A dragon, so ferocious and unkind, often laid waste to the town below his fortress. How he scorned the tiny humans, viewed their existence as futile and saw the fragility in their life. If he felt bored, the mighty dragon and his ancient companions would journey down the mountain and torment the villagers. His deep laughs echoed far and wide, his flaming breath seen for miles.

From young, the mighty dragon faced foes from all corners of the realm. He learned that men were heartless and they would step over you to reach their goals. The dragon grew to hate all that weren't part of his family and would slaughter all that crossed his path. He cut his foes down with his four sharp talons and burned them with fire straight from hell. Not even his brothers would want to fight him.

Day in and day out, for many years, the five dragons, as brothers, trained to be stronger. Constantly fighting, constantly honing their skills. When it seemed like they reached their limit, they pushed harder. As more and more battle wounds appeared on their skin, the dragons sought the help of a powerful healer, one who did not care who he treated, as long as the pay was sufficient. As they tested their skill, their skin became harder, more durable for future fights. When they reached the peach of physical prowess, they felt like gods. But unlike them, the villagers didn't not share the same thoughts.

The villagers, tired of being hunted and tormented, sought out the power and skills of many brave warriors from across the land. The bounty for the dragon's head was high, and the greediest, nastiest of men and women gathered to take it. The mighty dragon loved the thrill of battle and the invitation to a challenge. He would fight alone if he alone was challenged. He sought no help from his brothers in the painful aftermath. He dealt with his wounds on his own. As the years went by, the mighty dragon grew tired of the repetition. While his abilities grew, his opponents remained the same, no matter the land they hailed from.

One man, however, had earned the respect of the mighty dragon. The dragon would never bow to this man, would never listen to this man the first time, but he would spare time thinking about the man's ideas. The mere fact that this dragon did not attack this man on sight bewildered his companions, but they soon found out why. Soon enough, the dragons would listen to the man, even come to look up to him. They would protect him from harm, and in return, the man would help them with their anger. A few years later, the villagers and the dragons learned to coexist.

A day came when the man made a request, asking the five dragons to watch over a dame from his village. The mighty dragon wished to participate in the war the man was fighting, to aid him in victory. But the man explained that it was not his time, that although he was strong, the man needed the dragon to protect this girl more than anything. The love this man had for her shocked the mighty dragon, but it made his determination stronger. With his skill and companions, the mighty dragon kept the girl safe for 16 full-moon cycles.

The man returned from the war, beaten, but still alive. He asked for the return of the girl, but the mighty dragon said nothing, did nothing to return her. He only ever loved gold and never truly understood the need for a partner, so he never tried. The girl, however, had shown him a kindness he never experienced and he learned to love her. The mighty dragon knew what he had to do and he led the man to his home. When the mighty dragon appeared, the girl ran to him and he was overjoyed, but his happiness vanished when the man pulled her away.

The man left the cave with the girl without saying a word to the mighty dragon. The dragon followed them out and watched as the girl trekked down the mountain. She looked back at him and smiled, shedding a tear for her love. The dragon tried to climb down to meet her, but his eyes caught the approaching figures. In the distance, Griffins flew in a flock.

The dragon roared. Mad that not only had the man not disposed of all the Griffins, but that his cave had now been discovered. As the mighty dragon rose into the air with his massive wings, he flew towards the approaching disaster. As powerful as he was, the dragon could not stop the chaos that ensued. An injured griffin snuck past the dragon and hit the mountain right above the girl. Rocks and boulders fell down the side of the mountain and the girl was thrown off the cliff.

From branch to branch she fell, tumbling towards the forest floor. The dragon noticed this and immediately abandoned the fight, diving down to catch her. Unfortunately, he arrived too late, and she crashed to the ground. 

Her eyes, wide open, stared up at the mighty dragon. The dragon himself, overcome with grief, fuelled a rage that burned from deep within him. The fury that boiled in his blood was none he had ever experienced before. Just before heading back to annihilate the griffin race, the dragon heard a small cry from the girl. She was still alive, there was hope. He wrapped his talons gently around her and took off for his healer.

The girl (this paragraph spoils so much. Gives away a lot. Kudos to for for trying, though) The man (kinda hope people like this story. Would give me a confidence boost, you know? ) could not protect (I was going to leave it in) left for other lands. The dragon (the spoilers, I mean. White them out) was ready to burn everything to the ground (and have someone like you uncover the truth. But I thought 'nah, better not.' Sounds fun, right?)  rushed to (donkey) the girl, but the girl screamed in terror at (cotton-eyed Joe. Hot damn!) She called out (for better days upon the horizon, a-YEAAAH YEAH YEAH ) The healer (did a little jig and a twist and a hop around the clock) returned to (a basket full of deep friend monkey) The mighty dragon, (balls) of the village,  had (a serious case of hay fever) His flame (all nice and warm, like a cookie) seemed (extra cheesy) broken. The dragon (saw the horrible picture he was tagged in) disappeared into the cave once more.