The next day, the Dragon King left the castle early in the morning and flew to the far reaches of the land. He sought out the Dragons of Kōri, Sunog, Toprak and Mizu so that he could negotiate a peace between man and dragon.

            “Honorable and noble Dragons, I have come before you today to ask that you stop tormenting the lands and people of Avaris.”

            “And what will you do if we refuse?” Sunog questioned snidely. “Are we to share the same fate as Oro?”

            “No” the Dragon King simply stated.

            “Then what shall become of us if we were to refuse your request?” Mizu asked earnestly.

            “I will invoke the power of the dragon's blood within me and command you to obey my will.”

            “Command us! You think you have the right to command us after what you have done?” Sunog roared.

            “Calm yourself, Sunog” Toprak intervened. “If you could have just commanded us to obey you, why not just do it? Why ask us instead?”

            “It is because he bluffs. He has no such power” Sunog mocked.

            The Dragon King took a deep breath and spoke unfalteringly “Sunog, I order you to act respectfully towards me at all times!”

            The great dragon froze; his laughter ceasing in an instant. He then turned his gaze upon the Dragon King and bowed his head low to the ground. “Please, forgive my rudeness. It was wrong of me to treat you in such a manner.”

            The remaining dragons stood in shock of what they had just witnessed. Sunog, the most prideful of all the dragons, was asking a man for forgiveness.

            “If you had this power all along, why not use it?” Toprak asked surprised by what had just occurred.

            “Because I do not want to force my will upon you. I want there to be a true peace between us.”

            The four great dragons looked at one another and knew instinctively that this man was honorable and his request sincere.

            “We shall agree to leave the lands and their people in peace, but we must be compensated for doing so” Kōri stated.

            “What compensation do you desire Great Dragons of Avaris?”

            “We desire our homes to be left in peace” Mizu said truthfully. “Your people's wish is to be able to live peacefully in their homes. That is our wish as well.”

            The Dragon King looked up in surprise. He now had a clearer understanding behind the actions of the dragons. They felt as though their homes were being taken away by his people.

            “We understand that our homes are in the most desired locations for your people, but...”

            “I understand” The Dragon King interrupted. “I know that you can not leave the homes you have lived in all your lives, but is there some way we might be able to coexist? Could we live side by side in peace?”

            The Great Dragons were surprised by the Dragon King's acceptance of the situation, but were even more surprised by his proposal of coexistence. How would they be able to live side by side peacefully, when there has been so much conflict between them already?

            They thought long and hard on the Dragon King's request and, surprisingly, it was Sunog who made a proposal to the group. “Your people set aside large areas of land that are to be left undisturbed so that one may come and worship your Gods, is that correct?”

            “Yes, we do build shrines on large areas of undeveloped land. Why?”

            “You can set aside the lands in which we slumber and build a shrine. This way you can protect both your people and us at the same time.”

            “I don't understand. How will that protect everyone?” The Dragon King asked curiously.

            “First, we dragons will need to make our sleeping chambers secure. By doing this we can make sure that no one accidentally disturbs us. Then your people can come and build shrines near the former entrances. This way we can set aside the land and make sure no one tries to destroy our homes. By doing this we protect our homes and his people.”

            “If we seal our chambers, we can never leave. What is the point in that? How will we survive if we seal our chambers?” Toprak asked.

            “I didn't say we had to seal our flight tunnel. This way we can still leave the chamber and go outside.”

            “Why would we want to go outside if a bunch of humans are around?” Mizu asked angrily. “I'd rather sleep forever then have to deal with people.”

            “Mizu, have you ever talked to a person before?” The Dragon King inquired.

            “Well,... no, not really,... but why should I try to get to know the people who are trying to steal my home?”

            “Perhaps they aren't as different as they appear to be. You said so yourself, they only wish to live in their homes peacefully.”

            “Still, I think it would be best if we didn't come out too often. The people may get the wrong impression of us if we do.”

            “Then what do you suggest?” asked Kōri.

            “Your people make offerings at these shrines, do they not?” Mizu now inquired.

            “Yes we hold festivals and make offerings once a year.”

            “Perfect! We can all survive in slumber for a year if we have sufficient nourishment. All we have to do is tell him what we need and have him bring it as an offering each year. It would probably be difficult to arrange four separate offerings, so it would be best if the offerings were made together at one shrine. Perhaps a shrine could be constructed where Oro once slumbered. By doing this, we both honor Oro's sacrifice and supply us with an area to receive our offerings. We also request that he come alone to make the offering, this way we do not scare his people.”

            The Great Dragons all agreed. The plan would be set in motion under the care and direction of the Dragon King.

            “Remember, Young One, the trust of a dragon is absolute. Should you betray us...”

            “I know” the Dragon King interrupted. “On my honor and my life, I shall not betray you.”

            “Very well, we shall go and make our preparations. Our chambers shall be sealed within the week. You can start building your shrines once that is complete.”

            The Dragon King bowed before the dragons as they took their leave. Then he returned to his kingdom, so that he could put the plan in motion. Upon his return, the King demanded an explanation for his disappearance.

            The Dragon King fell to his knees and bowed before his father. “Forgive me Father, I know I should have told you sooner, but the Gods...”

            “The Gods? What do you mean, my son? What does this have to do with the Gods?”

            The Dragon King had bowed low to the ground and, with his face hidden; the King could not see the smile of relief upon his son's face. Slowly he raised his head and spoke as if in urgency. “It was the Gods who gave me the power to protect our people from the dragons.”

            “The Gods?” The King was shocked by his son's confession.

            “Yes Father, the Gods. They were the ones who gave me this appearance and... it was they who summoned me today. They said that the power they gave me will only be temporary if I do not do what they ask.”

            “They spoke to you?” The King became overwhelmed by all this. The God's have spoken to my son? “And? What did they ask of you?”

            The Dragon King began to explain in great detail what 'The Gods' had asked of him. He told the King that he was given specific instructions on where to build shrines in honor of the Gods. He also said that the Gods would contact him regarding the offerings that must be made each year. They also demanded that no one except the Dragon King could be present when the Gods arrive to collect their offerings. “Father, What should I do?” The Dragon King pleaded with the King.

            After hearing everything and contemplating the situation his son was in, the King looked his son in the eye and calmly said “You have no choice, my son. You are now the Dragon King, christened as such by the Gods themselves. You must do what they have asked of you.”

            The Dragon King was stunned by the King's response. He had expected his father to be rattled and confused, but instead the King was calm and rational.

            “You need not worry, my son. I will do everything I can to aid you in this endeavor.” The King looked at his son and smiled. “But first, we have another matter we must address.”

            “Another matter? What other matter do we need to discuss? What could be as important as 'the Gods’ command?” The Dragon King was now thoroughly confused.

            “That of your marriage to Lady Lalin.”

            “What?” the Dragon King screamed, shocked by his father's sudden change of topic. “Father, I don't think this is the right time to be discussing marriage.”

            “Why not? I know you had you reasons for delaying the ceremony before you departed on your quest, but you have been engaged to Lady Lalin for five years now. Don't you think it is about time you take her as your wife and start a family of your own?”

            “Father! Please!”

            “Fajar! This isn't something you can ignore! Now that you are the Dragon King, you have all the responsibilities that come with that role. And that includes producing an heir to the throne.” The King took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I know that you have just returned from your quest and that the Gods have given you an important task, but this is also an important part of the duties that you must perform as a King. You must remember that you are not only responsible for yourself, but for the entire kingdom and its subjects.”

            The Dragon King looked at his father and realized that he was right. The reason he postponed the ceremony before was because he cared for Lalin. He was madly in love with her and wouldn't have been able to embark upon his quest had he married her before he was to leave.

            “You are right, Father. I will marry her,... but not out of obligation. I will marry Lalin because I love her.”

            The King smiled knowingly “I wouldn't have it any other way.”

            Fajar and Lalin were married and the following week The Dragon King began working on the task 'The Gods' had entrusted to him. Within the year, construction of the shrines to the five Gods of Avaris had been completed and Lalin gave birth to a baby girl; Valora.

            The Dragon King wept with joy at the sight of his daughter. Like her father, she possessed the blood of dragons and therefore her appearance reflected this. Born with wings, hair and eyes the same color as the great dragon Oro; the majestic color violet.