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Doing it in the Right Way

After a tiring day helping his superior in making sure the dragons were in check and healthy, Bartoz made a slow walk following Karkariz that was talking with a small golden scaled Cerbesan. As he saw how Karkariz was talking, he slowly had a thought that the Parusan wasn't all that bad. Karkariz was different from any other Parusans Bartoz knew, like Konaz. While the brute was content in torturing dragons, he sometimes got into a fight with other wardens after his shift was over, especially when he was drunk or when he was angry. Bartoz was always in his attention, but after three days, Konaz didn't even bother to see him, and it was for the best.

The prison complex, as Bartoz saw from Karkariz's map, was a massive area built on a deserted Cliffside facing the sea. It was apparently built in a desert-savannah place out of civilization, and the only way in and out was from the guarded gate that was facing a camp of Dragonsbane's soldiers. Bartoz once went out from the vicinity of the prison to take a walk with Karkariz. Being a supreme warden was enough for the Parusan to have a leisure seen in Konaz, including the privilege to change the patrol area, all in favor to Bartoz.

Because of his belief, Karkariz helped Bartoz in any way that he could always meet his friend. During that, the Parusan was drawn into Bartoz's plans, which in many ways was something that the light blue dragon would appreciate.

The walk after giving Seraphor the dark rock was exhausting, especially after the small dragon took a little of Bartoz's power to purify the water. He let out a sigh, which was somehow seen by the smaller blue dragon.

"Maybe you need a little rest, Bartoz," said Karkariz. "I know we've been busy today, and you really earn it."

Letting out another sigh, Bartoz forced himself to smile back, but he didn't say anything. His mind was set with food and sleep, but at the same time it conflicted with his concern over Seraphor. Bartoz had found a good place to sleep after being an assistant to Karkariz, but at the same time he wasn't allowed to wander around freely without Karkariz, and the Parusan always had a way to give any penalty for the black dragon if he wandered off on his own. This was because of the collar around his neck that reminded him on his status as a captive dragon. Aside from the collar, Bartoz also wore a set of bracelets on his legs, which again reminded him on his limited movements. Though he knew being an assistant wasn't worth it in freedom, he could at least get a better air when Karkariz allowed him to go around a certain area freely.

Karkariz tried to push a big wooden door, but with his small posture, it took so much power. Bartoz, on the other hand, was strong enough to blow open the door, but he just opened the door and a strong breeze of air hit him.

"But I thought maybe you need a better place to rest than the pit's loser's throne, since it wasn't for a loser after what your friend had done, yet the name still stuck. So..."

"Holy ancestors..."

The door led to a green place with artificial lights coming from the fireflies that were flying around the area. Unlike the rest of the place, the garden was somehow serene and silent. What made the place seemed calm was the slow stream of water from a small waterfall that was near the side of the wall, which was decorated with rocks. Aside from the serene place and clean air, the place was also part-swamp and it was something very weird in a place that looked like a paradise in the middle of a prison hell.

"You like it? I grow herbs here, and I also lived here. It's my own world out from the dangerous world that was behind us. When I feel depressed, I usually walk back here and sit near the river, taking a deep breath and watch the stream. Well, I know this environment is out of place, so with a little bit of persuasion and influence, I can find many Terra dragons to make me this biome. It's not that I enslaved them. It's part of their rehabilitation and...maybe it doesn't work since now they're one of the Dragonsbane's dragon army."

"At least you tried. But, this place is so cool and humid. What did you do to it?"

Do Western dragons know the term Arcane works?"

"Some humans developed it....It's like that cross between magic and technology things, right?"

"Yes, but here, since Parusans had little to no great powers in element magic, we depend on Arcane. The humans developed technology, but we helped in the magic, and thus arcane things were made. Here, I asked some dragons put their water element into some machines and they became the wet and cool sensation."

Bartoz glanced around while Karkariz crossed the small river. The place seemed really like a different world altogether, and with no gaps to the outside world due to the curved dome-like glass roof he could see shimmering on the top of the wall, he was like free, despite of not really enjoying it without worrying about Seraphor.

Just as he wanted to cross the river, he noticed a head popping out from the water. The head was clearly reptilian, but it had more hard scales and they were rough. It moved closer to Bartoz before it surfaced for something that even the black dragon didn't recognize. When it opened its jaws, they were like separated from each other, and it didn't do anything except opening its jaws stay there.

"Oh, that's my personal crocodile. They're swamp creatures close with dragons, but they can be very vicious if agitated. Not that I underestimate dragons, but crocodiles are also strong."

"Well, they look like a lizard."

"They're very dangerous to humans. Some even got killed while trying to catch them. He's still young, so it's alright for you to talk to him. Some crocodiles can be very protective to their river, so don't make bloodshed here."

Bartoz stared at the fellow reptilian before he sighed and followed Karkariz to the middle of what he thought was an island. There was a shelter in the middle of the island, covered with only a wide sort of tunic. On the inside, there were some appliances in the size of a dragon, and somehow the Parusan cooked some food himself when there was a chance. There were also some armor and clothes uncommon for most dragons, yet this Parusan was only wearing little or no clothing. Despite of them being more like giant draconians, they seemed to still look more dragon than humanoid.

"Bartoz, do you want some food?" asked Karkariz while giving the black dragon a chunk of meat. "I can grill it if you want to."

By then, Bartoz heard his stomach grumbling. He hadn't eaten since morning, and the whole job was tiring and exhausting. He could just take it and eat it like always, but Parusans were more civilized. Bartoz just nodded and said, "Don't make it too cooked. I like it half-raw."

While grilling two chunks of meat, there was a small silence between them except for the voice of river flowing and frogs (somehow the Parusan had bullfrogs in his biome, since they were large enough not to get stomped on by dragons). Karkariz realized this, and he started to say "Do you..."

"Eh, what? Sorry, I was too distracted with your crocodile here."

"N-no...I just want to ask you something. Do you have...any friends or family?"

"Well, that's an obvious question with an answer, right?"

"No...it's just that...you seem lonely. Your silver red friend only thinks you as a comrade of war...but not real friend. I don't know anything about Western dragon's relationship, but it intrigues me."

There was a small pause before Bartoz, with a sad face, said, "You wouldn't understand on what we've gone through. We both have been friends since we first met, but...something came between us."

"Does it hurt both of you?"

"It hurts very much and...since then Seraphor never be a better friend except as comrades. Although I know deep down he missed me so, thinking I was dead for a century, but I can't even imagine where he got stranded to, and it changed him so much that I barely recognize him except for his appearances."

"Like...what?"

"He was very innocent at first. He loved to chat and share experiences. He was the youngest dragon I know to be mated, and this thrilled him to the point I thought he would be a nice dragon in the future. Since one of his friend's death and his disappearance, I thought he was a victim, until I heard him risking his lives to kill a group of dragons ambushing the kingdom he protected. Suffering a bone fracture, to a dragon, is something that's disgraceful for a supposed strong dragon, but he thought it was normal, and I was surprised when I realized he even got generous over time."

"But...he looks smart."

"He never did that before. Avila was the one with the thinking. Not only smart, though. He became all deadly and he grasped his strong powers in a devastating way. He became a legend to both sides. We regarded him as a hero, while the slayers regarded him as a threat should he ever returned. Guess you Southern dragons weren't aware on what really happen in the West, huh?"

Karkariz then turned to the griller and threw some wood into it. Bartoz took attention to the meat and said, "I wanna eat that."

"Suit yourself. I want to make this one cooked."

Bartoz quickly took the meat and put it on a wood log acting as a table. The smell was very great in his nostrils and he quickly took bite, not minding the condition it was in. He felt very content eating something that was proper for sometimes. When working with Karkariz in patrolling, despite of given decent food, since he was still a captive dragon, he was still fed with potion-laced meat, and taking out the potion also took out what's left of the taste. With the fresh meat in his mouth, he felt satisfied and said, "This is great! Where do you get this meat?"

"I have my own way to talk through something."

While eating through the night, Bartoz had something in his mind. While eating, he turned his eyes to Karkariz and said, "So, what's with you? You seem like a very important dragon around here. That big dragon seems to think you're his equal or something."

This caused something to Karkariz. The Parusan suddenly stopped from cleaning his food, and he turned his head to Bartoz, staring at him with a look of sadness. Bartoz thought he made a mistake, so he quickly said, "I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I guess I'm too..."

"It's alright." Karkariz turned his head to Bartoz. "I don't want to make you lose our friendship, but sometimes I must break something or I won't make another."

"What do you mean?"

The light blue Parusan walked to the river and gave his crocodile some chunks of meat, which it ate happily. While doing that, he said, "I was one of the higher-ups in this prison. Though it seemed very unlikely for you, I got this position because of my ability in healthcare since I spent time with humans. I do realize that this position is very useful and very great for me, since with this I can have whatever I want, respected by many, and even make new friends, except one, and that one was something I really hate to admit, and maybe it's the reason of my position."

"Just tell me, Karkariz. This place is your private place, right?"

"I know...but I don't really want to tell you."

"If you put it inside your heart, it will eventually burden you. C'mon, now...just tell..."

"I love you."

This caused Bartoz to jump back and surprised him to the point he tripped on the crocodile, making it angry. The dragon was left out of words. Karkariz actually said that? Wasn't that just his imagination? He kept thinking about it until he gave up and said, "W-wait, are you for real?"

"This is awkward..."

"No no no, don't worry," said Bartoz while trying to make Karkariz stop going back into his tent in embarrassment. "Just talk to me. It's alright."

"You are surprised to see a Parusan declaring love to a male, so you might be lying and disgusted by it. Now you know what I am so...just..."

"I just got surprised that there are still those with different minds out there. I thought only humans can do that, but..."

Karkariz stopped and turned. He made a confused look and said, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're right. It's true there are exceptions in talking about this, but let me tell you something. I...was also an outcast, just like you. I was never been able to talk about it with my friends, and of course that caused something that wasn't intended, and that's what risked my friends' lives."

When Karkariz went silent, Bartoz knew it was getting awkward, but he knew when the Parusan said the truth, the black dragon felt a sudden urge to do something that he even thought was so awkward in both normal and his sense. He turned Karkariz's head slowly and gently caressed him with the back of his scaly front paw. This caused a sudden gasp to Karkariz, but he relented and didn't rebel. With nothing to do except that, Bartoz pulled the Parusan's head closer to him with his front paws and their snouts met. There was a silence between them, but then Karkariz closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the feeling of another male dragon kissing him in the middle of nowhere. He lost all the words of protest and he couldn't even think. After Bartoz got off from Karkariz he said, "Well, we're not all that different at all. I do like you, Karkariz."

"O-oh...so this is...your secret?"

"I wish I can tell you in a normal way, but...yeah, I was..."

Karkariz stopped Bartoz from continuing his sentences. For a reason unknown, Bartoz kept staring into Karkariz's eyes. Both of them locked their gazes while slowly but sure, Bartoz and Karkariz moved closer to each other and their snouts met. A sudden burst of pleasure came to Bartoz, something that he hadn't felt for ages on. He quickly opened his maws and extended his tongue. His mind was like locked to Karkariz as it was true to the opposite dragon. Both somehow knew each other's mind, as if both joined their brains.

After releasing each other from their kiss, Karkariz, with a smile, said, "I wish you're also a Parusan, so we can be free dragons together, with no rules and no restrictions."

"For one night, Karkariz, we have a freedom. But...are you sure?"

"I'm as sure as the ancestors watching us, no matter what they say about us. Dragons do not mate with another male."

Bartoz then said with a smile, "I don't believe in watchers, but I'll show you how to do it the right way."