HEY! This is the latest chapter! I hope you enjoy! Sorry for the long wait, but this is a super long chapter, and hopefully I can get all the chapters around this length! No promises though! Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

I don't own Hetalia!

"It is debated when the Blood Era began and finished. Some historians say it began when King Matthias' birth. Others say it began when she was a kid or teenager. What everyone agrees is that his coronation was the first major event that happened in that era. What everyone also agrees is that it finished at the king's death in year 0, when he was 63 years old(an old age at that time period)."

Chapter One

The History of Dragons

Arthur Kirkland

A teen, probably the age of fourteen, sighed as he stared out the window of his bedroom. He looked down to the streets lining the castle. He then looked up towards the mountains. Wild dragons, if there are any still left, could be on that mountain.

"Prince Matthias, the queen wishes to see you. She's in her private yes room." A maid told the blond teen from his doorway. Matthias gave the maid a thumbs up, acknowledging that he heard her. "The queen would like to see you now, Prince Matthias." The maid told the prince impatiently.

"I'm coming." Matthias groaned, not wanting to leave his room. Matthias got up and walked towards his door. "You can leave now." The maid was gone in seconds. Matthias sighed as he started walking to where his mother wants to meet him.

During the walk Matthias started thinking about dragons. Sooner than expected he was outside the cherry coloured door. Matthias knocked waiting for a response. Last time he didn't knock, he saw his mother kissing a knight.

"Come in." A feminine voice called from the other side. Matthias took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He opened the door wondering what his mother wants.

"Hello mother." Matthias bowed as he entered the tea room. The strawberry blonde woman gestured for Matthias to take a seat. Once Matthias took a seat, a maid poured him a cup of tea. Matthias took a sip and cringed at the taste. He added three heaping spoonfuls of sugar. "Why do you want to see me, mother?" The young prince asked as he put down his cup of tea, barely any gone. The queen stayed silent.

Once the queen put down her half empty tea cup, she spoke. "You are to be married to Lady Natalia in two years." she told her son as his eyes widened in shock.

But mother! I can't marry someone I don't know! Besides you know I want to be a Rider!" Matthias stood up in anger he almost knocked his cup of tea over.

"Matthias!" the queen glared at her son. "If you become a Rider you don't have to marry until you reach 24." The queen smirked. Everyone knows the dragons hate the royal family. The last time there was a royal Rider, he got thrown off his dragon.

"I'll do it mother. I will become a Rider!" Matthias said as he sat down to finish his tea. The queen smiled at her son's determination. As quickly as the smile appeared, the smile vanished.

Once Matthias finished his tea, he left the tea room without a single word. He didn't hear his mother's parting words. "I wish you don't get your heartbroken." Matthias was internally debating on whether or not he should see the dragons then, but he decided to go to his room. He wasn't in the mood to see the dragons and besides, it was obvious the dragons hate him. It was all they talked about when he was in the room.

Once Matthias reached his room, he sat by the window staring at the mountain. Elder Mountain is the biggest mountain in any kingdom and legends say the lightest dragon lives there. When Matthias heard a knock at his door for the second time that day, he realized he fell asleep. The teenage prince lazily sat up and looked at the door as if he heard things.

"Come in." Matthias called out when he heard another knock. One of Matthias' guards opened the door. The guard looked as if he wasn't allowed to enter the Prince's bedroom, and he probably wasn't.

"Prince Matthias, the Queen said you wanted to see the dragons. I am to bring you there." The guard informed the fourteen year old prince. Matthias sighed, just wanting to stay in his room that day. Matthias got up, and walked towards the door.

"Alright, just let me put on my shoes." Matthias said as he closed the door. His room was a mess, and he didn't know where he put his shoes. It took the prince five minutes to find and put on his shoes. By the time Matthias was going to open the door, the guard knocked again. "I'm ready to go." Matthias said as he opened his door. The guard nodded and moved out of the way for Matthias to get through.

Matthias walked out of the his room, and towards the Dragon's Nest, the group of buildings where all the dragons are kept, which was to his left. The guard followed Matthias exactly five steps behind, and if Matthias was in a playful mood he would of tested the guards capability by changing speeds on a moment's notice. It took ten minutes to reach the Dragon's Nest. The guard in front of the collection bowed as the prince entered. Matthias quickly went to where all the unclaimed dragons are and everyone in the room quickly left.

'What does the prince want?' a small yellow dragon asked an identical looking dragon. Matthias took one glance at them and knew they were twins.

'I don't know brother, but snarl if he gets too close.' The brother replied. Matthias looked away, knowing those two will not be his dragon.

'I hate the royal family!' A medium sized dark brown dragon complained loudly as Matthias walked by. Matthias barely glanced at the dragon.

'If he chooses me, I'm gonna kill him, just like papa did with his dad!' A small green dragon told everyone proudly. That was the statement made by the dragons that broke the young prince. The prince quickly walked towards the back door, and ran out crying. Matthias knee it, the dragons hated him. Matthias didn't think about telling anyone what happened. How could he become a Rider if the dragons hated him?

By the time Matthias saw where he was going, he was out of the city surrounding the castle, and going towards Elder Mountain. When Matthias heard the big emergency bell, he turned around. The big gate was opening with many guards waiting on the other side. Matthias quickly ran faster towards the top of the mountain. He knows the guards biggest weakness. They're slow in big groups such as the one looking for him. The young prince started climbing a path on the mountain, and the green started becoming more infrequent. When the prince looked behind him, he saw a few guards leave the main group as one of them ran towards Matthias' direction. Matthias ran faster and looked behind him. He saw that the guard noticed him. Matthias took a quick right, and his in a cave he found, Matthias went as far back as he could. The cave was much bigger than what the prince initially thought.

Matthias froze when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He was about to scream when he felt a hand on his mouth. "You will give us away if you make a sound, Prince." The mysterious person whispered in the prince's ear venomously. Matthias nodded in understanding and fear. The prince saw the guard enter the cave and light a torch. The prince winced when he felt the light hit him. The guard and the prince met gazes and Matthias knew he will be found. A moment later the guard looked away. The guard sighed as he left the cave.

"What was that?" Matthias barely managed to whisper. It was completely dark, so the prince couldn't see who he was with.

"Be quiet. Come with me." The person whisperer in Matthias' ear as the prince was dragged farther into the cave before he could say something. Having no choice, Matthias walked with the mysterious stranger. It was silent as the prince and the mysterious person walked for what felt like an hour to the scared prince, but in reality five minutes. The first word was uttered when Matthias could see a dim light.

"What was that? Who are you? How do you know who I am? Where are we?" Matthias had more questions, but decided four was good enough for that moment. Everyone always tells him to never ask too many questions at once because it gave people headaches.

"That was the barrier only few beings can cross. I am Niklas, Protector of the Dragons. You are the son of the king who enslaved the last dragon. We are in the Palace of the Dragons." Niklas, the stranger, answered all of Matthias' questions in order. The answers only caused more questions to pop up in Matthias's head.

What's the barrier? Why can I cross it? That's a cool name Niklas. Wait. What do you mean Protector of the Dragons? How do you become one? Can I become one? You mean my dad took the last free dragon? What's the Palace of the Dragons? Why do dragons need a palace?" Matthias quickly asked before he could help himself. Niklas signed at all the questions. Matthias nearly sighed, knowing no one can answer all his questions as quickly as Matthias can ask them.

"The barrier prevents non dragons and non pure-hearted humans from entering. You can cross it because you are pure-hearted. Thank you. I protect the Keeper of the Dragons. I am the only one. You cannot become the Protector of the Dragons. In a way, yes. The Palace of the Dragons is where the Keeper of the Dragons sleeps until he arises. The Keeper of the dragons needs a safe place to reside until he awakes. No more questions." Niklas groaned in annoyance.

By the time the Niklas finished answering Matthias' questions they were in the room with the light. Matthias squinted trying to get used to the sudden bright room. When the prince finally opened his eyes, he looked around in shock. "How can something this grand and big be in a cave?" He unknowingly wondered out loud.

"It's not a cave, it's the whole mountain. What you call Elder Mountain is, what is called by dragon's, Palace of the Dragons. No more questions." Matthias looked at Niklas for the first time. The prince was amazed by Niklas's beauty. Niklas was wearing a cloak that covered everything below his shoulders, but that wasn't what caught the young prince's eye. His face, if there was any, was the perfect image of beauty. "Have you ever encountered any dragons at your castle?" Niklas asked the prince, who was still staring.

Matthias blinked. "Yes, but they hate me." The prince muttered the last four words. Matthias didn't know why he said it, but Niklas had an aura that demands the truth. Niklas nodded as if expecting the answer.

"How do they show their hatred?" Niklas asked the prince emotionlessly. Matthias shuddered thinking about what happened hours ago. Matthias didn't want to tell anyone, but Niklas had an aura that demanded to tell him the truth.

"They don't show it. They openly say it as if I'm not on the room! When Matthias said that, Niklas had a look of pure shock on his face. Niklas stopped walking, as they were walking towards the centre of the room.

"What do you mean by that? Humans cannot understand dragons. Yell me now if you are joking around." Niklas growled animalistically in a commanding tone. Matthias shuddered at the time of voice, it reminding him some what of the dragons in the Dragon's Nest.

"I wouldn't make that up! I heard them say that they hate me! Wait! What do you mean humans can't understand dragons? Don't they speak English(1)?" Matthias first shouted, then asked in confusion. Matthias knows they are speaking English for English is the only language he understand.

"Why would dragons speak English. They have their own language." Niklas looked as if he were in thought. "Turn around." Niklas demanded the prince. Matthias turned around, confused to what was going on. "Don't turn around until I tell you." Matthias wondered what was going on. Why did Niklas want him to turn around, for was there a reason?

'Turn around,' Matthias heard Niklas tell him. Matthias turned around, wondering why he turned around for no reason. When Matthias turned around the first thing he saw was a huge dragon. One bigger than any other dragon in the Dragon's Nest.

"Wow! There's a dragon!" Matthias cried in shock. The dragon was a Dark Blue colour, with a little blond like colour surrounding the eyes and snout. "Wait… Where's Niklas? I heard him tell me to turn around, but he isn', here." Matthias saw something the dragon was standing on. It was a pure black cloak. "Is that his cloak?"

'I am Niklas.' The dragon growled. Matthias' eyes widened in shock. It couldn't be Niklas, because the mysterious person was a human, not a dragon. As far as Matthias know's, which is more than the average person, dragons cannot become human such as humans cannot become dragons.

"No way! That's so cool! But how are you Niklas? I mean you're a dragon, and Niklas isn't." Matthias asked, wondering what the dragon will say. Matthias can never predict anything anyone will say.

'This is my true form. The form you know me as is my human form.' Niklas told the shocked prince. Matthias started wondering if every dragon had a human form, and if there are any wild dragons living as humans.

"Does that mean all dragons have a human form?" Matthias asked, hoping that it was true. If it were true, then that would be amazing. There could be dragons hiding in the human world.

'Yes. All dragons have both a human form and their true form. All the dragons you see are in their true form. Now be quiet as I think.' Niklas told the prince, as Matthias sat down on a stone bench. Matthias was filled with wonder. Dragons have a human form, but why doesn't anyone know about it? Then Matthias was hit with a thought. If dragons have their own language, why can he understand it? 'Come here young prince.' Niklas told the young teen. Matthias stood up, and slowly walked towards the dragon. 'Sit.' Matthias sat on the stone floor. 'I believe you are The One.' The dragon told the royal teen.

"What do you mean by 'The One'?" Matthias asked the Protector of the Dragons. Niklas sighed, not realizing that humans don't have the prophecy.

'You mean to tell me that you humans don't have the prophecy?' Nikolai asked the blond human. Matthias shook his head no, not realizing that prophecies were a real thing.

"There's an actual, real prophecy?" Matthias asked the dragon. The dragon nodded, wishing he didn't have to recite it. Like all prophecies, this wouldn't tell of a happy future.

'The prophecy says:

The One shall find the Palace and be answered,
The One and the Protector shall be heard
As the Keeper awakens, The One shall learn,
Being forgotten, The One shall yearn

I believe you are The One in the prophecy.' Niklas recalled the prophecy he, like all dragons, memorized. Matthias just looked shocked as he restated the prophecy in his head. He tried to figure out what it meant, but he couldn't think of anything.

"Why me?" Matthias whispered out. Matthias couldn't say anything else for all his brain power went to the prophecy. Niklas sighed at the human's response.

'You are the only human that I know about who can understand dragons.' Niklas explained, but Matthias was still in a state of confusion on shock. Just because he can understand dragons doesn't automatically make him The One.

"But why does that mean me?" Matthias asked, not getting it. Niklas sighed again. How could The One be such an idiot. How could an idiot be the next ruler of the Nordlys Kingdom.

'As stated before, you are the only human who can understand dragons, and you are pure-hearted. The Keeper of the Dragons is also stirring. I believe he is waking soon.' Niklas told his reasoning. Niklas knows that isn't definite evidence, but he can feel it in his heart that Matthias is The One.

"But what does the person in the prophecy do?" Matthias asked, wanting to know everything about a real prophecy. Matthias knows no one knows what will happen in the future during a prophecy, but dragons are ancient intelligent beings, they must know the future.

'I don't know what the prophecy means. I just know the prophecy is among us.' Niklas sighed at the lack of knowledge on the future and prophecies. He knows the Keeper of the Dragons would know the future, but he is still slumbering. He fell asleep after muttering the prophecy decades ago.

"I doubt the prophecy will get far if I don't become a Rider." Matthias sighed quietly, not wanting Niklas to hear. He didn't realize that dragons have an excellent sense of hearing. He wanted to become one, but didn't want to guilt a dragon into doing it.

'What is a Rider?' Niklas asked having no knowledge on humans or human terminology. Matthias looked at Niklas in shock, then realized that he probably doesn't get out much.

"A Rider is an honourable soldier who rides dragons. They are amazing!" Matthias explained, not wanting to get into too much detail for he doesn't think Niklas wants to hear him talk about it for hours.

'I'll be your dragon if you need one.' Niklas said, knowing that no other dragon would agree. No other dragon would even if he told them that he was The One. Matthias jumped up in delight.

"Alright! But you'll need to know how to be a proper Dragon Rider, Dragon! I'll teach you. I have to go because everyone will be too worried, but I'll come back once a week to teach you!" Matthias explained sadly. When Matthias turned his back, Niklas turned back into his human form. He quietly put on his cloak

"I'll join you. No one can find this place, and it'll be easier this way. I will close off the entryway until I return next." Niklas said as he walked ahead of Matthias. Matthias looked at the dragon in human form in shock. Matthias thinks he haven't been outside in ages.

"What'll I tell everyone!" Matthias demanded, having no idea on what to do. There's already enough guards, and there's no need for any other staff. Matthias followed him outside while wondering what will happen.

"I'm sure we will find a way." Niklas said, giving The One a small smile.

(1) English isn't the language that they are speaking, not is it the language they said. We are translating it into English, and for easier understanding, every time they say their language we will put English.

I hope you enjoyed this! Please leave a review if you did! I'll write and upload the chapter as soon as I can!