Kindaka, The Apocalypse Dragon

"The fact that one creature could potentially end all life in the world effortlessly frightens me deeply. We are living at the mercy of what's hiding in that mountain." - Drakenheim Survivor

Written by: jester2b

Cover Art by: Rafael Sewa

All Will Be Ash

Drakenhiem is a beautiful city with a rich history with a mix of Barbarossan and Jarmikotti cultures. Underneath the grandeur lies the scars of its past, of the fateful day when the city was reduced to ash in a matter of hours. To the mountains north of the city lies an ancient beast who, if disturbed, will awaken the end for all. This beast is the Kindaka, the Apocalypse Dragon.

Morphology

While there are only three confirmed sightings of this Lesser Dragon throughout recorded history, its visage is well known. A black-scaled dragon of a wyvern body shape and orange cracks along its skin as if it was covered in solidified magma. Its eyes glow an evil orange hue like the hellfire it can unleash upon the world. If one were to gaze upon this creature and live, they should consider themselves the luckiest person in Nostrina.

Habitat

The Kindaka resides underground, far removed from the rest of the world. They seem to stay in their dens unless provoked or out searching for food, which seems to be very rare.

Behavior

The Kindaka spends most of its life isolated in its den, letting the rest of the world live in peace. The only times one has been seen leaving its lair is when searching for food or when they feel threatened. As was noted with the incident in Drakenhiem, the Kindaka is willing to ignore most living near it as long as they leave it alone. When provoked, however, this dragon will not hesitate to unleash its fury upon all in its path. When enraged, no one is safe.
there is no greater example of the Kindaka's rage than the destruction of Drakenhiem. Barbarossan officials learned of the dragon's existence in the nearby mountains and decided to quell potential fears from the public by sealing the creature in its lair with a magical barrier. At first, the barrier seemed to contain the creature, preventing it from leaving and potentially terrorizing the city's inhabitants. This victory was short-lived and the decision to seal the dragon proved to be a poor one. Three days after sealing the dragon in its den, the mountainside exploded, sending debris all across the area. From the hole emerged the enraged Kindaka, seeking to punish those who attempted to trap it. The dragon flew into the city and immediately began to incinerate everything. The fires it unleashed destroyed all it touched, fully melting steel and instantly vaporizing anyone caught in the flames. At the end of its rampage, the Kindaka unleashed a violent burst of energy that completely leveled the remaining parts of the city and killed anyone else who hadn't taken cover in the city's sewer system. 
In the end, all that remained of the city was a scar seared into the earth. The city was rebuilt years later, the memory of the rampage hanging high upon its citizens. The Kindaka responsible for the destruction has not been seen since, but none dare to approach the hole it blew into the mountain. All citizens are advised to respect the dragon's territory and hope it doesn't emerge again. All hunting of the dragon is strictly prohibited due to the potential for calamity.

Abilities

The fires unleashed by the Kindaka are the hottest and ravenous of any dragon found on Nostrina. So hot that even steel will begin to melt upon continuous contact. As noted in Drakenhiem, this dragon is also capable of unleashing a violent explosion of destructive energy capable to obliterating all caught in the blast. The full capabilities of this species of dragon are not fully known, and that is perhaps for the better.

Classification: Lesser Dragon
Threat Assessment: Make no mistake, though this dragon has been sighted only three times in all of recorded history, the Kindaka is perhaps the most dangerous animal to walk this world. These creatures are able to wipe cities off the map in a matter of minutes, as was seen in Drakenhiem. Fortunately, these creatures are solitary and choose to remain hidden. Our best option is to locate and isolate these creatures from the rest of the world, or we will all be cinders.

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Length

15 meters (49 ft) - 20 meters (65 ft)