FSE

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His last life cycle had ended fairly peacefully. The world was full of life and promise, and as he descended to the depths of the mountain so that he could begin the regeneration cycle, he had no fears about what he might wake up to. He had watched his children performing tricks high up in the clouds, flipping upside down and making daring dives that sent their mother's worries haywire. His family was strong; he had no doubt about that, and their children would be just as fearsome and respected. His legacy was protected, and that was all that truly mattered to a dragon. Every life cycle had to refresh at some point, and it was finally his turn.

Revakulgr knew he would miss them, and there was a soft pain in his chest in knowing that he wouldn't get to watch his children grow up - that he wouldn't be there to see the dragons they became. He could only hope that he might find them again when he woke and that they would have children of their own for him to watch and spoil. The mountains had never felt lonelier, and as the last of the light from the outside world flickered away, the reality of what was to come struck him. Dragons always regenerated deep underground to protect themselves from harm, but he always seemed to forget how isolating and empty the experience was.

The cool ground was a comfort compared to the summer heat of the outside world, and there was some respite in witnessing the grooves and indents marked by the dragons who had rested here eons before him. He pawed the ground softly, shifting the dirt and pushing any small stones aside as he made himself a nest in which he could curl up in. He could feel the energy starting to seep from his body, his muscles and limbs becoming increasingly weary as he finished perfecting his bed. He all but collapsed into it, a sigh of fatigued relief escaping his lips as he closed his eyes and allowed the regeneration cycle to take him.

No dreams dared visit him in slumber, but he was not condemned to darkness either. Instead, visions of the life cycle he had lived through played through his mind and reminded him of all the good he had experienced. He felt the love of his mate warm his heart and the pride that swelled in his chest when their young finally learned how to fly and took to the skies like crossbow bolts. There was sadness and loss speckled between the joy, but this had been his most favorable cycle - he had been genuinely happy here. A tear fell down his cheek as the memories played, one of happiness and satisfaction at the knowledge of a life lived well.

While Revakulgr relived his most cherished memories, the world outside continued on. His mate had a heavy heart, her soul filled with a sadness that she knew would never truly be lifted, but she continued to watch and raise their young. She wanted them to be strong, just like she and Revakulgr had hoped for when their eggs first began to crack. They had been confused at first, wondering where their father had gone and when he would return, and she had done her best to explain how life cycles worked and that he would be back - just not for a long time. They had accepted that even though they carried that same longing sadness as their mother.

The world continued to turn, the days shifting to weeks and then months as time passed like sand through an hourglass. They lived expecting the world to never change, for their happiness to remain and for there to be no shift. But such wishes are pipe dreams made by children who know no better, and it is impossible for the world to stay the same. It started in fire and ended in ash, and there was nothing that could have warned them of what was to come. The summer breeze stilled and turned to an icy chill, and the landscape fell into a hushed and eerie silence. So came the end of an era, and a new one was started.

******

Revakulgr blinked slowly. His eyelids felt heavy, like they were stuck together and parting them was some kind of sin. The world was blurred and distorted, the darkness of the mountain cave confusing as he slowly woke up from his regenerative slumber. He yawned, his jaws stretching wide as he started to remember why he was there. He felt better than he had in centuries, and he had forgotten just how incredible the hibernation period of dragons could be. His mind immediately went to his mate and children, how excited he was to see them again, but his body was not quite ready to move.

It took a while for him to regain his strength, his muscles and joints so used to resting that they were weaker than a newborn hatchling. He took his time, stretching out his wings as much as he could and slowly working his way up as he eventually got to his feet. The dragon looked down at the little nest he had made so many centuries ago, and a sense of pride flowed through him at the realization his imprint had joined so many dragons who came before him. His last regeneration had been far from this place, across distant seas and back in the place he once called home. This was his first time here in a place that truly felt like home.

He stayed himself as he fought the urge to race from the base of the mountain and back to the outside world. His heart longed for his family, and he couldn't wait to see how much his children had grown. They might even have broods of their own, and the very notion of being a grandfather was enough to leave him grinning. The path out of the mountain felt eternal, like it was stretching further away with every step he took, and he couldn't take the anticipation any longer. He broke into a full run, speeding up the path and toward the flickering light of the early morning sun. He could feel the breeze brush past him and smell the sweet spring grasses.

As he emerged from the mountain and felt the warmth of the sun on his face once more, his expression of elation and longing was replaced by confusion and fear. The world around him was empty, devoid of life, and it looked as though it had not been inhabited for a long time. No birds sang, and the trees were charred husks of their former selves - many crumbling and turning to ash before his eyes. There were patches of recovery where the spring grasses and flowers had started to flourish once more, but it was overshadowed by the severe destruction all around him. The world had changed, and he had started to wonder if he should have woken up.

The dragon was still too weak to fly, his body recovering from his long sleep as he traversed the mountains in search of his family. Several broods had lived here, neighbors and friends who had formed a community of their own that lasted generations. But as he travelled through the narrow paths and over the cragged peaks, he came to the slow realization that he was completely alone in the world. The air had a strange scent, an acrid tang of death, but he could see no evidence of their demise aside from the scorched earth near the mountain entrance. He refused to believe that they might all be dead - that he might be the last of them.

He spent many days wandering the mountains in some false hope that someone might be there to greet him. His heart ached as he thought of the way he and his friends would greet each other, of his wife's nose touching his own in comfort during long nights. Revakulgr paid no attention to the rain that rolled off his back or the sun that burned and bleached his scales. His desperation to find those he loved was all that he knew, and it consumed him. He could not even grieve, for he had no idea what might have become of them. He wandered in circles for days, convinced he might have missed them as he walked.

It wasn't until the seventh day that he came across the evidence he needed but did not wish for. The rain had been torrential for several days, the ground a wet slough of muck as he walked. He stumbled slightly, his foot sinking deep into the mud, and it hit something hard. It wasn't quite solid enough to be rock, but his curiosity was piqued, and he began to dig. His breath quickened as the slop moved aside to reveal the dull white of the object he had hit. He knew what it was already, but he didn't want to believe it, so he continued to dig - his claws reaching deep into the earth as he uncovered the entirety of what was buried there.

Revakulgr couldn't breathe. It felt as though his chest was being constricted by some invisible force. His lungs were being crushed as he tried desperately to gasp for breath. His throat began to swell, the lump forming within it making him feel as though he was about to choke. He tried to hold back until he couldn't do it anymore, and cascades of tears fell down his face as he cried out in deep and visceral grief. He pounded the earth with his feet, his screams of agony tearing through the mountains as his heart and soul shattered all at once. Before him lay the bones of his mate and their children, each yellowed with time as they sat under the earth.

He knew it was them; dragons had a way of being able to recognize each other. It was when he found her skull, the intricate horns he had spent long nights caressing as they made love, striking his heart, and leaving him short of breath all over again. He would know her anywhere, and the realization that his family was dead led to the horror of knowing that everyone else here might be as well. The scorched earth and abandoned homes meant that it made sense, and Revakulgr found himself searching all over again. He dug tirelessly, excavating the ground until he found at least some of the dragons he had cared for so deeply.

There was some relief in finding them, in knowing what happened, but he felt his heart break a little more with every cluster of bones that was unearthed. The dragons he had shared his life with, hunted with, mourned with… they were all gone. He had never felt more alone in the world than he did at that moment, and a large part of him wished he had never gone down to the caves and gone through the regeneration process. That way, he might have been able to share their fate, and he would be with them now. The bones of all the hatchlings were still very small, even those of his children, and it told him this had happened maybe 200 years after his sleep.

Revakulgr didn't know how long he had been in the cave, but he was at least able to tell it had been a minimum of a couple of hundred years. He didn't really care how long it had been, only that he hadn't been there for his family, and he found himself curling up by their remains and drifting off into a sorrowful slumber. The dragon's body was so wracked with grief and depression that he was unable to move even an inch over the next week. He didn't want to be away from the ones he had loved most, and he spent the daylight hours whispering apologies to their bones in some desperate home that they might be able to hear him.

Through torrential downpours and warm sunlit days, the dragon remained by his family's side. Hunger pangs tore through his gut, and his mouth dried from thirst, but he no longer cared. He could feel his body getting weaker, the will to live drifting from his disheveled form, and he was at peace with it. All he wanted was to see the ones he loved again, to be with them and to take to the skies for all eternity.

“Revakulgr." He opened one eye lazily as he recognized the voice. “Revakulgr." It spoke again, and he opened the other. There was no one there, and yet he knew the voice.

“Are you here to take me to the other side?" He rasped weakly.

“No, my love." His mate's voice soothed him as she spoke. “I'm here to tell you that it is not your time."

“I don't want a world without you in it." He fought back fresh tears his body was too dehydrated to produce.

“Oh, my sweet Revakulgr." He could almost feel her stroke his cheek tenderly. “There will be a time to return to my arms, but it is not yet. There is too much for you to do."

“Like what?" He sighed defeatedly.

“You are the last of us, Revakulgr. The scourge of man washed over this world and wiped us all from existence. You must remind them that the legend was once a reality and that it has returned." There was a fierceness in her voice that riled him and filled him with newfound strength. He could feel her rage and hurt, and he wanted vengeance for it.

She was gone as quickly as she had arrived, and as her spirit left him, he felt a chill in the air. The world was somehow quieter than it had been before, and a final wave of sadness washed over him. He could not put the joy he felt at hearing her voice again into words, and he wished he had had a little more time with her. He wanted to know if she was happy and safe, if she was with their children and their friends. The dragon could only hope he might hear from her again, that she might give him the answers he sought so desperately. But she had told him they would be together again one day, and that was all he needed to regain his strength.

The world beyond the mountains was sure to be different now, and while he still wasn't sure how much time had passed, he knew he would need his strength if he wanted to succeed. He shook as he stood, the weight of his body seemingly too much for his limbs to bear, and it took a while before he was able to stand properly. The forests below the mountains were usually abundant with wildlife, and he crawled down the steep slopes, too fatigued to fly, until he reached the canopied woodland. The atmosphere was different there; the earth was fresh with life, and the scent of spring was heavy in the air. This was the world he had remembered.

Hunting took longer than it normally would because he was so hungry and weak, but he eventually caught several deer and took his time feasting on their flesh. He felt stronger already, the nourishment rushing through his body and energizing him in a way that he hadn't felt since before his long rest. He lazed over his meal, taking his time as there was no need to rush through it. When he was done, he continued along the beaten path of old twigs and weeds and followed the scent of the river until he found it. Revakulgr drank for a long time, closing his eyes as his dry and rough throat was softened by hydration.

He was starting to feel more like himself, more like the fearsome dragon who had been respected and revered across the land so long ago. His black scales shimmered in the dappled light that broke through the trees, and he took a moment to rest by the edge of the water - his swollen purple belly plump and on full display after his large meal. He basked in the warmth of the afternoon, and his mind turned to what his next steps would have to be. If the world had been conquered by mankind and his race eliminated from existence, he would need to learn how to integrate with their society again.

It wasn't like humans were unheard of when he was last around, but they were fearful of dragons, and they kept their distance. They tried not to bother each other, and while there were incidents where a dragon would burn down a village or slaughter all the livestock, these attacks would usually result in the dragon in question being slain by humans. There were some who saw themselves as brave soldiers and saviors of humanity, and these men would actively seek out dragons to kill. On rare occasions, they succeeded, but it was unusual for it to happen, and most of them were crushed like ants under the might of the dragons they faced.

They were a greedy race, one who always searched for new ways to gain power and magic. Their kingdoms were ravaged by war, and Revakulgr had heard stories of distant cities far across the realm that even had dragon riders. He had scoffed at the thought when he was first told, and he couldn't imagine a world where humans and dragons worked together. After all, humans had always been so weak and insignificant. But perhaps that was where their error had been. They had always seen humans as pointless and never paid much attention to them, and in the end, they had been the downfall of the dragon race. They had been underestimated.

Revakulgr was determined to ensure that the legacy of his kind lived on and that the fear of dragons that had been so deeply instilled in the world before his slumber was restored. He would have to take time to watch them and figure out how they had advanced and doing that meant taking the time to get back to his full power levels so that he could be stealthy in his approach. His regeneration meant he was back in his prime, a youthful dragon who had the capacity for great destruction and strength. But that didn't mean he wasn't at risk, and he needed to be careful that he wasn't spotted before he was ready.

It was too difficult to return to the mountains; there was too much pain there, and so he made his home deep in the forest. His sleep meant that he was constantly hungry, and he knew it would be a little while before his body was back to its regular self. He feasted on deer and other creatures that crossed his path, and when he was feeling stronger, he began to venture from the woodland. The deer and rabbits weren't enough to bring him back to his full capabilities; he knew that, and something more substantial was required. Watching the humans was sure to lead to at least one little treat for his efforts.

Their cities were much closer to the wilds than they used to be, their invisible walls breaking up what was once vast forest and grassland. Even their homes had come a long way, and they had abandoned wooden huts for buildings made of stone and brick. They stood so much taller than in the past, and many of them had multiple floors so that the inhabitants had space to live and relax. Great factories with metal roofs churned out smog and smoke that filled the sky, transforming it from a tranquil cyan to a murky and hopeless black. He felt sick at the smell, waste and chemicals filling his nostrils the closer he got.

He could tell it had been more than 200 years, and their level of progression had him estimating it had been closer to 500. He had missed so much while he was asleep, and watching the humans live their daily lives became a favored hobby. He was intrigued by the way their settlements were constructed now. In his time, tall walls of wood or stone would surround the people and keep them safe from attackers, but there seemed to be some bizarre sense of trust between them in this modern age. Instead, the defensive walls that once lined the outskirts were left in crumbling ruin, and the houses stretched far beyond them.

The dragon wondered how they prevented war and how they stopped invaders from slipping in and destroying everything in their wake. Humans were still so violent, but guns had replaced swords, and knives were hidden up sleeves for sneak attacks in the blinding dark. Nature died at the edge of each settlement, the smog and cancer of civilization poisoning the earth slowly. If anything, humanity had managed to become so much more advanced and so much more toxic than it had ever been. Their hierarchy was as cruel as ever, the rich lording over the poor and enjoying their gluttonous wealth while children starved, and people died in the streets.

Dragons had never been that way - they were a community that believed in helping each other and supporting other broods as if they were their own. They had royalty and a social hierarchy, but they would never leave children to die of starvation or leave their brethren to die. Only the most heinous crimes were ever punished with such severity. Criminal gangs ran the underworld, slipping their hands into the pockets of rich and poor alike to build themselves a name and reputation. In many ways, Revakulgr admired them and their tenacity - the unspoken genius of taking advantage of a system that was designed to screw you over in the first place.

He stuck to the shadows as much as possible, hiding in the undergrowth and up past the clouds as he watched and listened. He learned that dragons were no more than a myth, that their existence had faded long ago, and they were instead part of the stories told to children before bed. They were often portrayed as villains - great brutish beasts who had only thought of violence and greed. How true it was that history is written by the victors, and Revakulgr couldn't help but scoff at some of the things he heard. His heart ached for the past, for the world he had known long before this one had even been conceived.

But there was a chance he might be able to make a name for himself here, that he could rise to the occasion and learn how to become part of society. There was a twinge of fear in his heart at the thought that he might not be accepted, that people might seek to hunt him or put him on display in some travelling act that he could not escape from. He knew he was stronger than humans, that he had the power to destroy them, but he also knew they had advanced in such a way that they had managed to wipe his entire species out. If he were going to find a place in this world, he would need to do so through a position of power and fear.

Revakulgr retreated to the forest and the seclusion of the trees as he took time to reflect on the pathways he might be able to take. He lounged by the water, watching it rush past as his mind tried to come up with a plan. Every idea, no matter how strategic, seemed to end in him being captured and killed by swarms of frightened and curious humans. He needed that fear, but he also needed a level of respect because it that would prevent them from raising arms the moment he arrived. The problem was, how was he supposed to establish himself in this new and modern world without the increasing risk of death?

He sighed heavily, almost completely out of hope for what to do next, when a sound in the distance roused him from his thoughts. It wasn't one of the usual forest animals lurking in the undergrowth - this was something different. He listened intently, a cluster of footsteps ringing in his ears as he pinpointed the origin of the sound. Humans. He had practically given up on his efforts to feast on them once he realized how well-built their structures were now, but to have a group of them in the forest created a rare opportunity that he had no intention of missing. He slunk through the trees, heading towards the source of the sound.

As he got closer, he heard them speaking in hushed tones in one of the nearby clearings. He kept to the shadows, concealing himself in the tree line as he arrived at the little glade. There were three men in the center, the sunlight beaming down on them and the stash of crates they had with them. One of the men was digging while the other two seemed to be having a disagreement over something - perhaps the crates that they kept gesturing to as they hissed almost silently at each other. It was clear they didn't want to be caught, and Revakulgr saw this as an excellent opportunity to use his own innate powers.

The dragon had always been adept at gathering knowledge, and it was this magic that allowed him to siphon information from the three men as they toiled and argued. Through them, he was able to learn that they were part of one of the leading gangs in the realm - the headquarters of which was nestled in the closest city. Their leader was waiting outside the forest in a vehicle, and it was their job to hide crates filled with valuables in the hopes that their rivals would not be able to uncover them. They were grunts, peons, and they held no mentionable rank. All Revakulgr had to do was wait for the right moment to strike, and the feast would be his.

But it had been some time since he used his powers. His mind and body were still waking up from their period of hibernation, and he did not have the same hold over his magic as usual. It warbled and faltered, pinching the minds of the men he was scanning and alerting them to his presence. “Damn." The dragon cursed silently as they stopped suddenly and began to look around, their eyes wild and frantic as an unspoken fear was shared between them. It was now or never - he needed to strike and feed so he could regain his strength and face their leader. His path to respect and reverence had made itself apparent, and he could not fail.

He leapt from the trees, pouncing on the men silently with his teeth bared in eagerness as the thrill of the hunt rushed through his blood. He had two of them pinned under one clawed foot while the third man squirmed under the other. “Oh, you look absolutely delicious." He purred softly, loosening his grip slightly to give them a false sense of hope as they desperately tried to escape. None of them screamed, their fear so paralyzing that only air came from their mouths every time they opened them. He had missed feeling such deep terror, and as he stared into their tearful eyes, his stomach growled hungrily.

They would make the perfect meal to help him fully restore his strength, and he lifted his foot from the lone man before hooking his claw through his clothes and holding him up above the ground. He struggled, trying to free himself from the dragon's grip, and Revakulgr couldn't help but smile at his courage. This one had a fighting spirit, and that always made them taste even better. He tossed the man idly into his mouth, wrapping his tongue around his squirming form before swallowing hard and feeling him move down his throat. The dragon couldn't help but let out a little sigh of contentment as the morsel fell into his stomach.

“How disappointing." He looked down at the remaining two men under his other foot, one of whom had passed out from fear. “I suppose he'll be next." He grabbed the unconscious man with his free claw, chucking him into his mouth and swallowing quickly - the limpness of the body distinctly unappealing compared to his first morsel. He felt the distinct wiggle of the first man in his belly as the second one joined him, and the taste of his panic as he became frantic once more was absolutely delightful. “I suppose that just leaves you, doesn't it?" He teased as he toyed with the remaining man trapped under his thick, polished claws.

“Please. Please don't hurt me." The man sobbed; his words barely audible for the fear filling his lungs. “I promise, I won't say a word. Please."

“Desperation just tastes so much better, wouldn't you agree?" The dragon purred.

“No… please. I'm begging you."

“Oh, I love it when they beg." He laughed softly. “Do you think my family begged when humans came for them?"

“I don't know anything about that. I don't know what you're talking about. Please, let me go. I have children. I have a wife. They'll die without me."

“Funny. Mine died without me." There was a bitterness in his voice as he lifted the man, his claws clasped tightly around his torso. “Life is cruel that way."

He swallowed the final man faster than he would have liked, his enjoyment of his meal soured by remembering the tragedy that befell his family in his absence. He didn't know the man wriggling in his mouth, but the way he had begged almost made the dragon angry for reasons he couldn't pinpoint. Why was he granted the opportunity to plead for his life and the survival of his family, and Revakulgr was not? What part of that was fair? He let the man sit in his mouth for a while, savoring the desperation that consumed him and the way his salty sweat leaked from his body before tickling the dragon's tastebuds in the most pleasurable manner.

As he swallowed, he felt the man slip down his throat before joining his companions in his stomach. He could feel it swell now that three men were inside it, and all of them were up and trying to find a way out. They banged against the walls of his stomach, and he could feel their screams vibrating within him as they stepped into his stomach acid, and the digestion process began. Normally, he would laze around with a full belly and admire how plump it had become while his prey digested, but he had important tasks to attend to today. Their leader was at the edge of the forest, and it was time for him to make a name for himself.

Traversing through the forest was a little slower than anticipated, and he supposed it was because of how full he was and not being used to eating so much after being asleep for centuries. He could hear the tapping of a foot in the distance, the impatience resonating through his mind as he homed in on the sound and made a beeline for it. Their leader wasn't alone, and from his estimation, there were four men with him - each of them armed and prepared to protect him. Revakulgr could easily take each of them out, leaving him and the leader to face each other, but that wasn't how he wanted to start dealings with the humans.

The men in the forest were a necessary meal, not just because they were easy but also because he needed to be back at full strength. If he were going to reach the ranking he desired and build himself a new life, he would need to start out with followers. These men would bend to his will once they saw what he was capable of - he was certain of that. The stirring in his stomach caused a satisfied smile to spread across his lips as his meal continued to struggle down to their last breaths. He was proud of himself for having scored such a satisfying dinner, and it did nothing to dampen his eager and hopeful spirits.

He slowed down as he approached the tree line, careful not to be heard by the impatient man and his goons. From what he had siphoned from the three men in the glade, the leader's name was Burns, and he was a man to be feared and respected. Revakulgr supposed he owed the man a sense of decency, and instead of pouncing through the trees and ambushing the man, he decided that he would open himself to conversation first. It would only end one way, but if he were to achieve the same level of reverence as Burns, he would need to present himself in a similar manner. That was the mark of a gentleman, and he was glad to see it hadn't changed.

“Fawkes, Burgess, is that you?" Burns' gravelly voice came from the road as Revakulgr hid himself from view. “Hawkins?"

“I'm afraid your men won't be coming back," Revakulgr spoke with a calm confidence that sent shivers down the spines of the men who guarded Burns.

“Who's there? Show yourself, you coward." The leader snarled.

“Are you sure you want that?"

“I don't fear you. I fear no one." The man spat. “Now, show yourself."

“As you wish." Revakulgr slunk from the trees and out onto the road, his enormous form taking up the entire space and causing the four guards to drop their weapons in shock, awe, and terror. Only Burns remained unphased, his demeanor calm and resolute as the dragon approached.

“What did you do with my men?" The tremble in his voice could not be missed.

“I ate them." The dragon grinned. “They were delicious."

“You sick bastard, I'll-" Burns was cut off as Revakulgr scooped him up, his claws wrapped around him so tightly that he struggled to breathe, let alone speak.

The guards were too frightened to move, each of them desperate to run away as their eyes were glued to the scene before them. Sweat poured down their brows as they witnessed their leader being tossed around and toyed with idly by the gargantuan beast before them. It amused Revakulgr on some level, knowing that none of them were likely to have seen a dragon with their own eyes before and feeling their fear seeping from their bodies. Burns' face was starting to turn purple as the dragon refused to relieve even a little pressure, reveling in the way the man continued to attempt to gain his freedom.

He opened his jaws wide, dramatizing the moment so that every man witnessing it would feel that much more afraid, before dropping Burns straight onto his tongue. He let the gang leader roll around there for a moment, moaning softly at how good he tasted as sweat, tears, and stress tantalized his tastebuds and made the experience that much more enjoyable. The dragon swallowed loudly, making sure everyone could hear, and he stretched his neck so that they could watch their former leader slide down his throat in a panicked ball before settling in his stomach just like the rest of his men.

Revakulgr could feel his stomach swelling, now completely full, and he settled on the road and allowed it to spill out as he got comfortable on his side. With a great swooping motion, he scooped up the four terrified men with his tail and held them there - not wanting to risk any of them escaping before he could assert his dominance over them. He could feel them trembling violently in his grip as they tried to make sense of what happened, and just to hammer it in for them, the dragon let out an almighty belch that echoed through the trees. It took everything he had not to laugh as they all froze for a moment before trembling once more.

“So, that was your leader, was it?" Revakulgr chuckled after a time, waiting until they had stopped shaking so violently. “He didn't seem so tough."

“Y-you ate him." One of the men whispered.

“I did, yes."

“Are you going to eat us?" Another asked, looking up through frightened eyes.

“No, I'm not." The dragon inspected his claws idly, his tail still holding them.

“Why?"

“I want to take over this operation. I learned all about how it works from your little friends in the glade. It's exactly the kind of work I enjoy."

“You what?"

“I intend to be your new leader, your boss, the head man. Do you understand?"

“But… you're a…"

“A dragon?" Revakulgr laughed dryly. “A very astute observation. It makes me a fine choice of leader, don't you think?"

“I… Yes, I suppose." The man's voice shook as he spoke.

“Of course, you're free to leave if you don't approve." The dragon stroked his stomach. “But it will be the same way the others left. Does that mean I can count on your loyalty?"

“Yes, sir." The four men spoke together, each of them trying to mask the way their voices almost cracked from fear.

“Excellent. I think it's time for you to show me where we call home, don't you?" The dragon loosened his grip, allowing the men to be free so they could guide him to their base. This was only the beginning, and Revakulgr had big plans for this city.