The Lyle Quest

There weren’t always dragons in the valley.

The dragons were brought here by a group of humans who had been exiled from their homeland for religious reasons, and then forced to live out their lives as simple farmers on an isolated farmstead deep within the mountains.

There are many legends about how the dragons were first captured. Some say that they were lured into traps set by cleverly disguised humans, while others claim that it was done through trickery and magic. Whatever the method used, one thing is certain: the dragons would have never willingly come to this place.

The dragons were not the only creatures brought here; there were also unicorns and griffins, and even some lesser animals such as deer and bears. The dragons were kept separate from the other beasts, but with plenty of space to roam free.

It wasn't long before the dragons began to grow bigger and began to breed. The human farmers tried to keep them away from their livestock, but the dragons were too powerful and quickly killed any human or animal foolish enough to try to approach them.

With nowhere else to go, the humans built a small fortress near the center of the valley. This fortress was intended to be a safe haven for the humans, should the dragons ever decide to attack.

Many years later, the dragon population grew to such an extent that they could no longer be contained in the valley. They attacked the humans' village, killing everyone inside except for a handful of survivors.

As soon as word reached the humans of what had happened, they decided that it was time to leave the valley behind.

This story has been passed down through the generations and is now known throughout the land.

The Valley of the Dragons, a desolate region of mountains and caves, lies between two great mountain ranges. It is said to be home to a large number of dragons and is therefore considered dangerous.

However, this area is also rich in natural resources, and it is inhabited by several different tribes of humans. These tribes each have their own unique customs and beliefs, but they all share a common goal: survival.

Among the few survivors, a man named Leander, who wanted nothing more than to find a way back to his homeland had a plan. He was the leader of his tribe, and he led the rest of his followers across the continent to the far west. Here, they settled down and made a living farming the land.

This is where the story begins...

Leander's son, Lyle, was born shortly after the settlement was established. As he grew older, he became fascinated with the stories of the legendary dragons that lived in the surrounding mountains.

One sunny day Leander and Lyle head to the stables nearby their home.

Leander told Lyle as they walked that dragons were dangerous and unpredictable, and warned him to stay away from them if they ever came near their village.

Lyle followed his father's advice and spent most of his time working on the farm. He knew that the dragons were dangerous, but he couldn't help himself.

One day, when he was alone in the fields, he saw a dragon flying overhead. The sight of it took his breath away, and he felt something stir deep within his heart.

He ran towards the creature, determined to get closer. But as he approached, he realized that he was too slow. The dragon disappeared over the horizon, and Lyle stood there dumbfounded.

That night, he dreamed of the dragon.

In the dream, he was standing outside the cave where the dragons were held captive.

The dragons were locked away in a stone prison, but they didn't seem to mind. They seemed content to just sit there and watch the world pass them by.

Suddenly, the door to the cave opened. The dragon emerged, and Lyle gasped. It looked like the same dragon he had seen earlier that day.

"Hello, child," the dragon said.

Lyle's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you really talking to me?" Lyle questioned.

"Of course," the dragon replied. "What do you want to talk about?"

Lyle was speechless. He had never spoken to a real dragon before, and suddenly he found himself at a loss for words.

"Do you like my home?" the dragon asked.

"Yes, very much," Lyle answered.

Dragon: "Would you like to see it?"

Lyle nodded eagerly.

"Very well," said the dragon.

The dragon turned around and flew into the cave.

Inside, there were rows upon rows of cages containing hundreds of dragons.

The dragons looked at Lyle curiously.

"Why are you here?" one of them asked.

"My name is Lyle," he said. "I've come to visit you."

The dragons exchanged glances. "Is this true?" another asked.

"Yes, I am telling the truth," Lyle assured them.

"Well then, let us welcome our guest," said one of the dragons.

They all bowed low and gestured to a cage in the corner.

"Please come inside," they said.

Lyle stepped forward and entered the cage.

It was dark inside, but the dragons lit a torch and guided him along.

Soon, they came to a room where the walls were lined with shelves. The shelves were filled with dozens of books.

"These are our books," said the dragons. "We write them ourselves."

"Oh, I love reading!" Lyle exclaimed.

The dragons laughed. "That's funny," one of them said. "No one has ever said that before."

"You must be new here," another chimed in.

The dragons showed Lyle to a table in the center of the room and invited him to sit down.

"Tell us about yourself," they said.

Lyle told them everything. His family, his friends, his school, his hobbies, his hopes and dreams. And he told them about the dragon he had seen that day.

"So you want to see it again?" the dragons asked.

"Yes, please," Lyle answered.

One of the dragons approached the cage and pushed aside the bars.

"Come with me," it said.

Lyle climbed out of the cage and followed the dragon into the cave.

They walked through the empty halls and up the stairs until they reached a large room. Inside, there was a huge pile of treasure.

"This is our treasury," the dragon explained. "It contains all the things we have collected over the years."

Lyle stared in amazement. "It's so big!"

"But not as big as the dragons," the dragon replied.

"What do you mean?" Lyle asked.

Dragon: "You'll see."

The dragon picked up a gold coin and tossed it into the air. It landed on the ground, bounced once, and rolled to a stop.

"See?" the dragon said. "Just like that."

Lyle thought for a moment. Then he remembered what the dragon had said. "If I'm a dragon, then why can't I do that?"

"Because you're not a dragon," the dragon replied.

Lyle: "But you are."

Dragon: "No, I'm not. That's why I'm still here."

"But you're not a dragon," Lyle insisted.

"No, I'm not. But I can do many things that dragons can."

"Like what?" Lyle asked.

Dragon: "I can fly, for example."

"Can you really?" Lyle questioned.

Dragon: "Yes, I can."

Lyle: "Then prove it."

The dragon looked at him quizzically. "Prove it?"

Lyle: "Yes. Can you fly?"

Dragon: "Not yet. But I will."

The dragon smiled. "Thank you. Now, let's get you something to eat."

"Thank you, but I don't need anything right now," said Lyle.

Dragon: "Are you sure? Because you look hungry."

Lyle: "I'm fine. Really."

Dragon: "Okay, then. If you change your mind, just come and find me."

Lyle left the cave and returned to his father's house.

"Where were you?" Lyle's father asked.

"I was hanging out with dragons," Lyle answered. "And they're not as scary as people make them out to be."

"Oh, really? We need to build a fortress to protect ourselves from them," Leander said.

"Father, I think that's a terrible idea," Lyle said to him in a concerned tone.

"Why not?" Leander questioned.

Lyle: "Because the dragons aren't evil creatures. They're just like us."

Leander: "But they're not like us. They're magical."

Lyle: "They are not. That's a lie."

Leander: "I suppose you're right. Well, we can't afford to wait any longer. Let's start building the fortress tomorrow."

Lyle sighed. "All right."

The next morning, Lyle went to work on the fortress. He started by digging a hole in the ground and then began to stack rocks around it. The process was slow and tedious, but eventually, he managed to create a wall.

He worked hard every day, helping his father to construct the fortress. But as the days passed, Lyle began to notice something strange: whenever he got tired or bored, his thoughts drifted towards the dragons.

It was a warm spring day.

Lyle was sitting in his favorite spot on the hillside, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky.

He was enjoying his peaceful solitude when suddenly he heard a voice calling to him.

"Lyle!"

It was the dragon.

Lyle jumped up and turned around. "Hello?" he called.

The dragon approached, and Lyle could see that it was no ordinary beast. Its scales were golden and shimmering, and its wings were as beautiful as the sun itself.

"Hello," the dragon said. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Not at all," Lyle answered.

The dragon looked at him curiously. "Are you alone?"

Lyle: "Yes."

Dragon: "Where is everyone else?"

Lyle: "I don't know. I'm sorry."

Dragon: "Don't worry about it. Come with me."

The dragon took off into the sky.

Lyle watched him go, then turned back to the hillside.

“I wonder if Father is okay,” Lyle said.

Dragon's Vision: Father was sitting alone in front of the fire, staring into the flames.

"He's fine," said the dragon. "He's just busy."

Lyle: "How do you know?"

Dragon: "Because I'm always with him."

"You're not?"

Lyle: "No, I'm not. I'm with you."

Dragon: "Me?"

Lyle: "Yes, you."

"But, I don't understand."

Dragon: "Let me show you."

The dragon took off and flew into the sky.

After a while, he came to a large castle.