Chapter 53: Journey to the Forgotten World

The sea had gone silent again. A thick layer of frost began forming on the railings of the Monarch ships as they made their slow, deliberate path toward Antarctica. The cold bit at the sails and metal with a vengeance, and the sky above was a pale, icy gray.

I stood tall on the deck, my claws gripping the steel. The wind howled through my wings, but I didn't mind the chill. It reminded me that change was coming—something ancient. Something deep.

Beside me, the five elders hovered or perched across different ships. The humans didn't stop us anymore. Our presence was no longer a mystery. We were known.

And we were respected.

Ever since the sea battle, no one questioned us. We were not monsters. We were titans—the Dragon Clan. And we had earned our place.

Up ahead, I spotted him.

Kong.

He sat crouched on the largest ship's deck, his breath fogging the air. His chains were gone now—he moved freely, though still watched. But the humans trusted him. And, more importantly, so did we.

He was watching her. The little girl.

Jia.The last of the Iwi.

She looked small beside him, bundled in a coat, her tiny hands signing words only he could understand. She touched her hand to her chest.

Home.

I saw the pain in Kong's eyes—the longing. Not for war. Not for power. But for peace.

I didn't care for the child the way he did. She meant nothing to me. But I understood the bond. She was his. The last tie to his people. His heart.

I didn't interrupt.

Instead, I stepped onto the deck beside him. He looked at me. For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then I nodded.

And he nodded back.

The second elder glided down behind me, his claws clicking on the metal deck. He leaned close and asked, "Why did we follow him this far? This land is frozen. Dead. There's no future here."

I didn't look at him. I kept my eyes ahead, toward the growing wall of ice that loomed in the distance—Antarctica.

"No," I said. "Not here. Below."

The elder blinked. "Below?"

"The Dragon Clan's next home… will not be on the surface."

I paused.

"The Hollow Earth."

The elder's eyes widened. He turned to the others, speaking quietly in the old tongue. The other dragons stirred, some excited, others uncertain. But they all looked toward me for confirmation.

And I gave it with a slow, deliberate nod.

Yes. I remembered.

From my past life. The tunnels. The gravity shift. The sky beneath the ground. The cradle of titans. Their birthright. Kong's throne.

And now… ours.

Not to conquer.Not to rule.But to survive. To thrive. To grow.

That place belonged to all titans. And the Dragon Clan would make it part of their legacy.

I turned my eyes back toward the icy cliffs of Antarctica.

A storm was building.

The gateway was near.

And the next chapter of our history was about to begin.