Golden Land, on the top of the mountains, Fortress of the True Dragons.
In the deep and wide hall on the first floor of the Fortress, illuminated by magic crystal lamps, the exquisite golden lamp, resembling a giant chandelier, in the very center, was burning with raging flames, and the fire core, excavated from deep underground, continuously emitted its heat and light.
All around the hall were large marble pillars carved with exquisite scroll patterns, and the arched dome, like a celestial vault, resembled a crystal glass painted with murals, depicting countless murals of Dragons battling and war scenes of conquering different Plane.
And on the thick walls around, were painted the heroic figures of the brave warriors under the Dragon Lord fighting on the battlefield, and the scenes of those warriors, after falling, transforming into loyal heroic spirits stepping into the True Dragon's sanctuary.
On the smooth, dark stone slabs that could reflect True Dragon shadows, huge Black Stone Throne rose from the ground, arranged on both sides of the center of the deep hall, surrounding the central throne on a three-tiered platform, which stood against the wall at the end of the hall.
Although the Black Stone Throne was crafted in the style of a stone chair, it was more like a giant stone bed, allowing True Dragons of various scale colors to freely choose a comfortable posture to coil or prostrate on their huge throne.
Each Dragon Lord, nurtured by wealth and food, had bodies that had developed far beyond those of wandering wild True Dragons; every True Dragon exceeded ten meters in length during their juvenile period, and even the weakest Camid reached ten meters long.
This made the True Dragons coiling and prostrating on the Black Stone Throne resemble small mountains, sitting in the great hall.
And the first gathering held in this Fortress also made some of the True Dragons in the Dragon clan a little excited.
Although the Fortress of the True Dragons nominally belonged to all the True Dragons, almost no True Dragon would step into this castle, which represented majesty and kingship, for trivial matters.
Except for Camid, this fellow had been Kalon's shadow since childhood, so he didn't care much about such things.
"Those girls at the celebration were truly passionate, so much so that even True Dragons felt a bit emaciated; I somehow feel that the activities at the celebration were more tiring than fighting all day long,"
The excited Alfred chattered incessantly to Rosani who was beside him. This was a treatment he had never experienced when he was a Dragon Lord himself, and being part of such an important gathering always made him feel recognized by the Dragon clan.
The Red Copper Dragon, imbued with these feelings, did not notice the strange gaze of the Alinasitting opposite him. Most Chromatic Dragons do not have a concept of chastity, but many Bronze Dragon have a monogamous family system; unless something unexpected happens, Bronze Dragons will not abandon their mates.
And Alina came from such a family.
Rosani lay lazily on his throne, his long neck resting on the cool edge of the stone chair, his ferocious and evil head hanging down, responding intermittently to the Red Copper Dragon's incessant chatter.
"Those passionate girls might be beautiful, but how can they compare to those fiercely running wild horses? I have an idea, Alfred,"
The Black Dragon's drooping head twisted at a strange angle, his neck like a twisted braid; these Chromatic Dragon's long necks were enough for them to perform such incredible movements.
"You say, if I organize a horse race competition, just like the matches in the arena, wouldn't the winner be able to select the best horses for me, saving me the trouble of personally observing and choosing?"
Alfred's mouth twitched. Even a Metal Dragon, who shared the same aesthetic across all races, couldn't understand why the Black Dragon was so obsessed with those horses.
It could only be attributed to every True Dragon, or every creature, having its own unique fetish.
The True Dragons chatted amongst themselves, seemingly at ease, but all were waiting for the arrival of the master of the empty Black Stone Throne at the end of the great hall.
Kalon Kogmora, the king who ruled the territory and the leader of the True Dragons, had not yet appeared, which inevitably made these True Dragons a bit anxious.
True Dragons are not patient creatures; even if they can temporarily endure for some purpose, most of the time, they are impetuous.
Fortunately, many Kobold carried in wide wooden tables, covered them with exquisite tablecloths, and then brought in whole roasted wild oxen and sheep, fragrant with various spice, allowing the waiting True Dragons to eat one by one.
Then, servant girls brought in whole basins of fruit and barrels of brewed fruit wine, calming the restless hearts of these True Dragons, who began to enjoy their meals and snacks.
Dong, dong, dong,
A large shadow was cast from outside the wide Fortress gate; it was the shadow of a colossal evil True Dragon.
The Dragons, who were eating, bit through the hard bones in their mouths, swallowed them, and then stopped, looking at the shadow at the Fortress gate, which crawled and twisted on the ground like a snake.
The enormous Red Dragon stepped into the Fortress hall, treading on his own shadow, and went straight towards the throne.
The Dragons all lowered their heads slightly, showing submission and respect to the leader of the True Dragon.
Kalon took heavy steps, ascended the three wide but not high stone steps, and then coiled on his throne, nodding to all members of his Dragon clan in response.
"This gathering is not only for the annual celebration and the Dragons's banquet, but also the time to fulfill the Dragon clan's agreement,"
Kalon, seated high on the throne, his proud head scanning each True Dragon, spoke, "I once promised to turn the lush forest into the Dragon clan's granary, and the vast grassland into the Dragon clan's pasture. I have done it."
"I also promised that even through difficulties, I would bring you back to the territory, back to our home. I have also done it,"
"I also promised to establish a civilization belonging to the True Dragons here, and develop the True Dragons into a powerful Dragon clan. This matter has also taken shape,"
"And now, it is time to fulfill my other promise," Kalon's thick True Dragon claws slightly bent, gently tapping on the Black Stone Throne, making a dull sound.
Kobold guards carried entire chests of treasure, filled with gold coins and gems, laboriously walking into the deep and high Fortress hall.
"According to the Dragon clan's pact, True Dragons will be rewarded annually based on their contributions and merits to the Dragon clan, and True Dragon who have harmed the interests of the Dragon clan will be punished. Those who work more get more, and those who work less get less,"
Kalon's pair of majestic vertical pupils swept over each True Dragon, saying, "Therefore, Germott receives the most rewards, followed by Akzi, then Dos and Rosani, Antagena, Klenaya, then Alina, and Alfred, with Camid ranking last."
"So, who has a different opinion?" Kalon's deep, resonant voice echoed in the Fortress hall, calmly meeting the gaze of every True Dragon.
No True Dragon had any objection; even Camid, who was closest to Kalon, Kalon did not give more treasure due to their close relationship, which seemed quite fair to the True Dragon in the True Dragon.
And Alfred and Alina were quite surprised; they didn't know that the True Dragon had such an agreement, which was an extremely incredible thing for these two Metal Dragons who had gradually become familiar with the territory.
It should be known that even the most generous Metal Dragon leader would not share even a single silver coin from their treasury with other companions; the division of spoils was for spoils, and the two had completely different meanings.
Moreover, it was the leader with the highest status in the Chromatic Dragon family; those Chromatic Dragon leaders would only treat True Dragon members as objects of exploitation, just to a different degree than their dependents.
This made the two Metal Dragon's sense of belonging to the True Dragon even deeper; even for the sake of treasure, they would grow to like the True Dragon.
Camid scratched the bump on his neck, feeling a bit embarrassed. He felt that receiving the least wealth would be somewhat disgraceful for a True Dragon.
Because even in this unique True Dragon, there existed the same vanity and competitiveness rooted in every creature.
Seeing no True Dragon raise objections, Kalon nodded and had the castle guards deliver the chests of treasure to their respective owners.
Germott had the most treasure chests in front of him. He lowered his head with a satisfied expression, sniffing among the chests of gold coins and gems. The scent of these sparkling playthings captivated the True Dragon.
Camid, on the other hand, held his treasure chest and began to count with his slender claws, counting up to three thousand, before resting his head on the sparkling gold coins with a slight sense of satisfaction.
All members were enjoying this moment of harvest, which made the True Dragon feel even more fulfilled by the sense of accomplishment brought by their previous hard work and effort.
"Very good, I have fulfilled my promise to you as agreed. Next, it is time for you to give me your promised response,"
Kalon's massive body was like forged steel, carved stone, with dense scales and flickering True Dragon shadows.
His broad head quietly moved forward, leaning slightly from the high Black Stone Throne, giving the other True Dragon a particularly strong sense of aggression and oppression.
"Our territory is gradually prospering, our populace is gradually increasing, and our strength is growing daily, but this is not my satisfied goal,"
Kalon's vertical pupils quietly lit up, leaping flames burning fiercely in his eyes. He bared his exceptionally long fangs, each word echoing in the ears of the Dragons.
"I will establish an unprecedentedly powerful civilization; that will be the fulcrum of my strength, and it will also be your long ladder to ascend to power,"
"When I awaken from my slumber during my adolescent stage, I will formally establish a kingdom belonging to the True Dragon, and I will clear all obstacles around the territory, conquering all the land within sight."
As the Red Dragon's strongly aggressive words fell, in the great hall, those naturally cold and bestial vertical pupils lit up one by one; even the sufficiently bright magic crystal lamps and the fiercely burning fire core could not obscure the gaze of the Dragons.
The dragon blood within them gradually boiled, and the evil True Dragon's blood of destruction and conquest also stirred restlessly.
"But this is not my goal either; this is far from satisfying me. I will explore broader skies, vaster lands, deeper oceans, until these become my nourishment, helping me reach the peak!"
"And the response you need to give me is: do not be complacent. I only hope that you can always stand by my side, share the same goal as me, and strive for it!"
Kalon stopped speaking, calmly awaiting the response of the True Dragon members.
"As it should be, we have been so since our infancy! Kalon," Dos was the first to respond, although this Blue Dragon couldn't help but reach out his Dragon claw to touch the gradually disappearing scratch mark on his forehead horn.
"Conquest and war are noble virtues that no Red Dragon will refuse," Klenaya's vertical pupils also burned with flames; this female True Dragon, even among all Female Red Dragons, had a particularly fierce personality.
"You know, Kalon, I'm just a White True Dragon; I'll only follow behind you. Whoever you tell me to bite, I'll bite,"
Camid said grumblingly, hugging his treasure chest.
"I only hope that those opponents don't surrender easily; I will bring them a feast of slaughter and death," Rosani showed a cruel smile on his face.
Germott lifted his head from among the treasure chests, "The True Dragon is a whole, that's what you said, Kalon, you are the King of the Dragons, coordinating the will of all True Dragon!"
"My King, Antagena will never disobey your will, even if I don't receive your favor!" Antagena's eyes held flattery and a hint of resentment.
Akzi, on the other hand, directly lowered his head, showing submission to the Red Dragon, "My King, Dragon Lord, the supreme ruler of the territory!"
Alfred and Alina looked at each other face to face, everything was in their eyes, and they also lowered their proud heads, and the heavy, undulating Dragon Language echoed in the hall: "My King!"
Kalon, seated high on the throne, nodded slightly and waved his hand, signaling the guards and maidservants waiting in the corner to bring more food and wine.
Only after unifying the future goals of the True Dragon and reaching a consensus on their steps did the True Dragon's banquet officially begin.
Meat, wine, and fruit, like flowing water, were brought by Dragon clan's dependents and then enjoyed by the True Dragon.
The hired orchestra also stepped onto the exquisite long carpet, took their seats in the hall, and struck up cheerful rhythms and notes.
And a group of dancers, dressed in fiery sheer gauze, with silk scarves on their heads and faces, revealing their delicate navels, also bared their graceful, jade-like feet, shaking the bells on their wrists and ankles, and began to dance passionately in the center of the great hall.
These fiery dancers attracted the gaze of many male True Dragons, especially the two male True Dragons whose reproductive functions were fully developed. Their throats gurgled, and they continuously poured down barrels of increasingly hot wine, yet still could not extinguish the lust in their bodies.
Fortunately, the Red Dragon, seated high on the throne, made these two male True Dragon suppress the desires in their bodies, preventing them from engaging in any sordid acts on the spot.
Especially a certain Bronze Dragon, who kept scrutinizing a certain male True Dragon, lost in pleasure, with a cold gaze, greatly deterring the male True Dragon.
It wasn't until they had eaten and drunk their fill, and the moon had gradually risen high in the sky, that Kalon rose from the wonderful banquet and was the first to step out of the Fortress.
"Let's go, and see how splendid our territory will be this night."
The rest of the True Dragons also followed the Red Dragon out of the Fortress, standing on the mountaintop, gazing at the myriad lights of homes at the foot of the mountain and in the distance.
A tall human figure with True Dragon horns pointing skyward was already standing in front of the True Dragon Sanctuary, beside the enormous golden bell.
All around were the heroic spirits who resided in the sanctuary during the day for nurture; these heroic spirits occasionally appeared around the mountains during the day, observing the changes in the territory.
However, the bodies of the dead cannot be seen by the living, nor can the words of the dead be heard by the living, so the residents at the foot of the mountains never discovered the occasionally appearing heroic spirits.
Only a very few lucky individuals would see the wandering souls in the heroic spirit graveyard.
When the moon was directly overhead, a certain moment quietly arrived, and the figure standing in front of the sanctuary extended his hand and heavily struck the silent golden bell.
Dong, dong, dong,
The chime of the golden bell was solemn and grand, echoing from the top of the mountains.
Then, in continuous succession, the golden bells in cities and villages chimed on their own, and the continuous chimes resonated throughout every part of the territory.
Whoosh, bang,
Streaks of fireworks simultaneously rose into the sky at this moment, bursting into dazzling light; myriad fireworks ascended at once, illuminating the darkness and the night sky.
The old year has passed, the new year has arrived.
Kalon stood among the True Dragons, his gaze filled with satisfaction as he watched this scene, and the Dragons beside him were also immersed in this brief moment of beauty.
Step, a solidified human figure appeared behind Kalon, and then merged into his body.
...
"Sister Carlit, don't you have family? Then let's celebrate the New Year with us," Little girl Nora clung to the window of her new neighbor's house, tiptoeing and shouting into the room.
"Come out quickly, Sister Carlit, the city is setting off fireworks, they're beautiful," Little girl Nora's shouts were drowned out by the sounds of explosions.
Inside the house, a young woman with long blue hair walked out of the darkness, took little girl Nora's small hand, looked up at the fireworks blooming in the sky, and murmured, "Family? I don't know if they count!"
"Let's go, we'll set off fireworks too," the young woman with long blue hair sighed, then suddenly broke into a smile.