Long, long ago, before the time of the Three Tribes, the dragons ruled the world. The earth trembled at their passing, the oceans pooled in their claw-steps, and the heavens receded before their flames. The creatures of the plains and the forests and the mountains trembled in shadows, and foraged for scraps among what the littlest of the great beasts left behind.

Then, one day, the dragons fought a war. The skies darkened with smoke, and great claws split the mountains. Finally, the battle-cries fell silent. The mightiest of them, Ragnarok, landed in the center of the barren, blackened desert where once had been their greatest city; lifted his greviously wounded head; and roared, in a voice that echoed around the world:

"Finished is the Age Of Dragons! Let the one who can answer my riddle rule the next."

Not long afterward, the queen of the gryphons touched down to stand proudly in front of Ragnarok's muzzle. "I am the fastest of the creatures," Pierces-The-Heart cawed, "and thus will be the one to rule. Speak your riddle, Dragon King, that I may answer it."

Ragnarok stirred, uncoiled, and whispered, with the voice at the end of all things:

I am just in time, and just for today.
I am just finished, and I am just begun.
I am just over the horizon, and I am just within reach.
What am I?

Pierces-The-Heart thought quickly, then said, "You are a breath of air, one of many and devoid of individual meaning, yet ever-necessary. You are with us wherever we fly, and for as long as we live."

Ragnarok fixed a baleful eye upon her. "If you seek to breathe me in, bird, breathe deep!" he roared, and exhaled a blast of flame. When he was done, the ground where she had stood shone in the night and flowed like water.

The next day, as soon as the earth had cooled back into rock, the king of the minotaurs strode proudly up to Ragnarok's muzzle. "I am the strongest of the creatures," Stands-The-Mountain bellowed, "and the first to brave your heat; and thus will be the one to rule. Speak your riddle, Dragon King, that I may answer it."

Ragnarok repeated his riddle.

Stands-The-Mountain snorted in laughter. "What are you? You are a dragon. Where's my prize?"

Ragnarok fixed a baleful eye upon the minotaur. "You speak truth without understanding, cow. Do not waste my time!" he roared, and struck with his claw. When he was done, the ground where the minotaur had stood was scarred with chasms deep beyond sight.

The next day, the king of the diamond-dogs climbed from one of those chasms to the surface near Ragnarok's muzzle. "I am the wiliest of the creatures," Finds-The-Gem said, "and though I lack strength and speed, I shall be the one to rule. Speak your riddle, Dragon King, that I may answer it."

Ragnarok snorted, and repeated his riddle.

Finds-The-Gem smirked and gave Ragnarok an exaggerated bow. "Your Majesty, you are the weather. Ever-present yet ever-changing. Eternal yet transient."

Ragnarok fixed a baleful eye upon the burrower. "If you label me the weather, dog, act not surprised when I am fickle!" he roared, and inhaled a mighty breath. When he was done, the canine—and all the land around him—had vanished into his cavernous maw and down his gullet.

A year and a day later, one of the ponies of the northern herds approached Ragnarok, her head bowed in respectful silence.

Finally, the mighty dragon opened one eye and stared. The pony, Eats-The-Grass, cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Great King," she said, "I beg your aid. With no ruler, the land slowly dies."

"Then answer my riddle," Ragnarok rumbled, "or die with it."

Eats-The-Grass closed her eyes for some time. "You are mercy," she said quietly. "All creatures make mistakes. No matter when or where a judgment is rendered, in order to truly be just, one must always forgive."

A long, slow laugh came from the great dragon's throat.

"The others have named me as I am, pony, but you are the first to name me as the world needs me," he said, carefully lifting one claw and tracing the first Mark upon her flank. "Carry my gifts back to your tribe, and rule the world as we ought to have ruled."

The ponies would go on to do just that, but those are tales for another day.