The lizard Titan's body still steamed on the ground, bones split and its blood soaking into the strange, nutrient-rich soil of the Hollow Earth. I'd eaten my fill, and so had the others, but what mattered more than meat was what came after.
That feeling—raw power blooming inside me, heat crawling through my veins like fire stoking an ancient forge. I hadn't felt this kind of growth in decades. I could sense it—my muscles thickening, my wings feeling lighter and stronger. My mind sharper. This land was feeding us strength.
And that was only the beginning.
I turned my gaze to the east, where the land dipped into a vast, lush valley. Trees stretched endlessly, thick and rich, fed by winding rivers and streams that all flowed into a shimmering lake. The lake connected to something even greater—a massive inland sea that glittered like obsidian under the Hollow Earth's false sky.
Compared to Skull Island, this wasn't just bigger—it was untouched. No predators. No rival Titans. Just pure, fertile land. It looked like it could support hundreds of dragons—and with how many cubs we had back home, we'd need that space soon.
"Second Elder," I called, my voice echoing low across the rocks, "Take the other Elders. I want every corner of this valley scouted. Every river, every cliff, every cave. This is where the Dragon Clan will rise."
He nodded, and with a beat of wings, they were gone—gliding across the valley to begin.
But I had my own mission. My eyes drifted to the sea.
I soared over it alone, the air smooth, the water below almost unnaturally calm. I landed on the shore and looked around. The air was warm. Peaceful. But I didn't trust it.
Without hesitation, I dove in.
The cold struck first. Deeper than expected. The moment I slipped beneath the surface, the light faded fast, the water turning dark green and heavy. The world was quiet under here. Too quiet. I glided lower, letting my body blend with the shadows.
Then I saw it.
A serpentine shadow, longer than anything I'd seen since the war era—at least 150 feet of scaled muscle. Its body coiled through the depths like a living current, barely making a sound.
It saw me the moment I saw it.
The snake snapped forward, faster than it had any right to be. I twisted mid-water, dodging the strike, but its tail caught me, smashing me into a rock wall. The pain was sharp—but it just pissed me off.
I blasted fire directly into the water. Steam exploded around us. The snake screeched, flinching, and I used the opening—slamming into its midsection, tearing scales free with my claws.
It wrapped around me fast. Squeezed. Ribs creaked. Wings crushed against my body.
I opened my jaws, unleashing fire straight into its face. Even submerged, the fire boiled water and melted part of its head. Its grip loosened—I twisted free, slashing again and again. Blood filled the water.
It tried to retreat, but I wasn't done.
I burst upward, flapping once to break the surface, then dove back down at full speed. I caught its head and drove my claws through its eye, splitting bone, ripping brain.
It spasmed once. Then stilled.
I dragged the corpse to shore, soaked and breathing hard. I looked at its size. Its power. This beast had ruled this sea. Now, it was meat.
I tore into it—and as the first bite slid down my throat, I felt it again. Stronger than before. A surge that made my wings twitch and my scales harden. I was growing—evolving.
This sea… it wasn't just food.
It was potential.
I stood at the edge, staring across the dark waves. Then I flew, low and fast, tracing its borders. It was vast—at least five times the size of our largest pond. And deep. So deep it could hide a hundred beasts. But not anymore. Not if we ruled it.
By the time I returned to shore, my mind was set. The valley would be ours. This sea—our heart.
And I would make sure every dragon thrived.