The Trench Dragon's Lair

Lets get the facts straight. First I got drunk, then went on a killing spree, and finally found my way to the remains of a trench dragon... I feel like there's a big missing leap of progression here! Wait... this doesn't count as lucky does it? it better damn not, I wasn't even aware of what was going on, yep I wasn't completely conscious so it doesn't count. I might as well look around for some clues regarding the Trench Dragon... once I feel better.

Following along the bone trail of the Trench Dragon, I come to fully realise the full scale of this creature. With the bones as a reference, the full length of the Trench Dragons is probably larger than even the tallest buildings on Earth, and are probably a few dozen metres wide. I had been thinking for a while now that this trench is unusually large but I think I discovered the reason behind why. The reason behind the name of the Trench Dragon is not because it lives within these large trenches but because they make them. Most likely they have the natural ability to consume inorganic material allowing them to eat away at the ground, creating these massive artificial trenches over time. Although this is just my speculation over the bones I found. Without any signs of limbs or any extra appendages, I don't really see the Trench Dragons digging into the ground.

Unlike the previous trench, which had a degree of life even if I couldn't catch them, this one made by the Trench Dragon is completely devoid of life, not even something a simple as tubeworms. I'm sure there are some single-celled organisms that I can't see hanging around the area, but anything that could be considered complex multicellular lifeform is nowhere to be seen. Almost as if this area is avoided.

As my investigation of the Trench Dragon remains continue, think I begin to solve some of the mysteries surrounding it. I didn't notice this at first because I'm immune and my Draconic sight helps me see through it, but all the water around the Trench Dragon's corpse is corrosive. But here lies the problem, it's my understanding that Trench Dragons lack the corrosive and venomous properties of the Sea Dragon and Sea Snake. Looking at the jaw, they don't have elongated fangs for venom injection, nor did I find the fossilised parts of what could be considered a venom gland. Of course, there is the possibility it doesn't fossilise or it got washed away, but I think the chances are low. So comes the question, where did all this corrosion come from? I couldn't have been me as I haven't been here for nearly long enough to contaminate the water. Even my long stay in the lakes and rivers of Eon wasn't enough to contaminate the water.

But the corrosive water isn't all I found, large indentations on many of the bones, the shape seemingly resembling a bite mark. With the severe lack of monsters, my first thought regarding this is that the Trench Dragon had fought and most likely lost. Coupled with the corrosion and the bite marks, the supposed foe could have been an Adult Sea Dragon or perhaps something of a similar branch. But if this is related to the cause of the Dragon races extinction then that theory wouldn't make sense.

There is way too much missing information for me to properly make a theory here. I can't tell if the details of this area is just a one-time event with a single Trench Dragon fighting or if all the Trench Dragons ended up like this. Just find more of the remains, easy for me to say but I spent a long time searching and only got here through... wait, I don't even know how I got here. That's beside the point right now. It is certainly a historians job to piece together history like this, but the necessary information is so scarce, just how am I going to locate the other Trench Dragons.

There needs to be some way I can properly identify a Trench Dragons abode vs a regular oceanic trench. The first thing that stands out is the size, they need to be able to contain a Trench Dragon after all, but I can't determine the size without exploring so using this to identify the Tench Dragon's Trenches are out. What else is there... oh, the toxic waters. This is certainly a good way to determine the correct place... but this assumes that the Trench Dragon here didn't randomly fight with a corrosive monster. If only I had more information, perhaps I can find a clue elsewhere in the trench.

Thinking that I probably learned all I can from the bones, I explore more of the trench in search of a clue. Turns out a little exploration is all I needed. Within a few minutes of leaving the bones of the Trench Dragon, I found deep impressions in the ground. Massive footprints that are deeply pressed into the ground. This isn't something that should normally be here as aquatic monsters shouldn't have legs, let alone feet, to even leave a footprint. Even if this belongs to an amphibious monster, which I don't think it does, amphibians wouldn't be this deep into the water. And any sea creatures that would have legs or feet wouldn't be shaped like this. These are very clearly the footprints of a terrestrial monster, moreover, I've seen prints like these before, the Sauropods. But not even the largest Sauropod I've heard of on Earth or seen on Eon could possibly be large enough to walk this deep and fight with a Trench Dragon on top of that. I wonder what would happen if I follow these tracks.

As I follow the footprints left behind by what I'll call for now the Diving Sauropod, I come to the trenches exit or perhaps entrance? A slope leading down from above and into the trench. But it doesn't feel as if it was made naturally or by a Trench Dragon. Rather it looks super sleek and clean-cut as if it was made by wearing the rocks down with some kind of acid. And these large footprints go up and down the slope. The Diving Sauropod may have been the one to make this slope, assuming it is the monster that contaminated the water and killed the Trench Dragon.

Ascending up the water to the top of the slope I end up letting out a small sigh of relief as I find that the footprints continue onwards in two directions. One that leads to the trench and down the slope. The second set of footprints leads up the slope and off in a new direction. Regardless of whether or not this monster has something to do with the Dragons death, I think that currently, the best choice of action is to follow the path laid forth by the Diving Sauropod. Without any real clues to go off of, this is probably the best path to finding another Trench Dragon. But which path do a follow, hmm...

Breaking off a piece of the trench's wall, I carve the rock to a point with my acid and throw it up with my mouth. As the rock descends back to the seafloor the carved edge points towards the footprints that go up the slope to where the Diving Sauropod was going. Guess I'll go that way.