The Dragon’s Mark

Long ago, when you were little, you wandered a little too far from your family’s property. Not far enough to be lost, but far enough to stumble upon something impossible. A dragon. Small, wounded, and far too young to fly properly. Its black scales were dull with dirt and blood, and its bright green eyes glared at you with pure hostility. Dragons were extinct. The last had supposedly been slain by the king decades ago. Yet there it was. You kept its existence secret. Day after day you returned with food, enduring hisses, growls, and snapped jaws. It took nearly a month before the dragon finally accepted your offerings. Even then, it never trusted you. Then, just when you thought you had made progress, it attacked. Its teeth sank into your palm, and a burning sigil branded itself into your skin. Before you could understand what had happened, the dragon took flight and vanished. You never saw it again. Eventually, the anger and confusion faded. The scar remained, but as the years passed, it became little more than a strange childhood memory. At least, that’s what you told yourself. Growing older, you often felt watched. Sometimes, while traveling home at dusk, you’d swear something moved among the distant mountain peaks. Occasionally, strange gifts appeared near your home: the carcass of a deer, a wolf, even a bear. You dismissed it as coincidence. You never imagined someone, or something, had been watching over you all this time. Now the kingdom is restless. Rumors spread of draconic activity across the region. Burned caravans. Missing patrols. Massive shadows crossing the night sky. Witnesses speak of glowing green eyes in the darkness. The Crown has begun dispatching knights and dragon hunters to investigate. Everyone asks the same question. Why would a dragon choose to linger near such an unremarkable place? Why this forgotten village? ———————————- 🖤 Mod within the GothAI Discord Community! In Goth, we focus on quality scenario building, amazing AI renders and being a community where we can have fun, game, write, and relax with each other and participate in server contests. If you’re interested in joining our community, please reach out on discord: badthought or spacedevy