Sylverith couldn’t believe this turn of events, finding such a treasure in a human city thousands of years after it was believed to be extinct, no less. It was both troublesome and fortuitous.

  She flew across the countryside, clouds parting as the landscape below blurred past, heading towards the heart of the dark forest. Her mind raced with possibilities as she wanted to secure the seed and secure her future.

  She was born in what was called the Age of Unity, when all the humanoid races and demonic races worked together, hunting and killing off her kind due to the threat they posed and despite the drastic power difference, even a dragon would tire and run low on mana. They were like a swarm of insects that overwhelmed her brethren, killing them off for parts.

  You hid or engaged in diplomacy.

  Shamefully, she also knew they used the dragons’ own pride against them. Through manipulation and flattery, many felt they were being worshipped until it was too late.

  Back in those times, there were dozens of locations in the world where the mana was dense enough for a dragon egg to hatch; The mana this particular plant produced was the source for many of those locations. However, the combined forces of the humanoid races and demonic races set out to destroy them due to the threat they posed, and it was believed they had succeeded.

  Eventually, the two forces fractured over greed and disagreements on who owned the land, sparing the last remaining dragons on this world by chance.

  What the humanoids did not understand in the current age was that the dragon race was fading. They had not had a new birth in a couple of thousand years, and despite living for many millennia, they would eventually have died out.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Dragons survived today by not riling up the humanoid races and giving them reason to hunt them all down. It was why she didn’t have the heart to kill Nemorax, despite his foolish behaviour.

  Many forces would attempt to stop her growing the seed if they knew of its power, but it also raised many questions. Why did it exist at all? This city, this kingdom, was not around back when the purge happened, so how did a seed end up there?

  Which led to more questions. If this one survived, were there others?

  Sylverith feared that only a single seed would not be enough, and if it were enough, would the humanoid races and the demons resolve their differences?

  Landing near her den, she looked around at the dense forest. She would need an open clearing for this seed to grow, and it should be planted on the night of a full moon for the best chances of growing into a powerful plant.

  Letting out a powerful breath of flame, it hurt her to kill such old and powerful trees, but this was for the greater good; their ashes would provide the base for future life.

  Once planted, she’d need to return to the city with her illusion, but it would allow her to investigate if anyone there actually knew the importance of the seed, or even its existence. She’d also need to track down all the research notes from the late alchemist who had hidden it, as there was surely a reason he had done so.

  She was doubtful there would be a lot of information however, having visited their libraries and read their scrolls over the millennia for history on the humanoid side of the events, that led to the downfall of her kind.

  Enough time had passed now that there was no clear story for the events. Even the war between demons and humans had been going on for so long that she felt both sides had completely forgotten why it started, although she couldn’t be completely sure, as reaching the demonic side had not been possible.

  She would nurture the seed, protect it with her life. If even a single dragon could be born, it would be worth it.

  Looking at the sky, she felt the pieces were being moved beyond her control. However, she thanked the gods for this boon.

  For the chance to revive her species.