Genshin Vanished Pyro Dragon Sovereign: Last of the Flame Dragonkin

More precious than the once-attainable world was something else.

Beneath the volcano, the eldest Flame Dragon Prince and the youngest Flame Successor-one perished, and one reverted to a draconic beast. Thus the once-glorious race has utterly fallen into oblivion.

1. First of the Flame Dragonkin

This quest confirms that Dragon Sovereigns predate their kin-dragons preceded the Draconic Beasts. It also verifies the Seven Primordial Elements birthed the Seven Sovereigns, and ascension to Sovereignty requires tapping into the primordial essence.

Draconic Beasts' draconic nature stems from backdoors left by the First Sovereigns in the elemental code. Thus, elemental divergence is ultimately irrelevant-what matters is the 「Flame Lord's Blessing.」

Other Draconic Beasts may lose purity through elemental divergence, failing to attain Sovereignty. But the Flame Dragonkin differ-their backdoor is the 「Flame Lord's Blessing」, a mark left when the Flame Sovereign imparted wisdom through their horns.

Hence, elements hold no sway over Flame Dragonkin-only the presence of this mark matters, which can even override draconic instincts.

The Ancient Draconic Sage was both the first Flame Drake and Flame Prince, sibling to the Flame Sovereign Xukutel-potentially Teyvat's ninth sapient being, assuming other Sovereigns' kin emerged slower.

As the primordial flame fragment extinguished in the quest's finale, his millennia-spanning life flickered into oblivion.

He bore many names: "Kukulkan," "Vassakla Hubakan," "Ancient Draconic Sage," "Fire-Thief Sage"... even countless borrowed identities. His life chronicled the Flame Dragonkin's history. With his death, the Flame Dragonkin vanished entirely-only Natlan's Dragonfolk remain.

2. The Life of Kukulkan

At the spiral arm's edge lay an unremarkable world where Nibelung, the Primordial Dragon, emerged with creation itself. Wielding light as his element, he split it into seven hues-from which seven Elemental Dragon Sovereigns were born.

Each Sovereign then used their seventh of the primordial element to forge seven Draconic Beasts, birthing the dragonkin. Thus began Kukulkan's existence-the first Flame Drake crafted by Flame Sovereign Xiuhcoatl, bearer of the primordial flame fragment, and the Sovereign's blood brother.

Xiuhcoatl raised the sacred city of Turan upon his birthplace, using phlogiston to store memories and wisdom. The argent prince Kukulkan aided his brother, forging Flame Dragonkin civilization here. The rest is known-dragonkin civilization fell to the Heavenly Principles. Only mighty dragons survived, forced to witness humans thriving on their ancestral lands.

Flame Sovereign Xiuhcoatl was sealed within cooled magma, falling into suspended animation. Whether by luck or might, Kukulkan survived the Usurpers' purge. All he witnessed was a remade world and Teyvat's new masters. After untold ages, Nibelung returned from beyond-and abyssal energy stirred Xiuhcoatl awake.

The remnants followed black-winged lord Nibelung in rebellion, yet even after his erasure they merely forced the Heavenly Principles into slumber. Xiuhcoatl's presence preserved Natlan, but as Abyssal energy encroached and his lucidity waned, he forged the 「Scourge of Celestial Flame」 to secure dragonkin's survival before the Principles reawaken.

Indeed, the plan to convert all life into phlogiston originated with Xiuhcoatl-contrary to prior versions' lore, Kukulkan initially opposed it.

Beside the flaming pool, the silver-white and ash-covered shadows converse as such...

Silver-white shadow - Ancient Draconic Sage Kukulkan

Ash-covered shadow - Flame Sovereign Xiuhcoatl

Xiuhcoatl: "...Phase Two experimental verification is complete. I name the thing that shall purify all and evolve all 'Huitzilopochtli,' or the 'Sweeping Skyfire'..."

"Not that this matters. Names shall lose meaning in this place very soon, after all."

Kukulkan: "The Astral Assemblages must be activated and actively attached to serve as countermeasures against corruption. Before they are completely warped by the Abyss, they will self-destruct and eliminate its influence..."

"But how will you accurately identify targets as having been corrupted? A controllable specimen..."

"Self-experimentation? Has sanity deserted you?"

Xiuhcoatl: "Hah. This too, is well. If nothing else, this decrepit body may still serve in this manner."

Kukulkan: "So, you shall be the least likely to survive once this system is activated, then?"

"Has the Abyss at last rotted your mind? Or... do you simply wish for all your kin to be martyred upon your funeral pyre?"

Xiuhcoatl: "Such little faith you have in your people! All the lords have consented to this, save you."

Kukulkan: "They merely follow your plan as though blind, never once considering the true meaning behind the scheme... This action does not have my consent."

Xiuhcoatl: "...That matters little. Destruction... shall also be rebirth. I have made my mind up as such."

"Hah... I fear this is as much time as I can spend awake each day. In any case, I shall activate it once all is prepared."

Kukulkan: "Is there no room for a different course? I am still searching for another way... Are you certain that you are not bathing the world in flame over some personal grudge?"

Xiuhcoatl: "Perhaps! I will do anything it takes to keep our shadow-foe beyond the circles of this world."

"Hah. Besides, 'another way,' you say... Will you really find what you seek from those 'humans' of yours? You are in too deep already. I see it..."

"I once tried to make you understand... But just as it was with those of our line who sought wisdom through the pools of flame, knowledge and acceptance are two different things."

Kukulkan: "..."

Xiuhcoatl: "If you believe that I simply wish for 'destruction,' whereas you have a world you wish to construct... Then stop me. Slay me. Prove yourself to me!"

"But know this, Kukulkan, though it be not prophecy--simply advice from one who once walked this path. A day shall come..."

"...When you shall tread the same road as I."

In essence, Flame Sovereign Xiuhcoatl experimented with his Abyss-corrupted body to create the 「Scourge of Solar Flame」 capable of purging all Natlan. The Ancient Draconic Sage, believing humanity held alternative potential, refused. Their schism culminated in Xiuhcoatl demanding the Sage either slay him or await the reset.

This dialogue occurred during the Sage's phlogiston distribution phase, as humanity advanced. Xiuhcoatl summoned him back.

Phase One commenced-Xiuhcoatl forged the 「Starforge Simulacrum」 with phlogiston, a micro-stellar entity. The Sage hailed it as rivaling the Lunar Refabrication.

Their rift predated this-likely before the Sage's first exodus from Dragon City. Post-conflict, he sought promising human tribes, initiating the oft-discussed Flame Transmission cycle, now with new intel.

Post-Transmission, the Flame Dragonkin Tribunal impeached Ancient Draconic Sage Kukulkan for teaching humans phlogiston usage and allowing test subjects to escape to the Och-Kan Federation-ultimately stripping his regency authority during Xiuhcoatl's dormancy.

What follows is the Ancient Draconic Sage's path of conviction-he ultimately walked the path he once rejected

Once, in an age of fading prosperity when a race still projected power beyond its domain, this place was not yet so wretched. The ambitious gazed beyond the firmament, ceaselessly seeking to push the boundaries of their known cosmos.

Yet power has limits. When the Abyss devoured the black winged lord and the Celestial Nail rewrote reality's laws, the race obsessed with strength saw its foundations collapse. Their dreams became hollow echoes, their once-proud wings now dragging in the dust.

Still, none dared break power's shackles. Clinging to the game of might and dominion, they proved the old world deserved annihilation-a rebirth long overdue.

The new world will have no place for these fools who watched their sovereigns entombed-these incompetents who failed to grant their lords a glorious death.

Does a race leeching on protectors' strength, a brittle world shackled to overlords, deserve existence?

Perhaps the world should have been cast into purging flames far sooner-should it not?

The trial concluded with Flame Sovereign Xiuhcoatl's intervention. Unquestioning obedience to the strong-this was the Ancient Draconic Sage's deepest disappointment in dragonkind.

One must admit the Flame Dragonkin's vigor: four princes rivaling demon gods and thirteen Sacred Dragon AI Lords of supreme administrative intellect. Though perhaps less combat-oriented, they remain formidable.

To think all were slain by humans and Xbalanque-is Xbalanque that formidable? Even among god-tier beings, the disparity in power ceilings is staggering.

Post-trial, Kukulkan's disillusionment with dragonkind peaked. He abandoned the sacred city, likely clashing with Xiuhcoatl during one of the Sovereign's brief awakenings.

When the Sage returned with Xbalanque, Turan fell. Human-dragonkin pact followed. Contrary to my prior theories, he came to halt the 「Scourge of Solar Flame」's activation. Though I once framed it as a strategic duel with the Pyro Archon, perhaps his lingering hope for both races stayed his hand from assembling the alloy trigger.

Yet as eons passed, the Ancient Draconic Sage's plan to merge humans and dragonkin-to salvage his race through cross-species hope-stalled. His resolve warped. The Natlan-wide phlogiston conversion array became their last failsafe, but Cibalach rejected the pact's fusion clause. Cornered, Kukulkan pinned his hopes on this weapon.

Thus he yearned for Och-Kan to activate it, yet dreaded its activation-a paradox defining his existence.

The pact bound him, albeit loosely. Five centuries ago, seizing an opening, he resumed the scheme.

Deceiving adventurers with the Looping Jade's lie claimed many lives-all because his dwindling lifespan demanded closure. Should he perish, Flame Dragonkin would lose all hope, reduced to humanity's vassal race.

Millennia of waiting eroded his patience: Natlanites refused to forge a unified empire, clinging to tribal structures and ancestral rites against the Abyss. Though we ultimately proved him wrong, his disillusionment with such beings was inevitable-for he had witnessed civilizations forged in primordial flames.

3. The Paradoxical Ancient Draconic

But had he truly abandoned all hope?

Throughout the journey, he recounted draconic-human history, lured the young dragon with the primordial flame's authority, and sealed its memories of our fellowship with millennium-old recollections…

He feigned eagerness for us to activate the doomsday weapon-yet fulfilling it would deepen his despair.

None could predict the aftermath of awakening 「Huitzilopochtli」-not even the Ancient Draconic Sage.

Thankfully, we can reset. Post-activation… the world blanched into incandescent void, leaving only the young dragon-king in desolate solitude. Then we restart.

A lone dragon-king reigning over an eon-spanning hollow world-while Teyvat, bereft of one Seventh Primordial Element, would have perished sooner.

He no longer cared for outcomes-only closure-yet still lamented failing to offer the world better choices.

Had we chosen to close it, he would have obstructed us until the final moment-only to bare his heart then. The argent prince, ever fond of trials, tested us till the end.

With Kukulkan's demise, the First Flame Drake perished. The once-glorious civilization devolved wholly into beasts and war beasts.

4. Last of the Flame Dragonkin

The drake ignited with wisdom could be called the Last Flame Dragonkin-his tales and trials intertwined with ours.

With final words, the Last Flame Dragonkin shed his wisdom, never to be regained.

Finally, the little saurian set off on a journey of their own, no longer accompanying the Traveler beyond Natlan. But don’t be sad—adorable genshin saurian plush and the natlan tepetlisaurus figure will be there to accompany you on the adventures ahead.

Once the Traveler was anchored to one world-now tethered to two. For a dragon spurned a world and his Sovereign mantle for her.

5. No Flame Dragon shall ever rise again

Or perhaps, perpetually gestating. This quest revealed Dragon Sovereigns are born of primordial essence. Even a Flame Drake ascending requires merging with the primordial flame to rebirth-yet that flame now…

Moreover, the primordial flame's authority rests with the Pyro Archon. The sacred flame now belongs wholly to humanity-evident in how no dragonkin gain wisdom from it. It remains Teyvat's 「primordial flame」, yet dragonkind's claim is lost. Flame Dragons still gestate, but may never amass enough power to emerge.

Should the Pyro or Nocturnal Archon siphon even a fraction of energy, they'd revert to embryonic state. This explains why-three millennia after the last Flame Dragon's death-none have risen. The sacred flame's might was spent thwarting the Abyss.

Natlan Dragonfolk can never reclaim their sapient status-this must be why the Ancient Draconic Sage clings to life. His death would extinguish dragonkin's last hope. Yet as a crafted race, igniting the drake's wisdom with his flame fragment pushed his lifespan to the brink.

Their tale awaits your judgment. After reading, your grasp of the First and Last Flame Dragons will deepen. As a pivotal narrative nexus, their saga concludes here. May this guide lighten your lore journey. Stay tuned for future articles and Genshin-related content.