The Flames of Peace: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Price of Arrogance


The sky appeared to burn over the dragon lands. Red tones mixed with flaming oranges, giving life to colors one would only consider possible within the very Sun. Cumulus clouds would look welcoming to a tired pegasi were it not for the raging beasts that populated that area. The hot summer breeze punished an already warm habitat; no creature except a dragon would be able to stand that kind of heat without constant refreshment for more than a few minutes.

Rock formations of all shapes stood proud for the scarce eyes that would be laid upon them. They were so curious in their forms and sizes, that they could fool anyone into thinking that had been purposely erected as such; in some cases, they would not be wrong. For millennia, those piles of stones had been the objects of lethargy for dragons of all kinds; big and small, peaceful or fierce, alive and dead. However, dragons are fickle creatures and they would not spend much time in the same rest space... at least, time in their terms. A century could be considered a quick nap for such titanic creatures, remnants of another era. Even among the children of the colossal beasts, that had claimed the Earth shortly after its creation, such stories had faded from memory. They only needed to know a few elemental things; how to kill, how to hunt and how to survive. Everything else could be considered a trifle; art, literature, poetry… Such concepts were alien - except to the most extraordinary dragons.

The only music they craved was the creak of bones as they treaded on them, the only paintings they created were the seas of blood staining a ravaged land and the only expression of emotion was the agonic shrieks from the victims who fell prey to their might. And they were happy like that.
Small pebbles that rested upon their bigger brothers slowly but surely began shaking, as if they were fearful before the approaching creatures. Clouds in the distance dissolved in blurs as raging forms of all colors and sizes pierced through them, coming closer to the rocky terrain. Soon enough, the mountain itself vibrated before the oncoming might; pebbles and bigger rocks detached and rolled down the hill as if looking for refuge. The temperature in the air suffered an abrupt rise, now it was hot enough to cover any mammal in sweat within seconds.

Then, a thundering roar, powerful and fearsome, flooded the valley. Its echo left no cavity unreached, and warned any animal, wild or not, that staying would be an insult towards common sense. One of nature’s most basic instincts took effect and every creature, whether they had ever seen or even heard of dragons before, knew it was time to flee. And quickly.

Small animals abandoned the creaks between the stones. Those who were brave enough to walk the rocky formations whilst completely exposed ran away with no concerns for anything that wasn't themselves.

It was then when they appeared.

At first, it was only one. Seconds later, the creature was joined by two more behind its back. And then more. And more. In a matter of seconds, hundreds of them occupied the sky. And a minute later, thousands. Only Gods would look up and not feel fear before such a terrible spectacle. Their shadows projected upon the land, their bodies eclipsing the sun itself. The air convulsed with every flap of their wings, the heat had risen to the same level of the surroundings of a little volcano. Without placing a single claw upon the ground, they produced a small earthquake.

As the for the dragons, each one had its own flying style. Some of them limited to hovering through the air with a grace and elegance uncanny in such gigantic creatures. The smaller specimens were a bit more creative, performing stunts in order to impress their potential mates or simply for their own enjoyment. The younger dragons, too small to fly on their own, clung to their mothers’ backs with all the strength in their claws, quite unconcerned about hurting them - not that they could. However, this was quite an unusual sight. Even among the younger children, most of them attempted to fly on their own with all the might of their small wings. Some of them always stayed in range of their mothers in case they felt the need to rest for a while, but for the most part they flew independently. There was no fear of getting lost; dragons possessed quite the sense of smell.
Eventually, they glimpsed a place that was familiar to their eldest, yet strangely comforting to the youth. An inactive volcano stood before them.

The terrain was incredibly leveled. At least, in comparison to the rest of the landscape. The soil was pure volcanic rock with several protuberances rising every here and there, yet with an uncanny subtlety not found in miles. This plain area was surrounded by a natural wall of magnetic stone, wide enough to welcome several adult dragons who could comfortably lie upon it without arguing over the space.

Gradually, and without much haste, they began to land in silent agreement. Bit by bit, each of them occupied a so called "seat" upon the rocks. Each landing was followed by a sonorous tremor. This didn't concern the dragons at all; if the mountain were to collapse it would have done so a long time ago.

There was an unspoken agreement on their positions; the elder ones sat atop of the naturally formed wall, right on a cliff, that surprisingly proved itself capable of withstanding the weight of hundreds of these creatures. The only young dragons that were permitted to stay there were those who had been an egg the previous week. Other than those, the rest were confined on the ground level.

They all descended and as soon as their claws touched the ground, they stretched their exhausted limbs with a groan of relief. Several days of flight with no halt had taken its toll upon the younger individuals. Their older fellow men silently scoffed at them with condescending grins. This went unnoticed by most; those who did pick up on it returned a glare of disdain which luckily for them was not perceived.

A young dragon joined his peers at the flat area with a small sigh of relief he was quick to disguise. He looked around trying to distinguish any known face, but much to his frustration the amalgam of colors and species was almost hurtful to look at. Still, there was no way to tell how long it would be until the Dragon Lord stated the purpose of this reunion, so he might as well look for her himself.

The creature was of a dark blue on his scales, both belly and chin following suit. His jaw was big and mighty, capable of crushing the hardest of bones or even rocks. His horns were almost as impressive as his most noticed feature. They were pointing down, curving just at the end. As impressive as they were, sadly for him he could only use them to ram an opponent in combat as opposed to impaling them, but that was beyond his control. However, what attracted the most attention from everyone was, without a doubt, his size. He was barely a teenage dragon, and yet his dimensions made him look as if he were midway to adulthood. That was without a doubt his most admired attribute. The cunning creature had made good use of such desired feature both to fight and impress the females. He had easily earned the admiration of his comrades and even the respect of some of his elders, who fed his ego as a mountain sized gem.

Both he and all the dragons who knew him were aware that he was destined to become one of the largest dragons in existence. And he couldn't be any prouder.

The dragon made his way through the crown as gently as he could. Even though he enjoyed a friendly fight (and sometimes not so friendly) as much as the next dragon, he knew this was neither the moment nor time. It was the moment to maintain a firm composure and show the utter-most respect, at least until the Dragon Lord had spoken. However, since the said Lord was taking his time before appearing before his subjects, taking advantage of the time reuniting with an old friend seemed acceptable.

Dragons of all lands and species chattered, giving form to a discordant melody that resonated against the walls. The resonance of the place, added to the singular tone of a voice which emerges from a throat that is accustomed to expelling fire, made for quite the unique cacophony.

Luckily for all who were present, the space was not as crowded as it sounded. There was plenty of space to walk around and small groups had already formed, which indulged in conversation, or better said, boasts of their past actions which could be considered great deeds for some and atrocities for others. The dragon was slightly conflicted on the matter and itself had been bothering him for some time.

Others ignored conversation and amused themselves in friendly wrestling. Even if this particular dragon believed such entertainment was better left for later, not everyone shared his opinion. It did not bother him that much; he simply preferred not to break anyone’s limbs before a talk with the Dragon Lord; that would have been inconsiderate.

As he walked by, several groups recognized him and invited him to spar with them, to which he solemnly refused. He had other things in mind. Most of his negatives were responded with a shrug and a “suit yourself”.

Unknowingly for him, another dragon had been following him. Under any other circumstances he would not have had any problems detecting his stalker, but in such an immense crowd where every few seconds someone screamed “uncle!”, his hearing was not focused on detecting predators.

The lurker advanced with quick, agile steps, going almost unnoticed by the gathering. Sometimes the stalker would be the objective of someone´s glare, but for less than three seconds. Slowly but surely, the lurker advanced closer and closer to the much bigger dragon. The lurker couldn't help but smile condescendingly at how easy to track down he was.

Soon enough, there were mere feet  between them, nothing a decent leap could not cover.
The stalker huddled carefully. Wings folded and ready to extend at any moment, the stalker took another second to observe he whom had been deemed as “prey”. He appeared completely oblivious to what was happening behind his back. Quite the beginner's mistake. Legs comprised and ready to spring, the lurker pounced upon the unsuspecting dragon.

As soon as he felt the touch of claws gripping his shoulders, instinctively, he arched his arms backwards and grabbed his attacker by the front legs. He instantly had a firm grip and with clenched fists, he arched his arms again forward and slammed his attacker against the ground. The impact produced a dry sound and a quiet groan of pain.

“Gotcha.” the dragon said with a smug grin.

“Not bad for such a fat ass.” the stalker responded with a cocky smile.

“It's muscle, and you know you like it” the dragon responded, almost purring.

“Yes I do” the stalker said right before being met with the dragon´s mouth.

She giggled and responded appropriately with another kiss. He still had her pinned to the ground, firmly gripped by her arms, but she did not mind at all. He loosed the pressure on his fists and she took advantage of this to take a hold of his back and attempt to sink her claws in. Of course, she failed. Of course, she knew she would. Like a lizard, she nimbly climbed by him and before he could realize she was already curled around his humongous back. In comparison to her, he was huge.

“I’ve missed you, Torch” the she-dragon purred in his ear.

“I’ve missed you too, Pavesa” Torch responded.

Pavesa was no stranger to compliments. More than a few had made clear their admiration for her beauty in the past, present, and surely future. Her body was covered with precious blue sky scales which emitted a dim glimmer whenever the sun´s rays laid upon her. She was slim and in comparison to other female dragons a little weak. Her arms and legs were thinner than what was expected from a dragon and thus despite being a teenager she was as strong as an earth pony, which was an object for mockery among her peers. This thinness only added higher contrast towards her height, which even if regular among dragons of her age, made her appear taller than most even if face to face she was pretty common. Torch was clearly taller than her, and she enjoyed taking advantage of that to rest on him as much as she could. This slightly annoyed him and since he had made himself clear on that, she had taken the duty to continue to do this uninterruptedly. She claimed that Torch was cute when he was angry. Had it been anyone other than Pavesa who tried to irritate him for their own amusement, it would have not been nearly as funny for them. That was also the reason why no dragon dared to point and laugh at the gigantic beast and his most peculiar scarf.

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” the dragoness wondered aloud, playfully nibbling his neck.

“Five years, if I remember correctly.” Torch commented. “Where have you been, anyway?”

She retired her attention from her lover’s neck and looked up thoughtfully.

“Well, I’ve been around the north lately. Visiting family and such. Or at least trying. Finding anything in that tundra, even a dragon, can be much more challenging than it looks. Especially if you blend in with the snow as well as I do. Unfortunately for me, it happened to be a familiar trait.”

As she finished, she resumed her strokes upon her male.

“So I take you were rather unlucky on your quest?”

An affirmative murmur surged from her throat.

“What does a dragon do in the north anyway? It’s not like there’s much to hoard. Unless we include snow, but there’s enough of that for its value to drop like a burned pegasus.”

“What a pretty metaphor.” She said, sharp sarcasm tainting her words.

“That wasn’t a metaphor, it was a simile.” Torch deadpanned.

Silence settled between the pair, only interrupted by the incessant buzzing of strangers’ conversations, screams and somewhere in the distance the sound of a puff flame consuming oxygen.
Finally, Pavesa, still wrapped around his neck, established eye contact  from an angle that many would have deemed uncomfortable at best and impossible at worst, twisting her body with flexibility.

“I’ve known you for several years now I’m still unable to tell whether you are a brute with sporadic bursts of intelligence or an undercover genius who likes breaking stuff.”  

The huge creature chuckled with amusement.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” He said with a subtle grin that could have easily gone unnoticed had it not been for the fact that Pavesa was mere inches away from him and that she knew him too well. “What do you think?”

She scratched her chin with an exaggerated expression of reflection, looking up and biting her lip as if she were deciphering where dragon’s fire came from. Suddenly, she grasped  his chin with both her hands, her mouth so painfully close and far away at the same time from his.

“I’ll go with dumb as a bag of bricks with occasional brightness, mainly because it makes it easier for me to laugh at you”.

He barely had time to discern an equally mischievous grin graved upon her lips before they joined his own. Torch let himself go, strongly caressing her neck while her claws pressed against his chin. Kissing was not as regular among teenage dragons, not to mention adult dragons, as it was amongst other species, but these creatures were not strangers to such displays of affection. They merely decided not to make use of them; the males due to their desire to appear stronger and less sentimental, the females because of similar reasons. After all, what dragon could possibly want to be witnessed expressing their feelings so obscenely?

“A dragon that can kick the ass of anyone who dares to mock him.” Pavesa thought as she sensed her heartbeat speeding up, the sudden need for air and the electrical current flowing through every fiber of her body. The strength of her grasp reinforced, almost digging within Torch’s extremely durable skin. No matter their strength, a dragon´s claws are guaranteed to cut through almost anything.

Torch appeared to notice, and thus he abandoned her eager lips much to her disappointment. However, it was probably for the best, as she surprised herself, catching her breath in profound pants. Her face burned from the inside and she felt a tingling sensation in an extremely inappropriate area.

“A-anyhow…” she awkwardly mumbled “I didn’t just hoard snow, as you so brilliantly put it.”

Still regaining his composure after the kiss, though much more sternly to the naked eye, Torch responded.

“Didn’t you? What’s there in the northern tundra worth staying five years for?"

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know.” She echoed. He replied with a fierce yet playful look.

“Yes, I would.”

“I’m sorry, what was that?” the pale blue dragoness asked batting her eyelids.

The humongous dragon, the beast that intimidated friends and foes alike, the monster that could eradicate an entire city on his own, the creature whose name was spoken with trembling fear among the survivors of the secluded mountains of the West begrudgingly answered.

“Yes, I would, my sweet, sweet, sweet”-his teeth audibly grinding by this point- “sweet honey-bun.”

“Oh, I love when you say pretty things to me” she exclaimed effusively scratching his chin with one claw.

“My love for you is so burning that I’m literally going to burn your face, you know that?” Torch grumbled.

Pavesa bopped his nose.

Before she knew it, an amalgam of yellows, oranges, reds and blues was all she could see. Torch honored both his name and his promise. Her breathe was held as she felt the heat burn away her indolent scales for a few seconds. The sudden fiery displays attracted the attention of several surrounding dragons who made the surprisingly wise decision of completely ignoring the unfolding event.

After three seconds the fire dissipated, opening before her eyes a vastly more colorful yet much colder world. She looked at him with squinted eyes mainly due to both the recent adjustment to the overwhelming light and the irritation slowly creeping up her vertebras. Silence reigned between the couple; slightly disturbed by Torch´s repressed cackling as he observed her burnt and darker visage.

“Fair enough” Pavesa deadpanned with resignation.

“You were saying?” Torch inquired.

“I was saying that… on my trips to the north, I stumbled across something quite juicy, both figuratively and literally.” She added, excitement slowly returning to her voice.

“Oh, did you?"

“Yes. You´re gonna love it. However, would you mind if we waited a little? I don’t want any nosy ears hearing about this.”

“Secretive. I like it.” The dragon murmured with muffled sarcasm.

“Now, why don’t you tell me about your exploits?”

“With pleasure!” he exclaimed with an enthusiasm that was merely a preview for what was left to come.

Pavela rolled her eyes with a smirk upon her face, making herself comfortable around his neck as she listened attentively.

                                                 ****

“… and then he just flew straight into the lava pool. And, incredibly enough, they took this as an invitation to throwing away their instincts and just jumped into it as well believing it would save them. We were so baffled we couldn’t even start laughing until ten seconds later.”

Pavesa chuckled, her head hanging low over Torch´s shoulder. He did have some interesting stories to tell. They involved an amount of carnage and dark humor that even some dragons could have found distasteful, if only for making a mockery out of their sacred hunting traditions. However, she was not among them, and he adored her for that.

“Well, it definitely beats being stranded in a blizzard with your ass slowly freezing.” Pavesa commented mordantly.

“I do wish you could have accompanied us. You’d have enjoyed the West Mountains.” Torch replied.
“That would have worked so well” she responded sardonically. “Do you really think I’d go unnoticed in the mountains? I’m a shining blue dragon.”

“I am blue too… in a way.”

“You are blue in the way blue rocks are blue. It`s different.”

“What? Afraid some nasty predators would try to eat you? With me watching?” A confident smile appeared upon his mouth. She was well aware that Torch had plenty of evidence to support this statement.

“That’s the point” she responded, not before shooting him a tender smile that she was not sure he had seen. “Everyone is always saying I´m too small to handle myself, that ‘’I’m so lucky to have big strong Torch to take care of me.’’”

“Well, at least they got one right.” The giant dragon muttered with a grin still constraining his features.

Pavela limited to roll her eyes.

“The point is” she said with pronounced emphasis as to ensure her mate was giving her his absolute and unconditional attention “that I want to prove I can do things on my own. I know I’m capable of taking care of myself, they just don’t see it.”

Torch was about to add a bitter “I don’t even know why they care so much about you anyway”, but for his better judgment, he remained quiet. He was often astonished by the attention everyone dedicated to Pavesa. Among dragons the social tradition was “every dragon for himself”. A perfectly sound and logical social policy he believed. It is true that dragons usually formed small coalitions conformed by members of roughly equal strength, speed and such physical attributes. And the respect each of them had for each other had to be earned through feats or sheer charisma. However, for the most part dragons were indifferent to the state of their peers under any other circumstance. That is why he was so immensely baffled by everyone´s concern for Pavesa. She had her own confraternity she frequently shared her time with, and yet, every dragon appear unusually attentive. Torch was not stupid. He might look like one to many who kept their opinion in safe and prudent secret, but he could tell that the most common perception of his figure was of a gigantic bumbling idiot who stood where he did merely due to his abnormal size and ferocity. He was big and fierce, of course, but there was more intelligence within that golem than what most would believe.

It was clear to him that the only objective such unnatural concerns could possibly have; stealing his mate away from him. They could not compete with his natural strength and thus defying him for her would be a suicide, so they opted for shallow words under the disguise of a repugnant kindness that even repulsed them.

And he was certain that Pavesa, whom he considered more cunning and sagacious than him, could also see such subterfuge for what they were. Therefore, while Torch was leery of such individual, he never doubted her fidelity to him.

Silence established between the two dragons. Her could hear her slow breath ever so close to his ear, feel the heat emanating from the raging fire within her, and for a moment, that was all he wanted. The global mutter around him was silent in his mind. For a second, he found himself in a peace that was so strange to a dragon. He sank his claws in the rock below him, slowly dragging them back and forth forming slight grooves upon it. For a second, he felt complete. No amount of blood would ever be traded for such silent pleasure.

Tragically, as quickly as it had come, it faded away. She shifted her position to feel more comfortable, breaking the illusion of a still world. He was not angry for this, but he would miss the serenity.

“Then why did you stay in the Northern Tundra for so long?”

She quietly approached her mouth towards his ear and whispered:

“I told you I’d explain you later, when no one can hear us.”

Torch tilted his head questioning.

“Is it something sexual?” he asked mischievously.

The dragoness smirked maliciously.

“We can make it sexual if you want.”

Those hushed words sent a chill down his spine. He could not help but chuckle.

“Now I just have to know” he purred seductively.

Pavesa bit her inferior lip (or what dragons could consider a lip) longingly, her gaze nervously altering between left and right. Inadvertently, her claws dug deeper into Torches skin, even if they never penetrated his scales. Making use of her natural agility, she span around his body to directly face him and, as a snake, still be curled up around him. Torch could not help but internally notice her flexibility with a certain degree of both admiration and lust.

“Alrighty then” she whispered. “I found a magical place (literally) with something that would attract the attention of any dragon that entered the snowstorm.”

His concupiscence was pushed aside and he directed all his attention to her words.

“Deep within the fierce winds, surrounded by a gelid barren wasteland, there lays a city composed entirely of… gems.”

Torch stared at her with the internal conflict of whether to laugh or throw her off his back for taunting him so blatantly. He however opted for a cold and lonesome:

“What?”

“Just like I tell you, Torch. Out there there’s an entire city of ponies made out of gemstones. And boy, were they tasty.”

She could perceive the disbelief of his gaze, but she had counted on it and had several arguments to convince him. And dragging him there kicking and screaming was merely number four.

However, none had the chance to erupt from her mouth. And even had she been able to utter them, her words would have been drowned out by the stentorian roar that whelmed the inactive volcano. Conversations died out lost in a sea of titanic noise, the earth shook as if it feared what approached and the mountain released pebbles that had been so firmly attached since their creation.
All gazes focused high up. Around the cliffs all adult dragons raised their heads, closed their eyes and set the burning inferno within them free. Furious flames erupted from their mouths, their warmth easily conquering the air. In a circle of fire, the younger dragons, far too new to this world, could only behold in praise at the majestic and terrifying display of power. A sense of dread and respect was born within even the most arrogant of the younglings, who after such a long life of might, raids and abuse over their inferiors, were reminded just how low they stood under their own hierarchy.Their elders’ fire consumed every breath of air for several seconds until gradually their potency was reduced until fading into nothingness.

An abrupt silence seized everyone´s attention. Not even the breathing of such massive creatures could be heard and among the younger dragons expectant anticipation reigned supreme.
Torch and Pavesa´s reaction were no different from anyone else´s. Such deference could only be due to one sole dragon.

The Dragon Lord had arrived.

Torched looked up to the sky, and almost simultaneously all dragons followed suit. Among the clouds, far in the red sky, a colossal figure could be discerned. It was easily distinguishable, mainly due to its size. It´s form was a synonym of terror, among all creatures and dragons alike. As the figure descended so gracefully that it violated all logic, all adult dragons solemnly bowed their heads with submission. Among the teenagers, however, the reaction was slightly different. Jaws fell agape as the monstrous beast approached them, becoming more massive with every passing second.

Suddenly, in a burst of collective brilliance, all their heads followed the example of their elders and bowed so low their noses touched the ground. This was not enough for some, who immediately fell to their knees almost imploringly, overwhelmed by the presence of a creature that had not even touched the ground yet.

Fear had wrapped itself around both Torch and Pavesa as a constrictor, forcing their every move. Their limbs were rigid; their efforts to move were almost an epic exploit. Pavesa, much to her regret, abandoned the comfort of her lover´s touch and reached the ground. She immediately felt so cold without him to hold her. Torch also missed her the moment she separated, but a quick glance to his right assured him of her presence. Never moving his neck, he smiled ever so slightly, the expression instantly gone as the deafening thud resonated all across the dead volcano.
No one dared to rise up, not until the creature before them said so.

The Dragon Lord’s wings flapped with the might to form hurricanes to make mountains tremble fearfully. His children, however, sank their claws upon the ground, easily protecting themselves from their natural fury. Had the Dragon Lord desired so, he could have swept them off without hesitation, but that was not his intention.

The sometimes called God, sometimes called Devil among his own subjects, raised his head reaching the lowest clouds. With a mere whiffle those cumulus dissipated into the air, allowing him a clear view if the sky, the mountains, and the thousand underlings that stood before him.

He looked upwards and, with extreme satisfaction, exhaled a blast of fire that almost rendered pathetic that of any other dragon. The world seemed to scream deafly as the air was engulfed in the flames, reaching higher than the mountains themselves. Such flare was witnessed in the most recondite of valleys, in the most guarded cities, in the humblest of villages, in the most sumptuous of castles. And every eye that lay upon the terrifying sight would provide its bearer, both thieves and kings alike, with an uneasiness that would not rest for several days.
As soon as the titanic abomination grew tired of his display his jaws closed unmerciful as a landslide. He descended his gaze upon the pitiful creatures that surrounded him and then, he spoke.

“Rise”

Every dragon quivered in silent respect, however, that did not keep them from hearing out his call.
Thousands of eyes, both big and small, abandoned the comfort of the ground and looked upon their sovereign.

The elders’ gaze reflected a tired deference, used as they were to his sight. Among the younger dragons, however, who only now did they learn of their ancient master, fear risked to leave a permanent mark upon their countenances. The same dreadful effect befell upon Torch and Pavesa.
The creature before them was covered in a color that could hardly be attributed a word to. With a quick glance “black” would have come to mind, however, a more profound examination, that is, looking at him for two seconds, would instantly spread discord among the viewer’s perception. Its tonality was something no one could exactly define. As if it were constantly shifting, ever-changing, its tone was something out of this world. His scales gave an approximate indication of its bearer´s age. Many of them presented damage beyond repair; the absence of some and the form of those which had been broken but remained attached were a reminder of fights older than many of the dragons present. Yet despite the protuberances that pointed to the disappearance of several scales, there were not any empty spots. A closer examination revealed the gruesome answer. From those blank spaces left by torn scales new ones has regrown, arguing with each other over who would be on top and never reaching a clear agreement. Scales superimposed, giving form to disgusting protuberances. The scales upon his head, enormous and seven in total, had the most conspicuous form, pointing upwards raising from his nape, forming the dark parody of a crown.

His body was, however, simpler in comparison to the diverse forms of all the dragons around him. Purer, as if he his progenitors all had put a conscious effort into not crossing with other races of dragons. Pavesa pondered this distractedly, suddenly reaching a conclusion as dreadful as admirable.

The Dragon Lord was the first one of his race. The last of the first dragons to have ever roamed the Earth.

She avoided opening her jaw in amazement, but she still could not help but gulp.

“For the first time in five hundred years you have heard my call. And I have been able to see many things in such a short amount of time. For us, a breeze. For the rest of mortals, an arid storm that has peeled their skin and dried their bones. Our status as the owners of this world has remained intact. Some of our most foolish brothers have perished at the claws, hooves and hands of mortal creatures, yet this is to be expected. In retaliation, we burned their villages, consumed their flesh and stomped on their legacy. So many who have been erased from history, only remembered by us, their executioners. And yet they persist. Such pertinacious beasts might be due to some respect, but not mine. They are hopelessly climbing a chain that will never be broken. They try to stand by our side or even above us and yet, fire has always put them in their place. We have nothing to fear, do we?!”

A cacophony of cheers filled the volcano.

“Let me ask you a question. What did any of you do in the last five centuries after you last attended my call? What things, other than killing, eating, sleeping and breeding have you accomplished?”

A low collective murmur responded, dying a few seconds later.

“What have they done? What feats have those griffons, those… ponies accomplished, though? I have seen cities be erected upon valleys. I have witnessed the course of rivers be bent to the will of mortals in constructions they call aqueducts. I have seen more and more of those insects, growing in number with each passing day. Like a swarm, I’ve witnessed them falling upon the cities of their enemies, basking in their blood in a way that even a dragon could be proud of. I have seen crops extend for miles and miles. I have seen new tools of war, new tactics, new pages to be added to the book of carnage.”

“And their pride only grows stronger with new dawn, drifting them to a sound sleep with each dusk. And what does pride lead to?! Arrogance! And what does arrogance lead to?! Defiance! Defiance against us, their gods! How long will it be until their numbers are high enough that they deem the loss of thousands, of hundreds of thousands if with that they accomplish our own extermination as acceptable? Would they dare to commit such blasphemy? Oh, believe me, they will. For ponykind has found new deities to call their gods!

Such pitiful excuses for deities to praise. I have seen these so called goddesses with my own eyes, and their only fear is being the remnants of an old time, so long ago that they were written as legends. Two of them have returned, and with all of their blind hatred and arrogance they consider that the time of their true gods has passed, when there are thousands of us who could smite them without a second thought. I say, no more will this hubris be unnoticed, nor unpunished. We shall remind those pitiful excuses for sentient beings of their place. We will purge them, leaving nothing but ashes in our wake. And when only a few of them remain we will leave them to wallow in the remains of their species, so they will never forget the price for their haughtiness. And I promise, my children, that I will personally bite off the heads of their false idols."

Torch and Pavesa shared a look, and without a doubt, knew that their horror was perfectly reflected upon each other´s visage.