High above the vast expanse of the never-ending azure sea, a tempest of majestic dragons soared through the skies. For countless days, their riders gazed upon the boundless blue horizon, their eyes filled with wonder and anticipation. Beneath them, three magnificent ships, crafted by the skilled hands of the elves, glided gracefully across the shimmering waves. These vessels carried the elven magicians, their presence a testament to the ancient bond between the elves and the mystical creatures that soared above them.The dragons, with their iridescent scales glistening under the sun's warm embrace, seemed to dance in perfect harmony with the wind. Their powerful wings beat rhythmically, propelling them forward with effortless grace. As the days turned into weeks, the riders marveled at the sheer vastness of the sea below, its cerulean depths seemingly endless. The dragons' keen eyes scanned the horizon, ever watchful for any signs of danger or adventure that lay ahead. Meanwhile, the elven ships, crafted with meticulous precision, sailed beneath the dragons' watchful gaze. These vessels, adorned with intricate elven symbols and blessed with ancient enchantments, carried the elven magicians. The journey had already spanned two weeks, yet the distance they had covered remained a mystery.

Baldur's gaze shifted towards the tranquil sea, its surface undulating gently under the influence of a soft breeze. The ships, laden with an abundance of provisions and designated resting spots for the majestic dragons, glided smoothly through the calm waters. Each vessel was prepared to accommodate a single dragon at a time, ensuring their comfort and safety in the event of an absence of land. Lost in his thoughts, Baldur contemplated the vastness of the ocean that stretched out before him. He couldn't help but wonder how many more days he would have to endure the arduous journey, soaring through the skies atop his loyal dragon companion, Blödhrir. As he stretched his back, a satisfying crack echoed through the air, momentarily relieving the stiffness that had settled in his muscles. Meanwhile, the captain's voice boomed across the deck, barking out orders that sent the sailors scurrying to carry them out with utmost urgency. Baldur observed the captain's grumpy expression and irritable demeanor, always on the lookout for the tiniest excuse to unleash his wrath upon the hardworking crew.

As Baldur flew  over the crystal-clear waters, a sudden commotion caught his attention. With a sharp turn of his head, he witnessed a magnificent dolphin leaping gracefully out of the water, its sleek body glistening in the sunlight. The splash it created echoed through the air, leaving Baldur in awe of the creature's agility and beauty. It seemed as if the dolphin was playfully following their boat, as if inviting them to join in its aquatic dance.

Of course the most impressive sight had been a group of whales. The sheer size of these majestic creatures was truly astounding. Each whale towered over the ocean, dwarfing even the largest dolphins. In fact, these colossal beings were four times the size of a single dolphin! It was a sight that filled Baldur with wonder and admiration for the wonders of the natural world.

"I could eat a whale right about now" Blödhrir interrupted his thoughts.

"Me too!" Baldur agreed feeling his stomach growl with hunger. He did not want to hear about fruits and vegetables for a long time, and his mouth watered as he imagined himself eating some meat.

As they sailed further into the vast expanse of the open sea, uncertainty loomed over the crew. With no clear indication of how long their journey would last, they adopted a cautious approach to rationing their supplies. They consumed small portions of food, ensuring that they had enough sustenance to keep them going. They also limited their water intake, sipping sparingly from their meager reserves.

Still, by now their provisions were already beginning to get low and they would very soon need to find land if they hoped to survive this journey.

He had taken an interest in the elves ships. The elves claimed that they could drive the ship with their song, even when the sea was completely calm, and there was no air to guide the ship through it's sails.

He heard the elves song, and recognised many of the words in the ancient language, as they sung to the wooden ship guiding it through the water, and it responded to their commands.

Their speed was fast, despite there not being any air and he was thankful for the elves help.

He even offered to give some of his and Blödhrir's energy but the elves refused. 

The song reminded him of home and he caught himself thinking of Du Skulblaka Ramr, the Dragon Stronghold, where he had spent most of his life.

He saw his brother Sigurd walking on the ship. For the first few days, he had been sea sick, from the waves, but now he looked better.

"I'm glad you're better Sigurd."

"Thanks, I thought my stomach would fall in the sea..." Sigurd said with a grimace.

"The captain is optimistic. He says the bird he left out of the cage has not returned, as in the previous days, which means there must be land nearby." Sigurd continued.

"I wish." Baldur said with a dreamy expression. For all of his brothers words, he could not see anything other than sea water. He looked at the endless waves, and then to the other riders. Thrain was flying on his orange dragon Vincix and Salador was flying on his yellow dragon Gadaroth, with Alaina flying on her silver dragon Arget on his side.

Thrain was smoking his pipe, grabbing his beer as he was no doubt talking to his dragon. He saw  the wolf helmet he always carried with him, to remind him of his dwarf clan and the pelt of a real  Shrrg, the giant wolves native to the Beor Mountains, that was decorating his dragon's saddle.He had never seen one of the wolves but had heard tales of their savagery.He wondered how he would fare against a Shrrg.

Baldur was always fascinated by dwarven culture and had many long conversations with Thrain, about the dwarves and their mythology and Train was always happy to recount the Stories of famous dwarves and their deeds.

His gaze then again fell to Salador as he was clutching on his saddle's spike. Gadaroth surged forward, flying near Arget. Alaina was busying herself writing ancient language words on a scroll.

Ismira's hair waved as a large smile was on her face. She had connected her mind to her dragon and was seeing the ocean through his eyes.

***

"Land!" the shout came from the crow's nest as an elf shouted.Everyone on the ship ran to see and after a few minutes, a green field of trees belonging to a small island started to appear on the horizon. Large ocean waves crashed on the beach, which could be seen from afar.

In minutes the riders were on top of their dragons, and every available elf was on board.

The dragons roared their approval as they raced towards the land. The hope of a rest soon to be had, giving them strength, a sense of curiosity for this new land filling them and making them to want to arrive sooner at the shore.

"Whoever lands last, will have to chop wood for the rest of us!" Baldur said as Blödhrir surged forward, his brother's dragon, Iris, close behind. The air made it hard to see and the dragon's wings caused the water to spray as they flew on a low altitude.

Iris was smaller and faster, but she was caught by surprise, and Blödhrir had a small advantage  in the race. The dragons flapped as hard as they could as the land came closer surprisingly fast. With a final push Iris won and announced her victory with a roar, scaring some seagulls. The race had been close but Sigurd laughed as her threw the ax to Baldur.

"Good chopping" he said with a smile and laughed as Baldur muttered a curse under his breath.

They landed in a clearing and the riders jumped off their dragons and began to build a camp fire. After about half an hour, the elves arrived and made themselves useful by preparing tents and tending to the fire.

"Ahh land" the captain said. "We will be here for a while, so we better make ourselves comfortable," the captain said.

Baldur and Blödhrir looked around and noticed that the trees were quite different from those they were used to. They were much shorter, and their trunks were also short. Their elves were purple and they produced a orange fruit, which looked like an apple. Baldur was not sure if they should taste it.

Despite the festive atmosphere among the elves, Baldur couldn't shake off his uneasiness and the feeling of being out of place. The chilly ocean breeze sent shivers down his spine, making him even more uncomfortable. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to ward off the cold that seemed to seep into his bones.
Seeking solace and warmth, Baldur made his way over to Blödhrir, his loyal dragon companion. As he sat down beside the magnificent creature, he could feel the comforting heat radiating from Blödhrir's body. The dragon's presence provided a sense of security and relief from the biting cold that surrounded them.
Blödhrir looked at him, curious as to why he was smiling.
Baldur sighed, and he knew that he should tell him.
"I'm just excited to explore this island. I can't wait to see what mysteries it hides."

 Blödhrir shook his head knowingly. They had a long day tomorrow. They would need to explore this new island and find out its secrets.