Shadow's Rising Wing 5-6 Interlude

Wing 5-6 interlude

The dawn of Dominic

Dominic Ramlock quietly opened the front door of Grey Squad dorm and slipped out. The sun was just beginning to brighten the sky and the chill forced him to pull his cloak tight for warmth.

It had been a few days since Black Squad won the tournament and they were heading out later that day. Squad leader Rilliam had informed them that they would be seeing Black Squad off and congratulating them on their victory. But Dominic had no desire to do any such thing. His hatred for Jarid had fueled him many times as he trained to surpass the commoner. But it was not hatred that led him to avoid the commoner this day.

Ever since he betrayed Jarid to Brazor and was then saved by him, a sense of guilt weighed on him like a lead cloak. He couldn’t accept the gratitude he felt, nor the way it made him rethink his past actions towards the flight leader of Black Squad.

For now, he just needed an escape. A place where he could vent his feelings without worrying about interruption. And what better place than the Dragon Pen? That dirty, smelly tunnel was practically abandoned now that the school year was coming to a close, and it was his day to clean them, so there was no reason for anyone else to come in.

As he descended into the tunnel, a few of the dragons stirred but most kept to themselves. When he reached the cave at the back, he looked around and noticed a small Storm Wing sleeping on one side and a young Flame Wing on the other. He went around the corner on the Flame Wing’s side, so no one could see him from the entrance, and sat down hugging his knees to his chest.

All the emotions he had been suppressing the past few days came bubbling to the surface. His eyes started to burn and he could practically hear his father shouting at him, “A noble of the Ramlock house does not cry! He takes the blow like a man and moves ever forward. That is how I became Lord of Delbont. I would rather die than see our family name disgraced!”

At the same time he heard Jarid’s voice as well, “You are no different, Dominic. In fact, if you continue as you are, I have no doubt you will become just like him. He truly believes he is better than you, just as you did for me. Your refusal to believe otherwise has blinded you and prevented you from any chance at real growth.”

Dominic cringed and checked to make sure no one was around before finally giving in. With a sob he fell forward onto his hands and knees. The stone and dirt was hard beneath him and darkened as his tears fell. He closed his eyes as they blurred, and let out a small cry of frustration and punched the ground with his fist.

“I’m just not good enough! I tried father. I tried and I tried but no matter what I do, I just can’t beat him. He even saved me after everything I did. I’m nothing but a disgrace! A fool lacking all honor. Why couldn’t I have just left him alone? He has heaped burning coals of shame on me by his kindness. I hate it! I hate him! But what can I do when I owe him my life? I can only make things worse! Did I ever have any honor at all? Dam it!”

Dominic sat up against the bars of the stall and banged the back of his head on it in frustration. The noise woke the dragon and it turned over to see him with tears still flowing down his face. Dominic turned to look at the dragon, but rather than growl at him, the young Flame Wing laid down and watched him with curious, almost empathetic, eyes.

Dominic scowled at the dragon. “What do you want? Dumb beast. Are you going to mock me as well?”

The dragon cocked its head for a moment and laid down against the bars. Dominic felt no threat from it and the heat radiating from its scales was warm so he didn’t move. With a sigh he leaned his back against the bars of the stall. He hadn’t realized how exhausted he had been. The swirling emotions and guilt within him had been draining his strength and robbing him of sleep for a few days now. The warmth of the dragon was relaxing and his head started to droop slightly.

“Just a few minutes. I can rest here for a few minutes,” he muttered as his chin finally came to rest on his chest.

Dominic stirred a few hours later, his consciousness roused by a strange sound. As he came to his senses he heard hissing and growling coming from across the cave.

“H…ʌŋd ɛ dæ ŋɬɖ ŋs ɛɛi ɛ jɛɛʧ ɹɹɹiiɒɯ ɯɛɛɖɤŋ. Hɔɔəədwɬɛɛ, iio͡ʊd͡ʒɒɯ,” Jarid hissed sadly.

“Hjɛɛɲɪɪ ɒwəəəii d͡ʒɯɒɖɹɹɹLɖ ɔæ, Jarid,” the Storm Wing replied.

Dominic froze. He now remembered where he was. As he opened his eyes, he saw Jarid standing across the cave from him, speaking to the Storm Wing. Speaking in hisses and growls just like them!

“W-what are you doing?! Can you… talk to dragons?”

Jarid had always been strange, but surely his memory was playing tricks on him. That time he had transformed in this very cave. And when he spoke to Lt. Briar’s dragon. Was all of that… Could it be… real?

Jarid jumped and spun around, startled. “Dominic? When did you get here? This is the last place I thought I’d run into you.”

Dominic stood and got into a fighting stance, he could hear the dragon in the stall behind him stirring as well. The Flame Wing looked up at Dominic curiously, then it spotted Jarid across the cave and growled. It stood and flared its wings as it roared at Jarid.

“Hhuən! Gɬɯ ɔæ ɔɔsɛɛɲ ɖæ ɒɖʌL nnɛɛɪ huən ʌɪɪ jɹɹɹʧ. Hʧɹɹii əəəɪ ɒʧsŋ!”

What am I going to do? Dominic thought, slightly panicking. Is he going to kill me now that I know his secret?

“I promise not to tell anyone that you can speak to them. Please, just let me go. I swear…” Dominic paused as Jarid shook his head with a tired sigh.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Dominic. I doubt I’ll ever come back to this school anyways. Though, I would appreciate it if you kept that to yourself until after we’ve left of course.”

Then Jarid walked over and stood before the young Flame Wing, completely ignoring Dominic. The dragon backed away slightly as it trembled in fear, still hissing with its wings flared. Then Jarid got on his knees and bowed to the dragon.

Dominic stepped back in shock and the young Flame Wing stopped hissing and cocked its head in surprised confusion. Then Jarid spoke.

“Hɛ ɒd͡ʒssʧɒɔɔɬɛɛɪɪ dɹəcnɛt. Hɛ ɖɯɹɹɖɛɛd ɔæ ʌɪɪ ɒŋ ɒd͡ʒsŋɒŋɖ ɯʌnnɒɯ nnʌŋ ɒ LLɛʧd. Hɛ ɒɖʌLɖ ʌŋd ɪLɹɹɹɯd ɔæ. Gtɬəə Lʌŋ ɛ ɒɖsŋ.”

After listening to Jarid’s apology, the young Flame Wing sat upright with its wings neatly folded behind it. Then it addressed Jarid in, what sounded to Dominic, like a formal tone.

“Hɛ, tɬɖ ɔɔʧs, ʌLɪɹɹɹd͡ʒɖ ɔəəɒɯ ɒd͡ʒɬʧɒd͡ʒɹɹ huən. Hɖæ ɒɖsŋ, ɔæ ŋŋəəəɪɖ ɪd͡ʒɹɹL ɖæ nnɛɛɪ huən isssɯ ŋŋɹɹ.” Then the dragon looked to the side as if embarrassed. “Htɹɹ jəəəɪɪ Lɯɬɛɛɲ ɤʧɹɹɒɯ. Hɛ iɹɹʧ ɪɬɯɹɹ isssɯ tɛɛŋŋ.”

Dominic had never thought of a dragon as cute, but the way it stood there awkwardly touching its index fingers together was simply adorable.

Jarid nodded and stood before turning to Dominic.

“It seems Incandescent wants me to help you. Apparently you were crying earlier. What’s going on?”

Dominic’s eyes widened. There was no way he could have known that. The only possible explanation was that he could truly understand dragons. Even with proof, it was hard to believe. But more than that… Why did this dragon want Jarid to help him? A compassionate dragon was almost harder to believe than Jarid’s ability to speak to them. But he didn’t really have a choice but to accept it.

Once he had done so, the next step was answering Jarid’s question. Part of him wanted to simply dismiss the issue, but he knew Jarid wasn’t the type to accept that, and he had this almost irritating look of genuine concern in his eye. Dominic glanced at Incandescent. The dragon was also looking at him with expectant concern. Uncomfortable as it made him feel, he had to face it.

“Argh, fine. But if you tell anyone, I’m spilling your secrets too,” he warned while pointing at Jarid. Then he sat down with a sigh.

“Ever since I met you, nothing I’ve accomplished has been of any worth. You one-upped me at every turn. I was made flight leader in my first week only to find you had done it on your first full day. I set a new record for the power of my magic at the first test only to have it obliterated by you. Even my own commander favors you over me.”

Dominic shut his eyes tight as they started to burn once more. Jarid simply listened quietly, unsure what to say. Then Dominic continued.

“I trained and trained but everything I did just wasn’t enough. I lost my respect, my friends, and when they heard you would be coming back, I lost the position of flight leader. I thought, if I could just get rid of you, then everything would go back to the way it was. The day after I lost my position as flight leader, Lt. Briar came to me and offered to remove the stain infecting this noble academy. I accepted without a second thought.”

Dominic paused for a moment to calm himself and collect his thoughts before finishing.

“I was so determined to regain what I had lost, that I ended up losing the respect of the last person who still respected me. Myself. And now I have nothing left. No honor. No friends. Nothing.”

For a few moments Jarid sat quietly. Then he placed a gentle hand on Dominic’s shoulder.

“I hope you don’t think that I got to where I am on my own. I have received gifts that I only recently learned about and have been saved more times than I can count. I put in effort, yes, but I was also lucky to meet the right people to help me along the way. I admire the way you have pushed forward and I am sorry that you were overshadowed, but that shouldn’t discredit what you have accomplished. There are hundreds of students at this academy, and you are still among the best. Your squad placed third in the rankings this year and I know you have taken your fair share of victories.”

Dominic looked away in disgust. “So? All that is in the past. I have nothing now.”

Jarid smiled at him. “Your failures are in the past now too, you know. A wise man I know once told me this. The fires of life can burn you to the ground or refine you into something better, but you must be the one to turn the hammer inward and forge yourself anew. Every day is a chance for us to be the man we wish we were. Gunther told me that learning from our mistakes is how we turn the defeat of failure into the victory of growth. So don’t worry about who you’ve been. It may be hard, and it may be painful, but I know you can do it. It is up to you whether you remain a noble in blood alone, or become someone whose actions are truly noble.”

Jarid stood and stretched as Dominic considered his words. Then Jarid called for Dominic’s attention and gestured to Incandescent.

“And don’t go saying you are all alone either. There are new friends to be made in unexpected places. Trust me when I say that someone doesn’t have to be human for you to create a bond better than brothers.”

Dominic looked at Incandescent to find him looking back expectantly while wagging his tail like an excited puppy. Dominic couldn’t help but smile slightly at the sight.

What a silly dragon, he thought.

“I’m sorry to end our time now, but we will be leaving soon and I need to make sure everything is ready to go,” Jarid said as he turned to go.

Dominic stood and reached after him but the words choked in his throat. I have to tell him I’m sorry. I need him to know that I’m not worthless. Then he paused for a moment. No. I don’t need to tell him. I’ll show him. By the time he returns I will prove that he was right to believe in me.

The morning sunlight was now streaming down into the tunnel. Jarid walked up into it and waved goodbye without ever turning around.

Dominic nodded from the shadow of the cave, the light reflecting off the stone floor illuminating his face as he saluted. For the first time in his life, he saluted a commoner.

Dragon Translations

Here is a link to translate the dragon language in this chapter. If the link doesn't work I will post the necessary info on my wall.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ecTsYECNVvEtFf...

If you simply want the answers without the work, answers are below.

“…and I do not know if I will ever return. Goodbye, Vapor.”

“Wings Above protect you, Jarid.”

“Human! Are you going to attack this human as well? Leave us alone!”

“I apologize, dragonet. I treated you as an opponent rather than a child. I attacked and scared you. How can I atone?”

“I, hot glow, accept your apology human. To atone, you must speak to this human for me.” Then the dragon looked to the side as if embarrassed. “He was crying earlier. I feel sorry for him.”