Editing Eldramin (section)

== Chapter 13 ==
''Fannara''

''“Get it together, Harpson.” I gritted my teeth and glared up at the teacher towering over me.'' 

''“I’m trying.” My frustration strained the words as they came out.  ''

''He raised an eyebrow and bent lower to the ground, sticking his stuck-up head in my face. “Get up and go again.” I rolled my eyes and pushed off from the spot where the ground had so graciously received my body when I fell off the rope. I loved climbing, but this sucked.''

''Raising my hands to heal the bleeding callouses on my palms, I began the spell I’d been taught the other day. Before I was even halfway through it, the instructor grabbed my right hand and yanked it away.'' 

''“This is why you have no resilience,'' girl''. You send away your wounds before you can learn from them.”'' 

''I snatched my hand back and barely restrained myself from slapping him with it. “I can’t learn anything if my hands are about to fall off.” He glared down at me.'' 

''“You are no longer allowed to use any magic in the gymnasium.”'' 

''I sputtered. “Wh- what?! You can’t do that!”'' 

''“I can do whatever I want.” He crossed his arms and sneered. “Do you want me to ban you from using it at all?” I let out an irritated groan. “Now again, climb the rope.”'' 

''“And if I say no?”'' 

''He moved his jaw, disgruntled. “It’s not every day that a sixteen-year-old, unwanted, farmer’s daughter is given the opportunity to compete in the Alithos Games. I’d suggest you take that attitude of yours and put it where it belongs.”'' 

''I took a deep breath and stared the man down. “The only reason I’m here is because I have nothing better to do at this stupid academy. If you want to pick someone else to compete in the name of Talidine Magic Academy, be my guest.” I bowed dramatically and stormed out of the place.'' 

''Edmund pushed off the wall of the gym and jogged to catch up to me. “How’d your first day go?”'' 

''“The instructor is a jerk. I’m probably going to have my magic banned'' again, ''and my hands are bleeding. How do you think it went?”'' 

''“Bad enough that you forgot your jacket. Want me to go get it?”'' 

''I glared at him. “I’m not cold.” I bit back a shiver as the wind blew snowflakes into my face.'' 

''“You’re also not stubborn in the slightest.” He stopped walking and waited for me to turn around. I didn’t. Ed eventually gave up and jogged up to me again. “You’re aware this is the fourth time they’ve threatened to take away your magic privileges, right?”'' 

''Now I turned around and gave him the most sarcastic look I could. “Oh, of course not. Why would I keep track of that? It’s not like it makes a difference'' at all''.” I groaned and pushed loose strands of hair away from my face, wincing as it sliced my hand even more. “It’s really annoying. I can’t hold it in, there’s no other way to describe it, it’s like my magic is clawing to the surface constantly.”'' 

''Edmund rolled his eyes at me. “Yeah, yeah, I know, Golden Child.” I scoffed.'' 

''“Fool's gold if anything.”'' 

''“Oh, come on, give yourself a little grace. You’re not as awful as you think.”''

''I snorted and gave him a questioning look. “We’ll see about that. I’m a lot more broken than you think.”'' 

''“People don’t break, Fannara, people grow.”'' 

''I shrugged. “Maybe. All a matter of time, isn’t it?”''

''He shook his head. “Not really. You grow every day, every minute. Just remember to breathe now and then.”'' 

''“Aye, aye, wise guy.”'' 

It was impossible to breathe while looking at that creature. The dragon was huge and black as a nightmare. Thick fire dripped from its fangs in searing drops. The eyes were as wild and pitch-black as the rest of it. 

Everything in me stiffened and refused to move. I was glued in horror as the beast roughly jerked its way between buildings. Something large and dark was bothering the dragon. On the street, the sound of students screaming and running droned on, mixing with the clank of incoming soldiers meant to protect us in case of an attack. Training was nowhere near the point of preparing us for real fights. 

Sick fascination led me closer to the window, peering down at the chaotic swarms of people trying to escape. I couldn’t feel my legs anymore. The short gasps trying to be breaths didn’t provide sufficient oxygen anymore. 

A loud roar split the air, ringing above the din. It snapped me out of my panicked haze. Now I was just panicked. 

I stumbled away from the glass wall and then returned to it, realizing the window was still open. My efforts to close the stupid thing were so frantic, it only opened further. It was now wide enough for a small person to climb in through it. Realistically, no one would. Realistically, everything would be fine. The soldiers would manage the dragon, no one would get hurt, life would return to normal. 

Unfortunately, life is hardly realistic. 

I gave up on the window and instead ran for the bathroom. That door was locked too. 

“Breathe Fannara, breathe, think, ''think.”'' I whirled around and slid under my loft bed, curling my knees to my chest and pushing myself under the desk. 

The noises grew louder as the beast drew nearer. I covered my ears with my hands and started humming one of the songs Ari had shown me. It hardly blocked out anything. My thundering heartbeat was louder than my humming. 

I gave up on humming when I couldn’t really breathe at all anymore. I closed my eyes and tried to remember what the correct breathing pattern was. In for four, hold for…eight? No, that definitely wasn’t it. I groaned and pushed against the wall more. The cool drywall helped calm me down more than anything. 

Just as my breathing calmed down enough for the blood rushing through my ears to quiet, a loud ''thump'' echoed through my room, followed by an alarmingly near dragon roar. Something rustled. Something in my bedroom. 

I held my breath and tried to hide in the shadows of the desk. It was concealed, but a painfully obvious hiding spot if anyone came looking. Of course, someone did. 

I held as still as I could as limping legs came into view. Large, dark brown, feathered wings dragged on the ground as they searched the room. Wedged sandals turned away from me and then were blocked from sight as the figure bent down to look under Ari’s bed. 

They suddenly turned around and immediately made eye contact with me. It was a girl, and the most noticeable thing was her drawn bow, pointed right at me. She drew it back farther. 

“I can see you, get out from there.” Her speech was heavily accented, and it was clear Eldran wasn’t her first language. 

I slowly crawled out of my hiding place, hands in the air and wavering on my legs as a new migraine ripped through my skull. The girl, or woman rather–she looked like she was in her twenties–was tiny. I towered over her by easily a foot. 

Her glare suddenly faltered, and she lowered her bow, still keeping it taught. “F- Fannara?” She cocked her head and stared at me. Then it clicked. I knew I’d seen her before. 

“Via?” 

“Oh, thank the Source it’s you.” She switched to the Shifter language, something she knew I’d learned. “Hope, I need to talk to you, but I feel like now isn’t the time.” Literally translating my name to another language wasn’t something I was accustomed to. 

I furrowed my brow. “You…need to talk to me? Why- I’m not- I can’t do anything about ''that''.” I gestured at the window where the dragon was somewhere. “Actually, Via, what the heck are you doing here?” 

She gave me a halfhearted smile. “Now that is a very long story and we don’t have time, so I just need you to stay out of sight. I just dropped by to catch my breath.” This time, her smile seemed more legit. 

“I’m so confused. What’s happening? Why are you fighting a freaking '''dragon''' on my school campus? Why are you even here? Aren’t the bird Shifters extinct or something?” 

“Well, I had ''tried'' to lead that dragon away, but it seems Jana felt the need to send a scout, so I’m here to fight a dragon, and about the Shifters….it’s complicated and we-” 

“We don’t have time, yeah okay.” I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Can you at least tell me what you needed to?” 

Via sighed. “I suppose now is as good as ever. Hope ther- oh crap.” She froze, and her golden eyes widened. I turned to look at what she was staring at and gasped, stumbling back a little. 

The dragon's head was peering into my room and had its eyes locked on me. 

Via jumped in front of me, raising her huge wings to block the dragon’s view. It moved its head and found me again. She looked increasingly concerned about its presence here. 

Setting her jaw, she swung around to face me, yanking something off her hand and shoving it into mine. “There’s a good chance I won’t be back. Whoever knows about the ring can be trusted, okay?” 

“What?! Via, what is going on?!” She gave me a sad look. 

“A war is starting, Hope. I just wish you didn’t have to be part of it.” Via turned back and ran at the window. The dragon had taken off, leaving a destroyeddestructed campus in its wake. Via shifted smoothly into a bird and back into her regular form, weaving through the window and taking off after the huge black beast. 

As cries for medics and support crews wafted up from the street below, I opened my palm to see if the item Via gave me would leave any clues. A notched jade ring sat in my hand, unassuming and unhelpful. I had no clue what was happening.