Theo's victory over the half-giant sends waves of surprise through all the nobles present. Most of them are incredulous, especially the members of the Dalemmar family and their allies. But on the other hand, there are also many who start openly applauding Theo.
The first to show their admiration are Hermes and Clarice's group. The clever young man starts cheering and shouting excitedly when he sees the half-giant hit the ground and now talks nonstop about how Theo is already a legend for taking down a half-giant using only his bare fists, or rather, a beautiful headbutt.
The girls are also impressed and now his slightly skinny appearance no longer makes him look weak, turning him into a target of looks full of desire. But when such looks meet Sarah's fierce eyes, even the boldest girls lose the courage to approach.
Even having won the fight, Theo is still covered in blood, most of it his own, besides the fact that his whole body is aching. He can even hear his bones creaking and his head throbbing. Lorien and Sarah are closer to him and notice his state. "You need medical care. Yeah, he's right, you need some heal now."
Theo smiles at his new friends. Even though they seem suspicious in some aspects, their concerned expressions are genuine. "I'll be fine, I just need to rest a bit." He glances at Professor Luke, who is still treating the half-giant's injuries. "What about the result of my test?"
The eccentric Professor Vera steps in front of Theo, staring at him with shining eyes. "Don't worry about that, you were perfect in every aspect. But now it's better to clean all that blood before someone thinks you killed an entire family."
Vera points to the area beside the arena, still at the lake's edge, and with a wave of her hand, she makes a small pillar appear with a smooth stone basin filled with crystal-clear water. "You can wash yourself there while I fill out the results of your test."
"Thank you," Theo nods lightly to Vera before walking to the stone basin, followed by Sarah and Lorien. Once there, he sinks both hands into the basin and feels the clean water refresh his burning hands. The water turns red from all the blood, but immediately afterward, it returns crystal-clear, leaving Theo concerned.
"It's a harmless cleaning enchantment," Sarah comments when she sees Theo's expression, and he smiles at her before cupping his hands with that crystal water and starting to wash his face. The water runs down his face, neck, and chest, coming out completely red beneath his clothes.
"That's a lot of blood…" Sarah comments in a sorry tone, and Theo suddenly removes his soaked shirt, surprising her. "What are you-" She suddenly falls silent as she sees him remove the shirt and quickly extends her hand. "Let me hold it for you."
"Thanks," Theo hands over the blood-soaked shirt and starts splashing water on his chest to wash the blood away. Sarah gives a good look at his chest and stomach before fixing her eyes on the moon necklace hanging in front of his chest. "Interesting jewel…"
"It was a gift from a friend," Theo comments casually, but he notices that Sarah seems very interested in the necklace. "Beautiful… very beautiful…" He thinks she is talking about the necklace, but he doesn't notice her cheeks blushing because he is more focused on washing his face and body.
"Big brother…" On the other side, Lorien also stares at Theo's body with an impressed and curious expression. "I thought an orphan from Kriegfall's streets would have many scars on his body, but you don't have any… your body is just flawless."
"Hm…" Theo can't help thinking about all the injuries he suffered in the slums of Kriegfall, most of them practically fatal, and that would certainly leave marks for life. Yet, no matter how deep the wound was, he always woke up after a few days missing their scars. In the end, he chooses to follow Eruina's advice and avoids revealing his secrets. "I guess I was lucky."
While Lorien stares at Theo's back with a curious expression, Sarah notices something in his hands, a yellowish glow inside his deeper wounds and them closing at a surreal speed. "You really do seem very lucky…" She comments in a casual tone while moving closer to Theo by the side of the basin as if trying to block others' view of him. Then she also lowers her voice, whispering to him. "You'd better keep that away from curious eyes for now."
Theo is also surprised to see the wounds on his hands closing so quickly, making him think about what Eruina said about having removed a magic that sealed his flames inside him. He nods at Sarah with a gentle smile, grateful for her help in keeping that a secret.
"What?" On the other side, Lorien also notices Theo's wounds closing before his eyes. Just like Sarah, he lowers his voice as he moves closer to the basin to block other people's view. "Holy shit! Is that some kind of healing magic?"
Theo just keeps washing his hands while Lorien grows more and more curious. "No, I don't feel mana flowing in you… this must be some kind of innate power. I don't doubt your past as an orphan from the streets, but it's clear your parents were important people and your bloodline is powerful."
"Why don't you speak louder, idiot?" Sarah shoots Lorien a disapproving look and he makes a sorry expression. Theo doesn't see malice in the peculiar boy, so he gives a friendly look to both him and Sarah. "Look, you seem like good and trustworthy people, but don't ask questions about my secrets, just like I won't ask about yours."
"Of course," Sarah smiles at him. "We all have our secrets… the kind that only those closest to us can know." She says that while staring at Theo with an expectant gleam in her eyes, making him smile.
"Not me," On the other side, Lorien also smiles at Theo. "I mean, I don't have any secrets, I'm an open book, you can ask me anything, Big Brother."
"..." Theo can only let out a sigh seeing Lorien's honest and carefree smile. He goes back to splashing water on his face still stained with blood, but he feels something strange inside his body like a stronger pulse and a sudden heat. "What-"
ROOOOOOOAAAAARRRR! A brutal roar sounds like thunder right above the village, making everyone look up at the sky and see a blue and white shadow passing at high speed, generating waves of icy wind that shake everyone's clothes below.
Theo and all the other nobles around, except the professors and guards, instinctively crouch to protect themselves, then notice the colossal creature flying toward Castle Drakemor, a dragon, naturally, ridden by a figure wearing rustic gray fur clothes.
"A dragon…" Theo watches the magnificent creature from afar; it is almost twenty meters long if counted from the tip of its pointed snout to the spiked tail at the other end; it is covered in scales of different darker shades of blue, while the underside looks like rough skin in a light blue tone.
The blue dragon also has long brownish-blue horns that look like frozen wood and long, thin wings, also tipped with white spikes at the ends. And the mysterious person riding the dragon is seated on a saddle made of crude leather and fluffy pelts, and is also carrying a banner with the symbol of two blue frozen axes.
"A Frostbite Wyvern," Sarah comments as she stands up and stares at the dragon flying away. "It's a beautiful Elite Dragon, found mainly in the frozen lands of the north of the continent."
"Who cares what kind of dragon that was? What I want to know is what that idiot was trying to do? Kill us with fright?" Lorien exclaims, still trembling as he hides behind Theo. "I thought it was forbidden to fly so low near cities?"
Sarah turns, looking at the sky in the other direction. "It looks like they wanted to announce the arrival of their friends…" As she says that, Theo and Lorien also look back, seeing a few other dragons in the sky approaching the Academy. There are three other blue and white dragons like the first one, a larger one, and two others, smaller, but there is also another type of dragon, which isn't so easy to see the details of, since they are still very far away.
"They are splendid…" Lorien comments, impressed by the blue dragons in the sky. "Who are these guys?" Many people there are wondering the same, and Sarah puts on her usual confident expression. "Can you see those banners with the two frozen axes? That's the symbol of Skeldr Clan from the frozen lands of the north."
"Skeldr??" Lorien looks incredulous. "The barbarian clan? Really? What the hell are they doing here??" Hearing his words, Sarah throws another reproachful look at Lorien. "You should be kinder to your northern neighbors. The Skeldrs aren't as irrational as most native clans of their kind; in fact, they're quite an intelligent people who pass down through generations their traditions and knowledge about taming dragons, probably for longer than the Academy itself has existed."
Theo becomes very interested in what Sarah says, especially about the Skeldrs' knowledge about Dragons. He watches those people flying in the sky with mastery on their impressive Dragons. "These guys really look like they know what they're doing."
"Yeah," Sarah nods to him. "They say a Dragon Pact is a bond so powerful that the Rider and the Dragon become a single being, linked by heart and mind. The Skeldrs have clearly mastered this art, just look at how they navigate the skies with such proficiency."
Theo grows increasingly eager to find a Dragon to form a pact like that, but then he hears a murmur among the nobles and turns, seeing the crowd on the street opening a path and a large man in fur clothing riding an even larger gray bear appearing. "Looks like there are more of them."
Sarah turns and sees more people following the man on the great bear, mostly young men and girls, also mounted on large white and gray bears, and all wearing rudimentary fur armor. The bears also wear fur armor, as well as cloaks and banners with the crest of two frozen axes, and of course, many heavy weapons like axes, war hammers, and clubs.
"Many came…" Sarah comments in a cheerful tone, leaving Lorien as confused as most of the nobles there. "What are these guys doing here? I thought they were declared enemies of the Empire."
"I heard they're the Duke Lyskarra's new guests this year," Sarah comments casually. "I bet the Duke understands how the Skeldrs' ancient knowledge can be valuable for new generations of Dragon Riders, and they can also benefit from everything the Academy has to offer in return."
"And the Emperor thinks the same?" Lorien questions, and Sarah rolls her eyes. "Duke Lyskarra doesn't need the Emperor's permission to receive guests in his own home. Also, you must have heard of Professor Hildra, right?"
"Hildra the Valkyrie?" Lorien makes an incredulous expression. "The best flight Professor of the Dragon Riders classes? Don't tell me she-" Sarah nods quickly. "Yeah, she's from the Skeldr's clan. See? They're not irrational barbarians, and their clan has never attacked the Four Kingdoms, even though some of their close allies have…"
While Sarah and Lorien talk about the Skeldrs, Theo is more focused on their members crossing the square and heading toward the bridge that connects the village of Dragons' Gate to the castle. The group is being escorted by guards with free passage to the Academy, but that isn't what impresses Theo; it's the appearance of those people.
Different from anyone Theo has ever seen, those men and women are naturally a bit taller, more muscular, and much paler than most people. Most of them have blond or gray hair, although some have light brown hair as well, and all have blue eyes.
Whether because of their posture, rudimentary clothing, or the fact that they're riding large bears, all members of the Skeldr look like fierce warriors passing among the stunned nobles with cold and proud expressions, quickly earning Theo's admiration.
The Skeldrs look so proud and confident that they don't even look at the nobles around them, ignoring all those malicious and prejudiced comments. Except for one hooded individual who is leaning over their large bear, almost as if sleeping. That person looks to the side as they pass near the arena, specifically in Theo's direction, who is still shirtless and with part of his face and chest covered in blood.
Theo also looks directly at that person, and when their bear passes through the part of the street closest to the arena, he can see her face better beneath the fur hood. It's a delicate, feminine face, very pale skin, and light gray eyes that match the braids of the same color falling around her face.
Even from afar, Theo can tell that the girl has an impressive exotic beauty, but what captivates him the most are her gray eyes, which seem to shine when she stares back at him with the same impressed expression, making Theo think out loud. "Who are you?"