Dragon Flight Academy 3, page 1
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Chapter 1
The mid-summer breeze was warm, but it did very little to cool down my sweating body. The flying gear was amazing when it came down to keeping riders warm when they flew at high altitude and at lightning speed, but the designers hadn’t considered the other alternative. So now, my friends and I looked like blood-red tomatoes under the scorching desert heat.
July was already here, and in just a few days, our first academic year would come to an end, and I wouldn’t see my squadron for six weeks. While I was looking forward to not having classes for over a month, I was reluctant to say goodbye to the friends I’d made during my first year at DCA. I almost couldn’t believe that it was already the end, and that when we came back, we wouldn’t be the rookie riders anymore.
It felt like so much had happened since we were first herded into an old school bus that took us through rocky roads out to the Sonoran Desert, where we had our first encounter with our dragons. Back then, I’d just been excited to see my dream of becoming a dragon rider come true, but I’d found two amazing girlfriends, a loyal best friend, and a squadron filled with people who’d fight to the death for each other along the way. Now, our unit was tight, and the bonds we’d spent months nurturing were unbreakable.
Of course, there was still the occasional spat between my friends, most of which could be traced back to Pierce Donovan’s ego, but other than that, every member of the squadron would do anything for the others, myself included. Not only would I die to keep Storm, my temperamental and powerful dragon, safe, but I’d go to the end of the universe and back to protect Caleb, my geeky best friend. I’d become a human shield, too, if it meant that Brie, one of my super fierce and sexy girlfriends, would survive a fight with Soviet dragons.
These were all just theories, though, but it didn’t undermine the lengths I’d go to in order to protect the people I loved and cared about. For now, the situation between NATO allies and the Communist bloc was stable, but the tensions between the nations were still high. It would only take one spark to ignite a massive and uncontrollable inferno, and I couldn’t ignore what my instincts told me whenever I watched the news.
It felt like the world was on the verge of change, but I wasn’t convinced it would be in a good way. I feared things would turn sour quickly between allies and enemies alike, and when that happened, the third World War would begin.
But these were my own fears and thoughts, not the reality, and right now, we’d had months of peace and stability since my squadron returned from the Marshall Islands. The US had struck a deal with the Soviets to return the satellite and avoid open warfare, and since then, things had been strangely quiet. Peace never lasted long, though, and that was why I’d worked my squadron tirelessly since October.
Now, we were at the final hurdle of our first academic year, and in just a few days, we’d all have to take technical and practical exams which would determine who would return for a second year, and who would be dropped from the program.
I’d heard rumors from the other two squadron leaders that even a failing grade wouldn’t get a rider booted anymore. There weren’t enough riders as it was, so there was pressure to keep riders, even if they were struggling to keep up. I hadn’t shared that with the rest of the squadron, in part because it was just a rumor, but also because I wanted everyone to work to pass their classes. I didn’t want our squadron to be seen as unworthy of the title of dragon riders.
Storm suddenly shifted beneath me, and the unexpected jostle made me lurch forward. Luckily, I was strapped in the saddle, which was a beautiful, glistening black and gold one that fit him perfectly and allowed room for his wings to move as they pleased. I heard a few snickers around me, and I glared at Caleb, who sat atop Greenie with a straight back.
“Earth to Randall!” Lieutenant Reid Sunderland’s shout echoed around the vast chasms and desert plains, and I almost felt the earth tremble beneath Storm’s feet. “Focus! If you were on the front lines right now, you’d be dead, and your dragon might’ve suffered extensive injuries.”
“Sorry, sir!” I apologized and straightened my back. “It won’t happen again.”
“Damn right it won’t,” Sunderland shot back. “You’re up first.”
He used his fingers to whistle loudly, and our dragons fell into their usual positions without any obvious commands from the riders. Sunderland’s massive burgundy dragon still towered over all eleven of our dragons as we stood on the same desert plateau as we always did when we were out practicing maneuvers, but Storm was getting close to reaching his adult size. Compared to the others, he was the tallest of the eleven dragons in our unit, and he always looked fierce and proud when he stood among the others. Storm was actually the tallest and strongest, though Pierce’s dragon, Bravo, was still the fastest.
Storm’s attacks had gotten more powerful, and his fireballs were now the size of a small two-seater car and burned white-hot. It was impressive to see him fly with ease and shoot fireballs at our targets as if he’d done it all his life. After all, he was only a year old, and yet, he acted like he’d been around far longer than that.
I didn’t even have to cue him on what I expected him to do anymore. Storm reacted to words and instructions as if he understood everything I said. If he could talk back, I knew he would, and I also knew just how sarcastic he’d sound, so I was actually kind of happy that he couldn’t.
“Come on, Big Guy,” I said softly and nudged my dragon forward. “Let’s show ‘em how it’s done.”
Behind me, I heard a few chuckles, and I looked over my shoulder and winked at my friends. Then Storm extended his wings and took off from the plateau. For our last flying lesson, Sunderland was making us practice the Dead Man’s Turn, and since Storm had grown in strength and height, we both performed the maneuver with ease. We were ready for more difficult challenges, but at the same time, we hadn’t managed to do the Cutthroat Roll yet. I wasn’t too bothered by that, but I still wanted to be able to successfully complete it in my first year.
Sunderland had talked our ears off extensively just last month about how the Cutthroat Roll was usually a maneuver performed during the second year, so I knew that my squadron wasn’t behind schedule. But it didn’t mean that I didn’t want to be the first to execute it, just like I’d been the first to do the Dead Man’s Turn.
For now, I put every thought about other maneuvers out of my head, and I focused on Storm’s strong body that I could feel beneath my thighs. I leaned forward in the saddle until I was almost laying down, though I kept my head high enough to see where we were going.
Truth be told, I could’ve performed the maneuver with my eyes closed. Storm knew it just as well as I did, and he was able to execute it without any guidance from me. The two of us were in perfect synchronicity, and sometimes, all I needed was to lean to one side or the other, and Storm would understand the unspoken command.
Today was no different, and Storm plunged down into the chasm at a near-vertical angle with his wings tucked right beneath my feet. The pillar where we were supposed to do the sharp turn was fast approaching, but I wasn’t worried. Blood pumped more rapidly in my veins, and my heart skipped a few beats as adrenaline coursed through my body, but I absolutely loved the feeling. It was better than any rollercoaster.
“You’ve got this, Storm!” I shouted so my dragon could hear the encouraging words.
Storm waited until the very last second to sharply turn on his side and fly in the narrow space between the chasm wall and the pillar. As soon as he curled around the pillar, his wings shot out, and he started to climb again. A few wing beats later, we were flying at a steady pace, and we circled above the plateau where my friends and Sunderland were watching. I put on a small show for them just because I could and just because it was the last flying lesson of the year.
When we touched back down, my friends were hollering with catcalls and laughter, but Sunderland had a blank expression on his weathered face.
“And what, exactly, was that, Cadet Randall?” he demanded as Storm ambled toward the rest of the squadron so he could take his place between Caleb and Brie.
“sir?” I asked innocently. “I’m afraid I can’t always control what my stubborn dragon does, sir.”
Storm snorted loudly and stamped on the floor in disagreement. His movements sent red dust flying around us, and I shrugged at the lieutenant, though we both knew that Storm had nothing to do with my little demonstration. I noticed the hint of a smile on my instructor’s face, but it was gone as soon as I saw it, so I wasn’t certain that it’d actually happened.
“I’ll let it slide for today, Randall,” Sunderland replied sternly, though I detected traces of amusement in his harsh baritone voice. “Do that again next year, and I’ll have you scrubbing every dragon harness until your knuckles learn humility and your ego gets put back in its place.”
Despite the ominous threat, his tone contradicted what he’d just said, so I patted my stubborn dragon’s neck and nodded in understanding. Sunderland scowled as Storm stomped ag
On any other day, Sunderland would’ve had me stay behind after the class to teach me a lesson, but I assumed he was showing leniency because it was our last class of the year and we still had a ton of studying to do for our other classes. The next time we’d fly, it’d be for the end-of-year exam, and I fully intended on acing it so I could finish as the top rider in the class.
Admittedly, I was more worried about my other classes since they weren’t practical but theoretical. I’d never been at my best on written exams, but I’d worked hard the entire year, and I knew the material as well as anyone. There was no way I’d back down now. Not when I was so close to the finish line.
“Hey, Circus Freak,” Caleb called out to me, though he made sure his radio was off so that no one could hear. “That was a great stunt. When are you actually joining the circus?”
“Shut up,” I laughed. “I just thought you could all use a few seconds of entertainment.”
“It sure was entertaining,” my friend hummed solemnly. “Especially the part where you got your ass handed to you by Sunderland.”
“I didn’t get my ass ‘handed to me’,” I replied.
“Oh, you did,” I heard Brie say from my left. “And it was golden. You know, I’d actually pay to watch you get roasted by Sunderland.”
“Hey, what is this?” I protested. “The ‘Mock Jake Show’?”
“Mock Jake…” Caleb trailed off as he shook his head. “Man, that was terrible, even for you.”
“He’s got a point,” Brie agreed.
“Alright, you two,” I huffed as I tried to hide a grin. “Let me know when you’ve gotten it all out of your systems.”
“Oh, that might take a while,” my girlfriend teased.
“Probably the rest of the day and the night,” Caleb added thoughtfully. “Perhaps even longer.”
I couldn’t hold back the laugh that bubbled in my chest, but I did manage to turn it into a cough when Sunderland’s sharp eagle-like eyes narrowed in on me. On either side of me, my friends snickered in their elbows just as Nick and Cosmos, his cadmium orange dragon, curled around the pillar and flew back toward the plateau.
“Mercer, you’re up next,” Sunderland ordered. “Maybe you can focus on yourself for a change. You’re the only one who hasn’t managed the maneuver. Let’s go!”
Caleb flinched at the harsh words, and I winced in sympathy. When he glanced at me, I nodded in encouragement and gave him a thumbs up. Sunderland had a point, despite the insensitive way he’d said it. Caleb was the only one in the unit who hadn’t successfully executed the Dead Man’s Turn, but I didn’t know if it was because he was scared or because Greenie, his green-colored and happy-go-lucky dragon, was smaller than the other dragons.
After lights out, we sometimes talked until the early hours of the morning as we waited for sleep to catch up to us, and my friend had revealed his fears and worries about the upcoming exams. He was afraid he wouldn’t pass and make it to our second year, and there was, unfortunately, no amount of encouragement that I could say that would change his mind.
As squadron leader, it was my duty to help every member of the unit, but that was especially true with Caleb, not only because he was my best friend, but he was also the least confident cadet in our squadron. He was the one who needed my help the most, and as I watched him fail the Dead Man’s Turn, again, I mentally vowed to stay behind today to work with him on it.
The maneuver was a prerequisite to get into our second year, and if Caleb couldn’t manage it, I wondered if he’d have to repeat his first year, or if they’d simply drop him from the program. It wasn’t something the academy had told us because I didn’t believe it was an option, but maybe they’d make an exception if it came down to it.
“You only have a few more days, Mercer,” Sunderland warned. “You better get a move on and do the maneuver, or I’m gonna have to boot you in the ass.”
“I understand, sir.” Caleb nodded. “It won’t be necessary, sir.”
“It better not be,” the lieutenant replied. “The last thing I want to do is get my boots anywhere near your posterior. Right, moving on.”
Caleb returned to his spot in the line with a defeated look on his face, while our instructor called out Pierce’s name next. Caleb refused to look at me or anyone else, and I knew he wouldn’t appreciate it if I drew attention to him by talking to him right then. Still, I knew he needed some sort of encouragement after Sunderland’s threat, so I reached over and squeezed his arm while Sunderland was focused on Pierce. Even Storm rubbed against Greenie for a second, and Caleb managed to dredge up a faint smile, though I could see how pale he’d gotten.
Once each cadet had taken their turn at the Dead Man’s Turn maneuver, Sunderland made us practice drills and flight formations in preparation for the upcoming exam. He was far stricter than he’d been during our usual lessons, and he yelled at us to tighten up every few seconds. The lesson lasted for another hour under the scorching sun, and when it was finally over, everyone was feeling it in their bones.
While the rest of the squadron prepared to fly back to DCA’s flying grounds, I climbed off Storm and headed toward Sunderland, who saw me approach and heaved a long sigh.
“What is it, Randall?” he asked.
“sir, I request your permission to stay here with Cadet Mercer and practice the Dead Man’s Turn,” I replied. “As squadron leader, I take my responsibilities very seriously, and I believe that my fellow cadet needs my help in order to perform the maneuver and successfully pass his exam.”
“No need for a lengthy speech,” Sunderland replied. “Permission granted, but I don’t want either of you to take unnecessary risks. You’ve got an hour and a half, and then I’m coming to find you. And trust me, you don’t want me to do that.”
“Understood.” I nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
Sunderland nodded, and I stepped back when he whistled. His dragon’s enormous wings shot out, and the rest of the dragons sat up as well. I made eye contact with Caleb and motioned for him to stay behind. My friend frowned, but he didn’t question me, and once our squadron had fallen into formation behind Sunderland and headed back toward the academy, Caleb turned toward me.
“What’s going on?” Caleb asked once it was just the two of us.
“I asked Sunderland if we could stay behind and practice some more,” I explained.
“Why?” His frown deepened. “It’s not as if I’m going to pull off the maneuver. You saw how I panicked.”
“I did,” I agreed. “So we need to make sure that won’t happen during the exam.”
“Jake, I think I’m a lost cause.” My friend sighed deeply and got off his dragon’s back. “But at least Greenie loves me for me, don’t you, Greenie?”
The small dragon purred and nudged the tip of his nose against Caleb’s shoulder in an affectionate way. Even with my back to Storm, I heard my dragon’s snort, and I rolled my eyes before I turned toward him.
“Just because you’re emotionally constipated, Storm, it doesn’t mean that everyone else is,” I chastised him. “In fact, why don’t you try to show me some affection every now and then?”
Storm looked at me flatly before he folded his wings and laid down on the dusty ground. I rolled my eyes at him, and I could’ve sworn that I saw him do the same.
“Storm loves you.” Caleb smiled, though it didn’t look as carefree as usual. “He might not show it the way other dragons do, but he does.”
“I know,” I grinned. “He’s just stubborn.”
“You’re quite stubborn yourself,” he laughed. “But I guess that’s why you two are an amazing pair.”
“So are you and Greenie,” I replied. “You know everything there is to know about the maneuver, and Greenie knows how to do it. You just need to channel your knowledge and let your body take control. Your mind, while it’s normally your best weapon, is your enemy right now.”
“I wish I could say that no one’s ever told me that my mind is my enemy, but that’d be a lie,” Caleb said just as his frown returned. “Usually it’s because I’m too smart for everyone else.”
