Five Years(2)

Years had passed, and in the blink of an eye, five had gone by.

The sunlight slanted through the castle's loophole windows, illuminating the giant dragon lying in the shadows. It opened its eyes, exhaling two streams of white breath through its nostrils. Through the windows, one could glimpse the entire surrounding territory. The ancient fortress, perched atop a tall earthen mound, bore a large gap at its summit for dragons to come and go. Despite its dilapidated appearance, it still commanded an imposing presence.

"Have I heard correctly that two more clans have gone to war with each other?" In the grand hall's entrance stood a younger dragon. "These guys are getting more restless each year. Maybe we should take control. Kayar's laissez-faire policy of self-governance doesn't sit well with me. These clans should be obedient armies to us."

"The internal wars among the clans? That was my doing, incited by Kayar. A storm is brewing; we must prepare for a massive war. We cannot afford to have these vassals living in comfort. With Kayar managing the situation, I'm not concerned."

The dragon in the shadows, more than twenty meters long and significantly larger than the one at the entrance, retorted, "Rather, it is you, Quis, who disappoints me. Last week, I sent those young dragons to attack the territory of the stone giants. Their performance was nothing short of disastrous."

"Your standards are too high, leader. They might not be exceptional, but calling them terrible is unfair to those young dragons," Quis countered, shaking his head. "Besides, our most talented hatchlings haven't yet made their debut. Per your orders, those too young remain in the courtyard."

"Why shouldn't I have high standards?" The leader's sudden rage crackled with electrical arcs. With a mere flex, the stone slabs were marred by the mature dragon's claws. "When I was a young dragon, I was already battling alongside my brothers. We repelled another Blue Dragon family, defeated the elves and ogres, and seized control of the vast Sabito Forest. We ruled the mountains and rivers, establishing a legendary Dragon Kingdom. My brother was known as 'Thunderflame'..."

As the leader's roar echoed through the castle, Quis grimaced, having heard this story countless times. He stood there, enduring silently, not daring to interrupt Barne. Any contradiction would send the adult dragon into a frenzy.

"If not for those treacherous, opportunistic Gold and Silver Dragons, we wouldn't have suffered a crushing defeat in our last battle against Zor..."

Barne's voice trailed off, clearly a story with a bitter ending. The mature Blue Dragon clenched its teeth, turning its head away momentarily before continuing, "Compared to us, these hatchlings are like chicks following a hen, waiting daily for the clan's feeding."

Quis remained silent.

"The storm is coming. I've been watching the centaurs' movements for the past two years. They're spreading like locusts, filling the wilderness. Sooner or later, the Centaur King, Zorgen Kao, will stand before us, commanding his legions to charge at the dragons."

Barne spoke coldly, "We rear young dragons so they can serve the clan one day, not just to consume our resources. Ever since I saw those young dragons' performance in the stone giants' territory, I've been pondering a question, Quis. Our Blue Dragon hatchlings have the lowest mortality rate among all chromatic dragons, don't they?"

"Of course, thanks to our superior social structure, most hatchlings grow up safely."

"Yes, we have a vast clan, but on the stage of this continent, let alone dragon history, there are no Blue Dragon names. Those Red and Black Dragons, even the White Dragons we consider a disgrace, their surviving hatchlings often become infamous evil dragons."

"This has forced me to rethink our way of rearing hatchlings. Is growing up in a secure and affluent environment truly right or wrong?"

Barne slowly crawled forward, "We need the strong, those who can survive in cruel and harsh environments, not batch after batch of useless, weak hatchlings."

"Such thinking is dangerous, leader, and goes against the nurturing principles set by the Dragon Queen," Quis warned, hoping to steer the conversation elsewhere. He continued, "I've been encouraging competition among the hatchlings, treating them more harshly."

"That's not enough, not nearly enough. These little ones will soon be on the battlefield. You don't have much time to shape them."

Barne shook his head, "There are two griffins to the east, within the boundary of our territory, near the Severed Palm Cliff. Send those hatchlings you've been watching to hunt them."

"I'm aware of the griffins. Galadan told me about two Silver-winged Griffins that entered our territory. After he injured them, one severely and one lightly, they escaped. He couldn't be bothered to chase them and asked for my help. I was planning to deal with it in a few days."

Quis looked hesitant, "But these are adult Silver-winged, large and ferocious. It's risky to send hatchlings to challenge them."

"Our Blue Dragon hatchlings, can they defeat adult Silver-winged Griffins?"

"In theory, no chance. No matter how many you send, it won't work. Adult Silver-winged are at least eight meters long. The ones Galadan encountered were said to be ten meters. The hatchlings can't handle them. Only more mature young dragons, working together, might stand a chance."

"That's good. Didn't you say those hatchlings are exceptionally talented and have outstanding bloodlines? Let them try."

Quis circled his scaled face, "Besides the Silver-winged, there are some uncontrolled clans in the eastern forest, also a threat to the hatchlings. Throwing them in there, any accident would be a loss for the clan."

"Weakness!" Barne turned, glaring at him, "Quis, you haven't grown attached to these hatchlings, have you?" For a dragon, such sentiment was humiliating.

Quis's expression changed, his gaze turning cold. Watching the hatchling feeder say nothing, Barne huffed, "I'd rather they die in the forest than lose on the battlefield. If they die in the forest, they lose only their own lives. But if they fail in battle, they not only die but also bring trouble to the clan."

"From now on, all hatchlings must prove themselves before being considered part of the clan. This is just the first batch, Quis. Don't interfere. Let them handle it on their own."

Barne had made his decision.

"If that's what you wish, leader," Quis conceded, though he disagreed with Barne's methods. As long as he wasn't blamed for any hatchling's death, he'd comply.

"Also, stop closely monitoring the hatchlings in the courtyard. Leave it to your kin."

Pausing, Barne then called out to Quis, who was about to turn and leave, "For the next while, you can handle the raids outside our territory."

"Me, raiding? What about Galadan?" Quis was surprised.

"Galadan will lead his kin in the war against the stone giants."

Barne shook his head, "We must eliminate the threat of the stone giants before the centaurs expand further east. Galadan is the strongest young dragon in our clan, and his kin are fierce and formidable. I have confidence in them."

"Before we faced the centaurs, the stone giants were the kings of the wilderness. Their roots run deep here. I've experienced the strength of the Stone Giant King, Klaudanton."

Quis nodded and bowed in agreement, "I wish Galadan success."

And with that, the meeting in the dragon's lair came to an end, setting in motion a series of events that would test the mettle of the young dragons in the brutal world of the Star Realm.