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Stronghold

The room was well-lit, making Avila's vision dark. She knew going back to a world where light was crucial was more like a suicide to her part, yet she needed light for healthy scales, especially for her obsidian scales to not looking pale.

The room was loaned by some dragons for a temporary briefing room for the dragons, while the humans briefed in their own place. It was very spacious, and of course, owning it being modeled after a dragon's cave, it had many openings akin to a cave. The inside was more like a sleeping place for the dragons living in the kingdom, and it was very comfortable for a dragon's standard.

As Avila walked in she saw many of her Sentinel friends waiting for Coraero and Avila to come in, where they dimmed the lights for Avila to see and enough for the others to see. As they finished, Jekizira started to talk.

"Okay, first of all, Avila, your world is quite...not as colorful as I imagined."

"I have warned you about the war, right? Right now the dragons are in serious shit on thinking about the assault. My comrades here lost the base and many are scattered. It's only a matter of time before the dragons are defeated by the slayers."

"Yeah, the problem is, although we have promised you about our aid when you're back to your world, the place we're at is not as strong as we guessed."

"Pardon?"

"This kingdom is more like a trading capital than a stronghold," said Coraero. "We're not talking about us, but also for your comrades here. The dragons here are more unorganized than of the Dark and the Light, yet they're very strong. Carefree is good, but they can't survive without taking a step forward from the enemy."

"Also, the longer we wait, the longer we must wait for them to ambush."

Avila didn't think much about that. Without a proper defense aside from the dragons, the kingdom would surely fall. She remembered taking a walk with her friends that morning when they realized the wall was not all that dragon-proof when it was seen from how the damage almost went through the thick wall. While the skies were guarded by dragons and some with their riders (mostly peasants), no other defense system like giant crossbows and other human mechanisms were present, making a danger to those not protected by the dragons.

"Avila, I don't know how your friends will react, but relay our message to them. Say nothing about our involvement and just talk with them as if you're the one recommending it. We don't want more problems about us being outsiders."

"I will try, but I won't be having an authority like the humans."

"Don't give them the suggestion tonight. I can say they're too exhausted to hear any shits right now. You also need a rest, Avila. Let some of us guard the place with the other dragons."

"Guess you're right."

As Avila laid on the hay bed, she kept thinking too much about the war condition, now that she returned to the place she was born into. She thought a long time like a century would disperse the war, but her expectations were not right. She shifted her vision to Cynder, then to her leg. While now she was comfortable with only three legs, Avila was still too distraught that her delayed warning cost her friend a leg. And also, seeing Sannourah, she was the reason to his youth. While She Sannourah was supposed to be hundreds of years old, an incident many years ago caused him to have a permanent young body. Yet, after a long time without anything to concern about, she returned to a world to concern about. Her thinking was taken into her sleep, and the next morning, she woke up after unpleasant nightmares.

As she flew to the castle to meet up with Flicrist to give the suggestion, Cynder followed her. The black dragon then went to beside her and said, "Mornin'. You're early."

"Yeah, I've got an urgent thing to say to Flicrist. What are you doing following me?"

"Nothing. I was trying to find out about how the party went on. The place was a mess. I guess dragons also have tendency on wild party, after all. Say, Vila, I overheard about that stronghold thing. Are you sure that can hold?"

"I'm not sure myself. The dragons here are not experienced in organizations. If any attacks happen they rely on strength alone. With the return of Sera maybe they have become too excited for another kill, not knowing that it can be dangerous to their lives."

"Uhmm, maybe...but are you sure?"

"Why?"

"Making a kingdom into a stronghold can halt the productivity of the place, like many years ago, in my home dimension, when the dragons made Warfang a stronghold, the dragons were scattered and in fear, much like what will happen to the vulnerable humans."

"True, but this war is bigger in scale than any other conflicts we're both drawn into. Well, this is still not a conflict, yes, but I have a fear it will change sooner after."

As the dragonesses reached the castle, Avila saw a familiar dragon was talking with Flicrist at the dragon platform. It was black and some parts of its body were metallic. As they went closer, Avila made a draconic grin and greeted the dragon.

"Hey, you don't look very big now, Ernest," said the black dragoness, which was greeted by Ernest.

"You grow considerably for the past hundred years, Avila. Well, this is a pleasant day. How's the dimension you're stranded to?"

"Ernest, you are calm enough for a dragon that has been lost in another dimension."

"I know that you'll eventually be able to come back here," said Ernest. "My dark electricity is actually a black hole, and with each black hole the tunnel will lead to another dimension. There's always a parallel to another dimension, much like you and that friend of yours."

"Oh, yeah, I guess?"

"So," said Ernest to Cynder. "You don't look like the snaky Avila. What's your name?"

"I'm Cynder."

"You have a nice voice and sleek body...yet, are you okay with the leg?"

When Cynder stared at her cut foreleg, she said, "I have been in this condition for some time, so I'm content with my condition."

"Really? You don't consider using prosthetics or artificial limbs?"

"That I don't really want to, you see," said Cynder. "I don't accept those kinds of impairment. It's better I live with this than to use bionic legs or something like your leg. It kinda makes me a half-robot."

"At least you're not having problems, right?" He turned his vision to Flicrist. "Flicrist, have you consider that?"

"I don't know, Ernest. The king is also having a council with his advisors. I can't get into the throne since he said it didn't concern dragons. I don't know what he's thinking right now, but what I want to be sure is what you want is a serious shit."

"What's wrong, Ernest?"

"I was hunting near a river bank when I met a dying dragon staining the clear river with blood. I helped him, but he said that his time wasn't enough to live, so he gave me a warning that a group of renegade defiler dragons were flying toward this direction with dragon slayers on toll. I managed to warn my friends to fly away and warn the other settlements while I went here. Avila, as you have known me for a while, you might have known why I fly very fast, but that's not the concern right now. Right now, Flicrist, we must try to make this kingdom a stronghold and to ask reinforcements from the Order, or else this place is done for."

"But how long will they reach here?"

"Say around a week," interrupted Hansel, who went out from the throne room. "The kingdom's scouts also claimed the same thing with the dragon."

"Damn it, we have no time to garrison the kingdom and evacuate the humans. Something must be done..."

"Evacuate the humans to a safer place," said Avila. "The dragons will make a stand here in Xici kingdom while some soldiers help make the defense system necessary."

"Uh...defense system?"

"Oh, crap, they don't know modern languages," thought Avila.

"What she means is, uh...like those catapults, giant crossbows, reinforced wall, force fields, laser..."

"Shut it, Cynder! Look, your majesty, we need to be in a full alert. Don't make the kingdom go down because of our bickering."

Hansel and Flicrist went silent and stared at each other, before saying, "I don't know what the council will say about this, but as my respect to dragons, I will consider that request."

"Please don't let your kingdom down, your majesty."

As the king went back to the big doors, Flicrist stopped his trusted rider by making a growl, which was recognizable by Hansel as a distress.

"Yes, what is it Flicrist?"

"Nothing...it's just...are you okay?"

"What condition I have is not your concern, Flicrist. I'll see you in the dinner."

When the door closed behind him, Flicrist still gave the concern, so Avila said, "What's wrong with the king?"

"I don't know. He looks as if he never sleeps. He looks thinner than he used to be and he...never used the crown around."

"You're pretty specific, aren't you?"

"I'm always sleeping behind the throne, so I can see what he normally looks like. He never takes around a sword with him. It's as if he knows we're at war."