00 - Prologue

Deep into the forest.

A massive dragon with rock-like scales covering its body can be seen pounding its massive feet on the earth, producing mild vibrations. Just as he was about to lie down and take a sleep in his newly adjusted bed, he heard a baby's scream burst loudly from a few feet away. He shrugged it off at first, but the sound persisted until the second, third, and finally, the fourth when his patience completely snapped, his eyes bulged wide awake with veins, and it reflexively whips its massive tail in rage, shattering the trees.

He stood there for a few seconds, seething steam from his mouth, unable to control his anger. Its ears moved to check if the sound was still there, which it wasn't anymore. But, just to be sure, he walked over to the source of the noise to check on this troublemaker. He couldn't find anyone after a few twists of his head, much to his surprise. He heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to go back to sleep. He grasped and encircled himself in comfort, but just as he was about to fall asleep again, a very loud roar exploded into his left ear, so loud that his face turned pale and he was made speechless.

He had never felt so ashamed in his 400 years of existence. Who would dare to challenge or offend a being that has lived for so long and fought its way to control one of the largest territories in this forest? This is unacceptable, he reasoned in his mind. He instantly recovered from the shock and turned around to see who had the audacity to insult him. He roared back and stood up to adopt his attacking position.

But, to his surprise, no one was there.

He couldn't see a single being no matter how many times he turned to look around. But he was certain of it because he had heard the roar, which had pierced his entire soul out of shock. I can't possibly have gone insane, right? He pondered. And self-doubt began to envelop him. But, just as he was about to fall from lunacy, he heard the same voice again, only this time it was filled with laughter. He looked for the source of the sound right away, and this time he was horrified. He beheld a being incomparable to anything he'd seen over the years, that he might as well call it his first. It resembles his pal, a fire monkey, but at the same time, it is not.

Where did this tiny creature come from?

It giggles as it looks at him with wide sparkling blue eyes. For a minute, the stone dragon finds it cute. Whatever it is, it looks like this kid is abandoned and has nowhere else to go. He thought. "I guess it's just you and me".

He gently lifted the child with his tail, but when the child sneezed, it transformed into various creatures, large and small; he instinctively let go of the child because he was terrified by what he had just witnessed. After a few seconds, the child returned to normal, smiling at him with drowsy eyes.

"I-I guess you're sleepy now, huh?"