Chapter 13: The Seeds of a New World
An immense body of water, an **ocean twice the size of planet Earth**, lay at the heart of the world. This vast expanse was known simply as the **Heart of Pandora**, and it separated the five central continents. These continents, each a landmass the size of Africa, were a grand experiment in governance and power. They were spread in the shape of a **five-point star**, a sacred geometry that the humans believed was a design by the planet itself. Upon these lands, the children of the First Dragon carved out their empires, their personalities becoming the very foundation of the societies they ruled.
On the northernmost continent, the descendants of **Marcellus** held sway. These Drakain hybrids—the **Black Dragons of Marcellus**—were pure warriors, their society a testament to their grandfather's brutal efficiency. They wore **all black**, the color of their creator's scales, and their weapon of choice was the **dagger**—a weapon of silence and a political statement against grand, ceremonial swords. Their rule was governed by a ten-man council, leaders of different factions, but in truth, they were a unified, ruthless body. Their purpose was singular: to maintain their grandfather's supremacy and to crush any form of rebellion. They were a military-industrial complex, a continent of power and sheer, unadulterated force.
On the eastern continent, **Serafina's** influence was absolute. Her descendants were as ruthless and ambitious as she was. They wore **all red**, the color of fire, and they were masters of fire magic. Their society was a twisted form of democracy, with a president and vice president elected every hundred years. This culture of relentless competition and dominance—a violent, eternal power grab—reflected Serafina's deep-seated need to prove her fiercest might against the quiet power of her scholarly younger brother. Their aggressive politics were born of **envy** and a perpetual effort to seem superior.
**Damien**, the Green Dragon and the most temperate of his siblings, claimed the Southern Continent. He declared his rule a **monarchy**, establishing himself as the **only King** the continent would ever know. The day-to-day governance was entrusted to a **chosen Prince**, who ruled until his death. At that point, Damien would reappear before his people, a demonstration of his eternal power, to personally choose the next heir to the throne, ensuring his presence was always felt and his ultimate authority never questioned. His people wore shades of **green and black**, and their weapon of choice was the **samurai sword**, a symbol of their political heritage and their warrior's soul.
The final two continents were held by the twin dragons, **Valerian** and **Charles**, and they were a study in perfect opposition.
**Valerian's** descendants, on their continent, were known as the **Black Scholars of Valerian**. They wore **black with white streaks**, a tribute to the bond between the twins. They were a peaceful people who cared little for politics, focusing instead on the relentless pursuit of pure knowledge. They created ships that traveled through the stars, their technology far surpassing anything the humans had ever imagined. Their mastery of magic was unmatched, a quiet, scholarly power that could not be ignored.
Their twin continent, ruled by the descendants of **Charles**, was the mirror image. They wore **all white with streaks of black**, a symbol of the bond with Valerian's people. They were as ambitious and powerful as their counterparts, but their focus was entirely on speed and the harnessing of lightning. After Charles's death, they worshipped him as a deity, and their every advance was a tribute to his power. They were a people who believed in **action and speed** over everything else, making them politically inept, as slow, measured strategy was impossible for them.
The five continents, once one, were now a constellation of distinct cultures, each a reflection of the dragon that had shaped it. Their peace was a fragile web of alliances and rivalries, held together by the ultimate, oppressive power of **Marcellus**, the First Dragon.