Fat droplets of rain sloshed from the gnarled branches, trickling down thick verdant leaves before plopping onto the ancient stone path ahead of her. Y/n released a weary sigh that formed a misty cloud in the damp air as she reached down, calloused fingers wrapping around the leather-bound hilt of her dagger. The blade, recently gifted to her just a week prior by Xaden, glinted with a cold steel menace as she pulled it free from its sheath.

Despite being within the halls of the prestigious Basgiath War College where combat training reigned supreme, an eerie calm had settled over the grounds these past few days. The unusual stretch of peace felt tenuous, as if the world held its breath before the next plume of chaos erupted. Y/n's grip tightened around the dagger's hilt, her knuckles paling, as she pressed onwards down the rain-slickened path, every fiber primed for whatever threat may lie in wait.

Soon enough, Y/n's boots crunched over the rain-soaked gravel as she approached the wrought iron gate, where two familiar figures awaited under the meager shelter of a gnarled oak tree. "Violet, Rhiannon," she called out in greeting, her voice nearly drowned by the staccato pounding of raindrops on the path.

The two girls turned to face her, unmistakable grins spreading across their features despite the dreary weather. Rhiannon's fiery red curls were plastered against her porcelain skin, raindrops glistening like diamonds as they traced the curves of her elfin face. Her lips, quirked in a teasing smirk, parted as she spoke. "Hello there Y/N, guess what we heard."

Y/n arched one finely sculpted brow in response, rainwater trickling from her storm-tossed chestnut locks. "Oh, what is so important that you have to be out here in the rain?" she countered playfully, a lopsided grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Violet huffed, a plume of mist escaping her lips as she impatiently brushed a sodden strand of her silvery-brown hair over her shoulder. "Nothing much," she said with an exaggerated roll of her emerald eyes. "Other than that we'll be doing a bit early at Threshing, and that you are to join us."

The words hung in the rain-drenched air, carrying the weight of something momentous, something that could upend the relative peace they'd enjoyed at the hallowed grounds of Basgiath War College. Y/n's grip tightened around the leather-wrapped hilt of her dagger anew.

"I see," Y/n said, raising her chin defiantly against the driving rain. "Have you told any other of our squad? Has even Xaden agreed to this?"

Violet nodded, droplets flying from her sodden hair. "He has. He said that you're ready to get your own dragon now, and he's actually going to have some of his old clique come over - Targaryens, in fact." A sly smile played across her lips. "And perhaps someone from your family tree will come too."

Y/n felt her breath catch in her throat at Violet's words. To be entrusted with her own dragon at last - it was the highest honor at Basgiath, one that marked the transition from student to battle-ready warrior. But the prospect of reuniting with her estranged family after years apart stirred a tempest of emotions within her.

Steeling herself, Y/n gave a resolute nod. "Very well then. When do we leave for Threshing?"

Rhiannon's teasing grin stretched wider. "Best gather your things, Y/n. We depart at first light on the morrow."

As the three friends strode beneath the rickety gate and back towards the castle, Y/n couldn't help but feel the winds of destiny swirling all around them, change burning on the horizon. One way or another, nothing would be the same after they reached the storied heights of Threshing.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

Y/n and her friends were making their way towards the place where their final day of training for Threshing would take place, and she could feel her heart pounding with a mix of exhilaration and trepidation. Finally, a dragon rider, and perhaps Laenor will be there...or maybe even my father, she thought, sighing deeply as she grits her teeth. Or possibly my fellow queen...

As they soon entered the learning room, the tired space was aglow with magical lights. Y/n's eyes immediately drew to Xaden, standing alongside Liam. She inhaled a short breath sharply. No matter what, those two always managed to look devilishly handsome.

Xaden's chiseled features were bathed in the warm illumination, accentuating the sharp angles of his jawline and the intensity burning in his storm-gray eyes. His leather armor fit his muscular frame like a second skin as he leaned against a table, arms folded across his broad chest. Liam stood by his side, the epitome of roguish charm with his tousled ebon locks and the smoldering look that seemed permanently etched on his face.

Y/n swallowed hard, trying to regain her composure as Violet nudged her with an elbow and a knowing smirk. "See something you like?" her friend murmured teasingly under her breath.

Forcing her gaze away from the two men with an inward curse, Y/n lifted her chin defiantly. She was here for one purpose - to claim her destiny as a dragon rider, as was her birthright. Distractions like Xaden and Liam would have to be ignored, no matter how tantalizing.

Professor Colonel Markham stepped up to the three girls and smiled warmly at them. "Welcome, girls. This is the last class before your final trip to the Gauntlet. You are ready," he said, his gaze sweeping over them before his smile widened. "I'm going to be happy to see such great students become dragon riders."

His voice carried a paternal pride as he regarded Y/n, Violet, and Rhiannon - three of his most exceptional pupils on the cusp of achieving their ultimate rite of passage. Though weather-worn and grizzled from years on the battlefield, Markham's eyes still shone with a fierce light, undimmed by age.

Y/n could feel the weight of the moment settling over them like a thick mantle. The Gauntlet loomed ahead, an arduous series of mental and physical trials designed to push even the most formidable recruits to their limits. Only the strongest, bravest, and most resourceful would emerge victorious, bonded eternally to a dragon of their own.

Squaring her shoulders, Y/n met Markham's proud gaze with a steely resolve. No matter what terrors awaited in the Gauntlet's chambers, she would conquer them. Failure was not an option - not when her destiny as a dragon rider, as decreed by her bloodline, shimmered just within reach.

"We're ready, sir," she stated firmly, both for Markham's benefit and her own. Violet and Rhiannon murmured their agreement alongside her.

Markham's approving nod was accompanied by a roguish grin. "Then let the final lessons begin."