Tiamat’s Aerie was a mess. As expected, almost all of the buildings had been nearly completely destroyed and the only one that seemed able to hold people securely was the shrine. Insoo worked with Wooyoung to clear out the remains of the priest and clean up the worst of the blood before he had Fei bring Chaerin up with Hyunseong and Taekwoon. Hero brought Jongup with them but Insoo didn’t know what to do about the despondent blue. Normally a healer or Paramour would work with them to try and recover, but they were the only humans nearby and Gain was still sleeping for the time being. All he could do in the meantime was focus on what he could do with what he had.

            By the end of the day, the news he had was mostly bad. If there was food for humans anywhere in the Aerie, it was hidden or otherwise unreachable. The same could be said for the dragons – Taeyeon and Seohyun found no suitable game nearby that would feed half their numbers, much less the twenty plus they had managed to gather. Their store of supplies amounted to only what they had brought with them, which wouldn’t last long at all under the circumstances. And though Jinyoung found a few breathing dragons amid the fallen, only six seemed likely to survive.

            The one bright side seemed to be that the wilds in the area had either been killed off or fled when the dragon gods did. It was surprisingly peaceful in the aftermath, though they could all feel the occasional tremble beneath them.

            With troubled eyes, Insoo looked to the horizon. He couldn’t see Bahamut or Tiamat in the distance, but he knew they were still fighting. Gunwoo could feel it and it was really the only way to explain the tremors they experienced from time to time. The Wing Leader took a moment to glance back at their small gathering and he forced himself to take solace in the fact that it was not a total loss.

            It is good that many we lost have been found again, Gunwoo agreed, looking at him from where the dragon was lying nearby.

            Insoo didn’t want to spoil the thought so he nodded in quiet agreement. He couldn’t keep entirely silent though and added, That is true for dragons. Not so much for riders, he exhaled, recognizing that several among their numbers seemed to carry an unseen burden on their bowed shoulders.

            Sorry, the bronze apologized immediately, pained chagrin limning his voice.

            With a wave, Insoo brushed it off. He knew his dragon meant no offense. It was a good thing that so many dragons were alright. It was just one more thing to add to their growing list of hurdles to overcome. His stomach grumbled when he caught a whiff of the soup Jinyoung was cooking nearby, but Insoo turned his attention to the dragons and their dilemma. Thoughts on food? he wondered, knowing their continued survival would hinge on the dragons’ ability to keep living.

            Gunwoo was silent for a long moment, obviously wrestling with something he didn’t find particularly pleasant. It’s not ideal but… he trailed off, swinging his head towards the battlefield. There is food nearby, the bronze huffed, an obvious curl of his lip in the statement. I fear we have gained human sensibilities when it comes to food, the dragon almost snorted with a shake of his head.

            Sorry, Insoo returned with a hollow smile. He knew as well as any rider did that wilds would often make meals of defeated dragons in their territory. It just felt taboo to consider eating the fallen. If there’s nothing else, he shrugged, giving his tacit albeit uncomfortable blessing. Though I might suggest doing so when it gets dark.

            Of course, Gunwoo scoffed, playfully offended his rider might think anything else.

            “Soo,” a familiar voice called to him from behind, footsteps noticeably loud to announce their arrival.

            Insoo turned to see Jinyoung approaching him, a bowl carefully cradled in his hands. “Hey, Jin,” he greeted with a quick wave, turning to better face the other man. “What’s the news?” he asked, glancing over the rider’s shoulder to get a glimpse of Jungkook and Chaerin taking a couple bowls into the shrine while Taeyeon and Wooyoung ate theirs under the sky.

            “Food first,” Jinyoung laughed once, pressing the bowl into his wing leader’s hands and standing there with an expectant look on his face.

            It was thin and watery with dried meat and what root vegetables traveled well, but it was far better than nothing. Dutifully, Insoo took a couple bites and nodded in thanks. The taste left a bit to be desired but at least they’d brought a salt block. “How’s everyone holding up?” he asked, taking a breath as he let the first bites settle.

            “I should be asking you that,” his second frowned knowingly, one brow raised.

            “You know me. I’ll be fine for now,” he promised with a quick smile, the expression weaker than it should have been but still earnest.

            “Yeah, yeah. No time to be human for the leader right now,” Jinyoung scowled with a roll of his eyes. “Which is probably good because everyone else is,” he exhaled, squatting down to take a seat on the ground and massaging the back of his neck with his fingers. “Wooyoung’s like you – holding it together on the outside for now. Taeyeon’s mad at you and not really talking to anyone at the moment. Jungkook is… dealing with guilt and inadequacy,” he explained, shrugging as if that was to be expected. “It’s a miracle Chaerin is still functioning as well as she is and Hyunseong is practically a statue. Not to mention our dear Taekwoon is still unconscious,” he exhaled, bowing his head to rub at his neck again. “And that’s only the humans,” the rider practically groaned, shaking his head helplessly.

            Many dragons cannot fly well right now, Gunwoo echoed that sentiment. Many hurts in body and spirit.

            “Tomorrow, we’ll see if we can make contact with any cities or villages nearby,” Insoo encouraged before he took another bite of food. “It’s a long shot, but someone might have medical supplies we can use for the dragons. Unless we can find some here that haven’t been completely ruined,” he added skeptically.

            “I think the bigger concern is just what happens next?” Jinyoung asked, glancing up with lost eyes.

            “We take it one day at a time,” Insoo reasoned evenly, setting the bowl aside as he sat down on the ground in front of the other man.

            “I mean with Bahamut and Tiamat,” he clarified quietly.

            “We still take it day by day,” the wing leader stated again. “We’ve already seen that we can’t beat them as we are so there’s no point in worrying about stopping them right now.”

            “But what about the Aerie?” Jinyoung asked, the true root of his worry shining through.

            Insoo grimaced and looked away unhappily. “I can’t stop you from worrying but there’s nothing we can do for them.” He could practically feel Jinyoung’s distress, the vague sense of betrayal that followed it. “Tiamat already hit it once. It’s not that far fetched to think it won’t be an immediate target even if they do end up near it,” he reasoned as logically as he could. It was all he had.

            They were both quiet for a long moment before Jinyoung muttered, “It’s their fault, isn’t it?”

            “No,” Insoo answered immediately, shaking his head.

            “But they’re the ones that wanted to come here. Bahamut appeared when they arrived,” Jinyoung pointed out with a frightened but angry expression. “And I know you were keeping an eye on Jinki before we got here,” he admitted as if he was casting blame on the wing leader too.

            Insoo took a deep breath and looked at his second with a deadpan expression. “I imagine the others feel the same?” he questioned, running his tongue over his bottom teeth before settling his gaze again. Woo?

            Dragons talking too much. Apologies, his dragon mumbled as if partially distracted already.

            “They do.”

            While he wanted to wish that the Heavens would take them and get them out of his hair with this foolishness, Insoo said no such thing. “Yes, I was watching Jinki. Yes, I knew that Bahamut might have been using him. And yes, I still volunteered to come here because I hoped to find a way to stop Tiamat who, I will remind you, was our biggest concern at the time,” he explained tersely, waving his hand with his index finger extended for each point he made. “Until today, there was still a possibility that Bahamut would help us,” he snapped, letting the angry energy flee as he finished his statement before he crossed his arms over his chest.

            “But still…” Jinyoung trailed off, unable to let it go but with no better answer.

            “Then what would you have done?” Insoo asked in a flat question, staring at his second until the other rider met his gaze. “Kill Jinki?” he offered when there was no immediate response.

            “No!” the rider denied quickly, but Insoo saw the wheels turning and didn’t say anything for a moment. “Maybe…” Jinyoung eventually admitted. “If it could have stopped all this…” he trailed off, seeing Insoo’s disappointed look.

            There were a dozen different things he could have said then. It was almost hard to pick one to go with. But Insoo took a breath and laughed while shaking his head. “It’s easy to look back and think about how we could have done things differently,” he muttered with a tight feeling in his chest. “But I do not accept that volunteering people to die will ever be the answer,” he practically snarled, angry in that moment: at himself, at his riders, and especially at Bahamut. “No,” he shook his head firmly and looked away, unable to meet his second’s eyes just then. “If you must blame someone, blame the High Priest. Blame all the priests that bound the dragon gods and brought them to this impasse.

            “Soo…” Jinyoung whimpered, practically shrinking in on himself.

            Insoo ignored him. “And if you cannot blame them, then blame me for accepting them as they are. But do not blame your wing mate and his mate for this. Don’t,” he stated once more, pointing his finger at Jinyoung before he balled his hand into a fist and took a breath, mentally shaking himself. Watch Taekwoon tonight, he instructed his dragon as he did his best to quash his emotions again.

            Properly chastised, Jinyoung ducked his head and got up awkwardly. “I’ll go check on the others again,” he murmured without looking at his wing leader while he fled back to his wing mates.

            For a breath, Insoo watched him, wrestling with himself. Then he turned and faced the horizon again, rubbing his face with both hands roughly. He was angry at himself, but largely because he didn’t know what to do with the feelings his second had conjured in him. He couldn’t even be mad at Jinyoung as he himself was being quite the hypocrite. When Taekwoon had first told him about Jinki’s possible connection to Bahamut, he’d had fleeting, similar thoughts as well. Satoru’s worries had not fallen on deaf ears, and after the former Aerie Master had died, Insoo had not been relieved of those concerns.

            Guiltily and to his great shame, he had to admit he had considered killing Jinki. It was only in passing but the thought was there. But even then, there had been very large concerns at the same time. One – would it have actually killed the dragon god or just Jinki? Two – would he have even been able to? Three – Taekwoon probably would have killed him in the aftermath... Four – was it worth killing an innocent? Five – what if Bahamut was actually able to help them? And six – what kind of a leader would he be if he willingly hurt or caused hurt to those under his leadership?

            Was I wrong? he asked his dragon in a small and uncertain voice as his vision blurred.

            I don’t know, was the honest answer before the large bronze head slid under Insoo’s hand and pressed against his closest leg. But I do know you are trying to be a good leader.

            Insoo laughed brokenly as he wiped at his eyes with one hand. Oh? he asked, the simple sound a trembling mess.

            Silly rider, Gunwoo chided, brushing harder against his human. You always question. Always think about what’s right and what’s best. Always worry for the happiness of your wing mates. No one knows what to do all the time, he shrugged, crooning happily when Insoo finally gave him scratches on his forehead. But you always try. For everyone.

            Thanks, Woo, Insoo sighed, letting some of his tension seep into the space around him as he took another deep breath and used his dragon to ground himself. This was not the time to fall apart. That would be much later, if at all. For now, he needed to be able to pull them together for the immediate future and whatever it might bring.

            Though they were laboring under vastly different circumstances, Chaerin was also trying not to fall apart. Between dealing with the agony of her half-brother, who felt like he wanted to die but didn’t because he just didn’t have the energy, and dealing with Taekwoon, who was still unconscious but was likely to either want to die or kill everything when he woke up, she didn’t really know what to do. Fei was no help either as she was trying to console Jongup with Hero and it just felt like the world was literally falling apart around her. And though he was trying to be helpful, Jungkook was only adding to that sensation.

            The poor man didn’t seem to know what to do with himself as he tried to feed Hyunseong who wasn’t helping in the slightest. “What am I doing wrong?” Jungkook whimpered, face contorted as if he was on the verge of tears while he pressed a spoon determinedly against Hyunseong’s lips, trying to get him to eat.

            Chaerin glanced down at her mostly untouched bowl and sighed. “Nothing, Jungkook,” she promised, setting the bowl aside and drifting closer to him and her half-brother.

            “But he’s not eating,” the slightly younger man crumpled, dropping the spoon into the bowl and looking down as he obviously fought tears.

            She looked around, skipping over the blood stained stone as much as she could, and took a quick breath. “It’s alright,” she soothed, brushing her hand up and down Jungkook’s arm. “You should eat first, okay?” she encouraged, grabbing the bowl and pushing it towards him. “You’ll feel a little better if you do and then you might be able to help him too. Yeah?” she encouraged, forcing a smile she didn’t feel.

            “Yeah,” Jungkook grumbled, looking down at the bowl of soup listlessly.

            “Don’t make me try to feed you too,” she teased, conjuring just enough of a laugh from him to get a reaction.

            “I can feed myself,” he complained half-heartedly, though he smiled as he turned away to do as she suggested.

            “Good,” she nodded, covering and wiping at her chin with a quick hand before she took another breath. Now, if only it was as easy to take care of Taekwoon. She looked down at the unconscious rider beside her and stifled a groan. Part of her wished he would never wake up because it would be easier for all of them, especially him, if he didn’t. Another part railed against that idea and wished fervently that he would. And another irritating fragment pined for him even though he’d effectively lost his mate and his dragon… What was wrong with her?

            Determinedly, she turned her attention back to the bowl of soup she’d retrieved and did her best to finish it. She wasn’t hungry, but she knew she needed to eat. It had been a long day after all, and tomorrow would likely bring more of the same. When she was finished, she saw that Jungkook was too. It was almost like he was waiting for her to be done so he could offer to help.

            “I was gonna go get some more for him,” he shrugged, nodding at Hyunseong’s still form nearby. “I can get some for Taekwoon too,” he suggested, extending his hand helpfully.

            It was such a simple thing and yet it made Chaerin’s stomach do a half-hearted little flip. She laughed once and forced a smile before she nodded and extended her bowl in turn. “Thanks.”

            “I’ll be right back,” he promised, hurrying out with both bowls tucked close and a strangely satisfied smile on his face.

            That left Chaerin very much alone in a far too oppressive space. She leaned over and brushed at Hyunseong’s hair, tracing it behind his ear before she pet his head and then grabbed his hand in hers. He didn’t say anything but she heard him sigh and watched him tilt his head in her direction, looking down at their hands. She kept one hand on his and then turned to focus on Taekwoon on her other side. No change. Her right hand paused on his chest to feel the reassuring rise and fall and then she pressed her fingers against his forehead to check his temperature. Normal as far as she could tell. Sighing, she brought her hand back to her lap and then glanced at the blood stains on the stone near the dais.

            That was her father’s blood… They hadn’t been close and she didn’t care for him in any way that a daughter should, but he had been her father. And now he was dead. A sword through the head. Gone just like that. She felt stupid and a little bad for almost laughing at the lame rhyme in her head. What was worse though was that she hated that he’d left her with so many questions. Hated him for so many reasons… As she heard Jungkook coming back, she wiped at her eyes hastily and took a quick breath, forcing a smile she didn’t feel.

            “Here,” Jungkook offered, settling beside her to ease another bowl of warm soup into her hands. He pretended not to see the wetness on her cheeks and gave her a smile instead.

            “Thanks,” she sniffed, wiping at her eye once more before she took another breath and forced a more genuine smile. “Since Taekwoon is still sleeping, let’s see if we can’t get my brother to eat,” she encouraged, shifting close once more to take Hyunseong’s hand in hers.

            “Good idea,” the younger rider smiled with a nod as he armed himself with the bowl and spoon in turn.

            Between the two of them, taking care of Hyunseong wasn’t too hard. He was complacent enough to go to bed early too, right after eating. Making sure Taekwoon had something on his stomach was a bit more of a challenge. He wouldn’t wake up but the pair took turns spooning broth carefully into him just to make sure he had something.

            It was an interesting first day to be sure and sleep came easy for most that night. But lines had been drawn and there were very obvious divides in their group. Chaerin and Jungkook stayed inside with the injured. Taeyeon, Jinyoung, and Wooyoung stayed by the fire, and Insoo slept with his dragon right next to Tiamat’s Shrine.

            The following day, Insoo followed through on his promise to send riders to any nearby settlements. Jinyoung, Wooyoung, and Taeyeon were volunteered to go in different directions with some of the recovered dragons. Each headed for a known major city: Jinyoung went north towards Vicily; Wooyoung went east towards Angor; and Taeyeon headed close to Dragon’s Rest, the Bondsland equivalent of Miremaw. Jungkook and Chaerin were instructed to stay close and keep checking in our Hyunseong and Taekwoon while Insoo moved to coordinate with the remaining dragons.

            It was another day of uncertainty and not so good news, peppered by the occasional tremor and irregular updates from the dragons about upheavals in Trance. One sort of bright spot was that Taekwoon did wake up but he was in no condition to hear anything Chaerin had to say to him. His first reaction was to immediately be sick and purge his stomach of anything in it. Then he froze and stared at the spot directly in front of him while he stopped breathing, making Chaerin and Jungkook panic for a moment. When he did breathe again, it was with a sudden gasping breath followed by a sharp cry as he grabbed at his chest and fell over onto his side, curling up into as tight a ball as he could. To say it was jarring would be putting it mildly…

            They took turns watching over him and staying by his side until Gain eventually took over. Finally rested and recovered enough to participate again, she had them bring Taekwoon out so she could keep him in the circle of her arms with her chest gently pressing on him like a pseudo dragon pile. They did try to bring him and Jongup together briefly but the experience only made Taekwoon howl wordlessly as he turned away, further depressing the blue.

            Even Gain didn’t know what to make of it. She told Gunwoo what she thought, who relayed the information to Insoo, who conveyed the message to Chaerin and Jungkook. “Since they had a reverse bond, she thinks he’s missing a much larger part of himself than normal. Both his bond to Jonghyun and his inner dragon seem to be gone. He can’t feel what he does have – at least a minor bond with Jongup – because the missing piece is so big. He can’t or won’t listen to anything we’re saying, and she can’t get him to go into Trance either. He’s resisting it with every part of him, so she’s just trying to comfort him as best she can until she can talk to him or he can come to his senses.”

            “Poor Taekwoon,” Jungkook murmured with a glance between the gold dragon cradling the rider and Tiamat’s Shrine where Hyunseong was. “I thought Hyunseong had it bad.”

            “He does,” Chaerin reminded him with a heavy sigh. “They’re just different kinds of hurts,” she explained with a wrinkled nose.

            It was good that Taekwoon had woken up but that was all they could say for the time being. And that spot of mildly good news was diminished severely when the riders returned from their ventures to the nearby cities over the course of a couple days. All three had similar reports: the cities were there… technically… but most of the people were gone. Oh, there were survivors but none that were willing to talk to anyone with a dragon. So… four days after the war of the gods had started, they were no better off than they’d been originally.

            Mostly anyway. Their numbers had grown to over thirty for dragons which was a plus, the majority of which had left riders back in Bahamut’s Aerie. But it was something at least. Only seven couldn’t fly well on their own, or at all, and would need assistance in traveling any distance in the future. Given the situation, it was obvious that neither Chaerin nor Insoo knew what to do. No one did. But on the fifth day…

            Taekwoon coughed, a dry and raspy sound, and clutched at his chest with his right hand while he sat up from under Gain’s body. It still hurt, ached like a yawning hole had appeared where his heart should be, but he still breathed, even if it was in gasping painful breaths. He felt the gold’s questioning rumble vibrate through her chest but he ignored it and pushed away, blinking hard. Every breath was a struggle and he felt as weak as a dragonling as he stumbled free, using his right hand to stabilize himself before pain surged again and he fell to his knees, clutching at his chest once more.

            “Taekwoon!”

            He knew that voice. Why did he know that voice? Peering through one opened eye, he saw Insoo hurrying over to him. Immediately, he shook his head and pointed with his free hand as he panted hard. “Look!” he nearly choked, trying to see for himself.

            Insoo froze, staring at his wing mate hard before he turned to see what he was pointing at. His surprised gasp was echoed by the others in the group as they all sighted on a strange moving line in the distance. “Water wall!” the Wing Leader exhaled, hand rising to cover his mouth in horror as a massive wave crashed over the southern part of the continent.

            The water didn’t reach them, or even anywhere near them, but the fact they could see it meant it had washed over the majority of the continent. It meant that Calinth would likely have been wiped out and most of the villages between there and the capitol – Landymar would have been as well. What about on Kinshire…?

            “By the Heavens,” Chaerin exclaimed as she stopped near Insoo, her hand hovering just below .

            Taekwoon barely saw her. It was hard enough to breathe much less focus on anything else. Only… he’d felt something just before the water wall had made an appearance. A jolt of something warm and familiar in the place where he knew his heart was supposed to be. But now it was gone and the place was cold and hurting. He grimaced around clenched teeth and air in around the barrier, half wishing he were dead too. It had to be his fault Jonghyun was gone. His dragon wouldn’t have done something so stupid as to challenge Bahamut if it wasn’t for him, right?

            But then he heard a questing whimper nearby and turned to look, to see where the sound was coming from. Jongup. His actual heart convulsed when he saw the blue, constricting with guilt and unworthiness. Hurting, he cried out again and fell to the ground, bracing himself with his left arm.

            “Wait!” he heard as someone kept others at bay, leaving him adrift in his pain.

            The crooning whimpering sound got louder and he felt a nose push under him, ramming into his stomach where he couldn’t ignore it. Reflexively, he grabbed on, holding tight as it lifted him to his feet. When he finally opened his eyes to see, he met amber eyes in dark blue skin peering back at him.

            See me! a desperate voice pleaded as dragon eyes bore into him. I am yours and you are mine!

            No! he denied, trying to flinch away but only succeeding in lowering his gaze. It’s my fault he’s dead. My fault they’re gone…

            No! Not dead…! Not gone…! Jongup howled, nudging his nose harder against Taekwoon’s belly so that he couldn’t look away.

            The pain in his heart was very real so he knew that Jonghyun was gone, but… It hurts, he admitted with teary eyes as he placed his left hand on Jongup’s snout.

            Then share pain with me! the blue commanded, tilting his head so they were nearly eye to eye. Rider. I am yours, and you are mine, he echoed the words Jonghyun had said to him, that he had said to Jonghyun.

            With the reminder, the thin weak bond he did have with Jongup sang. It vibrated through his being and resonated enough to outshine the pain in his heart. At least for a moment. Taekwoon felt it, grabbed for it with both hands, and sobbed. I am yours and you are mine, he wailed, hugging tight to Jongup’s head as he tried to hold hard enough to wash away the pain that still pounded in his chest.

            Mate still here, Jongup crooned, his claw moving heavily to slap against his own chest. And here, he added, carefully moving his hand to place against Taekwoon’s body.

            I felt him, Jongup, Taekwoon gasped with his face buried against the blue’s. Before the water wall. Something… he choked, coughing against the blue skin. I know he’s gone, but I know there was something, I swear! he stated firmly, the ache in his spirit seemingly permanent, but he knew what he’d felt.

            Not gone, Jongup shook his head as he carefully grabbed Taekwoon in both claws and hugged him close. But no leave me again, he begged, large form hunched over his rider’s pitifully, wings and tail moving close as if to block off any escape.

            Uppie… Taekwoon exhaled, bitter self-recrimination gnawing at him. Maybe it was his fault that Jonghyun was dead, that Jinki had been taken by Bahamut, but Jongup clearly didn’t blame him. And he’d deserted him… I’m sorry, he cried, hugging with his left arm as he clenched his chest with his right. It didn’t lessen the hole left by Jonghyun – that was still as large and aching as ever, but it felt like there was a rope in it now. Something to hold onto to make it not so bad, not so empty.

            Together, Jongup swallowed, his chest rising and falling with each large breath.

            Together, Taekwoon echoed, feeling for just a moment as if fingers threaded through his, holding tight. For the time being, it was enough. Oh so slowly, Jongup lowered him to the ground and let him stand on his own, staying close enough that the dragon was in constant range if he needed. Taekwoon finally opened his eyes and looked around the area. His bottom jaw trembled as he observed his surroundings.

            Jongup was on his right side now so he placed his right hand on the dragon’s shoulder but his heart still ached and his left came to grip at his chest. Teeth bared and breathing hard, he saw his wing leader and wing mates nearby. Beyond them were several dragons he recognized, the realization hitting him like a bolt of lightning. Looking down, he clenched his left hand as if he was grabbing hold of his pain and dropped his fist to his side. It still hurt and he couldn’t completely control his breathing, but he looked at his wing mates and gasped, “Sorry I worried you.”

            “Taekwoon.” It was just his name. Nothing major, but it made him look over to see Chaerin standing beside him, her face a mask of understanding pain and her hands held hesitantly in front of her.

            He knew what he should do, but as he looked down at his left hand, fist balled tightly and hovering next to his side as if it was chained there, he knew he couldn’t. His mouth worked like he wanted to cry and his arm trembled until… he saw an arm brushing past his and sliding around his waist. His fist partially opened of its own accord and he looked up to see Chaerin stepping close to hug him around the waist, her head resting on his shoulder without looking at him.

            “I’m glad you’re okay,” she murmured just loud enough for him to hear.

            He didn’t know if he was glad or okay, but her words were enough to undo any control he had. As his left hand wrapped around her reflexively and he held her close, he couldn’t stop the tears that just started.