Chapter 220 - Provincial Dragon Academy (1/2)
”Two weeks? I thought you said this would be a short trip.” Nix dropped all semblance of being cordial.
”The short trip was in reference to the distance covered, not the time that you might be gone.”
Nix spent the next thirty seconds displaying his rather extensive knowledge of curses words, instead of getting angry Deidra seemed to be trying to remember them all.
”Want to know the worst part of being a dragon?”
Nix scowled at her. ”If I had to guess, it would be the ridiculous horns sticking out of your head.”
The woman's laughter echoed in the small meadow. ”I may decide to keep you Nix.”
”No thanks. What am I doing here?”
Nix took a moment to take in his surroundings. Deidra had taken him to some kind of staging area. Other dragons in human form were arriving every few minutes, each of them were escorting small groups of people. They were on the edge of a vast forest, the trees were many times larger than the forest giants Nix had seen in Inuit. Each of them was about a hundred meters in width and extended skyward thousands of feet. The trunks of these trees were covered with a rough brown bark that extended all the way into the clouds.
”Every five years there is a great compet.i.tion among the Dragon Houses of the Sky Kingdom.”
”Hmmm... Why should I care?” Nix only knew about Solomon City, he had never really considered that there must be many cities in the Sky Kingdom.
Deidra held up a small vial of red fluid. ”This is pure Dragon Blood Nix, its value among your kind is endless. Survive the first week of the trials and I will give this to you.”
Nix had to focus to keep the greed from showing on his face. If he were to give a single drop of that to each of his companions, their potential would skyrocket. ”Tell me what I need to know.”
Deidra nodded in satisfaction. ”This is the trial for the Provincial Dragon Academy. I am allowed to enter six partic.i.p.ants. My son Juri would have been in the last slot, however, he is still recovering.”
”I don't care about the Academy, tell me more of this trial.”
”The first week starts at sunset tonight, it is strictly H & K.”
”I see.” Nix pursed his lips, ”what's H & K?”
”Hunt and Kill.”
”So... Survive for one week while I'm being hunted by dragons. Anything else?”
Deidra shook her head. ”Not everyone here is a Dragonsp.a.w.n, there will be many Dragon Descended among the compet.i.tors. There will also be a few elementals like yourself.”
”Why me? This isn't payback for me leaving is it?”
”For no reason other than I wish to test you, the empty slot gives me the opportunity to do so.”
”Fine. What's after the hide and seek week?”
”After the week is over, the survivors will team up and divide for the War Games. I really don't care about your final score, you probably don't want to attend the Provincial Academy.”
”No, I don't.” Nix noticed that the other arrivals were being dropped off and almost immediately were heading in the same direction. ”Where are your other entries?”
Deidra pointed North. ”A few miles north of here is a great Tent City. Groups and temporary alliances have been forming since the trial grounds opened up three days ago. My other entries are there already.”
Nix slipped off his armor and changed into his High Stealth gear. ”Anything else?”
”You can summon companions and use any sort of skills at your leisure. However, there are many here that can detect such things. You don't have to worry about flight abilities, this is strictly a no-fly zone.”
”Where do I go after the week is over?”
”The living will all be summoned to Day 1.” Deidra opened up her hud, ”I will contact someone for you now, and give you a moment of privacy.”