Legend of a Dragon Rider

          This is the only chance anyone has at the Rider Exam. Having studied for his entire life, Zarek was ready to take the test. Zarek was the smartest kid in the class, acing every exam. However, he, like the rest of the world, has only one shot at this exam. Every year there’s one student who becomes the dragon rider. All of these dragon riders specialize in different elements. I wonder what my element is.

 

          Zarek aced all of the tests, so he, along with 20 other students, moved on to the final Rider Exam.

 

          Ding-ring-ring-ring. The bell to the Rider Exam rang. “Everyone, good luck.” This was Mister Sir, the most serious and strict teacher in all of Eye of the Storm Academy. “I don’t want to see any cheats. Remember, cheats on these tests means certain, and I do mean certain, death.” Everyone except Zarek was trembling a bit. What if I finish too fast? What if Mister Sir thinks I’m cheating? However, Zarek remained calm.

 

          Remember, work slowly, do every problem, and try the extra credit. Time is 10 minutes. 100 questions multiple choice. Most of it is easy, but some of it is hard, do not waste time on the hard ones if you can’t do them.” Mister Sir eyed every student strictly. “3, 2, 1! Starting now!”

 

          Most students would do the problems, but Zarek isn’t most students. He immediately looked over all 100 questions in under 9 minutes, but he wasn't looking for the answers; he was looking for the flaw in the test. To be a dragon rider, your teacher’s tests won’t be just answering the questions.  Within the first sixty seconds, his keen eyes caught that the ink on the question numbers was slightly smudged, as if they had been printed in a hurry to serve as a distraction. He also realized the math in question fourteen was mathematically impossible, a logical trap designed to waste a smart student's time.

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          While the other students were scribbling, Zarek sat perfectly still, using his peripheral vision to track Mister Sir's movements. He noticed that the teacher wasn't watching the students' faces, but was instead staring at the bottom right corner of Zarek’s desk. Zarek leaned back slightly and felt a faint, rhythmic vibration through the wood—the desk was slanted at a precise three-degree angle, just enough that a heavy gust of wind from the open window would naturally flip a single sheet of paper.

Zarek calculated the wind speed of the Maelstrom outside and realized the Rider Exam wasn't about the questions and the knowledge—it was about the physics of the paper itself. He realized that the front of the page was weighted with extra heavy ink to keep it down, meaning the only way to see the "real" test was to wait for the final second when the teacher opened the door to leave, creating the perfect draft to reveal the hidden side.

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          “For everyone that is working, 10 seconds left. Finish the problem and turn it in! I don’t have time all day long!” Seeing how Zarek hadn’t even done a single problem yet, Mister Sir’s dangerous gleam brightened. Now unable to hide it, Mister Sir decided to go to the bathroom. Finally, at the 1 second mark, every student was staring at Zarek, and Zarek’s hand suddenly jerked and flipped the page. No one expected a text behind it. “For the students that understood the test, these are the instructions. Although implied on the front page, I shall state it again. At the last second of the test, flip the test over and your exam teacher shall give you a hundred and ten percent.”

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          The laughter died instantly when Mister Sir came in. “The test ended, so why are you all giggling?” Spotting the text on Zarek’s test, Mister Sir congratulated him. “Good job, Zarek! You truly have the brains to become a great Dragon Rider! Now, just follow me to your first ever dragon!” Mister Sir began to walk to the mountain area behind the school. Yes! I can finally get my first dragon!

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          As Mister Sir guided Zarek towards the mountain behind the school, Zarek started to think about what he could do with a dragon. I heard that the maelstrom protector needs help again. The maelstrom is going to swallow us if someone doesn’t stand up for us, but I’m done being the side character. As soon as I get my dragon, I train it and fly towards The Nex to help them.

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          Zarek became more and more thrilled, and his excitement reached its peak when he saw a cave. Usually, Zarek would scan the cave for traps, but today is his “obtain a dragon” day. Hmm, the prints on the wall were suspicious, but it might just be the teachers walking here to pick my dragon. I hope I get one of those cool fire ones, or even those air ones!

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          “Come on in, Zarek. I think you will like this dragon. I specifically picked it for you because I knew you would win the competition!” Mister Sir was never seen excited, but today, as Zarek was about to get his first dragon, he was excited. Before Mister Sir pushed Zarek off into a deep hole in the cave, Zarek already suspected that Mister Sir wanted to do something. I knew that I had fallen into yet another trap. Instincts, knowledge. Mister Sir knew exactly what to do to mess with me.