The Clash of Land and Sea.

Chapter Fifteen, Part B

Hayden coughed up water that tasted like salt and bile, a combination he never wanted to taste again. He struggled to open his eyes that were crusted shut. Hayden realized he was laying facedown and he did his best to sit up. His hands slid into the sand and Hayden fell back onto his chest.

He tried to wipe the crust out of his eyes but instead he just rubbed more sand into them. Hayden felt water spray over his feet and, without opening his eyes, Hayden pulled himself back into the water. As the cold water crashed over Hayden, the water that had almost killed Hayden suddenly rejuvenated him and allowed to him to clean the sand and crust out of his eyes.

Hayden pulled his head out of the water and opened his eyes to a blinding light. It took Hayden a few seconds to adjust to the light but once he was able to see again, he looked around. Hayden had half expected to find himself back on the main land somehow, or at the ends of earth for all he knew. Instead he found himself on the shore of an island.

Hayden fought the waves to get back up on his feet and stumbled his way onto dry land. The island coast was covered in thick trees that grew like walls. The rest of the island was hidden from Hayden so he couldn't tell how large it was.

Draek. Hayden thought. Draek, where are you? Where am I? Hayden turned and sat with his back up against a tree. His body felt like it had been thrashed and beaten. He looked up at the sun a guessed that he had fallen into the water just over an hour before.

Draek, where are you? Hayden asked again as he began remembering being ripped off of Draek's saddle and thrown into the water. He remembered surfacing and watching Draek get slammed into the water as well. The wave that Draek had made sent Hayden spiraling back under water and after that his memory got hazy.

HAYDEN! Draek's voice boomed in Hayden's head. Where are you? Draek asked. Hayden closed his eyes and listened to Draek's voice. He knew that Draek was alive because he was still alive. If Draek had died in the storm then Hayden would have been a statue on the ocean floor.

Hayden where are you, are you still out in the ocean? Draek asked, panic rang in his voice.

No I am on an island. Where are you? Hayden looked around to make sure he did not miss a giant silver dragon basking on the beach. As if right on queue Draek came flying over the tree line, looking side to side for Hayden.

Hayden got to his feet and waved at his silver friend as Draek passed over head. Haha you passed me. Hayden laughed as Draek flipped in the air and came back to land in front of Hayden.

Hayden was constantly being amazed by Draek but when his dragon landed in front of him he was overjoyed just to see him. Hayden walked slowly over to Draek and hugged his scaled neck, even though his hands could no longer touch on the other side.

Where are we and how did we get here? Hayden asked.