The Encounter

Day off

After the meeting with the humans, I thought that we finally had everything under control and that there would no longer be problems but of course, I was wrong. I keep hoping for perfection and that is my biggest problem. 

We do, however, get to enjoy a day of complete freedom. Peace thinks we need some time to recuperate, and he is right. Everyone has a different idea of what a perfect day means in Solactia, but Flyjoy and I choose something we both have dreamed of for a long time, riding a dragon. 

The dragon who allows us the privilege of riding on his back is the most magnificent dragon I have seen, not that I have seen many dragons. He is a huge golden dragon with enormous light blue eyes. His whole body is covered with scales which seem to glitter in different colors when hit by the sun rays. 

It is the most powerful magical creature I have seen and honestly, it is a bit intimidating to approach it. It turns out that Draong is one of the wisest and most generous dragons in the land. We feel very lucky and privileged to be allowed to approach him, let alone ride him. 

When he speaks smoke comes out of his nostrils and his voice sounds ancient and constant as the time itself. We are both awestruck, although Flyjoy has seen many dragons before; he has never seen one from such close proximity. 

After getting to know each other the dragon tells us that we should climb up onto his back and to hold on tight. That is when true joy begins. In the years prior to that, I kept focusing on work, on helping the world become a better place for my friends and family and along the way I lost myself. I lost the part of me that helped me get where I am now, that helped me reach the magic in me. Flying on a dragon brings that feeling back to me, the feeling of true joy.

As the dragon starts moving his wings and lifting off the ground I hold on tightly with my eyes closed. Suddenly, I get angry with myself, there is no place for fear while flying on a dragon, so I open my eyes and keep them wide open. 

The view below me is incredible. Everything seems so small, yet it is still beautiful and breathtaking. I can feel the wind in my hair and on my face and it is so cleansing and refreshing. It washes away all the worries about the battle, all the problems, everything. What is left is pure enjoyment. It is somehow completely freeing and powerful to fly above the treetops high into the sky feeling the powerful moves of the dragon beneath us. 

"I think you are ready now!" says the dragon after flying for about thirty minutes. 

"Hold on tight!" he warns. 

As we do so the dragon flips through the air and starts making circles and spinning around so that at one point Flyjoy and I are hanging upside down. Instead of being scared, since on Earth I have always had a slight fear of heights, I feel exhilarated. I start screaming in pure joy and excitement and laughingly Flyjoy joins in. 

Draong is content with our reaction because I can feel his body shaking from laughter. It's so difficult to tell what is the predominant emotion I feel, but I just know that the dragon ride is something that I really needed although I didn't know it. 

Draong takes us to a place that looks abandoned and more than little charred. He explains that it is the training area for the young ones, and he takes us there because it is the place where a dragon can safely practice using fire. He wants us to see it firsthand but in a safe environment. 

We stay up in the air as an older dragon on the ground explains to the young ones the basics of using and controlling fire. Then he shows them and that is the best show-and-tell I have ever seen. I am sitting there thoroughly impressed by the power and control the dragons have exhibited and can't marvel at the fact that the display is completely normal to me. We stay there for a few hours transfixed by the skills the young dragons possess, not to mention the older ones.

Flying back we see so many glorious things that I don't know where to look. However, what claims my attention, in the end, is the purple river. Well, the river isn't actually purple, but it looks purple because of the blossoms from the nearby trees that fell into it. At first look, you can't see that, so I thought that it was actually purple, but Flyjoy explains that it is all about the blossoms, the beautiful purple blossoms. 

I beg them to fly down close to the water so that I can touch it and see how it feels. Grudgingly, they agreed because it isn't an easy maneuver for the dragon to perform. Besides, Flyjoy thinks we are taking an unnecessary risk. But I have the strong urge to feel the texture of the river that I can't control. 

When we are close enough for me to touch it I extend my hand and dip it into the water. It is so gentle to the touch, I can feel the water but also the gentle brush of the blossoms that tickle my skin. They are so fragile and beautiful, so I scoop up some water with blossoms and I splash my face with it. 

The feeling is so tender and purifying that I am glad I have had the chance to feel it. It is worth the risk. On the way back, we fly above the clouds, and they look so fluffy and comfortable. 

Feeling content I hug the dragon's neck and drifted off to sleep, exhausted from all the excitement. Soon I am woken up by Flyjoy since we have an emergency on Earth. 

I am so angry to be so suddenly brought back to reality since I have enjoyed the perfect day so much I am devastated it is over. 

Duty calls, so the dragon is flying us back and after thanking him we hurry off to a nearby portal to see what the new problem on Earth is. There always seem to be some new problems emerging. 

"Here we go again!" I think bitterly.