The Journey of the Last Draconian
Long ago, when the world was young, and fantastical creatures lingered in every nook and cranny, lived the Draconians, majestic, wise dragonfolk bearing the essence of the ancient dragon gods. Yet, our tale is not about a powerful civilization; it's about the last Draconian, Adrastos.
Adrastos grew up hearing tales of greatness and courage about his kin from his father. The Draconians, though intimidating in appearance, had hearts warmer than the brightest candle. But they were mercilessly hunted down by humans, who feared their power and coveted their precious dragonstone, a stone filled with immense mystical energy.
The onslaught didn't spare Adrastos' family. Young and bewildered, he became the last of his kind. He witnessed the brutality inflicted upon his kind, fostering a deep-seated animosity towards humans. But through his father's sage advice, Adrastos learned that just like the Draconians, not all humans were the same. Some might even become friends.
For centuries he eluded capture, living secretly amongst humans, always careful not to let his true identity be discovered – a single Draconian in a sea of hominids. He found a home in an old forest near a quaint village, blending into the scenery. The villagers knew him as an odd, yet kindly hermit and respecting his wish for solitude, they rarely bothered him.
One day, a prophecy spread across the lands – The sky would turn red, and the world would tremble unless the dragonstones were returned to the dragon god’s shrine; a shrine only Draconians knew the path to. The prophecy alluded to the humans’ own greed becoming their downfall. Their oblivious actions had stirred the wrath of the ancient gods.
As the days passed, the prophecy started manifesting. The human world noticed strange occurrences: crops withering, rivers drying up, and endless winters. The prophecy had breathed a new wave of fear in the hearts of mankind.
In the midst of chaos, a young human girl named Zara discovered Adrastos' secret. However, rather than being afraid, she was curious. When questioned, Adrastos shared the prophecy's truth. Terrified yet determined, Zara proposed a quest, a journey to return the dragonstones to the shrine, to which Adrastos reluctantly agreed, marking the beginning of an unlikely alliance.
Together, they ventured on the rugged trails and faced nightmarish beasts. Slowly, a bond grew between them, a blossoming friendship nurturing a sense of hope in Adrastos’ weary heart. Zara, with her unwavering courage and kindness, was proving humans’ potential for goodness to him. He trained her in ancient Draconian magic, and together they vanquished formidable foes and reclaimed the dragonstones.
They reached the dragon shrine after many perilous months. However, unbeknownst to them, a power-hungry human king had followed them, intending to seize the dragonstones for his own whims. A fierce battle ensued, during which Zara held her own while Adrastos faced the king.
In a climactic confrontation, Adrastos, though wounded, managed to defeat the king. As he stumbled towards the altar to reinstall the dragonstones, he collapsed. In those critical moments, Zara stepped forward, confidence ignited by her newly learned magic and bravery.
As the dragonstones returned to their rightful place, the shrine lit up, and a colossal ethereal dragon roared, visible even from miles away. The plummeting world returned to balance, the prophecy was averted, and Zara became the human world’s saviour.
Adrastos, wounded and aged, didn’t survive the journey back. But he lived to see the prophecy’s end and died acknowledging the potential for harmony between his own forgotten kin and humans. Zara, in a heartfelt farewell, promised to pass on his legacy and the story of the last Draconian to generations to come, bolstering the hope that one day, dragons and humans might coexist peacefully.