After the last class ended, every student rushed outside, excited about the event. Each wondered what their first Skyrider would be. Others already had their own Skyrider and were there just for the show.

It wasn't just about getting your personal ride or companion. It was about knowing what elements you'll end up with for the rest of your life.

Elemental power didn't appear naturally, you have to be of age, at least fourteen, and there had to be a catalyst. For me, it was getting zapped by the queen Skyrider. Luckily, we were the same element and mine was much stronger. I had a natural resistance to its thunder, which was why I was able to withstand its attacks. Unlike my master, who got hurt badly. He was a water elemental, a conductor of electricity.

So, we get each kid to touch every type of Skyrider while holding a green leaf in hand. If the leaf gets burned, it's fire. If it starts dripping, it's water. If it crumbles, it's earth. If it gets heavy, it's metal. If the leaf starts growing, it's nature. Very simple.

Determining the offshoots of each element was hard. We didn't know how many there were because they weren't mentioned in any book. And on top of that, they were so rare.

The students stood in line in front of me. I was their supervisor, and none of them was pleased because I was a few years older and already a teacher.

I guided them one by one. Some were pleased with what they got, others were disappointed.

Now comes the fun part.

Each chose their Skyrider, and they were ready for the first flight. We had a few teachers on standby on their winged beast just in case something went wrong.

I said to them as I signaled to get ready,

“Start slow, don't be reckless, and most importantly, have fun.”

I counted down, 

“Ten, nine, eight ...” 

As I reached zero, I paused in silence for a brief moment, building up the suspense, and then I yelled,

“Goooo!”

The yard was full of dust and feathers. All you could see was the elemental glow of each Skyrider.

Most of them were wind and nature this year. A few fire elementals were also present. Unfortunately, there were no rare offshoots for me to study.

As they took flight, some started to do crazy maneuvers. Some were scared, so they took it easy. Others struggled to control their bird.

“Always with the dramatic display?” said a gentle voice from behind me.

I snarked, knowing who it was,

“You know me. I like to spice things up.”

She grinned and stood next to me as she leaned on my shoulder, enjoying the show. I lost interest in the show, as my eyes were fixated on her.

She got even more beautiful over the past two years. There was a unique presence to her. She looked young, beautiful, and mysterious. I always wonder what hid behind her blue eyes.

Her beautiful figure was complimented by her outfit. It was a white dress with a golden pattern on the collar and sleeves. The lower half was black with a golden outline, and the dress had two slits in the front, creating a middle piece, covering the black shorts she was wearing.

The colors complimented her skin tone so much. White, gold and black, the colors of an advanced martial artist and a teacher, the same colors I wore.

I enjoyed her presence next to me, but that didn't last long.

A big ruckus broke in the middle of the yard. I whistled for Hera, my Skyrider and Jane did the same, calling for hers.

I didn't know what was going on. All I could see were the birds going out of control. It seemed they were sensing some kind of danger.

I flew higher than the other riders and Hera made a loud shriek, declaring dominance.

Jane's Khione followed with the same action. Then the other teachers, along with Master Sylas, followed our lead.

We managed to get things under control with no casualties.

When I made sure that the students were in safe hands, I took off looking for the cause, and Jane was right behind me.

I let Hera lead and show me the way. She seemed agitated as she headed towards the forest. It was the direction of a place that I hadn't visited in two years ... The cave.

I landed at the entrance of the cave, while Jane was a few meters behind. I stood there, observing my surroundings. A cold gust of wind hit me. Jane just landed.

I asked with a worried voice,

“Wasn't the entrance closed off?.”

“Not anymore, apparently,” she replied, surprised, “We tried to clear the rubble so many times. Even with the few earth elementals, it was a hard task.”

The silence grew between us, but not for long, as Khione and Hera started to hiss. One took a defensive stance facing the forest, and the other faced the entrance of the cave.

Red eyes glowed deep in the cave, like glowing gems, and we heard a rustle in the direction of the forest. A big claw appeared from behind the bush, all covered in scales.