You are the one alone now, Behemoth, Mephous hissed as gouts of poison poured from its jaws. No one to protect you. None to care when you fall.
And if the Behemoth’s tail had been fast to strike, the Green Dragon’s tail was faster. It slammed into the Behemoth’s right forelimb, knocking it out from under the heaving body. The Behemoth staggered and went down with a boom! Mephous did not press the attack. It and Xipil made their way to the opposite side of the Behemoth and turned to face Raziel.
The others began to fan out as well. Scylla and Zephyra stalked along the outer sides of the circle around the Behemoth. Mist obscured most of Zephyra’s body except for its eyes that glinted and never left the Behemoth. Scylla’s mermaid-like tail swished dangerously back and forth as if it was preparing to leap.
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.
