Discoveries

25

I was paralysed as its body rose out of the sea. Water poured off it, swirling into the vacuum it left behind.

The scales were black as the most beautiful pearl, reflecting rainbow colours. Eyes with no recognisable colour, just a pure beauty.

The dragon's head, now just a few feet away, was larger than my whole body. I was sure that that mouth held shiny, sharp and large teeth.

I wasn't afraid, though.

Just in awe.

Of that magnificent creature that now hovered in the water, neck arched toward me. Its wings spanned a hundred meters wide at the least, and after a few last flaps they folded half way. At the tip of each wing was a hooked horn, longer versions of which decorated the dragon's head.

A beautiful voice coming from above startled me.

"Welcome, Apprentice, to the sea of Belmore. Here the Liras dwell, beneath the waters of salt and air."

Wait a second, was she sitting on that dragon?

The figure laughed. "Yes, indeed I am. It is a part never told in man's myths, even though it's of such relevance. Would you like to stroke Bæ? He won't hurt you."

She probably meant the dragon.

"There's no way I'm going to say no to that."

Bæ stretched towards me, and when I held my hand out he firmly pushed his nose against it. He was so warm. It felt really nice. His scales were so smooth, perfectly fitted together so you hardly felt the seams. I stroked him, and planted a kiss on his nose. He seemed momentarily taken aback, but recovered within a second.

I heard a faint splash and a moment later a head appeared next to mine. It belonged to a merry-looking young woman with long, dark-blonde hair with highlights, a high forehead, straight nose, thick eyebrows and a purple rhododendron in her eyes. She seemed to effortlessly stay upright in the water, a thing I could only do with my newly woven Water skills. When I looked into the water, I could see why: just below her bellybutton the first scales started, and then a whole tail came instead of legs. At the end it parted into two flappy things; fins. And not just any fins. Large, they were, frayed at the edges, curled at the tips. The whole was the same beautiful, blueish purple as her Flower.

"Hello, I'm Anne, Protector of the Underwater Realm," she said whilst petting Bæ.

"Hi, I'm Alyssa, uhm, Apprentice of the, uh, Abovewater Realm?" I tried.

Anne smiled. "Nice try, but not exactly. You are Apprentice of both Realms, above and below. We bow before the Silera; I am but a Protector. Will you join me for a ride on Bæ?"

"Yes of course!"

I.

Was.

Going.

To.

Ride.

A.

Freaking.

Dragon.

I had long forgotten Laura and the Rose when Bæ lowered himself into the water, making it possible for me and Anne to climb onto his mighty back. The spikes seemed sharp at first but turned out to form the perfect seats. Once aboard, I could marvel at Anne's tail even more, even tough the last light'd left us. My lessons had helped me bring the two night predators inside me out, and so my night vision had improved amazingly.