The Egg was a giant arena built on top of a mountain in the Thunderbacks by the dragons. The mountain caved down to a large, smooth flat area where lines were drawn for racing, as well as objects used for different events. Here, the sacred Dragonborn games were held every 20 years. Most all dragons could participate and attend, so long as they brought with them a token of good will, whether it be food, drink, treasure, magic, or knowledge. Non dragons were at first not allowed, but during the past few hundred years, the rules became more lenient. Non dragons could even participate, so long as it was only during partner events. Shioko had eagerly pleaded to go. It was a rite of passage, he explained. He had been embarrassed to admit it, but he wanted to be seen as grown by his kind, and that meant the games. Besides the respect and honor that came from participating (even more from winning), wonderful and lavish prizes were to be had.
Taiyou accepted almost immediately, mostly out of love, but partially out of curiosity and the knowledge that attending such an event was seen as almost taboo among the knights. And so, Taiyou found herself perched on a smooth boulder between a large, yellow dragon and two small twin babies. Taiyou wore her uniform to display her status as a dragon rider, and wore her hair in two neat braids, decorated with smoothed, rounded, and flat beads made from dragon scales. Despite being a dragon rider, she had to take extra precautions. Gloves were worn at all times, and though she was used to the smell of dragon, she wore a scarf around her nose and mouth to protect herself from the dust and occasional bursts of smoke. Her ears were stuffed with small bits of wax, too. Dragons were never quiet, and Taiyou quite liked her hearing.
Down below in the center of the arena, Shioko stretched as he prepared for a race among a hoard of dragons, both young and old. There were forty participants, picked from a qualifying race the earlier day.
May the wind be in your favor, Taiyou told him.
Don't help, he warned her, half jokingly. There was a confidence in his voice that was not normally there. It amused his rider, who did not often get to see this competitive side of him.
And make things easier for you? She teased back. Just be careful.
An old, gray dragon flew high above the arena, and let out a spectacular roar, shouting out a pillar of blue hot flame. The ground shook as the dragons in unison took off, the rush of wings almost causing Taiyou to fall from her seat. The race had begun.
