全城危机

"Can\'t you just teleport us there? Flying is so slow." Flamewing grumbled.

"I probably could do that, but long distance teleportation takes up quite a fair bit of my power, and the magical fluctuations it will create will be easily detected by any mage worth their weight in salt. It wouldn\'t be a good idea to announce our arrival that way." Alexander replied while lying down on his Wyvern\'s back.

"Couldn\'t you just make multiple small jumps? It\'ll still be much faster than flying!"

They were flying at extremely high speed towards the main continent, and probably not that much slower than the time they would spend making multiple short distance teleportations. Alexander had infused the Wyvern with life energy and boosted her flying speed with wind magic. They were actually making really good time.

But Flamewing was too excited and nervous about the whole mission to appreciate their flying speed. She wanted to get to the main continent NOW!

"I could." Alexander replied lazily. He had his eyes closed and was fully relaxed. He even had thoughts of taking a nap.

"So do it!" Flamewing roared in his mind. "Stop thinking of Aleyria!!"

Alexander grinned. It was true. Everytime he closed his eyes, all he could think about was Aleyria and their passionate kiss. That kiss had awakened a sleeping dragon within him, and now it lay within him, coiled, wide awake and hungry for more.

He sighed. He truly wanted to finish this mission fast so he could get back to kissi- ehm, being with Aleyria. But his rational mind coldly crushed such thoughts. Why waste a large amount of magical power he would probably need soon in possible desperate fights against a powerful enemy when he could simply fly there and still make pretty good time?

"Be serious now. You know that we\'ll probably have the fight of our lives soon. Surely you don\'t want me to lose the fight AND our lives later simply because I wasted so much strength getting there?" Alexander sternly admonished Flamewing.

"But flying is just so slow!" Flamewing whined.

At Flamewing\'s childish whining, added upon her constant demands for the unreasonable, something suddenly clicked within Alexander\'s mind. He recalled Magius\'s care and concern for Flamewing. He had thought that it was merely a God\'s passion for his chosen race. But what if it was something more? Images and snippets of Magius\'s words quickly came to his mind.

"... I was there when you were born…"

"... I mourned his passing greatly…"

"... I swore I would take good care of his family…"

"... I have not sensed her (Famewing\'s mother) death…"

A God swore that he would take good care of a dragon\'s family?! He placed a life tracker on her mother?! Why would a God do that to a mere dragon? Unless…

"Flamewing. Tell me about your parents. Who exactly are they?" Alexander said seriously. He even sat up, so great was his curiosity.

"My parents? Why are you suddenly talking about this?" Flamewing asked suspiciously. "Are you trying to distract me from the fact that you\'re lazing about and being a complete bum?"

"Of course not. It just hit me that I know next to nothing about you and your dragon life and your dragon family." Alexander promptly replied. "I\'d like to know, please, if that\'s okay with you."

Flamewing was slightly stunned by Alexander\'s politeness and the earnest manner in which he asked.

"Err… Well okay." She replied awkwardly. She definitely wasn\'t used to having Alexander be so polite with her.

"Well… We were from the Dragonos Planet, one of five major dragon planets. My mother, Flamebright, is the youngest child of the Bright Dragon Clan Chief. She is… how do I say this. She\'s incredible. A once-in-a-billion-years kind of talent. A gifted genius, prodigy, you get the idea. She was the most talented dragon on the entire planet. She was famous, more than famous. She was actually THE dragon of the planet."

"So she\'s the most powerful dragon on the planet. Okay." Alexander nodded.

"My father, Firesong, was the eldest child for the Fire Dragon Clan Chief. He wasn\'t as powerful as mother, but he had the advantage of being a Scion of Magius. From birth, he was destined for greatness.

As the leaders of their generation, both my father and mother eventually met. They fell in love, got married and began to carve a legend with their exploits. Both of them fought in various wars together, fighting the Scions of Zegaro and Perses whenever they managed to somehow arise and threaten the peace of the Universe.

It\'s really weird though, how they never truly die out." Flamewing paused for a moment at this.

"Anyway, both mother and father were renowned generals in their respective clans. And then I was born, and not long after, another war broke out, a massive one this time. For some reason, the Scions of Zegaro and Perses launched a massive attack on our planet. My father died in that war. Very heroically. His final sacrifice effectively ended the war. He saved a lot of lives. I know I should be proud of him, but… but…"

Flamewing went silent.

"But you feel that what he should have done was to stay alive so that he could return home to you?" Alexander finished her thought.

"YES!" Flamewing cried out. "Exactly! This may sound really bad, I don\'t really care about how many lives he saved. He should have come home instead of being a hero." Flamewing said with great emotion, and in slight surprise. She didn\'t expect that she had repressed such emotions within her heart.

"What was he like?" Alexander asked.

"Father… He was… Valiant, I guess. Fearless in the face enemies. Courageous. He never backed down from a fight. He was also extremely protective. Extremely. I know many fathers are this way, but my father was different. He took protectiveness to a whole new level. Most fathers would jump in defense of their family at the drop of a hat, but my father would do it even before the hat was touched. If he catches even the tiniest whiff of aggression towards me or my mother, he would attack. Like, really, attack. With intent to kill."

"Hmmmm." Alexander began to get a clearer picture as to why Flamewing was so short tempered, irritable and childish at times.

"I remember when I was younger, we had very important visitors from a higher ranked clan. The Fire Dragon Clan wasn\'t the strongest clan yet during that time, we were probably fourth or fifth. I think it was the second ranked clan which came to visit us?

Anyway we never really found out why they came. When their delegation came, I had also just reached home after an adventure with my friends. I was dirty and messy, I didn\'t look like the young mistress of the Fire Dragon Clan at all. The delegation\'s young master saw me and ordered his men to capture me. He probably thought I was a slave or something.

After catching me, the entire delegation suddenly turned back and tried to return back to their clan.

Father saw what happened. He gave chase and killed almost every single dragon in that delegation. Only 1 escaped. That hateful young master."

"WHAT?!" Alexander shouted aloud in great surprise.

"Is there anything wrong, Your Majesty?" Dubaza, who was flying ahead, called out from the front and slowed down.

"It\'s nothing, don\'t worry." Alexander waved him away.

Dubaza nodded and resumed the lead.

"He killed almost everyone in that delegation? How many dragons? What happened next?And why are there even dragon slaves??" Alexander asked Flamewing in shock.

"It was a delegation of  twenty dragons. They had clan elders, senior disciples, and of course the dumb young master." Flamewing said wryly. "After that incident, we went to war with that clan, defeated them handily, and enslaved their clan members. Which is why we have slaves, by the way. Clan wars. Winner takes all."

"Once we took down the second ranked clan, that was pretty much it. The balance in the Dragonos Planet was completely shattered. My mother\'s clan, the Bright Dragon Clan, was first ranked. Both clans were in alliance. The third and fourth ranked clans were quickly absorbed and we dominated the entire planet.

All thanks to my father\'s crazy protectiveness." Flamewing said with a laugh. "That, and of course his incredible strength as well. He was easily the strongest dragon on the entire planet. After mother, of course."

"Why is that so? Why was your clan ranked fourth or fifth if that was the case?" Alexander asked curiously.

"In ranking clans, personal strength is a factor, but not the only factor. Influence, wealth, clan reserves, fighting techniques, number of soldiers and their collective strength, many other factors come into play." Flamewing explained. "But after father destroyed their delegate, the 2nd ranked clan lost most of their apex fighters. Without apex fighters, father and mother basically steamrolled over their clan."

"I see… And the war broke out soon after that?" Alexander asked.

"Yes, how did you know?" Flamewing asked back.

"Aren\'t you curious why the delegation suddenly turned back after capturing you?"

"Now that you ask, it\'s kind of weird. Why did they do that?"

"There must be some sort of a secret within you. Something BIG." Alexander said.

At that, Flamewing remained silent.