One could say the radiance of a bright and sunny day emanated from the dragon that strode through the cobbled path of the gilded temple. While some preferred a pile of gold, he had turned his into a fortress. Each golden tile was paved with only a thin layer of it, sure, but it meant he was always by his treasure.

Following his presence, gleaming, glowing creatures moved to fix any nicks as they brought the giant contraption behind them. On large wheels, a full and freshly killed beast was brought to bear before the golden throne that the dragon now sat upon. The kobolds moved to bring it out and began to lightly roast it with flaming breath. Then, the dragon took a bite.

“” Their tail idly wagged behind them as they said this and acted annoyed. All the kobolds glowed brightly as they moved to bow before their dragon. A huff left the creature as he glared down at them.

“” With some eager bites, they moved to devour it as each Kobold made no move to interrupt them. Well, at least none in the room did. As the golden doors creaked open, a dual-coloured kobold with wings stepped into the foyer. In stark contrast to the bright radiance around them, their scales shone with violets and orange.

“” With a bow, the kobold ignored the glares of the others as the figure leapt off the throne and smiled brightly.

“” With a skip to his step, the dragon moved to take into the air and follow the achingly slow kobold eastward.

The land of light stretched in all directions around the castle, but only for the first few miles. Once the radiance from the dragon faded, the land slowly shifted into a more natural landscape. Though even then, it all gleamed as the dragon passed by, reacting to the glow.

The further east they went, however, the less the plants responded to him. The territory changed from his into that of his sister. Each plant contained a purple hue that shied away from his intense light. With a brief grumble, he dimmed to a pale gold. A sign of respect toward his sibling.

Life in the territory of the dawn was one that started during dusk, and would end with the sunset. Munst in the area were semi-nocturnal, compared to his region which was fully diurnal. As they moved to land in front of a large tree, his gaze went up to the softly glowing sun that filtered through it onto the land below.

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Gliding down from the tree, a silvery dragon moved to descend as her scales reflected the colours of everything around her, shimmering with a rainbow of opalescent colour.

“” The two embraced with their heads curling around in a moment of gentle affection.

“” Eagerly, he shared the news about this ‘owing’ business. Dawn watched with interest, and considered it curiously. The idea was a sound one, a complexity their laws currently lacked. If they all joined together and allowed it into the laws, there would be even greater expression and growth.

“” Closing her eyes, Dawn bowed her head at the memory, seeing the mountains and earth they’d sent flying for carefully picked out planets. Each one would be ready to support life by their arrival.

“” A snort left Day as he turned away in annoyance. With a tilt of her long head, confusion riddled Dawn as she watched the reaction of her brother.

“” A flinch left her as a roar escaped Day.

“” Turning, he flared his wings and took to the sky to get some distance. Watching him fly around and roar in anger, Dawn let out a soft sigh.

“” Looking down, her expression fell as she thought back to those days when they’d first landed. They’d all been willing to help. It was even by a dragon’s hand that their barrier had been first created. Even she didn’t know where it had gone wrong.

Both her brothers disagreed, and now both she and Dusk were stuck in the middle. Yet...it seemed only she had realised why Midnight was so attached to the humans. It wasn’t a poison or infection, but the traces of creation. While all of them had contributed, none had done more than Midnight.

Desperately, they had sought to make a life not of their own creation, one with its own will. And they’d succeeded. Searing heat from above, cold malice from below. The world still carried the scars of the centuries on all of them. Turning her gaze to her own throne, she saw the kobolds waiting for her with smiles.

But were they truly waiting for her because they wanted to, or because they were programmed to? Was life only made to serve them? Each question weighed heavy on her mind. Midnight believed the humans to be the answer. Day believed the same. Both had come to different conclusions.

As for Dawn? The answer didn’t come to her as easily.