It was as if the sky just cracked open and suddenly the world was exposed the horrors outside its protective shell. Rain lashed out accompanied by wind strong enough to sweep a man off his feet. The palace horns had blown over an hour ago in warning and the entire city had moved to the temples for safety.

Jongin surveyed the last of the stragglers slowly making their way against the wind towards the inviting doors of the temple entrance. Already, the tax collectors were put to the temporary task of accounting for each and every member of each and every household in their districts.

“Your highness, you should step inside. We are almost through, the last batch is already making their way into the main road. We should soon have everyone accounted for.”

Jongin peered into the dark gray evening sky. He couldn’t see much, but his lieutenant was right.

“Count the figures and confirm if everyone is accounted for.”

He looked around to see that Princes Xiumin and Sehun along with Tao were all going around distributing blankets and food to the people. Suho was huddled in one corner. Jongin smiled faintly at the covering figure. Throw a dragon at him and he wouldn’t even flinch, but throw him into a room full of people and Suho would be terrified.

“I see Suho’s fear of people has not changed much”

Jongin turned to his father.

“Looks like it.” Jongin commented.

“At least he is not afraid of your anymore.”

“No, he isn’t any more.” Jongin grinned despite the grim situation.

His father looked thoughtful and then patting him on the back said, “listen son, this is not the time, but I want you to know that I am proud of you. We wronged the boy once, but by extending your arm in friendship you are healing past wounds and correcting some of the wrongs.”

Jongin didn’t know what to say. His father’s appreciation meant a lot to him although he had done it simply because he wanted his friend back.

“Suho!” Xiumin’s scream startled Jongin and by the looks of it almost everyone in the hall.

Suho stood frowning in concentration. His body shook with pressure and he started to sweat under an invisible strain.

“The dam! It just broke!”

“What?” The king rushed towards Suho.

“The dam… it… I can’t….” His feet gave way, just as Xiumin and Sehun reached his side.

“Xiumin, unlock me now.” Suho gritted out, even as he started bleeding from his nose.

“What, no… it’s too risky, I will freeze….”

“You can’t, not the whole flood…. I…. I can’t hold on anymore, please….”

“Suho hyung! No, you cannot be thinking…”

“No time for this Sehun. The city will be flooded in minutes. Hyu… ng…. Please, I must….” Suho gritted his teeth.

Xiumin understanding the urgency of the situation, fearfully chanted a spell that unlocked Suho’s chains. In the blink of an eye, Suho leapt towards the tall doors even as his form morphed to that of a massive dragon.

Before anyone could react, with a distant roar, Suho was gone.

“What, what just happened?” Tao was the first to ask the question in everyone’s mind.

“Since Suho’s element is water, he is always aware of their movement around him. I think he just realized that the dam broke and sensed the sudden water pressure moving towards the city.”

“The dam is the only thing between the river and the city!”

“Baka hyung, why did he take his dragon form? This is bad.” Sehun fretted.

“Hush Sehun, Suho would have realized that he couldn’t control the will of the water with his power dampened.”

“I am going after him!” Sehun pulled a cloak around him and rushed to the door.

“I am coming with you.” Xiumin ran after his brother.

Jongin had not processed everything that had happened, but he wanted to help.

“Wait, I can help! I can teleport you both.”

Jongin teleported to a spot on top of a hill near the swelling river. Xiumin and Sehun immediately started searching the sky for Suho. The rain was pouring down making it impossible for them to see clearly and the roar of the swelling river was deafening. As their vision adjusted, Jongin stepped back in horror as the water rose into an alarming wave.

“The flood is rising!”

“Suho! Suho!” where are you?” Xiumin screamed into the wind.

“We need to get ba…” Sehun’s shout was lost in a loud roar that was unlike the river.

In a flash of light a silver dragon rose from the waters. Its wings rose high in the air to cut through the rising tide. It rose into the clouds and disappeared for a moment and then it flew down straight for the heart of the river with a majestic roar that clapped like thunder.

“SUHO!” Xiumin called just before the dragon’s silver tail disappeared into the river.

In a moment, the river calmed and the sky cleared. The sudden light from the moon that shone through the clearing clouds reflected off a million drops of water that glittered like diamonds, but the sudden silence and the placid river showed no signs of Suho.

“We need to look for him.” Xiumin declared.

“Hold on, I am teleporting to the banks of the river.” Jongin grabbed the brothers and disappeared from the mountain only to reappear in a knee high sludge at the banks of the river.

“Let’s split up and search for him.” Jongin suggested.

“Okay, but Jongin…. Just, if you find him, don’t approach him alone okay.” Xiumin said and started moving down river. Sehun started to say something, but then shook his head and started wading into the river after his brother.