Dracopical Isles: Rise of the Underground

Chapter 25

Just a few months more and spring comes to the islands, chasing away the last few traces of snow from the earth.
With everything new all settled in and ready for the adventures ahead, it soon comes time for the event that had been long awaited since the very beginning.
One bright and cheerful morning, the magma nursery is soon brought to life with a little, peep!
Slim is first to notice. With its itty bitty head poking out from a broken shell, Emeraldus' first child had finally arrived. Big, sparkling eyes gaze all around at this brand new world as its tiny jaws open and close to call for its parents. Without a second thought, Slim turns tail to fetch the green Sorcerant. "Boss! Boss! Come look!"
As soon as he hears the news, Emeraldus' eyes widen before immediately abandoning his current business to make his way over to the nursery. Sure enough, that same little whelp is there, and eyes still gazing all over the place. When they rest on Emeraldus' grin stepping into the chamber, the baby dragon then directs its peeps at him.
With a big smile, Slim steps closer too alongside his master. "Hello Little One."
What's rather unique about this hatchling is that its scales are wearing the same color as what the egg's gem had - black. Just as it had been so eager to move around in the egg, this lively little baby was first to come out.
Not too long later, and the second egg starts to crack. Out pops a silver scaled Sorcerant, who shortly joins their sibling in calling out for mama and papa.
The last egg takes its time, but eventually bursts open to reveal snowy white scales.
Along with their unique coats, their eyes also sport individual colors - red, purple, and green in that order. Soon all three are wide awake and ready to be fed.
These colors haven't been seen in Sorcerants, as far as the island's residents are concerned, but it is a possibility that their father's dark magic had an influence. It is speculation that the magic of the parents plays a key role in the development of their offspring, but such results vary.
Soon Emeraldus is able to meet his children. Eagerly, all three reach for their father as he sticks his head in the nursery, covering his lower jawbone in rapid licks as if to try to ask if he has any food for them. He shall, but for now, it's just time to meet for the first time as a family. If only Midna could see this, and maybe she can, now living with her mate in soul. In his core, Emeraldus can happily feel the warm, motherly smile on her face for their precious triplets.
Slim too pokes his head in for a closer look, the baby dragons coming over to lick at him as well. The slinky male giggles, "That tickles."
Emeraldus chuffs with a sense of fatherly kindness at this sight to now officially be a parent. That, and to see his children have hatched healthy despite the peculiar coloring.
With care, both adult dragons lift each of them out of the nursery. After a quick check, they are confirmed to be two sons and a daughter - the stunning black and white whelps being male and the shimmering silver being female.
Naming them is another situation. None have inherited their father's green scales, nor their mother's blue; If one was to be born with his colors, Emeraldus would've named it after himself. Although not wearing a green coat, the male whelp with snowy white scales has stunning emerald eyes. This is probably the closest he will ever have to that concept, and so he takes it - Little Emeraldus Junior. The female whelp with her shimmering violet eyes is named Amethyst, and the black-scaled male is named Mordred after his piercing red eyes like those of a dedicated predator.
Being out of the nursery, the three newborn siblings do not hesitate to begin exploring, waddling on all fours and little noses poking around. Their first adventure doesn't last long, however, as their rumbling tummies soon redirect their attention back to their father. Peeping loudly, their mouths open up wide as they begin to ask for food again.
Emeraldus snickers to himself.
"Slim," Then turning to the former Alchemy. "Why don't you fetch my children something to eat? A mouse, a small bird, or perhaps even a fish each would do."
Nodding, Slim immediately complies. "Of course Boss!"
After he turns to leave the chamber, Emeraldus is soon left with his kids. Like baby birds, they continue to call out to him, heads bobbing with each peep. His first clutch and dragons of his own blood; though unfortunately, something seems to be missing from the picture - their mother. Looking to his left, Emeraldus feels a slight sense of disappointment to know that Midna is not there next to him in the flesh to complete the family.
Slim has been very good with the babies as eggs, and he clearly cares about them. With one last look after the slinky dragon before he disappears down the tunnel, Emeraldus gives a rather humored, "Hmp."
Although being another male, Slim could possibly prove to be a decent surrogate. Besides, he's all Emeraldus has at the moment - plus there are worse mothers out there. Carmilla is a busy Dracul, and she has her own remaining daughter to take care of, as well as her vampire brood. Also, young Sorcerants probably wouldn't adapt well to the life of a Dracul, anyway.
Raising the little ones would hopefully not be too much trouble, Emeraldus hopes - it's fairly simple when they're brand new: Feed them, let them sleep, clean up after them, and repeat. They are also going to need a new nursery. The magma bed was important for their incubation, but now that they've hatched, they're going to need something a bit softer.
Using dirt and stones, Emeraldus covers up the magma. Then with a layer of non-flammable Cacovern dragon hide, he is able to build an adequate nest. The heat from the hidden magma beneath will provide warmth, and the dragon hide will provide comfort just like Midna's would have.
Just a bit later, Slim returns with fresh kill - two birds and a mouse. The whelps wolf down their share in no time, finally satisfying their demands. Now time to try out the new nursery. Amethyst and Junior are put inside first. With full bellies, they begin to doze off, heads soon resting upon their forelimbs. The nest itself appears to be the least of their concerns right now.
When Slim turns to grab Mordred, he sees that the baby dragon has disappeared.
"Huh?" Lifting his head to look around, luckily he finds the runaway whelp waddling off in the direction of the main tunnel leading out of the chamber.
"Hey, where do you think you are going?"
Slim gently teases as he comes over to fetch Mordred, who seemingly is still trying to wander where he's not supposed to, even without a shell.
Setting him down next to his siblings in the nursery, the baby dragon with stunning black scales then decides to suddenly show his caretakers his best roar with a tiny "Squawk!"
It startles Slim anyway with a wide-eyed "Whoa!" Completely not expecting to hear that so soon from the young one.
Emeraldus grins with a sense of humor. "I can imagine that he's going to be quite the rebel when he grows."
"You're not kidding.." Slim replies with a rather worried grin.

With Emeraldus now being in an undead body, he no longer needs to rest, allowing him plenty of time to take care of his new responsibilities - including Virgil. The young Dracul is taking his time to get used to the place, as well as adapt to a new sleeping schedule. His kind typically spends most of their resting time in the day and being active at night. By now, he's slowly adjusting to being awake by noon and putting himself to bed at moon high.
As soon as Virgil begins to stir, Slim drops by the young Dracul's nest to tell him of the news.
"You can come see the little ones if you like?"
Virgil sits up. "I suppose I don't see why not."
He follows the older dragon to the nursery to see the three baby Sorcerants huddled together for another nap. Motioning for him to be quiet, Slim then allows Virgil to get a closer look. The Dracul smiles at his master's triplets thinking of them to be a pleasant sight, though he too is a bit bewildered by their unique coloring.
"Boss believes it is because of his magic stuff," Slim whispers to Virgil upon being asked. "Most Sorcerants do not like the dark magics, so it is not usually exposed to their kids." To which, Virgil nods in understanding.
A tiny yawn and a head lifting then suddenly brings his attention back to the nursery. Looking, Virgil finds his eyes meeting those of little Junior. Although a bit sleepy upon just waking up, the baby dragon's expression almost immediately changes when they gaze upon the young Dracul. This new face is rather intriguing to Junior and he proceeds to stare with his wide, green eyes.
"Oh," Slim then says softly. "What is this? Awake already?"
Although neither of them could probably tell at the moment, there was something rather special in gazing at each other for the first time. Something like a spark, perhaps even a sense of immediate bond, gleaming in the eyes of Virgil and Junior.
The young Dracul's smile returns.
"Hey there,"
In response to his voice, little Junior gets up to waddle out of the nursery without taking his eyes off of Virgil, nearly stumbling on his way over to the older dragon. The baby dragon then proceeds to sniff at him curiously before looking back up at his face.
"Peep!"
"What is this one's name?" Virgil then asks Slim.
"That is little Emeraldus Junior. His Pops named him after himself." Slim's smile widens. "And look, he likes you."
For a moment longer, the two dragons continue to gaze at each other as if an immediate friendship has been destined for them both at that very hour. Needless to say, Virgil feels as if he's going to enjoy getting to know Junior as the baby Sorcerant grows up.
After another moment, little Junior's eyes begin to droop as he opens his mouth wide to yawn. Time to go back to bed.
He lets Virgil pick him up and set him back in the nursery, before curling up into a ball next to his siblings again.
"Very neat," Virgil then says, turning back to Slim, who happily nods in return.
Then leaving the chamber, both dragons return to their daily duties - Slim as Emeraldus' assistant and the new alpha for his clan, and Virgil as Emeraldus' apprentice.
Emeraldus himself is lying around just outside the cave entrance on one of the first warm days of the month, his mind abuzz with all that has occurred in the past few months.
Although the green Sorcerant's quest had not finished as he had hoped, it still had provided him a happy ending. Midna is now to be with him until the very end of time as one within his soul, he is the proud father of three, he has the company of a loyal assistant and friend, he is a master, and he is now the lead dragon of this brand new generation. One could say that he's probably accomplished just as much, if not more, than Slim over the past few months of them being together. Either way, Emeraldus is satisfied. And so his story comes to a close, but definitely not the end. His children have yet to live theirs in the sunrise of Dracopical Isles' future, much to their father's excitement.