Anthony: the "Flower Dragon" - Splash Illustration

Anthony finds a "friend"

Anthony finds a "friend"

The mountain peaks touching the skies have long remained home to the Draconic race. Massive gods of old patrol the heavens with with wings that block out the sun. The image of pure majesty among the dragons has never once been tainted, but that era ended when a wingless dragon was born.

This little wingless-dragon hatchling's first moments in the world were met with nothing but hatred and disgust. Heavy scowls stretched the majestic elder dragons' faces into grotesque nightmares. For he was nothing but a disappointment. The thunder of dragons lashed out in anger, riddling the mother dragon with holes and burns. She grabbed her little hatchling and careened down the mountain as fast as the wind when the tempest dragon roared. With her dying breaths, she gave life to the little one she called "Anthony".

Anthony was too young to understand what had happened to his mother. He found himself all alone in a cold and dark place. He traveled through the trees for many days, barely clinging to the life his mother had given him all the while searching for something. Anything. He stumbled into a clearing and suddenly the world around him grew bright. A strange Lantern lit the air a brilliant blue and the plants began to glow with life. In the lantern were strange little insects that sparkled and danced in the night. Anthony decided to follow them as his ever growing curiosity got the better of him. They brought him to a river where he was able to drink and catch fish for food. As the lantern glowed, he tilted his head and smiled. Trying to tell the little creatures that he was happy and thankful to had met them. As if to understand, the bugs glowed a brilliant viridian-green.

As Anthony explored the world with his new found friends, he began to learn more about his kind. Everyone and everything was terrified of him but it did not matter to him. He loved finding new places, new creatures, new life. He decided to gather flowers to remind him of every place he had ever been. As the years past, he became known in children's stories as the flower dragon: a peaceful creature who brings happiness and pleasant dreams. But who could know where Anthony is today? Wherever he is and wherever he has been, he has found new places and he has found some new friends.