Flying Dragon (term)

A Flying Dragon (飛行竜) is a term used in Tales of Destiny and Tales of Destiny 2 to refer to the large, Lens-powered aeroships developed during the Aeth'er Wars era.

Background
Flying Dragons are flight-capable machines fashioned in the shape of dragons. They were developed during the Aeth'er Wars as part of research linking organisms to Lens. Due to their frightening appearance, the threat of monsters attacking the large mechanism is low. In addition to their aerial capabilities, they can maneuver well in water and dive as deep as the seabed. Ultimately, Flying Dragons possess an organic body only in regard to their Lens-linking to that of a monster. Nonetheless, they lack the ego of a monster and merely function as a vehicle.

Role in the Plot
Due to the large amount of the rare metal Belselium required to build Flying Dragons, manufacturing is minimal, with the Lumina Draconis of Seinegald being one of the only operating Flying Dragons in Tales of Destiny. This Flying Dragon is what Lydon Bernhardt uses to flee with the Eye of Atamoni, leading the game's protagonists on a worldwide hunt in search for him. A guardian Flying Dragon, which slightly varies in appearance compared to standard Flying Dragons, emerges with the Aetherian fortress of Dycroft when Hugo Gilchrist resurrects the aeropolis capital from the ocean. This Flying Dragon serves to protect the devastating superweapon Belcrant, which protrudes from beneath Dycroft.