The soft rumble of Hollow Earth never truly stopped. It wasn't silent like the surface world. This place breathed. It pulsed with ancient energy—echoes of a time when titans ruled every corner of the planet, unchallenged.
We stood upon a high cliff, overlooking a vast landscape that stretched beyond the horizon. Floating mountains hovered like watchful guardians. Rivers twisted through glowing forests. This land was untouched by civilization—untouched by us.
Kong moved slowly through the valley below. He seemed calm, almost peaceful for the first time since we arrived on the surface. The last Iwi girl, Jia, rode his shoulder, gazing in wonder at the glowing plants, the unfamiliar sky, and the bizarre creatures that fled from Kong's towering presence.
He was safe. For now.
I watched him for a while, wings folded, claws settled on the soft stone beneath me. Then I looked at the five elders who hovered nearby. They waited for my word.
"He won't be in danger for some time," I said finally, voice firm but calm. "There's no reason for us to remain by his side."
The second elder nodded. "He has the girl. And the humans. They'll keep watching him."
"And we," the fifth elder said, his wings stretching wide, "we have a clan to prepare for."
I stared into the skies above us. "This world is perfect for dragons… but we cannot simply settle anywhere. We need space, clean water, strong prey, and shelter. Somewhere we can build not just a nest—but a kingdom."
"Then we begin the search," the third elder growled. "We fly."
I looked back one last time. Kong was still walking, silent, gentle. His hand shielded Jia as a group of strange flying creatures passed overhead. He didn't notice us leave—and we preferred it that way.
With a single beat of my wings, I took to the air.
The other elders followed behind me, forming a wide arc in the sky. Below, Hollow Earth unfolded like a myth. Herds of beasts we'd never seen ran through fields of glowing grass. Caverns opened into glowing depths. Ancient trees the size of fortresses rose into the air.
We flew for hours, maybe more. Time was strange down here.
And then—we found it.
A crescent-shaped mountain surrounded by rivers, waterfalls pouring from its cliffs into a deep basin. The air was warmer here. The water clear. And the land teemed with prey—deer-like creatures, thick-scaled boar, and vast flocks of strange birds.
We circled, slow and cautious.
"This place," the first elder murmured, "could be it."
"A home," said the fourth elder softly.
I landed first, claws crunching into the soft earth. I walked to the edge of the basin and looked down. The water was deep. There were already fish. There were caves under the cliffs. The land curved naturally like a protective shell.
It was… perfect.
I looked at the sky.
"This is where we build the heart of the Dragon Clan."
The elders nodded.
The first foundations of a new age had begun—not on the surface, not on Skull Island, but here, in the heart of the Earth.