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After the first attack from the first Northern dragon that ever came to the west (at least from recorded history), the dragons and their riders started to become aware that their danger didn't only come from the Dragonsbane, but from a potentially dangerous dragon group. The western dragons never knew them because of their long hibernation, but based on Cordandar, the dragon that was killed, named Kaartas, was one of the four dragons known in legends as the World Eaters. Despite of his truthful, but mocking remarks that the dragons had no chance on killing the rest of them, one dragon wasn't taking it seriously.

"Great, not only that we are fighting against dangerous northern dragons, but now we must fight three more Alduins," said Spyro. "Tell me that I'm wrong comparing a video game character to real life?"

"Uh...Spyro, take this seriously, will you?" said Seraphor to his counterpart. The purple dragon then went into silence for the rest of the discussion, until they went out from Cordandar's holding cage.

"So based on what Cordandar said, the four dragons are named Gothen, Akkelas, Madsen, and Kaartas. They are never named as such in stories from the north due to their similarly legendary status as they were with Grandos. Still...the reason why dragons as dangerous as them are loose is because of Shirdan," said Avila.

"And again, we all know that Shirdan is conditioned by Cordandar, so it's uncertain whether he was conscious when he opened the place, or it was one of Cordandar's. Either way, only Rhaynis can keep him from not telling the truth," said Seraphor

Upon hearing that, Avila pulled Seraphor away from Spyro's side, making the purple dragon confused on what the black dragon was doing. Seraphor was also wondering about Avila's action, but he got the answer when they were near a place where they were alone.

"Sera, I don't know what to say about this, but since when our daughter becomes like that?"

"What are you talking about? She's a serious bookworm since she knew how to read books."

"I thought Vysy is the silent, serious type! Why is she acting like a little human girl playing with her dolls?"

"Look, whatever problems you have with our daughter, it's not my call. I only knew it recently, and apparently Vysrenis knew about it, too."

"This is serious, Sera. Rhaynis may be an innocent hatchling, but her hypnosis abilities must stay in check, or else she will not be the nice dragon she is now."

"I understand about it, Avila. Why are we talking about her while we're having a bigger threat?"

"Because we are supposed to be living normally until that clone of our old nemesis kill Yort and unleashed four dragons with potential of ending this world as we know it! Not to mention your condition!"

"I am okay, Avila. A year inside the Shadow dimension is enough to make me fit somewhat."

"You got a cardiac arrest! Sera, learn to know that your family is worried about you. Your reckless actions can actually cost your life."

"When have I ever make you feel worried like this, Vila?"

"Since always. Keep Rhaynis out of this matter, Sera. I'm warning you. We don't know the extent of her power. One wrong step and Shirdan would lose his mind."

Seraphor was well-aware of the risk letting his daughter do the dirty works. Hypnosis wasn't something you want to overuse, even if you're a dragon. But then, the fate of the world still depends on them, and Seraphor had no other information regarding the Northern dragon. For the first time, he had no idea of what's happening.

While Seraphor and Avila were having a dilemma in the situation, Shirdan, currently laying on a haystack given to him, was thinking about his mistakes, wanting to atone for his sins for disturbing a peaceful life the dragons had been taking for more than 50 years. Yet deep in his heart he was actually trying to exact vengeance for the Order for destroying his life. Yet, betrayed by Cordandar was one of the worst betrayal he had ever known, even more than the betrayal of his father and some humans claiming to help him when he was but a youngling.

Now, in the middle of a bustling dragon city, surrounded by dragon heroes and legendary figures, he couldn't help but feeling so small. Not only because of his status as Ceroz's second existence, but due to Ceroz's own preferred sexuality, he couldn't help but realize that he found male dragons to be attractive.

"Wait, what?" thought Shirdan. "I didn't just imagine that, right? Ceroz was...homosexual? No, I can't just think that because he's a homosexual dragon I am one, too! My memories are completely different from him!"

Just when Shirdan was thinking about Ceroz's sexuality, Bartoz approached him and said, "Hey, kid, I really sorry about your predicament right now. You know, I was unwilling to be in their rank, but...I kinda died because of turning my back of them."

Shirdan was cut from his trail of thoughts and said, "W-well, that's unfortunate."

"Over the past 50 years we were trying to find similar dragons that had been manipulated by that creep. I'm really glad he's dead. I can't bear watching my friends suffer because of me. Anyway, since now Cordandar said that you're Ceroz's clone, do you feel egoistic? Prone to rule the world? Like to exclaim things and announcing techniques?"

"What? No...I don't feel like that. But egoistic is something I'm proud of. Though right now I don't feel like to boast myself."

Bartoz smiled. "Guess you're not as heartless as your original."

Shirdan then said, "Did you said you died?"

"Kinda. You won't understand. Care to know?"

Shirdan wasn't a fully brawn dragon, so he wanted to know any knowledge in this world. It was this trait that saved him many times. He then nodded.

"Now that part is one that's similar to Ceroz in many ways. I can't die until there's no more shadows in this world. Easy to grasp, but if you ask me about how I can stay alive with an abstract concept like a shadow...I don't know. It just works. I can't even remember how long I have been living in this world, feeding on people's shadow. Even my last rider had died."

"You have a rider?"

"I can't blame human's lifespan for dying so soon. In my case, I can't even blame dragon's lifespan, either."

"Kind of sucks if you see everything in negative, huh?" said Shirdan.

"Are you referring to me or to Avila? She literally see everything in negative. It helps in many ways, but as far as I know her, I can see that she cannot make a difference between light and dark."

"I kind of pursuing immortality myself, to be honest. I know a dragon's lifespan is long enough, but I'd love to be a nice-looking male forever, if you..."

Shirdan realized his mistake. Bartoz quickly knew what Shirdan was referring and the yellow dragon closed his mouth immediately, turning away in shame. But instead of being repulsed, the black dragon smiled and said, "You're different, aren't you?"

"What?! No! I was just...you know, it's just an opinion."

"That's kind of sexual, don't you think?" said Bartoz, now with a sneer. Shirdan knew he was screwed. Dragons were not normally homosexual in nature, but some tend to have different psychological experience. They might need the companionship of males instead of females. (In fact, all species and races always have gays)"

"Hey, don't worry, dude. It's okay for being gay. It's just a matter of accepting what you are," said Bartoz.

"This is Ceroz's mind, not mine!"

"You don't need to be open-minded about it. If you want it to stay secret, that's fine. What matters is your acceptance. That's all."

Shirdan nodded; despite of being an intimidating presence, Bartoz gave him a good speech. While it would need time until the dragon accept his sexual preference, there were things he knew he shouldn't talk about.

"Anyway, Shirdan, I know it's kind of overwhelming, but now you're here, you wanna help the Order?"

This surprised Shirdan to the point he lashed out.

"I killed one of you! There's no way I can be accepted into your dragon club! In fact, I am the one unleashing the danger that caused your peacetime disturbed! I prefer to be left alone and make me get away."

"Whoa, whoa, chill out!" said Bartoz immediately. "I don't mean to offend you, kid, I just offering you an opening."

"Oh, now you replace the dragon I killed? That's even more insulting!"

"Hey, tone down your voice before anyone hear you!" When both of them didn't see that any dragon would care, Bartoz then said, "We are all aware about your actions, but we don't give out this information to the younger members. The senior members give you a chance of redemption, so you have two choices. If you accept my offer, you will follow our rank, but you'll be under constant watch by me. If you refuse, we will give you an hour for you to leave us alone. Unless you decided to finish what you started, we won't tell them your actions. And also, we don't replace Yort. He's already dead, and he's a senior member. You're with the younger ones."

"But you said..."

"Only if we tell them about your actions," said Bartoz reassuring. "When you're trying to confess, we all agreed that your act could not be called a genuine killer, and with Cordandar's revelation, the younger members thought that he's the killer while you're a puppet sent to spy on us. Not everyone knows about the Pol Hain Assault, and especially not dragons under a hundred years old."

"I still need to take up my share of the guilt, right? In fact, I may not be the one orchestrating these whole thing, but I am still the one pulling the trigger...to quote from a certain human. I am still the one to blame."

"And that's why you passed the test. You're a true dragon, not a snake like your original. You have that pride in you that can inspire and influence other dragons and humans. Seraphor sensed that in you, as do Riant and Ramusk. I'm not sure what to say, but the three of them seems to know how to make dragons unite, especially Seraphor. I don't know what he is, but he's not dangerous because of his abilities and destructive capabilities, but he somehow can make friends with those that we can considered villains. Avila, Angelus, Rex, Xerocia, Ernest, and even I...are all in his debt, in any ways possible. I hope you are, too."

Before Bartoz left Shirdan to think, the black dragon turned his head around and said, "Never fear. That's what a dragon's good of."

Shirdan wasn't sure if he understand Bartoz's cryptic advice, but nevertheless, the yellow dragon's current problem is his decision. He knew that Seraphor had actually forgiven him, but his mate couldn't do that, as do Xiciro, one of Cordandar's former ally. He almost killed the dark dragon. As Avila loved her father (being the only Argoon dragon around), it would be weird if Avila was indifferent about her father's ailment.

As he was thinking about his decision, he saw a dragon approached him again. He thought it was Seraphor, but at second glance, it was a feminine body and smaller than Seraphor. Not only that, she had her wings with her.

"What do you want?" said Shirdan with a snort. Seeing her there made him realize that he was a weak-minded dragon, easy to be influenced by a youngling.

"I'm sorry for what I've made you through," said Rhaynis. "But...I ask grandpa to return here because I...want to tell you that whatever to want to say to me, our friendship is genuine."

Shirdan was surprised. "What?! You hypnotized me to be friends with you and now you're claiming that it's genuine? Am I the one losing my mind here?"

Shirdan's agitated expression made Rhaynis flinched, but she stayed in her place and said, "My mom had just known it...but I can control my powers for a year now. Vysrenis helped me with it since we're twins and we understood each other more. I can choose when I influence a dragon or not. When you talk to me, I only influenced you to give me your name. To be truth, I never thought that our conversation would continue despite of not hypnotizing you again. Don't you remember?"

It was true. Shirdan momentarily lost his memories when he started talking to the young dragon. He didn't remember talking about Cordandar, but he _remembered_talking with Rhaynis.

"Whoa, whoa, wait...does that mean..."

"My dad's not in a condition to fight more than one of those monsters," said Rhaynis with a very adult undertone. "We are too young to be involved, so the only hope are for those that have found their calling, and found the choice matter to them."

While Shirdan was still confused, Rhaynis turned around and said, "Still, I value our friendship, Shirdan. I wish...the next time we meet again, we can be proper friends. Will you do that to me?"

Now, with Rhaynis re-assuring him, something inside Shirdan somehow awakened. Knowing that there was still good in him, he knew the only thing he could do was to atone for the sins he had done, not to run from it. To honor the only genuine friend he ever had in his life, his decision was made.

Back to Seraphor, he was quite surprised when he saw Rhaynis was walking away from Shirdan, thinking that she was back to his lair before the fight with the dragon called Kaartas. But after a short explanation from his daughter, he sighed in relief.

"So, how's he?"

"He's nicer than I thought. I might want to marry him someday."

Seraphor laughed. "Rhaynis, he's a hundred years older than you."

"Well, a girl can always wish, right? Anyway, he has something to say to you."

True to what Rhaynis said, Shirdan approached both Seraphor and Avila. As he had predicted, Avila was glaring at him and baring her snake-like teeth slightly, which almost discouraged Shirdan when Seraphor said, "So, you've decided, then?"

Shirdan scoffed. "I might accept your offer directly if not for your wife glaring at me like I'm an ex of her. No offense, Seraphor."

"None taken. She's just angry for you blinding her in the middle of the night, that's all."

"Oh...all I want to say is, I accept your offer, and I fully accepted the condition you gave me...yet I want to ask you something in return."

"Well, we can at least hear about it from you, right? Besides, if you don't have anything to ask in return, it's practically slavery. So what you want to say?"

"I can only say this to adults, Rhaynis."

Rhaynis somehow understood, then walked away from the group. When Shirdan determined that the silver red dragoness was out of ear-shot, he said, "I am inclined to males, like my 'father'."

This surprised Seraphor to the point he exclaimed, "You're gay?!"

"Shh...this is supposed to be a secret!"

Again, checking that no dragons heard that, Seraphor whispered, "Are you saying is...you're gay, and Ceroz was also gay? No wonder of that sexual talk to me!"

"I only ask you this. I don't want to betray Rhaynis' trust on me. And apparently...my kind is not very...welcome here."

"Oh...you gotta know one more dragon that is similar to you. Luckily, he's married to a Southerner," said Seraphor. "Yes, we'll keep this a secret. Does any dragons know about this?"

"There was one black dragon I told to before." "Then your secret is still safe. You can trust him. But, I'll change the term. You won't be working with the younger members of the Order, since you lack a rider and that Bear Shifter is not a rider in any sense. Due to your susceptible condition, you'll work with me," said Seraphor. "Also, the moment when you tried to change your mind, we have a very big place for you to go...and it's a place worse than any prisons you can imagine." Though Seraphor was smiling with that draconic face, Shirdan couldn't help to wonder how that smile was a devious one, and he cringed because of it. The silver red didn't try to make him a slave or prisoner, but his conditions basically made him unable to escape.

As the silver red walked past, he gulped when he saw Avila with the glare and dark aura around her. He laughed nervously when Avila said, "You still need a taste of my darkness for what you did last night, asshole."

Despite of what ended there, thus Shirdan joined the hero's group, the Order of the Dragon, to combat the trouble he caused. The yellow dragon was relieved for a chance to atone his sin, but he still couldn't deny the fact that Ceroz was his original self.

But he knew the darkness and light duo could stop him when he's out of the line...though he needed it to be swift and without pain, not like what both promised to him.