Jeez!
Frozen Nest, a land that was so far situated in the northern part of the world that it might as well be Peolynca’s north pole. It was large enough to be considered a continent like Australia, yet due to Kramps bringing the land into his empire, Frozen Nest was instead considered part of the larger Miononbolax landmass.
At the same time, there was a boundary that surrounded the southern part of the land bordering Miononbolax, creating a powerful blizzard barrier that kept most threats from entering it. Known as “Thalaxarus’s Wrath,” it’s creation was the last action the former Dragon Ruler of Ice, Thalaxarus, manifested in the moments before he was slain by Kramps during his conquering days. Thalaxarus’s remains were now buried underneath the mountain ranges of Frozen Nest, but to his mana and aura still emanating from it, the barrier remained alive even after all these millennia.
The blizzard barrier could only be opened by a “trueborn of Frozen Nest,” meaning even members of the Kargryxmor bloodline wouldn’t be able to enter this land unless they had the support of a native. Mom believed I should have the right as well, since I had her blood, but she wasn’t so sure. I was, after all, the first holy-fire dragon born from an ice dragon.
[“We will check on it when we make our trip to see your father,”] Mom stated before our household climbed onto her back. Unfurling her humongous wings, she took to the sky, allowing all of us to gaze at this outstanding sight of the clear blue sky and the glistening snow-covered mountain ranges.
While Tasianna and the twins had witnessed all of this splendor for over a year now, I felt overwhelmed. Like those bird’s eye view photos of the himalayas, I was speechless at the natural beauty before my eyes.
White, spiky mountain ranges surrounded this portion of the continent, creating a large valley beneath the mountains’ shadows, where I saw numerous dragons, wyverns, and monsters all roaming about. The area was far larger than even a metropolis like Tokyo, and the contrasting brown-grey earth and aquamarine lakes created such a heavenly scenery, like something straight out of a painting. This wasn’t even mentioning the forests full of dark green pine trees with their birch-white trunks, and the snow-covered green grass some monsters were grazing on.
Yet, this wasn’t even the crown jewel of the land. That was, without a doubt, Mom’s cavern. Large and broad enough that it made even Mount Everest look tiny, peering down it felt suffocating as I could imagine numerous hikers dying before reaching the halfway mark. Regardless, Mom’s cavern wasn’t a landmark purely due to its size, but ‘cause of the layer of shining ice covering it. Sunlight was refracted and reflected off it, creating a dazzling array of rainbow lines inside of it, such that it made everything look like they were made out of the shiniest of gems.
[“My mountain isn’t the largest, but you can see it even through a blizzard if you cast [Banishing Beam] or use [Light Horizon] from the sky. Just be careful, though, and always bring the twins or Tasianna with you if you go out, understood?”] Mom said. [“You can get lost out here, and the storms are freezing even to the ice dragon fledglings. Your solar core will keep you safe, but remain cautious.”]
Mom wasn’t even trying to make it out as if her continent was super safe even with her around. This was a full on warning that, if I wanted to go out and “play” like a kid, I would be risking my life. It frankly made me understand why dragon mothers gained the “helicopter mother” reputation. Low birth rate, high mortality birth place, and other giant reptiles being giant reptiles.
I could see some dragons and drakes from up here, but everything looked tiny in comparison to Mom and I couldn’t figure out if they were larger than me or not. I did have one person to compare myself to, though—Cernust, a rank C woodland drake, back when we first met near Belzac. He was an adult and was around my size when I evolved into a rank B during my first year in this world, albeit slightly shorter. Maybe I’d grown during my coma, but an actual adult rank B would probably be larger than me.
I still can’t escape being labeled as ‘small,’ huh?
[“Hestia, as you know, we true dragonkin exude a special pheromone that only other dragonkin—lesser and true—can detect. If you sense a strong smell near a cavern or a hunting ground, try your best to steer away from it unless you actually want to fight an older fledgling or adult. If the smell is weaker and makes you feel calm, like smelling aromatic candles, then those are whelplings or hatchlings,”] Mom reminded me.
Aside from Neill or Mom, though, all the true dragonkin I detected did make me feel competitive. If this was the “strong smell” Mom was talking about, then it should be easy to do, as I could easily pick up the reek from below.
Mom then turned around, soaring through the skies as she continued her explanation on the continent. It was separated into three portions—the northern ice cap being the coldest, the central tundra being the most mountainous, and the southern beaches were where the dragonewts lived. We were in the center where most of the dragons and drakes roosted, as it had a good balance of prey and temperature.
[“Adult ice dragons are fully capable of living in the far north, but that isn’t the case for our children. Their scales aren’t adapted to strong blizzards, nor is there an abundance of edible prey there.”]
[“Golems?”] I guessed.
[“Correct. Natural golems and slimes are more likely to adapt to extreme temperatures, since procreation is easier for them there. However, it doesn’t mean beings of flesh and blood cannot be found; in fact, we dragons use the northern parts as a training grounds. Rank A monsters are far more common there, with many even creating herds or communities to survive,”] Mom replied. [“Yet, it also means the dragons you find there are more aggressive. Loners. All of them are trying to push into rank S to make me acknowledge their existence, although, even though they want my acknowledgement, I cannot control them. We dragons still respect each other’s independence, to the point I don’t even know over half of the dragons there. Even with your Kargryxmor blood, they won’t be able to realize your identity until it’s too late.”]
[“The most dangerous place also possesses the most lucrative rewards …”] Tasianna added, causing Mom to groan a bit.
[“Speak with her about it later, Tasianna. This isn’t the time for us to speak about training and evolutions,”] Mom responded, causing me to only be more curious. [“Look. Do you see those signs?”]
Mom pointed at a cavern entrance in the distance, where I could see a large golden signboard hanging outside of it. Some words were scribbled on it, but I couldn’t read them from here.
[“Dragonkin are greedy with the loot they’ve earned through their travels and adventure, yet some have accepted the art of trading. If you have something they want, you can trade with them if they have those signposts. Treat them as a chance to gain ingredients or materials you could use for alchemy or blacksmithing.”]
Nodding to her information, I then had an idea. [“How about you, Mom? You should have a ton of stuff, too, right?”]
Mom swerved her neck around, looking at me with a smirk. [“Haha, for you? My door is always open, but I won’t spoil you, dear. If your eyes see anything interesting, I will ask you for something. I’ve treated Tasianna and twins like this as well, whether it’s training, information, or an item. Do note Davi and gold are practically worthless here.”]
Understandable. If a dragon was willing to part with items from their treasure pile, then they probably were “rich” already, so only a “collector’s item” or something novel would entice them. On the other hand, was Mom trying to make me do something? Was she testing me or why was she emphasizing the “won’t spoil you” part so much?
Wait!
[“Mom, are you saying you’re about to hibernate, again?”] I asked in a hurry.
[“Hmm? No, no, dear!”] Alarmed, she snapped her head around. [“That’s not what I meant at all! I was just telling you that I won’t treat you like a child; if you wish to become stronger, then you have to make sure you earn it like you’ve been doing up until now. I’ll make sure you come back to a warm dinner and a safe home, but I won’t be watching you every second of you life, and giving you free stuff just because you are my daughter.”]
[“O-oh … My bad.”] I apologize the moment the misunderstanding was cleared. Seeing how much Mom panicked, how much did I scare her?
Hearing this, Mom let out a loud sigh, freezing the very air around us. [“I am going nowhere this time, Hestia. I think my soul is actually in a good enough state now. I haven’t felt drowsy in the year you’ve been asleep; in fact, I’ve only felt excited. Far more than when we first met. I do not know how long it will last, but I believe I could stay up until you’re 100 years old, at least.”]
I smiled. [“Then going down that riskier soul route did work out in the end. I didn’t think Yaldabaoth would be such a good method to heal a person’s soul.”]
[“I would rather believe your lullaby was the reason. Do you think I am being petty for being jealous of your human parents? They were able to make so many memories with you and you flooded me with them while I was asleep! I dreamt of myself being there instead of your ‘Mama,’ and I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to make my own memories with you,”] Mom stated as she descended towards the grown, zigzagging through the mountain ranges before landing at a different valley. [“Today is the first of many. I do hope you will enjoy your time here, Hestia, even if you are worrying about all your friends.”]
Hearing her say that made my head feel warmer, as the sight of Frozen Nest was stunning enough to make a memory. Flying on her back was fun. [“Hehe, I think my Earthen parents would be delighted to hear you love their little song. Although, don’t go too wild with it, okay? It’s still their song for me. You should make one yourself, Mom. After all, your musically inclined daughter would love something like that for her two missed birthday presents.”]
[“I will try before you become four. I’ve already prepared two presents for you, so make sure to anticipate them later when we properly celebrate.”] She then took flight again, now traveling towards what seemed like a gigantic skull. [“How is Hikari?”]
[“Still asleep. Also, I’ve confirmed that my parallel minds are truly gone. [Split Soul Autonomy] has fully replaced them, making Hikari my new and only ‘parallel mind,’”] I replied. [“Strangely, I can’t use any of my lost skills. I can’t appraise anyone, nor use [Mana Eyes] for some reason, yet I know I could during the raid.”]
[“Then, allow me, my lady,”] Tasianna asked for permission to look at my Profile and the skill, only to flinch when she finished appraising. With a complicated frown, she sent the details to everybody in attendance.
Split Soul Autonomy: A skill created from the remains of [Parallel Thoughts] after assessing the owner’s soul state. Elevates the fractured soul and personalities into two individuals who share the same Profile with slight variations to accommodate both. Allows both the ability to take control of the soul’s body and spell mind. Traces of an Edjurian God in the owner’s soul have been noted by the Origin Gods. The skills combined are: [Mana Eyes Lv. 10] [Mental World] [Unholy Usurpation]
Unholy Usurpation: The usurpation ability made manifest into a skill. Allows the usurpation of divine or demonic energy as long as the energy has a definite owner. Allows the usurpation of mana energy as long as the energy has a definite owner. Skill is activated upon the transfer of energy or through contact with the owner’s soul
“Edjurian God?” So, what the Prince of Envy told me was true. The third god who participated in my soul reincarnation was this “Gel’Glariri” and he was responsible for all these usurpation shenanigans from the very beginning. Me randomly gaining [Mana Eyes] was also his doing, for sure.
I had the experience of gaining random skills during my lifetime as a dragon, but all of them usually fit what I was doing at the time when I acquired them. Some of them were also gained through an evolution or from my blessings with Aurena and Kramps. Only Shiterno’s sudden interference and [Mana Eyes] were outliers.
Nevertheless, that wasn’t the problem here. Even after the appraisal, I still wasn’t anywhere closer to understanding why I could neither appraise or use [Mana Eyes] as I was used to. It was clearly connected to [Split Soul Autonomy], but the description didn’t explain anything to me.
[“Maybe it is connected with your other half, your highness?”] Shay suggested, which made sense since I remembered Hikari speaking up before [Mana Eyes] activated. She even stated how she would “share” the image to me.
Beth agreed. [“The skill is connected with your past self, your highness. [Parallel Thoughts] created copies of you, while this skill means both of you are individuals. Maybe everything will become clear when the both of you are awake?”]
Seeing as nobody had a proper answer to the problem, I decided to leave this issue for later and concentrate on the present. After several seconds passed, we finally made it in front of a dragon skull fully encased in ice, to the point it could pass as just another mountain, just like the ones around it. On a closer inspection, the head seemed just a bit larger than Mom’s.
As I had this thought, three dragons suddenly flew out of the Titanic ship-sized hole. The first was a white-brown striped dragon with fur covering their entire body, especially around their long, backward-pointing horns and their whiskers underneath their jaw, making it look like a beard. The second looked as if they came from the sea with their glimmering, turquoise-colored scales and the two large sail-sized dorsal fins on their back, while their only horn was situated in front of their maw, looking like a drill or maybe a harpoon fitting for dive bombing into the water for prey.
The last, though, was probably the most “normal” looking ice dragon amongst them. Completely covered in almost jagged, ice-blue scales, their most significant characteristic would be the fact they had a humanoid-shaped body similar to Kramps. Only, they had a single pair of wings instead of the same that Kramps had. Instead of the more slender, lizard-like body shapes of their two comrades or Mom’s and mine, theirs was bulky, fit for a physically-intensive dog fight in the sky or a wrestling match on the ground.
The former two dragons could probably fit on Mom’s back, at least as long as they went one-by-one, but the latter was far too large. From a quick glance, I believed they were around the length of Mom’s head to the end of her torso.
Nevertheless, all of them were large enough to treat me like a small gecko, tiny enough to be stepped on; I hadn’t felt this small since the earliest days after hatching. Still, they were nowhere close to the size of the giant skull they just came flying out from.
The first thing the three did was to bow their heads and tuck their tails in between their hindlegs before letting out a low, rumbling, “Kruuuuugh.” Hearing this, Tasianna instantly covered our group in an [Air Shield] just in time as Mom released an avalanche-causing roar. It shook the air so much that countless herds of monsters and dragonkin fled the area.
[“Speak with [Telepathy],”] Mom ordered, signaling Tasianna to dispel the shield.
[“We honor our true ruler,”] the three said—all male.
One of them, the furred dragon, arched their neck around and opened their mouth slightly. [“E-Empress Melloxtressa, is that—? The crimson tint, that’s your daughter, no?”] he said before letting out a celebrating roar.
[“Our princess is awake!”] The one horned dragon flew to the side, flanking Mom before he finally got a clear look at me. [“With her little fairy retainer as well! Little Hestia, correct?”]
Oh, jeez! I shrinked back a bit as those two flew around me like bees, transmitting their thoughts at the same time.
Mom burst into laughter and raised her wings as she used [Air Walk], covering me from the two men. [“Enough, you two. You’ll only scare my little daughter with how large you are. I presume the three of you were talking, considering you came out of Alextraxus’s nest, correct? May we join?”]
[“It would be our humblest honor,”] the humanoid dragon said before we entered through the hole in the middle of the dragon skull.
Once we landed in a large empty crystalline lair, a quadrupedal snow-white scaled dragon was waiting there. They walked up, bowing their head before letting out a small, timid roar. Although slightly smaller than the furred and horned dragon from before, I could feel a strong aura from them, not to mention a pretty irritating smell … A she.
[“Whelpling smell, correct?”] she said with full excitement, confirming my guess.
I still wasn’t fully familiar with dragon pheromones, but the three men from before smelled extremely sweet, as if they had no ulterior motives and were inviting us towards them. I couldn’t really tell if they were male or female right away, but it was a completely different case for this woman standing before me.
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It was neither combative or inviting. She wasn’t issuing a challenge but the smell emanating from her still felt a bit uncomfortable, as if she was saying, “Stay away.” Stay away from her? No, this smell also covered the humanoid dragon from head to tail. “Stay away from him,” she was saying.
[“Heheh, naturally, such a smell would never escape another mother, right? It is good to see you, Rhuthuyual,”] Mom addressed her before turning her head around. [“Come, time to introduce yourself, my child. These are my old friends; my fellow companions of the ages. And, also, my seniors when it comes to being a parent, hoho.”]
Honestly, I did feel quite intimidated by the large beings standing around Mom, making me feel almost like I was the show-and-tell. When I flew off Mom’s back with Tasianna and the twins, the four dragonkin let out light growls of interest, tracking my movements as I landed on the ground.
The dragon mom called “Rhuthuyual” came closer, greeting me with, [“Hello, dear, my name is Rhuthuyal. May I memorize your smell?”] Although I was confused as to why, she didn’t seem too bad after she controlled her pheromones, switching it to the same sweet, inviting smell the other three adults had.
When I gave her the permission, she nudged her head closer to my body, to the point we could feel each other’s body temperatures. Although her mouth was large enough to gobble me whole, her movements felt soft and careful, treating me like a fragile doll.
Once she was done, she raised her head and thanked me, before turning to Mom. [“She definitely smells like a Kargryxmor, just as my husband told me, but it’s also true she doesn’t explicitly smell like Eltharion or you, my empress. She’s … very similar to a wild dragon; a very neutral whelpling smell.”]
[“Lack of skinship, sadly. I presume her humanoid bed smells more like me than she does herself at this point, although, there is a certain charm to that, no?”]
[“Quite. Independence. Ready to fly without us, and to the point it doesn’t make me want to cuddle her too much. She smells like a youngling; experienced and battle-hardened. The smell of blood and training is prominent; very intense,”] she described, making me smell under my leg pits to confirm if it was true or not. [“However, a lot of ash. A lot of fire … very little ice. I believe she really will have an issue integrating with the other children at this point.”]
[“Exactly my point!”] the furred dragon uttered. [“She would agitate most of us, especially considering our history with the fire dragon flight. It will compel the more sensitive young to avoid her.”]
The horned dragon huffed and puffed, rattling his scales like a rattlesnake. [“Or perhaps the opposite. Even when we saw her hibernating, I think all three of us were more wary than curious, no? Kargryxmor’s scent is truly quite strong on her, even now, despite how adorable of a whelpling she is.”]
This really was like a show-and-tell. Everybody was looking at me and assessing me as if I was an “item” or an animal, reminding me how pet owners would brag about their finely groomed dogs and cats. They kept talking over me, literally, treating me as if I wasn’t there, even ignoring how I was groaning in displeasure. Seeing them like this, I looked over to Mom, who was staring at me from the edge of her eyes, in anticipation for something.
Charm. Independent … This was a test. Even now, you’re testing me, Mom? Come on, this is my first day here, give me a break and help me out. I don’t want to deal with your friends.
In the end, I had no choice. [“Excuse me?”]
Yet, nobody listened. Mom’s eyes were telling me to try harder.
[“Misters? Mrs.? Hello?”] I tried again, yet it was the same result. [“Excuse me? Hello, I’m also here?”]
[“She’s still young, though, and strength is what matters. As long as she can survive through an arctic blizzard, she should be able to gain the respect of our children, although it might be hard for her to inherit her birthright as the next dragon ruler of Frozen Nest,”] the humanoid dragon, Alextraxus as Mom called him, said, acting like some kind of royal chamberlain or adviser like from a human kingdom.
[“Haaa, yet that is the main issue!”] the furred dragon interjected. [“She can’t contend against her older siblings, as none of the childrens under the Dragon Ruler of Fire and Magma would ally themselves with their youngest sister. Her support should come from us! We should keep her safe for Empress Melloxtressa, but her fire dragon blood prevailed over her silver dragon bloodline. She needs similar aged supporters, or her future years will only become harsh and cruel.”]
[“Then we must forcibly build her supporter base,”] Mrs. Rhuthuyal demanded. [“She has the experience and hardiness our children lack—at least those who haven’t gone on their pilgrimage yet. A three old not only outlevels them, but they should know they can’t defeat her. If we gather our retainers and have their younger children ‘play’ with her, she would gain their respect.”]
I had no idea what they were talking and worrying about. I could guess, yet I didn’t care what the subject was since it really rubbed me the wrong way how they were deciding things for me. They felt … a bit like my maternal human grandparents. This entire discussion pieced together some of my broken memories about them.
They were so traditional, so ingrained in Japanese culture, speaking down to my Mama about my grades and idol dream. I still loved them since they had a very tender side to them, and they always made sure to give me a ton of money through my New Years red envelopes. The memories might still be too cloudy for me to get a proper opinion of them, but they were enough to make me feel frustrated.
[“Therefore, we have to—”]
[“UNCLES! AUNTIE! LISTEN TO ME!”] I shouted, using a more familiar address, since I only knew the name of two of them and they were Mom’s most trusted friends. Trying to sound like a kid did finally work out though, as the adults did stop talking and looked over at me. Now I remembered how it felt to be a kid screaming for attention while the adults talked with each other.
I sighed as I realized that, to these dragons, I might as well be a kindergartner. [“First, I apologize for shouting, but I would prefer if you are talking about me to include me in the discussion. Second, I would love an introduction. I’ll start, my name is Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor. Mom didn’t name me, but that is the name I’ve been given and she accepted it, so nice to meet you.”]
The four dragons all exchanged baffled glances, before they looked down, probably squinting at me.
[“Small, fragile, and far too young to understand the current situation, yet possesses a flare in her eyes. She is definitely your daughter, Empress. A fire dragon version of you, which—unironically—would have probably fitted your personality far more than ruling over us docile ice dragons,”] the furred dragon said, grinning a bit as his fur began to stand up as if static was building in his body.
[“She is my daughter,”] Mom stated with pride. [“Now, let me do the introductions. On your left, you have the furred little rodent, Guyulthanos Ievfuchsdra. A childhood friend of mine, and your uncle’s oldest hunting partner.”]
[“Rodent? Empress, my loyalty to you is eternal, but randomly insulting your retainer wouldn’t go well with the rest of our flight, hahaha!”] Possessing a light, easy-to-listen-to voice, Guyulthanos sounded rather lax, yet I just witnessed him in his serious mode. He sounded genuinely worried for my future in dragon society. [“If I scared you with how I was speaking before, then I have to apologize, little one. Your uncle and mother were worried sick when your egg disappeared, to the point I’ve never seen them so despondent before. Not even when our parents left us with Kargryxmor.”]
Hearing mention of Mom’s brother, it did bring back a memory of when she talked about him. [“My uncle … That would be Odlesstrus, correct? Mom said he searched for my egg by flying over the ocean.”]
Mom nodded before continuing, [“To your right, you have Karydrinos Liandsee. He and his clan are descendants between a leviathan and dragon union, which resulted in his fish-like scale and fins. He followed your uncle in his search. He’s quite adept in flying and swimming; if you need any tips with the latter discipline, ask him.”]
[“I do not mind you calling me ‘uncle,’ as well, Hestia,”] he said. It was short and concise, but I remembered him being the one to call me “adorable.”
[“Lastly, we have these two,”] Mom pointed at the two right in front of me, specifically the humanoid dragon. [“The current Dragon Ruler of Ice, leader of the entire ice dragon flight of Frozen Nest, and also my regent—Alextraxus Judgradral Thalaxarus.”]
[“Thalaxarus? Wait, is he related to the dragon Kramps fought?”]
[“Yes, dear. He is Thalaxarus’s grandson, the former Dragon Ruler of Ice before his son took over the title and then I, after the end of the demon wars. You could say the role simply went right back to its rightful owner,”] Mom complimented him, but the dragon only shook his head.
[“Nonsense. Everybody on Miononbolax knows I am simply your replacement due our Emperor’s decree. An empress cannot rule her dragon flight, which is why we regents exist, allowing you to serve your duty as a queen-mother and ruler of the continent,”] Alextraxus bowed, kneeling like a human. [“You are our true ruler, Empress Melloxtressa. Your happiness and protection, and that of your brother and daughter are our duty to uphold. We ice dragons do not forget.”]
[“Ha! How can I be considered a silver dragon when your tongue glistens more than my scales? Be wary when you speak with him, Hestia. Loyal to a fault to Frozen Nest and its inhabitants he may be, Alextraxus does not indulge those willing to harm our home, nor does he forgive those who harmed it. Your grandfather, for example, would belong to the list of dragonkin he despises,”] Mom said, which made sense since I could guess what happened to his grandfather when he fought Kramps. [“He isn’t the greatest supporter of the Kargryxmor clan, yet he witnessed my heart being stolen by one of its members. If it wasn’t for his wife, a second civil war might have just happened.”]
[“And this impending war might happen eventually. It is the perfect moment to simply wait things out, and allow the Kargryxmors to exterminate each other. If only our flight hadn’t been compelled to fight by the other dragon clans. If only you hadn’t sired his child …”] Alextraxus glared at me for a moment before he turned his body, looking down at me. [“Yet, it is a fact you are a Nordor as well, Princess Hestia. Your heritage and birthright are in these lands and that means I will serve you so that the future will become true. Protect you against those other Kargryxm—Urgh!”]
Having heard enough, Mom blocked Alextraxus’s stare on me with one of her wings, pushing him aside to allow her to speak with the woman standing behind him. [“Finally, Rhutuyual Liandsee. She isn’t my direct retainer, just as Guyul’s and Kary’s wives aren’t, but they are all still good friends of mine. Aside from my step-sister and fellow queen-mothers, I learned most of my child rearing from them.”]
[“Liandsee? Are you related to Uncle Kary, Auntie Rhutu?”] I asked, causing Karydrinos to snap his head around and growl under his breath.
Seeing him like this, Rhutuyual shook her head with a small smile. [“Precious. The tongue of a human but the body of a dragonkin; it fits, considering your history. My, if only my sons were as delightful as you, I might just have wanted a third child. To answer your question, Karydrinos is my cousin. Our fathers differed with their preferred evolution paths, with mine focusing on my grandmother’s aerial specialization while his family continued the dragon-leviathan heritage of our Liandsee ancestor … Now, with the introductions done, I believe you wanted to say something, dear?”]
[“Yes, I do, mostly concerning what you all meant with this whole succession crisis part. I’ve heard enough from my half-sister, Fargryneill, to know what exactly is going on and let me state this outright, here and now, I have no plans at all to contest the crown against my elder siblings. In my opinion, all of them are more suited to it and I personally want to pursue my personal goals instead,”] I announced. [“Besides, once I’m five, I fully intend to depart back to Altrust and continue wandering the world. I won’t have any time to deal with things here.”]
The four adults looked at each other, clearly flabbergasted at my frank nature. Did Mom not tell them anything about me? Why was this their reaction?
[“I see …”] Guyulthanos stuttered. [“Yet, do you not believe this to be naive, Hestia? I believe you do not quite fully understand the state of Kargryx and what your half-siblings have started now that it is confirmed that our Emperor is dying.”]
What! My eyes widened, snapping over to Mom as she nodded in confirmation.
[“The succession battle we mentioned isn’t just a prediction, it is a guarantee at this point,”] Karydrinos assured. [“His Majesty’s soul has reached the point where even a deep hibernation cannot prolong his life any further. He is too far away from rank SSS to extend his lifespan, and it seems like nothing can give him the spark to continue living. Even the news of your—”]
[“That is as much as she needs to know, Kary,”] Mom silenced him.
[“I agree, which is why you need to understand whether you want it to or not, the succession battle will also include you, our princess,”] Rhutuyual emphasized. [“I understand your wish, but we ice dragons also have our eyes on our ideal heir and if we cannot have them, we would rather support you or whoever you sponsor. Regardless, it will place Frozen Nest in a faction.”]
Her husband nodded, kneeling once again to speak with me. [“My princess, while I understand your wish, I suggest you start thinking about your home and heritage, as we ice dragons will not be the only clans to have our eyes on you. Once you visit your father, the news of your awakening will spread, acting as the fuse to make things far more complicated … Which I assume is what we will talk about today, my empress.”]
[“Correct,”] Mom stated. [“Hestia, let me assure you that I am on your side and I can protect you while you are in our home. This is your first lesson, though, so take your time to think over it. Also, I do apologize I brought you back home at such a terrible time. Eltharion’s waning soul wasn’t what I expected … It shouldn’t have come to this.”]
I witnessed something glistening in Mom’s eyes before she closed them, moving past me. She led the other dragons deeper into the cavern, while ordering Tasianna and the twins to follow after her, as they too should participate for now. My “uncles” suggested I roam around their home to think, but that I shouldn’t wander too far.
Yet, how could I think right now? Was I actually now part of an unwanted succession battle I had no intention of interacting with? Why should I care which of my half-siblings were to climb onto the throne, when Neill had no interest either. I just woke up and instead of enjoying a “vacation” after I just recovered from a massive battle, people were trying to pull me into a new one?
How was this fair? I didn’t want to deal with this, I just wanted to fucking sing and dance!
What the hell … and you wanted me to deal with this, Kramps?
It felt suffocating, not to mention the damn cold. Deciding to take a breather, I flew out of the chamber, following the tunnels until I ended up at the entrance, able to take in the bright blue sky. Even with the freezing temperatures, I still basked in the solar rays as if it was a summer’s day on the beach.
Now was the time to just relax and take in my new surroundings, but I’ve jumped from one major news to the next without any breaks. I wanted to meet my friends and party again, yet I was forbidden to do so due to my dragon father. Not to mention, this father of mine was apparently about to die and caused the current situation for his Empire.
I couldn’t feel anything for him since I’d never met him, but I felt devastated for Mom’s sake. Why was the world so cruel to her? Her heart almost broke from losing my egg, and when she finally reunited with me, she had to hibernate to heal her soul. Yet, when she woke up and brought me back to her home, she learned her husband was about to die? Her love-of-her-life? Ridiculous.
Hey, Prince of Envy, are you still alive somewhere? Wanna come back to life and give me a chance to heal my father’s soul before you die again? Please? No go? Guess so.
“Kriiah!”
A loud roar woke me up from my thoughts before I noticed multiple signals approaching me from behind. I turned around, noticing multiple cyan- and white-scaled dragons circle around me like vultures. I couldn’t determine their sizes, but the shadows they were casting on me tensed me up.
Those seven dragons slowly landed on Thalaxarus’s massive teeth, eying me while continuing to growl. They did it amongst themselves as often as they did to me, prompting me to finally understand it was draconic. I tried to understand them, but all I could do was realize they were probably badmouthing me. My parallel minds were the ones responsible for the translation …
[“Ha, see, I told you she wouldn’t understand us!”] one of them, a man, boasted through telepathy. [“No growling, she didn’t respond to our smell until the last moment. She is just like a whelpling despite her size, yet probably even weaker. The daughter of the great and mighty Empress Melloxtressa … Yet, here she is, a fire dragon. Pity.”]
I couldn’t appraise them, I could only rely on my senses at this point. There were seven surrounding me, with four of them being slightly shorter than me while the rest were probably in the 2800cm (92 ft) range. None of them were “young” if their pheromones could be believed, meaning they were all over five years old, at the very least.
Their auras were exuding from their bodies, making me believe the four shorter ones were rank C, while the latter three were rank B, or maybe even A. Nevertheless, did my assessment matter right now? Their eerie, predatory looks gave me the chills, but I didn’t really feel much hostility from them. What was this all just bravado?
[“Come on, speak up, whelpling. Don’t tell me you can’t growl or speak telepathically. This is our princess?”] another man—actually, at this point, I wanted to believe all of them were young adults with how much they were egging me on.
[“I don’t believe that, maybe she’s only shy?”] After saying that, the largest of the group flew up and crashed right in front of me, unfurling his wings to seem even larger before revealing he could stand on two legs. His scales, though, seemed familiar. [“I’ll introduce myself first. Rhekkraxus Cammatrak Thalaxarus, your ‘highness.’ Second son of the current Dragon Ruler of Ice!”]
… Oh god.
[“… You came to announce yourself in such a fashion?”] I grimaced
[“Hey! She can speak!”] the annoying lizard pranced around his laughing posse before he shoved his head right into my personal space. [“Then, what is your name, your ‘highness.’ I named myself, so why don’t you?”]
[“Hestia.”]
[“‘Hestia,’ what? Do you not take any pride in your last name? Or are you ashamed of your bloodline and how you weren’t born with your mother’s elemental alignment? Then again, we did hear you were born away from our home, so maybe you’re just a feral dragon like the spawners? It must be hard, especially for a fire-breather.”] he then raised his head and began blowing a small ice breath in the air, freezing it. [“Our parents told us to ‘play’ nice with you, but you aren’t one of us. You’re a Kargryxmor, not a Nordoramsul. We do not need another fire-spitter destroying our lands or family!”]
He bared his teeth, gnashing them together as he arched his neck back to give me a clear view of Thalaxarus’s skull. These reptiles were only here to insult me, huh? Unbelievable. How old were they?
I growled and turned my head around and started walking back into the cavern, seeing as these dragons were trying to escalate things. Seeing me do this, Rhekkraxus stepped in front of me.
[“What’s the hurry? Want to join the adults? None of them want you, so maybe stay outside, won’t you?”] he growled, his hostility now fully displayed. [“So, let’s go on an adventure. Let us teach a whelpling like you how to adapt to the storm and ice, yeah? Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you get back home safely and without an issue; just have to make sure you use that fire of yours to keep warm, understood? Come.”]
[“Shut up,”] I snapped back. [“If you’re trying to bully somebody, try it on somebody else. I’ve had people worse than you and your bark trying to insult and demean me. Maybe, act your age, huh, elder scale?”]
“Graaakkahahk!” he cackled out loud, prompting the other six to do the same. [“So you do have a bite; that attitude of yours fits your color, fire-spitter. Guess you are still a whelp with how you want to be close to your parents. Sadly, only one of them even gives you the time of the day, huh? Our mighty Emperor doesn’t care much about a half-elemental breed, does he?”]
… Neill, I am so sorry you had to deal with people like these in your past. If you tell me who annoyed you, I’ll make sure to give them a [Drakonian Sunlight Edge] to the face!
Yet I couldn’t blow up when it came to myself, as it would only play into their cards. I’ve dealt with bitches worse than them, and I didn’t want to repeat the same damn mistake. Somebody had to act like an adult and sure enough, I was one now! 18-bloody-years old! I could endure this. I would endure this!
[“Please, let me through.”] I forced myself to be positive.
[“Rejected. This is my home and I’m saying you need to know your future subjects, your ‘highness.’ The sting of the ice can’t be ignored, right? So, let’s go?”]
You little—
[“Come on, let’s go!”]
[“Right, princess. Let us give you a tour of our home and have some fun!”]
[“Little whelp like you need some supporters and we’re ready for that, so how about it?”]
They kept talking nonstop. Seven voices were ringing inside my head, yet it wasn’t aggressive enough to count as a mental attack. It was just plain annoying, like a bunch of flies buzzing around me. Even worse, without my parallel minds, I was having a hard time cutting my telepathic links with them before they inevitably re-established them to my annoyance.
I couldn’t think at this point, yet my rage reminded me what Mom said—strength was everything here. Annoying them was the wrong choice! I shouldn’t act like a bloody doormat after all I’d gone through and I wouldn’t at this point! If these dragons were willing to agitate me, then so be it.
All I needed to make sure was to not kill them. Easy as heck.
[“If you want to ‘play,’ then let’s pla—Krak!”]
Yet, just as I was about to unleash my [Draconic Aura], my consciousness suddenly was shoved backwards, away from the light of my eyes. Darkness was all I could see behind me until the movement stopped and I stopped in a small, familiar place. I looked around, noticing there was a bed right next to me.
This is my mind. What?
“Kreiiiiiiieeeek!” My draconic voice screamed, drawing my attention forward where I could see something I didn’t expect. Another me, yet, she didn’t have my crimson hair. Hers was black.
This black-haired “Hestia” was standing right in front of where my eyes were, squealing hysterically as she snapped her—our head in horror. I could feel her emotions, she was terrified of the flustered dragons standing before her, but more importantly, she was digging up a painful memory—of when our fellow trainees back on Earth decided to exclude us from everything. When the bullying got to the point I couldn’t take it anymore.
Hikari? Why are you able to take control without my permission?