In a hole in the ground there lived Sailesh.

Not a nasty, dirty hole. It was a habit hole, and that means complacency.

One fine morning, as Sailesh sat sipping coffee with his old friend Preetham, a mysterious visitor appeared at his doorstep. A powerful wizard from the continent of Teded. He had many names, but in these parts he was known as Abdallah the Ewis.

In his hand he held a tablet, inscribed with a prophecy by the legendary seer Prophessor Timothy J. Burbery, that spoke of a terrifying dragon that had taken residence in a mountain far, far away.

The wizard explained that Sailesh was the prophesied warrior, destined to vanquish this foul beast and save the world. The prophecy mentioned that he would first have to find his companion– a powerful mage who could bend fire and lightning.

“This is a long journey. It could take half a year just to get there,” said Sailesh.

“That is acceptable,” the wizard affirmed. “I must leave now, but we will meet again. At the eve of battle, look to the yeast.”

And so Sailesh set off on a journey. Preetham decided to accompany him, claiming he could help identify powerful mages as he had dabbled in magic spells himself.

They travelled far, across many lands. They met various peoples, and found it curious how different local groups had different legends about the dragon. What was even more impressive was that the prophecy had already detailed several of them, making them confident that the dragon was, indeed, real.

They journeyed on. Their path was challenging, riddled with violent beasts of many kinds. In one seemingly hopeless encounter, Preetham mastered the spells of fire and lightning and rained devastation upon an entire horde of monsters.

Sailesh’s suspicions from the start were confirmed at that moment– the powerful mage was Preetham all along.

With the day of the prophecy on the horizon, they arrived at a small town in the valley beneath the dragon’s lair. They spotted a local tavern and decided to grab a beer. To their surprise, waiting for them at the bar was the wizard, Abdallah the Ewis. 

The wizard beckoned his companion over, a bard called André of Aires, who claimed that his powerful music could enchant the dragon and distract it so Sailesh and Preetham slay it.

They agreed to team up; a fellowship was formed.

With determined wills, they climbed the mountain at dawn. At the lair’s entrance, they paused, sharing a moment of camaraderie; an unspoken appreciation for their fellows at the precipice of battle.

But when they entered the lair, it was empty.

Where was the dragon?

Did it even exist?

Or were the real dragons the friends they made along the way?