Though Taekwoon was pleased with how things were working out on his end, more or less, that wasn’t to say that everything else was. Late in the next day, everyone was called to the dining hall for an Aerie meeting. Considering that Jinki hadn’t said much about it to Taekwoon, it made him at least a little concerned, especially since their conversation the previous night had gone as well as he could have hoped. Watching him now, standing at the front dais as Aerie Master with Commander Yunho on one side, Combat Master Seunghyun on the other, and Satoru off in the wings didn’t make him feel particularly reassured.

            It took Jinki a moment to start speaking, his throat moving with each obvious swallow. That was not usually a good sign. But eventually he did manage to begin, after a gentle nudge from Seunghyun to get him going. “Members of the Aerie,” he called out, voice trembling just a touch.

            Is Jongup helping? he asked his dragon, hoping he was.

            Trying. Your mate very worried, was the ominous response.

            Jinki seemed to realize his weak front was not reassuring and he took a breath before forcing a smile to his face. It helped. A little. “First, I want to commend all of you for the hard work you’ve put in around the Aerie. Our Stardust Battalion,” he started, gesturing at Commander Yunho first and then extending the attention to the riders present in the hall, “have been training exceptionally hard and your efforts proved well spent in the most recent attack on Miremaw.” Yunho bowed politely and nodded at the riders in turn, all of whom mirrored his gesture, belatedly or otherwise.

            “This also includes the efforts of the Aerie residents as well,” Jinki continued, a tired but proud – and genuine – smile replacing the forced once. “With Master Seunghyun’s guidance, you have all become so much more than just residents of the Aerie. You have become her defenders as well.” It was Seunghyun’s turn to bow, directing his attention to the general residents first before swinging around to the riders in turn. His acknowledgement was met with a weak cheer of gratitude. The residents appreciated the comment but it was clear they didn’t know if this was a cheering situation. Taekwoon couldn’t blame them. It didn’t feel like one to him.

            “As your Aerie Master, you have my deepest thanks,” Jinki spoke into the slow quiet, bowing in turn. It was that, more than anything else, that made the rest of the room fall silent. He stood upright and looked over to the side where Taekwoon figured Satoru was resting. Jinki’s gaze dropped to the floor and his hands tightened into loose fists before he looked up again. “I am grateful. Truly. But with that being said, I fear that the time may be coming in which we need you to show us what you’ve learned.”

            A collective gasp echoed through the hall and everyone tried to speak at the same time, worried voices clamoring to be heard first. Do you know anything about this? he had to ask.

            First for me. Mate can’t hear like me. Your mate not say, came the confused response.

            Wing Leader Insoo shuffled over and leaned close enough to whisper into Taekwoon’s ear, “Don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about this?”

            He shook his head in denial. “No more than you,” Taekwoon promised with a shrug, glancing at the other man once before he resumed his focus on his other half. Jinki was waiting for the furor to calm down so he could begin speaking again, but he was pale. It bothered him that Jinki had been able to keep this so well hidden from him. Of course he’d done the same previously, but this felt… bigger.

            When at last the crowd quieted on their own, Jinki took another breath and started speaking again, his gaze roaming over the dragonrider section briefly before focusing on the group as a whole again. “The rider we helped save during the Miremaw battle brought us ill news. Just today, Jongin and Jiho brought similarly poor tidings. Likewise, the situation with the wild dragons has grown more complicated as well.” He stopped to take a deep breath and looked at both Seunghyun and Yunho. They nodded briefly, letting him continue, though they shifted uncomfortably beside him. “To begin – the capitol. Jongin and Seungcheol, the injured rider in our care, have both confirmed that Kokoshir has recently been besieged by forces from Fantor and Marsh Rest. Much is unknown at present, but Samut does not appear to be involved and Miremaw…’s position,” he hesitated at the last moment, “is still being reviewed.”

            “If Kokoshir is being threatened, isn’t it our duty to go to their aid?” Wing Leader Taecyeon asked loudly, glancing at the riders around him for confirmation.

            “That is a good question,” Jinki conceded as he clasped his hands together in front of him. “I will let Commander Yunho answer it,” he added, taking a partial step back to get out of the immediate focus.

            “Yes. Our duty is to go to Kokoshir’s aid,” Yunho confirmed, nodding his head and looking at the riders. “But our duty is also to the rest of Kinshire. And Talongrace. And the residents here,” he reminded everyone, exhaling once in a subtle sign of his frustration. “Kokoshir is besieged by ground forces mostly, troops coming from Fantor and Marsh Rest. However, Jiho was able to confirm that there are dragon wings set against them as well. Some had riders and others did not. Kokoshir does not have strong dragon support save for the formerly bound they are able to keep on hand.”

            “So how many wings will you send?” Wing Leader Shindong asked in a disgruntled tone.

            “Let me finish,” the Commander responded sternly, eyeing the other man before he took another small breath. “We will send help to Kokoshir, but we have also received troubling word from Talongrace about movement in Bondsland.” Taekwoon’s stomach twisted into a tight knot and he felt the same trepidation from his dragon. “As you know, we always maintain a scout at the edge and they’ve heard of considerable dragon movement on the island. Not just Tiamat’s Aerie but also wild dragons and the continent appears to be in chaos.”

            “Isn’t that a good thing for us?” someone in the crowd asked. It was obvious they didn’t understand the implications.

            Both Yunho and Seunghyun shook their heads. The former answered, “It is not. The wild dragons are attacking the people, much like we saw with Miremaw but on a vastly larger scale. The Dawnstar Battalion and…” he hesitated glancing at his companions first. They nodded in quiet agreement and he sighed. “Tiamat appears to be flying with them.”

            Loud gasps echoed through the hall this time, fear and disbelief warring evenly. One of the residents cried out, “How do you know it’s Tiamat?!”

            Taekwoon could understand their lack of comprehension. Without a dragon, none would have seen that terrible figure in Trance. And he doubted even Commander Yunho knew the true size of her, but Hero would have undoubtedly explained. Which was why his grim expression was no surprise. Neither was his answer. “It is impossible to see her and not know who or what she is,” he stated simply, worry edging its way into his voice.

            Seeing Yunho begin to falter, or perhaps buckle under his own uncertainty, Combat Master Seunghyun stepped edged forward and motioned with his hands for quiet. For anyone else, it might well have been a futile effort, and for a moment it was. But when his expression turned disappointed and critical, and people began to notice, silence fell quickly. Out of those present, Seunghyun had the greatest direct impact on the majority of the Aerie and everyone knew it was best not to raise his ire. “As Commander Yunho explained, we will be sending wings to Kokoshir. We will also be sending wings to Talongrace.” A worried murmuring started up again in light of what had already been said, and he raised one brow to quell the commotion once more. “Our primary concern is and always will be the Aerie itself, which is why we will be keeping riders here as well.” This time the murmuring rose up from the riders themselves and Seunghyun took a breath and nodded once. “Yes. Your numbers will be spread thin but the goal on the northern front is not going to be to counter and defeat. Not immediately,” he assured them in a calm tone, very much like he was teaching them in the training hall on any given day.

            Commander Yunho stepped up again at a nod from Seunghyun. Composure regained, he projected calm command as he continued the explanation. “In Kokoshir, the goal is to secure the city and make sure the King and royal family remains safe. Our forces will be there to support those already in place and counter any other wings or dragons in the area. In Talongrace, your task will simply be to defend the city and help prepare them for the incoming force.” He hesitated as his eyes glazed over with the ‘talking to his dragon look.’

            It made Taekwoon nervous. Jong?

            Maybe not know what to say. Dragons might attack city to destroy or to just stop. Not sure how much Tiamat will affect us, he admitted quietly, uncomfortable with the words.

            Ah, Taekwoon responded,

            Yunho’s next words did not confirm that dilemma but they did reveal an uncomfortable truth. “If the force heading our way is what we think it is, Talongrace will not stand much chance even with our help.” A pall fell over the gathered people. The pained expression on Jinki’s face – heavens knew he couldn’t keep a false façade when he wasn’t the center of attention - echoed what many of them were obviously starting to feel or understand. “As it stands, when – not if – the Dawnstar Battalion moves beyond Talongrace, Bahamut’s Aerie will likely be their first target. That is why we must also keep riders here to protect the people of the Aerie.”

            He barely managed to get the rest of his sentence out before frightened commotion broke out amongst the hall once again. Even though they’d been warned ahead of time, it had suddenly become all too real. The riders were antsy about it. Agitated even, but the fear and uncertainty from the residents became almost suffocating. It made Taekwoon mad that they hadn’t really considered what Jinki’s previous message might mean. It also bothered him, more than he wanted to admit, that their fear was almost strictly for themselves – not the riders and the dragons that would be going out to do what they could to protect everyone else…

            There was also little he could do to help Jinki in that moment. His other half looked so lost, swamped by the reality of his situation of the task of finding a way to control and direct the new mob in front of him. His sight and other senses sharpened to the point that it almost hurt being in the middle of so much chaos doing nothing. The dragon part of him absolutely itched to run up and set himself between Jinki and the others. To provide some kind of defense against the madness, but Insoo pulled at his human half with undeniable intent.

            “Come on,” the Wing Leader instructed, physically grabbing his arm and pulling him along, moving with the exiting group of riders.

            Taekwoon blinked as if suddenly coming back to himself, the dragon in him quieting enough to focus on other persons again. “Oh,” he gasped, taking a breath. He could see Yunho gesturing for them to keep moving while Seunghyun remained with Jinki, a silent pillar of immovable strength and an imposing wall to blunt the swell of fear against.

            When they exited the dining hall, the dragons were milling in the open space around the Aerie, agitation evident in every twitching wing and tail. Well, almost every dragon. Notably, Hero was suspiciously calm and steady, his silver eyes surveying the collective before him. But… he couldn’t entirely ignore the copper dragon planted almost directly in front of him, mirroring his pose, with a less than still blue dragon at his side.

            Taekwoon’s mouth quirked into an involuntary smirk. Show off.

            He started it, was the quick reply, though it was unusually somber this time. The usual trace of amusement was gone, its absence belying the seriousness of the situation they were currently facing.

            Notably, Gunwoo had settled near Jonghyun and was apparently waiting for whatever announcement was going to happen. To be fair, a great many of the probable Wing Leader dragons were in attentive positions, but the rest had been unable to contain their energies, mirroring a fair bit of what their riders probably felt.

            Still being guided by Insoo, Taekwoon ended up next to his dragons with the wing leader on the other side close to his own. The rest of the riders that had exited the hall found their way to their winged brethren in turn, loosely clustered in familiar wings, and waited for Yunho to give them the rest of the news. The Commander took his place beside Hero and inhaled deeply once before he addressed them. “As you heard, we have three priorities.” He held up one finger. “Help Kokoshir and safeguard the royal family.” Another finger rose to join it. “Assist Talongrace in whatever capacity we can.” His third finger rose. “Protect the people of the Aerie.”

            “Not the Aerie?” Wing Leader Taeyang asked to clarify, echoing what many of them had already been thinking.

            Yunho shook his head once. “We will protect the Aerie as best we can but our main focus is the people. The Aerie can be repaired or rebuilt. Lost lives cannot be returned,” he reminded them firmly, his expression dour. It was enough to silence the riders, and they fell into their own thoughts at the slight admonition. “Given the situation, I will be appointing two of you to lead in my stead. Wing Leader Taecyeon will lead the flight to assist Kokoshir. You will be taking four additional wings with you,” Yunho instructed, directing his attention to the tall rider who stood even straighter at being singled out.

            “Yes, sir!” he nodded once in acknowledgement and bowed slightly before looking at his dragon and sharing another small nod.

            Satisfied with the response, Yunho continued, “Wing Leader Taeyang. You will remain at the Aerie to defend her against whatever forces might come to bear.” The shorter rider looked as if he was about to argue for a moment, face clouding over, but the Commander’s eyes narrowed and he subsided. “When the Dawnstar Battalion comes, you must be ready,” he added, face softening a touch. At the reminder that Tiamat’s forces would be heading to them as well, Taeyang’s demeanor shifted. He nodded slowly and bowed, expression conflicted. Taekwoon remembered he had been among the wing to return that had lost members in the last foray to the north.

            “Yes, sir,” he murmured in verbal acknowledgement before turning his focus inward. It was clear he was speaking with his dragon.

            “Seven wings will remain here with you to safeguard our home. We must be wary of the wild dragons as much as Tiamat’s forces so you will need to be on your guard. I will not be here to lead you,” he reminded them somberly. “I will be taking the remaining wings and heading towards Talongrace. As we don’t know what the Dawnstar Battalion’s intention will be – destruction or domination,” he clarified with both hands, “we will work under the assumption of the latter first but be prepared for the former. Our task is not to stop their forces but to harry and delay and reduce them as much as possible before they reach our home.”

            “Which wings will be accompanying us?” Taecyeon called out, glancing around those gathered.

            “We will discuss that in private,” the Commander responded. “There are many things to consider and we only have a limited number of dragons and riders,” he explained, face heavy with the reality of the situation. “Know that you will have an answer by this evening.”

            “Thank you, sir,” the wing leader bowed and relaxed, stepping back to converse with his dragon again.

            Commander Yunho nodded in acknowledgement before gesturing for Taecyeon and Taeyang to join him as they headed for the spire and the Commander’s quarters. Taekwoon watched them go with a heavy ball sitting in the pit of his stomach. “Where do you think we’ll be going?” he asked aloud, not sure who he was questioning: his dragon or his wing leader. The latter answered first though.

            “I’m not sure, though I have my suspicions,” he admitted with a glance outward. Taekwoon followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at Chaerin’s group. But then he focused on Taekwoon and his face tightened a touch. “Whichever place we end up, I need you to be sure you’ve got a handle on your dragon,” he stated simply, lips pressed together tightly.

            For a moment, Taekwoon was confused and he glanced at Jonghyun. Then it dawned on him and he grimaced. “Ah,” he grunted in understanding, flexing his fingers into fists and relaxing them quickly. “That dragon,” he murmured, making a face.

            “Yes. That one,” Insoo agreed with a breathy exhale. “He’s been much more active since Tiamat’s awakening. What that portends, I don’t know.”

            “I don’t either,” Taekwoon admitted in tired frustration. “But I won’t fail you,” he promised determinedly, meeting the other man’s gaze head on.

            “Good,” Insoo nodded once with a smile, his expression lightening almost instantly. “Now go check your gear. We’ll likely be heading out at first light.” His gaze turned up and he added, “No point in trying to fly in the dark when the wild dragons may attack at any time.” Against the backdrop of the night sky, flying dragons would be much easier to spot from the ground, making them prime targets for any waiting below.

            Taekwoon knew he was right, but that didn’t make him feel any better. He placed a hand on Jonghyun’s shoulder, though he didn’t know if it was for his sake or his dragon’s. The great copper head came down and nudged him lightly, reassuring in his own way. They didn’t speak, even in Trance, but they knew without words how the other felt. And that was enough for the moment. Nodding as if to himself, Taekwoon stepped away and followed the steady stream of riders making their way towards their individual sleeping quarters. Likely they would be inspecting their gear in turn.

            Will let you know if we hear something, Jonghyun promised as Taekwoon wandered away.

            Thanks, he responded quickly, thoughts turning towards whatever the morrow might bring. Not combat immediately – they weren’t close enough for it, unless wild dragons intervened, but likely travel of some kind. He half hoped he wouldn’t be among the wings remaining in the Aerie – waiting was always the worst part, but part of him wouldn’t mind either. Jinki was in the Aerie after all. Conflicted by the possibilities, he settled in their shared room and painstakingly went over his riding gear one more time.

            It was late when he finally heard Jinki return. While he didn’t know what time it was, Taekwoon knew he’d been fighting sleep for a while. He did have the small pleasure of watching the surprise flicker over Jinki’s face as his other half tried to come in quietly only to realize Taekwoon was still awake. “You should be asleep,” he admonished with a tired smile.

            “So should you,” Taekwoon tossed back, shifting to make more room on the bed.

            Jinki nodded in mute agreement and wandered over to plop down on the soft surface, leaning his head against Taekwoon’s shoulder immediately. He didn’t say anything at first and though Taekwoon wanted to ask, the rider knew his other half would speak in due time. If he didn’t fall asleep first anyway… He needn’t have worried though. Jinki reached down to grab Taekwoon’s hand and held it between both of his, for support or comfort, and finally spoke, “I heard you’re being sent to Kokoshir.”

            “Yeah,” Taekwoon sighed, mixed feelings swirling in his belly. “Jonghyun told me.”

            “It’s selfish but I don’t want you to go,” Jinki admitted with a sigh, fingers tightening with worry. Taekwoon remained silent, torn between the same feeling and not. Most of the time, action was better than inaction, but in this case… “I was actually surprised when Yunho gave me an answer when I asked him why,” he laughed once, lightly sniffing.

            “Oh?” Taekwoon encouraged, turning his head to press his lips against Jinki’s hair.

            “He can’t send Insoo’s wing north. Not with Chaerin’s group. He doesn’t know how their dragons will react around Tiamat. And you know it’s quite bad to switch wings up this close to any sort of major combat,” he exhaled and swallowed hard. “It’s also why he doesn’t want Insoo’s wing staying. When Tiamat gets here…” he trailed off, voice tightening as his throat seemed to close.

            “Hey,” Taekwoon soothed, freeing his hand so he could wrap his arms around Jinki tightly. “None of that now,” he chided gently, fighting similar feelings himself. “You know it’s bad to think about all the what ifs before battle too,” he reminded his other half, as much as himself.

            “Sorry,” Jinki sniffed, pressing his face hard against Taekwoon’s chest. “I just feel so… powerless,” he admitted. “I mean, I’m supposed to be the Aerie Master and I can’t do anything to protect it,” he added, voice cracking.

            Taekwoon winced and had to fight back the tears that threatened him in response. “That’s because protecting the Aerie, and the people in it, is our job,” he reminded his other half. “No matter who’s here, they will do everything they can to protect you and the people here.” He ran a soothing hand up and down the other man’s back and rocked him gently. “Our job is protection, but your job, my heart, is to give the people here hope.”

            Jinki laughed once, a broken sound, but he nodded. “Yes, but it’s hard to hope when you know what you’re up against,” he admitted, the pained sound cutting through Taekwoon like a sword.

            That’s right. He had seen Bahamut’s size and knew the actual scale of what they would be facing when they went against Tiamat. It was a terrifying thought. Truly. But… there was nothing to be done about it. Either they had to find a way to counter her or… the alternative was not worth thinking about. “As long as we’re alive, there’s hope,” he offered uncertainly, not sure if it would be helpful.

            At least his other half nodded. “That is true,” he murmured softly, fingers tightening to cling to the back of Taekwoon’s shirt.

            “So for now, just do what you do best,” he encouraged, running his hand up and down Jinki’s back again. “Keep making plans for everything and be prepared for anything. It’s what you always try to do anyway,” he chuckled, the sound forced but no less genuine for the feelings behind it.

            The laugh that escaped this time was real, if a bit emotional. “Then you had better do what you do best. Fight and win and come back to me in one piece,” he grumbled, hugging the rider hard around the waist.

            “Of course,” Taekwoon snorted. “Jonghyun and Jongup agree. We’ll rescue that good for nothing King and come back to save the day,” he added gallantly, full of false bravado.

            “Good,” Jinki laughed once, playing along. Even if it was a bit of a fantasy, it was something they could both cling to. Again, the alternative was not worth thinking about. Not right now. In this moment, they needed hope and something to place against the very real threat of despair. And that was how they spent their night. Secure in each other’s arms and clinging to the fragile creature that was hope.