Wyrmling Nurturer

Four Red Dragons swept north across the boundless wilderness, their silhouettes like a bank of fiery clouds stretching slowly across the horizon in the wind.

Sol trailed helplessly behind Chilier. His scale-covered face betrayed no emotion, but fury had long since surged through his heart, and he could not help roaring inwardly.

That damned old hag really did sell me off! As they flew, the landscape around them grew increasingly dry and desolate. He could already smell dust and sand in the air-clearly, they were heading toward the desert.

Red Dragons did not like such environments. Only Blue Dragons liked to make their homes in the desert, and she was plainly leading them toward Blue Dragon territory.

Calm down! Calm down first! Now that it's happened, no amount of anger will help.

Looking on the bright side, a Blue Dragon worth a young Red Dragon seeking refuge with must have plenty of subordinates in his territory. There might even be other Chromatic Dragons there.

If they can provide me with Mental Power Essence like Xisitana and Kalpu, perhaps it won't be long before I've saved enough for an advanced draw.

As long as I can obtain a suitable, powerful monster template, then...

After what could only be called a long flight, the endless long grass beneath Sol had given way to a desolate Gobi. A reddish-brown expanse of rocky desert rose from the ground, with imposing black fortresses standing atop it.

Feeling uneasy, he landed on the stone-paved platform in front of the fortress and followed Chilier through an archway that was exceptionally tall even by True Dragon standards.

The hall was dim. Multicolored shafts of light fell through the windows, barely illuminating the front half near the entrance.

But the darkvision True Dragons were born with left Sol's sight unaffected. He looked up, and a Blue Dragon over ninety feet long immediately came into view.

The smell of ozone filled the air, and the static electricity that continuously built up discharged from time to time with sharp crackles.

Is this the Blue Dragon known as Storm Fang? He certainly looks powerful.

Sol had just identified him when a burst of laughter rang through the air like the crackle of an electrical discharge.

"Chilier, are these your children? They all look like fine dragon whelps!"

His gaze wandered over the three Red Dragons before finally settling on Sol.

This wyrmling was simply too big, a full two sizes larger than the other two. His disproportionately large wings also made it impossible for Storm Fang not to pay him extra attention.

However, as an adult Blue Dragon, he had seen far too many extraordinary things over his long life. This alone was not enough to make him take Sol seriously.

"Leave them with Leilia! She's the clan's wyrmling nurturer. She'll certainly take good care of your children."

Chilier immediately narrowed her eyes in displeasure and growled.

"You can't do that! They're my children. They should stay with me."

The Blue Dragon lying on the stone platform, however, merely shook his head.

"All True Dragons who join the clan are members of the clan and must abide by its rules and traditions.

"Go and fetch Leilia. Tell her some new wyrmlings have arrived."

The unquestionable growl echoed through the hall, and Chilier could only bow her head resentfully.

But that did not mean she intended to let the matter rest. These wyrmlings had hatched from eggs she herself had laid. How could she possibly hand them over to the Blue Dragon for nothing?

"I can hand them over to the clan, but once they reach adolescence, they must spend half their time serving me!"

"No! A third at most..."

Sol sat with Xisitana and Kalpu behind Chilier, quietly watching their nominal mother haggle over the price she would "sell" them for.

He felt no sadness over it, only rising fury and deep contempt.

A moment later, the sound of beating wings came from outside the hall again. Amid the howling wind and the tremor of a heavy landing, another Blue Dragon walked in.

She was a young Blue Dragon, a size smaller than Chilier and only about forty feet long. Her body was covered in scales that shaded from sky blue to indigo, their surfaces smooth as mirrors and gleaming like gemstones.

She strode gracefully through the enormous archway, holding her flexible neck high. Her slender tail swayed gently behind her, and her pterosaur-like wings were slightly spread as she looked down at Sol and the other two wyrmlings with amber eyes.

"Three red wyrmlings. That's a rare sight. Follow me."

Her voice was as sharp as an electric current. Without waiting for Sol and the others to respond, she walked straight back out through the archway.

Her contemptuous attitude made the three wyrmlings burn with anger, but the situation left them no choice but to follow obediently behind her.

After all, Red Dragons were merely quick-tempered, not lacking in intelligence. When necessary, they knew how to conduct themselves appropriately.

After passing through the enormous archway, the Blue Dragon ahead immediately spread her long, narrow wings. Her wing membranes extended all the way to her tail, allowing her to catch as much rising air as possible and soar effortlessly through the sky.

Blue Dragons were probably the fastest of all Chromatic Dragons. After all, they had a natural affinity for wind and lightning elements, and their bodies were better suited to flight.

The Blue Dragon named Leilia showed no intention of accommodating the three wyrmlings. She soon rode the warm wind into the distance, leaving only a flickering trail of lightning behind.

By now, Sol and the other two wyrmlings had left Blackrock Fort, and the Blue Dragon ahead had flown some distance away. It seemed like an excellent opportunity to escape.

Reason, however, kept them from acting rashly. They could only beat their wings desperately, following closely in the direction the Blue Dragon had disappeared.

They did not venture deep into the desert Gobi, instead traveling along the border between grassland and desert. About half an hour later, a winding river appeared ahead.

The abundant water nourished the arid land, providing the necessary conditions for vegetation to grow. Thus, an oasis had formed along the river in this barren region.

On the northern side of the river was a large raised stretch of Gobi. It seemed rich in red earth and had a rusty hue.

The young Blue Dragon had landed atop the rocky rise and looked as though she had been there for some time. When she saw Sol and the others arrive, she immediately raised her head and let out a roar.

"All wyrmlings, gather here. You have new companions."

Her voice, sharp as an electric current, carried far through the air.

Before long, the sound of beating wings came from the distant woods, grass, and mudflats.

Sol landed on the rocky rise behind Leilia with Xisitana and Kalpu. He looked up and around to see blue, green, black, white, and other colored figures flying swiftly toward them.

They were wyrmlings, probably more than twenty in all. More than a third were Blue Dragons, with White Dragons next in number. There were fewer Green and Black Dragons, and together they probably made up less than a third.

They landed one after another on the broad, flat top of the rocky rise, surrounding the three newly arrived wyrmlings.

"Red Dragons? They're actually Red Dragons?"

"These arrogant brutes!"

"Crude destroyers!"

A clamor of conversation broke out, every word dripping with ill intent.