The dragon sacrifice was supposed to be Andre. He was large, healthy, strong and as recompense for his sacrifice, he’d mated with every female he desired, impregnating at least five. I’ve never even sniffed a female.

This morning the emergency horn sounded, assembling the whole kingdom. A human envoy had arrived to inspect the “goods”. I knew I was expected to stay at the back of the crowd, but I’ve never been known to follow rules. Fire, they call me, because I blaze my way through life.

I’d merely desired a peek. What did these gods who controlled us all powerful dragons in their palms look like?

Puny.

Hairless.

Tender and skinny. Like a baby deer. Not enough meat to even pad my tummy.

This human wore a thin layer of white fabric that covered most of its body. Glass covered its eyes. It had a thin rectangular metal object in one hand. Teknology. It’s what made them so strong apparently. I bore holes with my eyes into the thin metal, unable to fathom what made it so special. Could it withstand my fire breath?

I couldn’t hear what was being discussed, but I could see that all the dragons a hundred times the size of the puny human were fawning over it. The human circled Andre twice, then stabbed him with a thick transparent tube which turned blood red. Watching him writhe in pain set my blood on fire. I had to do something.

I pushed my way through the crowd. As I launched myself at the human, Elder Green pummeled into me at lightning speed, clawing off a number of my newly grown scales I'd proudly shown off to him mere days before. “What are you doing?” He roared.

I looked up at him in shock. As the youngest prince no one has ever lost their temper with me like that. Elder Green has only ever doted on me.

“Blue blood?” The human noted, tapping on the metal object. “What’s your name?”

From this close I could hear the human's voice. High pitched and nasally, like it had a stuffed nose. Like an obnoxious little fly. Fragile. Insignificant. Dirty as poop.

“His name is Fire.” Imperial Father rushed over. “I apologize for his insolence. He is but a child, only 35 years old, which is equivalent to 12 in human age and maturity.”

Father stepped in between me and the human. I bristled. Why are we hiding? How can we cower under such an insignificant fly?

“We’ll take Fire instead.” The human's fly voice whined.

“Please spare him. He’s only a child. And he is willful and violent and will be more problem to you than he is worth.” Even prostrating, Father towered over the human. Father is proud. I have never seen him bowing to another.

“The decision has been made. Please don’t cause trouble.” The human casually opened up its white outerwear showing that beneath was filled with thin metal. Teknology. A threat.

“I’ll be back for Fire tomorrow at noon. Until then.” The human raised the corner of its lips then entered a metal box which sped away, leaving a cloud of dust, terrified dragons, and bewildered me in its wake.