Chapter 17
It had been a few months since my rigorous magic training began, and I was making significant progress. My lightning spells had reached Tier 8, the highest I had achieved so far. Ground magic was at Tier 6, water and air at Tier 4, and I had advanced storm spells to Tier 3. Ice magic, my most challenging element, had barely climbed to Tier 2. The knowledge imprint from my youngling sleep had greatly accelerated my learning, filling my mind with the arcane secrets passed down through generations of dragons. I was running out of knowledge when I was a wyrmling I am quite thankful for the youngling memories I gained.
For now, though, I had my innate dragon knowledge, my talent, and the favor of mana itself. That was enough for me. While my current spells were powerful, I wouldn’t be satisfied until I had perfected every element in existence. Mastery of the elements, from lightning to ice to the otherworldly forces of time, space, light, and darkness, was my ultimate goal. Nothing less would suffice.
Today, like many other days, I found myself deep within my cave, focusing on ice magic. Despite my dragon nature being more attuned to lightning, I was determined to conquer the icy element. Being a variant dragon—one that mana inherently favored—gave me an edge, but ice was still almost a complete opposite to my blue dragon affinity. If I thought it was difficult, I could only imagine how much worse it would be for a red dragon, whose fiery nature directly opposed the cold.
I had been practicing the same spell for hours: **Frostbite Touch**. Even though it was the easiest ice spell, I had yet to fully master it. The spell required subtlety and control, traits that didn’t come naturally to a blue dragon like me, who was used to commanding the tempestuous energy of lightning. I was working on reducing the casting time, trying to make the frost spread faster and more effectively. I flexed my claws, feeling the mana flow, when suddenly, I sensed a disturbance.
My siblings were nearby, and I could feel them flexing their auras outside the cave. I responded by extending my own aura, signaling that they could enter. As I stopped my spell and turned around, I saw Vaelrath strolling in with his usual confident grin.
“Hey, brother. Something’s going on with the clan,” he said, his voice casual but laced with curiosity. “Wanna check it out with us?”
I sighed. It seemed like something interesting always happened when Vaelrath came by. If I didn’t go, I’d probably regret it later. And besides, I could use a break from my frustrating ice magic practice. I agreed and joined Vaelrath, along with my other siblings—Zarothan and Zalyndre. As a group, we headed toward the heart of the clan’s territory.
On the way, we met up with Nimbra and Xytherion, two of our closest allies in the clan. Together, the six of us formed a tight-knit group, always ready for adventure or a challenge. We also ran into the greens—Jorveth, Grenthy, and Emerith. They were from the green dragon lineage, naturally attuned to nature and the earth. Vaelrath started talking with them, as he usually did. Grenthy, the most friendly of the greens, responded eagerly, while the others stayed mostly quiet.
As we continued toward the clan’s central meeting grounds, we encountered one of the adult dragons, a regal-looking male whose scales shimmered with an iridescent blue hue. Vaelrath, always quick to ask questions, approached him.
“What’s happening?” Vaelrath asked, his voice curious but not overly eager.
The adult dragon turned to face us, his eyes gleaming with knowledge. “The clan head has just retrieved a new kobold tribe—a blue kobold tribe, to be precise.”
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Kobolds. The word sent a ripple of excitement through the group. Dragons and kobolds shared a special bond. While most dragons kept their distance from lesser creatures, kobolds were a different story. They were our loyal servants, bound to us by ancient oaths. There were two types of kobolds: the more common dog-like kobolds, and the superior high kobolds.
Normal kobolds had canine features—external ears, rat-like tails, and jaws that resembled a dog’s. They stood around one meter tall and were generally less intelligent. However, the high kobolds were a different breed entirely. They resembled miniature dragons walking on two legs. Their scales were tougher, some of them possessed wings, and they were far more intelligent. High kobolds often had dragon memories, passed down from generation to generation, allowing them to serve their dragon lords with fierce loyalty and wisdom. They stood taller than their lesser cousins, about 1.5 meters in height, and were powerful mages and warriors in their own right.
The high kobolds, like dragons, were divided into different elemental clans. Blue kobolds, for example, shared many of the same traits as blue dragons—they thrived near water, loved storms, and were often just as prideful as their draconic masters. Red kobolds, in contrast, were brash, headstrong, and fond of volcanoes. Each type of kobold took on not only the appearance but also the personality of the dragon type they served.
This was big news. A new kobold clan, especially a blue one, would be a great boon to the dragon clan. Kobolds were industrious, clever, and fiercely loyal. They would strengthen the clan's defenses, maintain our hoards, and provide valuable support during any conflicts. And with the memory of their ancestors, they could serve us in ways that other creatures couldn’t even begin to comprehend.
As we arrived at the gathering, I could see other dragons had already assembled, circling around mother. Her immense form was unmistakable, towering over the others. Her blue scales glistened with an ancient power that commanded respect. At her feet stood the new blue kobold clan, led by a high kobold chieftain with wings folded neatly behind his back. The chieftain's eyes gleamed with intelligence, and I could sense the magic radiating from him and his tribe.
Mother spoke, her voice booming across the gathering. “These kobolds have sworn their loyalty to us. They will serve our clan faithfully, just as their ancestors served us in ages past. With their help, we will grow even stronger.”
The dragons murmured among themselves, some casting appraising looks at the kobolds. It was clear that this was a significant moment for the clan.
Vaelrath leaned in close to me. “What do you think, brother? A new kobold clan means we’ll be getting some extra help around here.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “It’s definitely a good thing. The blue kobolds will be invaluable, they could have magic books about other types of magic”
Zarothan, standing beside me, said. “They could also probably help us with gathering food for the older dragons and help with the dragon's beast and patrol our territory”
“Yes they could,” I replied. “They certainly will help relieve us of our duties so we have more free time with our hoards and learning magic.”
Zalyndre chimed in, her eyes gleaming with interest at the kobolds. “They are weak and need our help but they certainly could be useful for the things you mentioned and they might have certain magic based on dragons they served in the past .”
I was surprised by my sister's thoughtfulness. But the idea did intrigue me. Kobolds often retained the magical knowledge of the dragons they served. Perhaps they could help me further my studies in ice magic or storm magic, or even let me explore more types of magic. I would have to keep an eye on this new clan.
As mother finished her speech, the blue kobolds bowed deeply, pledging their eternal loyalty to the dragons. The high kobold chieftain raised his head, his sharp eyes scanning the gathered dragons before settling on the clan head. There was a moment of silent acknowledgment between them—an unspoken agreement that both sides would uphold their ancient pact.
With the formalities out of the way, the dragons began to disperse. Vaelrath, always eager for action, turned to the rest of us.
“Well, that was interesting. Let’s go meet the kobolds up close, shall we?”
I smirked. “Why not? I’m curious to see what they’re capable of.”
Together, our group approached the new blue kobold tribe, eager to learn more about these ancient servants of dragons. This was just the beginning, and I had a feeling the arrival of the kobolds would lead to new opportunities—and perhaps new challenges—for the clan.