yeah which to me is still death, just slower.
Fight it here means they will likely die.
However, using its power means being dependent on it and having to fight wars for it is just prolonging a certain death.
I see it as a lose-lose situation either way.
This is not a story about the end, it's about the journey.
Will's human, he will grow old and die even if he never fight, that's 'still death, just slower'.
Even the dragon doesn't mind dying, but he will go out in style-HIS style.
As he said it "I shall be equally glad to be slain, and my name carried to the end of the world"
The significance is in how you live, the choices you make.
The dragon will live following its ideal of a dragon.
It said what it wanted: War, Catastrophe, Feats of Valor, Maidens Sacrifice, Treasures, Deaths, HEROES
A different way to interpret the whole conversation has been the dragon asking 'can you entertain me (are you heroes)? or do I have to use you to make my own entertainment (start wars, cause catastrophes)'