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  An ancient-looking creature that was a combination of human and snake, the worst parts of each, stood before Alex. It had six hands, each holding a device Alex had never seen. Some looked like advanced guns and others like knives. It hissed loudly when it saw Alex.

  “Get down,” Alex shouted as she pushed past Samara. She looked around for a weapon. A few feet away from the creature was a table with another of the knife-like objects the beast was carrying. She dove into the room, scooped up the weapon, and brandished it at the monstrosity. “I won’t let you hurt my friends,” she shouted.

  The snake-like creature hissed again and slithered around Alex while Samara burst out laughing. The creature continued past the new dragonrider and wrapped its arms around Samara’s neck as the two nuzzled each other. “It’s been too long since you stopped by, Sam,” it rasped.

  “What? What?” Alex started.

  “That’s a naga,” Samara replied casually.

  Hearing Samara’s calm tone, Alex put her weapon down immediately and tried to hide how embarrassed she was.

  The naga turned to Alex and extended one of her empty hands. “You must be the new recruit. Glad you have some fire in you. My name is Primerose. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you’re gonna have to learn an important lesson very quickly. Just because it looks scary, that doesn’t mean it’s evil.”

  Alex hung her head as she tried to back away and get close to Samara. “I am so sorry,” she apologized. “The only time I’ve ever seen—”

  “Was in Middang3ard, right?”

  “Yeah. That was what I was going to say.”

  “The real world of Middang3ard is much more complicated.” Primerose turned to Samara. “Thanks, Sam. I’ll take it from here. And stop ignoring my lunch requests. I know we’re all busy and—”

  Samara raised one of her talons and cut Primerose off. “Understood. Tomorrow, I promise,” she said as she lumbered gracefully away.

  Primerose turned her attention back to Alex and ignored Manny, who had chosen to move to a corner where he could sulk undisturbed. “All right, now we have to get you outfitted,” Primerose said, her many hands moving around, their tools shining brightly in the crystalline light.

  Alex took a deep breath and stepped closer to Primerose. “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

  “Well, first, I have to get you measured.”

  “For what?”

  “Your suit. I do all the outfitting for the dragonriders and the dragons.”

  “You mean, like what they were putting on the dragon earlier?”

  Primerose flashed Alex with what looked like a rectangular flashlight. An energy grid displayed on Alex’s body, displaying a multitude of numbers and signs Alex didn’t understand. “Exactly. I do the measurements and prepare the information,” Primerose said. “I usually only apply the suits to cadets, though.”

  The energy grid disappeared, and Primerose turned to a computer terminal behind her as her other hands continued to move around Alex. “You said that things were more complicated on Middang3ard than in the game,” Alex said. “What did you mean by that?”

  Primerose glanced at Alex and smiled sweetly. “Oh, it’s very complicated. Things are black and white in the game to help with the narrative. In real life, not everyone is on the side you assume. Take the drow, for example.”

  “You mean the Dark Elves?”

  “You should keep in mind not to call them that. It’s practically a racial slur here, but yes. The drow in-game are bad antihero-types. In real life, they all have their own needs, their own desires, and nearly all stand against the Dark One.”

  Primerose moved back toward Alex and her hands started to measure things all over again. It was too fast for Alex to see what they were doing, but she didn’t miss the result. Primerose was starting at Alex’s feet and working her way up, stitching armor straight onto her body. “Even the dragons are complicated.” Primerose sighed.

  Alex’s attention was piqued by the mention of the dragons. “What do you mean, the dragons are complicated?” Alex asked. “I thought dragons were pretty straightforward creatures, kinda like Samara. Griffins are always regal and dignified. I thought dragons were the same.”

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong. They are very dignified, just not all on the same side. We assumed all the dragons would want to stand with us against the Dark One. We were wrong. There are some dragons on the Dark One’s side, even one golden dragon.”

  Alex couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Golden dragons were the epitome of dragon purity. It was said they were born of the alchemical gold in the veins of the earth. They were creatures of great integrity and compassion, wiser than the other dragons.

  Primerose was now working her way up Alex’s midsection. The armor she was being tailored into fit as snug as another set of skin. It was lightweight and seemed to stretch with every one of her movements. “How can that be?” Alex asked. “Aren’t gold dragons… Aren’t they kinda the best?”

  “Forget all that stuff you’ve read about dragon hierarchy, kid. It doesn’t really work like that. Sure, that’s what people say, but trust me, I’ve worked with a lot of dragons, and all are trying to make their own destiny. Raise your arms. We’re almost done.”

  Alex did as she was told and Primerose continued, stretching the fabric over Alex’s arms and chest, working her way up to Alex’s neck, coming back to her hands, and ending at her wrists. Once done, Primerose smiled as she pulled out what looked like a gun.

  Alex sucked in a deep breath as her body tensed. “What’s that?”

  Primerose looked at the tool and smiled as she shrugged. “Oh, this? It’s the last step. Still gotta give you your dragon anchor,” she explained. “Ties into the rest of the suit. It’s mostly tech, very little magic. Made to survive nearly any atmosphere or climate. Don’t try flying into the sun, though.”

  “So, I’ll be tied to a dragon?”

  “That part’s still coming. There you go. Go ahead and take a look.”

  Primerose moved to the side so Alex could see herself in the full-length mirror. Her outfit really was like a second skin. There was no bulk, unlike the armor she’d had in-game. There were electrical nodes on her shoulders, spine, and kneecaps.

  Alex turned and admired Primerose’s handiwork. “It looks great!” she exclaimed.

  Primerose went over to the desk and grabbed two nodules, which she pressed to Alex’s temples. “There you go,” she said. “Those are for your HUD. You’ll find out about that later. Now we gotta get you going. I think the rest of the recruits are having chow about now.”

  Primerose shooed her out of the room as Alex tried to catch one last glance of herself in the mirror. Once Alex was out the door, she turned and nervously picked at her knuckles. “I’m really sorry about earlier,” she murmured quietly. “Really sorry.”

  Primerose slithered over to Alex and kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry about it,” Primerose hissed. “You’ve got killer instincts. Now get out of here and get some food. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask ol’ Rose, all right?”

  “Gotcha!”

  Alex turned as Manny slowly floated ahead. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll take you to the mess hall.”

  Alex heard the doors to Primerose’s studio shut as she followed him. The sheer excitement was almost too much for her to hold in. She kept looking down at her dragon anchor. This was really happening. What was next?

  Chapter Five

  Manny and Alex made their way down the winding corridors of the Wasp’s Nest. The allure of the crystals changing around Alex had not worn off, but she was already getting used to the magical tech of the place ebbing and flowing. It was comforting, like being hugged.

  Manny seemed to know his way around, so Alex followed him, content to be lost in her thoughts without worrying too much about the Beholder. She wondered how different riding a real dragon was going to be.

  Already, meeting creatures of other races was not what she had expect
ed. Samara, the griffin, was much more down to earth than Alex would have guessed. Everything she’d read about griffins emphasized their royal, perhaps even haughty, nature. Samara was anything but.

  The same could be said of Primerose. Anytime Alex had come across a naga in the game, it had been an enemy, something that needed to be defeated. Primerose was one of the sweetest people Alex had ever had the joy of meeting. After the brief period of time they’d spent together, Alex felt like she could tell Primerose anything.

  And then there was Manny. Beholders were ancient creatures who had been born at the beginning of time and possessed ancient knowledge. They had grown bitter toward the worlds they’d watched grow old around them.

  Manny seemed like a slightly disgruntled paper-pusher. Definitely not the thing of nightmares she’d heard Beholders were supposed to be. If Manny was an eldritch creature, she wondered what the rest were going to be like. Manny reminded her of a grouchy, well-meaning uncle more than anything else.

  The two turned a corner and Manny stopped, causing Alex to bump into him. One of his eyes swung back and stared at Alex. “Oh, sorry,” she said. “I was caught up in my thoughts. You know, all the new stuff.”

  Manny spun around, smiling for the first time since the two of them had gotten off of the plane. The color had come back into his face, and he was the picture of perfect health—or at least, Alex assumed this was what a healthy Beholder looked like. “Don’t worry about it, kid,” he said.

  Alex stared long and hard at him. Even though he did look like he was in a better mood, there was still something off. He looked like he might be nervous or keeping a secret. “Hey, Manny, what’s going on?” she asked.

  Manny flipped one of his tentacles in the direction of the cafeteria. “Just wanted to give you a few words of encouragement,” he finally said. “We’re about to step into the real Wasp’s Nest. The mess hall is where all the dragonriders go to blow off steam.”

  Alex shrugged as she tried to peek around Manny’s shoulder. “Okay, so what’s the big deal?” she asked. “It’s just a bunch of people.”

  “I mean, well, people can be very cliquish. You got your vets, who tend to only talk to other vets. And you got your recruits. A lot of them have already split into the parties they think they’re going to be with.”

  “What does any of that have to do with me?”

  “I’m not going to say this is going to get as advanced as office politics or anything like that. Myrddin just mentioned that, you know, you haven’t done the whole high school thing. I’m just saying, don’t let anyone get under your skin. Especially if they’re trying to.”

  Alex nodded as she crossed her arms and smiled. Manny did sound exactly like an uncle. “Yeah, no problem,” she assured Manny. “I’ve got pretty tough skin, and it’s not like I’ve never been around anyone my own age. I’m not some sheltered hermit. I think I’ll be fine.”

  Manny floated toward the door as he turned away from Alex, one of his eyes still over his head so he could watch her. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he cautioned. “You know how they say kids are cruel? That doesn’t have anything on the cruelty of teenagers. Rivals the Dark One himself.”

  The cafeteria doors opened for Manny, and he practically flew in before stopping himself abruptly. “Also, you need to stay kinda close to me. There’s only a certain range I can provide you with my sight. If you go too far away, you’ll lose it,” he explained.

  Alex sighed loudly, hoping Manny could hear her, then instantly regretted trying to make Manny feel bad. “Well, how am I supposed to get to know anyone if I have to stay right next to you?” she asked. “I assume you don’t want to hang out with a bunch of high schoolers.”

  “Actually, I couldn’t care less who you’re sitting next to, but I’m going straight for the food. I’m starving. There’s not really a whole lot of food in me right now. So, let’s hit the chow line, and then I’ll just follow you. Also, don’t bother trying to talk to me while I’m eating. Trust me.”

  Manny was already in the mess hall, so Alex followed him. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting. She’d read about military mess halls and school cafeterias and had worked out the rest in her imagination. This was nothing like that.

  There was a large crystal fountain in the middle of the room, spouting the clearest water Alex had ever seen. A statue extended from the fountain, depicting an elf, a human, and a dwarf crouched beneath a dragon on its hind legs, breathing fire.

  The fire was captivating. Even though it was made of crystal, it must have been enchanted to give the illusion of real fire. Alex almost thought she could feel the heat coming from it.

  Around the fountain, there was a lush garden with benches spread gracefully throughout it. A variety of folk occupied them, intermingling with each other. Alex couldn’t see any rhyme or reason to who sat with who. None of the races seemed to be keeping to themselves.

  Alex leaned over and nudged Manny. “Which ones are the recruits, and which ones are the vets?” she asked.

  “Oh, recruits are in gray and white, and those who’ve passed their courses are in black and red. Now, keep up. I need to eat!”

  Manny wasn’t kidding. He took off to the right as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Alex had to jog to stay with him. She tried not to get distracted by everything going on in the room but didn’t do a good job of it.

  As Alex tried to keep pace, she saw a ball flying through the air. A small group of pixies zoomed past, chasing the ball. The pixies left a trail of bright light behind them, and Alex wished she could have gotten a better look at them.

  Suddenly, the world around Alex started to scramble the way a television flickers when it’s losing its signal. Alex instinctively reached for something to hold onto. Her hand found a rail on the wall. “Manny,” she shouted, a little too loudly.

  Her vision righted itself just in time to see a group of people about her age staring at her, obviously annoyed at her outburst. Two pairs of eyes stood out. The first belonged to a drow boy. His skin was as dark as midnight, and his eyes were a deep purple.

  The second pair of eyes were those of a gruff-looking gnome. Alex couldn’t tell how old the gnome was due to the scruffy beard that obscured most of his face. All Alex could see were his pitch-black eyes staring from underneath a mass of white hair.

  Manny came floating over to Alex. “Sorry, I thought you were right behind me,” he said. “Come on.” Manny took Alex’s hand and guided her to the lunch line on the right side of the room.

  Alex didn’t need Manny to hold her hand, but she appreciated having someone familiar to ground her. Even though she’d gone her entire life without seeing anything, she’d already begun to rely on her eyes. The brief moment her vision disappeared had been more unsettling than the first time she could see.

  The lunch line looked more like what Alex had read about but much fancier. It reminded of her of the time her father had gotten a promotion, and they’d gone out to a fancy brunch restaurant to celebrate.

  There were rows upon rows of buffet-style dishes floating in the air, with a magical flame floating beneath each. Next to them were trays.

  Manny quickly moved around, grabbing whatever he could get his tentacles on and piling it on his tray. Alex took a little more time as she looked at each of the dishes. She hardly recognized any of them. Each dish had a tag that stated which race it was a delicacy for.

  Alex wanted to try one of the elvish dishes, but at the same time, she really needed something familiar. The look the drow boy had given her had left her shaken. There was something in his eyes she didn’t quite understand.

  A plate of mashed potatoes and fried chicken was going to have to do. She grabbed her food, went over to a beverage-dispensing machine, and was once more overloaded by the number of options. She chose cola to make her life simpler.

  Manny arrived beside Alex, already shoveling food into his mouth. “All right, where do you want to sit?”

  Alex looke
d out over the sea of people talking to each other over their meals. Yeah, this is going to be easy, she thought.

  Chapter Six

  Alex wandered around the mess hall, trying not to spend too much time staring at the different groups of people. Instead, she focused on the magical and technological wonders around her. She stopped near the fountain and marveled at the garden growing around it.

  The garden was filled with flowers that bloomed in colors that almost put the rainbow of the crystal ceiling above to shame. Alex couldn’t tell exactly because she was seeing muted color through Manny’s eyes, but he let her know that the true sight of them was beautiful.

  Alex didn’t feel like she was missing out. She could smell the aromas of the flowers. Some of them reminded her of home, and others were vaguely reminiscent of scents she’d caught in Middang3ard but were stronger here.

  Manny floated away from Alex, giving her space as she stared down at her plate. She knew she was going to have to reach out to someone. No one ever approached the new kid, according to teenage literature.

  Alex finally forced herself to look up. The drow and gnome who had heard her shout earlier were sitting within earshot, and both were staring at her. Neither said anything, but as they turned to look at each other, the drow sneered while he pointed in Alex’s direction.

  She ignored the obvious snub and turned to see what else was going on. Even though she was trying to put on a brave front, her insides were squirming. She felt like her neck was very hot, and she had the odd desire to walk around.

  A ball flew over Alex’s head. She instinctively yelped and ducked. A few feet away, the gnome and the drow snickered, not bothering to hide that they were laughing at her. Above Alex, the pixies chasing the ball zoomed by.

  One of the pixies abruptly stopped, trickling pixie dust on Alex’s head and causing her to sneeze harshly. The pixie floated down in front of Alex. She was roughly as long as Alex’s hand and seemed to be about Alex’s age. Her hair was cut short and she wore the white of a new recruit, although her armor had floral touches. She smiled at Alex as her skin seemed to glow. “Hey, I haven’t seen you here before,” the pixie exclaimed. “My name is Jollies!”