Chapter 940: The Flight Journey
Flying over…
Hearing Melita’s reply, Gawain instinctively narrowed his eyes—this answer was exactly what he had expected.
Still, he gave Melita a thorough once-over, then asked for confirmation, “You’re going to take the three of us by yourself?”
Melita glanced at Gawain and the two standing beside him, Amber and Veronica, a confident smile playing on her lips. “Of course, no problem at all—for a healthy adult dragon, carrying you three isn’t even a burden worth mentioning.”
As she spoke, she took a few steps back, then looked around at the curious stares of the guards and the human officials who had come to see them off. Spreading her arms wide, she said, “Please, everyone, step back a little more. I’ll need some space to transform.”
Gawain immediately waved his hand, signaling Amber and Veronica to step back with him. Soon, the crowd cleared a wide enough area for a dragon of her size to take off and land. The agent calmly walked to the center of the open space. She glanced around once more to confirm there was enough room, then took a deep breath—and in the next instant, a surge of raw magical power burst forth!
A force so strong that humans could barely control it radiated from Melita’s center, quickly forming a shimmering magical barrier that seemed almost tangible. Under the astonished and curious gazes of everyone present, the glowing veil began to pulse rhythmically, expanding and contracting. Gradually, her human outline faded away, replaced by the majestic emergence of massive dragon wings glowing in the light. Moments later, the magical barrier silently shattered, and where Melita had stood as a human, now stood a magnificent, imposing blue dragon.
A few gasps rippled through the crowd. Though many had seen dragonborn before, witnessing a true dragon shift form right before their eyes was an entirely different experience—far more awe-inspiring than watching a dragonborn soar overhead. Even Rebecca, standing at the edge of the square, couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. She stared wide-eyed at the blue dragon in the center, then turned to poke Maggie, who was quietly trying to minimize her presence nearby. “Hey, I took a good look—this one’s way bigger than you.”
Maggie lowered her eyelids, her voice low. “She’s a real, healthy dragon.”
Rebecca’s tone shifted immediately. “You’re not so bad yourself—you’ve got that iron chin. She doesn’t.”
Maggie: “…”
The dragonborn maid kept her eyes downcast, seemingly not much cheered by Rebecca’s attempt at consolation.
“Though I saw this once before on the battlefield of the Holy Spirit Plains, I still have to say… dragons truly are awe-inspiring creatures,” Gawain looked up at Melita, who was now turning her gaze toward him, and smiled appreciatively. “Those lucky enough to witness dragons call you the natural rulers of the skies—and it’s not without reason.”
“Rulers of the skies… no race truly rules the sky. Its vastness and depth command respect even from dragons,” Melita shook her head. Though still female in voice, her tone in dragon form rumbled like thunder. “So, three passengers, are you ready?”
“Wait a moment,” Gawain waved his hand and summoned Solderin, who had been standing by. When the high-ranking ranger approached, Gawain quietly instructed, “Send the footage here to the Imperial Capital’s defense forces. Make sure the anti-air units are on alert.”
“Understood,” Solderin nodded, then couldn’t help but glance again at the blue dragon nearby. Lowering his voice, he added, “By the way, don’t forget to help me with—”
Gawain looked at the ranger’s shining golden hair and suddenly froze for a moment. “…I’ll try.”
Solderin acknowledged and left. Gawain turned back to Melita, who had clearly overheard the low conversation that wasn’t soundproofed. She lifted the corner of her mouth, revealing a few sharp fangs—likely a smile. “Looks like I’ll have to be extra careful flying over your empire’s skies from now on. I hope your air defenses aren’t specifically designed to target me and my colleagues—we usually keep to friendly and orderly conduct.”
“Of course, dragons are our friends,” Gawain chuckled. “But we have many enemies, and everyone’s technology keeps advancing. It’s only natural to develop new ways to protect ourselves.”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted to Melita’s broad back in dragon form. With wings so vast they nearly covered half the square, her back was wide and sturdy. Even discounting the jagged ridges, there was more than enough flat scale surface to accommodate a few passengers or some luggage.
Noticing his gaze, Melita asked curiously, “What are you looking at? Is there anything else you need to prepare?”
Gawain stroked his chin. “We’ve got everything ready… I remember you said we could bring some necessary luggage?”
“Of course,” Melita nodded, her voice still thunderous. “Bringing more won’t be a problem. Like I said, for a healthy adult dragon, you and your luggage aren’t a burden. But you don’t need to bring too many daily necessities—we’ll be flying fast and will reach Talrond within a day. There, we’ve already prepared a human-friendly living environment for our guests.”
“Just being able to bring luggage is enough. Don’t worry, it’s not daily supplies—just some ‘equipment,’” Gawain nodded reassuringly, then turned to the nearby attendants. “Bring the things over.”
Melita watched the humans suddenly spring into action, guessing what they might be up to. Soon, two magi-tech vehicles emerged from behind a low garden wall. Servants skillfully pulled off the tarps covering the backs of the vehicles. Melita’s eyes widened in surprise at what was revealed.
Several large magi-tech devices gleamed under the sunlight, their surfaces a mix of crystal and steel, looking brand new and advanced. Melita didn’t know exactly what they were for but recognized one resembled a large arcane network terminal—though clearly a custom model she hadn’t seen during her travels in this country.
The blue dragon raised an eyebrow. “Interesting…”
“These are testing instruments,” Gawain didn’t hide their purpose—after all, he was about to have them secured onto Melita’s back. Though he had her consent, he still felt a bit guilty, so he spoke sincerely. “We hope to collect some oceanic and atmospheric data beyond the continent during this trip. Of course, only if it doesn’t bother you.”
“No trouble at all,” Melita replied casually. “You’re bringing stuff anyway. Putting a bunch of steel on my back isn’t much different from carrying a few tons of rocks… I just didn’t expect you’d only bring ‘testing equipment.’”
“What did you think we’d bring?” Gawain asked, curious.
“I was even prepared for you to install a desk and chairs—or even a small cabin—on my back,” Melita shook her head lightly, her tone relaxed. “That would make the journey more comfortable. Humans are known for enjoying themselves—and as a high-ranking human, you should know how to enjoy life.”
Gawain was dumbfounded by her offhand remark—he hadn’t even considered such a thing!
To him, it sounded a bit far-fetched and, by his values, somewhat inappropriate. “Installing a desk and chairs… I think that might be a bit disrespectful to you.”
“But I don’t see why it matters,” Melita said casually. “Putting these ‘testing instruments’ on my back isn’t much different from putting other things.”
Gawain thought it over. Honestly, a lazy thought did cross his mind for a moment, but he quickly shook it off. “No, better not. I still think it’s inappropriate. Besides, it’s less than a day’s journey.”
Just then, Amber muttered softly, “Actually, I think it’d be fine…”
Gawain immediately shot the half-elf a sharp look. She, unfazed, shrank her neck. “Well, it could also be not fine…”
Melita observed all this with a slight smile—though to outsiders it might seem a bit fierce, she was genuinely in good spirits. “Anything else to arrange? If not, you can start moving these onto my back. Don’t worry about securing them—that only requires a small spell for me.”
Gawain nodded. Under the coordination of a senior attendant, the staff began transferring the “testing instruments” one by one onto the blue dragon’s back, using anti-gravity runes, tethering magic, and shaping hands.
The installers were clearly a bit nervous, but with Melita’s friendly cooperation, the process went smoothly.
Once the last technician stepped away, Melita flexed her body slightly. The large devices strapped to her back were steady, not shifting at all.
“Feels pretty light—lighter than I expected,” she said. “Compared to the warheads I helped transport before, these are lighter.”
Gawain couldn’t help but smile awkwardly at the casual mention of that mission, then cleared his throat. “Now it’s our turn.”
Melita glanced with the corner of her eye to confirm the positions of Gawain and the others, then adjusted her posture slightly, lowering one massive wing. The broad, scale-covered wing formed a gentle ramp connecting the ground of the square to her towering back. The blue dragon smiled and said simply, “Please.”
The journey to Talrond was about to begin…
Gawain looked up at the “ramp” before him. After a brief moment of hesitation, he took a confident step forward.
Amber and Veronica followed closely behind.
Herti, Victoria, and Bertram—the three Grand Regents—stood not far off, with senior officials from the Administrative Hall behind them. Everyone craned their necks, eyes fixed without blinking on the scene. Some recorded the precious moment on arcane network terminals, while others instinctively wanted to step forward but were held back by those beside them.
Gawain glanced back—he was already high enough to look down on everyone.
In moments like this, one would expect a few stirring words to inspire or reassure the crowd—promises of a safe return or declarations of glorious achievements to come. The standard heroic send-off.
But Gawain thought it over carefully and decided it was best to say nothing.
His past experience watching such scenes told him that too many speeches often led to trouble.
So instead, he raised his arm and gave a strong wave to everyone.
The dragon soared into the sky.
…
Tarlonde, atop the highest sanctum, the golden, ornate terrace basked in starlight that would linger for the next six months.
At the terrace’s edge stood an elegant figure, her golden hair cascading all the way to the ground. She gazed calmly over the mountains and city of Tarlonde, lost in thought, holding that pose for a long while.
Helagor lifted his head, glancing up at the clear, brilliant night sky.
The air here was pristine, and the planet’s magnetic field intertwined with its magic to create the finest stargazing vantage point on the entire world. Nowhere else was better suited as a mortal’s gateway to the cosmos—something Helagor always found deeply ironic for a dragon.
The twinkling stars reflected in the dragon priest’s eyes. He stared until they seemed to transform into countless cold, watchful eyes looking down on him. A sudden wave of fear and suffocation welled up from his soul, and he hastily averted his gaze, bowing his head.
The golden-haired figure at the terrace’s edge tilted her head slightly. Her calm voice reached Helagor’s ears: “Cherish your life, Helagor—this is the highest point of Tarlonde.”
“M-My Lady, I am deeply sorry!” Helagor suddenly prostrated himself, forehead pressed to the ground. “I was momentarily lost…”
“Mortals can make mistakes,” the voice said. “But you are no ordinary mortal. You stand beside me.”
“I… understand.”
“Very well. Rise.”
Those words were like music to Helagor’s ears. The dragon priest exhaled in relief and rose quickly but respectfully.
For some reason, the goddess seemed to be in an unusually good mood tonight.
Curious, Helagor glanced forward but dared not speak. After a few seconds, the goddess suddenly spoke again: “Melita has already set off to return—with the guest I invited.”
“That human emperor?” Helagor’s tone held curiosity. “Ah… quite bold, to decide so quickly.”
“Perhaps boldness, or perhaps recklessness,” the goddess replied softly, though beneath her words there was a hint of pleasure. “In any case, he has finally accepted my invitation.”
Helagor watched the golden-haired figure’s flowing silhouette for a long moment before blinking.
He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination.
He thought he detected a trace of anticipation in the goddess’s voice.
The dragon priest, who had lived through countless ages, suddenly felt dazed. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the goddess show any expectation—ten thousand years ago? Twenty thousand? Or even earlier… the Year of the Reversal?
He shook his head, banishing the wandering thoughts. Gathering his composure, he stood with the goddess he had served for most of his life, both bathed in the northern starshine.
(End of chapter)