Chapter 7

As the days passed, Jay devoted himself to keeping the baby dragons in check. He toyed with the idea of returning to Valyria to search for more dragon eggs, but he ultimately dismissed the notion. The young dragons were still far too inexperienced to fly, let alone journey to such a perilous place.

Having gained a deep understanding of their individual natures, Jay decided it was time to give them names. Naming them early felt right. The red dragon, spirited and fierce, was bestowed the name Igneel, after a mighty red dragon king from one of Jay's favorite anime. The name perfectly suited him, given his scales blazed like a roaring flame.

Next was the mischievous grey dragon, always playing little tricks and occasionally annoying Jay. Jay decided to name him Diaval, a name that embodied his cheeky and devilish nature.

Then there was the white dragon, Jay's absolute favorite. Graceful and enchanting, she outshone the others in beauty. Jay named her Moon, a name that captured her elegance, akin to the radiant moonlight.

Finally, there was the calm yet powerful blue dragon. Her demeanor mirrored the tranquil sea, but when provoked, she displayed a fierce as violent sea. Jay chose the name Sapphire for her, a name befitting her precious and vibrant blue scales, reminiscent of the deep sea.

With their new names, Igneel, Diaval, Moon, and Sapphire, the baby dragons now had identities that resonated with their distinct personalities.

As time flowed on, the baby dragons transformed into obedient teenagers. They were no longer constantly confined to their cave, and this freedom allowed for more natural growth. Each of them had grown to a size of ten meters, a significant increase from their early days. There was, however, an incident where they nearly turned the entire forest to ashes. Fortunately, Jay intervened swiftly, extinguishing the flames. Otherwise, there might not have been any Naathi people left to serve him.

Jay took it upon himself to instill discipline when necessary. A swift whip of his tail, while not overly forceful, was enough to make a point. The young dragons, understanding Jay's expectations, showed remarkable restraint, especially when interacting with the human children. They refrained from harming or burning them, even as they played together. In a curious turn of events, these children became the dragons' attendants, tending to them by massaging their bodies, brushing their scales, and bringing them hunted animals to eat.

The one thing the young dragons refused to allow was anyone riding on their backs. They held their heads high with a pride that made such a notion unthinkable. Only if Jay were to insist might they make an exception, but Jay never pushed the matter.

But Jay did occasionally grant young people who assisted him with various tasks, such as brushing his scales, cleaning his teeth, or tidying his surroundings, the privilege of flying on his back. They cherished the exhilarating experience and eagerly anticipated their next turn. As they worked diligently to impress Jay, even some of the adults sought the chance to ride on his back.

During these times, slaver ships occasionally approached, inquiring about the fate of their people who had set out to raid Naath. Jay took advantage of these opportunities to instruct the young dragons on how to deal with invaders. Igneel, in particular, was determined to impress Jay, ensuring that none of the invaders escaped his fiery breath.

In these confrontations, Jay would capture one or two of the slavers to read their memories, learning about the world and their language. To his surprise, he discovered that he belonged to the era of the Mad King's reign. What perplexed him was that during this period, dragons were considered unhatchable for some unknown reason. Yet he had managed to hatch four dragons.

The only conclusion he could draw was that the thinness of mana in the world had made it challenging to hatch dragons. Jay's unique method of using his own flames as a source of mana had allowed him to successfully hatch the four dragons. He hypothesized that when the red comet appeared, mana would return to its previous abundance, rendering his flame unnecessary for dragon hatching.

Since ships that ventured in the direction of Naath never seemed to return, leaving traders and slavers to regard the sea near Naath Island as a forbidden and perilous stretch of water. They speculated that a sea monster lurking near the island constantly attacked any passing ships.