Ephalon - Triumvirate
Chapter 1 - Desperation
The ingenious humans
The birth of humanity
Humanity, what a strange concept, even more so because we dragons had nothing to do with their creation! During the second Era, before I was even born, hybridisation, the intermingling of different species had become a thing. To think a Cenebrian or even Ancient would be able to copulate with a dragon, it is madness! Yet, somehow Ephalon's facets of life allowed for such an act.
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After many attempts, though I assure you they were more likely 'accidents', a perfect mixture of Cenebrian and Ancient blood created the first human, a being with neither strengths nor weaknesses.
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Cenebrians, were before the inception of humans, the most creative when it came to mechanical constructs, that is not to say that we dragons didn't delve into such things ourselves. However, we both soon learned that humans would far outshine even the most adept mechanist among our species. They were simply put 'ingenious'. Their never-ending curiosity when it came to how things worked was their greatest strength, one that very few else had.
I oddly find it insulting that dragonkind had no part in this massive shift in power upon Ephalon. What humanity lacks in raw strength, it most assuredly makes up for in sheer numbers. By the time I came into existence, they'd already well and truly established themselves. Therefore I no longer had a say if their presence was deserved or not.
The spread of humanity
There is no stopping them; they create boats of increasing sizes to travel the high seas beyond Erafar. They tame horses to pull forth carriages which hold goods for trade. Both things, we progenitors, could have achieved before their coming, yet for some reason, we had never done so, or at least to their degree. They have inspired the increasing use of Ephalonian as the global language, the language what we progenitors refer to as Common tongue.
Most dragons are able to soar the skies of Ephalon, however, with the progression of this so-called technology, and advancement, which is what they call it. I wouldn't be surprised if they one day were able to build flying machines, in fact, I have little doubt of it.
The Fortress city of Highwall
The cycle of growth amid humans was incredible; they were able to create vast new generations within less than twenty years, whereas my kin were on a steady decline. As their numbers increased, so did their desire for new settlements. I can attest that Highwall was their most significant achievement in this regard, at least within Erafar. The city was a massive fortress atop of a hill out in the lush fields of the Dowder plains. Despite the airborne threat of dragons, it was a very advantageous position to have a settlement. Although, we have to consider that the times of war had long since passed, so why would someone want such a place?
Quite easy, if you think about it; they wanted to a place from which to exert their power over others, even if that included their own kind. What used to be nothing more than the petty squabbles of servants, had turned into a powerful subversion. However, I was glad to find out things were not as bad as I initially had thought. Their King bowed down to my might, though I suspect fear was the greatest motivator beyond anything else.
If that is how things would have to be, then so be it. Whatever was required to keep the peace throughout my watch, I would condone.
The future of Ephalon
I love my offspring, they mean the world to me, but even I know they are not the future of Ephalon. They will undoubtedly help guide it into a better time, but there is little doubt that humans will one day claim this world.
My species will eventually die out, even the Ancients, who lack any expansionist drive, will ultimately wither and die. The Cenebrians, I do not know, the ones who live in the Ligan region are but a few when compared to the continents of Aodia and Numen-Nier. I have heard that both are cold and harsh places to live. It seems that cruelty is something that follows them around no matter where they go.
Humans, on the other hand, they are adaptive and bend the lands to their will. Even if they lack any elemental affinity, one could argue that the things they are capable of doing more than make up for it. One might also say, they have no need for the inherent advantages since they are capable of overcoming it through ingenuity.