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The Bad

"Damn it! Damn it all! That silver dragon ruins everything I've been planning!"

"Konaz, stop it this instant! That silver dragon is not your concern. Sateris and Yyuent start to bid for the two, and Karkariz is backing him."

"I know, Amretriel! That witch is too easy to sway! Because of her some of the foods are not given the potion enough and those bloody low-graders are rioting against me! I'm Konaz, goddamn it! This is an insult to the superiority of the Parusans!"

"Just calm down, Konaz. I'm sure the messenger will be coming from the west."

Konaz turned his head to Amretriel. "What are you doing giving letters to?"

"The humans grow restless. Without a proper army to attack the Western Region, there will be no chance for us to push our borders with them. I leave the human's problems to their own, but it's about our empire, Konaz. I have a very bad feeling about the west."

The dark purple dragon then scoffed. "You think those feral dragons of the west can fight again our civilized race? The Cerbesans are gone, and look at the captives we got from the west. They're as willing to submit with violence and pain. I am sure the dragons are going to kneel before our superior dragon race, as with the humans."

Amretriel turned to the table behind him. There was a scroll that was as big as a giant book, but for dragons, it was normal. The bright yellow Parusan then unfurled the scroll and read the content. It wasn't written by dragons, but by a human that was his contact in Western Region to know about the progress in the west. Amretriel taught the human his native language from one of the Parusan tribes.

When he had finished, he said, "We've one problem at hand, Konaz. They have a powerful group of dragons called the Order of the Dragons. It has members from the old and powerful dragons all around Western Region. Almost half of the dragons there are legends."

"Old ones will fade with time. I have no concern on them."

"Their leader is Ramusk. From this description, my informer said that he's a wyvern." "Those two legged race is a leader? If I know correctly I have one wyvern in my lair helplessly sleeping there. Without hands I can say he's down to luck to fight."

"He's a hell wyvern. What the human said was that this same wyvern was the cause of the meteor rain that destroyed the place he lived. Now, he's their leader. They respected all races. And then there's Yort. He's a nasty strategist with a knack of using plant life as his power. Then there's Avila and Cynder. These two are a menace. Based on the message I got, Avila caused the armies of the Dragonsbane currently there to run in fear, without her moving a part of her body. I am sure you have something to say about this...wild bunch."

"It is troubling to know that our enemies are capable for that, but once we got the collar onto their necks, they are nothing but beasts. Carry on."

"One of the Dragonsbane dragons there betrayed us. He was one of the five Dark Hearts dragons thought to be dead. He returned to life. There's a group of draconians employing dangerous projectiles with ability to strike down a dragon. Since the last fight, we lost many brainwashed dragons because of a particular dragon."

"And that dragon would be..."

"I can't say much more. The dragon's information haven't arrived yet...oh, there it is."

A blue dragon came into the room carrying a smaller scroll. He was wearing many straps use for carrying things, and he was carrying many other letters, though it wasn't all for Amretriel. After thanking the biped, he left the two alone while Amretriel opened the scroll and read it.

"So, what does it say? Are we going to be able to fight them?"

"It's a message from a month ago. That dragon must've been busy. Let's see...during the siege to a certain Xici kingdom two dragons were caught and they are in this facility with other western dragons. It's kind of hard to read but...oh no. This is not happening. It's really true."

"What is it, Amretriel? Don't waste your time giving me trivial actions."

"We're too soft! I knew there is a problem when those two came! This is outrageous! I never thought our prison has been breached. Those humans are goddamn worthless."

"No trivial actions, Amretriel! Tell me now!"

"Konaz, you must take action before it's too late. The two dragons managed to know that this is a secret prison for the Dragonsbane. The message was late, but I am sure why. This is a very dangerous letter for us. When they caught two dragons from the siege of Xici kingdom, the humans thought they won, but I can say the dragons, in reality, let themselves be caught to infiltrate our ranks. The letter mentioned the top list of dangerous dragons. Aside from this Spyro, we have Bartoz, a healer with dangerous dark arts."

"Dark arts? That's not going to be able to hold by the collar. What kind of world the western dragon had?"

"You must read the last one. It is important."

Konaz snatched the scroll from Amretriel and read the letter. It said:

"Dragons of the glorious empire. I'm deeply sorry if I won't survive my job as an insider. This may be my last mission. The draconians are too smart. They can smell a rat better than others. There are dragons infiltrating our ranks in the south. They are the strongest dragons in the west, and they gave themselves up in purpose. Spyro, the purple dragon, used four elements of nature to fight us, and he must be eliminated before his second personality, a calculating white-haired dragon, emerged. The two dragons were Bartoz and Seraphor. Bartoz is a black dragon with powerful dark arts. I don't know for certain, but aside from him being once a Dark Hearts a century ago, he's supposed to be dead. He's dangerous and he is not to be trifled with. He can't die.

"Seraphor is the most dangerous dragon I've ever seen. He's going to make your life a hell. Give him the hell before he gives you it. Aside from being able to make dangerous godlike attacks, he is the reason why the dragons started to fight again. He's a hope to them; a symbol of bravery. He went to hell and back and starts kicking again. He's most well-known by his bright silver scales with red stripes on his back. He had no visible wings with torn wing skin. He has blue eyes, and he's smaller than most dragons. If you ever saw him, don't let him live. KILL HIM. KILL THE BASTARD BEFORE HE TAKES AWAY OUR GLORY."

The rest of the message wasn't readable due to the blood splattered on it. Konaz was left aghast. The dragon that he hated was the most dangerous dragon he could know. If the message was true, the dragon will surely turn everything over.

"The human messenger was killed by a golden draconian, as the messenger said, after he gives them other insiders. Humans are goddamn weak."

"Humans are goddamn liars! What have this message done?! If it arrived one month earlier everything would not be like this! This human's fear is right. That silver dragon is destroying this place apart by demanding freedom to my slaves. He's going to know that hell has something to say to him. I'll give him despair for humiliating me."

Meanwhile Bartoz was tending an injured pit fighter when Karkariz came into the room, carrying some things to help the black dragon. Though Bartoz knew the blue Parusan was trying to help, the state of the dark dragon's mind was still clouded with the thoughts of wrath. He never thought a traitor race could lay waste to a dragon in front of him.

"I know what you want to do, Kar, but just leave. I have got too many shits for a day."

"C'mon, Bart, at least let me help you."

"I better not be bothered for now, Kar. Let me finish this job and I'll meet you in the dome. Leave the painkillers on the table."

As the Parusan put the basket on the nearest slab of stone, he said, "You can talk to me about Seraphor. About how he lived and about how he is doing. I don't understand wild Westerns, but if he's going to be a menace, we must help him."

"Like I said, Karkariz, my love...wait for me in the dome. This is a secret I cannot share with others."

Bartoz was ready that Karkariz would object, but the half-sized Parusan complied and went out without words. He was mad on Bartoz's objection or he knew that the black dragon was too dangerous to be protested to; he didn't know his lover's intentions.

Then it occurred. Returning back to the dome, Karkariz quickly closed the door behind him, exhaled, and said, "When you told me to wait here, are you out of your bloody mind? If Konaz knew you're alone in that place without my supervision your head will be the next! I can't protect you or your goddamn troublemaker the second time."

"My head is full of thoughts," said Bartoz with increasing voice. He couldn't hold everything anymore. He raised his voice with the intention for the dragon to know his hatred; to know how he was underestimated and unaccounted for. His pupils became slit, and he exclaimed. "I will kill Konaz with my claws if I have to! My head is full of thoughts on how to exact this thing!"

"What has he ever done to you to get you mad like this, Bart? It's not like it's your fault that Cerbesan died. He lived here for how long and he is going to die anyway. You can't save any dragons. We are not gods; we are just their creations!"

"I don't believe in that. I believe in my ancestors. If you want to talk to something that doesn't exist just do me a favor and leave me alone!"

"Then I must object. You're too harsh and too narrow-minded with that rage. No dragons can win a war alone. You're nothing compared to Konaz."

Bartoz was clearly insulted by it and started to turn to Karkariz in an attempt to make the Parusan to shut up. Only when he saw the Parusan's unmoving body and his resolve did the dragon relented. He drew his breath and said, "I-I'm sorry. I...didn't mean to.... Please, Kar...I don't..."

"It's hard being the harbinger of darkness, isn't it, Bartoz? It's even harder if you have a dangerous silver dragon with unstable emotions trying to fight Konaz, isn't it? Just...calm yourself down and let me talk about everything I knew about Konaz."

Bartoz knew he was like a blind bull; he tried to charge without thinking. Just a moment there and he devolved into an animal even lower than humans were. He must try to think straight, and he said, albeit with shaking voice, "What about him?"

Karkariz shifted his view to the crocodile again while saying, "Do you know the reason why he has a control over us? Konaz is a great Parusan, but he is nothing but a dragon. Some three hundred years ago when he was trying to fight a mysterious force, he and some other dragons were attacked by it and were consumed. Only Konaz survived by mere willpower."

"But why the darkness chose him?"

"Chose him? What do you know about it?"

Bartoz then produced an image out of the shadow of his own and Karkariz saw the same thing he told the dark dragon. This caught him by surprise and he unknowingly said, "H...how do you know this?"

"This thing is my nightmare. I relived the moment when I failed to save a soul. That time I realized that despite of being a noble Parusan, Konaz was vile from the hearts. Yes, I knew your race beforehand not because I lived longer than you are, or because of Seraphor's deductive abilities."

"Bloody hell...you're not serious, aren't you? I...it's impossible. You're the darkness that gave Konaz his power! You make him the thing he is now! You're the embodiment of the evil itself!"

"That's why it's humiliating to know that a dragon I made took the best of me. I held my rage when he tried to suffocate me, but I didn't know he's the dragon until I realized that his uncanny strength came from drawing the darkness around him."

"Why haven't you told me about this?! I can talk with the other Parusans! I have the authority to do so!"

"Then what's the good in that? Look, Seraphor is doing his job nicely. We both managed to expose this place as a reconditioning prison for the Dragonsbane. What we don't have is backup. Without the means to connect to the outer world I can't ask my allies to come to the Southern Region. Also, after you said that I'm such a narrow-minded bastard I came to realize that I'm really a short-tempered son of a bitch. I can't believe that shitty little bastard could hold more anger than me."

"Well that's not the problem. All we want to know is what Konaz is planning right now. That warning must not only about Seraphor's reckless use of his rights."

"What is written on the runes?"

Karkariz became confused, "What?"

"I saw a kind of rune written in blood," said Konaz while writing back the rune on the grass. "What does it say?"

The Parusan read the rune. It was crude, but still written in an ancient draconic language. Karkariz read them carefully before he gasped and said, "It reads, 'I will bring despair'."

After a quick thinking, Bartoz realized that it referred to his friend, and then...

"I can sense his growing darkness already. Konaz is going to kill a dragon near to Seraphor. I can't be one because I'm here and I'm immortal. You're a Parusan. Then that means..."

"We have to go to the pit. Save Seraphor before it's too late."

"Yes...I guess the events unfold in front of us like bad luck, after all."

They ran and ran through the corridor. Bartoz didn't care on the chains currently holding him, and this caused him to trip when he ran through. Karkariz tried to help him, but of course the dragon couldn't move faster without tripping like before again. They were too desperate.

"Kar, get to the pit, now! I can manage myself..."

"Oh no you don't! By the privilege of the almighty gods of dragons, I, Karkariz of the Fifth Warden, command you. Release the bonds on this dragon, for he has gained his freedom."

Suddenly all of the things wrapping Bartoz went off, including his collar. The surge of his inner energy strengthened his body and returning the eerie aura around him. He could feel the semi-sentient darkness whispering to him as if they had known the danger they had done to the Parusan. This sudden change of aura caused Karkariz to hallucinate, but the dragon touched the smaller dragon and said, "Borgezta". Karkariz returned to himself, eyes returned to their slit-shaped pupils. But he knew that darkness was overwhelming for him, especially the one that's being hold for so long, like a pent-up flow.

"Nice mantra you got there. Never thought all of these predicaments are being bound by it. Thanks, though. Can you continue?"

"I'll manage. Don't wait for me, just go!"

The dark dragon, intrigued by the smaller dragon's bold standing, did what he wished. With renewed strength and strong will to fight and kill, Bartoz ran faster than he ever was. The darkness fueled his energy, and they enhanced the use of his muscles that exceeded the limit a dragon would get with their legs' muscles. His background in modifying anatomies with dark arts helped him, and his experience with dark arts made him knew that Seraphor and a certain important dragon were in danger.

He ran quick enough to go through a group of Parusans guarding the entrance to the pit. The force of the charge made the dragon guards flew like ragdoll. Bartoz didn't care about the eyes watching him. All he cared about was the one in the middle of the pit, and the view was unsettling and surprising.

Some minutes ago, Seraphor and Anoki had been preparing for another match; a match that would be their last group of Parusans to earn their freedoms together. The Cerbesan was fired up since their rest, and the silver red dragon was also eager to fight as the hope to the captives, especially to Kranos. The view of the horribly mutilated Cerbesan made them even fueled with anger to take down the tyrannical Konaz.

Yet, during their meeting with the leading Parusans, Seraphor felt something unsettling with Konaz that day. While the dragon usually stayed behind a room or some sort during the matches, Konaz now exposed himself in the limelight. He was eager to watch the match and felt everything that had made the pit fights successful. Seraphor and Anoki, being the ace of the arena, was being wished good luck by the dark purple dragon, but what Seraphor felt when he was close was like as if the room became cold and vile unsettling aura started to envelope him like snakes curling around his small silver body, hissing to his ear like demons. From there the silver red saw what Konaz really was. Behind those prideful features, Konaz was a demon inside. His eyes reflected it (in Seraphor's vision). They were as red as a snake's eye, and he made a sneering laugh that Seraphor would meet despair, sooner or after.

This troubling thought was obvious enough to Anoki. The Cerbesan saw his friend and ally didn't focus on the preparation, and said, "Feeling unwell?"

"Uh...no, I'm just...thinking about what we will do after we get out from here. You know, the way back to our homes?"

"You sure are nervous on our fate. I'm very grateful that I've ever met you, and trust me, I know a place for you to stay in the South. You'll love it, mate."

"I prefer your home. I'm still quite out of place in the south so I don't wanna risk that. You...do have a home, don't you?"

"What is my race, Sera? I'm a Cerbesan, friend, so my only home is here, in this prison, if you want to call this place home. I have no place to go home out there. Luckily for you, I'm an adventurous type, so I might accompany you back to your home."

"Thanks for the concern, dude."

"Is that how you call a companion a friend in the west?"

Seraphor made a smile. "I bet you'll be very excited to know our culture, Anoki. Let's take the freedom to us."

As they walked out, there was something weird going on. Seraphor didn't know, but the cheers seemed different. It was as if they weren't cheering, but jeering. That feeling was also felt by the Cerbesan. He took a glance to his friend, and the silver red nodded.

All of the sudden, Seraphor used his front leg to pull one Parusan's back leg and bit his neck in surprise, breaking his spine and killing him. Anoki also did the same at the almost the same time, catching the other one by surprise and with a swift stroke, the Cerbesan cut the bigger Parusan's leg and finished him by stabbing his heart in a quick succession with another blade on his right hand. The dragon nodded.

"Nice assassination move."

"Appreciation accepted. Let's go."

Seraphor and Anoki quickly ran to the light, and they became surprised all of the way, with Seraphor suddenly shouted, "What the fuck is going on?!"

They saw Kranos, chained to the ground in the middle of the pit, being tortured relentlessly. The sea dragon's body was drying up and he was bleeding everywhere. His wings were cut, he lost one eye, and the sand around the podium he was chained to was soaked with blood. The dragon himself wasn't even allowed to lay down as there were chains holding him up to the horizontal beam over him with the remains of his wings were hooked to it.

Seraphor saw it in disgust. He knew everything he did had a dire consequence, but this...madness, this...cowardly trick, made the silver red even more resolved to kill the dragon he hated since the first time he went inside the prison.

"Konaz, you son of a bitch, come down here! Let me make you an example on messing with me!"

"And what will you do to me, Seraphor the silver red?" said the Parusan from behind the dying Kranos, smiling mockingly. "You still have that collar around you, and without my words you're not going to make it come off. And then, making me an example? Are you mad? I'm the one in charge here and you've insulted me. Are you trying to kill this dragon you dear most?"

"What are you trying to do to me, huh? Shred me to pieces? Kranos is dead, and that threat falls into deaf ears, am I right? I don't need elemental prowess. I'm better without them."

"Oh, what a pity," said Konaz while watching around. "First thing I'll rip off is that insolent mouth of yours. Humans and Parusans! Prepare to see the ultimate power of victory! I will destroy the Western Region all by myself!"

Suddenly Seraphor felt he was being raised, and at the same time he felt something very familiar, and he suddenly gasped. Just as he tried to claw his collar out he was thrown in a speed that caused him to even get a sudden ringing inside his head. He hit the wall behind him and he coughed out blood. Without time to even retaliate Konaz drew him again and punched him with one of his front legs, breaking his ribs and giving him even more pain. Anoki himself tried to fight back, but he was quickly thrown away, leaving a big gash on his body which made Seraphor unsure if he's still alive or was killed.

"But this is...impossible," said Seraphor while coughing out blood. "That power is not meant to be used by a normal..."

"I am the darkness, Seraphor. You're nothing but a whelp. You're not going to be able to defeat me, with or without your elemental power. I will show the Dragonsbane that dragons are capable of something more..."

But then, suddenly, before he could give the finishing blow in the form of a claw, his attack was stopped by something. Konaz gave an expression of surprise, then anger, when he turned. Both saw Bartoz near the fully healed but unconscious Anoki holding out Konaz with a smile.

"And we Western dragons are capable of something even more. Now, your debt is long overdue. It's time to give it back to me, Parusan, and you know I'm not going to make you alive."

"The collector.... Your time in this world is over. I'm the new darkness!"

"As long as I'm alive, I'll never give up my title. Well, you'll never be. I'm a specter, and I'm alive until the end of time. Come get me, you son of a bitch!"

But Bartoz was taken to a dangerous surprise as he was thrown away by the sheer force of the darkness. Even he couldn't block another attack from the dark purple dragon when the spear-shaped darkness pierced through his wing. Bartoz didn't relent, though, and he absorbed the darkness into him.

"Until you can have a stronger attack, this fight will always end with a draw."

Konaz suddenly pulled Bartoz to him, but the black dragon managed to hold the pull by giving weight to his own body before he threw dark-based blade to Konaz, yet it dissipated in front of him.

"You really think that kind of thing could attack me? I absorbed the powerful darkness you gave to me. I absorbed all of it!"

"I am always willing to give you this, but never to become an abomination like you're now! Fighting against dragons? Allying yourself with humans? Making dragons fight to death?! Sure, you can be vile enough, but I am not going to forgive you for what you've done to Kranos!"

"What do you want to do, then, Specter? You're nothing against gravity!"

"He has suffered enough already. He's already dead, but you kept binding his soul to him and give him temporal immortality while you cut him into pieces! Let me tell you something, Konaz. Immortality is good, but never pleasant. Give him back his rights to rest in peace, and I will leave you alone."

"Leave me alone? Are you mocking me?! You're but the shadow of your former self. You have no sharp scales, and your claws are useless! What will you do to fight me, weakling? Your sympathy with the sea dragon is what made you weak!"

"Simple enough. I have friends, you moron!"

Suddenly the prison blasted away to reveal a group of prisoners, mostly Cerbesans, armed with makeshift weapons being led by Karkariz and his other friends. They snarled at the dark purple Parusan, intending to threaten him, yet some cowered in fear of his power. Konaz just made a wicked grin and said, "Comrades, what a terrible timing to betray me. Never thought that half-breed can even lead this much of an army."

"Your madness ends here, Konaz. We'll make sure you are the trophy we really want. You're going to pay for what you've done to us and to poor Kranos."

"Kar," yelled Bartoz. "Go to Seraphor! He is hurt by the dark magic."

"I'll patch him up in no time, Bart!"

"You won't be getting away from me, young Karkariz."

Another dragon came in front of him from above and started to grab him. Karkariz had no time to defend himself as Amretriel threw him away. The mighty Parusan then walked to the assembled team of dragons and they went silent on his imposing height. His former comrades were the only standing in front of him, but they were quickly defeated when the dragon threw both of them away with only claws. The other soldiers weren't strong enough to face him, and they started to back down and trying to surrender, which invoked a smile on his face.

"See, Bartoz? Amretriel is my ally, and him being my ally is bad news. Surrender now, former Dark Hearts, and I'll grant a place for you in my place. You'll become the servant of darkness, and we'll rule the dragon world."

"Only the ruler of darkness, Konaz! You really like playing with me, aren't you? I wasn't talking about these weak ones. You might have sensed it now."

Konaz felt it too. He suddenly felt like everything was pressed into him. His very soul was condensed, and he felt like a child in another presence. It was something very dangerous and very old, yet it was also in the body of a young dragon. For the first time ever, Konaz started to fear that this particular aura is even more dangerous than darkness itself.

"If you're fighting darkness with darkness, it will end with a draw. Two against one? With a little skill, that might work. But how about the darkness challenging the death? Hell, I don't even want to do that. One thing for sure, she'll gonna kick your ass."

Amretriel had managed to reach Seraphor after taking care of some other dragons. He had readied his claw to slice through the smaller silver red's body, when the glass dome that covered the Pit suddenly broke. Amretriel was distracted. He saw something falling down from above. There were two dragons falling from the sky, both fighting each other. Amretriel saw it when the other black dragon pushed its assailant through a metal rod in the middle of the room intended for a pillar, impaling him. He couldn't believe what he saw just then. He never knew such violence could occur. He was even more desperate in anger to finish Seraphor to what he had done to the Pit, to what he had done to destroy everything the Parusans had achieved, and to what the Dragonsbane had achieved. He blamed everything to the barely conscious Seraphor as the claw fell, before another claw held the falling claw in the air, and subsequently crushed it. Amretriel roared in both pain and anger, as Seraphor saw the assailant.

It was Ragunost, but Seraphor knew more. He recognized the metallic left front leg, alongside the metallic wings and the red pupil the dragon had. He knew this dragon. He knew this was the real-life cyborg he had ever knew, and he suddenly got fascinated. Like seeing an angel, Seraphor extended his front leg to the image.

"It is you. You came back from the dead," said Seraphor with excitement. "I knew it was you, Raithorakh."

"It's always a pleasure, my old friend. What a twist of fate, to see you again, even after death."