In the sacred city in the clouds the rulers and kings of the realm convened to discuss the issue of the dragon. A beast of darkness had risen to power in their world and none were mighty enough to thwart him. He had burned their fields save for a wagon or two full of grain. The kingdom was starving. No one knew what to do. The dragon was fierce, with scales black as the night. Weapons of man could not penetrate his hide. He snorted out fire and scoffed at their feeble attempts to slay him. Nothing had been successful and the kingdom became desperate. “I refuse to stand by and watch my people suffer any longer,” Princess Antisse spoke. She was the ruling monarch of the province of Panteria. She was a scholar and lover of books, but she was still young in the understanding of war and government. Her parents were among those fallen at the dragon’s hand. She retained the title of princess, because she did not yet find herself worthy to be addressed as queen until her kingdom was safe. “If I can do nothing to intervene while my people are being destroyed, then this tiara is nothing more than a fool’s hat. It is time we stand and fight.” The sages looked at her with sadness in their eyes. One of them finally arose to speak. He was a monk, named Armok, who had overseen the kingdom for centuries. “Your highness, I understand your frustration, but we have tried all we know. We’ve never seen a beast this fierce. Our greatest warriors and wizards have done nothing but fuel his aggression. In all of my time watching over this land I have only seen one monster as fierce as this one and his name is forbidden. His soul was lost to hades and none have ever been as powerful.” “Then I shall summon the ferryman myself and request his help.” “Your highness that is impossible. And even if you could survive the journey, there’s no guarantee he would be interested in our plight at all.” “I suppose you are right, Councilor. Can the beast be reasoned with?” “Not to our knowledge, but to be honest I’m not sure anyone has tried. Our first contact was when Bartholomew the Fourth charged him with a lance. Maybe we should have tried diplomacy, but we would have been thought fools. Who tries to reason with a dragon?” “Then I shall do just that. Handmaids! Gather me some commoner’s clothes so that I may approach the dragon in disguise. Fetch me my harp and a wanderer’s sack at once. Two maidens shall accompany me in the morning and we will venture to try to soothe the beast.” The words Antisse spoke sounded mad to all who heard, but they did not try to stop her. None of them had any better ideas. At dawn Antisse and her two maids, Arian and Kantistian, made their way to the beast’s last known location. Arian was the youngest and fairest of the queen’s servants. Her heart was wretched when her masters were slain. She was the first to volunteer upon hearing of the princess’ desire for companions on this quest. Her love for her country was great and she desired more than anyone to see the beast’s temperament improve. “Milady, if I may be so bold, what makes you think we can do anything to stop the beast?” Arian said. “When you’ve run out of options you take what you have left at your disposal and you demand that it work. But we can’t waste time. I have a plan. You’ll understand more later.” The three arrived at a cave twenty miles south of the border of the capitol city. Here is where the dragon was believed to be residing. The smell of the burning trees overwhelmed their senses. There was no doubt this is where the dragon had spent much time. They approached the mouth of the cave and the beast’s mighty howl echoed through the skies. “Beast! I demand that you come out here and face me!” With a roar the colossal dragon slithered its body out into the light. Looming over the princess, roughly seventeen feet tall. “As monarch of this province I wish to resolve this peacefully. Who sent you to terrorize our people? Who is your master?” With a raspy and deep voice the beast hissed “I am my own master!” He stretched out his neck and began to prepare a blast of fire. The beast swung his neck around and prepared to strike the princess. His breath of fire set the grass aflame. He knocked over trees as the princess artfully maneuvered away from his blows. Her dress had been singed around the bottom, but nothing enough to get in her way. She was trying to tire him out, but she could see that plan would not be sufficient. His immense body could move farther and faster with every step. She backed into the wooded trail continually prancing back and forth to avoid his blows. Kantistian had been sent to seek refuge in the dragons lair and search for clues as to who unleashed the beast. Arian was still by Princess Antisse’s side. As the two focussed on avoiding the dragon’s fire, the tail whipped around and struck Arian in the chest. The princess cried in desperation as she watched Arian sail backwards into the brush. There was no time to check on her. Antisse needed to act before any others were harmed. They were far enough away now from the Dragon’s lair for him to easily escape. It was time to set in motion her master plan. Her eyes were locked on the dragon’s every step. Moving in sync with him in harmonious choreography. The princess retrieved her harp and masterfully plucked the strings in time. She played the sweetest melody. The dragon was dazed. With each note he swayed in time as if hypnotized by her song. She played and she played. She kept her song going for hours. The song echoed through the countryside giving her people hope. The dragon was locked inside her trance. Her fingers were sore and her arms fatigued, but with each drop of blood falling from their tips she determined to keep it up just a little longer. Day turned to night and night was about to break into dawn. As the sun rose a streak of red and orange struck the dragon from beyond the horizon. He had fallen into a deep sleep. The sun continued to beat down upon him and the longer he slept, he began to change in form. His body was shrinking. His scales turned white and feathery. His snout turned to a beak and his tail dissolved into wispy feathers. The dragon that had tormented her world was once again returned to his true state by the power of her song. The tiny bird lay asleep on the ground and the princess gently placed it inside a cage made of solid crystal. Kantistian retrieved Arian and they were able to follow the wreckage the dragon left in its swath, through the charred and broken forest path. When they were able to reunite with Antisse they saw her in a clearing, alone seated on the ground. Exhaustion overtook her countenance. She looked up at them holding a bird cage with a beautiful white bird inside which they had never seen before. “The cage is special. It was carved by an ancient guild of dwarves who helped stop the dragon long ago. I was unsure if this was the same dragon or even the same breed, but I had to try. The sages do not know the story, but in the secret texts of the royal family we read about the dragon who attacked this world in the Second Age. The song is his weakness and the sunlight is the key that seals him inside his mortal body. The bird was cursed and set free to ravage our kingdoms. I do not know how he has retuned, but this cage captures the sunlight and is able to keep him asleep. He shall be locked away for thousands of years.” Arian quivered. Joy overcame her until she fell to her knees. The land was free and she had the privilege of witnessing it. “Milady that is beautiful.” Kantistian approached the princess with her head hung. “There was nothing in the lair of the beast that spoke of its origin. I’m afraid I have failed you.” “No maiden. You have not failed me. You can’t find what isn’t there. It will forever be a mystery, but what is important is my people now are safe!” Antisse personally carried the cage back to the capitol city and beyond to the city among the clouds. There she presented her prize to all the royal advisors. She instructed her most trusted guards to place it in a sealed cave miles underground. The sunlight contained in the crystals of the cage would keep it from escaping. It would never harm her people again. Antisse bowed her head and Armok placed the royal crown upon it. As she arose, Armok and all the other royals, leaders, scribes and viziers bowed, and together in unison they cheered “Long live the queen!”