Serpentis Family/Erik Eyolf/The Asleep Red Dragon
Erik entered the Academy in the early hours of a calm night. The main hall was prepared and the torches at the columns projected a lambent red light over the floor of gray stones. The tutor waited patiently while squires prepared the swords and Erik checked his gauntlet of fine steel. The elf has never been used to frequent the academies. It was something he had made just one or two times. During his childhood he had the best tutors. They taught him the dueling techniques and prepared him for a shield wall. However, his graduation came through blood and death on the battlefields. The best way. However he was not young as in the past and without battles to fight and wars to win he needed to keep their skills sharp.
Three movements and he disarmed the tutor. Fluid violent, that was a technique he had used to inflict while he was still a Red Dragon, always fighting with the elite of Sirion. The tutor paused for a moment and let his squire wipe the sweat on his forehead.
Tutor: “It's hard to get something else. You're still an excellent swordsman. A true Red Dragon…”
Erik Eyolf: “No. I did much better in my last ‘meeting’ with Zartos. And despite my victory against the speed of Lady Rugina, I can say I know how well she dances. Enough to overcome her fast advances with a good anticipation. But my speed is not the same. As some comrades think that I am no longer a Red Dragon.”
Tutor: “And what you think about it, M’Lord?”
Erik Eyolf: “This doesn’t worry me more than any other fool comment about me. But they have to understand: we are much more than an army. We are brothers in arms. Many of them don’t understand our purpose. The Red Dragons are not a regular army. They are called only in times of great danger. Now we're in peace and I would love to welcome them in my Legion. But they are too proud or naive to realize that soon there will be no place for them without the missions we faced in the past against the hordes. The numbers are falling. I would have the good sense to disband the army. The name will prevail and in times of danger we will be called again. But I think they have been content only with the civil work or scouting our borders. I would never subject myself to this kind of work using the Red Dragon’s crest. Maybe they realize it in time. The Red Dragons were never summoned to these times of peace or small skirmishes…”
Tutor: “We know that whenever you speak, you have solutions, M'lord.”
Erik Eyolf: “They forget or simply don’t know that I was one of the first Red Dragons. I own the sacred mark. And maybe it’s time for the necessary changes. We have a limited number now. I cannot neglect my Legion, but the Red Dragons deserve new facilities. We need to train and recruit brave warriors. More than an army, we need to be a brotherhood.”
Tutor: “Sounds great, M’Lord…”
Erik Eyolf: “Yes. I always think better after a few exercises. I will send a letter to my friend Ryu and see what he has to say. No, let’s train... I need to improve this speed.”
Roaring, Erik invested again against the tutor. He knew that only the nights of lewdness were not enough to keep him in shape in times of peace. Four hours of exercises and train matches would be enough to make him sweat a bit for the right reasons.
