When The Last Leaf Falls

1.

Silence... Endless silence had pervaded the world. No matter how many leagues I travelled, it was the same. Desolation had established its hold and would not relent. The movement of my wings was the only natural cadence that remained, and it was all my fault.

For eons I had watched the world from atop my home in the mountains. I had watched as the humans developed, increasing their knowledge of magic, technology, and the inevitable product of mixing the two: warfare.

I had watched as my dragon brethren died off at the hands of the tiny bipedal monstrosities. I could not blame my kin for falling into the traps. All dragon-kind has an innate compulsion to cherish life, kindling the fires of it in any way possible. But unlike the other dragons, I had chosen to do so by staying in isolation –away from the humans who had proven they were not a symbiotic creature of the planet. I had spent many ages with the humans and helped to guide them along, but as their tendencies changed from creation of life to its destruction, I found my compulsion was torn. To stop their carnage would mean harming them, leaving me in loop of torment.

At first glance one would not be wrong to assume humans were mammals, but by studying their habits, I had come to a different conclusion. Every other living creature on the planet would develop a synergy with their surroundings –but whenever humans occupied a space, they would multiply to the point that they consumed all the resources in their area and could only survive by migrating and beginning the cycle anew.

Yes, humans are a virus, I had concluded.

The steady beating of my wings continued as I combed through the landscape for any sign of life. For the first time I felt what must be panic. Every moment that went by, I was drawn closer to death. What bitter irony that after what must have been thousands of years confined in my lair, I had left only to attempt to prolong my existence –as if, for all intents and purposes, I weren't dead to the world already.

Dragons do not feed the same way as other beings, at least once they have matured. Our sustenance is life itself. This is not to say that we steal life from others like parasites or leeches, but instead we draw energy from the vibrations and warmth of all the living beings around us. Animals, insects, and of course humans were always near, so a dragon would never starve. Until now.

And so it was that I searched. While I suspected it was a search in vain, my survival instincts urged me to press on in the hopes that somewhere, something had survived.

It was amazing how suddenly it had all begun and how quickly it had all come to an end. Just two days prior, the land and waters had been teeming with life. Then the land was littered by corpses and all remained still.

Then suddenly I saw it. There was movement on the horizon.

2.

Within an instant, I managed to break from the inertia I had fallen into and surged forward. The wind was a tempest in my wake. Just a little farther, I thought –but something wasn’t right. Where is the warmth? Where is MY warmth?

With an echoing rumble, I landed on the precipice where my hopes lay. The rock edge was home to a stately castle. The tall walls were polished to a brilliant sheen by the work of an "aesthetics magician," as they were called. Of all the wonderful uses magic has, to think some dedicated their life to these frivolities. What a waste.

I searched with every sense I had but detected nothing. There was no motion, with the exception of the castle banners waving in the wind. I smelled the beginnings of decay, and I felt... nothing. Whatever I saw from the distance was hiding. Or had there even been anything there in the first place?

Frantically, I clawed through the exterior of the structure, the lingering defensive enchantments snapping like twine. They may have succeeded against the weapons of men, but I am more. I am magic incarnate.

Proud battlements and bastions crumbled away, leaving rubble and dust –but still I found nothing. In a small corner of my mind, I noted that my ferocity was unbecoming of a dragon, for our nobility and intellect had been revered by all, but it seems reason has less purchase in the face of despair. The part of me with these concerns had once dictated my actions, but preservation had taken hold of my resolve.

Then there was pain.

I felt the blood running down a laceration on my leg. With a roar as feral as a wild beast, I unleashed the full force of my front claws on my assailant. The figure tumbled across the ground and slammed into a piece of the crumbling structure. The eyes staring back at me were crimson orbs of light that showed neither fear nor pain –only apathy.

A golem... I was not only fooled by but injured by a puppet. The body was of earthen composition and armoured by the same glossy material as the castle. I watched the golem as it attempted to regain its footing to no avail. The damage it had sustained was too great and though it did not feel pain, a body can only function if it has the means to.

A thought occurred to me while I watched it struggle: Golems are creatures of magic; bound to those they serve... So, who or what is this thing acting for? Admittedly, I knew little of these constructs; however, it was my understanding that few had remained since the secret to their making had disappeared many years ago, making those that remained very valuable.

With a laboured effort, the being toppled onto its front and began to claw its way towards me. I observed as it inched closer bit by bit, all with a blank stare that concealed its purpose. I waited until the pitiful frame came close, savouring the torment that I convinced myself it was enduring. As it raised its arm and converted its hand into a magic edge the colour of its eyes, I snapped my jaws and in one swift motion removed the head and outstretched arm and the body went limp.

I had never witnessed the death of a golem before, but something about it felt... familiar. A haunting presence reverberated through my whole being until it was no more.

The construct lay on the on the ground, and all was still –all except the lifeblood streaming down my leg, which had slowed to a trickle. Dragons are blessed with the ability to heal quickly, but it seems we took it for granted. I felt a substantial amount of my already dwindling energy dissipate. Of course, it makes sense that our healing factor would come from the living beings around us, but until that moment I had never actually had to take notice of that fact. The mending of my flesh had always just happened automatically. As easy as breathing... a tide cradling the shore and taking its leave once more.

I will have to be more careful now, I told myself.

Since I had found the source of the movement and it had proven to be lifeless, I took flight once more –away from the wreckage I had wrought and towards everything and nothing all at once.

3.

Two more days passed. Two days of mindless, agonizing, infuriating nothingness, punctuated only by the same cadence of my wings. Great cities came and went, hollow in their stasis. No longer full of humans milling about like ants.

The fifth day of my travels brought me to the Grand Magus Citadel of Dragon's Blight. A fitting name for the necropolis of my kin. Why the Magi had lured the other dragons there, I thought I would never know. What I did know is that a spell had been carelessly cast. The malediction had originated from that area. The reverberations from the deadly magic were still fresh and acrid, opposing each other but succinctly conjoined in an abominable amalgamation.

At the very least, fate had given me one thing: all those who trained there, studied there, experimented, tortured, and killed there... were gone. Well, gone in a sense. Their bodies were still present, after all. It would take time for the decay to run its course –longer now without other creatures to feed and facilitate the transition –but it would happen.

All the power in the world, only to end up somatic husks rotting for the rest of eternity.

In the desolate ruins of the Citadel, I could see more of the detestable golems shuffling about. Their gazes were drawn to me as I soared above –a full spectrum of colours illuminating the gloom like lanterns on the misty sea. The magic in them clearly was still alight even without an apparent master to feed from, which still perplexed me.

How are they still functioning? Do they still have a purpose? And how long will they survive? If you can call it that...

Lost in thought, I passed the city and absently observed as my shadow engulfed a thicket of trees. I was contemplating my circumstances for what must have been the thousandth time when I noticed exactly what I was looking at: trees, green and living. No sign of the perpetual decay I had become accustomed to. It wasn't much, maybe only four or five acres, but it was something.

I cast out my senses for anything that may have been inhabiting the grove, hoping beyond all hope for some birds, squirrels, or any other manner of creature, but nothing was to be found.

Remaining cautious after my encounter with the golem, I decided to land in a clearing so I could survey the area. The moment I touched the ground, something began to change. I felt like I was surrounded by light, but I could feel the forest dying along the perimeter. The decay was slow but was coming nonetheless; but that wasn't all. Just ahead was something small and warm: a heartbeat, faint as a whisper but to me, it was like a war drum. I could feel my vigour and stamina rejuvenating; I had never experienced anything so intoxicating.

Without thought, I rushed towards the source with an eagerness and whelp-like joy I had thought lost. With every step, the warmth increased until it had suffused me to my core. The rational part of my mind that I had sealed off also started to strengthen until it overshadowed what I had become. I remembered who I was and shivered at how feral I turned in such a short time. There was no difference between myself and a savage beast, and no matter how much I wished it weren't so, I begrudgingly admitted that deep down I had enjoyed it. After isolating myself for so long and cowering away from the world, it felt good to lash out.

At long last, I came to where it was –the source of the warmth and life. My head nudged through a copse of trees and in horrific elation, I saw the human.

4.

My claws gripped the earth, and I bore my fangs from tip to base. My sense of self was rapidly tearing itself apart in a confused cacophony of conflicting impulses. The need for that invigorating warmth was there, but so was the need to flee. The need to aid a living being gripped at my rage, but so too did the need for revenge, both in a desperate tug-of-war.

The child was so small and helpless, especially given its current condition. Not much more than a babe, it lay curled in a ball in an attempt to keep its temperature stable. Dark locks of near-black hair covered its face, but even still I could see how gaunt it was from malnourishment. The garments it wore were of fine green silk –pleasing to the eye but inappropriate for the climate.

Wary of a potential trap, I scanned the environment for signs of danger. The child's chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, a low rasp slipping through his teeth, but all else was still. My leg twitched at the memory of its assault, a reminder of what could happen if I let my guard down.

The tension in the air was palpable and with constant vigilance I examined the child. Its dark hair came just below its shoulders. With its body cradled in a ball, it was difficult to determine how large or old the creature was. It looked big enough that it should be able to walk, which I had always thought took too long compared to the young of other animals. To be so helpless for so long is truly pitiable.

Slowly, my apprehension began to ease. My newly strengthened sense of self gave me the confidence to inch towards the figure while my savage instincts were still frozen between fight and flight. Up close it seemed even smaller –and much more fragile. It clearly hadn't eaten in days. The olive skin was taut and its claws, while well groomed, were full of dirt.

This very well could be the final human left, I mused, and it would be so easy to end it once and for all.

With the humans gone, the world would undoubtedly heal; it would just take time. Gaia had survived for millennia and would do so even after we all passed on, though I could not fathom what it would become after all the damage it had sustained.

The instinct to fight gained ground in the battle raging on in my psyche, and I lifted my claw in anticipation of one last blow to eradicate their kind, just as they had attempted with mine. But the creature stirred from its slumber just in time to sow the seeds of doubt in my resolve. His face, for it was certainly that of a young boy, was a strange amalgamation of peace and pain.

Gingerly, I reached out with my talon, no longer seeking to kill but for contact. Heat was sapped from my limb as it flowed towards the child. Next, I lowered my snout and scented the boy, who had the aroma of flowers found in a summer field.

As his temperature rose, his eyes slitted open just enough for me to glimpse violet irises that had yet to scrutinize what they were seeing. Lethargy tried to hold firm, but soon the boy uncoiled, stretched, then allowed a long, high-pitch yawn to escape his muzzle. Then he finally took note of me, and the deafening silence of the past week was broken with a scream.

5.

I don't blame the little creature for having been afraid. I was many times larger than he, and neither of us knew yet if I was friend or foe.

In the canopy above, there was a cluster of ruby red raeberries. Gently, I plucked the branch free with my teeth and gingerly lowered it to the feeble creature, backing away slightly to give it space.

“Here you are, little one,” I said, hearing my voice for the first time in Gods know how long.

The child bore a confused expression for an instant, and the next he was gorging on the fruits voraciously, with barely a pause for breath.

While watching him eat, I noticed that the ground by the tree had been scuffed and the bark showed signs of an attempted climb. The child must have been trying to feed itself but wasn't able make it up.

It appeared the boy ate too quickly, and he proceeded to vomit the newly acquired contents from his stomach before they had time to digest, after which he let loose an awful wailing noise that seemed to last a full eternity. A concept of time I had never pondered before, even in my centuries-long isolation.

Learning my lesson, I removed a bundle of the berries to leave just a small amount for when the banshee decided to try eating again.

Insufferable creature can't even eat properly.

The child choked off his sobs and stood up. With shaking legs, he waddled in my direction. Before I could think, I bared my fangs once more and let loose a seismic growl that froze him in his tracks. Rational or not, I was no fool, and therefore not so forthcoming with my trust as to give it that quickly –even to something so pathetic as the tiny human.

Looking affronted for just a moment before his attention was pulled elsewhere, he sped off, half tumbling, until he stopped in front of something I had not noticed before: a small insect that had also been spared from the blight outside our modest sanctuary. The insect was visually vibrant, with a wild array of colours that shimmered and shifted depending on the angle one viewed it from –not too dissimilar from my own form, though dragons are capable of adjusting their colour to their own desire. This was usually used for spectacle and in celebration of life, however in my case it had become an invaluable defence mechanism in the mountains. I took the occasion to observe my own body and realized that my exterior was a solid matte of obsidian black, a mirror to the desolation outside. With a prideful swell, my scales rippled like the wind through a field of grass. Beginning with my interior plates, the pigments shifted and brightened in a blooming flourish to the hues I used to display so proudly. A dark sage green blended seamlessly to a radiant emerald that was complemented and enhanced by the foliage all around.

The boy clapped and squealed with a giddy joy that I had not seen for so many years. His wide eyes made me recall the days long gone when humans and dragon-kind coexisted in harmony like two halves of a misbegotten whole. Reminding me of what could have been if their greed and lust for knowledge had not overshadowed their sense and their connection with nature.

In his excitement, the child turned back towards the small insect and bent down to pick it up but he lost his balance and stumbled forwards, crushing the creature under his foot.

One more light disappeared from the land.

Until that moment, the rage within me had only been held at bay by a dam made of the frailest of tinder, and the unmitigated fury that burst forth at the unnecessary death of the insect caused that dam to collapse. My roar sounded through the land. I snarled down at the desecrator and realized the only reason he still lived was because a small part of me knew that he was the only thing keeping me alive. If his flame were to be extinguished, mine would not be far behind.

And there was the crux of it all. I detested this human and his forebearers. I knew putting an end to their line would do the world a service, but it would signal the end of the dragons as well. The unfairness of it left a sour taste on my tongue that I did not have much time to fully experience because that was the moment that they arrived.

6.

It started as a rustling of brushes on the outskirts of our haven and grew into a cacophony of snapping branches and crunching leaves. A horde of some kind had come from the direction of Dragon’s Blight and was hastening towards us.

Dozens of lifeless, glowing eyes shone through the brush in a plethora of colours covering a vast spectrum of light. Though their eyes expressed unbridled apathy, their movements did not. Swiftly, they moved as if of one mind, and it seemed their prey was not me this time but the child before me.

My urge to protect overcame my anger for the boy and redirected it towards the coming swarm. I stepped over the child, ignoring his feeble protestations. The first of the constructs darted in close with its arm covered in a blade made of pure energy –the same deep blue as its flickering eyes. My claw caught it mid-stride and sent it crashing into one of the other assailants. The two sustained heavy damage, with one losing an arm and the other separating from his two legs. But still they came. Without its legs, the crippled construct clawed its way towards me in the same way as the one on the manor peak had before.

The others advanced in greater numbers with a tranquil fury until they were upon us. Energy swords brandished, they began to attack –and I reacted as quickly as I could. Utilizing my every limb, I worked to fend off the onslaught. My tail lashed out and compressed a construct’s head into a boulder before it slumped to the ground. I unleashed my claws on the next group and managed to shatter the stone skull of one, but two others slashed at me, rending my flesh, and spilling my lifeblood on the forest floor. I roared once again and slammed into them by reflex, following through with the momentum to press my weight on them, feeling their bodies crack and crumble beneath my bulk, all while they seared the bottom of my paws with their weapons until their fires also died out. Again, I experienced that familiar feeling from before, but now it was stronger.

The feeling tugged at my consciousness, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the battle at hand. Ahead, twenty or so more golems streamed into the glade, and I braced myself. I was faintly aware of the child’s cries of terror, which bolstered my fury. My love for the life of another being fueled a burning rage within me. Even though my anger was in the spirit of protecting life, I could feel the savage disposition begin to take hold once more –and finally, like a ribbon pulled in just the right way, I came undone.

I tore a tree loose from its roots with my teeth and propelled it at the coming group, but it was not enough. I drew in a deep breath like the bellows for a great forge and spewed forth a torrent of jade fire, scorching foe and foliage alike until the forest beyond was a plume of blackened smoke and conflagration. A dozen of the constructs attempted to keep their pace as their bodies charred to dust.

With so many falling at the same time, that familiar feeling struck me in full force. The sickening realization came to me that what I had been feeling were the death cries of dragons. They had been too faint to discern before, but with a chorus of wails released in a sudden crescendo, they could not be mistaken.

In that instant, all became clear –the disappearance of my race; the appearance of newly forged golems; the ethereal, glowing, magical eyes; and the reason for their presence now. The golems, like myself, were esurient, hunting for a living form to feed off. Though the appetite for life remained, it did not appear that any other part of a dragon’s nature endured in the infernal constructs. The humans had ripped out their essence and created an abomination.

And so, where in one instant there was clarity the next I was pitched into darkness.

7.

The last piece of reason that had been clinging so desperately to the fragmented kaleidoscope I had become was smothered under layers of repressed emotion. For too long had I hidden away to let the fate of the world be decided by inferior beings. If I had just acted sooner, maybe I could have prevented the sudden demise of my home and my kin –but alas, I hadn’t. My indecision made me weak and docile and now I would prove I was anything but.

In my fury, I went on the offensive and lunged toward the remaining golems, earth spraying in my wake. I crushed two of them simultaneously under my front talons while shredding a third with my teeth. Three more draconic cries sounded, but still I pressed on. I would not let them stay bound to this plane in those ghastly prisons.

Half a dozen constructs encircled me, managing to tear into my tail and wings with their bladed limbs that seared like dragon’s fire. Defensively, I twisted in a full circle to whip the group away, my tail cracking against each figure, resulting in a small amount of clearance between us.

Another faint cry could be heard behind me, but it was soon lost in the din of battle and forgotten as the rest of the horde rushed in to engulf me. I ripped and tore as much as I was able, hearing the occasional howl of draconic lament –but with every killing blow I would land, I would receive more savage lacerations in return. Soon I lost control of my back-left leg, which had been carved right through to the bone. My wings were shredded in a multitude of areas, the smooth membrane slick with plasma. The pain enraged and weakened me, driving me to continue but sapping my strength as the battle dragged on.

Between ragged gasps I would create more torrents of dragon-fire, but the bursts were chaotic and unpredictable. My eyes were heavy and there was so much movement around me, I was unable to focus on any one thing.

Soon, an oppressive weight extended to every muscle in my battered body. I willed my limbs to move, and while the actions followed, they were sluggish and delayed. My roars had ceased, but the tiny screams from before were getting louder.

My body sank to the ground, and I knew that my life must be reaching its end. For millennia I had lived and watched Gaia flourish. My thoughts flitted across memories of the many creatures I had met, the experiences I had accumulated –joys, sorrows, and everything that fell somewhere in between –and I wept.

But the end did not come.

The golems had ceased their violence and were directing their fiery gaze elsewhere. Lethargically, I turned my head to see what was mesmerizing them and glimpsed a brilliant violet light –more vivid than anything I had ever seen. A lavender sunrise contained within the trees, and the source was the child.

His eyes glowed with a light like that of the golems –but instead of exuding apathy like theirs, his light contained life, fear, and anger. Tears were streaming down his face. The aura grew until every leaf in the forest rippled with the force of his will. Finally, with a resounding shout, the aura burst forth in every direction, engulfing everything in a wash of amaranthine light. A cacophonous choir sounded out before silence settled back in its place, nesting deep in the grove.

The boy was crouched close to the ground, hugging his legs to his chest, weeping and confused. His whole body was convulsing with every shuddering breath.

I stared in awe at the child. His face and arms had been bloodied and his eyes had returned to normal. Vibrant orbs of violet were fixed upon me in a way that reflected trepidation and fear.

The boy must have been the final experiment of the Grand Magus Citadel and, by proxy, the undoing of the whole human race. Whatever they had done to him had clearly unleashed a power far greater than they had ever expected.

But whatever they had done to him had also caused the fall of the dragons, and I could not help but hate him for it. I knew that he was not to blame, but with nobody else left to direct my ire towards, it fell upon him and those violet eyes.

Gradually, I managed to inch closer to the small child despite my injuries. Each step I took was agonizing and showed me more visions. Step –my newly hatched whelps playing in the hatchery. Step –the echoing screams as the boy’s power destroyed almost all life on the planet. Step –laying in a field with humans and animals of every sort under the sun’s radiant light. Step –my first step out of my lair just days ago.

The memories flooded into my consciousness, ripping my sentiments back and forth like a misery whip sawing through an old and withered tree until I reached my destination. I towered over the crying child –massive and bloody.

I can finally end this, I thought. Years of inaction led me to this very moment, and I raised my talons once more. If I don’t finish this now, there is no telling what atrocities this creature will commit. Even so, I understood that once he was gone, there was no other life to sustain me. Without me and the child, the world would truly be a dead place. I could not help but also feel how precious the boy was as the last living being on the planet.

I teetered on the precipice of a drop that threatened death regardless of which way I fell. I breathed out, feeling more love and hate than I had ever thought possible. With the leaves beginning to fall, I knew it was time.

I made my choice –and now I must live with it.