(Picture by VampirePrincess007)

Many millennia ago, a space-faring species arrived at Earth, similar to Earth’s lizards except of gigantic proportions: the dragons. They had very advanced technology, very long lifespans and god-like intelligence. They were on a quest for food, and the tastiest animal they found on Earth was homo sapiens. The dragons liked to swallow their food whole, so given the size and shape of humans, and the fact that they have no hooves or claws and little hair, humans made good meals.

However a dragon who would later become known as Merndakinemo – ‘the world mover’ – saw potential in humanity. She saw similarities with the dragons’ own ancestors. She approached a powerful and well-respected dragon named Dyispafa, and persuaded him that humans should not be treated as merely fodder. In turn, Dyispafa persuaded many dragons that humans should be protected and encouraged to flourish. Dyispafa declared several territories in which dragons would not be permitted to eat humans.

This angered many dragons who still saw humans as food. Their leader, Yazi, argued that if humans had the potential to rival dragons, then it made no sense to help them. When Yazi tried to eat humans in one of the territories protected by Dyispafa, this led to war between the two factions. In the war, Merndakinemo lost her female lover Ledera. But the pro-human camp won, and Yazi and his followers fled the solar system.

Victorious, Dyispafa and the others began teaching humanity the basics of civilisation, including agriculture, building, quarrying, sailing, writing and medicine. A golden age began, over which the dragons presided. However, some humans still remembered the carnage from before the Draconic War and did not trust their mentors. They wanted to rule themselves, and so they rebelled.

Two dragons, Hakonepot and Apsu, lived on the island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea, where they helped a civilisation to thrive. They used the island’s volcano to power their technology. When rebels succeeded in killing Apsu in his sleep, Hakonepot was enraged. She tampered with the workings of the volcano, leading to a devastating eruption which blew the island apart.

She and the other dragons fled to space. The focal points of the rebellion had been Europe, the Middle East and India. Dragon-worship continued in China and Mesoamerica, but the dragons were now very wary of intervening in human affairs. Embittered by humanity’s rejection of their help, many dragons decided to leave the solar system. But some decided to stay – these dragons were optimistic, benevolent and curious, and wanted to protect humanity from Yazi, who may yet return.

One of the dragons, Labidrako, built a space station above the Earth for them to live in, a constantly spinning wheel-shaped habitat which became known as the Palace. It generated artificial gravity, and contained vast, colourful gardens and huge residences for each of the dragons. With the invention of the telescope on Earth, it was moved to behind the moon. As humanity’s technology has progressed, Labidrako has installed more and more sophisticated stealth technologies.

Now the dragons watch over us, occasionally intervening to help us and occasionally eating people. They only eat people who hurt others or who consent to being eaten. The dragons have made contracts with many people over the centuries, whereby they agree to help people in their lives in return for eating them eventually. People are even given back their youth and invited to live aboard the Palace for centuries.

There is no supernatural or afterlife. There is only the unending cycle of life. We all eventually die and our bodies become part of other lifeforms. We consume and are consumed, each of us one part of a vast biological system of flowing energy and matter. But would you rather become food for worms, or part of a dragon?

If this doesn’t make any sense to you, see Is this a real religion?