The wait was almost painful.

Irin stood there, flexing the toes within his boots, as he waited for something to happen. Everyone was so quiet... so nervous... so tense. And they had plenty of reason to be. Supposedly they would tame dragons today. Irin couldn't believe it when he was told, and he still couldn't believe it. The fiercest beasts of legend, here, and one of them would be with him for the rest of his days? Admittedly, that wasn't what he was here for. He smelled money in all this, and he could use as much as he could get, for sellsword jobs were getting far too scarce. Getting a dragon was merely a bonus in his mind. Although... such a fierce companion would make jobs that much easier for him...

His thoughts were interrupted when out of the corner of his eye, he saw a large black shape launch into the sky. Long and slender... bat-like wings... Yep, that was a dragon, and it was [i]huge![/i] It promptly stalled, and released a jet of... black flame... into the air. So dark, yet somehow it gave off light. That couldn't be possible, yet Irin was seeing it with his own eyes. This... This was as magical as a dream, yet as fearsome as a nightmare. His jaw hung wide open at the sight, yet he had no idea he had done so.

Then a voice rang out from the black shape. "The dragon are being released. Be brave, be strong. Be wise. For today, you become dragon tamers." A man's voice, for sure. The voice of the same man who told him to come here. But how was it so loud? Nothing about this shape made any sense. Irin just stared at it with bewilderment, not even registering just what the shape was saying.

Then a whole mob of roars resounded across the colosseum. Irin jumped in surprise, letting out a yelp as well. He quickly turned around, only to be even more surprised. Red. Gold. Green. Pink. Brown. Blue. White... So many colors seemed to erupt from the gate as dragon after dragon emerged into the morning, spewing a whole spectrum of flame. One of these fierce beasts would be his and his alone. But which one?

Then he saw her. A stunningly graceful and slender body with scales of the purest of silver. The fire around her reflecting and making her glitter with every movement. She was the swan of the dragons, the most beautiful being he'd ever laid eyes on. Why, he couldn't bear to let anyone else take her. She was his and his alone. Plus, any scales she shed would fetch him a fortune. And yet, those sharp claws, those thick muscles, that... [i]silver[/i] fire breath. This rose was guarded with the sharpest of thorns; thorns that could slice him to ribbons if they so wished. But this dragon... He wanted this dragon so badly. He looked down at himself, and back at the silver dragon. Back and forth. He was compelled to do this. But this wasn't going to be a battle of strength. This was a battle of will. He pulled his sword out of its sheath and set it on the ground, then removed his bow and quiver of arrows, setting them on the ground. This battle was not one to be fought with weapons. No, this battle would be between him and his dragon.

"You!" He shouted at the dragon, charging his way towards the fierce beast. "You're mine!"

The dragon looked at him, her face turning into a snarl. [i]Foolish brat![/i] she projected into his mind. [i]I am not your beast to conquer![/i] She spewed a jet of flame at the ground in front of her to block his path as she beat her wings to take off into the sky. Irin pivoted his right foot and sprung himself to the left, deftly dodging the flames. He sprinted around the fire and leapt for the silver dragon's tail, wrapping both his arms and legs around it just before it went out of reach. He was determined to have her as his dragon and no one else.

The silver dragon wobbled back and forth, clearly unable to balance herself with so much weight on her tail. [i]Master Merrik prohibits us from hurting you, but if you fall off and break your puny neck, that's your fault and your fault alone![/i]

"I...don't...care!" Irin said between clenched teeth. Reaching for one of the tail spikes, Irin grabbed hold of it with one hand, and reached for the next one with the other. He could feel the beast falter at his reaction, but he didn't stop as he slowly made his way up her back. "I... will settle... for nothing less... than the finest!"

[i]So you're not blind, that's good.[/i] She spoke into his mind, her hostility beginning to subside. [i]You're strong enough to hang on for dear life.[/i] Her tone then became cheery. [i]And you're either very brave or very stupid. I like that. But that's not enough for me.[/i] She beat her wings, launching herself straight forward, over the rainbow of flames, the heat nearly smothering Irin, who by this point was clinging onto the dragon's neck. It was then he rotated himself around to the other side of the neck, and wrapped an arm around the dragons jaw. Then the other, and with his legs, he pushed himself up so that he was looking the dragon in the eye with the most intense of stares.

"What more do you wish from me?" He practically shouted at her.

The dark slit in her eye widened as it gazed at him with equal intensity. [i]Why are you here? What do you wish to gain from this ordeal.[/i]

"I... I need the money!"

The dragon roared in anger, shaking her head. [i]I am disappointed. I do not want a greedy rider.[/i]

"No, I... I need it to save my brother!"

Time suddenly slowed to a halt. Suddenly nothing existed but Irin and this dragon. Then a tide seemed to rush into Irin's mind as he was filled with memories. Her memories, they became his, as his became hers.

Darkness, pierced by light. The light expanded to reveal the smiling face of a man, a man who became like a father. He and his black dragon, training her and her siblings to fly, and to breath fire, telling them that one day, they would each have a rider of their own, as the man was to the black dragon. They were worked to the bone with training. She just wanted to play with her brothers and sisters, but the man told them that this was very important, and that they must do as he said. Months passed, here she was, a fully matured dragon, and today was the day she would meet her rider. The doors opened, and they were met with a ragtag group of men and women, one of which would be her rider. One of them approached her. One foolish and persistant brat came after her, and refused to let her escape. He proved to be strong, good with words, brave, and noble. His name was Irin Wyrda, and his dragon?

[i]Uram.[/i]

That was her name. A name of beauty, yet with a sting of ferocity in it. 

All of this rushed through Irin's mind in a matter of seconds, leaving him absolutely shocked at what he'd just experienced. Uram, too, seemed to be equally shocked, for the bonding of dragon and rider is an experience like no other. Irin's grip faltered, and he slipped, desperately scrambling for something to hold, when he felt his arms wrap around one of Uram's front legs.

[i]I believe a handshake is how you humans greet each other?[/i] She said with a smug tone to her thoughts. Irin blinked in surprise, then began to laugh, but his laugh was interrupted as he was casually tossed to the ground, which at this point was no less than five feet below them. [i]Oops.[/i] Uram said sarcastically, nudging him with her snout. Irin lay there, laughing again, as he brought his hand up and stroked her smooth cheek.

This was a bond that only fate could make real.