Prologue

The Shadow Emperor clenched his hand on his Black Draconium throne. A once calm man slowly losing himself. He is failing... Claiming the Green Empire was half a failure... Claiming Unmei failed... His only accomplishment being is occupying the Light Green Empire and Gold Empire. Sixteen years since his last victory. He is losing patience... It is not enough... He desires the world. The world has changed much since he lived on it. He has to learn to be wiser... It is a matter of time someone foolish will try and oppose him. The Black Empire is a powerful nation, with many ruthless families and Clans who will try to take the seat. The Emperor cannot have that chance.

He remained quiet. As his dragon daughter, Valadeera stared at him on the throne. She knew he is angry. Kaunis lost contact with the Samurox in the Blue Empire. Which made everything worse. While Ironclad blasts back from the other side with the consequence of the portal being destroyed. Those who remain behind are now trapped in another country. There is nothing they can do...

It is just the two alone in the throne room. The place is cold as Valadeeras breath can be seen. She shivers as a sudden chill flows through her. The powerful winds can be felt as they are on the highest level of Seer Tower. Turning her head she looks at Inclementia from the window. The massive walls look half the size as the tower reaches the clouds. The megalopolis looked so small... A perfect view for the world's most powerful nation. Or better... A god.

"I need the gift, For my visions are not enough..." The Shadow Emperor says.

"You have the vision of the future father... It will come to pass. This world will be yours!" The dragon says encouragingly.

"I needed Erastus alive... And you all failed. If he didn't die I would have the world by now. The priest seers that we have are not good enough and do not see the future as I do... They can only do so much." The Emperor remembers the royal meetings of his younger years. A handsome young boy with long silver hair. White ghost skin like the rest of his family. Many priests and cons tried to master visions as he does. Some priests impressed him with their powers. Others he sentenced to death for being deceitful, choosing and watching the method of death.

Death fascinated the Emperor at a young age. Once killing a crowdrag because it crowed. Mag pushes it hard into a wall crushing it. He studied the bird as he pulled apart its corpse. Pulling its intestines looking with fascination... From there he worked with the torturers and executioners. Looking at cadavers and reading books on anatomy. He was only ten at that time. His fascination has never gone away. When he came of age he knew everything about dragons and humans. But more importantly how to manipulate the mind.

Valadeera looks down at the ground. Remembering the time they conquered the temple of memories in the city centre. A beautiful building she admitted. Decorated with human and dragon marble pillars. She couldn't help but admire the detail. The pillars glowed gold as she walked passed revealing the intricate details. Gold draconium in the building made it possible. As she could feel its presence. Symmetrical and massive in stature dragons as large as Colossus were able to move freely.

The temple of memories belonged to the human seer of the past. Gifted to see memories of his ancestors. Each room of the temple was decorated with objects for every seer who occupied it. Erastus was the seer of Loan Twenty-One years ago. The first cousin to Aelius he was an advisor to the Emperor.

He was once kidnapped by dragon separatists, however short-lived as Aelius rescued him (not known it was Lord Nero who planned it). Erastus remained defensive since that day. Erastus did not know what they wanted. But he was afraid of them finding out what it is. He shut the temple gates and refused visitors or grant insight except to the Emperor.

The League storms the temple, and the massive gold doors blast open. Seven out of the league of eight members found Erastus calm and collected in his room. He smiles at the dragons. Valadeera sensed no fear in him. She commended him for that. At this very moment, Lord Nero is seeking to end Aelius and Laelia. "Give up now Erastus! We want you alive."

"I am sorry, but I cannot give you what you seek..." And with a quick movement, he drank a vial and collapsed onto his bed. Losing the gift of the past, there was nothing they could do... Erastus is dead. Valadeera roared with anger and in reply to Erastus. The league took his body, soon looting and destroying the temple. There is nothing left of the temple of memories... It remains a ghostly ruin in Dragon-City.

Shadow Emperor looked at Erastus's corpse. Trying everything to resurrect him. All failed... It was fruitless. Instead commanding the draconium smiths to create weapons from Erastus's bones. His skeleton was sculptured into swords and daggers. Weapons the emperor keeps in his vault to this day.

The Shadow Emperors' dreams were thought to disappear along with Erastus, as the future changed. But the visions of the Shadow Emperor ruling the world still appeared every time he slept.

His vision sees him flying as he looks down at a world of ruin. No grass, chasms and fires cascaded over the land. No city can be seen... Grey and black clouds blanket the sky as the sun cannot be seen. Every living thing bending to his will. The world is his! But no one else knows of the details except his trusted daughter Valadeera.

"That gift was the key..." The Emperor said. He stands up and walks around the throne room. His black cloak gives the illusion that he floats. His skeletal body moves slowly at each step. He approaches his dragon daughter. She remains still as he came to her for she is the only one not afraid of him. He can tell by her heartbeats, normal as ever.

"I am going on a journey..." He said ominously.

But before Valadeera could say anything. He silenced her surprisingly gently. "I am going alone, But I shall leave you and your siblings to rule in my stead. Summon them all back. You will need their help to rule..."

Valadeera tried her hardest not to reveal her large grin. Nods as she accepted the responsibility. But calling her siblings Vipstraunius, Kaunis, Volaticus, Rapax and Colossus. Is going to be interesting. As they have not been together as a group in years.

Vipstraunius the eldest is living in Suravi as the commanding lord of the city. He is powerful as Valadeera admired him. He commanded a presence that any dragon or human will respect. Knowledgeable of draconium magic he knows all mag abilities that a dragon can physically do. Labelled as a priest he is valuable for his knowledge.

Volaticus the flying dragon was last stationed in Demir. She was in charge of capturing the Kaiser family. However many of them escaped causing another massive blow for the Shadow Emperor. Which ended Volaticus being whipped and starved as punishment... She has since been released and has returned home. Valadeera judges her sister as a literal airhead. But like siblings, they share a commonality of cruelty. The flyer picks up dragons and people with her rear legs and raises them high up into the air. She then releases them as she enjoys hearing the screaming victims fall to their deaths.

Valadeera then wondered about Colossus... The dragon has grown so absurdly large that he won't be able to fit inside anywhere in the city. Even behemoth priest dragons are small compared to him. Inclementian buildings are made with the idea of dragons fit inside. But Colossus even at a younger age struggled to navigate inside. He always boasted about his large size as he can easily crush those with a single step. Which he has done many times, even to those who didn't deserve it. Which also presented the problem that he will not be able to breed. But many people and dragons don't know that recently his body has begun to ache. He is slowing down... Colossus is only forty years old and acts almost like he is eighty. Such a shame... Valadeera thought.

Valadeera hates Kaunis for his life of wasting money. She sees him every day at court. But does not speak to him that much. Have little in common. Beauty is all that dragon cares about.

Rapax is in the testing facilities at Suravi. For they are going to need them. Rapax is a dragon of fine worth... Valadeera enjoys him the most. He is the cruellest of them all... His power is his intelligence. But the prize of his intelligence is his constant need for death. He helped create the explosia gear. Causing destruction to towns that came in handy during the invasion of Light-Green and Gold Empires.

Onyx and Akahai have not been seen or heard in years. No matter how hard they searched.

Akahai a skeletal grey dragon. Is the oldest in the group. Grey dragons are elusive creatures. Black draconium as he seemed with a bonemark father made. But his Grey draconium will always shine through. For they can absorb all draconium energies and use all metal.

Valadeera technically thinking they should start saying the league if six. But eight naturally sounds better. Also need to keep up that said appearance. Valadeera knows that the aristocratic families have the "gossip". But would not dare mention it... Valadeera knows that their only grasp on the political space is fear. She and her siblings cannot slip this chance or everything will fall apart or... She can pretend to summon her siblings. She will have to contend with Kaunis. But Valadeera has no fear of him. If anything he is afraid of her...

She wondered why her father wanted to leave his seat of power. She asked again... As he tried to leave the throne room.

"I will return my daughter. But I shall explore the world and hopefully get the answers I seek. I shall journey to the other countries. Find their weaknesses as many of my people and them have seemed to fail to reveal them to me." And with a quick kiss on Valadeeras cheek, he leaves.

The room remained quiet as Valadeera is left alone. She looks upon the throne and smiles.