#varrish

Babygirl, that man would shred apart the Continent to find you. He would tear apart every brick and burn Basgiath to the ground to find you. He would risk everything to rescue you. He would kill anyone who came in between you and him.

*Edited on 12/15/2023 to add Aaric and Devera.*

*Edited on 12/22/2023 to add assorted details*

*Edited on 01/03/2024 to update Aaric’s name and alias (I know his actual middle name is Aaric, but the name/middle name/last name format ruined the ✨aesthetic✨ since no one else has a known middle name)*

*Edited on 02/10/2024 because I realized on my reread that Jack pushing energy on Violet likely isn’t actually a manifestation of his signet, as much as it is him using Venin powers*

*Edited on 09/18/2024 since Xaden gave us new information on Emery*

*Edited on 01/19/2025 to add Cianna*

*Edited on 01/20/2025 to add Nyra*

*Editing to add new OS information*

Made this because I know I’ll forget many details by time book 3 comes out, and I figured I’d share it for those interested. It’s a combination of information from my own read throughs, and from The Empyrean Wiki.

Please let me know if you see any mistakes, or if you have more to add.

I decided against doing Flyers for the time being, as what information we have is rather limited.

⚠️Warning: contains Iron Flame spoilers⚠️

⚠️Warning: contains Onyx Storm spoilers⚠️

Rider Data Masterlist

Violet

Surname: Sorrengail

Signet: Lightning wielding/Dream walking

Dragon’s name: Tairn/Andarna

Dragon’s description:

- Black Morningstartail (M)

- Golden Feathertail (former); Irid Scorpiontail (current) (F)

Xaden

Surname: Riorson

Signet: Shadow wielding/Reading intentions

Dragon’s name: Sgaeyl

Dragon’s description: Blue Daggertail (F)

Rhiannon

Surname: Matthias

Signet: Retrieving

Dragon’s name: Feirge

Dragon’s description: Green Daggertail (F)

Ridoc

Surname: Gamlyn

Signet: Ice wielding

Dragon’s name: Aotrom

Dragon’s description: Brown Swordtail (M)

Sawyer

Surname: Henrick

Signet: Metallurgist

Dragon’s name: Sliseag

Dragon’s description: Red Swordtail (M)

Liam

Surname: Mairi

Signet: Farsight/Ice wielding

Dragon’s name: Deigh

Dragon’s description: Red Daggertail (M)

Sloane

Surname: Mairi

Signet: Siphon

Dragon’s name: Thoirt

Dragon’s description: Red Daggertail

Garrick

Surname: Tavis

Signet: Air manipulation/Distance wielding

Dragon’s name: Chradh

Dragon’s description: Brown Scorpiontail (M)

Bodhi

Surname: Durran

Signet: Countering signets

Dragon’s name: Cuir

Dragon’s description: Green (unknown tail type)

Imogen

Surname: Cardulo

Signet: Memory erasing

Dragon’s name: Glane

Dragon’s description: Orange Daggertail (F)

Quinn

Surname: Hollis

Signet: Astral Projection

Dragon’s name: Cruth

Dragon’s description: Green Scorpiontail (F)

Dain

Surname: Aetos

Signet: Retrocognition

Dragon’s name: Cath

Dragon’s description: Red Swordtail (M)

Jack

Surname: Barlowe

Signet: Pain projection (Signet or Venin ability?)

Dragon’s name: Baide

Dragon’s description: Orange Scorpiontail (F)

Aaric

Full name: Camlaen “Cam” Tauri, Aaric Greycastle (alias)

Signet: Unknown

Dragon’s name: Molvic

Dragon’s description: Blue Clubtail

Mira

Surname: Sorrengail

Signet: Extending wards

Dragon’s name: Teine

Dragon’s description: Green Clubtail (M)

Brennan

Surname: Sorrengail, Aisreigh (alias)

Signet: Mending

Dragon’s name: Marbh

Dragon’s description: Orange Daggertail (M)

Lilith

Surname: Sorrengail/Daxton

Signet: Storm wielder

Dragon’s name: Aimsir

Dragon’s description: Brown (unknown tail type)

Augustine

Surname: Melgren

Signet: Battle foresight

Dragon’s name: Codagh

Dragon’s description: Black Swordtail (M)

(Unknown)

Surname: Devera

Signet: Unknown

Dragon’s name: Unknown

Dragon’s description: Red Clubtail

(Unknown)

Surname: Kaori

Signet: Illusionist

Dragon’s name: Smachd

Dragon’s description: Unknown

(Unknown)

Surname: Carr

Signet: Fire wielder

Dragon’s name: Breugan

Dragon’s description: Orange Daggertail (M)

Burton

Surname: Varrish

Signet: Weakness reading

Dragon’s name: Solas

Dragon’s description: Orange Daggertail (M)

Naolin

Surname: Unknown

Signet: Siphon

Dragon’s name: Tairn

Dragon’s description: Black Morningstartail (M)

Heaton

Surname: Unknown

Signet: Breathing underwater

Dragon’s name: Unknown

Dragon’s description: Unknown

Emery

Surname: Barnes

Signet: Air manipulation

Dragon’s name: Unknown

Dragon’s description: Brown Clubtail

Cianna

Surname: Unknown

Signet: Air manipulation

Dragon’s name: Gaothal

Dragon’s description: Unknown

Nyra

Surname: Voldaren

Signet: Unknown

Dragon’s name: Malla

Dragon’s description: Red Scorpiontail

Ulices

Surname: Ferris

Signet: Unknown

Dragon: Fann

Dragon’s description: Green Swordtail (F)

Felix

Surname: Gerault

Signet: Unknown

Dragon: Nuirlach

Dragon’s description: Red Swordtail

Aura

Surname: Beinhaven

Signet: Fire wielder

Dragon: Dagolh

Dragon’s description: Red Clubtail

Lyron

Surname: Panchek

Signet:

Dragon:

Dragon’s description:

Lynx

Surname:

Signet: Shadow wielding

Dragon:

Dragon description:

Baylor

Surname:

Signet: (far-sight?)

Dragon: Veirt

"You’re going to freeze out there." "I’ll be fine." I drop to my knees and locate the missing dagger, hauling it out by the strap of the sheath before standing again. "Here." Xaden throws one of his flight jackets over me, trapping my hair. "If Garrick’s right and we’re under attack, then my guess is they’ll order the older years to staff the mid-guard posts, so you shouldn’t be out in formation too long. I can’t stand the thought of you being cold." Which means he’ll be leaving. My heart somersaults as I clumsily shove my arms through the sleeves of his jacket. He’ll be safe, right? It will just be a midland assignment, and he’s the most powerful rider in the quadrant. With my hands full of weapons, I don’t argue about him buttoning the flight jacket over my chest. "We have to get to formation." His hands cradle my face. "And if I have to go, then don’t worry. I’m sure Sgaeyl will drag me back in a few days." He leans in and kisses me hard and quick. "Wanting you will be the death of me. Let’s go."

Rhi cracks a huge yawn, then glances my way and does a double-take. "Violet Sorrengail," she whispers, moving closer. "Are you wearing Riorson’s flight jacket?" Liam’s head snaps in my direction, curse his stupidly good hearing. "Why would you say that?" I do a shitty job of feigning shock and shove the sheaths into every available pocket in this thing. All three of them, which are considerably deeper than the ones in my own jacket. "Oh, I don’t know. Because it’s huge on you and there are three stars right here?" She taps where there’s only one star on her uniform. Well, shit. Just goes to show that neither of us was thinking clearly. "It could be any third-year’s." I shrug. "With a Fourth Wing shield on the shoulder?" She cocks an eyebrow. "That does limit it a bit," I agree. "And a wingleader emblem beneath those stars?" she teases. "Fine, it’s his," I whisper quickly.

His words die abruptly as his focus drops to my shoulder. "Who the fuck's flight jacket are you wearing?" "—Really? It has third-year rank, Fourth Wing insignia, and a section leader designation. Who the hell's jacket do you think I'm wearing?" His jaw ticks. "It's Bodhi's, you territorial asshole!" That answer doesn't seem to help. "Are you serious right now?" I unbutton the fucking jacket and tug at the sleeves, but leather is a bitch when wet, and it takes a moment to yank it free. "I ran out of Battle Brief the second Devera clued me in that you'd been wounded. Yes, I left without leave. Then I flew eight hours at breakneck speed with an absolutely irrational Tairn, who thought if you'd been hurt, then Sgaeyl could have been, too. And now you pull some possessive, jealous, whose-jacket-is-that bullshit just because your cousin knew I was so panicked that I wouldn't stop for my own flight leathers?" I flat-out glare at his nonsensical ass and drop the jacket to the floor. "You can fuck right off!" A corner of his mouth turns up. "You were worried about me?" "Not anymore, I'm not." I see red. How can he find this amusing? "But you were." A slow smile spreads across his face, and his eyes light up.

"But I'm right here. You cannot protect me from every—" I glance over at the weight he slides into the deep sheath at my shoulder, the sheath that's only there because I'm wearing his flight jacket. "What is that?" But I already know. The alloy in the hilt flashes in the moonlight before it disappears, tucked against my arm. "I need you to be able to defend yourself no matter what happens. You're not the only one with bad dreams, you know." My lips part. "Xaden," I whisper, sliding my hands to his face and scratching my palms on the stubble of his cheeks. "I'm a lightning wielder. I'm never defenseless against venin." "You'll have to keep it hidden, of course." His voice turns gruff. "Sew a deeper sheath into wherever you're most comfortable." I nod. Right now, there's almost no chance anyone could spot it unless it was facing outward or they knew where to look, anyway.

Anika, Anika, Anika, Anika

"Anika Durran," she told the roll keeper.

The blond rider looked up, an eyebrow raised. "Durran?" he repeated. He knew of Bodhi.

She stepped off the Parapet ledge. "Durran," she confirmed. The roll keeper tilted their head but wrote it down anyway. She turned to the person on her other side, a third year rider, with a buzzcut, short stubs of hair poking from his head. He looked at her like he didn't care about who she was at all. Which she understood. He was in his third year at Basgiath. That in itself said something.

She left the ledge, walking deeper into the courtyard. The descriptions weren't kissing about the stone. It was all along the walls in thick, heavy brick. Same kind of stone, even though the bricks near the top looked newer. The place was open to the sky, even though the only exit she could see was to the Parapet. It was already milling with people that had crossed successfully, friends celebrating, people lurking in the shadows. But all of them looked high off adrenaline, one way or another. And everyone seemed to be a cadet. She couldn't see any second or third-

Suddenly, she was crushed from behind by a tight pair of arms, a solid chest against her back. She felt all of her senses come alive. Her fears strike her brain and paranoia of walking at night alone echo in her being.

She was suddenly glad her dad made her do that self defense class.

She used her elbow, drove it directly backward and knocked the air out of the person. They staggered back, allowing her to rush forward and spin around, a hand on the daggers.

The person, a third year, (a freaking third year) coughed for a second before donning an easy smile. He had brown skin, black curly hair and easily six foot. He was angular, and a little lean even though she could see the muscle beneath his jacket. The knives along his body were something that made her grip tighten.

"Geez, A, been seven years and you don't want a hug from your brother anymore?" he teased.

Brother. Her first reaction was either Jeff or Conner. Those idiots who had just gotten into high school, who loved their video games and messing with her. But no. This was Anika's brother. Because this was Anika's world and Anika's body. Anika's brother.

Bodhi.

"Bodhi," she breathed, relaxing her body.

His smile turned softer, like he was allowing himself to relax too. "Hi, A."

She let herself step forward before she hugged him. She closed her eyes and held him tightly, picturing him as someone else. Her own brothers, her dad, her mom, her cousins, aunts and uncles. All her friends. She allowed herself a moment to say goodbye to them, the same way she had to say goodbye to herself. She had to. She used him to ground herself, and to say farewell to everyone she loved.

Bodhi held her as well, tightly. She blinked away the tears, and stepped away feeling the guilt stab her in the gut. He smiled at her, comfortingly. "Gods, it's good to see you. You okay? I mean after Parapet?"

She nodded, forcing the tears away. "Yeah. Yes, I think so."

Bodhi's brow furrowed as his eyes ran over her. "Where's your pack?"

"Didn't need anything in it," she stated. "No sense carrying an empty bag across."

He nodded slowly and scratched his stubbled jaw. "You uh, you grew out your hair."

She ran her fingers over the tight braid that went down behind her hair. "I, uh, I plan to cut it though."

He fingers migrated to the back of his neck. "Yeah, probably a good idea in here." He looked around, noticing they were in the middle of a crowd. "You wanna go somewhere to talk?"

She nodded, feeling all the eyes on her. She shifted her weight, her skin feeling uncomfortable. Not to mention, Anika had a few inches on her, making her five-nine instead of just five-five. It was still strange.

Bodhi took her wrist, led her through the crowd to the edges of the courtyard. The two stopped against the wall, Bodhi taking a heavy breath. He leaned against the stone, his shoulders heavy. "You, um, you were fostered in Deaconshire, right?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, yeah, I was. Some stuck up nobles."

Bodhi blinked like he was in shock before he nodded. "Yeah, I heard you were with some Lord's house. I tried sending letters. My foster family was pretty cool, but I don't think they ever sent any. I really missed you, Anika."

She forced herself to smile. "I missed you too, Bodhi. And you're not doing so bad yourself. I mean, you're a section leader."

He chuckled. "Executive officer, but yeah. Just hate that it's for the wrong reasons, you know?"

He meant Navarre. He meant how they hide behind the wards, how they lie to so many people. So Anika knew, Bodhi knew she knew. That was... useful. She nodded. "Yeah, I get it."

He sent her a small smile. "You had a sick elbow there. Knocked the wind outta me. Where'd you get the knives?"

She ran her hand along the leather grip on her left knife. "I got them from a friend. Along with the boots."

Bodhi hummed. "This friend must really like you. They might help you survive. Those pants might have pulled you off the Parapet."

She nodded, tapping her fingers together. She felt as the weight slowly settled. As it crawled forward, inch by inch. She had crossed the Parapet. She was in Basgiath.

She was going to die.

"I'll see if I can pull some strings," Bodhi continued. "Get you into my section, or at least Fourth Wing. It'll definitely be different with Aetos running the place, but at least you'll be with some friendly faces." He seemed to notice the panic on her face. He straightened up and took a step closer. "Hey, hey, take a deep breath okay?"

"I-I'm gonna die Bodhi," she whispered. The tears she had been holding back spilled to her eyes. "I don't know how to fight. I've never used a knife before. W-what am I gonna do?"

He pulled her into another hug, crushed her against his chest. She held on because he was the only real thing she had at the moment. "It's gonna be okay," he whispered. "I can help train you, if you want. No matter what happens, I'll be here for you. Okay?"

She just held on tighter. Didn't say a word. If she said anything, she knew it would come out as a lie.

He pressed something to her hairline. "Look, I uh, I need to go for a minute. I was barely able to sneak away for this long to see you make it across. I'll be at formation though, okay? It's just gonna be a few hours. You'll be okay."

She nodded as he pulled away, gave her one last squeeze before disappearing into the crowd and the stone. Leaving her alone again.

-------------------------------------------------------

He was right, formation was a few hours. A few very long hours of just standing against the wall, watching everyone else come down from the Parapet. Her feet began to hurt after an hour so she sat down and watched people go by from the floor. There were tall and short people, with ranging skin tones and mostly short hairstyles. The longest she saw was a blonde with hair to her shoulder blades.

And, of course, there were those with Rebellion Relics like her. She saw some who covered them with sleeves, others who displayed them proudly in tank tops and muscle shirts. They all had sneers, glares and generally angry faces. She couldn't blame them. As opposed to the others who looked around with wonder, they were forced to be here. They had no choice in being sent to die. Neither did she.

She never really imagined what Commandant Panchek looked like. That part of the books she glossed over. Looking up at the man on the stage, dark eyes, thinning brown hair-he looks so much weaker than her father, her uncles. He spoke like a politician, moved his hands around like her family always did. But the look of him made her stomach curl like it always did when the elections were running. Just a man in power trying to get more power.

His words faded in and out, but she understood a few words. Seventy one people fell from the Parapet. Not cadets, they didn't earn that title by living. Just people. She watched as Panchek stepped back and a woman-Aura Beinhaven apparently-took his place, announced herself as the senior Wingleader. She couldn't help the eyeroll at the sound of her voice. It was just as annoying as she imagined it.

Cadets were then divided into squads by wings, starting in First Wing. She stood, ready just in case she was called into First. She repeated the name, over and over in her head. Anika, Anika, Anika. Trained her brain for it. Yet it was never called for First, Second or Third. For a second, she tricked herself into thinking she might be placed with Violet, Aaric, Rhiannon, Ridoc, Sawyer, even Sloane who was still smoldering after being forced to be in the same squad as someone she thinks killed her brother. But Second Squad, Flame Section was filled quickly. Quicker than she liked. She felt her heart drop. She liked those people, knew them even if they didn't know her.

"Anika Durran," Aura called, gaining her attention once more. "First Squad, Tail Section, Fourth Wing!"

Tail Section. Bodhi's section. She wondered how much guilt made Dain pull that off.

Still, she walked over to the last section. Stood behind a man with dirty blond hair with a second year rank on his shoulder. She stood beside a red head and a girl who-if she was at home-would say she was from China. She felt the stare of another girl, narrowing her eyes on the relic that peeked out from the jacket sleeve.

It made her stomach fall.

Panchek introduced a man he called the new Vice Commandant. Varrish. Just the sight of the man made her stomach lurch once more. He definitely gave off pedo vibes. Aura moved the squad roll aside before she gave a speech about the honour of the Riders Quadrant and defending the people of Navarre. It took everything in her not to roll her eyes a second time. Then Dain stepped forward. She zoned him out once more, letting her eyes go to the back of Bodhi. His back was straight, hands folded behind him. The picture of conformity. It was only because she was so close and in the front squad she could see how his knuckles were strained with his grip.

It was impossible to ignore when the dragons arrived. It was more than the glimpse she had received on the Parapet. They were there-real. The feeling of the wind from their wings. How they crushed the masonry beneath their claws. They were enormous, all of them bigger than she ever imagined. Blood red, deep orange, dirt brown and emerald green. They were gorgeous. There were six in all and I wanted to cry with how beautiful they were.

"A third of you will be dead by next July," Dain continued on. "If you want to wear Rider black then you earn it. You earn it every single day!" The dragon behind him-Cath-digs their claws into the stones behind Dain. It blew a puff of steam over the crowd and the nausea rose again. There had to be dragon breath mints or something.

The redhead beside her turned and sprinted. She blinked in shock as she watched him run. He was an idiot. Two more followed, like they were waiting for someone else to as well. They bolted for the archway at the end of the courtyard. Idiots. Didn't they know this was the Rider's Quadrant? What dragons did to cowards?

She turned back to the front and saw as an Orange opened its mouth, curled its tongue. Oh shit. That was Solas.

She ducked down as soon as the she felt the heat release from its mouth. Even though she was higher in formation, she didn't know how far the fire would spread. There were screams next. Someone screamed "GET DOWN!"

The smell was the worst of what followed. The smell of sulphur, acid and something burning. It made her stomach burn and burned into her nostrils. It was the smell of burned bodies. The nausea was rising, curling, forcing its way up her throat, making her unhinge her jaw. Then, everything was below her on the grass.

This was more than just a dream now. More than just a hallucination or a fantasy. That smell, those screams-they were so real.

This was real. All of this was real.

It was so dangerously real.

"Get back into formation!" Panchek's voice commanded. "Riders do not balk at fire!"

She slowly rose once more, feeling the tears and embarrassment that always comes after vomiting. She forced herself to raise her chin, swallow back the acidic taste in her mouth. She didn't turn to look back at Flame Section, though she knew what she would see. Burned, dead bodies, those screaming out in pain. Varrish stepped forward, face completely stoic. He didn't care about the massacre he and his dragon just committed.

"It's not only first years who earn their leathers at Basgiath!" he proclaimed. "The wings are only as strong as their weakest rider!"

She felt eyes on her again.

Another girl-this one from Flame Section-ran from their First Squad. Oh, you idiot, she thought. Solas opened his mouth once more, despite Cath snapping at him in warning. The fire warmed in its throat.

The thing that stopped it was the sound of the crash from the archway at the far side of the courtyard. The sound was so loud she turned to look, make sure a meteor didn't strike down.

Instead, it was a colossal, muscled black dragon that had crashed down onto the archway. Its wings were spread wide, teeth bared and talons clearly displayed. Its tail was partially hidden but she could still see the Morningstartail that waved behind it in silent threat.

Tairneanach. Tairn.

She had never felt more fear and more relief at seeing such a beast.

The other dragons shuffled away and dipped their heads at respect of the Black. Solas did not. He was foolish enough not to. Instead, it rolled its tongue back like it was preparing another fireball. Tairn's chest expanding was the only warning she had-the only clue for her to cover her ears-before Tairn roared. It echoed in the air, made her bones shake and glass shatter. The hot air from his breath was a threat as well.

When the roar died down, the other dragons moved away from Solas. But the idiotic orange stood its ground. Tairn extended his neck over Flame Section-over Violet's squad-before he growled again. There was a silent moment as the two dragons stared each other down. Then, in a moment of tense relief, Solas launched from the wall and flew into the sky. Tairn watched him, tracing the flight path with his golden eyes. He turned to the podium where Varrish was and released a blast of heat that made the man's hair push back.

The threat was clear.

Tairn retracted his limbs, lowering himself to the wall. Then, with a great leap, the massive dragon rose into the sky.

The chaos, the death, the tension slowly evaporates in the air. It is the only word she can use to describe it. Evaporate. Still there, still present, though nearly invisible. Still oppressive.