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"Are you sure about this, Avila?" said Seraphor while being carried by Riant. "It's not that I don't like your dad! I don't feel...ready around him."

"That's how a legendary beacon of hope talk?" replied Avila. "You can give freedom to a whole dragon prison, be their ray of hope, went to an unknown world and back, but you can't even talk to my father?"

"You know how scary it is to talk with a father-in-law! I've seen awkward situations like that!"

"In what? Human soap operas? Oh, I've heard about where you're stranded from Cynder, Sera, and I know those are just theatrical acts! It's not that bad. I'll support you."

"Human soap operas don't have a father with dark void abilities!"

"Come on, Sera, don't be such a wimp!" said Riant from under him. "It's not like Xiciro will immediately pull you in, right?"

Even after those positive helps from both Riant and Avila, Seraphor still felt intimidated when they went into Xiciro's dwelling in Pol Hain. Even more intimidating was the fact that the place was a giant building on a cliff facing the ocean, where the castle tower of the Defilers, also called the Dark Hearts by the Dragonsbane, used to make their stand. The Silver Red was recently told a secret that Xiciro was a former Defiler that killed Bartoz when he decided to turn on them, but seeing how Bartoz did not die, Seraphor didn't hold any grudge against Xiciro, and he couldn't care less on others that he had once wronged. But for the sake of peace and quiet, and for a good family relationship, it was a secret between Avila, Yort, Seraphor, and Bartoz (and Richard).

Seraphor walked through the front door of the building, feeling the cold sensation of darkness like Avila had. He was relieved when the dragon that greeted him was not Xiciro, but a much younger Argoon around the same age as Avila. He recognized him immediately because he had a big chunk of his face blown off, but had recently been mended. He worked as Xiciro's assistant, apparently.

"Oh, hi, Seraphor," said the dragon to him. "You're here for Xiciro, right? He's outside, near the ruins. I can call him if you..."

"No, thanks. I'll go see him myself. Keep the good work, uh..."

"Avet," said the Argoon with a smile. "Oh, and don't get me wrong. I know your reputation and relations. I hope it goes well."

As Seraphor walked away from Avet, he grumbled, "It's not that easy!" while walking towards the ruins Avet was talking about. He immediately recognized the ruins as the same place where the Defiler once made their base. The fact that a former Defiler made his lair here was ironic as best.

As the silver red was wondering where Xiciro was, he immediately saw the Argoon near him. The black scales were similar to Avila, but unlike when she was young, it lost its crystal-like shimmer. He had one of his legs burned out, leaving only bones to support his weight. He looked old, with scars in many parts of his body. The most prominent one, however, was the injury he sustained while impaling the black dragon back in the dragon prison. It was healing well, but he wouldn't be able to fly effectively for a while.

"Ah, Seraphor, how nice of you to come," said Xiciro with a deep, clear voice. Seraphor was clearly intimidated about his presence. It felt like he was facing a charismatic villain who looked like he's a good person, but harbored great evil inside him. Aside from the fact that he was a former Defiler, Xiciro was a good dragon (as assured by Avila).

The silver red kept silent while Xiciro was talking about his knowledge of the ruins, trying to make his exploits there a positive experience. Seraphor had no positive experience there except Ceroz's death, but Xiciro noticed that already.

He then dropped his lectures and approached Seraphor, eyes serious. This made the silver red lost most of his pride, because it reminded him of Avila looking at him with a cold stare when she was angry. But, Xiciro did not have the malevolent aura typical of an evil dragon. He was just standing there, menacingly.

"I know Avila is trying to make us be friends, but I won't be able to get through you if you keep thinking that I will throw you into the dark dimension, Seraphor," said Xiciro. "We are equal males, not father and son. You can speak your heart's content."

"But, uh...Xiciro, I, uh...don't know how to talk to a, uh...father-in-law. I mean...it's a human thing, right? Dragons don't do that. At least in this world...anyway."

"Well, at least you're honest," said Xiciro, chuckling. "Why don't we have a walk while we talk?"

Xiciro escorted the reluctant Seraphor up to the ruined tower. It brought back so many memories. Even if it was only 15 years from his perspective of time, a century had passed since that battle.

They ended on the top of the ruined tower, and this gave him a vivid memory of his brutal battle with Ceroz the Light dragon. If it was not for Zarxavio's sudden attack and Ray's death, the place would not look like what it was like now.

"You remember this place, Seraphor?" said Xiciro while looking towards the sea. "This may not look like much to us, but for them, this is the place where you became legend alongside my daughter. They commemorated the battle here with a bronze statue of you and Avila near the ports. You should've seen the work. It may looked worn out, but it immortalized the port's history."

"How about you?"

"Me? Well, I don't like being inside the big picture. Besides, being a former Defiler won't let me be remembered anyway. You agree?"

Seraphor nodded. They both sat and looked at the ocean. It was vast and blue, reminding him of the blue ocean of Dragon's Realm.

"I wanted to talk to you on the matter of your early mating with Avila, but I'll drop that for now. I know you're here for a get-to-know session with me. To be honest with you, I don't have anything to say to you except for my past and my association with the Defiler, but if there's anything you want to talk about, even if it was a moment of my Defiler life, then I would be glad to provide you with the information."

"I... don't think I want to," said Seraphor, slowly regaining his courage. "Your past is your past, and mine is mine. It's not like I hate that moment of time, but I don't want to relive a past that defined me."

"That is correct, Seraphor. You may have been heralded as a legendary dragon, but you should know that legends are born and die. I think Avila was right about you. You are tolerant against dark dragons like us."

"It's because you are not like those stereotypical ones in fantasy stories," said Seraphor. "I mean, even before I immersed myself with that lifestyle, I've known that what matters is their heart and their capacity of redemption."

Xiciro smiled. "I'm glad she found you, Seraphor. Can I call you Sera?"

"No problem. But, uh...can I ask for your permission?"

"About what?"

"I, uh...I'm thinking about starting a family with Avila. I mean, we've mated since we were young, but we haven't been consummating our relationship, do you think we...can, uh..."

"Would you mind repeat that for me?"

"I, uh...can we cons..."

Xiciro's death glare was enough for Seraphor to know that he wasn't going to make his daughter to seriously mate with him, but after a while, Xiciro relented and laughed.

"You're a funny fellow, Seraphor!" he said. "You don't need permission for that! It's your choice! She's a grown dragon now, so I'm fine with that. Besides, it's very uncommon for a dragon to have a living family down to their grandchildren, right?"

"So you're fine with that?"

"I'm fine, if that can save your own race. Besides, you and Avila have been inseparable even though you are separated dimensionally. It's very rare to have that kind of devotion, even among dragons."

Xiciro looked towards the sky. "We may be dragons with intellect, but we are still basically animals. We mate, and we leave. Your devotion is extraordinary, given how you two are from different race. I know that you'll raise a good family with her, and I approve it."

Seraphor sighed and smiled back. He felt like he had found a common ground in their relationship.

"On one condition, though," said Xiciro with a smile. This sent shiver down Seraphor. That 'one condition' was something that he knew was coming, but unexpected.

"If even for once you felt your love with Avila was a bore and you decided to find another mate, I'll find you, and I will kill you," said Xiciro while still smiling, now with a menacing grin. "But do not ever for once think that your suffering will be swift. It will be painful, and you will regret your choice."

"No, I, uh...I love her from deep within my heart. I don't have any second thoughts on that!" "We'll see about that. But for now, would you like something to eat. Avet, my dear friend and assistant, is surprisingly a good cook himself. We can have a good dinner tonight."

"W-well, it's fine...I guess."

Seraphor wasn't sure if this was what he wanted in that situation, but he knew that in the end, he lost the bid of having a building relationship with Avila's father. He may look like he's a good old dragon, but one wrong action can lead to disasters. It ran down in the family, as Seraphor thought, and he was thinking about what he had found himself into.

For Xiciro, that intimidation was enough to make Seraphor knew his place. He chose Avila because of his pledge to love a dragon that had gotten enough time of her own mistakes. Xiciro knew that another betrayal can cause massive breakdown that even he could not cure, and he didn't want Avila to have that in her heart before she fulfills her end of the bargain with the Dark Angels, where she would prematurely leave the physical world to be an Angel of Death.

Even without the ancient writings from the archives Erakor had been maintaining, he knew the risks of becoming a Dark Angel from first-hand experience. The bargain to save Avila had great consequences, and Xiciro knew that, even with the pure love from Seraphor and him, Avila would need to fulfill the end of the bargain one day or another.

Before that happens, however, Xiciro would need to ensure that she would leave the world with happy face, and good life with a dragon of her choosing. It's not that Xiciro didn't want Avila to mate with other dragons, it's just she didn't have that much time left in the world, and Seraphor, the dragon that saved her in the first place, would be the only one that could save her later.

Xiciro thought that Seraphor was the right choice, given his history with Avila and their teamwork. If it wasn't for him, Avila would surely go down his path.

That night, despite awkward situations around Seraphor and Avila, it was quickly diminished when Avila started talking with Seraphor. Both appreciated each other's company. Xiciro went in and helped himself with the meat, while he came out in the middle of the night. The sloshing waves of the cliff made the night felt tranquil. He knew living near the sea was the right choice, even if it was ironic, given how his original home was left in ruins just in plain sight.

He was sitting by the cliff when Avet walked near him. The Argoon had never been so happy in his entire life. They became fast friends during and after that travel to Nia Baleth, with Avet deciding to become a dragon healer with Xiciro's teachings. The old Argoon never had any dragon student before, but he knew it would work well, especially if he was the same race with the same power.

"Living by the sea is the best way to live, eh?" said Avet while yawning. "Dragons like us don't go to sea that often."

"Except if you live in it."

"Oh, you mean the sea dragons? They don't live around the west, so I don't think they are going to become our guests for a very long time." Avet then looked at the grass and said, "So, this is the Western Region, huh?"

"Surprised that it isn't more...ragged?"

"Ragged? Oh, you mean like the Outback or the desert? No, I don't think so. I've been to the border area many times, so I know what the Western Region looked like. I'm just surprised that despite of the constant dangers, people here seems so lively. The humans like to party until it's morning, and the dragons, especially the young ones, likes to drink barrels of alcohol and get drunk. I've never seen dragons and humans so much alike."

"You can leave out the 'dragons get drunk' part. I do not want to enforce that lifestyle to you. But, Avet...how's the Argoons?"

Avet smiled and looked at Xiciro. "They refused the offer."

This surprised Xiciro. "Intriguing. Why so?"

"Some don't feel like going back to their ancestral home even if they want to. Nia Baleth is far too comfortable for many of them. But, Mitra told me the truth. They don't want to make the much smaller Western Region to suddenly be overpopulated by dragons migrating from the South. Even one dragon can cause the humans lose their hunting grounds. I'm surprised that dragons actually live around the Western Region and co-exist without even worrying about the food."

"We have our level of tolerance. That's the main reason of co-existence; you help each other."

Avet chuckled. "Feels like we are living in a children's story."

"It's not always that smooth, you know. So...who is the new elder?"

"Someone you don't personally know. We trust her as an elder, and she's quite well-versed in your history, too. Some Argoons considered moving to that Xici Kingdom in the middle of the meadow to find lost artifacts of our race. They want you to help, too."

"I'm honored to help the new elder, but when do I start?"

"Whenever you're ready," said Avet. "And whenever you can."

Xiciro smiled towards Avet and stood up, turning his back towards the sea and towards his home, content that the Argoons would take a good care to their history.

He knew his own story had not started yet, but he would do it later. For now, he thought, it would be a good time to see the start of a family.