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Friends in Low Places

Seraphor wasn't sure which of the dragons there he wanted to start befriend to. Some of them were in the middle of their own things, and wasn't able to do anything except drinking and eating like an addict. He could see some wasn't ODed yet, but he could determine that they weren't the one to be friends to, since he only see those with OD symptoms.

Now, he was with Bartoz, since he knew only by together did they not got picked up by any of their 'mutual friends', for he found many of the Parusans among the dragons. He tried to be as discreet as possible in asking the others. Being in a prison mixed with mental institution and rehab like in the movies was something different than making friends in 'One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest'. He had enemies around him, and this was real life, not human's movies.

Just when he realized the fact he faced, a dragon approached the small dragon from the side and caught him unaware. This dragon was old, and somehow he was tortured, not because of pain, but because of other things.

Seraphor helped the dragon from falling, but of course he knew this dragon was bigger and heavier than him. He couldn't lift him without the earth element and thus he fell under him. His decision to stick together was true, as Bartoz could lift him.

"Oh fuck...what this old geezer is doing?" said Seraphor while panting. "He almost crushes me."

"Sera, stop talking too much."

The dragon was like withering. While he was old, his scales weren't all that healthy from the old dragons Seraphor had met. His scales had started to peel off, his pupils were wide, and he was straining to even breathe.

"Hey, are you alright?" said Seraphor slowly as to not pull too much attention to the commotion. He scanned every dragon around him. They were either oblivious of the condition or scared. He moved the dragon aside and realized something on the dragon's back.

"Bartoz, this dragon..."

"What's it?"

Just there Bartoz saw what Seraphor meant. While the dragon himself was normal in many senses, his body was very stream-lined, like it was modeled for moving fast. Aside from it being a wingless dragon, this dragon also drying like a dried squid. What stood up above all else were his claws, being webbed to each other like a merman or some sort. He also had fins on his back and he had a fishy smell.

"Shit...this old geezer is a sea dragon," whispered Seraphor. "Bartoz, find a water. Filter it first. I know his intentions."

After Bartoz was gone, the dragon, with his strength, weakly said, "Young dragon...I'm not going to drink anything my enemies give."

"It's alright, dragon. We can assure you that it's safe to drink. I know you're not drinking laced water, aren't you? You know this will only kill you."

"It's better like that. I've lost everything in this hell and you better kill me if you have a chance...before the potions drive you insane."

"You must survive. Suicide is something I hate very much. We'll help you."

"What do you know about losing so much of your pride and lived on by it?"

"I...we...have lost them a long time ago."

Bartoz came with a filtered trough of water. Even after getting out of trouble carrying the trough, he managed to take two of them, just in case the brains in their plans needed them. He somehow got just that. Just as Bartoz put one near him Seraphor took another trough and splashed it over the sea dragon. He regained his will when some water went into his mouth. He coughed for the sudden freshness he got, and how he didn't get sick.

"W...what? But this is fresh water.... How did you..."

"Relax, sea dragon. We'll get you a salty one. You have to get healthy to survive this place."

"W...what are you dragons?"

"Don't be alarmed. Bart, stay with him. I'll go get some sea water."

"How do you plan to do that if we're on the Cliffside?"

"I haven't told you about the Cliffside. What are you suggesting?"

"You did say this place has a ton of rock layers..."

"That's this prison's floor layer, you idiot. Some of this place is under the sea and we're on level with it. Some part of the courtyard was facing the sea, and there was also a gutter leading to the sea. When the high tide kicks in, which is now, I'll get a good bucketful of water."

"Where do you plan on getting that bucket? We only have troughs and..."

Seraphor then pulled a bowl from a nearby sleeping dragon. It was big enough for drinking and was enough for a little salty water. Without talking, Seraphor rushed to the gutter he found yesterday and as he knew it, it was full of sea water. He scooped one with his legs and rushed back, only to meet another dragon. He then glared and said, "What do you want to do with that sea water, whelp?"

"Oh, so this is a Parusan," thought Seraphor. "I might as well talk a sense with him."

"So, what's with that bowl?"

"I...want to drink."

"So? There's a trough around this courtyard. Why do you want to drink a gutter full of sea water?"

"It's nice. I like sea water. They are so salty and very nice in the mouth you won't even get a taste. It's refreshing for your scales and brains. I like them."

"Whelp, maybe you aren't thinking straight, but that water is not for drinking."

"Those are just trash. This is treasure."

The Parusan, that was a yellow dragon carrying a big sword on his side, just sighed and said, "That potion the witch made really cause whelps to lose their minds. I feel bad for them..."

As Seraphor walked away from the Parusan, he just made a smirk and thought, "What an idiot."

He returned back to the dragon and secretly put the water inside his maws, trying not to spill them. It worked, and the sea dragon was refreshed to the point he could move his body normally. He stood and said, "You two are going to make differences in here."

"We'll be trying to help you should any problem arises. We'll survive this place."

"I should have known you're the dragons occupying the cell across of me. My name is Kranos."

"I'm Bartoz. This silver red here is Sera..."

"Stop.... I know you, young dragon. Seraphor the silver red...what a great chance to meet the hero of the whole Western Region. When I first saw you, I never believed a strong dragon like him would be in here. There must be a reason why you are here."

"We're also caught while defending the allies. We need to find a way to get out from this place or at least make a connection to the outside world. We've got reliable friends."

"Well...I cannot say we're going to die here. These dragons lost their hopes before, but of course you two can lift it."

"That's what we're trying to do. We can't risk being exposed as the dragons from Xici kingdom. They'll kill us for sure. Right now, Kranos, is how we raise the morale around here while being as discreet as possible."

"Then, there's one thing you should know. We'll talk later in the cell. Again, thanks for giving me a hope."

That night...

"Most of the dragons here are being put under control with a strong potion. I don't know what, but the potion has traces of dark magic in it, and it was so strong it could never be drink by humans; otherwise they'll drop dead in agony. It's designed to induce hallucinations and relaxing a dragon's nerve system, giving them a relaxed look and those nasty-looking eyes hungry for more. Aside from that I can't tell you more."

"So this potion is darkness-based," said Bartoz while lying down. "That explains the funny aura I absorb whenever I took them."

"What you can do...." He paused for a moment to take a drink at the filtered water. "Is to find any Perusans willing to help you."

This made a surprise to both of them. They suddenly said, "What?!"

"I'm not lying. The Cerbesans are too broken to fight back. What you can do now is to forge an alliance with them, as this will help you."

"How are we supposed to make a friend from those fucking traitors if we are too prone to kill them, huh? That's not giving a hope, that's giving up!"

Kranos sighed. "Just make sure you take this advice. It's useless if they were just dominating all of us like landlords and we are their slaves. Look, Seraphor the silver red, I know you're angry to them, but what I've always heard from you, you're a very violent dragon. Now, I can understand why. You're so full of anger."

"That's what makes us survive, Kranos. Just tell us how to kill them."

"Violence is not always an option, Seraphor. Right now, with you unable to use those terrifying powers, cooperation is always the only thing necessary. Sea dragons are always very calm in calculating the movements of the winds and waves, something a land-bound dragon doesn't have."

"But...I thought we have to raise the hope of the dragons...not demoralizing them by making our enemies as allies. The Cerbesans are still our best lead and they can help the riot."

"Then what can you do to their conditions? Even if the Cerbesans are still okay, they won't help Western dragons. Cerbesans and Parusans are natives to the Southern Region, and you're not famous around here."

Seraphor hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure all of his plans were working as they should be and now a suggestion he felt better than his plan was came up and he had no idea of another plan he had. The dragon really wished Shyplis was there, as he always thought about a backup plan faster than Seraphor. Yet, despite of it being a better idea, he didn't like the idea of teaming up with an enemy. He turned his head to Bartoz and stared at the black dragon, unsure on what to do.

Bartoz knew his problems, knowing that Seraphor had never done that before. In fact, all dragons Bartoz knew never done that. Making a hope from the strong fit of survival is not how dragons do things. They tended to follow their instincts for their own survival, but this time Seraphor, a civilized dragon and the one with a humane feeling, must become the hope over the dragons.

Just as Seraphor wanted to silently leave Kranos' conversation, did Bartoz stood to the cell bar facing Kranos, and said "Kranos, I know that Seraphor...really want to survive."

This took Seraphor's attention. And when the silver red turned, Bartoz knew he was correct. He quickly continued.

"Despite of having strong powers and devastating wrath, Sera is still a 34-years old dragon. He never ages much throughout the century, and many dragons made fun of him until they saw that he was the strongest and deadliest dragon I've ever known. All of us fight the anti-dragons for ages, and ages seem short for us now. We are all involved in the war, but I understand the dragons want more peace to the world than the humans do. What we all need right now is how to find the hope without making us like weaklings."

Kranos went silent for a moment, before saying, "Do what you must. We are going to have a very long day for a while."

While the three of them were sleeping, Seraphor kept thinking. The hope he wanted to make was actually something that was more like making the dragons sane. But Kranos hoped more than that. He kept thinking about it when sleeping, and in the end, when morning came, he couldn't even think other than trying to help them.