*Author here. I checked the latest updates on Royal Road, and I did not see my earlier chapter posted there. So just in case u guys missed it, I posted Chapter 7 earlier this day, so be sure to check in case you missed it. Also comment on what u think of this side story.

Meixi’s POV:

Ughhh….I HATE THIS!!!

Dad is making me…adapt to the Imoogis here….

I hate him for that. Can't he see why I even hate them….? Every male Imoogi I met…lusts…for me, while the females…envy the attention I receive. I am unlike all other pure dragons. I am very sensitive to the emotions of others, while being one of the most talented among them. I can only seem to get along with other true dragons, as they are far more amiable and easier to talk to than these…inbreeds. The Imoogis are very insensitive to those around them, as their intelligence falls a bit too short, and requires more time than that of true dragons to properly develop their self-awareness.

Father is very busy in the clan, someone with great political power. He rarely comes to see me nor gives a care about my life’s problems, and yet he is forcing me make peace with these…resentful snakes… The only time he responds is when he heard of my talking down on one of the senior female Imoogis, when she was the one started the conflict out of jealousy. I am not the one that forced her crush to fall for me…it is he to blame, as I can tell he feels nothing for her, how selfish. Although, I did regret making her cry…but what happened is not my fault.

The only problem with this talent, is that I am too wary of those around and their...hearts. Dad just can't seem to understand me just as well as he hoped, so he just recklessly decides to bring me to the clan’s nesting tunnels, located deep in the heart of our clan's private lands, in hopes of me bonding with the Imoogis by deeply learning of their history, their significance. I know mother was an Imoogi, but…there is no Imoogi here to prove me wrong.

After some time, when we exited one of the nesting tunnels after observing the mother Imoogi care for their eggs, he met his old rival and his wife, one that he sometimes call ‘lady thief’ for stealing his first crush, and usually rants on how much he hates him, but not literally, just sick of his…unique personality from what I heard. Despite the insults father threw at Heiyang, father actually respects him, and thankful of him for showing father his mistakes and flaws, which resulted in him successfully marrying my mother, despite her being engaged to someone else. I can tell because I can read his heart as well, and pressured him further into admitting the truth, which he did in the end reluctantly. However, he made me swore to never tell his rival of this…or I will endure ‘capital punishment’ as he says.

His rival, Heiyang actually greeted father first, and to be honest, this is the first time I met him. His appearance is very scary, along with his dreadful aura he emits constantly. What makes him even scarier is that…I can't read him…which is the first time I have encountered this problem. Father states he is one of the true dragons that fought in the War of Faiths…and one of the most powerful, despite being only an ancient true dragon, not a dragon king or emperor. Dragon Kings, Dragon Emperors, and even Gods respect him for his talent in Darkness, Void, and Black Magic, and father said Heiyang can use other elemental magics, even Light. According to father, Heiyang is even immune to darkness’ natural enemy, Light, and can consume all forms of light to fuel his powers, or further his strength, which is usually impossible, even for pure dragons. Father told me he is an Eclipse Dragon, the only one of his kind.

Meeting him now actually affirms father’s respect of him…as there is no telling what he could do. Father responded his greeting, only there were some hints of concern in his words, mostly in regards in checking on Heiyang concerning the matter of his dead child along with bringing me here. Although, what was unexpected was…Heiyang’s child lives. I thought Heiyang’s unborn son died…since father told me that Heiyang’s unborn reached past the two week mark. When father asked why, Heiyang quickly answered by saying that it was a mistake, that the child was actually born later than reported…which is kind of suspicious…especially when reading father’s heart, that he is also suspicious of Heiyang’s words as well...

Father tells me to meet with Heiyang’s son since he is also here, and I reluctantly complied since Heiyang’s son…is an Imoogi…The only thing special about him are his horns, his red and blue eyes…and…oh, the heavens, he is the most adorable Imoogi I have ever seen, but the fact that he IS an Imoogi is enough for me to deter him.

My expectations disappointed, I immediately pleaded father of my plight…though my poor choice of words might not have helped my argument according to what I got from him in response. Afraid of his ire, I turned my eyes away from him only to accidentally look at the Imoogi’s eyes…

However…this one is…strange…now I am looking at him closely. He is…like Heiyang…I cannot feel anything from him…no, I cannot describe what I am feeling from him…Unlike Heiyang, I can feel something in his heart…but…I cannot tell what is in it……

I wracked my mind in trying to analyze whatever is in his heart, to only be met with more questions. He is still looking at me in the eyes…a bit blankly…I do not know if it is because he is defective or not. I then turned my head away since the way he is looking at me is annoying, only to prove my assumption of him being defective more correct.

However…now that I think about it…when father emitted his aura…I felt fear from the hearts of many Imoogis…even from newborn children as well since father lacks self-control, yet…I barely felt any fear from his heart…hmmm…he must definitely be defective to not be fearful of father’s pressure.

Going back to father…father informed me that he needs to privately speak with Heiyang for while…I went back to check on father…only to sense…bewilderment and fear in heart, with hints of anger. Then Heiyang must have said something else to father, which made him turn his attention to Heiyang’s Imoogi child, and made him use his Appraisal skill on him. I do not know what he saw…but it left his heart into great turmoil, as he looked at Heiyang, silently demanding answers, only to receive a smile from Heiyang in response. Father’s heart then calmed down…and it seems he is finishing his private conversation.

And during father’s private conversation, I feel Heiyang’s son’s…stares…at me the entire time. I was annoyed of his stares, as it reminds me of the ones I used to get from the lust driven Imoogis. But what makes his stare different…I cannot describe…it is almost as if there is no emotion behind those red and blue eyes…which is usually impossible for newborns, leaving me with a sense of unease.

When it's time take our separate ways…I asked father what he talked about with his rival, and what did he see in Heiyang’s son. Father responded with…I don't know…and that I am going to fight him in the next coming week…which left me dumbfounded.

What I did not know at the time…was that I was about to face the greatest battle in my childhood life when that day came……