Many years ago, an academy was erected from the earth using the power of dragons.
Only those able to obtain the eggs that spawn in this world through unknown dungeons that pop up in the skies can become "Dragon Riders" or "Dragon Tamers."
And, well...
"..." Ashter Lake, a boy unable to obtain an egg, can only watch as people carry their baby dragons, some with larger ones, and fully grown ones as big as a building.
"Don't worry, Ashter." Spoke a woman, Zariah Lake.
"I... Am surI'mif I get another job, we can afford an egg!" She said that dragon egg technology makes it so that you get what you can afford.
Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, and Platinum-Ranked dragons.
Diamon Ranked Dragons are the best of the best, but many years ago, there was one with a Platinum Ranked dragon, beyond Diamond, and it is the strongest a dragon can become or can be born as.
"..." Sighing, Ashter explained,
"I'll get a job before... Yeah..." Bummed out, he was going to get a job to afford his egg. Beyond the high school years, this is when someone can become a Dragon Rider due to the age of minors being prohibited from doing such work.
Many Dragon Riders are below the age of 25 due to the job being fit for the young. Those experiencing the slightest bit of progression issue due to age will be forced to retire. Many of these Dragon Riders would then need to unfortunately sell their dragons into breeding programs, due to the money problems that they would face, and because the Dragon Rider program offered free facilities and food for their dragons.
After all, they need to use their energy to carry the person millions of miles in the skies, attack, walk, and do everything. It drains the dragon, and they would need TONS of food in the tons every single day to sustain themselves.
Ashter Lake was from a not-so-well-off family, but it's every young man and woman's dream to become a Dragon Rider due to the influence they would have in their kingdom.
The Castalix Kingdom was one of these many influential kingdoms when it came to their Dragon Riders. Magic formed by the bond of the dragon and the tamer also grants them power in the world as a whole...
Sadly, Ashter doesn't have such a possibility. But this is a novel about a dragon rider so you bet your little butts there WILL be a story!
So... Upon thinking on what to do...
"!!!" A commotion happened outside, as everyone gasped, as...
"?" Ashter heads out, as everyone is gathered...
"!!!" A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! A portal opened in the skies... A shining rift that spelled one thing... The renewal of new dragons to add to the world.
As time goes on, dragons grow, their death occurs, etc, and there needs to be a substantial genetic pool for them or else dire consequences might occur. You wouldn't believe how much inbreeding was done to "keep the bloodline pure" when it comes to the already rare Diamond Rank dragons. Even so, the Gold Rank Dragons are the most inbred ever due to the low numbers of Diamond Rank dragons.
So... Ashter stands, far from the crowd, he looked at the portal,
'I wonder who will be the one to get this new egg.' He thinks, wishing he could be the one to obtain the egg... But it's not like-
"IT'S OPENING!" Suddenly, a Dragon Rider, many, slies around the portal.
"Ah man..." Everyone grew annoyed. These people are going to take the egg!
"Don't worry, citizens of Castalix! We will handle the situation from here! Don't worry!" Shouts someone from the skies, as Silver-Ranked dragons and their rider flew in the skies... The dragons were almost twice as big as normal people and could wield magic in small loads.
'Fuck...' Ashter cursed, as he walked away,
'This ONE opportunity! And they take it away from me!' He cursed, but...
"!!!" Suddenly, what seemed to be a BULLET darts from the portal, and...
"!?!" Ashter turned around as dust was picked up and scattered everywhere.
"DON'T LET THEM TOUCH THAT EGG!" Shouts the riders, as when a Dragon Rider, or soon-to-be Dragon Rider, touches the egg, it'll bond with them and ensure the person will keep the egg despite it never being born.
"Kouf kouf!" Ashter coughed, as everyone wasn't sure where it was!
"!!!" But he sees it... A sparkling jewel... A white shelled egg...
"W-Woah..." He said, as he walked to it...
'This is my chance...!' He said, as when the dust clears...
"FINE THE EGG-!" But...
"!" A shine appeared on his hand as Ashter interacted with the egg. A cosmic light surrounded the egg as the energy trails and found itself on the top of his hand. It was a brilliant light as a small pain was felt, and...
"PAH!" A sound is heard, as a draconic symbol is seen,
"HAND OVER THE EGG!" Shouts the greedy riders,
"Huh?" Ashter is confused, but...
"T-That brat tamed it!" Said another, as...
"HAND IT OVER-!"
"I..." Ashter can't help but grow unable to respond, but...
"No!" He grabbed and hugged the egg.
"This is MY egg." He fiercely defended it, as the riders scoffed,
"Tsk!" They, however, had to face it... And had to report to the Dragon Riders.
More eggs flew across the world, but Castalix finally had an up-and-coming Dragon Rider amidst their ranks.
Everyone gathered, awed by how finally one of them obtained an egg!
"What are you going to name it?"
"Man, I wish I were lucky!" Many were gushing about the possibilities of one of the poorest social groups FINALLY able to rise in some way, shape,e or form.
So in that allotted time, Ashter became the pride of the lowest-income areas of the entire Castalix Kingdom!
After all, the kingdom is made up of 5 circles. The middle is where the nobles live, and the 5th circle is where farming, low income, and thugs live. People can onlyscrapep on by there, and nothing can change that unless marrying into high-status households.
But that can be achieved generally by the Pleasure Districts. Located in the 3rd circle, women and even men sell themselves to a house to then... Do permissive things and can eventually be sold off to others. Some other work ,such as Dragon Rider work, one of the best things in the entire world, can also be done by even the lowest of the low, if they manage to get an egg.
"B-By the gods...!" Gasps Zariah, as standing there...
"Hehe..." Ashter chuckled,
"There... It was a portal that opened up, and this egg dropped, it's pretty small... So I don't expect much from it." The egg was about two or three fists bigger, a small white egg with a metallic tip, as many scales sport this clear white look like snow.
"Well..." Zariah can't help but feel so happy for her son.
"Let's... No, I shall prepare an entire feast! This is a special day for you after all." With the money she saved for attempting to buy an egg, which generally Bronze Dragon Eggs are 50 Gold Coins, she would use some of the money to plan a grand feast! Not only congratulate Ashter... But also, this was a thing they'd do when his father, Dan, would have something grand happen to him. Great harvests, a breakthrough for his artisan hobby, etc
But soon, as they dine and feast...
"Crrk..." A noise is heard,
"?" The pair looked at whatever that noise was.
"!" They realized,
"The egg...!" Zariah said,
"AH!" Ashter messily rushed to the egg, as the woman walked over, her gown almost touching the floor, she hovered as the egg cracked more.
"It's hatching!" She said, as the egg continued.
"Kwaa..." Sounds like a miniature creature.
"!!!" Ashter's eyes widened, as soon...
"Ckli..." The egg tips over, being wrapped in blankets, it falls as the baby dragon, young and small, is seen crawling out, as...
"Shin...!" The marking shone, as this was it...! His dragon!
"By Calaban...!" Ashter picked up the dragon, as big as his hand, and the dragon tilted its head,
"Kwwaaa...?" It seemingly growls, a small growl, as it recognizes this man to be...
"Welcome to the world...!" He smiled brightly,
"They look so..." Zariah peeked...
"He's a healthy baby boy...!" She said,
"A boy?" Ashter too checked...
"Yep, he's a boy." He said, as looking at the dragon, its white body covered in weak scales soon to harden, and their eyes... A glistening rainbow.
"..." Ashter had no idea what to name the dragon...
"... Bismuth." He calls them,
"Kkk..." The newly named Bismuth yawns before falling asleep in his arms,
"..." The pair looked at one another before sighing,
Since that month... The food it eats was surprisingly manageable. 10-20 Bronze Coins for its smaller meals, like rabbits or a chicken.
Then as t, as the months went on, three years until Ashter can finally attend the Dragon Rider Academy, the beastybeastQUICKLY, as per the growth of these world's dragons.
"..." It was the size of a grown dog by then,
"Holy..." Ashter sighed, as since then he had gotten a job merely to cover the expenses of the dragon. He gets like 25 Bronze Coins per week, so money gets tight, but Zariah was just as willing to help.
"Bismuth!" Ashter called, as the dragon hoped, finding him behind a bush,
"KWAH!!!!" Bismuth jumped into his arms,
"Haha..." It quickly crawls and wraps its body around his neck, like a scarf.
"... You ready for a new life in the Dragon Rider Academy?" He wondered, as two months passed, that his expenses went up by Silver Coins, so his mother was all in on the expenses. After all, in her field, she is paid significantly higher in Silver Coins as a cook, cleaner, server, and gets a ton of coins from that. Around 34 if it's a good night in tips alone. Two months since then, only one month until the entrance exams, he will be organized into a rank, and everything.
"Phew..." He breathes a bit, as Bismuth jumps, flapping its wings and flying a short distance,
'Bismuth grew a lot... When a monthpassedt they were barely able to fly... Seems like they finally got the hang of gliding at least.' He smiled, as soon...
He will finally be introduced into the world of Dragon Riders.