Sivares was sprawled on the beach, wings spread wide to catch as much sun as possible. A few local kids were climbing over her folded limbs, giggling as they slid down the smooth slope of her wings like a makeshift slide. Her wing still ached, but not nearly as badly as before.

  “Hey, Sivares!”

  She lazily cracked one eye open to see Damon trudging across the sand, grinning, holding up a fish nearly as long as he was tall.

  “Look what I caught!”

  “So,” she muttered, eyeing the flopping prize. “You had a good time out on the water with the fishermen?”

  “Yep! Too bad you can’t come.”

  “Ha! If I tried, I’d sink the boat just by sitting in it.”

  Damon laughed. “Fair.”

  He dropped down beside her, brushing sand from his legs. "Anyway, I just got back from the post office. I have our receipts, and I’m sending out our next batch of mail."

  She let out a slow breath, shifting her wing slightly so the kids knew she was getting up. One squeaked and rolled off before scampering away, still laughing.

  “You don’t mind a little detour, do you?” Damon added.

  Sivares stretched with a low grunt, then gave him a look and a slow nod. “As long as it’s not uphill.”

  “No promises,” Damon grinned. “But it’ll pay well.”

  “Fine,” she said with mock drama. “Just let me enjoy five more seconds of sun.”

  “One… two…”

  “Five, I said!”

  He laughed, and the sound carried out over the waves, as dragon and rider prepared for another delivery day.

  Damon studied the map, tracing the coastline with his finger.

  “So, we’ll head south along the coast. Two stops before we reach Dustwharf.”

  He caught the fish, tied it with some rope, and carefully secured it next to Sivares’ saddle.

  “Hey, Damon!” someone called.

  He looked up just in time to catch something tossed his way, glinting in the sun. He fumbled slightly but caught it with both hands.

  “What the?”

  It was a pair of tinted goggles. Down by the dock, Loaden, one of the older fishermen, waved at him.

  “Figured you could use those! Helps with the wind.”

  Damon blinked. “I can’t take these, goggles like this are expensive!”

  “Nah,” Loaden called back. “Was gonna toss ’em anyway. Figure you’ll get more use outta them than I ever did!”

  Damon looked down at the goggles, then up again, smiling. “You sure?”

  Loaden just gave him a wide grin and a nod. “Yas!”

  Damon put them on his head. "Thank you."

  Meanwhile, Sivares stood, then gave herself a full-body shake, sending sand flying in all directions.

  “Whoa, a tan dragon.” Damon teased.

  She looked down at herself. The ink from the octopus earlier still clung to her underside, caked now with sand. She groaned. “Ugh. I still haven’t cleaned that off.”

  She lowered herself, letting her body dip so Damon could climb onto her back. They were just about to take off when something interrupted them.

  “Yoo-hoo! Don’t think you can leave without a proper send-off!”

  The voice carried from the edge of the docks. The townsfolk had gathered, waving, cheering, calling out blessings and farewells.

  “Come back soon!”

  Sivares froze for a second, taken off guard by the warmth in their voices. Something glowed faintly in her chest. That feeling had been growing slowly ever since they arrived.

  She turned her head slightly, voice barely a whisper.

  “…Thank you.”

  With a running start, one, two, jump, she launched into the air. Her wings still ached, but nothing she couldn’t handle. The wind rushed past them as the town faded behind.

  They were off again.

  As they flew south with the ocean stretching wide beside them, Damon normally would’ve had to squint and shield his eyes from the glare. But with his new goggles snugly in place, he kept his eyes wide open, taking in everything.

  The sea sparkled below, endless and alive, waves crashing against the jagged rocks far beneath their path. When they crested a coastal ridge and the full view of the bay opened up in front of them, deep blue waters stretching to the horizon, Damon couldn’t help himself.

  “Wooo-hooo!” he shouted, voice echoing across the cliffs.

  Sivares chuckled. “Enjoying the view?”

  “I can actually see it this time!” he grinned. “Best gift ever!”

  As they flew low along the coastline, a few birds scattered at the rush of wind under Sivares’ wings. Her shadow danced across the water, trailing along the waves below. The salty air was fresh and clean, just the kind of breeze that made your chest feel wide open.

  Poof!

  “Cough, cough, ack! I think I swallowed a bug!” Damon gagged, sitting up straighter and trying to spit the taste out of his mouth.

  A low, rumbling chuckle vibrated from Sivares’ throat. “Told you had a big mouth.”

  //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

  Meanwhile, elsewhere along the coast, a very different scene was unfolding as they arrived in Wenverer.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  The town was still standing. The only fires burning were for cooking. Children played near the docks, and a few old folks puffed lazily on pipes, watching the tide roll in.

  Revy let out a long breath. “Think we beat the dragon here.”

  Talvan nodded. “Most likely.”

  Everything looked calm—too calm—until a kid came running up to his friends, wide-eyed and breathless.

  “Did you see it?! A dragon flew over earlier!”

  If records had existed in this world, the needle would’ve scratched hard right then.

  “A what?” Talvan blinked.

  “You saw a dragon?” Revy asked, crouching to the kid’s level.

  “Mooooom!” the kid screamed—and bolted, his friends scattering with him like panicked squirrels.

  The trio stood in silence.

  Talvan was the first to speak. “…So. I guess we didn’t beat them here after all.”

  “Let’s ask around,” Talvan muttered. “See if anyone knows where the dragon went.”

  As the trio entered the heart of Wenverer, leaving behind the lively docks, the mood subtly shifted.

  People were smiling, chatting, going about their day—but something felt too normal. Too calm. Too relaxed for a dragon to be nearby.

  Revy narrowed her eyes. “This doesn’t add up.”

  Leryea nodded. “They know a dragon came through… so why does this feel like a festival and not a panic?”

  Talvan scanned the streets. “Because either they’re hiding something… or this town’s crazier than we thought.”

  They split up, trying to get a straight answer from the townsfolk, but it was like pulling teeth from a trout.

  Some were cagey. They dodged the question, offering only vague smiles and quick excuses.

  Others treated them like they were the crazy ones.

  “No dragons here,” a baker said cheerfully while shooing away flour from her apron.

  “Dragon? What dragon?” a woman asked, blinking like she’d never even heard the word before.

  Talvan pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re sure you haven’t seen a dragon?” he asked a scruffy old fisherman, lounging on the dock with his line in the water.

  “Nope,” the man replied without looking up.

  Talvan pointed toward the beach. “Then, hypothetically, what would you call that dragon-shaped crater in the sand?”

  The man squinted over. A bunch of kids were giggling and digging around a massive imprint. A couple were sliding down what looked suspiciously like a wing.

  “Oh, that?” he said casually. “Kids have been playin’ Dragon Hunter all week. Dug that hole themselves. Got imaginations bigger than whales.”

  Leryea muttered, “That shape’s twelve feet wide. And there are scorch marks.”

  Revy added, “I’m pretty sure the ‘tail’ is still warm.”

  The man shrugged. “Good sunshine lately.”

  Talvan sighed. “Yup. Totally normal. Definitely not a dragon.”

  As they finally found the inn, the group collapsed into their chairs with loud groans.

  “Augh, why won’t anyone just give us a straight answer?” Talvan muttered, rubbing his temples.

  Revi slumped forward. “Maybe we stumbled onto some kind of secret dragon-worshipping cult.”

  Leryea raised a brow. “Nah, needs more dark robes and chanting with daggers for that.”

  Revi smirked. “Says the girl who reads too many mystery novels.”

  “You’re the one who brought up cults,” Leryea shot back, crossing her arms.

  Talvan ignored them, his eyes narrowing as he glanced out the window. “Hey… what’s that guy doing?”

  Out on the docks, among the bustle, one of the fishermen stood on his boat, something glinting on its edge.

  “Excuse me,” Talvan said as he stood and stepped outside, followed closely by Revi and Leryea. He pointed to the harpoon. “Where did you get that?”

  The fisherman looked up, a little confused. “This? Oh, it was my grandpa’s. Settled here long ago. Been in the family since.”

  Revi took a sharp breath. “That’s… that’s a rune-carved dragon-hunter’s harpoon. Only the Profanland tribes used those. The kind who hunted dragons for sport.”

  The man blinked. “Didn’t know that. It’s always been good for spearin’ big fish.”

  Talvan’s voice dropped. “That weapon could kill a dragon. Why do you even have it?”

  The fisherman shrugged. “Old heirloom. Folks around here like to keep things close. You never know when something big might stir out there in the deep.”

  Leryea muttered, “Yup. Totally normal. Definitely not hiding anything.”

  The warning bell rang out, sharp and frantic, echoing across the town.

  "Sea monster!" a sailor shouted from the dock, his voice rising in panic.

  A massive, snake-like creature surged from the ocean, its head rising high above the waves. Water streamed off its scaled hide as it reared back, and then, with a deep, guttural hiss, it unleashed a powerful jet of water.

  CRASH!

  The blast slammed into the seaside buildings, shattering wood and tiles as rooftops splintered. People screamed and scattered.

  Without missing a beat, Talvan drew his sword and barked, “Protect the townsfolk! Keep them back!”

  Another blast of water shot toward them, fast, deadly, aimed to crush anything in its path.

  “Lumen Wall!” Revi shouted.

  The crest on her staff flared with golden light, and a radiant barrier shimmered into being just in time. The water slammed into it like a falling mountain, driving her back a step as she braced herself, teeth clenched, arms trembling from the force.

  The light held.

  “Everyone get to shelter!” Talvan ordered again, eyes locked on the monster as it began to coil, readying another strike.

  “Ascend Chain!” Revy shouted.

  From her staff, a brilliant chain of light shot forward, coiling around the sea serpent’s neck. With a yank, she dragged its head down toward the shore.

  “Now! I can’t hold it long!”

  Talvan and Leryea surged forward. Leryea’s rune-covered spear glowed as it launched like a bolt of lightning, piercing deep into the creature’s throat. The runes flared, and the scales split apart like paper.

  Talvan was already moving, blade arcing in a wide slash. His sword carved a long, deep gash along the serpent’s flank. The beast thrashed in pain and fury.

  Then it lunged.

  Teeth snapped forward toward Talvan, but Revy yanked the chain hard, jerking its aim just enough to miss. The blow skimmed past him, close enough to slice wind from his cloak.

  They moved as one, trading strikes and dodges in rhythm, Leryea’s spear driving deep, Talvan’s sword slashing fast, and Revy’s light magic keeping the beast off balance. Again and again they struck, until with a final howl, the sea serpent collapsed, its massive body crashing into the waves with a hiss of steam and blood.

  Silence fell. Then cheers erupted from the townsfolk behind them.

  As Talvan turned to wave at the cheering crowd, the backlash from his rune blade hit him like a runaway cart. His strength vanished all at once, knees buckling beneath him. He staggered, barely catching himself before collapsing.

  Beside him, Leryea wasn’t faring much better, leaning heavily on her spear, her breath ragged, her shoulders trembling with strain.

  “Huff… huff…”

  Revy rushed over, dirt and sea mist clinging to her cloak. “Hold on, here.” She pressed a small red pill into Talvan’s palm. “Just swallow.”

  He did.

  Warmth spread through his chest, and the crushing fatigue ebbed like a dream at dawn. Muscles steadied, breath returned. It was like the exhaustion had never been real, just a faded memory.

  Leryea took her own dose without question, and Revy exhaled in relief. “You two always have to push it, huh?”

  Talvan managed a tired smile. “Only when it matters.”

  Talvan gave a breathless nod. “Thanks, Revy…”

  She cut him off with a sharp shake of her head. “Don’t thank me. That was a recovery pill, helps take the edge off, yeah, but don’t rely on them.”

  He blinked at her, still feeling the fading traces of exhaustion slipping from his limbs.

  “I’m serious,” she added, voice lower now. “You remember what happened to the old Flamebreakers, don’t you? Dropping dead mid-battle from pushing too hard, too many pills, too fast. Once a week, no more. Got it?”

  “Got it,” he said quietly.

  The moment of calm didn’t last. Townsfolk were rushing in now, surrounding them with wide eyes and gasps.

  “You alright, lad?” one of them called, his voice tinged with concern.

  Talvan forced a weak smile and tried to wave him off. “Yeah… No one was hurt. Just a few broken bones, but we’ll live.”

  It looked like a sea monster for the next month; the town would be dining on it.

  As the crowd began to thin, someone grabbed Talvan’s arm and pulled the three of them aside.

  “Hey,” the man whispered, glancing around. “Heard you were looking for a dragon.”Sorry, lad, you missed the dragon by two days."

  Talvan’s posture straightened. “Yeah. Do you know where it went?”

  The man shook his head quickly. “Forget it. Headed for Dustwharf. You won’t catch it.”

  “We have to try.”

  The man snorted. “Then I hope you can grow wings. A landslide took out the only road south. Washed clean through the pass. Unless you’re flying, you’re stuck.”

  Revy’s jaw clenched. “We’ll find another way.”

  “Suit yourself,” the man said, backing off. “But if you're smart, you'll stay put. Dragons like that don’t get found unless they want to.”

  Back in the inn, the trio huddled around the map, spreading it out across a worn wooden table. Talvan tapped his finger against the ink-marked trails. “Dustwharf. Mountain town. Half-human, half-dwarf, if I remember right.”

  Revy pointed to a narrow section of the map. “Looks like the landslide hit here.” Her brow furrowed. “And he was right. The whole town’s surrounded by mountains. Clearing that road would take months.”

  “Gagh, what do we do now?” Leryea groaned, rubbing her temples.

  Revy hesitated, then sighed. “We’ll have to call the Griffin Knights.”

  Talvan visibly cringed. “Ugh. Not them.”

  “They hate Flame Breakers more than sea monsters,” Leryea muttered.

  Revy folded her arms. “Well, what other choice do we have?”

  Silence fell as all three looked at each other.

  “They’re definitely going to charge us for this, aren’t they?” Talvan said flatly.

  “All the coins we’ve got,” Revy muttered. “And probably a favour on top.”