Chapter Text
"Ride or die."
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Conscription day is deadly. The thought of it makes my stomach churn in fear (tiny bit of excitement and boredom), but I can't risk showing it. This morning, the sun rises in a beautiful shade of orange, as yellow hues appear on the horizon.
This sunrise is beautiful, but where there's beauty, there's danger. It's as if the world is being merciful on me with a nice, beautiful sunrise for what could possibly be, my last sunrise I ever witness.
I grip the handle on my katana tightly, trudging up the cold stone stairs of the corridor. I wobble slightly, not yet used to the weight of a real, solid katana on my waist. Step after step my lungs burn with exhaustion as tears prick my eyes.
At the very top, I take a few moments to catch my breath. That was only a hundred steps, and there are two hundred fifty steps to reach the parapet itself.
I'm so fucked.
There are thousands of smart and skilled twenty year olds waiting just beyond the gate, the strongest in Navarre. Many, have which been training ever since they were young with far more many years of experience than me. All of that work, just for a sliver of a chance to be an elite.
I look upwards, the guards lining the walls not even bothering to give a single glance towards me. All of them are completely expressionless, waiting for their next command. Not many choose to ignore me, and for once I like the ignorance they give me.
Perhaps the people outside those gates could ignore me as well, despite my name or my mother's doings.
All Navarrian officers, whether they choose to be schooled as healers, scribes, infantry, or riders, are all molded within the walls of Basgaith for three years. Each and every one of them, honed to weapons just so they can secure our borders against the Kingdom of Poromiel and their damned gryphon riders.
It's already just an honor to get to be molded for three years. The weak do not survive the Riders Quadrant, and I worry I may be part of those who do not survive. The dragons make sure of it, they make sure to weed out the weaklings and stragglers that miraculously survive the parapet and farther challenges.
I reach the door to General Tomioka's office, and as I got closer, I could hear yelling from inside. There were only a select few amount of people who would ever dare yell at the general, excluding me.
"You're practically sending him to die!" A familiar voice yells, but that voice is supposed to be on the border with the Eastern Wing. The voice is filled with worry and anger, and it has an edge of sass to it that isn't unmistakable.
Tsutako.
There's a muffled response behind the door, and I extend my arm to grip the handle tightly. "He won't stand a chance in there, not even for a single day!" Tsutako yells, and I can feel the air around me thicken with tension; I haven't even opened the door yet.
I shove the door open with my little body weight as I stumble forward, gripping the wall for balance. The general stares at me with deep, ocean-blue eyes that mimic my own, but hers are unwavering with cold resolve.
The general's lips are pursed into a thin line as I slowly regain my balance.
"Just look goddamnit! He can't even balance with his katana!" Tsutako yells, rushing to my side to help me. My cheeks flush with embarrassment, "I'm fine!" I answer to no one in particular. Tsu has only been here for no longer than five minutes, and she's already fretting over me like I'm a newborn fawn.
From behind her desk, the general stares at us, evident, cold amusement in her eyes. I glance up, and beneath the layers of cold resolve my mother has built, I can still see the pain, anguish, grief, and fury behind all of it.
Tsutako watches me, her eyes narrow softly and I can tell she's about to cry from just seeing me. I didn't want to be in the Riders Quadrant, but ten years ago, my mother already chose my fate. Since then, Tsu has been protective over me. I understand though, because we're all we have left. Right here, in this room.
The general turns, walking towards us. Her shining black boots clicking against the stone floor. The general's hair in a high ponytail and her muscles, well built overtime. Tsu was almost a miniature copy of her mother. Her blue hair was in a bun with the same muscles as her mother, and there was a confidence in her eyes that you couldn't take away. I only ever saw that confidence after she graduated.
But me? I have no muscle, well I do, but not nearly as much.
"You can't send him in." Tsutako says, her voice almost turning into a soft plead. "He's twenty years old, the son of a rider, and the grandson of generations of phenomenal riders. He will not be anything less." The general commands, staring at me but replying to Tsutako.
My heart lurches. I won't get to not join the Quadrant. You can't defy the general's rules.
Tsutako takes a small step forward. "Makomo wouldn't have wanted this! She even said it when she was here, she didn't want her younger sibling going to a place where she didn't want to, or wouldn't be suited for!" Tears prick my eyes at the name.
"Makomo is dead. As much as I dearly love her, I don't think she'd care much." The general retorts. For a moment I can see her face hold clear grief and sadness, but it's covered up quickly.
Tsutako laughs bitterly, wanting to escalate this even further. "You want Giyuu to join her? Sending him there is practically the same thing as a death sentence!" She shouts. Our mother doesn't answer.
"He's weak. What makes you think he'd have a chance anyways? He's too small to climb onto a dragon by himself, let alone a dragon that could protect him during battle!" Tsutako continues. "I don't want to know that my brother is barely holding against his own out there." She says, her voice hitching slightly.
I know.
I answer in my head. I know I'm too weak to do that, I know that there's a possibility where one day I end up on the death roll and she'll be all alone.
"So, he's short? There can be more than one way to do something. I think he'll be just fine Lieutenant Tomioka." She assures coldly, her eyes flicking towards me.
Tsutako grits her teeth, her hands clenching into fists. "I bet Makomo would've punched you right now." She mutters, her fury taking over her.
The temperature suddenly drops, and from the window I see the sky start to gray, very quickly. Her signet can be horrifying, but Tsutako doesn't back down, knowing hers can be just as deadly. The general glares holes into her, but Tsutako still stands her ground either way.
She definitely struck a nerve. "I suggest if you wish to keep your rank you should follow these orders. Get. Out. Lieutenant." Tsu does leave, she's not going to push the general that far.
Within seconds, rays of light shine into the room, the sunlight a nice comfort when you're with one of the coldest people in the world. My mother sighs, a hint of amusement in her eyes that's mixed with long lasting grief.
She then turns to me, her eyes narrowed. "Don't listen to your sister, you'll be fine. Your skills with your blade and speed were in the top quarter. Every Tomioka does fine and stays alive, well at least long enough to graduate."
I guess, in her own way, she was making an inside joke with me. I remember crying that I didn't want to join the Quadrant, and we researched that so far, every Tomioka has survived Basgaith and proceeded to live for at least five more years minimum. It was her way of telling me I was going to be alright and not fall short of anything.
"Just a reminder, remember that just because you are in the Tomioka bloodline doesn't mean that you get special treatment. No, it'll be far from it." The general says, and I nod my head. There's this small flicker of pride in the general's eyes, as those blue eyes stare right at me.
She gives a little smirk, "I guess I'll see you at Threshing soon, candidate. Well, I suppose you'll be a cadet by sunrise, won't you?" She turns stern again, and her voice sharpens. "Good luck, candidate Tomioka. I hope you won't need it." I smile at her, my own little pride showing in my voice. "Thank you, General Tomioka."
I make sure my katana is in place, gripping on the hardened metal before exiting the room. I push the door open, and the guard closes it for me when I step out. Tsu is standing between two guards when I walk out, her gaze never leaving me.
"You'll be okay." She sighs in exhaustion. There's a spark of amusement in her eyes as she watches me, the awfully familiar spark that I haven't seen in years. "I wish I could've convinced mom a little better.. but perhaps it's for the best. Maybe she has something planned out." Tsu says, slowly extending her hand out to mine.
I grip on it firmly as she starts dragging me somewhere, just like she and Makomo used to do with me. "Come on now, we only have an hour left before all candidates have to report, and I saw thousands of them." After a moment, I realize the path is more familiar, leading up to my room.
Technically, what was my room. All of my belongings, in the time I've been gone, have all been neatly packed into wooden boxes and crates. It's my whole life in just small boxes, that's fantastic.
"So what are you doing here anyways then Tsu?" I watch as she sits on the floor, grabbing my pack I spent an hour or two packing. "Well I was going to convince mom, but I'm here to do what Makomo did for me." She smiles softly at the name, and I can feel my heart lurch at it.
"You have been learning to use daggers like I asked, right?" I nod my head, of course I had. She asked me to before she joined the Riders Quadrant, and it was the least I could do. She smiles at me, before basically out of nowhere, pulling out a full katana.
"What's that for?" I ask, as she smiles at me sheepishly. "I want you to wear two katanas at Basgaith." I stare down at the ground, "Tsu, I can barely handle the weight of one. I'd topple down with two." She sighs but grabs my shoulders softly.
"You know I don't use a katana, but when I was there, so many cadets broke their katanas in battle and they.." she doesn't finish her sentence. "I just don't want you to be in their situation, because at least you'd have a spare in the desperate time of battle." I feel sympathy coursing through my body, the pain in my sister's eyes is hard to ignore.
Her words are sincere, just like her heart. "Don't worry about the weight, wearing just that one makes you unbalanced. It would take years to get used to the weight of just one, so you may as well wear two when you cross the parapet." I set the blade on the floor, looking at its design. The classic blue design of the Tomioka's.
It had small swirls all around it, but it was different from my first one. This one looked more dangerous, and I carefully pull the katana out of the sheath just to see the blade.
As soon as I wield it, the blade turns a soft blue. It reminds me about Sabito's katana. How his turned the prettiest and deepest of blues, a sharp contrast to mine. Tsutako's fingers gently brush over my cheek. "Don't worry about the color, even if it isn't as bright as you want, the strongest swordsmen and women I know don't all have strong colors."
I smile at her as Tsutako disarms herself. Four daggers that match the katana. They all had different blue colors and they seemed to be made of different materials. She presses them to my chest. "You'll want these. I know you'll earn more during challenges, but these are made out of rare stones. One of them, Makomo made for me." She says, pointing to the one with the faintest blue on it.
It was sharp, it looked like it was completely brand new. Makomo always had this way with her weapons. Her moves would flow slowly like the river, but her weapons would be sharp, fast, and deadly.
"Are you sure?" I ask, knowing it'd probably be hard for Tsu to part with this. She smiles at me, "I'm sure." She glances at my shoes before pulling a pair of boots out of her pack which she'd apparently already brought here. "Take your shoes off Yuu." I take off my shoe like she asked, watching as she took the pack I packed myself and dumping it on the floor.
"What- what are you doing?" I ask. "The boots are for you. The soles of your current shoes' are smooth and you'd slip straight off the parapet. Your pack, on the other hand, is way too heavy. Some of this stuff you won't need at all. You should get changed." She suggests, handing me a corset.
"Put this on top of the first layer, it stops it from rubbing." I nod my head as I begin to change. The first layer feels rough, kind of like leather. After a few minutes I finish changing and turn back to Tsu, watching as she holds up one of my tomes.
"What do you even need this for?" She asks as I squint my eyes to read the title. "Poisons." I respond, and she smiles at me. "Guess you get to keep that." Tsu smiles, putting it back in my pack. I notice that diagonally across my ribcage are hidden pockets meant for daggers. The top of all the daggers I own now are black.
It'll blend in perfectly. Tsutako has finished getting rid of anything she deemed I didn't need, and my pack was repacked. "You still need to do your hair." I nod, about to grab a brush and do it myself.
"I'll do it for you, come on, sit down." She commands. I sit down and I can feel her gently tugging my hair, grabbing a comb and combing through it. I continue to feel around my uniform, and I feel texture above my heart that's almost completely solid. "What's this made of?" I ask.
I can practically hear Tsu smile because of how soft she grips my ponytail. "I'm happy you noticed, I designed it myself. I had it specially made for you with Teine's scales so be careful with it." She hums softly.
My eyes widen. "How? Teine is an absolutely massive dragon." Tsutako laughs at my comment. "I happen to know a rider whose power can make bigger things much smaller, and smaller things... much bigger." I roll my eyes.
"How much bigger?" I ask, smirking. Tsu yanks my hair and I lean back a bit. "You should've cut this, it's a liability during sparring and battle. It makes you more noticeable, besides, no one has blue hair like the Tomioka's." She says, sighing.
"Don't forget, your brain can be your best weapon, so actually use it. With that you can outsmart even the best of riders, you got that?" I nod. "Remember to be observant. Quiet is fine, but always notice everything around you and use it to your own advantage. Never try to ignore something important, it could kill you. You've read the codex, right?"
"I have, but only once or twice. It's very short for a rule book." The rule book for the Riders Quadrant is only a fraction of the others. I remember asking mom about it once, and she said it was simply because riders had too much trouble obeying rules.
"Then you do know other cadets can kill you. You won't be a rider until you bond with your dragon, and there are less dragons bonding every year, so they would all kill for a better chance themselves. Even when you're asleep, as long as they won't get caught, they won't care. Keep the corset and vest on always, also the daggers."
The bell chimes, signaling half an hour left. "I won't die today, nor in the next three years." I slip my pack back on and it is much lighter than before. As I stand I can feel the weight of the of the other katana, it balances me, but also makes myself heavier. Thankfully, because the pack is lighter, the katana seems to make it go back to my original weight before I unpacked it.
As we walk down various staircases, the thought of death doesn't seem to bother me as much anymore. Maybe it's because I'm not in the moment, but I feel as if death isn't as scary as people make it to be.
When we get father down I can start to hear the echoes of people talking. Most of which are saying their goodbyes to loved ones. Overtime, most family and friends won't leave until the last bell unlike a decade or two ago.
There are four roads leading to the fortress, all of which are filled with wagons. Some with luggage and packs for others, but some are also empty. The wagons are for dead bodies, however, they won't be of much use today considering salvaging bodies from the parapet is impossible.
At the last turn Tsutako halts in her steps, turning around. She hugs me tightly and I gasp in slight surprise. "I love you Giyuu. Remember all that I've told you, don't become a lost name on that death roll." She whispers, grasping my hands with her own. There's vulnerability in her voice that is rarely ever showed, and I smile at her softly.
"I'll be alright, I promise Tsu. I'll make it out alive."
We make our way to the courtyard which is flooded with instructors, commanders, and even the general is here. Every one of them is waiting for the madness outside to turn into order within. Tsutako glances at me, her blue eyes boring into mine.
"Find Sabito, he'll protect you best he can, even he doesn't show it." She says softly. My heart skips a beat at the thought of Sabito. I missed him a lot. His peach-colored hair, wisteria colored eyes, his warm laugh, or the way he'd scold me when I tripped. It warmed my heart to remember the memories we had when we were younger.
"I've been out of the Quadrant for three years, never got to see him in there but I've heard about him." She continues to walk and I follow her again.
We queue up in the riders' line to sign in. I glance upwards and any sense of regret I might've had about it, vanished. I could see the parapet from here, but the beauty around me calms my heart. Even though the drop down the parapet would be fatal, all around it are pretty wisteria trees that slowly wave with the wind.
I scold myself quietly. The parapet will separate candidates from cadets, and those candidates who are not cadets in mere hours will be dead. Tsu, watching as I glance off, nudges me affectionately.
"Don't let the wind sway your steps, keep looking forward, never down." She reminds softly. "Keep your arms out and if anything slips from your pack, don't bother grabbing it. You know just as well as I do that no item you posses now will outweigh your life."
The line slowly moves and I can see the booth clearly, and my sister lets out another exasperated sigh. "I trust you'll handle your own relationships. This is just a warning though, I don't advise you to seek friendships. Alliances are okay, enemies you are bound to meet, rivals you must compete against, however, you will never truly know a person's intent."
I turn to look at her, "So basically, don't trust anyone?" Tsutako giggles slightly at my response. "I like how serious you are. You are correct, don't trust anyone. However, there may be some people you can bond with during your time in the Quadrant. Those people will not judge you for your name or our mother's actions."
Ahead of me I notice a rebellion child. I had never met one before, but mother and Tsu had told me many stories about what General Michikatsu did to them. I never understood much about his actions, but you never dare to question a dragon.
Tsu whispers to me. "I just realized I forgot to tell you something. Stay. The. Hell. Away. From Shinazugawa." She warns, teeth gritted at the name.
"The Sanemi Shinazugawa?" I ask, eyes widened. Tsu nods her head.
"Yes. He's a third year and he'll kill you when he finds out who you are." My mind blanks for a short moment before responding, "But wasn't his mother the great betrayer? Why is he here anyways?" My sister sighs. "Because the children of the leaders who sought to betray us were conscripted as punishments for their parents' crimes. He's risen to the rank of wingleader."
She chuckles bitterly. "Nobody thought he'd make it. That all changed the day he bonded to his dragon. He's sworn allegiances to Navarre, but it won't stop him if you're concerned about your life."
"You know I don't really care about my life that much." I murmur, and Tsu grips my hand tightly. "But I do, and mom does too. There are always people who will love us completely, or loathe us with their hearts. I love you completely, so stay alive, please." She whispers.
I frown. "I won't think of Shinazugawa as a big problem though. I haven't seen what he looks like, perhaps he's not as scary as you think. Just because his mother is the great betrayer doesn't mean he'll fall into the same footsteps. Perhaps he's different."
Tsu gives me that warning glare that tells me to quiet and stop. "Don't think that. Be on guard, please. Don't underestimate him." She tilts my chin up slightly. "Don't give him a chance to know and understand you either. That makes it easier to kill you. If you don't value your own life that much, think about the hearts you'd break. You are worth it." She says, tone turning from harsh to soft.
"Next!" Captain Amane calls. She stares at me with arched eyebrows. "Giyuu Tomioka?.." she asks. I nod my head as I grab the quill to sign the paper. "I thought you were meant for the Scribe Quadrant."
I give a soft smile. "General's orders." She nods in understanding, thankfully. "Pity, you had such promise." A rider next to her gasps. "By the gods," he exclaims, "Are you Tsutako Tomioka?" he asks, gaze shifting from me to her.
Tsu nods. She grips my shoulders. "This is my brother, Giyuu." She smiles. A few people behind us, there's a snicker.
"Your sister, you mean?" They chuckle. Tsu grips my shoulders tighter. "I bet she'll fly straight off the parapet, she's no boy or man like she thinks she is." My teeth grit and fists clench.
"You got the Order of the Talon award for taking something down behind enemy lines. That takes some serious guts." The rider from earlier finishes, choosing to ignore the candidates behind me.
Tsu guides me closer to the tunnel. It's almost impossible to see in there. We pause at the entrance to look at each other. "Don't die 'Yuu, I'd hate to be an only child." She whispers softly, voice carrying raw emotion.
She walks away, the feeling of her palm against my cheek quickly gone. She walks away like the badass she is, and I can't help but sigh. Candidates around me watch in awe.
"That must be brutal to live up to." Someone behind me says softly, I smile, "Yeah, it is." But I take pride in it anyways. My sister deserves all the praise and compliments she gets.
I head into the darkness, it's oddly comforting. I can't see anything around me, but it gives me the sense of security knowing there's probably not many people that can see me, either. After a minute of walking, gaps of light start to peak through the entrance as the tunnel gets lighter.
In front of the tunnel? It's a spiral staircase.
I can hear someone behind me shift around. "So, you're Tomioka as in?.." her voice trails off shyly. Her voice is higher pitched than mine, and I turn around to face her. "Yeah." I answer.
The girl is very pretty. She has three braids, and her hair fades from pink to green. It may be odd for some, but I like it a lot. Her eyes are green too and there's a smile plastered on her face. She has little dots beneath her eyes which makes her even prettier and unique amongst others.
I start walking up the stairs and she follows close behind me. After a few moments I hear her boot get caught on a step and she almost falls over. She yelps slightly, falling forwards gently. I help her back up and she smiles with gratitude. "Thank you, Tomioka-San."
I don't know if she's trustable. I'll have to observe her a little more.
She brushes the dust of her pants when the guy in front of us looks back for a moment. He scans me up and down like most do. "Are you really the son of the general?" He asks, head tilted to the side curiously.
"Her only son, yes." I answer. The pink haired girl covers her face for a moment, in what seems to be, embarrassment.
"Oh my gosh! I forget to introduce myself, I'm so sorry Tomioka-San, that wasn't very polite of me." She apologizes. I shake my head. "It's alright." I answer. Her not trying to kill me is already enough for now.
"Mitsuri Kanroji! You can call me Mitsuri if you'd like, Tomioka-San." The guy in front smiles boldly. "Rio Kato."
As we trudge up the stairs Mitsuri sparks conversation. "I've never heard much about you Tomioka-San, well, other than the rumors that say you never wanted to be a dragon rider.." she says. "Of course I don't know if it's true, and I won't push you either, but I'm interested in why you're here." Her tone is light and cheerful, and from what I can hear, there's no sort of malicious intent behind it.
"I want to prove to my mom and my sister that I'm not weak." My tone evens out so it doesn't show my emotions at all. Last thing I need is for a candidate to use that to manipulate me. "I don't think you really have to prove anything." Mitsuri says, her voice slowly turning into a whisper.
"You scare me a little if I'm being truthful. I wouldn't want to be on your bad side." I give her a slight smile. "Thanks." I answer. Riko looks back at us.
"So why are you going on the parapet, Kanroji?" He asks. "Well.. I'm looking for a husband and seeing as dragon riders marry early I thought it wasn't a bad idea." She giggles. There's no shame in her expression, but more like embarrassment that she's here for something so simple.
Riko stares at her for a moment. "I guess that's reasonable.." he mutters, "I just decided a year ago. My mother is incredibly worried about me and I wouldn't be lying if I said I wasn't worried either. I don't think I trained enough." He sighs.
As we reach the top smooth stone is on the floor and when Mitsuri steps, her boots squeak because of how smooth the soles of her boots are. Riko has rushed ahead by now as I carefully lean towards Mitsuri.
"Kanroji, come here." I whisper. She seems nice, no ill intent I've seen so far. It doesn't hurt to take this small risk if I can save her.
"What size boots do you wear?" Mitsuri stares at me for a moment. "Women's eights, why?" I nod my head, slightly gritting my teeth. "Kanroji, you and me should swap a boot." I suggest. "It might hurt your foot, but the soles of your shoes are too slippery and I don't want you to slip off. You have a better chance this way."
She flushes with embarrassment again. "I can't accept, really!" Then she looks down towards the black, wet stones that cover the ground. "I wouldn't want it to be my fault if you slipped off." She murmurs. I give her the best reassuring smile I can. "Have faith in me Kanroji. I will be okay, and I want you to be too."
I'm not entirely sure I'll be okay, but she would be a good ally for sure. I slide off my boots and she smiles gratefully at me. She's.. she's holding back tears. "Thank you Tomioka-San, I will return this to you on the other side."
We take a quick moment to swap boots. Her boot isn't entirely loose on my foot, but because it's made of soft material I try my best to tie it around my foot. I must look like an idiot, but I'd rather be an idiot than dead.
I take a deep breath as I get up to follow Mitsuri. She confidently walks towards the exit with probably, a rush of excitement, and perhaps the determination to give me that boot back.
Once I have caught up to her and Rio, I notice the three riders in the sleek rider black I'm familiar with standing by the doorway. One had black hair and two small scars on the left side of his cheek. His face was surprisingly cheery as he wrote names and watched candidates fall off a death bridge.
The one next to him also had black hair, but unlike the cheery smile the first rider had, he had a worried expression on his face. He was practically shaking, but nonetheless he orders Rio to his place, his voice filled with a mix of anxiety and determination.
Finally, my gaze sweeps across to the last rider. His hair is a rare shade of white. Immediately I look into his eyes. They're such a beautiful shade of purple. Not purple, but gorgeous wisteria. It reminds me of Sabito's alluring eyes.
The last rider has many scars on his face, probably proving how skilled he is. He turns his head to me and I can see his tall, muscular build. He crosses his arms, not deeming much interest about my staring until his eyes narrow slightly. Shit that's hot.
Rio turns back towards me and Mitsuri. "See you guys on the other side!" He says, waving his hand. As Rio walks off, the rider with the smaller scars turns over to the one with white hair.
"Are you ready for the next one, Shinazugawa?"
I clench my jaw in place so it doesn't drop.
That's the Sanemi Shinazugawa?
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Book of Signets
+2 Characters Unlocked.
General Kyoka Tomioka
Signet: Storm wielding; Able to control the weather in the sky.
Lieutenant Tsutako Tomioka
Signet: Thunder wielder; Can wield thunder from the sky.