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Night of the Blood Festival

Again, one day after that faithful encounter with the demon dragon, Avila was living as a normal dragoness again, and when she told her experience to Cynder, the dragon could only say, "I don't know, Avila. You might have a power to see supernaturals. Yorloka is the most dangerous demon dragon I knew from Jon, but I can't believe he fell to you."

"It's easy. He's weak, really," said Avila while trying to act cool.

"You can provoke his wrath, you know."

"I guess I won't."

"A'ight, you two dragons," said Jonathan's voice from the doors. "I'm assigning both of you to find foods and supplies to the city. It's the time of the festival, so Cynder, I'm assigning you with Avila. It's also the time for you to know about this world's festival."

"Festival? What is that?"

"What?! You don't know about what a festival is?!"

"I'm...really not good in human cultures. I like to live as a dragon and dragon only. So, because now I knew being stubborn is useless, I want to ask again. What is a festival?"

Jonathan sighed, feeling both weird and clueless to take the matter. He wanted to laugh, but it would make Avila disappointed, and also knowing the risk on having to agitate a dragon even if it's small proved fatal for a human. So, holding his laughter, he said, "A festival...let's just say, a place of events where you can find all sort of things from foods to games. It's annual, so you won't miss even one. The festival held here in the city is annual. You won't gonna see anything about the annual festival if we're talking, right? There's more than I can explain, and the sun is setting, so it's the climax."

"Yeah," said Cynder. "Also, if the humans started to get too many we'll get stuck and won't be able to get out. Also, the night means your eyesight will be worse. They'll light up the lights."

"Now I hate lights more than before," thought Avila. "Why is this place so bright that it makes my eyes dark?"

Avila knew she hated lights now, but she also knew taking too much time in the dark could also lead to her bad impression and darkness was not the best for her scales although she was basically a dark dragon. She never got this suggestion until Seraphor took her out from the darkness and suggested that she got sun-bath. She remembered he said, "Your scales look dull if you stay in the dark. It's a waste seeing those gleaming black scales pale, right?"

"Oh...I really miss him saying those pretty words...but won't change my condition, right?"

Seeing the long way to the platform (which was a cave opening which had natural rock formation for taking off), Avila used her style of take-off with differed with the more traditional take-off by hovering. Her silver red mate taught her the style because of knowing they both had small body size and always got into trouble, and it was very were synchronized with her wind power in short take-offs.

Readying herself, she ran fast, startled Jonathan and Cynder beside her. She ran as fast as she could toward the end of the platform. But because of bad timing, she opened her wings too late and she almost fell if it wasn't for her wind power, which lifted her up. Cynder that ran toward the edge of the platform then smiled with her toothy grin and said, "My ancestors, Avila. That's one hell of a take-off! I never seen any take-offs like that!"

Avila, while flying, said, "Really? I am accustomed to this kind of flying, actually."

"I prefer my style. Anyway, let's go to the fest. We won't gonna make it if it closes."

They then flew toward an opening, where they could land slowly and safely without risking other creatures. They then walked into the fest, and Avila needed guidance from Avila as they were around very bright lights. After they walked a while (with Cynder that used her metal-covered tail tip to guide Avila around by tapping on the way she was walking), Cynder stopped at a rather dark place where Avila could now see pretty well.

"You're really a pain in the ass if you can't walk under lights, you know," said Cynder. "We can't even enjoy the fest."

"Sorry...I am such a burden..."

"But I can't even enjoy anything if you think of everything is your fault. Alright...we don't need any shits, right? We're here."

"A dark place? It's not a good place for a food merchant to open a store, right?"

"You'll be surprised when you see the dragon and the human that owned this place. Hey, is anyone in?"

After Cynder said that another voice replied her with, "Usual thing? I've got plenty, but we're currently out of meat."

"It's alright. Jon asked me on supplies."

The voice went silent, but then Avila heard locks being opened, and after that she saw the man who had the store.

Because of being color blind, Avila could only see the man had pale skin, even paler than most of the people in the Sentinel. He also used shades despite of the dark place and moreover the man also used black trench coat, and that made him even mysterious.

"So, little dragon, come on in. From the usual door, of course." His voice was deep like an old man, but his feature was like a young adult.

"Okay, then. Where's Varkast?"

"He's at the back, repairing my canopy," replied the man. "Okay, for that new dragon member, be careful. He's fond on young girl's blood...like me."

"Uh...yeah, thanks for the...advice."

When the man went back in, Avila then turned her head to Cynder and said, "That human is scary...huh...."

"Well...he's a vampire, much like his dragon, Varkast."

"What is a vampire?"

"Your world doesn't acknowledge vampire lore? They're mythical creature of the night said to stalk humans to drink their blood to attain immortality, because without blood, they'll surely die. I don't know any lore regarding Varkast's origins, though. Wait, you met Javoux, right? He's a vampire dragon."

"So...he'll drink me?!"

"Hell no! Javoux is not like Varkast! He's a vegetarian."

"What?"

"Hello, ladies," said a voice. "What you want back here?"

"Oh...hi...what are you workin' on?"

"Nothing, just Jose's canopy."

Avila then saw the dragon in full, and was quite surprised the dragon, unlike the other dark dragons, had quite a bright pure white scale and nice blue eyes that Avila couldn't even believe it was a dragon, and thought it was a ghost. He also had a cleaner back, with no ridges and at first glance Avila could tell it was a she (as female dragons didn't had extensive decorative ridgeback), and moreover, as a two-legged, he had a pretty good small claws that almost proved Avila it was a female.

"Oh, Jose told me about what you want, Cindy. The package had just arrived this morning, but I think your friend forgot about them and it takes it here."

"Thanks...but don't call me Cindy. My name is Cynder."

"It's hard to pronounce your real name," said Varkast. He turned his head to Avila. "What's your name?"

"I...I'm Avila," said Avila while shivering a little. The white dragon then walked closer to her, and he saw her with pure satisfaction. When they were just so close, Varkast opened his mouth to talk, and Avila could see two longer and sharp canine teeth from his top.

"Avila...huh? Nice name...and nice smell indeed...."

"Uh...thanks...but can you move away?"

"Oh? Leaving so soon? I...want to smell your body again..."

Avila knew if this continued she would be bitten and she really didn't want to get drained. Without thinking, she touched Varkast with her front paw and used her fear power, and instantly Varkast pulled himself away from Avila, but he smiled instead of being scared.

"Nice...that was a great illusion you got there. But, was that supposed to be my death? Being burned by angry mobs? You know, although I'm a vampire, I can't be burned that easily. Well, I know you're uneasy about my approach, so I'm sorry. My name is Varkast, but you can call me Ark if you want. As you can see, Cindy and I had been acquainted for sometimes, and she always go here whenever your Sentinel needed weapons."

"Weapons? The supplies were weapons?"

"You do know the problem around here, right?" When he turned his head to Cynder, the black dragoness just shook her head. Varkast sighed and said, "You're a new member, aren't you?"

"Not...really new, if you ask me."

"But it's just for at least a week, so it's still pretty new for me. The weapons are at the back, Cindy."

After Cynder left, Varkast gestured Avila to go to the corner, and said, "Something from you is not right, Avila. That illusion felt real, as if...as if I'm going to die sooner or later. It's like my death premonition came true. Although I knew I won't be dead that easily by flame, you...you're like an angel of death."

"But that's...not what I intended to do."

"Avila...hear my advice. Whatever you do, don't give away your power, not even to Cindy. Cindy had the same power as you, but you're better and deadlier. If I didn't let go from your claws, I'll be forced to kill myself, believing that this life I had is not real. You'll kill your friends, now I know the power was strong enough to even convince a vampire that they're not dead, as we're considered dead by the time our blood became immortal."

"But...you're alive!"

"I don't want to tell you this, but death is our enemy, and now you carry that power inside you. I don't want to be enemies with dragonesses since they had nice blood and everything...but..."

"But what?"

Right before Varkast could open his mouth, he sensed Cynder coming out from the warehouse and he instantly turned and said, "You found them?"

"This crate, right?" said Cynder while pulling a black wooden crate. "These weapons can't be transported that easily with our small body, so why the hell Jon ordered this much?!"

"Ask your leader. I'm just a merchant dragon."

After they had left, Cynder that was taking Avila said, "What did Varkast talk to you about?"

"Nothing...he just asks about my first impression with the Sentinel, that's all," said Avila, lying. "But, what do you mean by the supplies are weapons?"

"You know that we got problems with weapons, right? From Varkast if he told you?" said Cynder while dragging the heavy box with her tail. "The Light got advanced weaponry and some magic despite of not having many dragons. We're losing more and more dragon forces these days, and yet.... Look, war is tough. There is this time I met a young black dragon, around the same age with me. We talked after being introduced to each other and even quickly became friends. The next day I found his headless body. Ironically, I was the first dragon to find the corpse, while he was the first male I can quickly became friend to. From there, I know...nothing will last these days. You're lucky you're still alive for a week despite of being a new member.

"Being in an unlucky state is hard, but despite on being as our 13thmember, you're strong, and I can believe in you on that."

They returned back to the Sentinel cave (with Coraero helping, which he was somehow at the same time in the festival), and because of exhausted, Cynder went to sleep early, while Avila that shared her room with Cynder couldn't sleep. She was thinking on what Varkast was saying, and of course she couldn't believe the vampire dragon. How could she made such powerful fear that could even be classified as real. Yet, she was thinking on her own physical appearance. Somehow, since the lost of color to her vision, she started to see that the glitter on her body was gone and her claws grew rapidly. She also saw that her two front teeth started to become long, like a vampire, and feared Varkast had infected her.

"But...this is worse than that," thought Avila. "I...I don't know what happened to me now. Something's must've been happening to me when...when I was thrown to this place. Somehow, I felt lonely, but being with her...I felt like I'm myself."

Seeing Cynder's slender sleeping body, she could imagine how the dragoness had lived without her companion, the dragon she once said to be her first and true love. Could Avila did the same thing as the black dragoness? When she was thinking she was too tired and went to sleep.