Oli ran to the source of the voices, a clearing that was just beyond the final row of trees. As he neared them, the voices became clearer and he was able to identify what exactly these beasts were.
"D-d-dragons!?" screamed Oli within the depths of his mind
As Oli's imagination expanded to new heights at the sight of living dragons, he examined each one.
On the opposite side of the clearing, one was flying in the air. This was the same blur that had streaked past him and Uncle Rathe on the mountain. Its wingspan was at least twelve krin! It would stand at roughly seven krin tall and twenty krin long.
This dragon wore a golden choker and was covered dark gold scales, each jagged and ready to shred anything they touched. The ten-krin-long tail ended with a mass of extra-long barbs and spikes, ready to cleave life from whoever it wished.
A suppressive glare radiated from the dragon's eyes as it spoke to the other, "Trada, why go through all of this trouble? Just give up and I'll be on my way without a hitch."
The other dragon stood directly in front of Oli, with her back somewhat to him as she faced the other dragon. She was slightly smaller in stature at five krin tall and fifteen krin long with a silver choker around her neck. Her wings were closed but Oli thought that they would at least reach about ten krin wide. Deep black scales covered her body and seemed to give off a blurred sheen as if they could completely disappear into a night sky.
Her aura was just as domineering, but something seemed off. Her vitality seemed to be frighteningly low. There were some injuries scattered on her body, but they were very minor and didn't seem to be the reason.
"No, Brak! You know I'll never give it to you, not after everything you've done to me and my clan from the shadows. Never will I trust you again, especially with something so precious to me. You'll have to kill me before I let you leave here with anything," her determination far outshone her current capabilities.
"You are a fool. For a king to willingly give her life up, it's more serious than you realize Trada," Brak replied, "You would give up thousands of years' worth of cultivation for something so futile? You and I both know that you are weak right now and can't contend with me like you could in the past. It's best for both of us if you just hand it over, Trada. And who knows, maybe I can help you have another one in the future."
"Swine!" Trada snarled, releasing purple flame from her nostrils. "Brak, you sure are one to talk. You are the one looking for a fight, not I. You invaded my Elusive-black region to personally request that I hand over my beloved, newly laid egg yet, I am not allowed to fight and protect it? You think I fear you simply because of my weakened state and would cower before you, gifting it in search of mercy? You are the one who doesn't understand the situation you've created," she rebuked.
Oli instantly grasped the situation. "So, her weakness came from her recent child labor and this Brak came for the egg, taking advantage of her uncommonly weak state," thought Oli as he immediately lost all respect for the golden dragon and was disgusted by the sight of him.
He expressed a tender gaze to this new mother. Yet again Oli found himself wishing he was stronger than he could stand up to bullies like Brak.
Brak laughed, "Look at yourself. You can barely hold yourself together, let alone care for this burdensome egg. I'm here simply to help take it off your hands, you should be thanking me."
"Shut it!" Trada was furious.
After living so long, she had finally succeeded in having a child just days ago. Trada couldn't help but struggle to control her emotions in this desperate situation. "You will never have it. You only wish to consume it as a chance for a breakthrough. No matter what you do or say, I won't let you walk away with my child. Even if I must bring myself to death, as long as you perish with me, I will have no regrets."
Brak sighed, "Why must you be so stubborn? Are you so foolish to think you can stop me? Think about it. Though killing you in this state would be difficult, it is still possible for someone like me. Also, isn't it just as much my child as it is yours?"
"What!? His child!? What kind of father is he?" thought Oli as he was reminded as his old parents that took advantage of him.
They were always using him as cheap labor and stealing away his childhood. Not to mention all of the debt they decided to leave him instead of paying them off.
Brak didn't even know of Oli's existence, but Oli had already determined that at some point in the future he would make Brak pay.
"Silence! Either attack or leave!"
While scolding Brak, Trada often turned her head towards a burrowed cave 20 or so krin to the left of Oli that was almost completely hidden within the trees.
Oli also took note of how the landscape around the cave was untouched by the scattered flames. He didn't understand the randomly dispersed flames. These dragons were far too powerful for this to affect them in the slightest. But Oli did know that they were both against attacking that cave.
From this Oli realized that the egg must be in that cave and neither wished to destroy it. One viewed it as her life's joy and ambition and the other as one-of-a-kind chance at a breakthrough.
A crazy idea then surfaced in Oli's mind.
A grin crept up on Brak's face, "Very well. Since this is the path you've chosen, I have no choice but to forcibly claim the egg. If you fail to submit, then I will have no choice but to claim your divine core as well. Please think carefully, sweet Trada."
Trada's eyes narrowed in disgust. A purplish-black aura coated her already black scales as if she had become a flickering shadowing. With a grunt she took to the skies, leaving no trace of her existence behind. Brak's grin stretched into a crazed smile as his claws were extracted, ready to accept the challenge of the unsteady Trada.
The clashes began when the hard to follow Trada sped across the skies like black lightning, with both elegance and bloodlust intertwined in every move.
Brak took a defensive position, utilizing his diamond-hard scales to cut and whittle down the impossible to catch Trada. Neither of them was at a disadvantage as they both maximized their natural abilities.
Oli had no hope to follow such a battle, so he didn't try. He took this chance to near the cave as the dragons duked it out.
Compared to the dragons, Oli wasn't even a spec to be seen, but once he was a couple of steps from the cave's entrance, both dragons separated and frowned as they looked down on the child ape.
Oli immediately felt the pressure their auras exerted on him and turned to face them, hiding his fear deep-down behind an innocent face.
"What are you doing?" Trada was the first to question him, her eyes stared daggers into him.
"A-after feeling your auras I looked for the nearest shelter and this place was untouched by the flames," stammered Oli.
Both dragons thought that something was off. They knew that all the beasts in the vicinity had fled long ago and that this ape must've come here intentionally. But neither could think of a good reason for such an insignificant beast to near two king level beasts.
"If you are smart enough to respond, then I'm certain you understand what is within that cave from overhearing our conversation. What gives you the right to enter that cave with my child?" Trada's anger grew endlessly.
"I have no right," Oli cowered to her motherly protection, "I've only been separated from my clan thanks to an ambush and after being chased for some time. It was only because of your battle and presence that my pursuers finally left me alone. I had no choice but to come this far to preserve my life."
Her eyes began to widen. It amazed her how calm this child was while talking before two king level cultivators, despite the intimidating pressure. His tone and attitude convinced her of the validity of his words, but she was still wary.
"Hey boy!"
Trada's train of thought was interrupted by Brak's exclamation. She looked at him with worry, knowing how conniving Brak could be.
"Help me out, will you?" Brak smirked.