Chapter 47 - Homecoming of the Heart

You and Sylrith had flown for days, night and day, without rest. The wind howled around you, the vast skies stretching endlessly beneath your wings, and the ground far below a mere blur. Every beat of your wings was a pull toward the Hidden World, a call you could no longer ignore. You could feel the ancient magic of your homeland pulling you home, a place you hadn't set foot in for so long. Yet, even in the depths of your yearning, there was a quiet apprehension. There was a confrontation waiting for you, one you had been avoiding — a confrontation with your past.

Sylrith's presence beside you was both comforting and unsettling. She had been your guide through the vast expanse, and her calm, knowing eyes never wavered. But she, too, knew the weight of what you would face upon your return. The Hidden World had changed in your absence, and you were not the same as when you left it.

As you soared through the skies, your heart stirred with a bittersweet mix of emotions. The long flight had not only been a journey of distance but one of memory, of facing things you thought were long behind you. Among those things was Anakin — your old flame, a dragon whose love had burned fierce but ultimately toxic. His obsession with you had been something fierce, and you knew he would not simply let you return without a fight. The memories of his golden eyes, his sharp claws, and the tension between you would never be forgotten.

Finally, after days of flight, you and Sylrith touched down at the edge of the Hidden World, near the edges of the great crater— a vast, hidden realm where dragons lived in their untamed power. The ground beneath you was solid, the air heavy with ancient magic. Yet before you could even take a full breath, a rumble echoed through the ground, sending a ripple of vibration through your very bones.

"Halt!" a deep voice bellowed from the shadows, a powerful, yet familiar presence surging toward you. The figure emerged from the mist, a massive dragon whose scales glimmered like polished stone. His wings were folded against his sides, and his sharp, clawed feet left deep prints in the earth as he moved. A Rumblestone Horn, a guardian of the caeter, was standing before you, blocking your path.

"Who goes there?" the rumblehorn barked, his voice grating with authority.

Sylrith rolled her eyes, her expression full of a mixture of amusement and impatience. She stepped forward, her wings folding neatly against her back.

"Oh, come on, Skullcrusher. It hasn't been that long," Sylrith quipped with a wry smile.

The rumblehorn's deep-set eyes narrowed, and his growl reverberated through the air. But then, the hint of recognition crossed his face, and his tense posture relaxed slightly. His rumbling voice softened.

"Sylrith... It's you. And... her?" he murmured, his gaze flicking to you, then back to Sylrith. "So, the rumors were true, then. She's back."

You could feel the weight of Skullcrusher's gaze on you, the familiarity of the situation almost overwhelming. The Hidden World had its rules, and the return of one so significant, so powerful, was not a small matter. And there was no escaping the reality of your presence here — your return had consequences, both seen and unseen.

Sylrith's gaze softened as she looked back at you, her voice low. "Don't worry, Y/N. The path ahead is always uncertain, but you belong here. This is your world, too."

But even as she said those words, you couldn't shake the feeling that the past — especially Anakin — was not finished with you yet. And it would be only a matter of time before those old flames would rise again.

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The Hidden World was alive with a roar of welcome as dragons surged through the skies and the ground below, their wings casting long shadows over the ancient landscape. The caeter was a place of power, where the very air hummed with magic, and you had barely touched down when the whispers of your return spread like wildfire. Your wings folded against your back as you tried to regain your bearings, the nostalgia of this place tugging at your heart even as your body thrummed with the familiar magic.

Suddenly, with no warning, you were tackled to the ground, and a sharp pain pierced your side as you crashed into the coral reef that bordered the edge of the caeter's waters. The sharp, cold sting of the coral cut into your scales, and you growled, claws instinctively unsheathing as you scrambled to free yourself from the sudden attack.

"Hey, they didn't claw at my eyes, you know," came a smooth, familiar voice — one that sent a mix of relief and frustration through your veins.

Before you could react further, two bright golden eyes stared down at you, and you froze for a brief second. It was him. Anakin. Your old flame, your past, and your future all tangled into one mischievous, impossible dragon. His golden scales gleamed in the light, and his grin was wide as ever, that same glint of playful trouble dancing in his gaze. He was hovering above you, his strong wings barely flapping, and his tail swayed behind him like a whip.

You sighed heavily, pushing yourself up with your claws. "Anakin, you need to stop doing that. You'll kill me someday," you muttered, your voice a mixture of exasperation and reluctant affection.

Anakin chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that vibrated through the air. His wings stretched wide, casting shadows that seemed to encompass the entire reef. "Oh no, I won't. Trust me," he teased, his golden eyes flickering with unspoken promises and mischief.

With ease, Anakin reached down and gently lifted you from the coral, his strong talons wrapping around your sides. His grip was firm but careful, like he was afraid of breaking something delicate — though you knew better. He had never been one to handle anything delicately, not when it came to you.

Before you could speak again, Sylrith landed behind him with a soft whoosh of air, followed closely by Skullcrusher, the rumblehorn guardian who had blocked your path earlier. He dipped his massive head in respect, acknowledging your return, and then turned, his wings slicing through the air as he went off to inform the higher authorities of your arrival. You couldn't help but twitch with unease. The weight of it all was settling in once more — the responsibilities, the expectations. You hadn't come back just for nostalgia; you had come back because there were things that only you could do.

"Skullcrusher's off to let Toothless and Luna know you're here," Anakin said with a teasing tone, though there was a flicker of something more serious beneath it. He wasn't a fool; he knew the importance of your return. "But don't worry, Y/N. You've already got everyone's attention. They'll be here soon enough."

You twitched slightly at the mention of Luna. Your mother. The queen of the Hidden World. You hadn't seen her in ages, not since the last great battle, when you had left for Middle-Earth to take down Smaug. That had been a lifetime ago — or so it felt. You had been gone for so long, lost in the world of men and dragons that were not your own. Now, you were back, and you realized how much had changed, how much you had changed.

Anakin rolled his eyes at you, the playful air not leaving him. "Yes, you have. She's your mom, Y/N," he said, mockingly. His tone was light, but there was something deeper there — a knowing, perhaps, or a gentle reminder that no matter how far you'd traveled, you could never escape the ties that bound you to this world.

You shot him a look, your own smile tugging at the corner of your lips despite the weight on your chest. "I know, Anakin," you muttered, your voice quieter now. "It's just... I haven't seen her in so long. I thought maybe things would be different now, that... that it wouldn't feel like this."

But Anakin's gaze softened. For all his teasing and playful banter, he understood you in ways few could. He knew the strain of leadership, the burden of expectation, and the weight of your past.

"It's not different," he said quietly, his golden eyes meeting yours. "But that's what makes it home, Y/N. Nothing ever really changes here, not in the way that matters."

Before you could respond, a shadow fell over the land, and the sound of great wings beating the air filled your ears. You turned your head to see the figures of Toothless and Luna descending from the heights, the regal form of the king and queen of the Hidden World coming into view.

Toothless' sleek black form landed first, the powerful swipe of his wings sending a gust of wind through the coral. Behind him, Luna glided down gracefully, her massive wings folding neatly against her sides as she landed with a soft thud. Her silvery-blue scales shimmered in the light, a contrast to the dark shadows that clung to Toothless' form. She was older now, wiser, but still the queen you remembered.

The moment their eyes fell on you, the weight of it all became too much. Luna's gaze softened, and without a word, she was before you, her wings folding around you in a protective embrace, a warmth that made your heart ache.

"Welcome home, my child," she murmured, her voice like the cool wind off the sea, but beneath it, you could hear the endless depth of love and worry that only a mother could carry.

You let out a quiet breath, feeling the world shift around you. Home. Despite all that had happened, despite the years apart, despite the battles and the distance — this was home.