First game: your dragon is the mvp, just keep feeding it until he grows strong enough to take on an army
This game: Yeah sorry your dragon's going to be pretty useless for a while. It'll take a bunch of grinding until you get the gem for him, then it'll take another while for him to hatch, and then some more grinding until he can actually attack.
To any new players looking at this before choosing the special prize, be forewarned that the secret prize is of no practical gameplay value. I still don't regret it.
I'm stuck on the magical island with the wyrms on it because my big dragon just died of exhaustion and I don't have the spirit crystal needed to make a fire crystal to get another one.
There are 3 easy to get spirit gems - have you used them all already? If you defeat the wyrm queen, you can get another (and access to an area with infinite gems). If you follow the alchemist quests, you can get a better pickaxe and dig deeper, where there are a lot more spirit gems too.
"Can I bring the food into the escape pod" "the escape pod will let you leave, but considering the supplies you are not likely to live."
"Can I bring the food into the escape pod" "The escape pod will let you leave, but considering the supplies you are not likely to live" "okay but can I bring the rationed food into the escape pod"
There are 3 easy to get spirit gems - have you used them all already? If you defeat the wyrm queen, you can get another (and access to an area with infinite gems). If you follow the alchemist quests, you can get a better pickaxe and dig deeper, where there are a lot more spirit gems too.