Second Squad
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Overview
Second Squad is a Riders Quadrant squad in Flame Section. It begins in Second Wing under Dain Aetos, then transfers into Fourth Wing under Xaden Riorson when Nyra orders Dain’s squad to switch with Aura Beinhaven’s.
The squad earns the Iron Squad patch after Threshing because it keeps the most first-years alive from Parapet onward. That survival record lets it retain its structure while other squads are stripped down and condensed.
Under the Aretia Accord, Second Squad is formally enlarged into a mixed rider-flier unit while still identifying as Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing, and Iron Squad.
Purpose or Ideology
The squad treats its identity as a hard-won family formed through Parapet, Gauntlet, Threshing, and War Games. Rhiannon orders all eleven members to act like Iron Squad by staying together and moving from mat to mat for every challenge against them.
Second Squad presents collective responsibility as part of its code. After the Newhall rescue, Violet says they make decisions as a squad, will take punishment as a squad, and will not stand by while civilians die because of citizenship.
Structure and Leadership
Dain Aetos commands the squad at its introduction, with an executive squad leader beneath him. Its early roster includes four older riders and nine first-years, among them Violet Sorrengail and Rhiannon Matthias.
In second year, Rhiannon takes over as squad leader after Cianna moves up to section executive officer and Dain rises to wingleader. The surviving squadmates rally around Rhiannon, whose first order is for them to live.
Rhiannon commands the squad firmly during the new first-year intake, with Sawyer serving as executive officer. Aaric Graycastle, Visia Hawelynn, and Sloane Mairi are assigned to Second Squad, with Sloane transferred into its last first-year slot after Dain corrects the roll.
After the integrated restructuring, Second Squad totals eighteen cadets, including six added first-years and six fliers. Rhiannon remains squad leader, while Bragen serves as the new executive officer and Sawyer loses that post for the squad’s good.
Notable Members
Violet, Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer are the four surviving original first-years after Threshing. Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer all bond dragons, while the earlier losses reduce the squad’s first-year cohort from nine to four.
The squad’s visible first-years in second year include Aaric, Sloane, Visia, Baylor, and Mischa Levin. Mischa is identified as a brunette first-year and proves formidable in assessment by flipping Baylor Norris onto his back and decisively beating him.
Cat and her drift join Second Squad as part of the rider-flier merger. Rhiannon insists the fliers are part of the squad once they receive Iron Squad patches, and Violet formally welcomes Cat to the quadrant’s only Iron Squad.
The squad’s active circle around Violet includes Rhiannon, Ridoc, Sawyer, Imogen, Quinn, Cat, Maren, and Lynx. Sawyer’s return to the saddle draws the group together, with Rhiannon worrying as squad leader, Ridoc celebrating, and Imogen and Quinn remaining attached through the Aretian rotation.
Relationships and Rivals
Second Squad functions inside Fourth Wing’s command chain. At Montserrat, Xaden explains that in War Games Dain’s squad would carry out wing maneuvers through orders passed from Xaden to Garrick and down to the squad.
The rider-flier merger brings tension into the squad, especially over the Iron Squad patches. Ridoc resents giving away a patch the squad earned, Sloane chooses not to accept the fliers at first, and Rhiannon still orders the patches handed out because the fliers are squad members now.
The squad stands together against Aetos after the Newhall rescue. Violet speaks for them as a united group and says every dragon and gryphon agreed with the choice to save civilians.
The squad’s closeness to Violet is both support and strain. Felix says they need boundaries because they cannot keep chasing Violet through mistakes in Aretia or across the isles, even as their careful smiles, rune circle, banter, and help continue to support her.
Activities
Second Squad uses Tuesday nights for hand-to-hand practice because academic work, flight lessons, and wielding instruction leave little mat time. Dain supervises the sessions while worrying about their readiness for Squad Battle.
As a mixed unit, the squad works at integration through shared gatherings, runs, meals, Battle Brief, classes, study partners, and sparring sessions without bloodshed.
Second Squad uses coordinated group tactics rather than relying only on one-on-one challenge structure. Against Garrick, Rhiannon argues for battlefield realism while Quinn, Cat, Ridoc, Violet, and the others combine their abilities to keep the squad alive and finish the bout.
When Draithus needs volunteers, the squad holds formation despite anger over Mira and the refugees. Cat argues for the refugees, Sloane nearly fights an officer, Rhiannon counts the volunteers, the entire squad raises hands, and Rhiannon formally says Second Squad stands ready.
Reputation
Iron Squad is a status patch as well as a nickname, awarded because the squad has the most surviving members since Parapet. Violet sews it beside her Flame Section patch and considers it her favorite of the first patches they receive.
Aretia still recognizes Iron Squad as the honor for the largest number of surviving first-years after Threshing. The first-years seated ahead of Violet cheer when Brennan announces the current Iron Squad, making the award a point of squad pride.
The Iron Squad identity carries across year groups. Baylor challenges Garrick’s authority by calling the first-years the actual Iron Squad, while Violet’s second-year group still uses the identity in Battle Brief and planning.
Bodhi calls it the best squad while its integrated circle gathers around Sawyer’s return to the saddle and the Aretian rotation.