Draco was one of the rare Dragon Keldars. Though they were powerful, almost all of them had been wiped out by the rulers of the past.
The reason was simple: fear. The rulers feared the might of the Dragon Keldars. Their imnse strength and pride made them difficult to control, and their potential for rebellion was a constant threat.
However, the rulers didn't exterminate them entirely. They recognized the strategic importance of keeping so Dragon Keldars alive, particularly for future wars where such strength might tip the scales.
Draco was born into one of the few surviving Dragon Keldar families. But his life was far from privileged. Unlike others of his kind, Draco was born weak.
Of course, weakness was relative. Even a weak Dragon Keldar was far stronger than most other beings. Yet, among his own kind, he was an outcast.
Rejected by the proud and powerful Dragon Keldars, Draco grew bitter and isolated. His life might have continued in solitude had it not been for Asef.
Asef extended his hand to Draco, offering him acceptance for the first ti in his life. For the first ti, Draco felt valued.
In his gratitude, he swore undying loyalty to Asef, vowing to prove himself worthy. Yet, this fleeting happiness was shattered when Draco discovered the truth.
Asef didn't care for him. What Asef truly valued was Draco's body.
Dragon Keldars were proud creatures. Even under a ruler's command, they would not easily submit to demands that undermined their dignity.
But Asef's request left Draco no room for refusal. Asef commanded Draco to mate with another being, one from a distant world, carrying Royal Blood.
Draco obeyed, though it broke him inside. The union produced an egg, but the one he mated with didn't even glance back at him after laying it.
The egg was left in Draco's care, for it required the power of a Dragon to incubate and grow.
Yet, Draco knew the bitter truth: he wasn't truly a Dragon. He was a Dragon Keldar. The being he had mated with was a real Dragon, and the egg carried far greater potential than he could ever hope to match.
As ti passed, Draco beca increasingly conflicted. The egg's latent power far exceeded his own. It was a stark reminder of his inadequacy and the cruel role he had been forced to play.
There were nights when he contemplated destroying the egg, ridding himself of the constant reminder of his failure and Asef's betrayal. Yet, each ti, he faltered.
Was it guilt? Duty? Or perhaps a flicker of hope that the egg could forge a different path? Draco couldn't say.
And so, the egg remained with him. It beca both a burden and a symbol of his broken pride.
Fate, however, had other plans.
The egg eventually ended up in Arlon's hands. As if the universe had decided that the burden Draco had carried for so long would find a new caretaker.
And in the depths of his shattered heart, Draco couldn't decide if he felt relief or despair on his death bed.
---
"So, what is this?" Maria asked, her eyes narrowing as she pointed at the lump of fabric Arlon had placed on the table.
"I don't know," Arlon replied, carefully unwrapping the cloth after checking to ensure no one was watching. "It seems like... an egg."
The players leaned forward as the gleaming, golden-blue surface of the egg was revealed.
"It's beautiful," Carn said, her voice filled with awe.
The others nodded, srized by the intricate patterns that seed to glow faintly under the light. Arlon quickly covered it again, pulling the fabric tight around the egg.
"Hey! We weren't done looking!" Zack protested, leaning over as if to steal another glance.
Arlon blinked, montarily stunned. How did I forget Zack was even here? Normally, his constant chatter was like a siren announcing his presence.
It seems like he cald down a lot.
"It could be dangerous," Arlon said firmly. "No touching."
"Ah, you're so lucky," Zack said, leaning back with a grin. "You're going to have a pet when it hatches. Probably a loyal Dragon or sothing epic like that!"
"I don't want a pet as big as ," Arlon replied flatly.
"Eh? Then give it to ," Zack said, grinning wider.
"No," Arlon said imdiately.
"C'mon, think about it," Zack continued. "I could ride it into battle! Or better yet, imagine it cooking my dinner with fire breath. Ultimate barbecue dragon!"
Carn snorted, stifling a laugh. Maria rolled her eyes. "Zack, you'd probably forget to feed it and end up being dinner yourself."
"Hey, I'd make a great dragon dad!" Zack protested, feigning indignation.
Arlon shook his head, returning his attention to the egg. He wasn't sure if it was dangerous or not, but the strange glow and size left little room for comfort.
"Anyway," Zack said, leaning back in his chair dramatically. "I've seen this before in novels, gas, and the occasional ani. The main character defeats a powerful monster and bam! They get a Dragon egg as a reward."
Arlon stifled a laugh. Yeah, right, he thought, amused by Zack's confidence until the word "Dragon" caught his attention.
His amusent faded. No one here knew Draco was a Dragon Keldar. But it seed plausible to assu that this was a Dragon egg.
Even if it is a Dragon, it will still be Keldar, he thought uneasily.
"This is neither a ga nor a novel," Arlon said aloud. Though Zack's theory wasn't entirely off-base, he didn't want the others prying too much. The egg could be dangerous, and he couldn't afford to let curiosity spiral into recklessness.
"Oh, c'mon, Arlon! Don't tell you're going to keep this thing hidden forever," Zack teased. "You're not secretly planning to make it your sidekick, are you? You'd make a great villain. Big dark egg, mysterious aura, classic evil overlord vibes!"
"If anyone's the villain here, it's you," Arlon shot back. "Plotting to ride a dragon into a barbecue."
The group laughed.
What Arlon didn't know was that this egg wasn't just any egg. It was the product of a union between a true Dragon and a Dragon Keldar. And when it ca to genetics, real Dragons had dominant genes.
---
Bluta returned to Asef's chamber trembling, the weight of his failure pressing heavily on him. The massive stone room was dimly lit, its shadows dancing ominously across the walls.
Asef sat upon his throne, his imposing figure cloaked in a swirling dark aura. His red eyes glead with barely contained rage as Bluta stamred his report.
"Y-your Grace, the savior refused-d your offer," Bluta croaked. "A-and... he took the egg-g."
Asef's hand clenched the armrest of his throne, the stone cracking beneath his grip. "He took the egg?" he hissed, rising to his full height. His towering presence seed to darken the entire chamber.
Bluta cowered, his feathers puffing out as he tried to explain. "I... I tried Great Being. B-but—"
Asef's roar cut him off. "You incompetent fool!" His fist surged forward, aiming to strike Bluta with a blow that would undoubtedly end him.
Before the punch could land, a blur of motion intercepted it. The cheetah Keldar ssenger, sleek and agile, appeared in Bluta's place, absorbing the brunt of the blow.
The next mont, he was sticking to the wall, not breathing.
Asef's eyes burned with fury. "How dare you?"
"We need him," said the secretary Beastman woman standing nearby, her voice firm but asured. "Bluta may be incompetent, but he is still the head ssenger."
Cheetah was a fast and important ssenger, but he sacrificed himself for Bluta, the head ssenger.
Still, this was the sa as refusing to obey orders. Though Asef was relieved he didn't kill an important Keldar in the spur of the mont, he couldn't allow insubordination. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire
"Pluck its feathers and give it a health potion only after three days."
Only then did Bluta raise its head, "Thank you-u, oh Great Being."
"Do sothing about that Arlon guy, Carla. If we can't have him on our side, you know what to do."
Carla, the Beastman woman secretary, lifted her head, "Yes, I will get it handled."
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