest of nobility. It wasn't uncommon for nobility to attend. This was the best way to recruit and spot potential adversaries and rivals power early.

Sitting down next a broad-shouldered man was one who was considered the most stunningly beautiful of all the draakin Queen Cithri with long flowing red hair and two slender smooth horns that protruded from above her temples. In draakin society, it was considered beautiful for a female to have smooth horns that came to a sharp point often requiring them to polish and sharpen the horns. The males preferred more pronounced dragon-like features.

The man she sat near who looked down at Cithri who was clinging to his arm had a firm smile on his face as he enjoyed the comfort of his Queen. "I didn't expect a wyrm to show up, this is most unexpected, but really makes the politicking much more annoying this time around, but I'm quite pleased despite that. This will surely make those greedy nobles squabble." Looking at the various noble clans that were basically ready to jump from their seats to nab the girl was amusing. Even a Wyrm blooded was not capable of removing or threatening the royal clan's position in Flamespire or all of Draakin society.

"Ukaskon surely you heard from our scouts prior to it?" Cithri said.

Huffing slightly letting out a small bellow of smoke from his lips, Ukaskon looked down at his wife and snorted "I would have known, but they didn't catch her. That can only tell me she is a country girl with no opportunity to be tested."

King Ukaskon was tall and lean at the waist, but broad in the shoulders and well muscled; he had almost black horns that curved into a half moon shape that sprouted from his forehead. Besides the usual features of a dragon class of the highest tier, Ukaskon would be considered handsome even among humans as he had a chiseled and firm jaw line. His eyes were an emerald green, and he had a long set of lower and upper canines that was common in his bloodline. His hair was a shorter, but wild looking mane of red hair.

Some thought he looked like a manticore from a distance, but he took it as a compliment, as they were one of the few beasts that could stand toe to toe with dragons. Even if they lacked the pure strength of a fully grown dragon, most manticores were something dragons simply would not want to tangle with or risk being poisoned or heavily wounded by the manticore.

"What do you plan on doing then?" Cithri said, her eyebrows raised.

Ukaskon looked down at his wife, who wore a devious smile. The woman was ever the plotter ". She will naturally be snapped up, but I plan on letting one of our branch clans take care of her for now. I don't want her too exposed to the politics of the royal house which could spoil her mood for us." Ukaskon paused with a smile. "No. I plan on being the shelter for her from the branch family feuds. That should allow her to land firmly in our camp. From there...we will see how she develops."

"Hehehe" the Queen giggled, which sounded off based on her own looks "This is why you became King. My dear husband always so clever."

If she was honest with herself she had to admit that Ukaskon was far more than brawn and nearly as intelligent as she was, which was why she fell so madly in love with him even though it was initially an arranged marriage by their parents. Ukaskon didn't like petty politicking, but that is why he was so skilled at it he knew how to avoid getting drug down into the dirt with the rabble.

"Cithri, you are attempting to boost my ego. Is there something you would like?"

Looking up at her husband, Cithri gave a look that screamed allure, "why dear husband, considering this wyrm is a girl...I would like to bring her into my side palace court. After all, you gained the last two for your personal retinue."

Ukaskon chuckled inwardly, his wife always was adept at politics and knowing when to lay low and when to strike. If not for them having five of their own children, he would suspect her of desiring his throne. Loyalty even in Draakin society was hard to come by when you were at the top of the world.

"I will give you the world if you so desire my Queen." Ukaskon smiled while saying that, but Cithri and everyone who had heard knew this was no mere boast. Ukaskon was not one to make idle promises he couldn't keep.

The next round was going to be exciting and while he didn't expect too much from a country girl he still suspected she may give them a good show.

"Tell Fenmiar to make a move for her'' he said, without looking to the aid behind him. "I don't want the Dragon temple to snap her up. I can see the glisten in their eyes from here."

The Dragon temple had been a thorn in his side for years. While he himself adhered to the Dragon path he was never one to let it get in the way of leading a nation and people. In the end, the only thing that mattered was the future of his people. Ukaskon looked down; he had already spotted at least ten to fifteen potential recruits into the royal household. It was his preference to get small clan youth or commoners; they tended to feel a greater degree of loyalty to their benefactors.

Ukaskon's emerald green eyes peered down as he eagerly awaited the next round to begin. The fact was, the draakin were going to need strength and unity sooner rather than later. War was on the wind, and he was unsure how much longer he could maintain peace.