The newspapers were carried off by the loving wind

a storm was blossoming in the skies as the clouds slowly turned gray

the streets were vacant, empty of anything living except stray animals

buildings were deserted, no sign of life living inside them

a couch stayed overturned

a bowl of popcorn was left untouched

the cash register was a shattered mess on the floor

and money was no longer needed because there would be no one there to use it—for now

everything was free because nobody owned it

there was nothing but the towers now

egg-shaped ships with rings around them were descending from the sky, bringing forth materials from other worlds

smaller ships, made for welding, were taking the materials and building structures

fossil fuels, left over from The Great Dying, were being harvested

A pink dragon watches from her tower. Her human pet asks her, “why are they taking the soil?”

"Its for analyzing,” she tells him, “I want to scan what was left behind on this world.”

Together, they watch the welding ships superheat the metals in place

human structures were allowed to stay, but above them, highways and buildings would be built

that is the plan.

The giant dragons with tentacle-like appendages were still digging up the pillars from beneath

they were still hard at work, descending from the clouds to pick up the pieces

on the outside, where everything was quiet, there was a sign of life at the towers

thousands, maybe millions, were forced behind these fences

Many dragon overlords told their humans that the next step for evolution was arriving and that no more would earth, humanity, and dragons, suffer

there were outcries from the crowds that gathered to view these messages

to dragons, humans did not understand

Some dragons ask, 'Why do they hate us so much?'

Some dragons would wonder, 'why help the humans? Especially after causing so much pain upon draconic bodies?'

As the days went by, the groups of dragon gods on Earth had expanded their rule

they melded and created for the sake of preservation

when the structures above had been fully constructed, people were allowed back into their cities

human rule was to be restored, but under the watchful eye of dragons

World leaders gathered in Rome, as did the draconic families and personnel in charge of Earth’s upkeep

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some human leaders expressed interest in revenge while others wanted to leave it alone

A grateful leader said, ”We thank you for coming here to save earth.”

And from the opposition, ”Save earth? They’re here to control us.”

and another, “are we going to forget the way they fought us and herded us like cattle? I hear some of us are slaves to these wyrms.”

Dragons made their case

An Storm dragon speaks first, ”Reika was ours from the beginning. We just allowed you to grow. Maybe we should have culled your species.”

Reika, the primordial earth...

An earth amphitere quickly has her input, ”we only want what’s best for the world. Saving it will save you. We want to get along with you.”

A young, dark orange fire wyvern steps forward, ”We want justice, for the way you treated us. Many of our hatchlings were victims to you people. Your justice systems—or whatever the fuck you call it—never worked to put away humans that hurt us.”

A person opposes that, “now, I wouldn’t say it never worked.”

”Why else was this war started? Even our god said this.”

These arguments went on and on.

Emperor Aronne made a public speech, apologizing for his son’s actions.

Ashuton stood behind him, with his Other-to-be, Nari, beside him

Aronne noted the plight of dragons, and that war was inevitable because humans refused to stop

but...

”Dragons have suffered enough. And I, I have failed to act quickly in saving my people. Ashuton took on a burden that he should not have to bear. I take full responsibility for this failure.”

Live, where the whole human world could watch, he would mark this day

He shifted into his wyvern form and walked to the gathered crowd of world leaders, both human and dragon

with the spiked end of his tail, he signed his mark on a ruby tablet

He looks back at the cameras and says, ”Let this be the day we are united, truly.”

As days progressed to years, as things eased, humanity had returned to what it once was

but those towers above the cities were a permanent part of the landscape

a permanent warning, step out of line again and these towers will be your home

There were skirmishes here and there

and there were those that wished to bring down the Dragon Empire

to many, those “radicals” could not see that the dragons were directing Earth towards greatness