Once Lily's power had been sealed, they ventured outside the mansion. Amaria carefully safeguarded the dragon egg within Lily's backpack.
Leon, utilizing his telepathic abilities, reached out to Nessa.
'Nessa, we are prepared to depart,' he communicated silently.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from above the clouds, capturing Lily's undivided attention. Her heart raced with a familiar sensation, reminiscent of their encounter in the village. As a colossal shadow blanketed the surrounding forest, a magnificent dragon with emerald scales gracefully descended before them.
Lily sought refuge behind Amaria, clutching her dress tightly.
Amaria, observant of Lily's fear of dragons, took notice and empathized with her. "Fear not, Lily. That dragon over there is Nessa, Leon's trusted companion," she reassured, extending her hand behind her for Lily to grasp. "Not all dragons are malevolent. Many of them protect and aid people, just like Nessa, your Leviathan, and the other dragons at the academy. So, there's no need to be afraid of them, alright?"
Amaria's words provided solace to Lily. She gazed up at the majestic creature, its emerald scales glistening under the gentle caress of sunlight. The dragon affectionately regarded Leon, bending its wings down for them to embark upon its harness.
"Come, Lily," Leon beckoned, motioning for her to draw nearer. Though initially hesitant, Lily recalled Amaria's words of reassurance.
America released her hand, allowing Lily to approach Nessa. Casting a glance back at Amaria, who nodded approvingly, Lily summoned the courage to approach the dragon.
Leon gently scooped her up into his strong arms, granting her a clearer view of Nessa. "Nessa, meet Lily," Leon introduced, his voice filled with pride. "Lily, this is Nessa, my loyal bonded dragon. Together, we will impart our knowledge and train Lily to become an exceptional dragon rider."
As the introductions were made, Lily locked eyes with Nessa's golden gaze. There was an inexplicable connection that filled her heart with joy. With a small smile, Lily extended her tiny hands, reaching out to touch Nessa's magnificent emerald scales.
The majestic creature closed her eyes, relishing in Lily's touch, and emitted a gentle growl of contentment. In response, Lily's smile widened and she said, "Nice to meet you too, Nessa."
With a proud smile, Leon gently tapped Nessa's shimmering scales, signaling that it was time to ascend onto her back.
Assisting Amaria, he guided her as she climbed onto Nessa's sturdy dragon wings, ensuring that Lily was safely nestled between them, comfortably sitting at Nessa's saddle along with her precious dragon egg.
Once everyone was settled, Leon issued the command for Nessa to take flight, and with a graceful motion, she unfurled her majestic wings and soared into the sky, leaving the ground below.
The sky stretched out before them, a breathtaking expanse of infinite blue adorned with fluffy, cotton-like clouds.
Nessa flew with the utmost care, mindful of her precious passengers. Lily's excitement bubbled over as she witnessed birds soaring alongside them, adding to the enchanting spectacle.
The wind caressed their bodies gently, heightening their sense of awe and wonder. Riding atop a dragon was truly a magnificent experience. Lily cast a careful gaze downward, marveling at the sight of farms with cozy cottages and the sprawling forest below.
As they soared through the sky, they encountered a breathtaking sight: mountains suspended in mid-air, interconnected by sprawling vines.
Among these floating peaks, a vibrant assortment of dragon-like creatures soared alongside them. Lily's eyes widened in wonder as she beheld these awe-inspiring vistas.
They also passed by a floating island adorned with cascading waterfalls, where a pair of mermaids with rainbow-colored tails gracefully swam.
"We're nearly there," Leon announced, his voice filled with anticipation. Lily could almost make out the towering walls of a grand castle nestled within a forest. Above the city, buildings seemed to float, connected by ladders that reached into the sky.
As they drew closer to the walls, Lily marveled at the brown brick rooftops of the houses below, extending a warm welcome. Her gaze was captivated by the sprawling cityscape beneath her, a stark contrast to the small village she had grown up in.
Though some views were partially obscured by clouds, one sight stood out amidst the civilization: colossal castles situated at the heart of the city, constructed upon a mountain that stood at a distance from the main settlement.
With grace and elegance, Nessa descended upon the castle grounds.
Amaria, utilizing her magical abilities, levitated herself and gently guided Lily down from Nessa's saddle.
Lily remained in a state of awe, her eyes taking in the extraordinary sights before her. Suddenly, her gaze widened as she beheld a spectacle in the sky: dragons soaring through the air, some landing along the same path as their own.
These majestic creatures displayed a variety of appearances, with long necks, smaller bodies compared to Nessa, scales of different colors, and an aura of power. Remarkably, each dragon had a companion just as she did with Amaria and Leon—children adorned in the same uniform she wore.
Lily observed other children similar to her; she curiously turned to Amaria and asked, "Miss, why don't some of the other kids have dragon eggs like mine?"
Sensing Lily's genuine curiosity, Amaria knelt to meet her eye level. "You see, Lily, in the Dragonscale Academy, there are two types of children who are summoned," she explained gently. "A boy and a girl, just like yourself, are chosen to have dragon eggs and embark on this extraordinary journey." Lily attentively listened as they patiently waited for Leon to retrieve their belongings from Nessa's harness.
"The academy summoned children from different continents of the world; their backgrounds vary greatly. Some come from royal families, others from poor families who were lucky enough, and some are even the children of warriors who saved the continent from centuries of wars, and their parents were known as heroes. The common thread among them is that they have been chosen by dragon eggs to become dragon riders and some were not. This year, something unusual happened. A child was summoned with a legendary dragon egg that is not a boy, which had never occurred before."
Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she contemplated how best to explain the situation to Lily. She began, "You see, traditionally, only boys were chosen by dragon eggs because they were the ones who could become dragon riders. Girls, on the other hand, were only summoned if they possessed the potential to become powerful magus, supporting the dragon riders with their magical abilities. Like myself, I don't have a dragon companion like Leon does with Nessa. Instead, I am a magus who can perform magic to aid Leon in battle."
"You are truly unique, Lily," Leon exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration. "Throughout the history of our academy, no other girl has ever been summoned to not only become a powerful magus but also a dragon rider. That's why the girls you see here don't have dragon eggs with them; only the boys do. I hope this explanation clarifies things for you."
Amaria, grateful for Leon's assistance, nodded in agreement. Lily grinned inside her thoughts, absorbing every word, and felt a surge of happiness within her.
She eagerly anticipated the training that lay ahead, determined to become powerful and surpass those around her.