Prologue

Valadeera tried to look down at the city from seers tower, the tallest building in the world. But all there are dark clouds. Trying to clear her mind of what is to become of her. Father is going to be furious... He would know what I have done. But I am his favourite... His favourite... His favourite... Her long claws scratched the stone floor. She was always terrible at hiding her nerves. A powerful wind gushes at her almost knocking her down. The air is thin and the winds are strong, yet it was quiet... But Valadeera knew she was not alone. Valadeera felt her bonemark and presence. Her other sister is nearby... The ditzy bird Valadeera nicknamed her.

The dark clouds parted as a dragon flew upwards, revealing herself as she circles around the eye landmark of the tower. Valadeera watched, silently seething at her sister. She wished she received the gift of flight... But it was not to be... To see the world from above would have been incredible. Valadeera could only dream of what it is like.

Ditzy bird can easily withstand such turbulence as the harsh winds crashed into her. Folding her wings into her sides she points down like a dart. Her body is slender like Valadeera and is twice the size of her. Her head is shaped like a falcon with no feathers. Her reptile wings are the largest part of her as they are seventeen metres from wingtip to wingtip, which stretch to connect the middle of her long tail.

Volantriss Sacrificed her forelegs for them, being a rare dragon who possesses wings. Even though there was a time in the distant past dragons could fly. Dragons jump off cliffs as wings magically appear. The gold dragons flew alongside with their human partners who also flew, but the magic eventually disappeared. The last recorded flyer was Dragon Lord Estrella the glorious dragon. The last battle of the war of the ten stars was fought in the sky where her human died. Ever since the dragons struggled to take off and eventually gave up. Leaving the memory of flight in history books.

Her father the Shadow Emperor managed to find a way… But it isn't the same. For the old flyers still had all their limbs intact. The wings just appeared when the user needed them.

Volantriss shows off to her grounded sister by flying in loops, speeding up to twirl in the air like a dancer. Valadeera scoffs and rolls her eyes.

The flyer lands on the portcullis of the balcony. Deliberately flapping wind into her sister's face. Her hind legs cling to it as she folds her wings. Having two different positions upright or on her fours... But on her fours, she is vulnerable and is slow on land. Her preferring to sit upright so she can take off quickly when necessary. She hates being closed inside buildings as she felt like she is being trapped.

"Volaticus", Valadeera greets her with a snarky chirp. As the dragons can speak without their humanised vocals without humans present.

Volaticus replies in kind. As Valadeera walks inside the throne room. Volaticus hates that her sister refuses to speak details or hold meetings on the balcony. She leans forward as she slithers forward trying to gain her balance. As her wingspan is too large to be fully open.

Kaunis waits inside as he sees his two sisters. He smiles at Volantriss for it has been so long since they last met. Known to be the most beautiful dragon in the in world. His gift of manipulation has been useful throughout the years. His voice sounds like a relaxing song, making their enemies at ease when he is around. With years of training he can order underlings to do tasks without much effort. Even though Valadeera knew why father wanted him so much. He was once close with Marigold a gold dragon who was highly revered.

Smiling as his waving fins still looking majestic. Valadeera fake smiles at him. Losing her smile as she sees Ironclad next to him.

She had the most beautiful dragon in the world in front of her. But the dragon that enamoured her is Ironclad. A wild beast of a dragon... Vicious and strong. Her wishing he would replace Akahai. However his blunder in Unmei was a failure that is hard to ignore. He is not perfect after all... She hides her emotions as she ignores him.

Vipstranius walks into the throne room as loudly as he could. Him being the second largest of the group next to Colossus. He emits authority like no other dragon after all he is the first created child of the Emperor. His body covered with deep scars from all the battles he has fought, on his right eye leaving a large scar. Almost blinding him in that eye. But no one dares say that it was Aelius that gave him the scar.

Valadeera always thought of herself strong compared to her siblings. But even Vipstranius unnerved her. His large overbite teeth, his scales have begun to sag showing his age, with two large horns facing forward on his forehead and piercing red eyes with thin slit pupils.

Valadeera once admired him and loved him like a brother... Being father's first child. Until he was revealed to be the double agent who was once friends with wild dragons who wanted to kill their father. Never trusted him since. Practicing her mag abilities Valadeera believed she can beat him by mag prowess. His brute strength however... She would have to use all her wits and speed. He is getting older... In hopes she wished, making him slower... Like big old Colossus.

A dragon so massive he cannot even make the meeting. Now measured at 350 meters long and 125 meters tall. Colossus's body is so large, bulky and long that he cannot fit into any buildings and she is glad of it. His attitude believing he can be god, drove her insane. Her constantly reminding him that his father can end his life without even lifting a finger. He will always be massive in size but always a speck in his fathers' eyes.

Then without warning, Rapax appears laughing and carrying on as he always did. A little shrewish bipedal creature who looks harmless enough. The smallest and "cutest" out of all them, yet is the most intelligent. Once a light-green dragon who worked in a gear factory. He mutated when his bonemark changed by father's experiment and happily turned against his own kind. He always wanted to test on living beings which his father happily obliged. Learning the cruellest way to torture and create bone weapons. Him always saying the worse the torture the more powerful and concentrated the weapon becomes, and so far he has been correct. Her personal armour is made from human bone that looks like pure black draconium and she loves it.

They all sit in a room next to the throne room. The generals' room they all called it. Even though it is personally used by the league of eight.

Valadeera, Volaticus, Kaunis, Vipstranius, and Rapax take their respective seats. Each seat has a different motif in design. Valadeera chose the dragonsbane flower as her design being her favourite orchid, Rapax cogs and mechanisms, Volaticus having various different wings, Kaunis's looking like a mahogany throne with soft cushions, very Mille Voix. Vipstranius was made out of real human and dragon bones.

Valadeera stared at the empty seats. Akahai's shaped like a bone dragon, Colossus is the largest chair with spikes and Onyx is plain and simple. Like her personality...

Ironclad remains standing next to Kaunis for he is not one of them. Irking Valadeera as there are three empty seats. Akahai, Onyx and Colossus are not present. Ironclad deserves a seat she believed.

"Heard anything from Akahai?" Volaticus asked beginning the meeting.

"Heard rumours that he could be hiding in the Incognito forest," Kaunis said. "I only know because the only human survivor from one of my search parties. Five of the parties I sent disappeared. But now I know, it was Akahai who killed them."

"Traitor... We need to rip that bonemark from his head!" Volaticus says with anger. Incognito forest is a dangerous place. It is named for a reason. Emperors of all countries have tried to explore it, to inflate their own egos. None of them returned... Or those whose bodies were found are ravaged and almost unrecognisable. What made it worse for them is that not even their father can sense his presence. The Incognito forest is the magic father cannot even dismantle.

"Yes! We need to find him first and it gets worse, however... It is possible he has a human accompanying him. The survivor spoke another voice was heard... A little girl voice as Akahai fled."

The dragons roar in protest as Kaunis said his piece.

"It is official... Akahai must die." Valadeera says with a coldness in her voice. Father should never have picked him... He always had a softer disposition than us. I can guarantee father will not approve of our actions. Just because he originally has grey draconium and looks like a skeletal freak. That does not mean he is exempt from being a traitor. A traitor is a traitor and they should all end the same.

The dragons nod in unison.

The six dragons sat as they then discussed the royal court.

"Did you hear about Adria, you know our personal human healer?" Volaticus asks. "She died... Cannot imagine why a healer was targeted. I kind of liked her for a human..."

"Her death was a loss..." Kaunis says as he looks straight into Valadeera's eyes. As she remained stoic.

Valadeera not mentioning to any of them that their father has left the country. Valadeera is smart leading the Empire behind the scenes without her brothers and sisters knowing. While keeping the details of Iolene's existence out of the conversation. She already sent search parties to find her, they will find her and Valadeera can have all the credit.

Her hopes were short-lived as the atmosphere began to freeze. The room is so cold, that ice is forming around them... Their water troughs freeze into ice. They all shivered as their bonemarks began to glow. He has returned.

All the dragons stand up and run into the throne room. Lining up into a row and bow while Valadeera tries to hide her shock. He returned too quickly... I just managed to set my plan in motion! As he opens the throne room doors, with a single wave of his hand. Wearing his black smoking cloak and hood. His skeletal face is barely visible. He walks slowly looking like he floats. Taking his time as his children and Ironclad waited.

He sits on the unoccupied throne. It began to glow brightly by his touch. His breathing sounded rough and slow. But the children made no mistake. He is not a weak man... Once killing a slave in his moments of rest. The slave startled him when he was not meant to be there. Blasting the slave to oblivion with a mag blast so powerful, it made holes in the wall, that took a long time to repair. There were only a few splats of blood and parts of skin that remained.

He looks down at his children. All looking nervous in his presence. Even Valadeera tried to hold herself together.

"My children..." He said surprisingly lovingly. His raspy voice echoed. "It has come to my attention, that a gold heir survived."

The dragons all look astonished. All saying that it is impossible.

"Oh, but it was, the gala proved it to me... For me not being there is a massive regret. But Shadow Booster has confirmed it. The rumours are indeed true. Iolene Summers, her name is. Brown hair, Gold eyes, like her father they described. Beautiful and is only sixteen years old. She must have the gift..." The Emperor sounded almost hopeful... A very rare thing to witness.

All the dragons remain silent as he continued speaking.

"You all now have a chance to redeem yourselves... Find her. Do all that is necessary, steal and murder. But she must be brought to me ALIVE! Do I make myself exceptionally clear?"

"Yes, father." They all say in unison. Knowing if they failed him again the rest of their lives will be miserable.

He then gives them all a cue to leave. Except for Valadeera... Whose heart skipped a beat. She turns to face her father.

"You knew already..." He said quietly as the throne room doors shut. It is just the two alone.

Valadeera smiles her warm and sweet grin. No one sees this side of her. But she always thought it softened his heart and it has worked in the past. She thought to herself that she is the favourite. She spends the most time with him than all her siblings combined. Caring for him and keeping him company when her siblings are not around. Here and now though she would dare not lie, he despises liars...

She nods yes and replies, softly.

He raises his hand as he rushes draconium power into her bonemark. She shrieks as it felt like a massive migraine took hold. Never felt this before she felt weakened. Using all her strength she tried her best to hide it. This is the first time her father used it against her.

"Why father? I was making arrangements t-"

"You killed Adria, she would have had more information... Not only that you disobeyed me. You were to notify your siblings and rule this nation together. You decided to be selfish and ruled the country yourself." His raspy voice sounded oddly kind as he tortured her. Valadeera dared not to try and speak back to him.

"You are not as smart as you think you are, my daughter. When you decided to take over. Did you meet with the treasurer? The wardens? The slave masters? The generals? I know you didn't... Because everything is out of order. You think you are better than your siblings. You are wrong..."

He lowers his hand stopping the power flow. Valadeera gasps with relief as the massive pressure in her head subsides. Her heart sank as she looked at her father. "Father..." She says softly almost like a puppy. "I only-"

"Redeem yourself like the rest of your siblings. Kidnap Iolene! Now get out! I have a country to control and fix!" He interrupted her.

She leaves. Hiding her pain she shuts the massive throne doors. Her face turns sour as she sees her brothers and sisters grouping up to make a plan. Kaunis gave her a soft smile and nodded. She wanted to gut him right there and then. But that's what he would have expected. The words her father spoke kept ringing in her head. "You are not as smart as you think you are..." Her heart beats faster. As her claws scrunched again, scratching the floor. I hate all of you...

Inside the throne room, the Emperor sits alone. No noise can be heard. Thinking of his children and his future. However there was the matter of his other dragon child, Onyx the one whom he left the city to see. But she is not ready to be placed back into the world yet... She has gotten extremely powerful since her experimentation. He knew she will be important in events to come. Patience... I will succeed... A gold child lives... It gave him hope to reveal his skeletal smile, red eyes glowed and begins to chuckle to himself. Time... Hundreds to thousands of years... Iolene Ovideus. Let the nightmares begin!