“You think I will not find a way?” Valerius growled. “You underestimate me.”
“Once Caden is a part of us… we will have a part of you,” the brothers said.
Illarion’s head shot towards Valerius. His mouth opened in real horror then. And Valerius realized what a simple plan this would be. If they could control him through Caden…
“We need to get to Caden now!” Illarion shouted.
Valerius didn’t bother answering, but instead staggered towards the broken window, intending to leap out of it, and then shift before taking to the air. But he got exactly two steps before his legs gave out from underneath him. If it hadn’t been for Illarion catching him at the last moment, he would have collapsed completely. The Behemoth laughed raucously.
“Not so strong, Raziel! Welcome to our embrace soon! And then none shall stand before us!” the brothers hissed.
“Whoa! You are like a drunk man, Valerius! Tell me where Caden is, I will go get him,” Illarion said.
“I--I can’t. He’s in and out of consciousness. I can only try and retrace his steps,” Valerius ground out.
“How? Can you shift? I do not think you can!” Illarion cried as his gaze went from Valerius’ swaying form to the broken window.
Iolaire! Raziel cried.
It was trying to rise to its feet as well, but its legs trembled beneath its huge black body and it fell to the ground. A feeling that Valerius had not been familiar with in centuries filled him: helplessness. Caden was in trouble. He could barely feel the young man! The pain and after effects of the gas were still lingering but the connection to Caden was thin as a needle.
He’s unconscious! Valerius realized.
And he needed Valerius to track him, but Illarion was blastedly right: he couldn’t shift! Pride threatened to overwhelm him again, to tell Illarion he could do this on his own, but hadn’t he just been explaining to Illarion that this was wrong thinking? That they were all connected? That only together they could take on the Behemoth?
“I--I need you to carry me,” Valerius gritted out. “I can’t shift.”
“Excuse me? Could you repeat that? I do not think I heard you correctly,” Illarion said with a smile threatening to cross his lips.
“Is Caden being in danger funny?” Valerius asked. “I need you to carry me!”
The smile died as Illarion was reminded again of the real danger. “I will carry you.”
We’ve all gotten lazy with being the apex predators, Valerius thought grimly. The Behemoth is showing us how wrong we were.
Without further discussion, Illarion swept Valerius off of his feet and carried him out of the window in one leap. He became a mist from what Valerius could tell before almost instantaneously becoming the Green Dragon. Mephous curled one powerful hand around Valerius’ body as it rose into the air with a tree-flattening flap of its mighty wings. As soon as they were above roof-level, Mephous stared down at him, looking for instructions. To have the power of the Green Dragon instead of having to face it was so strange, almost intoxicating, but also right. They should always have been fighting together. Now they had a common foe.
Valerius pointed towards the business district right before the wall that separated the Mid and High Reach. He had seen that through Caden’s eyes moments before the connection had cut out.
“Somewhere along the road and the wall was where he was taken!” Valerius shouted, wishing for the first time, he could communicate mind to mind with Illarion.
Only Iolaire! Do not want Mephous! Want Iolaire! Raziel cried.
It was terrible to see its wings half unfurled and its eyes dazed with pain and need. Valerius understood. They had underestimated the Behemoth both in going into this bedroom half-cocked and in letting Caden track down Landry. Perhaps this had been the plan all along. Perhaps the Behemoth had wanted to separate them and lead Caden away. Like it had said, claim Caden and Valerius would potentially be open to being taken over. Take over Valerius and Raziel… it didn’t bear thinking about.
Green eyes in Mephous’ massive head narrowed and then it was streaking towards the direction he had described and pointed towards. Mephous followed the curving road, eyes scanning from side to side for any sign of Caden or Iolaire. What they did find was shocking and completely unexpected.
“THERE! It’s Anwar!” Valerius shouted as he pointed towards a nude figure sprawled out on the asphalt.
Anwar wasn’t alone. There were four teenagers surrounding the Silver Dragon King. Anwar was trying to get up. He was shaking his head as if to clear it. All of the kids pointed upwards at Mephous--the great Green Dragon--who likely colored many of their nightmares from how he was described in the news and now, here he was, just above them. Their mouths were open in shock and their hair was blown back into their faces as Mephous lowered to about thirty-feet from the ground before shifting back into Illarion’s human form.
Illarion kept hold of Valerius when landed lightly. Valerius felt rather like a maiden being saved from a Dragon in Illarion’s arms. The kids were pointing some more. Illarion let him down, but kept a firm hold on him nonetheless so he didn’t collapse. They moved as one towards Anwar.
“Anwar! Anwar! Can you hear us?” Valerius asked as they reached the Silver Dragon King.
Anwar had managed to sit up, but there was blood trailing down one temple. He lifted a hand to it and winced. The wound was fading, but it had been brutal enough to take him out. Valerius’ heart lodged in his throat. Caden had been taken by these people. Anwar’s gaze still seemed a little unfocused as he looked at Illarion and Valerius.
“Little Dragon, where is Caden?” Illarion demanded of Anwar.
