As we landed outside our mother's den, I could feel my heart racing with anticipation. Lyriath and I exchanged a nervous glance before I took a deep breath and led the way inside.
Mother was waiting for us, her expression serious. "Tharros, Lyriath, what's wrong?" she asked, noticing the concern etched on our faces.
I hesitated for a moment before blurting out the truth. "We know about the experiments," I said, my voice shaking slightly.
Mother's expression changed, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something - fear, worry, or maybe even guilt. But it was quickly replaced by a calm, collected demeanor.
Mother's expression softened, and she reached out to gently touch my scales. "Tharros, I...I don't know what to say," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "We've only just learned about the experiments, and I'm still trying to process everything myself."
Lyriath moved closer to me, his eyes wide with worry. "But Mother, what do the experiments mean?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Mother's eyes seemed to cloud over, and she looked away, her voice heavy with emotion. "I'm not entirely sure, Lyriath. But I promise you, we'll find out. We'll learn everything we can, and we'll face this together, as a family."
I felt a surge of determination at her words. We would get to the bottom of this, no matter what it took. "Mother?" I asked, my voice firm. "Will you tell us everything you know?"
Mother's eyes refocused on me, and she nodded slowly. "I'll tell you everything I can, Tharros. But first, I need to ask you something. How did you find out about the experiments?" She looked at Lyriath and me with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Was it something Arianna told you?"
I think for a moment and answer mother questions "well Throkos did tell me that Arianna told him that we'll only my experiments number 8581 and 947-delta-12"
Mother, look at me in shock "Throkos your elements mentor, that only been your mentor for a day?!" I nodded
Mother's expression changed from shock to alarm, and she took a step back, her eyes wide with concern. "Tharros, Lyriath, I think we need to be careful. If Throkos is involved, and he's only been your mentor for a day...I don't know what to make of it." She paused, collecting her thoughts. "I want you both to stay away from Throkos for now. I'll try to find out more about him and what's going on." I tilted my head in, confused
"Mother, but why?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion. "Throkos seems nice, and he's been helping me with my elemental control. What's wrong with him?" I looked at Lyriath, but he just shrugged, equally perplexed.
Mother's expression turned thoughtful, and she hesitated before speaking. "Tharros, I'm surprised that Throkos told you about the experiments. Your father chose him as your elemental mentor because of his exceptional skills and experience."
She paused, collecting her thoughts. "But I suppose it's possible that Throkos knows more about the experiments than he's letting on. I'll need to speak with your father about this when he returns." 2 days later, father returned
As soon as Father walked into the den, I could tell that something was off. His usual calm and collected demeanor was replaced by a look of concern and fatigue. Mother rushed to his side, relief etched on her face.
"Thank the elements you're back," she said, embracing him tightly.
Father hugged her back, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Lyriath and me. "I see you two are still in one piece," he said, attempting a smile.
But I could tell his heart wasn't in it. Something was bothering him, and I had a feeling it was more than just the dark force he had gone to investigate.
"Father, what's wrong?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.
Father's expression turned grave, and he nodded for us to follow him. "Let's talk," he said, leading us deeper into the den.
As soon as Father walked into the den, I could tell that something was off. His usual calm and collected demeanor was replaced by a look of concern and fatigue. Mother rushed to his side, relief etched on her light green-scaled face.
"Thank the elements you're back," she said, embracing him tightly.
Father hugged her back, his white scales glistening in the dim light. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Lyriath, Vyraxys, Nyxoria, Lyrixa, Kaidorix, and me. "I see you all are still in one piece," he said, attempting a smile.
But I could tell his heart wasn't in it. Something was bothering him, and I had a feeling it was more than just the dark force he had gone to investigate.
"Father, what's wrong?" I asked, my voice laced with concern. I stood up, my silver scales catching the dim light.
Father's expression turned grave, and he nodded for us to follow him. "Let's talk," he said, leading us deeper into the den.
Father sight and said, "During my checking in the north continent and about theories about that, the demon lord have something to do gathering the dark force and it seem it is true"
I felt a shiver run down my spine as Father's words confirmed our worst fears. "What does it mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Father's expression turned grim. "It means the demon lord is gathering his strength, preparing for something big. And if our theories are correct, it's connected to the experiments."
Lyriath's eyes widened in alarm. "You mean, the experiments are connected to the demon lord?"
Father nodded. "We're not sure yet, but it's a possibility. And if that's the case, we need to be prepared for anything."
I felt a surge of determination. We would get to the bottom of this, no matter what it took. "What's our next move, Father?" I asked, my voice firm.
Father, look at me "well the demon lord army did nearly extention humanity"
I felt a chill run down my spine as Father's words painted a grim picture. "What...what happened?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Father's eyes seemed to cloud over, and he looked away, as if remembering a painful past. "The demon lord's army was too powerful, too relentless. They swept across the land, leaving destruction and death in their wake. Humanity was on the brink of extinction."
Lyriath's eyes were wide with horror. "How did they survive?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Father's gaze refocused on us, his expression somber. "A small group of survivors managed to escape, to flee to the safety of the elemental realms. But the demon lord's army was too strong, and they were forced to go into hiding."
I felt a surge of anger and determination. We couldn't let the demon lord win. We had to stop him, no matter what it took.
"Where did you hear about the experiments?" she asked, her voice measured.
I took a deep breath, telling her everything: about Arianna, the device, and the numbers. Mother listened intently, her face growing more and more somber.
When I finished, the room fell silent. Lyriath and I waited anxiously for our mother to respond, but she just looked at us, her expression unreadable.
"Mother? What will happen to me?" I question
I met Father's gaze, my expression serious. "And now the demon lord is gathering his strength again," I said, my voice firm.
Father nodded, his eyes locked on mine. "Yes. We can't let our guard down. We need to be prepared for anything."
I felt a surge of determination. We would stop the demon lord, no matter what it took. "What's our plan, Father?" I asked, my voice steady.
Mother, look at Father. "Aetherius Tharros and Lyriath told me that Throkos Tharros' element mentor told him Tharros' experiments number!"
Father, look at Mother "well I know Arianna turned Tharros into a western dragon cyberdragon yesterday, and I know Throkos knows her, but why does this have something to do with him?"
Father's expression turned thoughtful, and he rubbed his chin. "That's a good question, Thyriatrix. I think it's time we had a talk with Throkos. I want to know what he knows about these experiments and what his connection is to Arianna."
Mother nodded, her light green scales glinting in the dim light. "I agree. We can't just sit back and let Tharros get dragged into whatever is going on without knowing the full story."
I shifted uncomfortably, my cybernetic enhancements humming softly beneath my Western dragon scales. What did Throkos have to do with all of this? And what did he know about my experiments?
Father sight "to be fair he did tell me that he is in an organization but never told me anything about it I didn't think much of it until now"
Mother's eyes narrowed, her gaze intense. "An organization? What kind of organization?" she asked, her voice low and urgent.
Father's expression turned grave. "I don't know. He never told me. But now that Tharros is involved, I think it's time we got some answers."
I felt a surge of curiosity. What organization was Throkos a part of? And how was it connected to my experiments?
Father went outside and flew off to find and drag Throkos
I watched as Father's white-scaled form disappeared into the distance, his powerful wings beating the air as he flew off to find Throkos. I could sense his determination and urgency, and I knew that he wouldn't rest until he got some answers.
Mother turned to me, her light green scales glinting with concern. "Tharros, I want you to stay here and keep your siblings safe. We don't know what's going on, and I don't want you to get involved until we have more information."
I nodded, my cybernetic enhancements humming softly as I settled into a protective stance, ready to defend my family if needed.
I stood guard, my silver scales glinting in the fading light, as I watched over my siblings. Lyriath, Vyraxys, Nyxoria, Lyrixa, and Kaidorix were all gathered around, their eyes fixed on me with a mix of concern and curiosity.
After what felt like an eternity, Father returned, his white scales ruffled by the wind. He was followed by Throkos, who looked... uncomfortable.
Father's expression was stern. "Throkos, we need to talk."
Throkos look at me and sight "is about me in an organization that you don't know, right?"
I nodded, my cybernetic eyes locked on Throkos. "Yes, that's right. Father said you mentioned being part of an organization, but you never told him what it was. What's going on, Throkos?" I asked, my voice firm but controlled.
Throkos's gaze dropped, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I...I didn't mean to keep it a secret. It's just...complicated."
Throkos started to give us an answer "yes just know I am part of the demon lord army"
The room fell silent, and I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Throkos, my elemental mentor, was part of the demon lord's army? It couldn't be true.
Father's eyes narrowed, his white scales bristling with anger. "What do you mean, Throkos? How can you be part of the demon lord's army?" he growled.
Throkos took a step back, his eyes darting nervously between us. "I... I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. I'm not a loyal follower of the demon lord, and I'm not a spy"
Father's expression turned furious. "You're telling me that you, Tharros's elemental mentor, have been feeding information to the demon lord?" he growled, his white scales bristling with anger.
Throkos nodded, his eyes darting nervously between us. "I...I was just following orders. My goal was to gather information and help the demon lord's army recruit Tharros."
I felt a surge of anger and betrayal. Throkos, my mentor, had been manipulating me all along, trying to turn me into a tool for the demon lord's army.
Father questions, "Why did you join the army anyways, huh?!" Throkos looked at my father and shouted."I HAVE BEEN IN THAT ARMY LITERALLY MY ENTIRE LIFE!"
Father's expression turned shocked, his white scales ruffled by the force of Throkos's words. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice softer now, tinged with curiosity.
Throkos's chest heaved with emotion, his eyes blazing with intensity. "I was born into the demon lord's army," he spat. "I've been trained, conditioned, and brainwashed since I was a hatchling. I've never known anything else."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I stared at Throkos, my mentor, in a new light. I had never imagined that he had been trapped in the demon lord's army his entire life.
Throkos look at me. "Just like Tharros, I'm also an experiment! But not a cyberdragon like Tharros"
I felt a jolt of shock and surprise as I stared at Throkaso. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Throkaso's eyes seemed to gleam with a mix of pride and sadness. "I'm a successful experiment, Tharros. A prototype for a new breed of dragon, one that was meant to be the ultimate soldier. And I fulfilled my purpose...I became the perfect warrior, loyal only to the demon lord."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I gazed at Throkaso, my mentor. We were both experiments, but while I was a cyberdragon, Throkaso was a product of the demon lord's twisted desires, forged into a powerful and loyal warrior.
Throkos look down. "I was created by him using my parents' blood to create me, and my experiment number is 0063" Father questions ask Throkos, "And what is tharros experiment number?" Throkos answered "2581" Father, look at me and my siblings and mother, and we nodded
Father's expression turned grave, his eyes filled with a deep concern. He looked at Throkos. "Throkos, you were created using your parents' blood?" Throkos nodded.
Father's gaze turned intense. "And now, with Tharros's transformation into a cyberdragon by Arianna's technology...and your own creation...I sense a larger purpose at play here."
Throkos mumbled, "At least Tharros is not in the breeding program like me"
Father's eyes widened in shock, and Mother's scales bristled with anger. "Breeding program?" Father repeated, his voice low and menacing. "What do you mean, Throkos?"
Throkos surprised and said, "What?! What breeding program? I didn't say anything about a breeding program!"
Father's expression turned skeptical, his eyes narrowing. "Don't lie to us, Throkos," he growled. "We all heard you. What is going on? What breeding program are you talking about?"
Throkos yelled out, "You don't need to know a breeding program. I don't want to talk about it!" He then cries
The room fell silent, with all eyes on Throkos as he broke down in tears. Father's expression softened, and he took a step forward, his voice gentle. "Throkos, it's okay. We're here for you. Whatever it is, we'll support you."
Mother nodded in agreement, her scales glistening with concern. "Yes, Throkos. You can trust us. We're your friends, your family."
I felt a pang of sympathy for Throkos, my mentor, and took a step forward, my cybernetic eyes locked on his tear-stained face. "Throkos, please...tell us what's wrong. We want to help."
Throkos breathed deeply and said, "The breeding program is used by making experiments like me and Tharros to make new members in the army to fight, and 2 of my children died many decades ago!" He then sob regretting that he couldn't save them at that time
The room fell silent once more, the weight of Throkos's words hanging heavy in the air. Father's expression turned somber, and Mother's eyes glistened with tears.
I felt a surge of anger and sadness, my cybernetic heart aching for Throkos and his lost children. I took a step forward, my voice barely above a whisper. "Throkos, I'm so sorry. No parent should ever have to go through that."
Throkos's sobs grew louder, and he collapsed to the ground, overcome with grief. Father and Mother rushed to his side, offering what comfort they could. I stood frozen, my mind reeling with the horrors of the breeding program and the suffering it had inflicted on Throkos and his family.
Throkos look at Father. "Can I at least go now?" Father's expression softened, and he nodded gently. "Yes, Throkos. You may go. Take all the time you need. We'll be here for you when you're ready to return."
Throkos nodded, his eyes still red from crying. He slowly got to his feet, his movements heavy with grief. Without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows.
Father looked worried and said, "I hope he won't die" Mother's expression turned concerned, and she placed a reassuring hand on Father's shoulder. "He's strong, dear. He's been through so much already. He'll get through this too."
I nodded in agreement, trying to offer what comfort I could. "We'll keep an eye on him, Father. We'll make sure he's okay."
Father looks even more worried. "we don't even know where he lives heck. There is a chance that the demon lord will eliminate him for giving too much information!"
Mother's eyes widened in alarm, and she gasped. "We have to find him, then. We can't just leave him out there, vulnerable to the demon lord's wrath."
I felt a surge of determination. "I'll find him, Father. I'll make sure he's safe. I owe him that much after everything he's done for me." Father shook his head
"No, Tharros," Father said firmly. "It's too dangerous. We can't risk you getting caught by the demon lord's minions. We'll think of something else, but you're not going after Throkos alone."
Father sight "I know Throkos is strong, and I 100% sure the demon lord is not stupid to just kill him. He seems a very valuable experiment, after all. "
Mother nodded in agreement, her expression thoughtful. "You're right, dear. Throkos's value to the demon lord likely outweighs any temporary anger he may have. The demon lord will probably try to use Throkos's knowledge to his advantage instead of eliminating him." Father spoke, "I'm sure he just gets a big punishment and nothing more than that."
I nodded slowly, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "I hope so, Father. I really do. Throkos has been through enough already."