Twenty years had passed since Leo became king.
Chingy City had changed.
The old palace had been rebuilt, the streets had expanded, and new villages had grown around the kingdom.
King Leo had become a respected ruler.
But there was one thing he had never forgotten.
His father's final warning.
The future is something we build.
One rainy evening, Leo sat alone in the royal library.
He was reading an old book that had belonged to King Austin.
Suddenly, a loose page fell from between the covers.
Leo picked it up.
There was writing on it.
His father's handwriting.
Leo's heart began beating faster.
He read the first sentence.
"If you are reading this, then I am already gone."
Leo stopped breathing for a moment.
He continued.
"There is something I never told you."
Thunder shook the palace.
Leo kept reading.
"The First Dragon did not disappear."
Leo stared at the page.
Another line followed.
"It is watching you."
A cold wind suddenly blew through the library.
Leo looked toward the window.
Nothing was there.
Then he noticed another sentence.
"And one day, it will come to ask you for a sacrifice."
Leo dropped the letter.
"What sacrifice?"
A voice answered behind him.
"Yours."
Leo immediately turned around.
A stranger stood at the entrance.
He wore a dark cloak.
His face was hidden.
Leo reached for his sword.
"Who are you?"
The stranger stepped forward.
"I knew your father."
"Everyone knew my father."
"No."
The stranger shook his head.
"I knew the man he was before he became king."
Leo stared at him.
"What do you want?"
The stranger removed his hood.
Leo's eyes widened.
The man was old.
Very old.
But there was something familiar about his face.
"My name is Samuel."
Leo's sword slowly lowered.
"The guardian?"
Samuel nodded.
"The last guardian of the Crown of the Future."
Leo looked at the letter.
"You knew about this?"
"I helped your father hide it."
"Hide what?"
Samuel's expression became serious.
"The truth."
Samuel walked toward the table.
Leo remained cautious.
"What truth?"
Samuel looked at the ancient book.
"Your father did not defeat the First Dragon."
Leo frowned.
"But everyone knows he did."
"That's the story."
Samuel touched the book.
"The truth is different."
Leo stepped closer.
"Tell me."
Samuel sighed.
"The First Dragon chose your father."
"Why?"
"Because your father carried the blood of the ancient guardians."
Leo shook his head.
"My father was a dragonfighter."
"He became one."
Samuel looked directly at him.
"But before that, he was something else."
"What?"
"A Guardian."
Leo felt a chill.
Samuel continued.
"The Crown of the Future was never created to choose kings."
"Then what was it created for?"
"To choose a protector."
Leo looked at the crown-shaped symbol on the old page.
"Then why did it choose me?"
Samuel smiled sadly.
"Because your father knew the darkness would return."
Leo's expression changed.
"He knew?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't he tell me?"
"Because he wanted you to have a normal childhood."
Leo became angry.
"He should have told me!"
Samuel nodded.
"Perhaps."
Leo turned away.
For years he had believed his father had trusted him with everything.
Now he realized there had been an entire part of his father's life he knew nothing about.
"What darkness?"
Samuel's voice became quiet.
"The darkness beneath the kingdom."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The palace shook.
Guards shouted outside.
Leo grabbed his sword.
"What was that?"
Samuel looked toward the window.
His face became pale.
"They have arrived."
"Who?"
Samuel whispered:
"The children of the First Dragon."
The palace bells began ringing.
Soldiers rushed through the corridors.
Leo ran outside.
The sky had turned red.
Hundreds of dark creatures were descending from the mountains.
They looked like dragons.
But they were smaller.
Faster.
And their eyes burned blue.
"Archers!" Leo shouted.
The royal soldiers formed a line.
"Fire!"
Hundreds of arrows flew into the sky.
The creatures dodged them.
Then they attacked.
The first dragon crashed into the outer wall.
BOOM!
Stone exploded.
Soldiers were thrown across the ground.
Leo raised his sword.
"Protect the people!"
The royal guard charged.
Queen Elena rushed toward Leo.
"We need to get the children into the underground shelters."
"Do it."
"And you?"
Leo looked toward the sky.
"I'll stop them."
Elena grabbed his arm.
"Leo, don't!"
He smiled.
"My father would have done the same."
He transformed.
Golden light surrounded his body.
Wings appeared.
The soldiers looked upward as their king became a dragon.
Leo flew into the sky.
One of the creatures attacked.
Leo dodged.
Another came from behind.
He turned and struck it with his tail.
The creature fell.
But more were coming.
Hundreds.
Leo looked toward the mountains.
Something was moving behind them.
Something enormous.
A gigantic shadow slowly rose.
Leo's heart stopped.
The First Dragon had returned.
The enormous dragon flew toward Chingy City.
Its wings blocked the sunlight.
Every soldier stopped fighting.
The smaller creatures also became still.
The First Dragon landed outside the city.
The ground shook.
Leo landed before it.
"You came back."
The dragon looked at him.
"I warned your father."
Leo raised his sword.
"What do you want?"
The dragon answered:
"You."
Leo frowned.
"Me?"
"The Crown chose you."
"I don't have the crown."
"You are the crown."
Leo froze.
The dragon continued.
"Your blood carries its power."
Leo looked at his hands.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Come with me."
"No."
The dragon's eyes became brighter.
"If you refuse, this city will burn."
Leo looked behind him.
Thousands of innocent people stood within the walls.
He lowered his weapon.
The dragon smiled.
"Wise."
But Leo suddenly smiled too.
"You made one mistake."
"What?"
"You think I am afraid to sacrifice myself."
The dragon stared at him.
Leo raised his sword.
"I am afraid of sacrificing my people."
He charged.