Bone Crusher

I was born as a poor kid, a non dragon family home. We are poor, slobs, hobos, homeless, orphans, servants, slaves of everyone else who has a dragon. The only thing that's going for us is we still have the powers where born with. Everyone is born with 3 powers. The first you discover is your ability to cast things in and out of your void. Everyone's Void is the same, clear and invisible. The older you get and more practice you get the more you can cast into your void and bring out of it. Also the more you can constantly access it, usually their is a direction where you have to wait to power back up to access the void again. The next power you come into is your rider power. Also known as blood bond. Blood bond is when you hatch a dragons egg with your blood and you become their master, their rider. The drawback is if your dragon dies you become lowest of the low, a outcast, even below the poor. You loose all titles, lands, money, influence, you become a nobody. But, being rich, poor, or even middle class can't determine your dragons rank and power among their own kind. Dragon's run the same no matter how big or small, no matter a insect dragon or a dragon as big as a mountain. There are many types of dragons and baby types of dragons species of power determine by their colors. Only problem is all dragons in the same pack nest their eggs in the same pile, easier to protect against other packs and predators. Even that wouldn't help you for all dragon eggs are roughly the same size no matter their size and are always the colors of their parents. Which does not determine the outcome of the dragon inside or rank. Dragon's rank goes as the following, loners for those who lose their rider but keeps their tamed-ness. Rogues are longer dragons that's lose their rider and life their tamed-ness and become would, crazy, mad. They live outside the pack but inside the rules and territory. The next is omegas, the weaklings of dragons, considered useless. Like the non riders is to riders. Then there is pack members, basic, nothing extraordinary or out there. They can be fighters, non fighters, doesn't matter. Then their is the heaters, healers are dragons that can help heal the injured or sick of the pack. Next is a beta, second leader, stronger then the basic dragons. A alpha is the leader of a pack, projects the pack, leads them, puts them in their place. But above the alpha is a king or queen dragon, royalty among all dragon tires and species no matter their size or type. The higher up the dragon rank, the harder and rarer it is to not only hatch a dragon but witness one. When your 16 your soul is strong enough to blood bond with a dragon, to become a rider. The third power you hit and come into is when your 18, an adult. You get the power to have a soul mate. It's a bond closer then your dragons, allowing you to reproduce and have children. This bond helps you become stronger and share your soul mates void. It also helps you if you loose your dragon you won't lose your title and place. Instead your soul won't break and you can hatch a new dragon egg and have another dragon. But for some reason if both humans die your dragons will live together as loners and won't lose their tamed-ness. Unlike dragons that lose their riders and become vicious rogue. But, being from a non rider family and the third in my families line and the only girl I knew my place. Wait till I got the age of 18 and beer married off to the highest bidder. Problem was that was not my FATE, it wouldn't be. Ever since I was young I always dreamed of flying, being as high up as possible. Being free, care free, unafraid to fall. Since I was a child I would climb everything from trees, to houses, to wake, and as I got older I climbed higher, farther, faster. Today I tried to touch the skies, and as I reached up on the peak of the mountain highest in our town I tried to touch the skies. I could see miles in all directions, I felt so free, so wonderful that I wanted to scream out with joy. But like all beautiful things out has to come to an end. To riders it was a small mountain, a small feat. But to me it was everything. That's when I felt the first rain drop hit my face, soon the could came in as I scattered down the mountain. Feeling as I betrayed the skies to hide in the ground. I saw the Fae dragons no bigger then your first, the smallest dragon species in the world. Their young are tiny like flies and the older they get the bigger they get. They breed like crazy for their predators are vast. They are also make colors, from ranges of green, to brown, to orange and yellow, deepening on their color and species type. Fae dragons are like a swarm of bees. The queen stays and protects the young as the workers go out and work. The ones I saw was orange like a golden color of amber. They where amber faes. Amber Faes collect sap from all types of trees and collect it into their nest. The amber then dries up and they feast off it. Finding fae ambers hard, connecting it is even harder for they are like tiny vicious things when the threat if their young is in sheet and that's where they keep their amber. But amber from them could fetch a sum, maybe enough for a minimum ticket. Tickets are for passage to the nesting grounds so I could become a rider. But, even if you cross the vast lands to the great sea you still need a minimum ticket to get passage on a boat across the sea. But then your on your own from shelter, food, travel, all on your own. I looked to where they where all going to hide from the storm coming in and as I looked into the crack on the side of the mountains cloud I smoked as I saw it. it was as big as a softball and as I reached in they instantly began to bite and claw me. I gasp in shock at first and drew back my hand instantly. My hand had tiny bites and claw marks on it from them m They where like tiny scratches, warnings to stay away. I felt the rain began to poor lightly and knew I needed to go quickly the rain would make the cliff to dangerous and wet to climb anymore. I shoved my hand in and grab a shared and yanked as I yanked I quickly shoved it in my mouth and began my decent. The Amber Fae came after me and as I kept climbing down the rain came down more, the rain scared then off as they flew away from me and I couldn't help but smile. First time I ever appreciated the cold, wet, rain. ........................................ I was soaked. but I was also beaning with joy. The thought of getting money for my Amber so I could but a ticket to traveling in order to becoming a rider. I would be the first in my families generation of non riders. All the stings, bites, claw marks, all over my was worth the pain. It was worth knowing I would soon make my family proud. Proud to be more then just a non rider family, to be more then what they, what I was born into. To be something better. Mother look what I found in the rocks! Is it enough to get a minimum ticket? I asked gleaming with joy and as turned around from the shack of a house and looked at me. She was over the pot in the fireplace, stew again. Stew was cheap and it spread easily threw the family. She looked at the amber in my eyes and her eyes went wide. She snatched it from my hand and examined it less then a second before she saw me. She friended as she saw the scratches, the bites from the Amber Fae. Child your not a gatherer. Their is no need to gather items from the dragons, that's a riders job, not... She said stopping herself. She meant a loser like us, like me, like our station. Its not like it's against the rules just dangerous, somthing young riders do it experience ones. After all it could be very deadly. I know mother but this can pay for a ticket from the seas. I smiled weirdly and she only nodded and sent me out of the house with two buckets, she told me to gather water and wash up so my sounds won't get infected, but I already knew the rain was different enough. I was already at some some more rain want a issue for me, the smile I had on my face couldn't destroy my mood. I was still beaning when I saw father enter the cottage. Dad! I said and began to ahead my glee about my discover and as mother looked at me and at him she only lived back at the food in the fire, stirring. Dress child then hang your clothes out to dry. I will speak with your father while he changes. When your done stir the stew. Was all she said and I nodded and I headed up the ladder to the lift above their room and pulled the curtain to change. I changed into the nightgown I owned and climbed down the steps as I brushed my hair and threw it back in a braid. I began to hurriedly stir the stew as I anxiously waited for them to return. Mother excited first and as she wrote her gown the brown complimented her light skin, brown hair and eyes. She was kinda plumpy but then again three kids will do that for you. Mother was a housekeeper of the houses on our block. Everyday she would go straighten up their homes, all six of them. Father exited the room wearing a loser sorry and pants bare feet. He was task and had sight muscles, his skin was light and he too also had brown hair and eyes. Like everyone in our family with brown hair and eyes and light to pale skin. ............... I'm happy for you Mavis. Be careful. And write to us when you can to know your okay. I hear it takes a week to travel to the sea and a couple days on the sea. The nesting starts a couple days after you should arrive, you should be fine a month. I hear it takes a good week or two to find the right dragon egg to hatch, then others find theirs the very same day and hour. Just don't be disappointed if it's flightless. He says knowing how I dreamed of flying. He really was a sweet and kind. He looked like my mother and was her height as well, shorter then father but slightly taker then his bride, Janet. Janet has dirt blonde hair and brown eyes and pale skin. She was also plump and their son Sammy had light blonde hair, which should darken the older he gets with his brown eyes and pale skin. He looked like his father. Go now. It's nearly your bed time. You need all the rest you can get. Finik said as he carried Sammy to bed and as he wanted to me as I left the small cottage of a home. it was small, a studio but you could feel the warmth and love inside. ..................... What do you mean he took it. It's my FUTURE! THE TICKET IS MY FUTURE!? I nearly cried as mother told me as father held the empty bag from their room. Father bought the ticket two days ago as soon as he could and Zinith took it. He left a note apologizing to me, saying once he becomes a rider he will repay me back and but my ticket...... next year. He took it and as father set the money bag on the table and say in his chair I knew he was dad and disappointed. But I wasn't, I was furious! Without a ticket the travelers wouldn't allow me to go with them, or even get close to the track to board the one of the many land dragons you travel on to get to the sea. It takes a week to get to see in the back of dragons that travel nearly non stop. Then a couple days by boat. Even if I walked non stop for a week I wouldn't make it when they did, I would be a week or even two behind them. I knew my only chance was to leave right away, but not after Zinith for no one would believe me or father that he took my place a girl who Bradly turned 16 in time for the nest. I had my backpack in hand and as I ran out of the cottage despite the yelling of my parents. I ran straight for the mountain to collect more amber. I would collect it all, I needed too. .................. How much? I said to the jeweler a good five times worse looking then before. This time instead of a golf ball size chunk I got a baseball size. He hesitated and looked at me and his dragon and then back at me and sighed as he handed me five 100 coins. What do you mean the tickets are sold out!? Where can I get one? I nearly screamed and he looked at me and then back at the 100 cent coin I held up. You can get one at the bigger town. They always have extra. Even though their ten times bigger they can never fully fill out all the tickets. Might be bigger but most parents their either take their kids themselves or can't afford them... The traveler will be taken cotton to the city in about..... now actually but it will cost a third of what you got there. He said and I only rushed past him and as I ran threw the town I Bradly ran into many dragons, many people as I flew past them. Please give me passage I need to get to the next town and buy a ticket before they sell out! I said and he held out his hand and I haven't him the 100 cent I have clutched in my hand to him. I leave in five. He said as he pulled up the wagon for his drake to pull. He would ride on the sattle on his dragons back as it puked the cart. It will take three days. He said and I only nodded as I saw them leave. The travelers on the backs of ground dragons in crates down the open valley. They where already a mile away. Mavis! Janet said with Sammy in her back as she puked the cotton in the wagon crate. I looked at her and told her quickly what happened, she was a cotton pucker with her son on her back, like many mother's with children. I will tell your family, be safe Mavis. She said giving up trying to convince me to wait, that they will help pay for next year but I could, my time was now. That ticket, this ticket is my future. I couldn't, can't wait. This was what I was meant to do, to be a rider. I waved forgot to her as she slowly waved goodbye to me as the cart began to pull away behind the drake dragon. The wheels where making the ride bumpy, but nothing was worse then being betrayed by your family, your own bother. But then again I could understand why, which made it worse. He would escape his own fate to throw it in me, to force me into the life he didn't want himself, and if his dragon dies he will be Disowned from the family unable to wed, unable to help the family. Having two children's fate in the unknown future was almost worst then living the life we where dealt with. But to me it was worth a better, brighter future, for us all... .................... The travel was rough, but I kept strong. The outskirts of the huge city was massive and crowded and as we stopped on the edge of the town as the cotton traveler began to unload his cotton baskets. Where do I go? I asked more in wonder then anything and he must of heard me as he huffed out that this was the farthest he ever went. His drake was grey, with no special qualities, normal they call it. He was tall, thin, with a mustache, greasy hair, and baggy clothes. He was also very quiet. Thanks for the ride. I said and nearly ran threw the streets to what seemed bigger and busier the father I went in. I ran threw the streets past dragons and unexpected people and realized that this town had only a third amount of riders pe in the city when my town had only half a dozen families without dragons and a hundred or two rider homes. Then again it is bigger and jobs are probably harder to get let alone save for a ticket. Out of the way boy! Someone yelled and I looked up and saw him. He was around my age and was running away from a dragon no bigger then he was as he fled with a apple in his hand. He ran smack right into me and we both topple to the ground. I looked up and groaned in pain as I picked up the apple and was about to have it too him when he fled to hide behind a barrel. Theif! The dragon other of a drake this one a father grey then the one that puked the cotton cart, normal drake. I am no theif. How much? I asked and the boy just looked at me and then at the dragon at his side and told me. Five. He said and I nearly gasp in shock as I nodded at him and closed my eyes. I took a breath of relief as a five cent coin feel from the void, my void. Thanks. He said and hoped onto the drake and left down the street the way he came. I was about to turn and give the apple to the boy but he was gone. I sighed and just held it in my hand as I began to walk up the street the boy and drake went. I ended up turning towards the market and began asking questions but many people took one look at my clothes and disregarded me. I finally found someone to tell me after I bribed them with one ten cent coin. They just laughed at me and pointed at the castle, small castle I imagine that was deeper into town. Good luck you have to pass the trial first. She said and I just looked at her confused, their was no trials in my town then again just having money was a trial enough. Then again I would go anything I needed to do to pass, I have too. I could fail, I wouldn't. ....................... Listen up newbies and old. Those of you that already been here knows what to expect but those of you haven't don't know. People don't know why where more expensive for tickets and have a trial is because we don't travel by lands but by air and we don't need throwing up sick passengers. Those of you who fail these three test will be denied for this year's ticket and must find then elsewhere. Like the neighborhood smaller town's. As he spoke and I snuck into the castle I realized he meant my town and that's why we always run out. People come here from their town out of tickets and tail just like their own people did and fled to ours. This is the last day for the test so finish it today but the time we take flight or loose your spot. Their are a hundred openings, and only ten are tied so far. Good luck to you all! The Dutch of the city said and I just froze. Three test to complete and pass and as my body looked at the humans rushing to get into one of the three lines. One of the three test to start and need to pass to move into another one. I chose line one for it was the smallest line of only ten people as the rest where twenty or better. I should of course a easier one first like everyone else but I didn't. The test I chose was jumping off of a wall ledge into the lake below. I looked below and as many backed away or jumped and needed to be rescued from the failed attempt of the jump into the water and landed, wrong. I began to walk backwards, but not in fear but in delight. For this is not my first time jumping into the water from a height. For I have done it many times since I was a kid, off of the waterfall back at home into the river below. I got my running start and tucked myself into a ball and rolled into the air until I was straight up and down and landed into the water feet first. I surface from the water and scaling to the edge where another group was scaling the wall I just jumped from. I got out and the leader of the wall motioned for me to join then and I did. I began to climb and climb and climb without looking down, without stopping, without failing and as I got to the top I realized my mistake, I didn't watch where I was climbing and climbed straight up to the overhand instead of the longer easier path. I took a breath and grabber the rocks and began to lift, climb and make my way horizontal up the rocks until I could go vertical again my body was now handing as I pulled myself up and over the ledge. I then stood up and looked as everyone else joined me but ten feet to my left and slightly higher up. I have them a wave and walked towards the leader I just left as they turned to jump into the water below. I realized then they didn't choose it because it was harder but because it was the easiest to do. I wondered what the third challenge was and as I asked the leader of the water jump he told me to go down the path and I will see the other group. So that's what I did. I saw them instantly, they where all on the backs of the young's, newly dragons from a year or two old hatched riders as they jumped, flew, glider from tree to tree, from area to area. many got sick and threw up and couldn't last the course. I walked forward and the leader just smiled and called forth a boy, the same one from the market and the apple. The boy just smiled at me and helped me get on his dragons back onto the saddle strapped to it's back. If you can last the course on him you will go on a fliers and do it again. if you can go without fainting, or throwing up you pass. I nodded and held on for dear life but little did I know I did not need to, for I did not fear the speed or the movement but otherwise enjoyed it. I smiled with glee as the dragon tried it's best. ...................... Congested only fifty of you pass. Sleep here and in the dawn you will pay us and be on your way. Its five hundred coins for those of you don't know already but fear not you will be taken all the way. No need for a boat. Tomorrow your dragon riders will chose either one or two of you to travel with, depending on the dragon type, age and strength depends on how many passengers can be on the dragon back. The higher ranks will be chosen from first. As they are more worthy. I felt like I was the only one the last comment was too for I was the only dressed and looked like a non rider family child, poor. .......................... I did not choose you girl, your just the last one left is all. The man said and I only roller my eyes and realized it was the boy from the streets, that stole the appl and I paid for. if he was a rider why would he need to steal? That's all I could think to as he whistles and called down his dragon from the skies. Now let's get your ticket to your new future shall we? He asked with a smirk as the dragon crashed down onto the ground as it landed not so graciously. I could only nod as I paid him and he took to the skies as we seated into the dragons back onto the sattle. into the sky and into my future we went.