Prompt-O-Rama

Erogat (Prompt: Full)

Erogat lay on his luxurious four hundred poster bed in the land f Theocracia and breathed smoke. For a long time, he had breathed fire and while it scared everyone and served to bloat his ego, it didn't help him win friends and influence people.

I am suffering from spiritual obesity. I am so full of myself, Erogat was disgusted with himself. He looked around at the mounds of gold, diamond and other rare and precious gems. Obscene, he thought. Of what use is this wealth if knights keep coming for me so they can usurp it all? Of what use is this wealth if I am always half-awake with my wings draped over them?

And so, he locked his lair and set off for the Himalayas to find a renunciate who would accept him as a disciple and lead him on the path of austerity, abstinence and finally, sainthood.

The enormity of the Himalayan range made Erogat feel insignificant and humble. He inhaled the pristine air copiously and felt the inner furnace hum smoothly. How long has it been since I breathed fresh air? Erogat felt reborn. I am the child of the mountains that sages and masters tread forever, his eyes welled up with tears - tears of happiness. Finally, in the seemingly endless expanse of nothingness, he found an old man who seemed wise and uncharacteristically content. The master was in a trance, with his eyes closed and he sat oblivious of his robes flapping like flags in the strong breeze.

Erogat landed in front of the master, folded his wings in reverence and called out to the wise man. "Master," he said. Sadly, the old man didn't understand dragon-language and so, thought the grunting noise was another wind anomaly. Erogat called and called. While it didn't move the master even an inch, the entire village which was more conscious of its surroundings, came out to see what made the earth tremble and the wind hustle more violently than ever before.

The sight of an enormous dragon shocked the residents of the quaint village, who had until then seen only eagles. Erogat turned towards them and smiled gaily. Sadly, the villagers didn't see the smile as a smile, but as subtle gnashing.

Men cowered, women wailed and the children started pelting Erogat with stones. Erogat tried to be nice for a long time, but it didn't help. Emboldened by the sight of children winning the battle, the men started hurling spears and rocks at Erogat. Bruised and bleeding, Erogat decided enough was enough. He opened his cavernous mouth and directed a blaze at a bale of hay. The bewildered and scared villagers ran helter-skelter. Erogat took off, much to the relief of the villagers.

"What happened?" The wise man finally opened his eyes and asked the agitated villagers and upon being told, smiled smugly and said, "you've taught him the lesson that he sought from me."

I am better off being myself, Erogat decided and returned to his lair. He lay there licking his wounds. Abstinence doesn't necessarily mean abandoning it all. I must merely stay detached, he said to himself in a moment of realisation. He then called a meeting of all the knights and emperors and distributed his wealth among them. He then became the continent's most prominent being, and ensured there were no wars for wealth.

His discourses on spirituality became popular and when he died, the priests of all kingdoms of Theocracia came together - a rarity given they were the ones that usually caused conflict and wars - and conferred upon him the title, "Erogat the Eminent."

Erogat had become a saint, after all.