Israkur darted into the room. He quickly arrived in the center and saw, arrayed around him, what he had hardly waited to have: siblings! There were only six of them: one green, two blues, one red, the gold and the black. Each of them looked different, with horns, scales, and even differently shaped wings. Currently the black and the gold seemed to be facing off: snarling at one another angrily and raising wings in threatening positions.

The gold made the first move. Dashing forward, he bashed his smaller sister’s head up and closed his teeth around her throat in one fluid move. Biting down, he ignored her cries of pain and suffocation. Israkur was shocked at his brother’s brutality. Enraged by the bullying and injustice, he charged forward and bashed him into a nearby stalagmite.

Looking down upon the now trembling black, he thought to her: ”Don’t worry little sister: It’s me, your older brother! I’ll protect you!” The black trembled even more, curling up into a tighter ball.

“Oh, Right!” Israkur remembered,” You can’t talk yet! Don’t worry, it took me a week to learn that too. It’s easy once you start using your memories. Now come on! Let’s go! We have…” Israkur’s excited statements were interrupted by the gold slamming into him. Clawing and biting at his throat, it tried desperately to gain a death grip like it had on the black. Israkur: however, was not his younger sister. Having spent two weeks eating meat and exercising outside of the egg, he had grown nearly double in size. His scales had hardened, and small taut muscles ran underneath the entirety of his hide.

Looking down on the ineffective attempts of the gold, he snorted,” Not so easy when you’re up against someone your own size is it?” In addition to the strength he had gained in his two weeks of outside life, he had also accessed more and more of his memories: giving him more than a lifetime's supply of witty one-liners. The one he used wasn’t quite appropriate considering that Israkur, who had been a large hatchling, was nearly three times the gold’s size and well on his way to drakehood, but Israkur felt it was good practice: the hero’s in his memories and his mother’s stories always managed to say them.

Growing tired of the hatchling’s scratching, he reached down and grabbed the base of it’s neck. Shaking it once, he threw it away from him and back into the pillar. Stepping forward, he roared furiously, a slight sound compared to his parents but impressive to hatchlings nonetheless, and left the gold trembling on the ground.

Israkur turned around to face his sister, only to find himself surrounded by his remaining siblings. Slightly on guard, he relaxed when he saw that, instead of attacking him, they bowed their heads: The ancient way for a clutch to accept a champion. Israkur however, did not know this, and merely looked confusedly at the lot of them. His mother’s voice quickly cleared away any misconceptions,” Don’t worry Israkur. They’re just saying that you are the very strongest of them all.”

Immensely satisfied by this, Israkur nodded his head in approval, and then suddenly burst out in excitement,” Woohoo! You’re all finally here! Come on, Come on! I have so much you all have to see! I have to show you mom, and dad too, and the storytelling place and the…” Israkur’s voice trailed off as he led his gaggle of siblings out of the cave, leaving the black, gold, and two unhatched eggs behind.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The black sighed quietly. Her color always got their memories faster than the other dragons, and thus, she had known she would be at best ostracized and forgotten. Even the white who, although their colors were usually bitter enemies, had given her a glimmer of hope left her here. Sniffling softly, she turned toward the shadowy back of the cave, only to be interrupted by a cheerful voice.

“Well come on little sister! What are you waiting for?” The White had come back! Looking up hopefully at his cheerful visage, she hesitantly took a step towards him. Then, with no betrayal forthcoming, she took another, and another, until, soon enough, she was walking right beside him to her other siblings. The blues, seeing her with their champion quickly bounded over and happily began to introduce themselves, sniffling and cuddling, serving as their words. Blues were the most social of dragons, and this pair of females was no exception to that rule.

She quickly clumsily reciprocated their gestures, excited and hopeful. Her memories all held only long lives of solitude, and she had no background to draw upon for this inclusion she felt now. As the green and red slowly came around to her presence here and joined in the greeting, she looked gratefully at the grinning white, her older brother. In that moment, she decided: she would be his guardian just as he was hers.

Black and white dragons were, along with metallic dragons, the rarest of colors, but holding memories of the encounters between her colors and his, she knew his weakness: gullibility. It’s not to say that he was stupid, far from it. She knew that whites were the second most intelligent color, after her own of course, yet they followed a code of morals based around truth and justice. Very powerful and very noble, with their morals they could attract many dragons as followers and usually became dragon lords, but they were completely unsuited to the deception and spy mongering that occurred in the larger holds. With her help however, his weaknesses would be negated, and she knew that he could become the greatest dragon lord the world has ever seen.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Israkur, for his part, knew nothing of the thoughts running through his sister’s mind. He had helped her, regardless of the many memories that told him not to, because she was his family and one memory in particular: that of a black sacrificing itself to save his mate. He had hoped that she could find honor as well, and so far, he had not been disappointed by his youngest sibling. She was befriending all of the others and did not display any of the viciousness usually associated with blacks.

Glad that everything had worked out well, he looked up to see the gold walking towards the group. Haughtily ignoring them, it walked on with its head held high and away from the other hatchlings. Israkur snorted in disdain and noted, with no small satisfaction, that it’s arrogant walk was broken by a slight limp. Choosing to also ignore the gold, he led his other siblings into the main cave, where his parents were waiting.

Arina thrilled in excitement when she saw them. Broadcasting her thoughts openly, she spoke” Can you all hear me?” as all the hatchlings, even the gold, turned to her she thought joyfully,” Good good! I’m your mother, Arina! Now come on, you all must be hungry!” Moving aside, she cleared the way to a fresh carcass. The gold dashed forward and moved to feast upon the carcass, but Israkur blocked him. Letting all his siblings eat their fill first, he finally let the gold have the scraps. He was by no means doing this out of vengefulness, any punishment the gold deserved had been meted out in the hatching room. Instead he was asserting his dominance. Israkur knew the gold would be a problem to the rest of the clutch, bullying and forcing them under his influence, and was already taking measures to protect them.

His sleepy siblings looked thankfully at him, as they curled up by their father’s warm bulk and, with their hunger sated, quickly fell asleep. The gold, on the other hand, glared at him belligerently. It’s memories held only dominance and rule through tyranny. Unlike the other colors of leadership -- valiant white and wise silver-- gold dragons ruled through strength and arrogance. While not stupid, as many hominid tales portray them to be, they also placed intelligence and the lives of others at a distant second below their own strength.

Israkur had seen just how far the gold’s bullying would go firsthand in the hatching room and had decided himself to discipline it for it’s own good. After the gold learned its lesson, it would be welcome to join in with no ill will from Israkur. The gold of course responded with bluster and arrogance. Over the next weeks, the two clashed on a regular basis. Israkur always managed to stave him off, sending him scurrying off to the opposite corner of the main cave, but all too soon, after just a month and a half: the situation changed.

“Iskur, we … we just can’t stay near that black anymore.” The green and red explained after declaring that they would join the gold. The two had always been the most hesitant to accept her presence in the cave with them and it seemed that the gold had persuaded them to his side.

“Aurusal said that…” they began.

“Aurusal?” Israkur interrupted curtly. He had never been betrayed before this, and was shocked by the sudden nature of their departure. Burying his emotions however, he projected a tense, unfeeling aura around him.

The two shuffled their feet. Mumbling out slowly, the green explained,” That’s what our brother told us to call him. He hasn’t killed a beast yet, but he said he was good for that name.”

Israkur snorted,” Champion of light? He fits that name about as well as my tailvent does!”

“Well at least he doesn’t hang around a stinking black!” the red retorted. Turning, he ignored Israkur and stalked angrily towards where the gold was waiting. Halfway there, seeing that the green was hesitant to actually act upon their decision,” he called back over his shoulder,” Come on! Remember what Aurus promised…”

The green seemed to make a decision. He slowly walked away from Israkur and his sisters going to stand shamefully by the gold. For their part, the blues were torn: Israkur had protected them and shown them only kindness, yet three of their brothers stood completely against him. Choosing to take the middle ground, they curled up beside Arina and formed their own group of two.

And so the cave was tensely divided. The gloating gold triumphantly held his half while Israkur stayed with the black, his only sibling that had not abandoned him. After the others left, the balck tearfully apologized to him.

“I’m so sorry Iskur….” she sniffled,” this is all my fault… If I just hadn’t been a black…”

He quickly turned to her and lifted her head up with his tail. “ Never blame your scales sis: blame them,” he replied, gesturing to their three brothers.” It’s not your fault that they’re so ignorant and angry.”

“Anyways, it’s okay: They’re our family, they’ll come around eventually. Now come on! I know just the spot to cheer you up!”

Leading her into the maze of tunnels that forked off from the main cave, he smiled in recollection of his favorite spot in the cave. Over the past month since his siblings hatched, he had been far too busy keeping the gold at bay. Now however, he needed a place to think, and his sister needed cheering up.

Rounding the final corner, he led her to his ledge. She gasped in amazement as she looked out upon the unblemished world lying below a black night sky.

“You see sis?” Israkur prodded. “ Black is a color, just like all of the others, and frankly, it’s rather beautiful isn’t it?”

The black looked up happily at Israkur’s smiling face. Nuzzling up to him, she mumbles out shyly ,” Thanks Iskur…. I know you’ll always be there for me...

“Of course,” he replies confidently,” After all isn’t that what big brothers are for? Now, Look! I always love this part...” The two slowly drift to silence as the sun rises over the horizon, their troubles momentarily forgotten.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Oh Arthran! It kills me that they just can’t get along…” Arina confides in her husband. It broke her heart to see her children split into factions, and every day she tried to keep the peace.

“I know Arina ... They’re both so headstrong, but you know the rules. Aurusal made his wish and we can’t show favoritism.” he replies, comforting her.

“Yes, I know those rules,” she exclaimed, venom and disdain lining her voice. Her voice softening to sadness once more she continued, ” but you know he’ll force Israkur out…”

Looking out over his children, Arthran sighed gloomily. Spreading his wings, and making his way towards the cave entrance, he set off to search for the day’s meal.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Not observing their parents’ distress, the hatchlings continued their cold war. For the next week tensions continued to rise, although without any fights, until finally the tension exploded. Arthran had just brought in the day’s meal, a bull Forest Elk. Israkur moved with his sister to take his first choice in meat as he always had. This time however, Aurus moved to do the same.

Noticing Aurusal’s approach, Israkur commanded his sister,” Quick, go eat. I’ll stop him.”

Turning back, he called out to the gold,” Are you sure you want to try yourself again gold? You remember how all your previous attempts went…” Spreading his wings out slightly and lifting his neck, he made the threat clear.

For his part the gold made no aggressive motions, instead choosing to sit back and reply confidently,” It’s Aurus now, and trust me, if we do this again, it will go far differently for you…”

Israkur ignored the arrogant threat implicit in the gold’s statement and questioned,”Aurusal? Did mother and father name you that?” Still facing the gold, he hears his sister dig into the Elk. At this point he is just buying time for her to get fed as he himself wasn’t sure he could defeat the gold.

Seemingly unaware of Israkur’s intentions, the gold lazily picked at his scales and replied,” No, I named myself . We golds can do that…”

“Hmph, still arrogant are you? I had wondered where hominids got that idea about us, but it seems I’ve learned now.”

“Ha, you were always better with words weren’t you? Well now that we’re the same size I have a funny little thing to tell you.”

“Oh?” Israkur asked skeptically.

The golds features constricted into a gleeful smirk. “Yes actually, when a gold like me names himself, he is allowed one wish that his parents must fulfill…”

Israkur felt a sudden sinking feeling. As he looked around, he noticed for the first time that neither his parents nor his blue siblings were in the chamber with them.

“My wish,” the gold continued,” was for them to not intervene as I finally kicked the two of you out of the cave…”

As the gold said those words, a red blur suddenly blindsided Israkur, crashing into him and mercilessly tearing at his side. Israkur tensed in surprise as his red brother attacked him, but steeling himself and roaring with rage swiped back, turning to face him. Suddenly, the green slammed into him from the other side. Attacking him with some hesitation, the green nevertheless forced Isrkaur to divide his attention, deflecting blows from both sides with the harder scales on his limbs and back.

Aurasal meanwhile bellowed with laughter. With a cruel glint in his eyes, he mocked Israkur,” Not so mighty now are you? Haha, submit to me you weak fool.”

Israkur burned with rage at his family’s betrayal. His instincts were screaming at him to defeat them, to crush them beneath his claws and sow the ground with their blood, yet his hearts told him to forgive. He remembered the peaceful green sleeping by him and the angry red throwing adorable tantrums. They were his family! He had to protect them yet…

Then, while puzzling over his moral dilemma and still fighting defensively, he heard his sister yelp. The black, although not even half the size of the male drakes, could not leave her brother to his fate, had snuck around the battle and charged the gold, planning to lock her jaws around his throat and end this once and for all. Of course, it had not worked like that. THe gold snorted disdainfully and clawed a line down her side and closed his jaws around her neck, aiming to suffocate her as he had in the hatching room.

Seeing his sister struggle in agony, his conflicting emotions coincided: these brutes were not his family. The only one who had stayed by him was his sister, and she was in pain.

Roaring with fury and perhaps a tinge of hatred, he bashed the green’s head with a massive blow. The green reeled back in response and Israkur turned to his most treacherous brother: the red. Dashing forward, he bit deep into the red’s shoulder, piercing through its far weaker scales down to the bone. Ripping the mouthful of muscle out, he clawed deeply down the red’s vulnerable belly as it reared up in pain to avoid him.

Turning back to the gold, he acted upon a sudden instinct. Taking a deep breath in, he felt himself infuse it with mana. When he felt that he could not hold it in any longer, he blew the air out in a cloud of pure energy.

Dragons first use their breath weapons in situations of extreme emotion or distress. Each scale color caused it to manifest differently, with variations even within the colors based upon personality. Whites usually were most attuned to ice or a healing breath yet Israkur’s rage caused his breath to instead take a far more aggressive form: a blast of pure mana.

The primal energy leaped out in a pulse of power. Aurusal seemed to sense the impending blow, leaning out of the way, he instinctively let go of the blacks neck and tried to dodge out of its way. Unfortunately for him, he was not fast enough. The ball of crackling mana slammed into his side full on blasting him off of the black and into a cave wall. The mana burned through through his scales scorching his muscles and leaving widespread wounds. While not by any means fatal or even life-threatening, they left him wide open and defenseless to any further blows from Israkur. Moving back fearfully, he kept his uninjured side facing his elder brother.

Israkur however was completely uninterested in pursuing his advantage. Dashing over to his sister, he checked her wounds over. Much to his relief, they were relatively minor, and she recovered rather easily once she caught her breath.

Shamefully looking up at him she spoke sorrowfully,” I’m sorry Iskur… I’m just too weak…”

“Come on sis,” Israkur replied, ignoring the other drakes in the cave,” you know that’s not true. He’s a gold! Their the biggest bullies of dragonkind. Of course you couldn’t beat him yet! Just wait until you get your magic though. No gold will stand a chance against you!”

“Now,” he continued,” I think it’s time for us to go. It’s clear that we’re not welcome here.”

“Iskur you know that’s not true!” His mother exclaimed dashing into the main cave. She had been worried sick about her children, yet her promise bound her to stay out of the way.

“Oh really? Then where were you when sister got hurt? When Aurusal over there attacked her for the first time? When those two brutes attacked her?” he replied angrily, all his anger and rage childishly focusing on his mother, who he logically knew was not to blame.

“Iskur… they are your brothers, and my sons you know that I…” Arina sorrowfully began.

“No!” Israkur interrupted.” Don’t call me Iskur! And those brutes,” he continued placing special emphasis on the word,” aren’t my family! Now come on sister. Let’s get going!”

With those parting words, Israkur, covered in wounds, left the cave with his sister, leaving his heartbroken mother behind. He never looked back, and would never return....