"Yes. Here is where all new riders come for their eggs."

Really? This is it. This is what I have been waiting for. Every step I took, every punch I threw. Every kick, every swing I did, everything.

Wait? Wasn't there supposed to be a test?

I slowly approached the eggs as I heard the sound of a fire being started, turning around to see Lord Kevlar lighting up a torch on the wall. Turning back to the eggs, I approach them cautiously, considering where my foot is going.

Each egg was up to my knees and was as wide as my chest. I slowly walked around them, not wanting to hit any of them accidentally. Not when this could be part of the test. As much as I want to run over and look at the eggs, I must control myself.

"Most nobles would be ecstatic, overbearing, or extremely arrogant." I turn my head to Lord Kevlar as he lights up another torch.

It wasn't man-made, that's for sure.

"But not you, Mister Hunter. That's good. It means you have a sense of self-control. But to what end?"

I hear a loud screeching sound, like metal rubbing against metal. But before I could answer, something drew my attention. It was strange. It was like I was feeling a heartbeat. It was weak but faint. I look at one of the eggs, at the very far end of all the others. I could barely see it, but it felt like it was calling out to me. I took one step forward, ensuring I didn't bump any eggs. Then, another step, as the heartbeat grows.

Thump-Thump                  Thump-Thump

Each step I took felt long and tense. My body shivered as goosebumps formed across my skin. But each step closer to this one egg felt lighter, like my body was losing its weight. I took another step closer, and it felt like a layer of my skin that I never knew I had was being pulled toward it. There was no pain. The only thing I could feel was this one pull.

Thump-Thump                    Thump-Thump

The heartbeat was clear but was still weak, like hitting a drum softly. As I got closer, I noticed the torch Lord Kevlar threw was now at my feet, so I picked it up and aimed it towards the direction. There, the cause of this pull was in plain sight. What appeared to me was an egg. Its shell was like that of a dragon scale, but its color was a deep, faded brown. It's as if someone has been tossing it in the dirt. Its brown was so offputting that I thought it might be rotten or slowly dying. Whatever this egg was, I couldn't pull myself away.

Why was I drawn to this?

"Well, that makes my job easier."

"What?" I turned my head as Lord Kevlar approached me with a hammer.

"One of the tests to prove one's will is the willingness to destroy defective eggs. Dragons draw their power from the Dragon Force. It is what grants them their power. An egg becomes defective when it doesn't tap into the Dragon Force. These defects later on become Wyrms, Drakes, or whatever reptile that flies."

I then realized that Lord Kevlar was looking at the egg at my feet. He proceeds to snatch the torch out of my hand.

"This egg is defected?" I stumbled back as I recoiled my arm back to me.

"Look at it. The shell is worn and filthy like a rotten egg. And no sense of Dragon Force is coursing through it. Destroy it"

Before I could say anything, Lord Kevlar shoves the hammer into my arms. "What?"

"Prove to me you have what it takes to be a rider. Dragons don't tolerate weakness. If you can't destroy a defective egg, how can the Dragons or the Order trust you to fight the Blight?"

I stared at him and then looked back at the egg as my heart raced. My palms started to sweat as I tried to speak. I gazed intensely at the egg, feeling its heartbeat.

Thump-Thump             Thump-Thump                Thump-Thump

I looked back at Lord Kevlar. "You can't be serious. You want me to take a life that hasn't been born yet."

"It doesn't matter if It hasn't been born yet. What matters is that it's either a dragon or not, and you being able to do what is needed." Lord Kevlar grabbed my shirt and shoved me towards the egg.

Being closer to the egg felt like it was prying pieces of my body toward it. I could feel my body getting weaker, and all that strength was being sapped away into the egg, like how you would get fatigued when you're sick.

My thoughts were racing. I couldn't just kill the egg or whatever lies in it. The Order was supposed to fight the Blight, so all life could flourish. And the Blight has driven back for now, so there is no need to do such things. But I must become a Dragon Rider. If I can smash this egg with this hammer, I can join the Order and fight the Blight. I can avenge my mother, who was taken from me. From us. Me and my father.

I remember my father showing me a photo of himself alongside my mother and me. I could clearly see the stains of tears left on that photo. I don't know how much it hurt, but I knew it tore him apart. He tried to cover up the tear stains, but he failed.

I grip the handle of the hammer tightly, ensuring it won't slip out, as I take a step forward. My legs were shaky.

What is this? Why am I shaking?

I started feeling nauseous as my breathing became heavy, almost labored, like someone was pressing against my stomach. Looking down at my arm, I could see my hand trembling.

Am I doubting now? Here? After everything I have seen and done? This is the final step. The whole point of everything. Right there. All I have to do is raise and drop this hammer.

I force my body to comply as the heartbeat continues to beat. I was feeling my arms protest as sweat dripped down my forehead. Hesitating, I slowly brought the hammer up. I then swung my arms forward. I was clutching my eyes tight, unable to bear the sight of what I was doing and taking the life of an unborn creature. But I didn't hear anything.

Realizing that I haven't moved. I grit my teeth and tried to move my arms to swing the hammer forward but couldn't.

I then realized that my heart was pounding in my chest. I started breathing rapidly. Despite the pounding in my chest, my heart ached.

I couldn't. I can't just take this poor creature's life. It's just not fair, just like how my mother was taken from me by the Blight. I couldn't bring myself to be something like that. This egg was no threat to me or anyone, either.

I brought the hammer to my front, stepping away from the egg. Turning to Lord Kevlar, I shook my head. "I can't, my Lord." My voice cracked with doubt. But I knew better. My father always preached that life should never be taken for cruel or selfish reasons. After hunting with him for the first time when I was younger and seeing an animal howling in pain, I agreed. Sure, we kill monsters and animals in the forest where we hunt. But we kill them for the money to afford for ourselves.

I also remembered my father spouting about how Dragon Riders are easily influenced by their dragon. Were the riders cold-blooded and took life without questioning it, and did the dragons make them worse? I knew better than just mindlessly to take a life for selfish reasons.

"I won't take a life so selfishly or blindly," I spoke out almost louder, but my voice was hoarse, so I probably sounded maybe ruder than I wanted to express.

(Warning Graphic Content)

Lord Kevlar snatched the hammer out of my hand and just stared at me. His black eyes stared daggers into me, almost unreadable for a moment. It was as if everything froze as silence took hold of the room. He then let out a loud sigh.

Before I could say anything, Lord Kevlar turned towards the egg with a ferocious look as he swung the hammer above his head. I tried to shout, but it was already too late. The hammer flew down towards the egg. I watched slowly as the hammer got closer like time had slowed down. I turned and closed my eyes as I heard the egg cracking and shattering loudly. The heartbeat stopped.

I started to breathe rapidly from the shock as I opened my eyes to see the egg shattered on the floor. What I guess was the york of the egg spilled all over the ground. The egg was destroyed.

I stepped back away from Lord Kevlar as he turned to me to speak. "Mister Hunter, you cannot be a Rider due to your inability to follow through with the test Rider. Your softness, kindness, and lack of a spine are your weaknesses; the dragons know that. You will never be a Rider."

I stood there in shock, unable to speak. It felt like my whole world was crumbling. My dream. It. I can't even say.

(Graphic Content Ended)

"You can let yourself out."

I didn't even bother to look at him. He just killed some poor infant dragon or wyrm or whatever. He didn't even hesitate. My breathing was even more hoarse than usual.

I failed. My one thing, my one purpose, to avenge my mother, is unreachable. Everything I was trying for was just out the window.

I stood there, silent, feeling empty. My mind was void of emotion. Like a hole that only grew bigger with each second. As I just stare at that puddle and broken shell pieces.

I can feel the weight of it all on me, making it hard for me to breathe. I can already see my father being disappointed and wasting all of his time. He could done something better than training me for this. I bet Mother is cursing at me from the grave as well. I don't even want to think about her. Aunt Silfe, too; she always said I should leave Drakelene and become an adventurer instead of being a Rider. Then there's also Barren. I can see Barren looking down at me in shame, struck by heartache for putting too much trust in someone like me—a filthy, worthless nobody.

My chest started to feel like a knife had sunken into it. The knife turns each time my heart aches with guilt. The pain felt like it was crushing me with each breath I took, suffocating me.

I can even feel the tears beginning to swell up in my eyes. I clenched my fist, digging my nails into my palm as I tried to turn the pain into anger, gritting my teeth as I fought back the tears. I was trying to keep a semblance of myself from crashing down, especially where I'm at right now.

But it was pointless as my breath became ragged, and my vision started to get watery, warped, and distorted as I dropped to my knees. Feeling the rough texture of the ground as I hold myself up, tears falling as I try to fight it.

I wanted to punch the ground—something, anything, to push away what I was feeling. But I knew better. I wasn't in the place to do such rash things.

As I opened my eyes, I realized I punched the ground anyway, leaving a decent crack in the ground.

Thump-Thump                          Thump-Thump

What?

Thump-Thump                           Thump-Thump

I looked down and saw a piece of an eggshell. I was dumbstruck. I could feel its heartbeat again as I looked closer to see that the once brown shell was now gold.

Thump-Thump                             Thump-Thump

The once so-called pull I felt returned as I reached toward the eggshell. The shell was hard but smooth with a bit of weight to it despite it being a piece of an egg. I brought the shell closer to me; something came over me. It was an odd, foreign feeling like someone else was in my head.

Contentment. Safe.

Safe?

I look back at where the exit was and down at the shell. The idea of taking it with me, donning it on me until a familiar blue orb appeared from the ground.

Father was searching for me.