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[Kali Thorne]

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Upon embarking on my quest, to learn what I may from the creatures that lived within the dungeon, I wondered to myself what it was that the Lord Commander was hoping I would obtain from the journey. I had been given the instructions to travel to the Dungeon Destard, and there I was to learn from the Dragons, and retrieve for the Lord Commander some of their scales, twenty of them to be exact.

As I made my way to the dungeon, I pondered on the meaning of this quest. At first it had seemed quite simple, as the Dungeon of Destard is in complete opposition of the virtue of Valor. Facing a dragon certainly would take courage, the principle from which Valor is derived, but like all creatures, I was sure that these too would have a weakness. It would be my goal to discover this weakness. I arrived at the entrance of the dungeon and from outside I could hear the roars of the magnificent creatures and their counterparts, the drakes and wyrns that share the dungeon as their home. I also could hear the screams of victory as well as pain and anguish of the warriors that were inside the dungeon.

I entered the dungeon slowly, and I made sure to stay to the shadows, my bow in hand just in case one of the beasts smelled me and decided to make me into a quick snack. I watched as the warriors bravely went toe to toe with the dragons and the drakes, and quickly brought them down one by one. As I watched, I noticed something peculiar. Not once did a dragon, nor a drake, make its way outside of the dungeon. They could have easily left the dungeon, and proceeded to wreak havoc on the nearby towns and villages, but they did not desire that. It seemed farthest from their minds.

In truth, these creatures were doing little more than protecting their home and their young. It were the warriors that I then began to watch. What had first appeard to me as heroism and valor, quickly turned to something different... greed. I watched as warrior after warrior slew dragons and drakes, taking for themselves the treasures and leaving behind the hides, the meat and the scales to rot. A truth began to dawn.

As children we are told tales of the horrible dragon and the magnificent knight that rides up on his noble steed and slays the dragon, often times rescuing a beautiful damsel in distress. Perhaps, that story is told incorrectly. Perhaps it is the dragon that is protecting the damsel, and the supposed valiant knight that is once again being greedy. These creatures here in the dungeon were not the monsters that they were made to be in those tales our mothers told us as we difted off to dream. These creatures are incredibly intelligent beings, and when approached with respect, they are often times eager to assist their humans. They are loyal creatures, and they lay down their lives to protect the things that they value. Perhaps the dungeon is named incorrectly, for these creatures embody the very meaning of Valor.

I slowly came out of the shadows and I asked a man if he would mind my taking the scales of the dragon he had just slain. He laughed at me as if I were a fool, for he was there only for the gold and the fame of slaying the creatures. As I knelt beside the creature, I could not help but thank it for all it taught me. I thought about how the Kingdom of Sanctus had chosen its symbol, the Dragon, wisely. The kingdom is in many ways similar to the dragon. Those within Sanctus are loyal and we are not afraid to fight and stand for our beliefs and convictions. We do not seek to destroy, rather we seek to protect the ideals that have been set before us. Unlike other governments, Sanctus does not cower in fear or turn tail and run when we are confronted or when times are perhaps a bit dark.

My time within the dungeon came to an end. I thanked the dragons once again. The scales and the hides would help protect those of Sanctus, those so similar to the beast itself. Mostly I thanked it for the wisdom I had gained. It was something I would not have found or learned in a book.

I write this now, so that others might also learn from it.