In the young dragon's lair, Ferrum looked at Valyria's enormous form.
"Windsong Plateau is not a good place."
The hanging brazier in the corner was about to burn out. The young dragon added a bundle of pine branches, then walked back.
"Though the many mountain clans nominally pledged loyalty to the Lineage and followed our war banners, in truth they had no fixed homes and were wild and unruly."
Valyria said slowly, "When the Lineage treated them well, they lingered around Windsong Plateau. But whenever taxes were collected or troops recruited, they immediately scattered in all directions, hiding in the Mistveil Mountains beyond the border. They are difficult to restrain."
"I think it's all quite good," Ferrum said.
"You think it is good because no great dragon controls that place. You can do as you please and hold power like a lord's in your claws, so naturally you find it good."
Valyria said, "The other chrome dragons have mostly gone to similar places. I am not worried about them, but Windsong Plateau is different."
"To make the mountain clans submit, the Lineage once dispatched two dragon lords there in succession, carrying out several campaigns of intimidation and bloody suppression."
Valyria said, "That rule would originally have continued indefinitely, until the Lineage discovered that Windsong Plateau was too barren. The gains the dragons could reap there were far from enough to cover the costs of the army and supplies, so they had no choice but to abandon it."
"After several rounds of occupation, rule, and withdrawal, the local clans harbored deep resistance toward us—perhaps even hatred."
After hearing this, Ferrum nodded faintly. "I will not be going alone. Moqi and Kelaili will be with me, and I am even taking Bido along to handle some dirty work."
"The lesser dragons will all be going to Red Fort."
Valyria glanced at him. "I thought that for your companions' sake, you would choose somewhere closer to Red Fort."
"How long will lesser dragons need to study magic? Three years? Five? That is not long for dragons, so there is no need to worry about them. Besides, there are things I want to do myself."
Ferrum fell silent for a while. "Of course, if I have the chance, I would also like to visit Red Fort. It is the center of the Lineage, after all. I hear it is very lively."
"Very well, since you have made your decision."
Valyria nodded and said no more. She extended a foreclaw. "Then I will use this to wish you success."
Ferrum looked at it, and his gaze shifted slightly. "I have not defeated Ladon yet."
"This has nothing to do with Ladon. You fulfilled the Lineage's expectations and became a Seventh-Level Calamity. This is the Lineage's reward. Mithril is not the finest magical metal, but for a hatchling dragon, it should be enough."
Valyria said, "Eat it. Eat it in front of me."
What kind of strange habit is this?
A huge question mark rose in Ferrum's mind, but he did not hesitate. The Nurturer had long known of his ability to consume metal, and there was nothing shameful about it.
He stepped forward, dragged the mithril—sized like a mortal's head and somewhere between liquid and solid—before himself, lowered his head, opened his jaws, twisted his neck, and bit into it.
The lair grew even quieter. Valyria watched his swaying head, her gaze distant.
Only after Ferrum had swallowed every last bit of mithril, after quite some time had passed, did Valyria speak again. "Do you have any further insights into meditation?"
Ferrum froze for a moment. Valyria rarely repeated herself, yet this was not the first time she had asked him this question.
"See one's nature, and wield it with perfect ease."
Ferrum pondered. "That is what I have been trying to do all along. Even now, I still cannot fully grasp it, but I vaguely feel that meditation demands more of the mind, will, and strength of the soul than of the body. The heart triumphing over matter—this is precisely what we Heavy-Metal Dragons lack."
"If Aitixiya learned that a Heavy-Metal Dragon could use meditation to achieve an advancement in bloodline, she would surely be very curious. Perhaps she would make a special trip from Shien Peninsula to see it."
Valyria was silent for a long while, then shook her head. "Go. Send Ladon in."
Ferrum backed away as instructed.
"Remember what I told you all."
As he reached the mouth of the cave, he heard Valyria say behind him, "We Heavy-Metal Dragons, no matter the time, will forever defend our promises and our dignity."
"I... understand."
Ferrum nodded lightly and left Valyria's lair.
The stillness vanished in an instant, swept far away by noise and revelry crashing into him head-on.
Today was Dragonbirth Day, a time for celebration. The kobolds lit bonfires and roasted tons of Kodo Beast meat over the flames. Strong liquor was splashed from oak barrels, while hatchling dragons drank deeply and cheered.
Ladon stood outside the lair. He exchanged a glance with Ferrum, then stepped forward.
"There was never any special favor."
As they passed one another, Ferrum said quietly, "The Nurturer spent more time on you than on any other dragon."
Ladon paused, but said nothing and continued onward.
Ferrum did not mind. He stood where he was for a while, breathing in the fragrance of the food below. His eyes gradually brightened. Once he had gathered his emotions, he leaped lightly and joined the gathering.
"Boss Ferrum."
The nickel dragon Bido hurried over, the black blotch on his forehead twitching. "The food's all ready for you. This way, this way."
Ferrum looked him over from head to toe, then nodded. "You are fairly clean today."
"Of course. We washed ourselves in the stream several times."
Bido smiled too, still wearing that eager, flattering expression. "Boss Ferrum, are you really taking me to Windsong Plateau?"
"What, you do not want to come with me?"
"Of course I do. Following Boss Ferrum, my future is bound to be vast and bright. It's just..."
Bido rubbed his claws together like a fly. "It's just... it doesn't feel like it will be very easy."
Before he could finish, he suddenly felt a faint tremor run through the ground. He hurriedly dodged to one side, turned his head, and looked up at the mountain-sized Cobalt-Blue Overlord.
"Every gang wanted cobalt dragons to join them, so I made some arrangements and split everyone apart. That way, there will not be any more Cobalt-Blue Overlords for a while."
Kelaili said.
"Why do you make it sound as though I stole you away?"
Ferrum shot him a glance. "Windsong Plateau is dirt poor. If you join me, I will have to worry about how to feed the two of us."
Kelaili snorted coldly, turned away, and buried himself in eating meat, ignoring him.
In Tas had been there from the start. He had already stood beside Ferrum for quite some time before he said, "Everything that needed saying has been said, but I still feel somewhat uneasy. After we part, our identities will be different."
"Our identities were different from the start."
Ferrum stretched out his toes and clasped them with the Thunderclap Dragon's, comparing them.
After a long silence, he said softly, "So it is still the same."
Jili ran over. Thorn Dragons were a large dragon species and grew quickly; by the time she reached him, she was actually a little bigger than Ferrum.
"I will think of you often," Jili said.
Ferrum touched her horns. "Study magic properly, so the nickel dragons will not bully you."
Jili nodded with utmost seriousness.
The Feather Dragon ate and groomed her scale-feathers by herself in a corner, keeping her distance. Only when Ferrum came close to her did Afterglow say quietly, "The next time we meet, I will challenge you."
Ferrum laughed. "That sounds like something iron dragons would say."
"But I will still challenge you."
"Cheers! Cheers!" Moqi had drunk himself into high spirits. He muttered and babbled to every companion nearby, making a great clamor.
Jelierion, Hidorivi, and Leijieduolei were standing elsewhere. Drawn by Moqi's voice, they all looked over, then nodded to Ferrum.
Ferrum nodded back in greeting.
It was a spring night. Wind and leaves both swayed gently, and the air carried the scent of damp earth. The tungsten dragons beat the ground and began to hum a song softly.
"Yesterday we ran together,
Today we each set out on our own road.
The affairs of this world are ever-changing; no one knows what the future holds,
So raise your cups, friends,
For those still by our side.
Raise your cups, friends,
For those destined to part.
When the sunlight shines bright, we will meet again.
When spring grows warm and flowers bloom, we will meet again."
The Feather Dragon beat her membranous wings and rose into the sky, spiraling above the valley. Her magic dispersed, scattering sparks like rain.
It was beautiful beyond all words.
Later, the lesser dragons all took flight, one after another, circling above Ochre Valley. Each released their magic, their lights reflecting and answering one another beneath the night sky like a grand display of fireworks.
Round and round, round and round.
Until every light had faded away, the lesser dragons set off beneath the stars and moon toward Red Fort. They gave no more farewells, nor did they look back again.
The dragon hatchling arc, complete.