Chapter 10: The Conquering of Pandora
Fifteen years after the birth of his twin sons, Marcellus called a family meeting. The twins, **Charles** and **Valerian**, were now fully matured human adults, but in their father's eyes, they were still toddlers. He stood before his children in his 6\10 dragonoid form, his voice a low thunder that rattled the fortress floor.
"The five of us are the only beings like us in the universe," he began. "Things like us, after a million years, are able to incubate a seed, no matter what our sex is. It's how our kind continues."
The thought of a million years was an unreachable number for the boys, so they didn't pay it much mind. But **Serafina's eyes** were glued to her father, soaking up his every word like a lesson she couldn't afford to forget.
"Anyway, it'll be a long time until you'll be able to create what I just built," he continued, a dismissive wave of his hand sweeping aside the ancient laws of reproduction. "Every dragon can only lay three eggs, so your brothers being twins must have something to do with this anomaly. I don't care. The more the merrier. We are conquerors. We are the most powerful beings in the universe, and we must attack at the heart of those who rule the universe now, because it is our birthright."
He spread his wings slightly, a gesture of absolute dominance. "I will conquer the heart of Pandora alone. Serafina, you will come and watch from the stars. I will take all **200** of my Drakain descendants that live on my island. That is all we will need."
**Damien**, **Charles**, and **Valerian** were shocked. "Father, all you will take is them? Why not bring us? We could conquer it in a day."
Marcellus laughed, a sound like grinding stone, and interrupted them. "Boys, I will conquer it in **15 seconds**." Serafina laughed with her father, the sound a chime of dark loyalty.
"I will leave you here, Damien, to continue to teach the boys how to be true warriors. In my opinion, they study a little bit too much on magic and science and not on being a true warrior." As he spoke, **Charles's electric field crackled** with contained frustration, and **Valerian's shadow mist** thickened. Marcellus glanced at them, noting their 3-meter-tall dragon forms. "I have my daggers, Serafina has her fierce might, Damien has his the sword of the universe and fighting ability along with his magic. But you boys. You boys might as well be human mages. Even though you are bigger than your siblings were at that age, you are still just baby dragons. You will stay home and keep growing."
Over the next **1,500 years**, the five of them meticulously planned the conquest. With the combined genius of Marcellus, Damien, and Serafina, they created a flawless strategy. The focus was the 200} **Drakain hybrids** who would land first: they would fortify the food supplies and use their strength (a single hybrid in their second form could fight **10 mages**) to dismantle the enemy armies before they could assemble. Leading the vanguard would be the four first-born hybrids—**One, Two, Three, and Four**—who, at **10,000 years** old, were the most powerful warriors in Drakain history, breathing dark fire and wielding Earth Magic. To Marcellus and his true dragon children, however, they were just valuable pawns.
The plan was perfect. The pieces were in place. The prologue was over. The stage was set for the beginning of the end.