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Despite of Avila's fear that Shirdan's actions would be his demise, her concerns were unfounded. Upon reaching the settlement via portal, some dragons were surrounding the yellow dragon. While most of them were younger dragons who clearly didn't know anything about the Pol Hain attack, it was surprising that the likes of Riant, Bartoz, and Ramusk weren't even holding their anger. They were genuinely sympathizing with Shirdan, which at that point was exhausted because of unprepared desert journey and the fact that he rushed himself, cutting the three day's journey into barely a day trip. He was clearly dehydrated, and muttering words that barely even recognizable, yet Seraphor could understand that he was trying to confess.

The silver red wanted to tell the veterans that Shirdan wasn't to blame, but Bartoz noticed Seraphor and pulled him aside, while saying, "We knew he killed Yort."

"And you don't go on to become angry mob and disembowel him?"

"Please, you think we're humans? These younger dragons might do, but for us, we need answers first before executing him. Anyway, Sera, do you want to explain why your daughter is here with you?"

"Oh. Guess since you all know about it, then I don't need to give lengthy explanations. Simply put. Will you care waking up now, young one?"

Shirdan, despite of his dehydrated state, woke up, but was straining him badly. Bartoz was the first to realize what was wrong due to him being a dragon healer. Then, when Seraphor said "Drink a lot of water, young one. You'll need it", Shirdan walked towards the nearest trough and started drinking a lot of it. Bartoz then said, "He's...conditioned?" "Not sure how he was oblivious to the fact, though. Rhaynis can give you the reason why he follows the word."

"By doing what, exactly?"

Seraphor then smiled and turned to his silver daughter. He then said, "Come on Rhaynis, you can do it. Show your father what you're capable of."

As if breaking from her act, Rhaynis suddenly turned serious and approached Shirdan. The yellow dragon was just finished drinking a whole trough when she said, "I know you killed a dragon. Will you tell me which?"

"A dragon? What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Shirdan, just tell me everything. We're friends, right?"

Shirdan paused a moment, then said, "I am not killing any dragon at all."

This surprised Rhaynis, and the rest of the adult dragons. The young dragoness turned to her father, trying to find an answer. Seraphor then moved to Rhaynis and said, "AsK him about the phrase 'young one'."

Rhaynis was thinking for a moment before she got something, then returned to Shirdan and said, "Do you know anything about the phrase 'young one'?"

"Young...one? It is...uh, it is.... I...can't remember."

Just then, a bear came to them and approached Rhaynis. The young silver dragoness knew him, so she relaxed a bit. He talked about something to the young dragoness, in which she gulped and said, "Is that...even appropriate?"

"C'mon, kid, you almost ask him about a mature subject. Revenge and vengeance is something this world revolves around. Time to be a mature female. Go get 'im."

She felt like she was fighting against her father's wishes to not talk or taking revenge. Nevertheless, she returned to Shirdan, and with a gulp, said, "Why are you taking this revenge? Do you have a reason at all?"

Then he gave the most surprising answer of all.

"Because I am being told to. I don't know anything else."

This surprised Andelhaus so much that he even said, "But you said it's genuinely your vengeance! What makes you change your standing, Shirdan?"

"Andelhaus, wait," said Avila. "Something's not right. Rhaynis, ask him if the dragon is here with us."

Rhaynis did so.

"Yes," said Shirdan. "He's standing behind the silver dragon."

Seraphor was quick to react when a light green dragon started extending its claw. Reacting in a split second, he grew vines from around him and suspended the dragon in the air, while immobilizing everything he could use to escape. Both Avila and Seraphor knew the dragon personally, and it made Seraphor smiled.

"Never thought you have the guts to infiltrate the Order, Cordandar," said Seraphor. "Are you going to say something, after these 150 years?"

"Agh, you cursed being! I should've killed you when I have a chance!"

"Not without exposing yourself to the Order and cancelling your illusion."

"Wait, Seraphor," said Ramusk. "What the hell are you doing? That's Calevin, our messenger."

Seraphor turned around and said, "Avila, would you kindly use your fear illusion?"

After Avila did so, she was surprised when her fear power was suddenly canceled, but both Ramusk and Xiciro was surprised by the appearance of an old enemy and ally. Because of not concentrating, Rhaynis lost her hypnosis on Shirdan, and he quickly gasped when he saw the dragon.

"All this time, you're still alive...and using me? What kind of treachery is this?! Are you telling me that I am killing Yort because you ask me to? Then why am I remembering all this and my revenge? Are you controlling my whole life, Cordandar?!"

"Oh, my sweet little Shirdan. Such naivety. You're created for one reason, and you failed it miserably when you decided to give yourself up to the Order of the dragon," said Cordandar. "Still, you've finished the revenge, and it will be your greatest achievement."

Shirdan became surprised. "Ancestors..."

Cordandar then turned to Seraphor. "You may have captured me, but you will fight the worst enemy you will ever faced. Let the Dark Rising Hearts bring you the final despair, and you will know it...because of him."

"Rhaynis, ask Shirdan about it."

"Wait, what? What is that whelp doing?"

After Rhaynis asked Shirdan about the worst enemy, Shirdan suddenly said, "There are four..."

"Stop! This is not supposed to be told!"

"...Northern dragon let loose by me from the Northern Region and they are going to destroy the world."

There was an uncomfortable silence before Seraphor turned to Cordandar and said, "Sometimes, you just need to ask to get an answer."

"You still don't have a chance to fight them!"

"Just shut your mouth for second and stop making that lame-ass villain re-assurance like a Saturday morning kids show."

Cordandar was then secured by some dragons and put away from the group's view, yet before he could be silenced, the dragon, in a crazed tone, said, "You're not his son, Shirdan! You are him!" before some riders managed to muzzle him up. Yet, the short sentences took a deep impact on Shirdan, which were apparent on the veteran dragons.

"What does he mean? I am him? What's that supposed to do with anything?" said Shirdan.

"It doesn't mean anything, Shirdan. Now...Riant, Ramusk...what should we do of him?"

"Hmm..." Ramusk was thinking pretty hard on the matter while Riant said, "We...are not sure about Shirdan, Sera. I mean, he is the victim of a reconditioning but...he's still the one that kill Yort. We don't even know what to judge of him."

"But at least he's not a coward and return here while braving the desert," said Seraphor. "Also, what Cordandar said bugged me. I really wish I am not watching human shows too much with Spyro, but then...Shirdan must know what he means."

"So how do you give him the truth, if you know any?"

"I am not a good speaker...but it must suffice."

The silver red walked toward Shirdan while cursing himself for being a smart dragon. What Cordandar said, in his crazed state of mind, was truly something out of a cheesy movie, yet delivered in such a manner that was genuine enough to be a lie. Even an innocent dragon who didn't know anything like Shirdan could get a hint of it.

As Seraphor approached Shirdan, he was still pretty shaken by all the revelations that happened, but Rhaynis helped him as a friend. Despite of Seraphor claiming that Rhaynis couldn't control her influence hypnosis, he knew that Rhaynis was just pretending to be a young pampered hatchling, and was holding her ability at bay, because her ability was the one defining the term 'queen of dragons', and would be disastrous if she ever turned into a darker world. Vysrenis, on the other hand, was walking down that path in every way possible, though he wasn't going to be a crazed villain, he would certainly not be a good dragon either.

Avila saw Seraphor coming. She, too, realized what Cordandar said, so she approached him and said, "Look, Sera, whatever you want to tell him..."

"I'm sure he'll understand. Vila...we both know our nemesis more than anyone do."

"Yes, I know that. But...Shirdan is nothing like him."

Seraphor stared at Avila's eyes for a moment, then turn towards Shirdan. He was laying on the hay while drinking, but was content with Rhaynis' consoling. As she left to be with her mother, Seraphor walked closer and sat beside Shirdan, then said, "Shirdan...I know I am not the one to talk about this...and to dabble into your family matter and your personal history...but...do you ever get the feeling that you know that someone...but that someone is not what you know it would be?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...just for example, you met someone you don't know, but you know him because he's someone you knew, based on either appearance or manners. Yet again, you think you've met him, but you don't, and he don't know you. I know it's so confusing for you to understand this matter, but simply put...the answer is...he's actually someone you know, but at the same time, he's a different individual."

"So what do you want to imply?"

"In most science fiction stories, this can imply that either that individual is from a relative past or future, or he's simply a clone. The term 'clone' can imply anything, from it being the same individual with different set of memories, or the continuation of the same individual's memory."

Seraphor then paused. "You might have realized it by now who I'm referring too, right? You claimed to be Shirdan's son, but at the same time, as Cordandar suggested, you're not. You have some of Ceroz's memories, but at the same time, you don't inherit his thirst of world destruction. So basically, you're..."

"A clone, right?" said Shirdan sharp. "I've suspected as much. That term is unfamiliar to me, but after you said it...I can understand."

"No...there's another thing you must know. Thinking about you being Ceroz's clone is just one revelation from many I can say. Due to you effectively being his clone, I remember something I tried not to remember. Ceroz could never had hatchlings because...he's gay."

"Wait...gay? What does that mean?"

"He doesn't like female dragons and was in relationship with Sart when we attacked him. He was...shaken by the fact that Sart was killed by Angelus and attacked both of us in rage. Now...here's the big question...are you gay?"

Shirdan suddenly gulped. He was trying to avoid Seraphor's intense stare, but the silver red knew he was trying to turn away. From the movement of his head, he was watching the bear Shifter who was talking with Avila and some riders. Seraphor then found some revelations, and said, "I suspected as much."

"No, wait...Seraphor...yes, I like Andelhaus...but I can't tell him. I'm many times bigger than his human form and three times bigger than his bear form, so of course I won't go through! Yes, I am a gay and Ceroz's clone, so what? This is a curse I must bear for not only being the son of the defiler, but also his actual copy, and a murderer."

"Oh, no, that's not the way you live! First rule of living is not to delve in the past too much. The past is like a wave, and it will eventually take you, whether you're a dragon or a humanoid being. It's even worse for an older dragon...that's been out of this world for years...and doesn't age normally..."

Shirdan was trying to grasp the meanin of it, but Seraphor didn't give him the chance. "Still," he said. "If you really want to atone for your sins, I suggest you take the chance with the first Northern dragon, hmm?"

Before he could ask, Shirdan saw a storm coming from the northern horizon. Before he could even grasp what it was, both Seraphor and Avila knew the danger and started readying themselves while Xiciro took Rhaynis back into the safety of both dragon's lair.

It was here, in Qeveriyt town, that the two legendary dragons saw the dragon that was on par with them in legend, and they finally felt fear again, after many years not feeling it.

Or are they?