The sea seemed endless.
Hour after hour, the two dragons crossed the vast blue expanse with nothing but water beneath them and the open sky above. The horizon never appeared to grow closer. Every direction looked almost identical, an unbroken meeting of sapphire ocean and pale blue sky that stretched farther than the eye could see.
The only signs of life were the occasional flock of seabirds gliding across the wind or the enormous shadows of whales surfacing briefly before disappearing beneath the waves once more.
Lily flew at the front of the formation with the confidence born from years of experience. Harry sat comfortably on the enchanted saddle, one hand resting lightly upon the white dragon's scales while Arya sat behind him. During the past hours, the elf had grown accustomed to dragon flight. She no longer tensed every time Lily banked through the air, nor did she gasp whenever they soared hundreds of feet above the sea.
Even so, every now and then a particularly strong gust of wind caught Lily's wings unexpectedly.
Whenever it happened, Arya instinctively tightened her arms around Harry's waist for balance before relaxing again once the dragon steadied herself.
Harry never seemed to notice.
Several hundred feet to their right, Norberta maintained an almost identical rhythm. The black dragon glided effortlessly through the air with Mella seated upon the enchanted saddle Harry had crafted for her. Thunder rested comfortably against Mella's chest, his tiny claws hooked securely into the leather straps while his bright eyes wandered curiously over the endless ocean below.
Unlike ordinary birds, the dragons rarely relied upon constant wingbeats.
Instead, Lily climbed high into the sky with several slow but immensely powerful strokes of her wings before allowing the wind to carry her forward. Once enough height had been gained, she spread her wings wide and simply... glided.
Miles passed beneath them without a single flap.
Only when she gradually descended until the tips of her claws skimmed dangerously close to the waves did she beat them again, catching the rising currents and climbing effortlessly back into the sky.
Norberta followed the same pattern.
It was graceful.
And, perhaps most importantly, it conserved an enormous amount of energy.
Harry had noticed the habit years ago.
Experienced dragons preferred to glide whenever the wind allowed it. Flying with constant wingbeats wasted strength for no reason, especially during journeys that lasted several hours.
The dragons understood that instinctively.
Unfortunately...
Mella did not.
She guided Norberta closer to Lily once again.
He was fairly certain this was at least the tenth time she had approached them since sunrise.
"Harry!"
He turned his head slightly.
"Yes?"
Mella looked at him with an expression that mixed hope and impatience.
"How much farther?"
Harry couldn't help smiling.
"I believe you've asked me that every hour."
"Because every hour you keep saying, 'Not much farther.'"
"We are making good progress."
Mella folded her arms.
"That isn't an answer."
Arya let out a quiet laugh behind Harry.
The sound made Mella pout even more.
Harry gestured toward the endless horizon ahead.
"We still have some distance to cover."
Mella groaned dramatically.
"I knew you were going to say that."
Thunder tilted his little head and looked up at her.
"Long?"
The hatchling's voice carried genuine concern.
Mella sighed heavily.
"Very long."
Thunder let out a sympathetic chirp before pressing his head against her arm as though trying to comfort her.
Harry watched the tiny exchange and couldn't stop himself from laughing.
Mella immediately narrowed her eyes.
"You think this is funny."
"A little."
"It isn't funny."
She stared at him for another moment before huffing loudly.
Arya finally joined the conversation, her voice carrying the calm certainty that seemed natural to elves.
"Dragon Riders live for centuries."
Mella blinked.
"So?"
"So you've only recently become one."
Arya smiled knowingly.
"You're still measuring the world as a human."
The younger Rider frowned thoughtfully.
Harry nodded in agreement.
"Humans don't have much choice."
"Our lives are short," Harry continued. "Humans naturally measure everything by time because time is precious to them. A few days can matter enormously when your entire life lasts only seventy or eighty years."
His eyes drifted toward the endless sea ahead.
"But you will eventually stop thinking that way."
"Why?"
He smiled faintly.
"When you expect to live for centuries, even a few extra years become almost meaningless."
Harry continued.
"If someone tells an ordinary human that they must wait another week, it often feels like a very long time."
He gently patted Lily's neck as the white dragon glided smoothly through the sky.
"But if an elf hears the same thing..."
"...they'll simply shrug."
"A week."
"A month."
"Even a year."
"Eventually those things stop feeling important."
Mella sighed.
She shifted slightly upon Norberta's saddle before making an exaggerated face. Then she spread both hands dramatically.
"I'm somehow impatient while sitting down."
Arya laughed openly. Even Harry found himself shaking his head in amusement.
"You'll improve."
"I certainly hope so."
Mella leaned back against the saddle.
"Otherwise this journey is going to drive me mad."
The conversation gradually faded, leaving only the steady rush of wind around them and the distant cries of seabirds carried across the open sea.
For a while, no one spoke.
Harry simply enjoyed the silence.
There was something strangely peaceful about flying like this. No responsibilities waited for him in the sky.
Only the steady rhythm of Lily's breathing and the endless ocean passing beneath them.
After another hour, however, Harry began noticing something rather amusing.
Mella wasn't merely flying closer because she wanted to know how much farther they had to travel.
Every time Norberta drifted alongside Lily, her eyes wandered in exactly the same direction.
Toward Lily.
Or, more accurately...
Toward Arya.
More specifically...
Toward Arya's hands wrapped securely around Harry's waist.
Whenever Lily tilted slightly to catch a stronger current of air, Arya instinctively leaned forward to keep her balance. It was an entirely natural reaction after hours of flying together.
Harry paid no attention to it whatsoever.
Mella, however, noticed every single time.
She frowned quietly before looking away again.
A few minutes later, Norberta casually drifted closer once more.
Harry was beginning to suspect that the endless questions about the journey were not the only reason she kept flying over.
Sure enough...
"Harry."
He turned toward her.
"What is it this time?"
Mella hesitated for only a heartbeat.
"...Are we there yet?"
Harry stared at her for several long seconds.
Even Lily released a low rumbling sound that Harry had learned meant amusement.
Off to the side, Norberta snorted loudly, sounding suspiciously entertained herself.
Mella looked from one face to another before crossing her arms.
"I was hoping for a different answer."
"I'm afraid not."
She sighed dramatically.
"I suppose I don't have much choice."
Harry grinned.
The dragons continued flying eastward beneath the afternoon sun, leaving nothing behind them except endless sky, endless sea...
Nearly two more hours passed.
The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent toward the western horizon, bathing the endless ocean in shades of gold and deep blue. The steady rhythm of the dragons' flight continued uninterrupted.
By now, Harry had long since stopped looking at the water below.
There was little to see except the occasional pod of dolphins racing alongside one another or a whale breaking the surface before disappearing beneath the waves again.
Then, without warning, Mella's excited voice shattered the peaceful silence.
"Land!"
Far upon the horizon, where sea met sky, a thin dark line had finally appeared.
At first glance it seemed no more than a shadow, but with every passing minute it slowly grew larger. Cliffs emerged from the haze, followed by enormous forests whose canopies stretched across the coastline like a sea of green.
Arya leaned slightly to one side for a better view.
"I've never seen this coastline before."
Harry nodded.
"It belongs to one of the larger western continents."
Towering cliffs rose directly from the sea, their rocky faces carved by centuries of crashing waves. Dense forests crowned the cliffs, while narrow rivers cut winding paths toward the ocean. Farther inland, gentle hills rolled toward distant mountains whose peaks were softened by a faint blue mist.
The coastline looked completely untouched.
Mella looked around excitedly before calling across once more.
"Is this Dragons Island?"
Harry smiled apologetically.
"No."
Harry pointed toward the coastline.
"We're landing there."
Then his finger moved farther east, toward the empty horizon beyond the continent.
"Dragons Island isn't connected to this land."
"It lies much farther out at sea."
"How much farther?" Arya asked.
Harry considered the distance for a moment.
"Another day's flight."
Mella blinked.
"...Another day?"
Harry gave her an apologetic smile.
"I'm afraid so."
Her shoulders slumped dramatically.
Arya couldn't help laughing.
"I thought you'd be happy simply to see land."
"I was."
"I am."
Mella sighed.
"I was just hoping we'd be finished."
Harry chuckled.
"We're finished for today."
Mella looked genuinely surprised.
"Why?"
Harry reached forward and gently patted Lily's neck.
"Because they need to rest."
Only then did Mella truly look at the dragons.
Lily's breathing had become noticeably heavier than it had been that morning. Although the white dragon still flew steadily, each powerful beat of her wings carried just a hint more effort than before.
Norberta was no different.
Her glides remained graceful, but she no longer climbed quite as effortlessly as she had several hours earlier.
The little hatchling had curled himself into a tiny ball against Mella's chest, his eyes half-closed as he dozed peacefully in the warmth of her cloak.
Harry smiled.
"They've been flying for almost twelve hours."
"Even dragons become tired."
Arya nodded in understanding.
"They're conserving their strength."
Harry looked toward the coastline again.
"They could probably continue until tomorrow morning if they absolutely had to."
"But there would be no reason to force them."
"The island isn't going anywhere."
Mella slowly nodded.
"One of the first lessons every Rider learns..."
"...is to listen when your dragon is tired."
"They'll keep flying for you."
"Sometimes farther than they should."
"It's your responsibility to know when enough is enough."
Mella gently stroked Norberta's neck.
The black dragon turned one golden eye toward her.
"For what?"
"I didn't notice you were getting tired."
Norberta released a soft rumble that sounded almost amused.
"So you forgive me?"
"There was nothing to forgive."
Harry watched the brief exchange with quiet satisfaction.
As they approached the coast, Lily slowly angled her wings downward, beginning a wide, graceful descent toward the cliffs below.
Norberta followed close behind.
The air grew warmer as they descended, carrying with it the rich scent of pine, wildflowers, and fresh earth.
After spending an entire day surrounded by nothing but salt air, the smell of land felt almost overwhelming.
A broad grassy clearing overlooked the sea near the edge of the cliffs.
It was large enough for dragons to land comfortably and offered an unobstructed view of the endless ocean behind them.
Harry gently rubbed Lily's neck.
"That looks perfect."
The white dragon rumbled in agreement.
With a final powerful beat of her wings, Lily glided over the clearing before lowering herself gracefully onto the soft grass.
The moment her feet touched the ground, she folded her wings and released a long, exhausted sigh.
Norberta landed only moments later.
She managed perhaps three dignified steps before stretching all four legs as far as they would go.
Then, to Mella's complete lack of surprise, the black dragon simply flopped onto the grass with remarkable enthusiasm.
The ground trembled slightly beneath her weight.
Harry laughed.
"Comfortable?"
Norberta closed one eye.
Arya covered her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to hide her smile.
"I don't think I've ever seen a dragon lie down so dramatically."
"Flying is hard work."
Norberta sounded completely unapologetic.
Harry nodded seriously.
"I completely understand."
Lily snorted.
Within seconds he had discovered several brightly colored insects darting among the wildflowers.
With an excited chirp, the little dragon immediately gave chase.
Mella watched him disappear into the meadow.
"...He's adorable."
Harry took a deep breath and smiled.
"I think we'll stay here for two days."
Mella looked at him in surprise.
"So long?"
Harry nodded.
"The dragons need more than a single night's sleep after flying this far. They've spent almost twelve hours in the air today, and the next journey won't be any shorter."
He looked toward the forest where Lily and Norberta had already begun wandering between the trees.
"If we force them to continue before they've fully recovered, they'll simply exhaust themselves."
As though hearing her name, Lily glanced back over her shoulder before giving a quiet rumble of agreement.
Norberta was far less interested in the conversation.
She had already lowered her nose to the ground and was enthusiastically sniffing the forest floor.
"I smell deer."
Harry chuckled.
The black dragon looked back innocently.
"I'm hungry."
Harry could hardly argue with that.
He smiled and gestured toward the forest.
"You two are free to hunt."
"But don't wander too far."
Lily inclined her great head in acknowledgment.
Harry watched her disappear between the enormous trees before shaking his head.
A loud crash echoed from somewhere inside the forest.
Several startled birds immediately took flight.
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"...Perhaps I should have reminded her to be gentle."
More crashing followed.
"I think the deer already know she's here."
A cheerful chirp interrupted them.
Thunder came running back across the meadow at surprising speed before launching himself into the air and landing awkwardly on Harry's shoulder.
The little hatchling looked rather pleased with himself.
Harry smiled.
"Did you catch something?"
Thunder proudly opened his mouth.
Inside rested...
A very confused-looking rat.
Harry stared.
The rat stared back.
Then it jumped away.
Thunder watched it disappear before lowering his head in disappointment.
"I almost had him."
Harry laughed and gently scratched beneath the little dragon's chin.
"You'll become a magnificent hunter one day."
"Really?"
"I'm certain of it."
Thunder immediately brightened.
"I'll catch two tomorrow."
Harry glanced toward Arya.
"I admire his confidence."
Arya smiled.
"Young dragons are very optimistic."
"They have to be."
He looked around the clearing once more before opening his enchanted trunk.
Finally, the tent unfolded itself before expanding into its full size.
Mella watched the entire process with open admiration.
"I still can't believe everything fits inside that trunk."
Harry looked around with quiet satisfaction.
"There."
"Home for the next two days."
Mella looked from the camp to the forest and then back again.
"So..."
"What are we doing tomorrow?"
Harry smiled.
"Lessons."
She groaned so dramatically that even Thunder looked up in concern.
"I should have known."
Harry laughed.
"You knew becoming a Dragon Rider involved studying."
"I was hoping dragons would do most of the work."
"They certainly won't."
Harry sat down beside the fire.
"We'll continue your magical education."
Arya smiled quietly as she watched the exchange.
Then Harry turned toward her.
"And you'll continue teaching me."