Avatrice sat on the bench with his best pal admiring their new stones until a wizard mentor approached him and said, "The high mentor wants to speak with you." Avatrice nodded, then she turned and went away. "You wanted to see me, step-father?" Avatrice started. "Avatrice, give me that stone." So he did. "Here, this will be more proper." He said while handing him a new purple one. "What's this?" Avatrice asked, while holding his new stone. "I found it in your robe when I found you, beside your dead father." "What?!?" Avatrice stammered. "Yes, your father, he was.. Master Bardwin of the Vaiu clan." Avatrice stood still, puzzled, he said "eh?" "Yes. Avatrice. You are the son of the greatest mage of all time." Rijric finally got out. "So your telling me that you just picked me up on a battlefield?" Avatrice asked still puzzled. "Yep." came the answer. "Your father sacrificed himself to protect us all, you know that?" the man asked. "Yes, of course, we just learned it in lectorium. So does anybody know?" the young puzzled mage asked. "No. Nobody knows. Now go get ready for the army. Make your father proud out there." "Yes, I will, father." Then he went out the door. "He called me father!" the old mage shouted. As his father told him to, Avatrice went to his dorm and fixed his things. On the way, he met Keith, his best friend. "Hey Avatrice!" his friend started "Nice new stone! Where did you get it?" "Dad gave it to me. He said he found it just when he found me, lying on the battlefield." Avatrice explained. "Battlefield?" his friend asked. "Yep. Battlefield. And he also told me that…that I'm the son of … Bardwin." the other one answered. "Bardwin as in … the famous, great, amazing, Bardwin?" his friend asked puzzled about what the other just said. "Yep." Came the reply. "Oh man! Blasted waters! Your so lucky!" Keith exclaimed. "Yeah I know, I know. Well, better go pack up, the war is waiting." "Ok see ya then!" the other mage said. Then Avatrice continued his work of packing his things. He went inside his dorm, opened his closet, and packed. After he packed he went outside to catch a last glance of his beloved academy, where he spent the whole first thirteen years of his life.

* * *

When dawn came, everybody was prepared. The top fifty students aligned at the assembly hall carrying their packages. Then the commander of the Aurii army, came, riding a wyrm, along with fifty other lizards. Then they landed, each wyrm landed just in front of each of the fifty mages. Everybody gazed in amazement. "Good morning!" the commander started, "Here, you see, are Aurish battle wyrms. You will ride them in battle. They provide speed, strength and excellent companions. Get used to them. We're going to ride them to the Aurii defense station. Let's move along, Red Flash!" then he whipped his red wyrm and it flew. Everybody followed him and got on their own wyrm. Each of them flew towards the direction of the commander and flew. About thirty-two of them fell including Avatrice. In class, Avatrice learned that the red wyrms were the hardest to master and by luck, he got a red one. Keith had no problem keeping up to the commander since his dragon was green, green ones were the easiest to control and master, but it's the slowest. Avatrice got back on, and once again try to fly, but fell again. Then he got on again, then fell. He was so sore that he kicked the dragon. Then surprisingly, it said, "Ouch!". Avatrice felt puzzled and asked it, "You can talk?" "Yes, Avatrice." it replied, "Haven't you learned it on your lectorium?" "Really? Okay then, what's your name?" Avatrice taunted. "M' name is Crimson Flame." the lizard responded. "Oh." the mage sighed with disbelief, "Well then, Crimson, can we move now?" "Of course, hop on!" it said courteously and so Avatrice did. As soon as the mage got on, they flew.