I slunk back, instinctively trying to go back into the shadows as I was sardined in the growing mass of angry Riders. Caedmon stuck out his head to hiss at them, but a kitten sized dragon wasn't the most ferocious looking creature. I said my prayers as I prepared to turn into a Justin-sized punch bag.

Right as a big blonde Viking girl raised her arm to punch my face off, she was stopped by a strange electronic buzzing sound, like a lightbulb that was about to go out. I wasn't really concentrating on it- a dying lightbulb isn't exactly the top of my concern list right then. But everyone froze and turned to look at the overhanging light bulb with wide eyes.

Caedmon and I looked up too as I tried to sneak back while everyone was occupied. It started to glow.. brighter and brighter, almost singing my skin. A kid started to run for the exit before the light over him started to flicker and brighten too. Suddenly the lights everywhere were like floodlights beaming down at the group of teenagers, who cowered in fear. Suddenly that smooth, Jason Derulo voice I knew so well rippled through the walls. Mardu. "How long did you think you could keep this up without me knowing?" his words were smooth and even, as if he were mocking you in such a subtle way you almost didn't catch it.

The teenagers looked around wildly, trying to find the direction of the voice. Mardu chuckled. "You are in a world of trouble..." The lights glowed brighter and suddenly I caught a glimpse of sideburns and glasses. General Wolverine was walking through the group like a ghost- nobody seemed to see him- except me. He cleared his throat and continued. "Anyone not in the office in three is going to have their butts tanned, carrot style. Permanently." And then I realized. He had Mardu's voice!

The kids hustled out like a small stampede with him calmly standing in the middle of the masses. He was staring at me through those dark shades- I knew it by the way he made the hair on my neck stand up. I shrunk under his scrutiny, wishing to follow the kids but something in his stare kept me in place. Finally he turned to the ring, slipped in and picked up Tyler gingerly like a limp doll. "He's in bad condition." He muttered. "Ah.. Bobbie isn't going to be happy," he said, wiping hair out of Tyler's face. He slipped back out of the ring. "Come with me," he said, this time to me. "I know you can see me."

I trotted next to him, peeking over his muscular arms at Tyler. He looked like a mess. Blood dribbled down his chin, one of his eyes was swollen shut, and he already had angry purple bruises and his face and arms. "First few days here and he's already gotten himself beat up..." I heard General Landin whisper, still in Mardu's voice. "Just like his father."

"Is he going to be okay?" I asked.

He stopped so fast that I bumped into him. He narrowed his eyes, and I could have sworn I saw a forked tongue flick out from his parted lips. I froze, openmouthed as he said, "Where's Saber?" When I didn't reply he asked again, his words a growl. "I asked you a question, boy. Where is she?"

"I.. I don't know," I answered, a little afraid by his tone. Caedmon's purple eyes bugged as I squeezed him a little tightly.

"Saber! Ellirr. Akirr Gri!" he demanded in a guttural voice that sounded like a language a tiger would speak.

I heard a tiny meep in the corner, under a fold-up chair. General Landin's gaze settled on me and I could imagine the glare searing through my clothes. "Get Saber. Be careful with her or you'll deal with me. That's an order." He said coldly. "Meet me in my office."

I nodded dumbly as stumbled back to fetch her. She hobbled out from under the chair and I gasped. The tiny creature's wings were about shredded, she looked battered and bruised like she had fought alongside Tyler. Caedmon hopped off my arms and nuzzled her side worriedly, his large violet eyes full of concern. They meeped softly to each other and it killed me not to know what they were saying as Caedmon gently licked her wounds and she nudged him back. Suddenly it struck me when I gazed at Saber's tattered white scales and Caedmon's glossy ebony. They were like the dragon equivalent to Yin and Yang.

Smiling at the rather random thought I gently scooped both of them up and set Saber in my pocket and Caedmon on my shoulder so I could climb the ladder back up to the storage shed. When I reached the top there was no sign of the General. "General.. Landin...?" I asked as I stepped out of the trap door. Nothing. I trudged through the hall, my head spinning with what just happened. Had Merman known about this? What else did they have hiding around this place? And what the heck was Tyler doing down there? I bit my lip. I hope he would be okay...

"Hey," came a voice behind me.

I jumped so fast I hit my head on a grumpy-faced bust of a past General. I grabbed it hurriedly to keep it from toppling over, chuckling nervously.

"Woah, Justin it's just me," I heard Dustin's voice laugh. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I laughed nervously, rubbing my head as I felt Saber go limp in my pocket. "Hey Dustin can you show me to the General's office?" I asked, not looking at him.

He nodded quickly, suddenly tight lipped before turning around and leading me down the hall. My heart pounded in my throat as I tenderly took Saber out. "Hang on buddy," I whispered to her tiny limp form. I checked to make sure she was breathing, my face paler than a sheet. She was... whew.

Finally Dustin knocked on a heavy wooden door and General Landin answered it so fast it took our breath away. "You have Saber?" he asked and I held her out in my hands. He frowned deeply and took her from me, his rough hands gentle on her. "Thank you," he said, bobbing his head quickly. "You are dismissed."

Then he slammed the door on our faces.

Dustin looked dazed. "Another victim of the underground cage fighting?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "Tyler got knocked out pretty bad. I hope he's okay."

"He'll be fine, don't worry. We got the best medical here," he patted my shoulder but I could tell he was just trying to make me feel better. I shrunk under his touch. "I'm going to go..."

"Hey, Justin," he sighed as he looked at me with concern in his deep brown eyes. "Why were you down there?"

I tugged at my collar, suddenly feeling a little hot. "I.. was curious..."

He frowned. "Listen, Justin. Snooping around may work for Harry Potter, but not for you. Don't stick your nose where it shouldn't and you'll make it through the four years you'll have here."

"Hey, don't talk to me like I'm a kid," I snapped. "You're probably not too much older than me! I can take care of myself, Dusty." The words came out meaner than I had meant and I immediately felt bad but I just wasn't in the mood to apologize even as I saw a flash of hurt on his face. I turned around and started racing towards the barracks, Caedmon meeping softly in my ear.

"I'm just trying to help you out Justin," Dustin called after me.

"That's what they all say," I said under my breath as I brushed by a janitor and slunk into the dorms.

That night was rough to say the least. My thoughts were bouncing around in my head like a kangaroo on caffeine. I stroked Caedmon as he fussed and whined about his lack of dinner, his large purple eyes half opened as he fought sleep. What the heck was I going to do? Those people were going to slaughter me for turning them in. And unlike many of them who had a big dragon to back them up, all I had was little Caedmon! I sighed when I realized pushing Dustin away was a bad idea. I wasn't used to having friends but I better adapt quick because I had a feeling riding solo wasn't my best option no matter how many times Jason Derulo said it.

This all just didn't feel real to me- it was like a dream. Just a week ago I was struggling to make a D in English class- now I'm in a small cot with a dragon!

Ok that sounded bad.

But this was just too much for my tired brain to take. I rolled over to my side, trying to get comfortable yet again and Caedmon put a paw on my nose. "Me-eep," he demanded, his eyes closed.

"Yeah yeah you're right.." I sighed as I closed my eyes and finally fell asleep.

The next morning when I woke up and walked outside to mess hall, I paused when I saw twenty five kids facing the wall, hands behind their backs. General Landin was pacing behind them, veins popping out, face red, spittle flying, and swearing on your momma. And he wasn't using no musical Mardu voice either. He was using hard core screamo voice, sometimes leaning in to yell in a kid's ear- who would flinch as flying gobs of spit attacked their faces.

I winced. This week was going to suck.

Suddenly someone clapped my back, snapping me out of my trance. "Hey," Merman's deep voice chuckled. "What's up, man? You look like you've seen a zombie!"

I jerked a thumb at the kids. "Well let's just put it this way," I drawled as I shuffled next to Merman, Caedmon scampering about my awkwardly big combat boots. "All those kids hate me right now."

Merman whistled. "You serious?"

My face must have said it all because his jaw dropped and he walked backwards in front of me to talk to me. "Dude, they are going to zap you, burn you, then bash you and throw your remains in the meatloaf for tonight!" he said. "And then-"

"Yeah yeah I get it," I moaned and Caedmon squeaked as I stepped on his tail. I quickly raised my foot with an apology. "But hey man, just help me make it through. I don't want to be fried Justin."

He clicked his tongue. "Hey I've got your back, and don't worry- this week is too busy for anyone to do anything to you yet. Then hopefully things will simmer down."

"Why? What's happening?"

"Well," he looked up at the ceiling as if the list were up there, counting on his fingers. "Today's inspection so we're going to be scrambling to make this place in tip top shape. A four star general is coming at four tonight to look at us... tomorrow third and fourth years are going to be off on their wilderness exploration for two weeks and the next day we have the main event," he winked. "Laser tag.."

"Laser tag?" I echoed as I opened the door for him.

"You heard me right. It's incredible," he said. "It's like a video game- but real life."

I laughed at the way he said the last sentence. "Groovy, man," I teased in a hippie voice.

He rolled his eyes at me. "You get the point."

Caedmon chomped on my finger and I yelped. "Better get this guy some food before he eats my finger," I mumbled, getting in line.

"Larissa is still asleep," Merman smiled fondly, pulling back his uniform to reveal the tiny sleeping dragoness curled around his neck.

I smiled at her before the old lunch lady with a bun the size of my head yelled. "Hurry up, kid. I don't got all day!"

I twisted like a hurricane. "Er.. I'll have some.." I managed.

She gave me a sour look before dumping a mountain load of greasy scrambled eggs onto my plate along with some straggly pieces of turkey bacon onto my plate and shoving it towards me. I grabbed it in my free hand, awkwardly balancing it as I walked back to find a seat by Song, Dustin, and the sand dragons... but not before a tiny wyvern swooped down and stole my bacon. "Hey!" I yelled as the fat silver creature zoomed back to a brunette with golden eyes and started chomping on the bacon, his eyes fastened on me in a smug look.

"Caedmon- get 'im!" I whispered to Caedmon.

Caedmon nodded, his eyes narrowing in resolution. His hind legs coiled like a spring, ready to lunge.

The magnificent creature spread his mighty black wings, powerful hind legs thrusting him into his territory, the sky. With two powerful plunges of his mighty wings he was airborne, paws tight to his chest to become more aerodynamic, his eyes narrowed at the prize clenched in the talons of his haughty foe. He tilted his wings before diving. A boom announced he had broken the sound barrier, his scales a streak of black in the sky- Caedmon the avenger of bacon. The wyvern started to falter, seeing his doom was near...

Caedmon started to cry, paws over his nose, which he had bonked from falling from my shoulder like a wounded duck. The wyvern nommed on his bacon like he was watching a reality TV show.

A guy can dream can't he?

I sighed as I stooped low to pick him up. "Sorry buddy.." I sighed. He squeaked sadly and I could feel something in the corner of my mind buzz painfully, giving me a headache. I could already tell this day was going to be a whole lot of suck.

I sat down by my new group with a sigh. "Is there any magic potion here that can make Caedmon the size of a small house?"

Song giggled at my strange question. "Uh no- why?"

"Because I could use a big dragon to back me up right about now," I sullenly fed the tiny creature a sausage.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Justin," Dustin said as he pointed his fork at Caedmon. "But that little guy is never going to be very big. Shadow dragons only get to the size of a large horse."

"Really?" I sighed. "And what do they do?"

"We don't know much about them. Last shadow dragon rider we know of was.. Benedict Arnold and perhaps Bin Laden. Shadow Riders don't have a good rep."

"You serious? A terrorist?" I shivered.

"That's how they stayed under the radar so long," Song spoke up, eating her yogurt slowly. Then she ducked her head. "Here comes the witch.."

Avery marched up right behind her. "You slugs eat any slower? We've got work to be done." She pointed at Song and Dustin. "You two are wanted in the grill." Their eyes seemed to groan as they stood up. Then she pointed to me and Merman. "First years get your butts moving towards the barn. We need that place in top condition before noon!" As she walked sassily away, her hips moving like she was ready to blow anyone in her way to the side, I cast a glance at Emmit. "The barns?"

He shrugged as he got up. "Shove that sausage in Cade's mouth. Mrs. Thunder from down under Is probably waiting on us."

I laughed at his comment. "Don't let her hear you said that." I said as I scooped Caedmon up in my arms, letting him gnaw on a sausage.

And that was the start of a very long day.