Chapter 9 Last Battle #2
Evren crackled with light as it took a spot by Scylla’s side. Eldoron and Lana moved as one to fill in next to Zephyra. All that was left was for Raziel to take its place in the circle and send the Behemoth to whatever was beyond this place and hope it stayed there for a very long time.
Raziel did not know if the other Dragons would join them or if fear would hold them back. Raziel has its kin. That would be enough to do what had to be done. Yet Raziel hoped the others would join them, would free themselves from the Behemoth’s evil and slavery.
It was then that the big yellow Dragon bumbled into Raziel’s view, following after Lana as if it were attached to the Turquoise Dragon on a string.
The others let out snuffled sounds of alarm.
The yellow Dragon looked back and forth between its formerly enslaved brethren and Lana.
The desire to go after the Turquoise Dragon was so strong, but fear had the titanic yellow one hesitating.
The Behemoth’s gaze swung towards these others that still hunkered down behind Raziel.
It smiled. It clearly had other hopes for them, too.
Come. Join us, Raziel said to these others.
The titanic gray Dragon shifted. Raziel imagined that at one time it had been a strong fighter as brave--and arrogant--as Mephous was at times. Its head lifted up at Raziel’s words. It was not a command. It was an offer. These Dragons had been abused too much to demand they join.
Shake off your mental shackles. Reclaim your lives, Raziel urged.
Vozyth took a step forward, but then stopped. She grimaced as if angry by her indecision.
Against me and mine, the Behemoth is nothing. Add your strength to ours and we may be able to send the Behemoth away forever, Raziel stated.
Send me away? Bah! They are mine! They are me! If I am gone, what are they? The Behemoth challenged. Nothing! Let me prove it to you!
Raziel felt the vibrations like the coming of a storm.
All of its kin lifted their heads and sniffed the air as if they sensed danger.
Mephous shook its head, snorting out more poison.
Magma burst from Xipil’s lips. Light flashed from Evren’s jaws.
Storm clouds built above them as Scylla called upon the rain.
Lana added its voice to the storm. Zephyra reared up while Eldoron gave Lana cover.
At first, Raziel could not understand where these vibrations were coming from.
The Behemoth’s jaws were closed. It did not appear to be making any sounds.
Its eyes were half-shut as if it were about to take a nap.
This was odd compared to its earlier words.
But that was when the others started to move.
The one step that Vozyth had made became two then three.
The titanic yellow Dragon that had nearly followed Lana also was moving, too now.
But not towards the Turquoise Dragon, but to the Behemoth!
It’s calling to them, Raziel! Scylla shouted.
My skin crawls! Make it stop! Eldoron yelled, covering its body with its golden wings.
Ah! My ears bleed with it! Lana cried and shook its head violently.
If they join with it again, we’ve lost everything! Zephyra added its voice to the others.
Take it down! We need to take it down! Xipil shouted.
But Raziel knew that this wouldn’t be enough. The other Dragons would be left vulnerable forever. They would be half given over to the Behemoth if they just destroyed it now.
You are the king of kings, Raziel! Not just of us, but of all Dragon-kind! Even the Behemoth bows to you! Mephous said to the Black Dragon. Show them who you are, Raziel!
And after all this time when it had been Valerius and Raziel cutting Illarion and Mephous down for not recognizing this fact, it would be Mephous now reminding Raziel of its place, giving it the strength to act.
Raziel opened its massive jaws and let out a bellow! The ground shook. The air seemed to quiver in response. The lightning slashed through the sky. The very realm seemed to go still and quiet and listened.
The other Dragons stopped in their tracks. They shook their heads as if trying to clear them from cobwebs or sleep. They shifted uneasily. One of them let out a sad, small cry.
Raziel drew itself up to its full height.
Its wings spread wide. The clouds that Scylla and Zephyra had drawn parted and the helix that had appeared above Reach appeared here.
At first, it contained only the red and the white strands as it had on Earth, but Raziel understood it now.
It was their unity. All of them. Not just Raziel and Iolaire’s.
I am Raziel, King of Kings! Dragon Eternal! Your sword and shield! Raziel intoned.
Every Dragon, including the Behemoth, looked at it with a kind of shocked awe.
Later, Scylla would tell Raziel that it’s body was limned in a golden fire and it seemed to grow so large that its shadow covered all the land.
Raziel would believe this, not because it was strong on its own, but, finally, it realized where its true strength lay: together!
Raziel continued, You belong not to the Behemoth, but to yourselves! You are Dragons, strong and free!
Every Dragon head was lifted now. Wings fluttered. Eyes blinked rapidly. Raziel could feel the magic in its words. Another gift. Another great power was coming out of it: Wield.
We are kin! We are together! We create unity! None of us are alone! Raziel intoned.
Scylla reared up and another strand of stars joined the helix.
Zephyra followed and another strand of the helix was joined.
Evren, Lana and Eldoron all followed suit and the strands appeared and thunked into place!
Xipil nodded at Raziel and lifted its snout into the heavens and its strand joined the others.
Finally, Mephous met Raziel’s gaze. It inclined its head and let out a roar.
We are one! Unity! Mephous cried.
Unity!
Unity!
Wield us as one, Raziel!
The others took up the chant. The Behemoth snarled and spat and snapped at the air all around it as if the spinning helix and all it represented was already attacking the Behemoth.
Raziel felt it reaching for the others again, but Raziel slammed a mental shield between them and the Behemoth.
But it was unnecessary, for the display had snapped something loose in the other Dragons.
The yellow Dragon gave out a call and another strand snapped into place! It lumbered over to Eldoron and Lana. Eldoron allowed it to stand on the other side of Lana.
Vozyth was next. She let out a roar as she took to the air and then landed, surprisingly, right next to Mephous.
The Green Dragon lifted an eyebrow--it had ripped her head off in battle--but she didn’t seem to hold a grudge.
For all Raziel knew, she found that an acceptable gesture of friendship. Her strand joined the rest.
Unity, Vozyth said.
The others tumbled after. One after another.
All of them were joyous. Their cries of joining were happy and not angry war calls.
With every one of them becoming a part of the unity, Raziel felt stronger and stronger.
The last Dragon to join was the titanic gray.
It slowly walked past Raziel and gave a bow of its head, before its strand also appeared in the helix above. The final strand.
Unity, the titanic gray Dragon said.
It took its place in the circle. There was only one empty slot left just for Raziel.
Raziel joined its kin and looked upon the Behemoth. The Hydra was now crouched down, chin practically pressed to the ground, tail whipping back and forth frantically, claws digging into the dry, crumbly earth as if it could burrow its way out of this. But no, there was no way out.
Unless…
Behemoth, for your crimes there should be no quarter given, Raziel intoned. You have enslaved our kin and harmed Shifters and humans alike.
If you wish me to beg for a quick death, waste not your breath, Raziel! The Behemoth hissed.
Raziel almost sighed. No, but if you seek forgiveness, if you seek unity, you, too, do not need to be alone.
The Behemoth stopped for a moment then its crafty dirty-yellow eyes narrowed. You wish me to pledge allegiance to you like these others? Promise to bend the neck to you, Raziel?
And harm no others, yes, Behemoth. Do this and we will aid you. We will heal your body and soul, Raziel offered.
Mephous lifted an eyebrow. Even Scylla looked a little surprised by Raziel’s offer. But Zephyra nodded, understanding. One chance for forgiveness, but if it was not taken…
Oh, we can be one… you will be mine! All of you will be MINE! The Behemoth screamed and the vibrations spread out from it.
But they were not heard.
Unity had been attained. The Behemoth had been able to reach one Dragon that was on its own after hurting it. But they were not alone any longer. They were united. The Behemoth could not reach any of them.
So you have chosen destruction, Raziel said.
What--what is happening?! I cannot reach--there is nothing--no answer--you are--no! NO! The Behemoth shrieked.
Goodbye, Behemoth, Raziel said and used Wield.
Every one of the Dragon’s powers was Raziel’s to command.
Raziel had them use their highest, most powerful gifts all at once on the Behemoth.
Living poison from Mephous. Sunstrike from Evren.
Storm from Scylla. Mist dagger from Zephyra.
Squall from Lana. Molten core from Eldoron.
Volcano from Xipil. The other Dragons added powers Raziel had never seen before and, for which, he would have to discover their names.
But finally, Raziel used Planetstrike which caused a huge mass of molten rock to slam on top of the Behemoth who had already seemingly disappeared under the other powers.
The explosion that had caused the crater the first time--and would have leveled most of Valerius and Raziel’s territory--came. The world went white. Raziel felt as if it were in the void for a moment where there was nothing. No land. No sea. No body.
But then the world came back. The whole realm shook. The Dragons nearly lost their balance as the center of the circle had been turned into a molten burning mass. The crater was hundreds of feet deeper and wider now. So many would have died, but for them doing this here.
When they all recovered to look at where the Behemoth had been, they saw Hydra bones, just a few, slowly being eaten away by the lava. But nothing else.
The Behemoth was gone.
For now.
There was a long silence as the Dragons stared at where their fallen foe had been. It was over. All were freed. They could return to their bonded ones--those that had them--and the others to their lairs.
Raziel lifted its head as the other Dragons looked at him with eyes full of thankfulness. Raziel snorted.
We all did this. Not just me, Raziel reminded them. Now, you are free.
Will we see you again? The titanic gray Dragon asked.
Yes, Raziel said. I bid you to find your human bonded ones. Join us in the human realm. But my lair is always open to you regardless.
There is one missing! Vozyth remarked, looking up at the now completed helix.
My mate, Iolaire. You know of the White Dragon. It was trapped as you once were, Raziel said.
It escaped, the titanic yellow Dragon whispered. I remember! So strong!
Yes, it is with Caden, the mate of my bonded one, Valerius. They brought the Behemoth back here for us, Raziel explained.
So brave to face the Behemoth alone, the titanic yellow Dragon murmured.
Iolaire was not alone. It had Caden, Raziel answered. You will understand what that means.
Speaking of which, Scylla said with a touch of anxiety, we need to return ourselves, Raziel. I worry for my Esme. She will have put herself in the center of the fight.
My Mei will have fought hard as well, Xipil said.
Illarion will have been by Valerius’ side in the thick of things! They need us, Mephous said.
They definitely need us! Lana agreed even as the titanic yellow Dragon made eyes at it.
Tez is a man of the people! He will have put himself between the innocents and death! Eldoron cried.
Yes, yes, we must be with them. They are in danger without us, Raziel agreed, needing Valerius so badly that it actually hurt with it. Raziel flapped its mighty wings and took off. Remember, Raziel called to the others, come find us!
Then they were streaking towards the lair like eight missiles. They formed the V-shape that they had when they had flown over the skies of Earth. But this time they were truly united and this feeling would not end when they reached their destination.