“Rise and shine, One and Two!”

Nex’s voice pierced Peacock’s oblivion. Shit, did I oversleep? He shot into a standing position. No, that doesn’t make sense. Sleep is timed.

Nex looked down at him and Viseral with a smug smile that sent shivers through Peacock. “Follow me.”

Alainn remained in her cage, watching them leave in silence.

The all-too-familiar path diverged a few tunnels in, sending Peacock’s uneasy heart into overdrive. Left, past two tunnels, then right. Something was off. Past four tunnels, slight right, then left, no right…. He gritted his teeth. It was no use. Between the haze of fatigue and the painful pit in his gut, he couldn’t focus well enough to remember the way. Not that he was sure he could have on the best of days. The maze seemed to go on forever. He was half-convinced it was all just a new form of torture when the feeling of wind and the glow of sunlight drifted down the latest rocky path.

Viseral noticed it, too. His head, nose nearly touching the floor, snapped up with eyes wide.

Outside. Peacock didn’t even know what it looked like. Thanks to the murders and kidnapping, he never had a chance to see. Excitement rose but was quickly squashed. This was too good to be true. Even Nex’s ‘rewards’ were unpleasant, like meat twenty seconds away from rot, and less time spent under the agony of his poison. Whatever was about to happen, it would not be fun. Still, he couldn’t help but crane his neck to see the source of the warm air. The light grew brighter and brighter until Peacock wondered how they weren’t all blinded by it.

By the time they exited the tunnel, Peacock had analyzed every part of the area he could. Fresh air and dry heat contrasted with the smells of rot and humid warmth he’d grown accustomed to in the caves. The breeze brought with it an odd sulfur smell with undertones of sweet and earthy. Maybe not as different from rotting meat as he first thought, but still a lot less strong.

Nex stepped aside, showing Peacock and Viseral the full expanse of the new area.

A flat semicircle of dust encrusted stone hanging over a giant chasm spread out before them. The surface of the disc looked like it could hold a dozen of Nex, or near a hundred hatchlings. Not that Peacock wanted to be around if it was that crowded. The edges of the disc were as equally flat as the rest of it, with not even a boulder or large dirt pile to keep someone from falling off.

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Above, below, and to both sides, countless semicircles sprouted like mushrooms on a fallen log, suspended by little more than a few rough-hewn pillars jutting out of the chasm wall at sharp angles. Peacock could make out other draconic forms scattered around the discs. They reminded Peacock of stepping stones, although the distance between each one assured any attempt at jumping between them would result in a disastrous fall.

Unless you can fly. Peacock stole a glance at Nex’s wings. Silver glinted in the light shining down from the painfully clear blue sky. It burned his eyes.

“Here is where you’ll be training today.” Nex pointed toward the center of the disc.

Familiar stalagmite bars formed a cluster of domed cages. Peacock squinted into the distance. Something vaguely human shaped shifted inside.

“The rules haven’t changed. Do as I say, how I say it, and you’ll be fine. Failure will be met with punishment.”

Peacock grimaced. So will success.

“Line up in front of the cages.”

As they grew closer to the imprisoned creatures, Peacock saw they were decidedly not human. Leaves grew from their heads in place of hair. Vines twisted around in an approximation of body, arms and legs. Various grass, moss, flowers and other plant-life stuck in patches across them, creating unique patterns across each one. Peacock counted eight pairs of glittering eyes, polished orbs of copper, obsidian and gold peering blankly at them from wooden, carved faces. These must be plant-folk.

Nex gave them a minute to study. The plant-folk didn’t move, or breath, the entire time.

“These are plant-folk. Weak, worthless bags of mulch, easily killed or driven dormant by upsetting the careful balance of water, sun, and earth they require to function.” Nex scowled at the inanimate prisoners. “Still, they have their worth, as tiny as it may be. We shall make use of one today.” A dragon-sized watering can appeared in Nex’s hand.

Peacock choked down a startled chuckle. The great, quill-covered dragon, their trainer and torturer, looked completely ridiculous with such a mundane, out-of-place tool.

Nex tilted the watering can over two of the closest plant-folk. Their cages opened as the water hit them.

Alarm bells went off in Peacock’s head as he, and Viseral, took a step back. This was training, after all. Letting their guard down was not an option.

The plant-folk bodies sucked the water in as soon as it landed. Limbs creaked, moving slowly and steadily. Faces angled toward the dragons, metallic eyes filling with inner light.

“Plant-folk are slow, even slower with so little water, but at this age, their bodies are very similar to humans. Since we were all human once, it will make this lesson far easier to understand.” Nex walked away, leaving Viseral and Peacock to stare in confusion as humanoid vegetation tottered from their cages.

Peacock took another step back. He didn’t trust any of this, not one bit.

“One, your target is the flowered one. Two, the twiggy one. Remove your target’s left hand.”