We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. And then the dragons arrived.

The story so far: in the beginning the Universe was created. And then the dragons arrived.

Off you go, Spot!
Don't get lost.
And then the dragons arrived.
Spot's First Walk, Eric Hill, pub. Frederick Warne, ISBN 0 7232 5706 X

One day when Pooh Bear had nothing to do, he thought he would do something, so he went round to Piglet's house to see what Piglet was doing. And then the dragons arrived.
The House at Pooh Corner, A.A. Milne.

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. And then the dragons arrived.

We set up the tent a remote valley in Wales ac wedyn cyrhaeddon y dreigiau

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and then the dragons arrived

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That was when I saw the pendulum. And then the dragons arrived. Foucault's Pendulum, Umberto Eco

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Then the dragons arrived.

Marley was dead, to begin with. And then the dragons arrived.

The Turks arriv’d at their amazing Grandeur

The Turks arriv’d at their amazing Grandeur from so

The Turks arriv’d at their amazing Grandeur from ſo obſcure an Origin, that the invaded World ſtood wondering at their Growing Fortunes, while they ſhou’d have endeavour’d to repulſe, by a vigorous Oppoſition, the bold Incurſions of their encroaching Numbers. And then the Dragons arriv’d. (“A Full and Juſt Account of the Preſent State of the Ottoman Empire in All Its Branches: with the Government, and Policy, Religion, Cuſtoms, and Way of Living of the Turks, in General. faithfully related From a Serious OBSERVATION, taken in many Years TRAVELS thro’ thoſe Countries”, by Aaron Hill, Gent., 1709.)