Betting on the Jackal

Our walk was almost soundless, for there were three noises that kept echoing in my ears as I diligently followed Professor Belenus.

The first was the constant murmurs and whispers that kept following us whenever people spotted us. 

By the look on their faces and the way their gazes fell on me, it wasn't difficult to guess their comments. Not when it was clear by my lack of uniform that I belonged to the reinforcement class.

The second noise was Professor Bel's boots click-clacking their way through the halls, their heels high enough to make the sound echo in an unsettling way.

The final one was the erratic beating of my own heart, making the blood rush to my ears as if forcing me to pay an even closer attention to my own fears and nerves.

To make sure I knew exactly all I had put on stake with my bravado.

When we finally reached our destination, I stared at the ironclad doors with awe and uneasiness. The professor placed the black crystal tied on his wrist in the door—into a round slot—making the door hum alive as magic energy spread around its carved patterns. 

Yet right before he pushed the door open, the man turned around to face me.

His uncovered eye piercing mine like daggers.

"Let me make something very clear—I never approved you."

The smile I couldn't hide amplified the twisted irony I barely concealed in my tone. 

"Was this supposed to be a secret? You made yourself quite clear before."

He scoffed, looking away for a moment before taking two steps closer. 

Leaning toward me.

"What I meant is that you were not supposed to be here. For a new student to be approved from the waiting list, it had to be unanimous. And I was against your enrollment. Not because you are from that place, but simply because you suck."

Suddenly, the sound of my heartbeat faltered as a new hole opened in my stomach. 

I clenched my jaw, trying to find my voice again.

"Why am I here, then? What made you change your mind?"

If Belenus' wintry smile hadn't sent shivers down my spine, his words would've. 

"I didn't."

My body lost its warmth, my throat became dry. "Then how was I—"

"Someone pleaded with the director to give you a chance." 

What I heard next was the sound of my heart dropping to the floor.

The person who approved my application was Hemdal himself? And who could've convinced him?

I didn't know anyone from Ergos.

Professor Belenus turned and pushed the double doors open, stepping aside the next moment to reveal the room itself.

I almost tripped as my eyes tried to absorb what was in front of me.

What, in the actual fuck, is this thing?

It was a dragon made out of metal, the statues resembling more an armor than something static and rigid. As if at any moment something could possess it and make it come to life. 

Then it hit me. Some loose sentences and memories, born from rumors and drunken tales I would hear from time to time about Ergos Academy. 

Rumors saying Ergos had a 'fake dragon' to punish their students.

"…what is this?"

The man laughed as he leaned against the wall, pulling some levers that not only lit the room but also made the metal dragon growl.

"This will be your best friend for the Evening."

What was once a metal statue lying on the ground, as if it had been discarded soon began to float. I could see the mana flowing from within, lighting up the beast's articulations and muscles.

The eyes suddenly popped open, filled with liquid silver that showed a quick succession of lines and sentences I had no feasible time to read before they were gone. 

It's a metal dragon.

It's a fucking four-legged metal dragon infused with magic.

Seeing my expression, the professor laughed again, pointing at the floating dragon.

"Years ago, one professor brought up the idea to build a special device to train the students who were failing behind in practical flight, and for some early childhood lessons some sponsors were requesting—for their children. Ergos hired a team of alchemists, engineers, and blacksmiths, ultimately creating your new best bud."

I blinked a few times, eying the thing in front of me. Wondering about the obscene amount of money Ergos had spent to build it, and even more to keep people quiet about it. The mix of alchemy with metals, like it was done with the fake dragon…

It was simply not normal.

It was unnatural.

"Why didn't you get a real dragon? Why even bother—"

I didn't even see him move, yet before I could turn around to face him, Belenus Kairon was already in front of me. Looking at me from above, as if he was staring at a pile of rotted trash.

"I just explained it. This is meant for little kids who are still sucking their thumbs, and people who stink. Like you." There was poison in his voice, something that almost made it seem like the professor had a serious, personal problem with me. "Dragons are not horses—we can't give you little ponies to train with until you get skilled enough to ride the big ones. If you don't know how to ride properly, either you or the dragon die. Period."

The blood was drained from my face, my heart stopping again. A cold touch permeated my body, like a ghost's I could neither see nor repel. 

"So you better prove to me not only that I was wrong in ever doubting you, but that our director was right to put his trust in you. That you can be entrusted with a dragon without making us look like incompetent fools."

He walked to one of the corners, taking from a chest some potion flasks, a wood bat, and a pair of goggles.

In the next second, the goggles were being thrown my way. I caught them midair, my fingers almost brushing past them.

"Put those on, and climb. Show me what you got," Belenus spoke with a sadistic smile, one filled with malice. As if he was looking forward to seeing me suffer.

The one thing I refused to give it to him.