Dracotitán

In a grand and towering temple, Troy, reduced to the size of a regular tiger, looked disdainfully at the twelve timid young dragons in front of him, evenly divided between red and black dragons.

These were the dragons who had sought refuge with the tricolored dragon bandit group led by Red Dragon Klayst, recently expelled from their nests by their parents and just beginning to fend for themselves.

"Muria, I can understand why you'd bring along these six; after all, you've invested a lot of effort and resources in them since they were young," Troy glanced at the six dragon youths, now in human form and behaving themselves, "But why bring these twelve burdens?"

"Should I have abandoned them?" Muria countered upon hearing Troy's question.

"Of course, there's no need for you to burden yourself with them." Troy's icy gaze swept over the twelve young dragons, frightening them into trembling, "They are of no use to you."

"Do you know what would happen if I abandoned them?" Muria asked again, not waiting for Troy's reply before answering his own question, "They would die. In the worst case, all twelve dragons would not survive to adulthood. If they're slightly more fortunate, maybe one of them might make it."

The twelve dragons exchanged looks upon hearing Muria's words, then gazed at Troy with fear and pity. They knew Muria was telling the truth. Fear of death was precisely why they had sought protection under Klayst and the six rebel dragons.

Now, under Muria, who appeared to be a gold dragon, they had no intention of leaving. Even if their allegiances were opposed, it was better than death. After all, a gold dragon wouldn't harm its own kind.

Dragon mortality rates were highest among the chromatic dragons due to their disunity and weak familial bonds.

The most vulnerable phase in a dragon's life was not during its hatchling or wyrmling stages, which are relatively safe under parental care, but during its young dragon phase when it loses that care and isn't yet strong enough to fend off predators.

"So, you plan to carry these burdens?"

"Yes," Muria nodded.

"You must not forget who you are," Troy sternly reminded Muria, "You are a descendant of the gold dragons, and they are wicked dragons. You have no responsibility or obligation to care for them."

"I'm only half a dragon," Muria bent down and affectionately ruffled the big cat's forehead, "Besides, the bloodline I carry is not that of an ordinary gold dragon. As a descendant of the Dragon King, my perspective and heart cannot be limited by the differences within dragonkind. What about chromatic dragons?"

"So, you're determined to bring these burdens?"

"I won't abandon them," Muria stated firmly, unwilling to let them die.

"Fine, you want to provide for them, but you surely won't let them grow up unchecked? After all, they've been raised by wicked dragons and their principles don't align with yours?"

"Of course, how could I possibly let them grow up without guidance?" Muria looked at the twelve young dragons, smiling warmly and kindly.

"But you're busy searching for dragons; where will you find the time to teach these burdens?"

"Who said I'd be teaching them?" Muria asked with a hint of surprise.

"Do you plan for them to teach?" Troy, not being foolish, quickly caught on to Muria's intention, turning his gaze to the six rebel dragons now in the form of handsome youths.

"Yes." Muria nodded towards the six rebel dragons, issuing his command: "Klayst, from today on, you six will begin teaching these twelve little ones."

"Muria... Your Highness!" Klayst addressed Muria, adding a title of respect after catching a stern look from Red Dragon Atreus beside him, "What should we teach them?"

"Start with some basic knowledge of being a dragon, what to do and what not to do," Muria said as if it were obvious.

"Understood!" Klayst quickly nodded, understanding that these principles of being a dragon would naturally be according to the standards of gold dragons, not wicked ones.

"And after teaching them the basics of serving under me, you'll teach them magic."

"How should we teach?" Klayst asked cautiously, wanting to confirm.

"How I taught you, you will teach them."

Hearing this, Klayst exchanged glances with his five companions, smiling slyly, causing the young dragons to tremble slightly.

"Does this mean we can punish them if they fail to complete the magic tasks you assign?" Klayst asked carefully. After being disciplined by Muria, the six rebel dragons had become much more compliant.

"Of course, but be moderate and not too harsh," Muria added after a glance at the trembling young dragons, "Just don't kill them."

"Understood." The excitement was clear on Klayst and the other five chromatic dragons' faces as they gleefully eyed the young dragons who had sought their protection.

Now, they had the opportunity to inflict the pain they once endured upon others, this time in the role of instructors.

"Learn magic?" A young red dragon, wary of its kin's malicious gaze, timidly spoke up, "We are dragons; there's no need for us to learn magic like those weak humans."

"Hey, kid," Klayst, now in the form of a red-haired youth, jumped onto the back of the nineteen-meter-long red dragon who thought magic unnecessary, "Who said learning magic is unnecessary? Look at the elder dragons and ancient dragons; which one hasn't learned magic?"

"I can wait until I'm older to learn!"

"Wait until you're an elder dragon to learn? Do you think you'll live that long?" Klayst scoffed at the young red dragon beneath him, "Learning magic is about increasing your chances of reaching old age."

...As Klayst persuaded the young dragons to learn magic, Muria turned to the red-robed archbishop, who was sweating profusely from listening, and smiled, "Is the teleportation circle to the subcontinent ready?"

"It's ready, Your Highness. You can depart at any time," the archbishop glanced at the chromatic dragons before looking back at the temple guards standing ready with swords and shields, whispering, "Your Highness Muria, do you really need to teach these wicked dragons magic?"

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