Millennia.
And has never said, never complained, not since the beginning when we fought for control…
His stomach knotted up and his heart clenched. These sensations left him feeling nauseous. He remembered the fights that had in the beginning. How Raziel would wrest control of their human form and shift into their Dragon one for months, at first, before he could regain control.
But, of course, Raziel did, Valerius realized with another sickening lurch. Raziel was imprisoned by our joining. If I did not let Raziel out, then Raziel was trapped inside a small, stone room…
Dragons were creatures of the air. They needed broad vistas. They had to be free to feel the wind under their wings. But in the lair, Raziel could hardly stretch its wings fully out, let alone fly.
“I suppose that’s true. I find it disturbing, too. I did not know... until now,” Valerius answered, still feeling as if he might vomit.
He had not truly allowed himself to think about Raziel leaving the lair meant leaving him which meant that Raziel never left the lair otherwise. Never flew except when Valerius allowed the shift. Never hunted except when Valerius agreed to it. Never simply was in its natural form except when Valerius wanted to as well. Raziel was trapped.
Imprisoned.
“Why would Mephous not tell me and Raziel not tell you about this?” Illarion asked, those furrows going deeper until they looked carved into his forehead. “We are one. Mephous and I. He would know I would…”
“Object?” Valerius let out a sad laugh. “That is why Mephous and Raziel did not say anything to us. Because they knew how we would react to it. And likely there is nothing to be done or otherwise they would have done it by now.”
“Nothing? We could… there must… the other thing… and then…”
“Exactly,” Valerius answered Illarion’s stammering. “At least, nothing we can do about their circumstances in the Spirit Realm, but here…”
“Here.” Illarion looked determined and grim. “Here, we can do something.”
“Yes.”
Valerius thought of how happy Raziel was now that Iolaire was there as well, though it reduced the amount of space the Black Dragon Spirit had. But the loneliness was gone. Iolaire and Raziel had each other and Valerius and Caden.
But what about the other Dragon Spirits? They are trapped alone in their stone prisons without anyone but their human to speak with.
“If bonding with a human causes the Spirit to be trapped in a cave I can understand why the Behemoth is so against it,” Illarion spat suddenly. “That is a powerful offer to make to allies!”
Valerius frowned. Without a human to negotiate with in terms of a body, the Spirit could roam without fear of disturbing the bond in the Spirit Realm, but also it could come into the human one without any limitations, too. No one would stop them from shifting and then doing whatever they liked whenever they wanted.
What Spirit wouldn’t accept the Behemoth’s offer to join it with that as the prize?
“You’re right. But the Behemoth doesn’t intend to open the human world to the other Spirits. I think it just intends to destroy it,” Valerius said.
“Maybe. Or maybe just destroy the way things are.”
“Send every human soul to the Spirit Realm and enjoy the benefits of the material and immaterial for themselves.”
“Like I said: it’s a powerful inducement.” Illarion shook his head.
“There have got to be Spirits that would not agree to this--”
“Perhaps a few. Powerless and pathetic.” Illarion snorted. “Mephous loves me. We are one. But if he had been offered a way to this realm before he met me? He would have taken it, no questions asked.”
Would Raziel have done so? If they had not met or, more likely, before they had come to care for one another, would the great Black Dragon Spirit have bowed to a lowly human?
No, and who could blame Raziel for that? Not me.
“We must not let the Behemoth get more of a foothold in this world, Illarion. It must be stopped now,” Valerius said.
“Oh, I agree! I mostly like the world as it is with us ruling it and lots of people… well, maybe I don’t like the people but without them the dogs would not have it as good,” Illarion stated.
“Don’t worry, Illarion, we will get you back to your doggies in all good time,” Valerius promised.
