TheLast
Dragon
"The dragons were meant to be dead.
But some things never die."
A novel by Y.J. Sargis · Fourth Draft · Complete
Of all the things that could go wrong, why this? And why today? Pyrus only had to do one thing for his father's celebration—and that was to be the one who delivered a bone from the great Sky Demon…
The World of Drakona
Long ago, there were dragons. And all the world hunted them, desperate to vanquish them from the world. Only four tribes did this as one, seeing merit in numbers. It was this collection of four which rid the world of the last dragon and these four which formed the kingdom of Drakona.
The ruling house of Drakona. Their claim to the throne rests on ancestor Alivar's defeat of the Sky Demon—the last dragon. The bones and their legacy belongs to them.
The CrownMasters of dragon scales and their enchantments. They craft scales into bonded pairs for many purposes.
The EnchantersDrakona's fiercest warriors. Thorac believes the Marrowkin stole the throne that is rightfully his—and the return of dragons is his proof. His Bloodguard answers to no one but him.
The WarbornBackbone of Drakona. They mine the salt that preserves the dragon's meat the entire kingdom depends upon. They make few appearances, but without them, much of the magic would die.
The FoundationThe Sisterhood that binds all four houses by blood. They are trained in the disciplines of every house. Draped in black and with their faces veiled, they live in the catacombs beneath every clan.
'Sisterhood above all else.'
The Dragon Relics
Makes the heart beat quicker, legs move faster. Applied to the skin it behaves like a living armor—clinging like a glove, conducting force and magic.
"His nostrils flared and burned as if he munched on a mouthful of cloves."
Ground to powder and smoked or ingested otherwise, the bones bring prophetic visions.
"The bones of dragons brought prophetic visions."
Heightens all senses at once—an overwhelming onslaught. Salted to preserve for centuries.
"It sounded like it was all happening just outside his ears."
Scales hold enchantments and must be bonded in pairs. Scrying scales allow communication across vast distances. Warding scales, placed in earth, create protective domes of light.
"A translucent and glowing wall grew up from them into the shape of a dome."
When Both Thumbs
Point Down
Once a year, the king and the All Mother smoke the bone of the Sky Demon together, inviting prophetic visions. They raise a hand—thumb up for hope, thumb down for doom. The last time both pointed down, a war nearly destroyed Drakona.
"Both of their thumbs pointed down."
Key Characters
The reluctant heir. The world has decided he isn't fit to be king—and he's starting to believe them. Yet fate keeps placing him at the center of everything.
The king's most trusted protector and Pyrus's quiet guardian. Unshakable, dependable—and the first to discover the Shimmers had returned.
A sister of the Covenexus chosen by the All Mother to accompany the quest. Sharp-tongued, perceptive, and impossible for Pyrus to stop thinking about.
Brutal and calculating. He believes the Marrowkin rule on a lie—and the return of dragons is the proof he's waited a lifetime for.
Ancient beyond reckoning. Light dies around her. She leads the Covenexus—the Sisterhood whose blood unites all four houses—and sees in visions what others cannot.
"Amongst the blood and guts Nash had pulled free, sat little specks of sparkling purple and silver. They looked like cottonwood. Only, they pulsed and glowed. His friend let go of the specks and they floated there, suspended in the air… Shimmers. Arendale felt his throat tighten as they bobbed and weaved through the air, slowly circling one another, each taking turns as their lights blinked on and off."— The Last Dragon, Chapter Three
Humble beginnings
They thought the dragons were dead
But some things never die.