The bonding rite · every October first · walk in on foot and hope something enormous keeps you

Threshing

“October first is always Threshing.”

Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros

You survive to the end of first year just to be allowed in, walk into the dragons' valley on foot, spread out like you were told — and either something the size of a house decides you're worth keeping, or it walks past and leaves you nothing.

The rite the whole quadrant is a bet on: no bond, no leathers, no future. The day Violet broke the oldest rule in the world and walked out chained to two dragons.

At a glance

When: October first, every year — the same date, no exceptions. You have to survive to first-year's end just to be eligible for it.
Where: The Vale, the dragons' own valley behind Basgiath. Their ground, their rules, their choice — you enter on foot, by permission.
Who: Every first-year rider-cadet still standing. Marched down, told to spread out, and left to wait.
The rule: A dragon bonds you, or it doesn't. No consolation prize for 'almost,' no second date — you earn your leathers or you don't graduate at all.
The danger: Both sides can kill. An unimpressed dragon may incinerate you; a rival cadet with nothing to lose may get there first. No consequences either way.
Outcome: The first double bond in recorded history — Tairn and Andarna both chose Violet, and no law had ever imagined it because no one had ever done it.
The catch: Tairn and Sgaeyl are mates, so whoever Tairn picks is bound to Sgaeyl's rider. One walk into the valley tied Violet to Xaden for life.
Significance: Every bond in the story — every dragon, every rider, every signet — was decided on this one day. The whole series starts in an afternoon.

Who's chosen here

Every bond in the story started on this ground.

Swipe to meet them all

Violet Sorrengail First to bond twoViolet Sorrengailmade history hereEnter Violet Sorrengail →

Tairn Black morningstartailTairnchose her firstEnter Tairn →

Andarna Golden feathertailAndarnathe second, impossible bondEnter Andarna →

Jack Barlowe The cadet who huntedJack Barlowecame to kill the gold oneEnter Jack Barlowe →

Sgaeyl Navy-blue daggertailSgaeylTairn's mate — the tether to XadenEnter Sgaeyl →

Rhiannon Matthias Feirge's riderRhiannon Matthiasbonded the same dayEnter Rhiannon Matthias →

Ridoc Gamlyn Aotrom's riderRidoc Gamlynchosen alongside herEnter Ridoc Gamlyn →

Sloane Mairi Thoirt's riderSloane Mairibonded her brother's breed hereEnter Sloane Mairi →

The long versionRead its whole storyEverything, in one place.Enter the full story

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