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Dragon Story Episodes
Dane the Dreamer

Long ago, in a corner of south

Grastaea, there lived a prince

named Dane.

His land was small, but his people

wanted for nothing. He knew no

greater pleasure than seeing his

family and subjects happy.

One day, the Lightwyrm appeared

before Dane. The simplicity of life in

Dane's kingdom puzzled the dragon.

"The royalty of distant lands enjoy a

much more lavish lifestyle," said the

dragon. "Surely you must have unmet

desires?" When Dane replied that he

did not, the dragon was impressed.

Praising Dane for his great humility,

the Lightwyrm offered to show him

something. He then bore the prince

upon his back and carried him high

into the heavens.

Perched on the dragon's back,

Dane's breath caught in his throat.

In the distance, lotus flowers

bloomed on clouds, creating

brilliant threads of light.

Its splendor was like nothing he had

ever seen upon the ground. Morning

passed into afternoon passed into

night, yet the radiance never faded.

Dane was utterly enchanted.

As they descended, Dane felt as if

he were waking from a dream.

"You have to take me there again,

Lightwyrm," he begged. "Please!"

"I will not," laughed the Lightwyrm.

"If you wish to return so badly,

you must find your own path.

For there is much in this world of

which you do not know."

"Go forth and conquer this land, its

peoples, and all the secrets it has to

offer. Then perhaps you will find your

own means of ascending into the

heavens."

Dane bowed his head. He knew now

how small his world was, and wished

to claim all Grastaea's wonders for

himself.

The dragon had stirred within Dane a

resplendent dream. Such brilliance,

however, casts a dark shadow.

Several months passed after Dane's

encounter with the Lightwyrm. For the

first time in his life, the prince had a

dream that consumed his every

waking hour.

He was utterly different from the kind

man he'd been before. He killed his

father, seized the throne, made his

people take up arms, and set out to

conquer unknown lands.

Cities fell to him by the hundreds.

He took hundreds of wives, killed

thousands of people, and claimed

more treasures than stars in the sky.

It was not long before Dane became

emperor. Just as it seemed he would

conquer Grastaea in its entirety,

however, he was struck down.

Upon hearing of Dane's demise,

the Lightwyrm chuckled. "I only

wish to know one thing: Did he

seem happy?"

Future generations would chide Dane

for letting the light of heaven blind

him to the earth beneath his feet.

But on his deathbed, the emperor

uttered these final words:

"I would rather want for what I do

not have than be satisfied with

what I do not know. That was

my choice. I do not regret it."

Dane's vast empire shattered into

pieces after his death, though their

continued intermingling gave rise to

various cultures.

People lose themselves to greed and

cause unspeakable tragedies, but

humans have always shown a talent

for rising up out of the ashes.