When Natherion awoke he did not know for how long he had slept, neither did he care. He slowly rose from his fetal position and started to walk towards his mother’s hatchery. Natherion knew that most likely the eggs of his future siblings did not survived the attack.

But he had to know for sure, He felt an obligation to his mother to find out, Upon reaching the hatchery he saw that it was as he had feared. Golden egg shells lay strewn around the floor, Natherions brother’s and sisters slaughtered before even learning their own names.

Natherion had been the oldest of his mother’s children she had refused for most of her life to procreate until she found a worthy mate and she had done so, who this male dragon was however Natherion knew little. He had only heard stories, Apparently he was a huge gold wyrm he was powerful and most importantly for a mate extremely wealthy.

Natherion did not know how his father would react to his mother’s death? Naively he hoped that his father would find the adventurers and exact revenge. But Natherion was not sure, There was most likely never any love between the two only an arrangement to procreate and create powerful offspring.

There was little time to waste on such thoughts however, there would soon come scavengers and even other neighboring dragons that would want to exploit the power vacuum of Anathera’s demise. It was something Natherion knew intimately, He had been taught well by his mother and the expert scholars that his mother had “hired” to teach Natherion the knowledges of philosophy, politics, biology just to name a few.

They had taught him that it was every dragons fate to want more treasure, More land, More power. Some things never changed Dragon’s less then others, Natherion decided to take one last look at his mother before leaving. He wish he could take her bones to the burial mounds of his ancestors but he was only the size of a bear and she was the size of several houses.

Natherion had to take the tunnels down to the surface, Anathera’s Lair had been carved into a mountain top named Anathera’s Crown and Natherion had not yet learned how to fly. He had looked forward to the day his mother would teach him to soar above the clouds… But it was not meant to be and it filled Natherion with white hot rage and had to force himself to not let out an ear shattering roar, Since there could still be enemies around.

Natherion was just about to leave when he heard the sounds of huge wings flapping in the air and how four giant legs impacted the granite floor of the main hall, where his mother lay dead.

Natherion first instinct was to run, but he had to know who it was that had arrived maybe it was his father? Slowly Natherion started to once again creep towards the main hall, he took a quick glance around the corner and to Natherion’s surprise. It was a huge red dragon, The red dragon was inspecting the corpse of Anathera and surveying the area for potential dangers.

Natherion did not know this Dragon, but his mother had told him that Red and Gold dragons have an ancient rivalry. This dragon could be here to render assistance or here to steal whatever the adventurers had left behind, Natherion did not feel like finding out if he was wrong.

But just as he was turning around to skulk back into the tunnels, Natherion could hear another pair of wings and a smaller pair of legs. Making their landing on the granite floor, Another dragon? Natherion thought.

The Red dragon spoke to the new comer, “Lernaean you dreg, did you do this?”

This new dragon, which Natherion did not yet see, spoke with a distinct serpent hissing sound

“You wound me Raganos, why would i do sssuch a vile thing? Ssshe wasss an Allied…”

There was an audible crunching sound as Raganos, dragged his massive claws against the hard granite floor. “Do not test me half-breed she was mine! No one else’s there will be consequences for this, Agamemnon will see this as our time of weakness and strike!”

Natherion did not know any of the names, Natherion cursed under his breath he wished that he knew more about the outside world. But who could blame him, His mother did not plan on him leaving for another 30 years, plenty of time to learn. Now he found himself woefully ignorant to the situation around him.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

They all seem like powerful dragon lords and it seems like some kind of status quo has been broken by the death of Anathera. Natherion decided that it was time to leave before he was discovered and...potentially killed.

Making his way through the winding tunnels to the base of the mountain, Natherion encountered scores of dead kobold and dragonborn soldiers. They had given their lives to stop the adventurers from reaching Anathera. Then it struck him the servants quarters were not far off maybe the adventurers had ignored it and not bothered with the harmless women and children.

It would not hurt to check, Natherion turned left and headed towards the servants quarters. Once arriving he was met with another gruesome sight, Death, hundreds of charred kobold and dragonborn corpses. Seems like someone threw a fireball spell and sat back letting the residents be burned alive, Natherion simply closed the door and left. Pointless he thought, even more reason to kill the humans. Clearly they are wicked and evil race and the only mercy Natherion would grant them was a quick end.

Making good time Natherion knew that there was a secret exit somewhere around here and that would give him a chance to exit without attracting unwanted attention. The Hidden door was easy to find, Anathera had made the path would be easy to find so there were stones on the way that had inscriptions only visible to dragonic eyes.

“Finally the door” thought Natherion he put his body against in and using his hind legs pushed on the massive rock… Nothing? The rock did not move an inch, when describing the door Natherion’s mother had not said that anything about the rock being special in any way maybe a passcode? Or was it the wrong rock?

Natherion cast “detect magic” the rock was indeed magical, which was both a relief and a concern. It was a relief because now, he knew that this was indeed the exit. But a concern since now the question arose how do get it open?

“Maybe it needs to recognise me?” Natherion tried putting his claw against the rock...nothing

“So clearly things are more complicated than that… suddenly a voice behind him made natherion almost exhale a cone of flames.

“Lord Natherion is that you?”

Natherion turned around his stance ready for combat, but when he saw who it was he relaxed but only slightly, it could be illusion magic. Standing before him was his teacher an elf by the name of Galva”

“Galva what are you doing here?..how are you here?”

Galva was an old elf even by elf standards at least 800+ years old he was wrinkly, with long snow white hair and a perfectly groomed white beard. Natherion always liked him, He was one of the few mortals who were allowed to call Anathera by her name and not master.

“Lord Natherion i have had many lives and not just your mother’s servant, I am truly saddened by what befell her. She did not deserve that fate, my sincerest condolences to you. If i had the power to intervene i would have done so.”

Natherion felt instantly saddened being reminded of his new reality. “You saw what they did to her” with tears welling up once again “how could anyone be so barbaric?”

Galva did not dare approach to comfort Natherion but spoke in mild mannered voice “The world is a barbaric place and humans are sometimes the most barbaric of all, But they are not all like that i promise you, do not punish all of them for the actions of a few please.”

Natherion did not want to listen, he knew reason when he heard it but how could such actions not be answered with wrath? How could he prevent such a thing from happening to someone else if his answer was not complete and total destruction?

“You once told me that there are two ways to learn, you can either put your hand into the fire and get burned or read about someone putting their hand into the fire and become burned… There is however only one way to learn a lesson and not ever truely forget it and that is to feel the full and catastrophic consequences of your actions, I want to show mercy, but then noone would learn any lesson and that is how history repeats itself, I WILL MAKE SURE THEY NEVER! EVER! FORGET!”

Galva stood in silent contemplation “Lord Natherion your words are true and i do not blame you one bit them. It is only so very natural, i too have felt those feeling and i acted upon them taking my revenge. But let me tell you that it is a dark path and it will not make you feel any more whole, please i beg of you to reconsider…”

Natherion exhaled a stream of white smoke “I do not want to feel better, i will not do this for myself but for all future generations, I will do what is needed to make them safe and the next time humans think of harming any dragon they will think of me!”

Galva shook his head “I see that your mind is set, but know this my lord. Hatred breeds hatred it is an endless cycle of tragedy. You will see that i am right in the end, I will assist you one last time and then i will leave, if you will allow me”

Galva started to walk forward, Natherion let him past and observed Galva as he pulled out a knife and slit the palm of his hand and then pushed it against the rock, the bloody handprint started to glow and the rock door started slide open. Allowing rays of sunshine to shine through into the dark corridor

Looking up towards Galva’s haggard face “Where will you go?”

Galva looked back at Natherion “Home, i think i will go home”

Then without another word, Galva started to walk through the clearing outside the exit and disappeared into the underbrush of the forest beyond.

Natherion stared towards the spot where Galva had disappeared into the underbrush

The only thoughts that Natherion felt was that he wished he too could go home, but he had been robbed of his. looking up towards Anathera’s Crown, he knew that this place could never ever be his home again.

Natherion looked south and started to walk, he did not know where he was going, but it was somewhere far away from here which was the best feeling he had felt all day.