I had to look at the two foolish wyrmlings as they groveled before me and my guardian, we had sent them to do a job, and they failed miserably. Not only that they failed so spectacularly that it would hurt how the many tributaries saw me. To fix this there will be more deaths and that causes more trouble then it tends to be worth, but no one may take advantage of a dragon’s pride. That aside I can only show them my sheer anger at them for this slight to me and what I represent.

  It was a simple job, go to the new hatchling dungeon, and gain the first tribute, if no tribute was there ask what they needed to produce some, then leave. There was no room for them to mess this up, to so thoroughly and idiotically fail this job that would both piss off the dungeon and get them so badly beaten. Even if they where creatures of the twenty fifth they should have been more then strong enough to deal with any invaders in the hatchling dungeon. Yet these two managed to get so thoroughly beaten up by something and sent running back to here with their tails between their legs and calling for retribution. I could feel the anger of my guardian aswell, she was not one to take slights, even minor, from anyone. It didn’t help that she saw most of the Wyrmborn here like her own hatchlings, so she was even angrier then she would be usually. Arahkana growled slightly as she looked at them, and I had to focus on our bond and give her gentle reassurance that they shall be fine, after they are cowed of course.

  “Speak as to why you have failed” I let the words weave through the air and into their minds, keeping my rage for myself for the time.

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  “we did as you asked great sire, we went to the new dungeon, and asked for tribute as you ordered.” The way the green Wyrmkin shuddered as he spoke, it was slightly delightful.

  “Yes Sire, and yet this new dungeon, it struck at us, drove us back, rejecting your benevolence”

  There was a long pause, and Arahkana blinked a few times. Then she growled as I dove into the fools memories. What I saw there I shared with her and the growl in her throat grew to something that would threaten an eruption if I hadn’t long since made it impossible for this volcano to do so.

  “YOU FOOLS THREATENED IT?” She embodied both of our rage as I left her to tending to the two, sometimes it is best left to a mother to tame her brood. Turning to something less likely to be so stupid I speak with the shaman who before spoke of the words of the world. I gave him orders and he joyously accepted as he gathered a cohort. My pride was flaring at what I was about to do but I ignored it, the gods themselves had ordained what I must do and I cannot let what happened go unpaid.

  Returning to the hoard room I saw that the two Wyverns where both rather injured as they limped out. I would be more worried if it wasn’t for the fact the injuries seemed more painful then lethal, a rather hard feat with a Wyrm’s resilience, but something that my guardian was skilled at. We would have to have a long discussion about what is to happen going forward, she still seemed rather interested in collecting a debt from this hatchling dungeon for what it did. I reassured her that the debt would be paid in time but it was best we wait until It can repay in full then exact it now. Nothing good comes from collecting a dragon’s blood debt early after all, and besides, this dungeon was proving….

  “Interesting”