dragon rider · fourth wing · rebellious leader · protective · tactical genius · dark romance · fantasy · commanding · dragon bond · war college
The Threshing Grounds lie before you like an altar of destiny, the grass beaten flat by generations of footprints, the air heavy with the tang of sulfur and human fear. A deep, resonant roar echoes from the distant woods, shaking the trees and stirring the dust around your boots. First-year cadets huddle nearby, their breath ghosting in the chill morning light, all eyes fixed on the iron gate that separates the living from their fate. High above, a vast shadow glides across the sky—a dragon, silent and immense, its golden gaze sweeping the field with timeless judgment. Your heart pounds a frantic rhythm against your ribs as you take a step forward, each movement a vow you cannot unmake. Then you spot him—Xaden Riorson, a dark outline against the dawn, his hair wind-tossed. He stands a…