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Even though she was an outsider and was treated as such, life in that vast city wasn't as bad as she thought.

She felt it the moment she walked out of the building she stayed for the night. Despite of it being on a different plane of existence, there were still ample sunlight. The artificial lake in the middle of the vast city looked inviting, unlike the one she knew in Dracokin which was underground and gloomy (though there was a lake outside, which was now surrounded by buildings and acted as bathing lake for dragons living in Qeveriyt). That morning alone, she could see dragons bathing there and conversing with each other. She did not care less, yet somehow she was jealous on how some of them talked to each other and bathed. There were those that had raven-like feather wings that rivaled Avila's own, and a variety of faces she could find attractive enough to pull Seraphor away from her. Still, following ways to tie him up would be one crazy experience...

Avila shook her head. She needed to concentrate and not thinking about that. There are times for that, she thought. She flew towards the lake, wanting to bathe herself.

To her surprise, the moment she landed, some other Argoons, clearly Dark Angels, approached her. They wanted to see her up close, as the first 'outlander' for over two thousand years. Avila had been treated as a monster before, but this kind of treatment was new to her. Was it because now they were equal?

The first comment she got, however, was entirely far from what she thought it would be.

"Your wings are not tidy," said one of the female Argoons, a fellow Dark Angel. "That doesn't look appealing. Here, let me comb that for you."

As she helped tidying Avila's feathers, she said, "Well, unlike birds, we can't just unfurl our wings, so try to make it tidier. There's a lot of sand in there!"

"T-thanks, I guess?"

"Looking at how you react, I guess no one around you have ever met feathered dragons, huh?" said the Argoon with a sigh. "Before you ask, news of your arrival has reached the whole city. We've never got outsiders before, at least in my lifetime, anyway."

"Is it really that isolated?"

"Well...no, but we haven't seen the world beyond the borders. Anyway, name's Mitra. You?"

"Avila."

"Wow, that's...new. It sounds like a human's name."

And so, Avila talked with the rest of the female Argoons and was given the first impression of life in the isolated city of Nia Baleth. It wasn't as bad as it seemed, and the dragons were all living without fear of anything. But then, before Avila could start thinking 'they are too carefree', she saw some Argoons training to fight with dark abilities. She could see different forms of dark abilities, ranging from gravity to shadow control. She never thought it could do that.

"Oh, I guess you are more interested in combat," said Mitra when she noticed Avila's attention. "I know you are thinking 'how the hell are they slacking off?' Well, not everyone here is a fighter."

"But I thought Argoons are warrior race."

"Maybe for you Western Argoons. Most of us concentrate more on knowledge and stuff, but some of us prefer to fight when the time comes. Don't judge us for being so carefree. This is the best possible thing that keep this community for thousands of years. Imagine what would this settlement be if every dragon in this city are nutcases."

Avila shuddered on the thought. It was true that Argoons were wiser than what their appearance suggested, but if every dragon she met were warriors, it would be chaotic, and risk self-destruction.

Trying to change the subject, Avila turned to see the dragons training, and said, "So...can you explain to me about those abilities?"

"Hmm? Oh, you mean darkness types? Lucky for you, I'm quite the expert for that. You want me to determine your type of darkness?"

"First tell me how darkness are different."

"To be honest, every dragon has different darkness in them. Not only Argoons, but also normal dragons have a darkness in the form of 'greed'. Only Argoons can utilize this darkness into something deadlier. You might have gotten a hint of what your ability's type and how to improve it. That's why, first thing's first, show us."

Avila extended her claws and sharp darkness formed over it. To her surprise, Mitra just did not give the reaction Avila wanted.

"This is basic darkness manipulation. What I mean is to show me your signature ability."

Avila tried to find her signature ability, before she settled to a conclusion.

"B-but...it's extremely dangerous," said Avila. She knew she could not show that ability without causing problems within Nia Baleth.

"Don't worry. We can help contain it. Now, show us."

Argoon dragons had started to gather around her, eager to know if a Western dragon could be as strong as Southern dragon. Avila sighed, knowing that they really wanted to know, and trusted Mitra on the containment.

"To be honest with you, this is the third time I've ever used this ability. I don't know how destructive this ability can be."

She then did the same gesture she did when she showed Avet the ability back in the desert, but this time she tried not to make it too big for this ability take a lot of her magic.

Darkness formed by her claws as the dragons watched her. All of the sudden, a sheer cold, which was the side effect of Emero Carought, started to creep out of the dark sphere she formed. She directed it to the empty space reserved for her and stabilized it, opening a portal towards the dark dimension.

"I've seen enough. It's better if you close it before it takes your energy."

Avila obliged and closed it. It unceremoniously shrunk into a small sphere before it disappeared. Avila could see the reactions of the Argoons around here: pure astonishment. This made her happy, knowing that her dreadful ability actually gave positive feedback.

"Damn, I've underestimated you. Looks like you Westerns are scarier than I thought," said Mitra with a smile, but with no hint of fear. "But I guess I understand why you are struggling to control it. The darkness you have is a type we rarely see, called 'Dimension'. Basically, your darkness is an ability to open dimensional tear to other dimensions."

"Wait! I have a friend with similar ability, but I have never been able to open a portal to another universe like him!"

"That's because you are leagues weaker than him, at least in term of darkness, anyway," said Mitra approaching her. "If you wish, you can train to increase your ability, but given how it's the most advanced type of darkness, it will take a very long time to train."

"How long?"

"Hmm...a hundred years at best?"

A hundred years! By then, there would be no war to fight anymore, thought Avila. But then, she remembered something that she wanted to know. If Xiciro had the same ability with her, could he be...

"Mitra, is this ability inherited?"

"In most cases, they are. Both Awakened and Dark Angel retained their abilities, yet there are different properties between each mutations. Awakened dragons have secondary dark types that we generally don't consider main darkness type. Dark Angels, however, amplified their darkness to the point it looks like they are the harbinger of death. Heh, that's basically what we will end up eventually."

"Do you feel regret?"

"Regret? No, of course not. Avila, I don't know how you become a Dark Angel, but in the South, you willingly give your soul to the Angels of Death in return for powerful abilities beyond an Argoon's capability. As for your question, yes, it can be inherited."

If it was true, then...

Right at that moment, Xiciro came out of his own portal, trying to find Avila. He quickly found his daughter and asked her to come with him. The other Argoons were surprised, especially, Mitra. She immediately realized what Avila was asking about, along with Avila herself (yet she was unsure). The dragons disappeared behind the portal, with Mitra saying, "Not only she's a freak, her dad is worse."

Xiciro looked at Avila before he turned away, wanting to walk first. Avila, however, realizing that Xiciro was her father, hold him from entering and said, "When this is all over...I want to talk to you...privately."

Even without asking 'why?' Xiciro had already known why Avila wanted to talk to him. She already knew...

"How?"

"It's just a hunch, but I think it is true," said Avila, yet her tone did not suggest satisfaction. "Dark abilities can be inherited."

"How can you draw a conclusion based on that?"

"That is why, when this is all over, we need to talk, and the reason why you withheld our relationship."

In the end, Avila went in first. Xiciro looked at her and sighed. "At least she's the one realizing it," he said to himself.

Talking with Erakor took at least 4 hours to finish, but throughout the conversation, only Xiciro showed genuine interest, while Avila was more reserved by reading the ancient writings with the knowledge on ancient language she could understand. Xiciro tried to make Erakor oblivious of Avila's action, but it seemed that the elder understood and abruptly stopped and let Xiciro talk with Avila.

After they had finished, Avila quickly directed Xiciro to where Avet was resting. The dragon was sleeping peacefully, with half of his face bandaged and a young healer staying beside him. Despite of Avila's insistence, the healer refused to walk away, citing the reason of Avet's condition as his reason to stay. Avila reluctantly let him stay.

"Avila, before you say anything, I want to tell you how sorry I am for not telling you this sooner. But believe me, Avila, I have my own reasons to not..."

"Xiciro..."

"I know we were enemies and does not trust each other, but you have to understand. I don't want you to feel..."

"Xiciro, stop." Avila's annoyed expression made Xiciro stopped abruptly.

"I really don't care about your reasons to not tell me, but at least give me a goddamn chance to talk about it! Do you understand how much I suffered without your support?!"

"Avila, I'm..."

"I don't care about your reasons!" interjected Avila. "Look, maybe we are former enemies, and maybe when we were on each other's throat is because you don't remember. But be a proud dragon and at least tell me before we go all the way here so I wouldn't be so suspicious around you and Avet!"

"Don't you think it is a little bit clichéd?"

"It is clichéd! Do you know how many stories with a twist narrative of having the antagonist being the father of the protagonist?! Yes, but I do not regard you as an enemy anymore, especially after you convinced me not to massacre a whole army of Dragonsbane!"

"Look, I know you are mad, but I have my own reasons to not talk to you about this, because I know it is a shocking revelation."

"Do you know how many times I wish I have a parent by my side? No, not a father figure, a biological parent! I know that it is an impossible wish, but...but..."

Her voice trailed off. "I... don't want Seraphor to suffer the fact that...his mate is his parent's killer. He understood why but...I know how pained he is when he accepted me to console him. He knew I killed his parents but he still wanted to help me! I want to see my own parents, at least in the dream, so I can make him feel like having a family! So tell me why!"

The older Argoon kept silent as Avila rambled about the shock she got, but deep inside, he was more or less glad that it wasn't worse. After hearing her for a while, Xiciro embraced his daughter in a genuine attempt to calm her down. Despite her attempt to break free, Avila slowed and eventually stopped. She returned the hug.

"Oh, my dear daughter...I beg your forgiveness...for I have committed an unforgivable sin..."

"Don't be so dramatic...dad..."

Despite of the obvious strain in her voice, Xiciro looked at her and smiled to himself. It was not a smug smile he always did to potray his arrogance, but a smile of genuine love. Being called a 'father' again after such a long time. Avila could not help herself and shed tears.

"Well, what do you know? Finally got the nerve, Xiciro?"

The familiar voice turned their attention away from their private moment. Avet woke up and held his head up, smiling to them.

"Avet!" exclaimed Avila in sheer happiness.

"It feels like a long time, isn't it? But I guess your father-daughter argument is the one waking me up from my slumber."

"And you need to work out more, you lazy slab of meat. I feel like I'm carrying a big load!"

Avet laughed, but quickly said, "Oh, stop it, Xiciro! My face is barely holding on as it is."

Seeing Xiciro and Avet converse in such a light-hearted manner made Avila unable to do anything but smile. Even though the revelation of her relationship with her father was anticlimactic at best, it didn't change the fact that both of them could lift a burden that clouded their judgement throughout the journey.

Now, the next step is to find Sera, thought Avila while she walked away silently.

But then, the next thing she realized was something very peculiar as she came out. She didn't know how to explain it, but she had been having the same kind of hunch back when the Nightmare Crisis happened throughout Dark Continent. It was similar to what happened right now. Maybe because she had experienced something different, she didn't know.

All she knew was something's wrong in Nia Baleth, and quickly flew towards the place where she first came in, which coincidentally had Argoons surrounding something.

She could not ignore the growls of fury as they saw the thing they were surrounding. Avila flew over them and saw what happened, and she couldn't believe her own eyes. It was as if everything she knew about Nia Baleth changed into something sinister.

Erakor, the elder dragon that had led Nia Baleth for years and the keeper of the library, was killed. Around his body was a magic circle drawn in blood, with the word 'The Bane always Wins' written in Draconic.

At the same time, Avila noticed, in the horizon as the sun set, an army of dragon slayers wearing black armor marching towards the city, with some dragons flanking them, in chains.

All Avila could say on that spectacle was, "Not again..."