Deception

Gelu twirled her quarterstaff nervously and then quickly got back in line as the fanfare sounded. The other apprentices followed suit; they all stood rigid, eyes lowered as the emperor was carried in on his sedan chair.

"Boys, it is time to decide who will be the new Wyvern Rider!" The emperor called when he reached the top end of the open-roof hall.

"All hail the Wyverns!" All the boys and Gelu cried back.

Gelu was in a dangerous situation, if anyone found out that she was a girl, she would be killed. If anyone found out she was a half-demon, they'd torture her and then kill her.

The only person who knew that she was a half-demon girl, was her master: Tal'Kun, Rider of Grimzor. Her master claimed that the reason Glacius (which was Gelu's male name) had a higher-pitched voice and a more-slender shape than the rest of the boys was that he was castrated at a young age.

The temple officials accepted this lie without question, they would never dream of such a deception taking place. The girl shifted very slightly, her chest straps were uncomfortable; but at age sixteen, she was almost completely developed, so the straps had to be tight.

"Apprentices! Raise your eyes to the infinite sky and wait for the Wyvern of the icy oceans to demonstrate her glorious power! And then choose her Rider!" the emperor yelled excitedly.

Gelu silently offered a prayer to the spirits, she had to be chosen or her master would reveal her fatal secrets.

Malsyn shifted his eyes toward the emperor, then back at Gelu's master. He knew her secret, but he had a secret of his own, kept from her master.

He knew her master would tell everyone her secret if she didn't become the Wyvern Rider. He didn't like her master at all. He knew he only trained her for his own greedy purposes, for fame when she became the Rider, and he knew he would easily give her life to keep his reputation.

He was prepared to keep Gelu safe at all costs though, whether she, or he, or anyone else became the next Wyvern Rider. He kept his hand inconspicuously close to his katana.

"Good luck, Glacius." he said warmly with a small smile, as he faced across the hall from her.

"You too, Malsyn." Gelu replied, smiling back a little.

"Quiet fool!" Tal'Kun hissed.

The half-demon fell silent, closing her violet eyes briefly. The centre of the hall suddenly became a hazy blue; a glowing substance rose into the air in little droplets and then began spinning rapidly. In the centre a rift began to open; the ocean Wyvern, Ra'Halya stepped out.

Ra'Halya was so tall her head rose up and out of the temple hall, she had midnight blue scales and black, mysterious eyes; her wing membrane reflected colours in a similar way to a magpie's feathers. Large spikes rand from the top of her head to her shoulder blades, joined by thin membrane like a dorsal fin. Her long tail ended like a whale's or mermaid's.

The Wyvern looked around for a long moment and then brought her head down to stare at Gelu.

"Place your hands over the sapphire on my forehead." Ra'Halya ordered.

Gelu slipped her quarterstaff into the straps on her back and then reached out with trembling hands to touch the gemstone. All at once power surged through her, the energy radiating from the Wyvern was almost overwhelming.

"Say your name." Ra'Halya's voice rang clearly over the rush of power.

"Glacius..." the half-demon whispered. "I am Glacius!" she said a little louder.

"Your TRUE name, apprentice, say it LOUD!" The Wyvern growled.

Gelu hesitated, the Wyvern was staring at her, into her very soul.

"SAY it!" came the order again.

"Gelu...MY NAME IS GELU!!!" she roared, and felt the Wyvern's happiness radiate through her.

"I am Ra'Halya." the great being said softly.

There was a sharp crack as Tal'Kun's quarterstaff smacked against the back of Gelu's head, the girl slumped to the floor, unconscious. Ra'Halya collapsed too, her new bond with the half-demon making her take damage as well.

Malsyn pulled out his six-foot katana, flinging the scabbard at Tak'Kun with the force of the draw, as it was too long to pull out any other way, and pointed the long, black sword at him.

"How DARE you harm Ra'Halya and her new rider! Such a majestic bond, brought down by your wreched hands!" he yelled, enraged, not only trying to save Gelu, but also trying to take the others' minds off her name as well as the emperor's, and to get the emperor on his side, seeing as he loved the wyverns too.

He nudged the guard beside him, who was another good friend of his. He got excited and pulled out his blade too. "He has ruined the entire ceremony!" he called to the emperor, not knowing Malsyn's other purpose for his enragement, and just getting angered completely at the fact that Tal'Kun just knocked Glacius and the wyverness out.

Tal'Kun narrowed his eyes and batted the scabbard away with his quarterstaff; he stepped over the unconscious form of Gelu and moved around the also unconscious Wyvern.

"You would do well not to snap at me, boy." Tal'Kun growled. "Grimzor!" he yelled into the air.

A storm cloud descended over the temple and a single bolt of lightning hit the floor; Grimzor appeared within the flash and now stood behind his Rider. The male Wyvern had storm-cloud grey scales and silver eyes, he glanced down at Ra'Halya and looked for a moment like he wanted to kill Tal'Kun, but the expression vanished as he was bound to his Rider's will.

"Let us leave for now, we will spread word of this treachery in the capital city." Tal'Kun announced.

"As you wish, Lord Tal'Kun." Grimzor rumbled and bent over, allowing his Rider to climb on.

The guards were beginning to swarm around to try and stop the Rider leaving. Grimzor swept them away with his tail and took off into the sky, with Tal'Kun smiling smugly on his back.

Malsyn cursed louder than he intended to and ran over to the two unconsious bodies, nudging them softly. Someone grabbed his scabbard for him and he sheathed his sword.

He looked up at the emperor.

"What will we do now?" he started. "That greedy bastard's going to try getting everyone to kill her!" he said, then realizing he slipped, he cleverly added "...and him!" making it seem like he was refering to the wyverness when he said "her."

He continued to nudge Gelu and the wyverness, trying to get them to wake up so they could escape before being caught.

Gelu opened her eyes, they flared pink for a split second before returning to normal when she realized she was looking up at Malsyn; she hoped he hadn't noticed the change in her eyes. Ra'Halya stirred; Gelu placed a hand on the Wyvern's cheek reassuringly.

The half-demon gingerly touched the back of her head, the mahogany hair there was matted with drying blood. She groaned, wishing it wasn't required for Riders and Apprentices to have at least shoulder-length hair. This hair length was a sign of wealth, apparently.

"Lord Glacius?" The Emperor said worriedly.

Gelu blinked, that title will take some getting used to.

"I'm fine, your majesty." she said, pushing herself to her feet.

Ra'Halya stood up and nodded to Gelu.

"Get cleaned up my Rider, I will see you soon." She flexed her wings. "For now I return to our new lair."

The Wyvern nudged Gelu gently with her muzzle and then took off. The half-demon felt the back of her head again; Tal'Kun will pay for his wrong-doings.

"Emperor, you must stop him... Please, this dangerous man can't be left free. Did you see the look in his wyvern's eyes when he saw Ra'Halya on the ground? His own wyvern is doomed to obey such a wretch!" Malsyn called to the emperor, hoping he'd do something to stop Tal'Kun.

He had wanted to help Gelu clean the blood off her head, but he refrained, as the others would start to catch on, if they hadn't already, seeing a guard helping another fellow guard wash up.

He turned back to the guards, and then the emperor, waiting for a response. Any more time wasted, and he was half-tempted to go himself.

Abyssal stood from afar of the main hall, his two slim daggers in both hands and his face and body hidden in white and brown robes and a vail over his nose and mouth. His brown hair was matted down everywhere almost looking like he had spiked it in different directions.

He kept a careful eye on Gelu, his body shifting as he walked. His weapons spinning in between each hand. A small frown grew on his face.

His mouth opened to say something but he decided against it and just kept watch on them.

"Quiet!" The Emperor's personal bodyguard snapped at Malsyn "Do not speak out of line!"

The Emperor stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Dangerous or not, Lord Tal'Kun is a Rider; to kill him would go against all the laws of the Council. We are all bound to these laws by blood, a drop of which was taken from us at birth." He said finally. "Peace, Apprentice Malsyn; though you acted out of line, you stopped Lord Tal'Kun from possibly doing far worse to Lord Glacius." he paused for a moment "Therefore, you are now Lord Glacius' co-Rider. Tradition states that all apprentices should compete for this title, but you have proven yourself worthy." he turned his head to Gelu "Lord Glacius, do you accept this apprentice as your co-Rider?" he asked.

Gelu bowed "Yes your majesty." she replied, ignoring the uncomfortable pull on her chest straps as she bowed.

She smiled inwardly at the thought of Malsyn as her co-Rider and then stiffened as she felt a presence behind her; she span around, glaring warningly at the man in the white and brown robes that stood in the shadows.

She slowly turned back to the group when she remembered it was against protocol to turn fully away from the Emperor when he was in the immediate area.

"Lord Glacius, I assume you know how to find the Ocean Wyvern Rider's Lair?" The Emperor asked.

"Yes your majesty, I follow the link I have with Ra'Halya." Gelu replied.

"Good, off you go then, you too Apprentice Malsyn." he said.

Abyssal felt the sweat drip from his brow as one of the group had noticed him. He knew this was a perfect time to leave before he was caught and sent to the dungeon.

Slowly, he started to walk away. His robes shifting in the slight breeze as he spun his daggers in each hands quite quickly now, the hum of them almost sounding like a song was being played.

"That was way too close, thank the Heavens I was not caught.." He chuckled to himself.

Malsyn backed out of the hall with Gelu as they headed to the lair.

"Well..." he started, when they weren't in the range of others, "Looks like things are going to get heated around here." he said, slightly more to himself.

"By the way, who the hell was that?" he asked Gelu, referring to the guy in the white and brown robes.

"How the hell should I know?" Gelu replied, grimacing as she touched the back of her head.

The walk was going to be hard, it was a test of fitness; the Rider and his co-Rider had to walk to the lair.

Or rather, her co-Rider.

Gelu was unaware that Malsyn knew she was a girl; but she was probably correct in presuming he didn't know she was a half-demon though. She blinked as the world seemed to go fuzzy and then clear again.

"Stupid Tal'Kun." she thought angrily.

Abyssal walked the streets, business as usual he thought. Most of the people seemed to be gone for some odd reason. That was quite strange to him.

He could feel as if he was being watched as he shifted around he noticed two guards staring at him from a few feet away. He sheathed his daggers and wached them for a few moments as well until they both stepped up to him.

"You have no business sneaking around the palace or anywhere else for that matter, Abyssal." One of them commented.

"It just so happens I do, you bloated, dim-witted, ignorant windbag." He snarled back at the guard.

The guards growled at one another as they drew their weapons and began to walk even closer to the thief. The man decided this would be the best time to back track and make his way back into the sactum of where he first saw the Wyvern riders. He almost immediately bolted down toward the appropriate way.

The guards shook their heads but had to catch him before he caused more trouble.

"Come back here!" They yelled as they gave chase.

Malsyn stopped and faced Gelu, putting a hand on her upper arm to keep her steady.

"You okay...?" he asked, concerned. "You staggered a bit there. Want to find a place to lie down for a while? We can continue first thing in the morning."

He looked up into the sky as the wind picked up, and then looked back down at her.

Gelu's eyes flickered to Malsyn's concerned face then to his hand on her arm.

"Does he know...?" she wondered, but immediately pushed the thought aside "Impossible."

She couldn't rest now, Malsyn would think her weak and may begin to suspect something.

"I can manage, thanks for your concern but really I'm fine." she lied as smoothly as she could.

Gelu continued walking through the city, various people stooped down into bows as they passed; the city gates were opened for them both and Gelu led the way on the correct path by searching her soul for her Wyvern. It was difficult due to the throbbing pain in her head but she managed.

"Are you sure?" Malsyn started. He could tell somewhat by her voice she was lying about being alright, but not enough to question whether she was really telling the truth or not.

"I'd hate for something to happen to you, being the next wyvern rider and all, you know?" he said as they continued through the city gates.

An image of her dropping face-first onto the ground, lifeless popped into his head. He shook his head violently, shuttering at the thought, worried, but he continued on with her silently, just hoping to himself she'd be alright.

"I told you I'm fine." Gelu said, a little more gently than before.

She led the way down a road away from the city; there were several steep hills to climb and at some points Gelu was almost crawling to get over them. Finally, at the last hill gave way to a view of the beautiful ocean, seemingly stretching to the far corners of the world.
On the horizon a grey smudge could be seen, this was the Ocean Wyvern's lair.

Malsyn followed close by the entire way, until they got to the ocean's edge.

"Wow..." he stared in awe, "That's beautiful..."

He turned to face Gelu and then back as he noticed what she was looking at. He stayed silent and assumed that the grey smudge off in the distance was where they had to go.

"It is." Gelu said softly.

She momentarily froze as she realized that she had used her normal voice, rather than her practiced male one. She quickly cleared her throat to cover her mistake.

"As you might have guessed, that smudge is where we're headed." Gelu told him "I think - or rather hope, I admit - that there will be a boat down there." she pointed to the shorline in front of them. "I doubt they'd make us swim."

Malsyn nearly exploded with laughter, but caught himself just in time to cleverly disguise it as one of those painful sneezes. He didn't want her knowing he knew about her being a female, but he thought to himself that it was funny how she forgot for a moment. He rubbed his face and sniffled after the sneeze.

"Ugh... Me too. C'mon, let's go find out!" he said, hopping over the steep hill after making sure the coast was clear, motioning her to follow.

Gelu stared at him, she could have sworn he was going to laugh about something. Shrugging it off, she followed him down the hill towards the shoreline.
As they were searching for a boat she took the opportunity to study Malsyn's behavior more closely; her demon side was suspicious, what if Malsyn did know that Gelu was female? That Glacius was probably a cover-name?

Gelu would subtley watch him for the next few days, to see if her suspicions were correct.

Malsyn noticed her watching him but kept looking for a boat. He felt a bit nautious at the thought that Gelu, or rather, Glacius was his best friend and if she found out he knew... the thought upset him but he didn't show it.

"Hey, look! What's that down there? That a boat?" Malsyn asked, pointing to a dark object down the shoreline.

Gelu squinted to get a better look.

"I think it is, let's go." she answered, moving towards the dark object.

It was a boat, a small rowing boat built for two and in pretty good condition despite being presumably abandoned.
They hauled the boat out onto the water and climbed in; Gelu found the cool water soothing to her aching feet.

She glanced at Malsyn; to anybody watching it would seem like a casual look, and it would to him too if he didn't know one of her secrets. If he did, then he would see the question in her eyes.

"Do you know?"

Malsyn thought she was signifying him to get into the boat, which he did. He got into the back and grabbed his ores and started rowing. He then looked up into the blue sky and inhaled slowly, enjoying how beautiful it was outside.

He looked back down at her, still looking at him. "Huh? Everything okay?" he asked, feeling nervous again.