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.
