Taekwoon woke first. There was no light coming from the closed window so it was still quite early, he knew. Squinting in the darkened space, he looked down at where he knew Jinki was, debating on whether to wake him or not. He would be annoyed if he didn’t, but he would also just worry more if he did. After a moment of hesitation, Taekwoon leaned down to press a feather light kiss against Jinki’s head and then carefully eased himself out of bed.

            He told himself that leaving now would just give him incentive to succeed and make it back. Not that he needed another reason, but one more couldn’t hurt. “See you when I return,” he whispered, quietly pulling on his underclothes and stepping outside with his leather armor and dragon gear.

            “You’re up early,” Captain Yunho chuckled softly, startling the trainee.

            “Oh,” Taekwoon flinched, slightly embarrassed he hadn’t noticed him in the hallway. To be fair, he wasn’t paying that much attention because he hadn’t been expecting anyone, but still.

            “Yeah. Didn’t think you’d be sleeping that late,” he added with a shrug, already fully dressed. “I know I didn’t before my last Trial either,” he went on, glancing at the door Taekwoon had come from. “You ready?”

            It was a good question. In his heart, he knew he was, but a part of him doubted. He forced out the answer he wanted it to be though. “As ready as I’m going to be.”

            “Of course,” Yunho nodded in agreement, seeming to understand the inner conflict. “Come on then. Finish putting on your gear and we’ll swing by the kitchens to get food to go. The rest will be up to you,” he winked, turning smartly to head away on quiet feet.

            Taekwoon his lips and took another calming breath, feeling a swarm of nerves rising in his stomach. “You can do this,” he promised himself, hurrying to settle his armor in place before he trailed after the Captain.

            He found the taller man in the kitchen with a couple meat rolls on hand and a small bag of supplies for the trip. A bleary eyed Junjin shuffled in, scruffy brown hair framing his tired face as if he’d just woken up. He probably had. “All you dragonriders are insane,” he grumbled with a bemused smile and a fluttering wave of his hand.

            “Thank you, Junjin,” Yunho grinned, raising the bag in a salute and then handing off a meat pie to Taekwoon. “Here. You can eat this on the way.”

            “Thanks,” Taekwoon responded quickly, accepting the meat roll and bowing to Junjin awkwardly before he trailed after the Captain.

            They walked in silence, eating their breakfast. Only when they entered into Aerie yard, where Hero was patiently waiting, did Yunho speak again. “You’ve never been dragon back before but all you have to do is hold on and trust in Hero,” he explained, walking right up to the silver dragon and clambering up with enviable ease. “Come on,” he instructed, leaning over to offer his hand for the trainee.

            Excitement flooded Taekwoon and he shuffled forward with suddenly clumsy feet. He was going to be flying on Hero. But… he was also going to be flying to find his own dragon. A dragon that would probably try very hard to kill him when they met. The dual emotions warring within were quite real for him, but even as he slowly reached his hand up, the conflict was pushed aside when Yunho grabbed on and hauled him into position behind him. Taekwoon yelped softly, heart racing in his chest. He could feel Yunho’s amusement, and Hero’s to a degree, but it didn’t matter as his situation settled in. He was on a dragon. Childish glee flowed through Taekwoon and he grinned at the realization.

            “Just wait til you’re flying,” Yunho called over his shoulder, leaning forward to murmur instructions to Hero.

            With a slow moving grace and lazy wings, Hero stood up, jostling the riders. Taekwoon gripped hard to Yunho’s waist, feeling unsettled. The sensation only grew as the dragon padded past the Sanctum Tower and towards the overlook. The sun was just beginning to rise as they neared the edge and the trainee could see the land appear below them. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes grew wide in his face when Hero happily jumped off, taking them with him.

            “Hang on!” Yunho grinned, leaning forward as the wind tore at them.

            That brief moment of terror as they plummeted made Taekwoon’s throat grow tight before Hero pulled up, hauling them along for the ride. Terror gave way to euphoria and the trainee had to fight the urge to shout in glee. His cheeks hurt from smiling so hard and he could just see a similar expression on Yunho’s face.

            When the Captain glanced back, his smile grew wider somehow. “You are very much a dragonrider at heart, trainee,” he laughed.

            Taekwoon nodded. This was magical. In this very brief amount of time, he was beginning to understand how a dragon and rider could bond so closely without a non-rider ever coming close to really knowing why. It was a dark and worrying thought that he pushed away harshly, choosing to bask in the freedom of the ride.

            Hero angled away from Miremaw and when he leveled out, gliding easily over the wilds, Yunho took out another meat pie and handed one back to Taekwoon carefully. “Here. Eat this first and then you can start looking for a place to begin your search,” he instructed, gesturing towards the open expanse beneath them.

            “I choose?” Taekwoon questioned in surprise.

            “Of course. You just have to trust your instincts,” he added when it was clear Taekwoon was going to ask another question.

            That was the answer he was looking for so he fell silent and took a bite of his pie instead, brow wrinkled in thought. Yunho didn’t rush him and Hero took his time winding back and forth across the sky. It was still early so the world wasn’t yet stirring much. They heard birds aplenty but the skies were free of dragons, nor did they see any moving below. That wasn’t surprising in and of itself. If they spotted one now, chances were good it would flee or challenge them, depending on the situation, and neither made for a good final Trial.

            He was grateful for Yunho’s patience. Long after the meat pie was finished, he was still wondering where they should land. Narrowed eyes scanned the trees and the hills, looking for a clue or a sign. Eventually, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing himself into stillness. There wasn’t any obvious change, but Taekwoon felt like he sensed something. Blindly, he turned towards it and pointed before opening his eyes. The space before him didn’t look that different, but he was trying to trust his instincts. “There,” he murmured.

            “You sure?” Yunho queried, just to confirm.

            No, he wasn’t, but if he didn’t choose, he might well fly around all day without actually making a choice. While that wouldn’t be terrible on any other day, it was not something he could afford this day. “Yes,” he stated with as much confidence as he could muster.

            “Very well, trainee Taekwoon, Hero,” Yunho called, nudging his shoulder and pointing down where they wanted to go.

            Hero crooned in understanding and then began to angle down. His wings beat to keep them steady and slow them gradually, the ride becoming bumpier as they neared the ground. He came to a nearly complete stop, hovering in the air before he dropped the last fifteen feet, narrowly landing in a tiny clearing between the trees. The freefall was a surprise Taekwoon wasn’t expecting and it made him grab hard to Yunho before they hit, jarring them both.

            “Well that was graceful,” Yunho chuckled, patting Hero’s shoulder as the dragon craned his head back to snort at his rider. “You did fine,” he reassured, reaching out to scratch under the chin when the silver head moved closer. “Now would you please get down so Taekwoon can get off,” he encouraged, pushing at the nose in amusement.

            Hero huffed again and shook just a bit, wings flexing in the confined space before he pulled them against his body. Content, he wrapped his tail around his front legs and sat, creating a slide for Taekwoon to slip down.

            “Whoa!” he yelped, not expecting the shift that removed him without warning.

            “You are in a mood today,” Yunho chided, shaking his head at his dragon. “Apologies, Taekwoon,” he spoke, focusing his attention on the trainee. “You’ve got your gear, right?” he asked, nodding at the pack on Taekwoon’s back.

            “Yes,” Taekwoon nodded, reaching back to check just to be sure. The bag held his climbing hooks, climbing spines and spurs, climbing rope, and the vial of Bahamut’s Blood Aerie Master Satoru had reverently given him yesterday afternoon.

            “Then Bahamut bless your Trial, trainee. And may we both be dragonriders when next we meet,” Captain Yunho saluted, giving an encouraging nod to the younger man.

            “Thank you, sir,” Taekwoon bowed in response, trying to swallow his nerves. In awe, he watched as Hero stood back up and padded in a small circle once. Then he lowered himself close to the ground and sprang up at least ten feet into the air, wings snapping open to flap awkwardly against the trees. The tips bowed under the downbeat and he gained enough height to get a better the second time around. Flapping up quickly, the silver dragon quickly put distance between them, his hide almost glowing in the morning sun. “Beautiful,” Taekwoon smiled, watching as long as he could before he turned his attention to his surroundings.

             Taking a calming breath, he let sharp eyes scan the ground and then the space above. His eyes flitted from tree to tree, peering into the shadowy spaces as if he could make something appear by force of will alone. But nothing that he was looking for moved, only birds and small forest animals that felt themselves safe now that Hero was gone. Taekwoon nodded to himself and closed his eyes, using the same ‘technique’ as earlier to choose a direction. When his path felt right, he stopped shifting and opened his eyes, pressing forward without questioning himself. Either he was going to be right or he wasn’t. It was as simple as that.

            And by Bahamut, he was determined to be right. As he walked, he settled his dragon gear in place, securing the belt and pouch at his waist before adding in the climbing hooks. He paused long enough to make sure the rope was easily accessible and that he could reach his climbing spines quickly if need be. He didn’t want to risk getting them full of debris now and not working when he did find his dragon.

            The morning started to grow hot as the sun rose and still there were no tracks of a dragon. Doubt niggled at the back of his mind but he pushed it away with fierce determination. He was so focused on actually finding something that he very nearly missed his first clue: dragon scent. Stalling suddenly, Taekwoon inhaled slowly, turning his head in either direction as he tried to figure out where it was coming from. He strained his ears to listen for some sign and then slowly started moving in the direction he thought the smell might be coming from. Trekking through some low bushes, he grinned in delight as he finally came upon dragon tracks.

            The trainee took a knee next to the nearest one, measuring it with his hand. A bit small. Probably a third or fourth tier dragon or a youngling. It was too early to tell just yet. Moving alongside the tracks, he realized that they moved in both directions. This was a path the dragon used from time to time. Game trail most likely, by the looks of it. Some tracks appeared quite old and others fairly new. Taekwoon chirped thoughtfully when he realized there was a second set of tracks present too. They were noticeably larger, but only moving in one direction. The small one’s parent? Possible. Even if it wasn’t, the footprint size indicated it was probably a first or second tier dragon.

            Taekwoon grew pensive for a moment. Which one to set his sights on? He told Jinki he actually wanted a second tier dragon, but the smaller one seemed to actually frequent this area and it would likely be easier to catch. Or at the very least, he’d have a higher chance of success. As much as he wanted the larger dragon, the safer bet decided him, for Jinki’s sake if nothing else.

            “Okay,” he whispered, accepting his decision as gracefully as he could. If the smaller one traveled this way fairly often, as the tracks indicated, he should be able to wait for it to come passing by. If he was truly lucky, maybe the large one would show up first, but that was a hope for another time. Quickly, he searched the trees for a good climbing one that would offer a nice vantage and sufficient cover.

            He walked along the path for a few more paces before he decided. Pausing to slip on his climbing spines and pull out his hooks, Taekwoon scaled the tree with relative ease. It was much easier than any challenges Seunghyun put him through back at the Aerie. Getting to a secure vantage, Taekwoon settled his climbing gear once more and then wedged himself in to wait.

            Time seemed to move very slowly as he waited. Forest insects pestered him intermittently, buzzing in his ears and darting about his eyes, but he was mildly grateful for them. They helped keep him from growing sleepy. The sounds of the forest made a soothing lullaby of birdsong and insect calls otherwise. But that was also his biggest warning sign.

            Taekwoon inhaled sharply when the forest fell deathly still. He tilted his head from side to side, searching. Rustling relatively nearby made him turn to see the trees along the trail shaking slightly. He heard the sound of quiet breathing and muted footsteps as large feet treaded on debris covered ground. Peering carefully through the branches, he caught sight of a blue dragon padding his way. His lips pulled up into a quiet smile as he watched, but then frowned slightly as the dragon slowed when it got closer.

            The head lowered close to the ground and it sniffed loudly. Taekwoon’s stomach lurched. It could probably smell him too… He held very still as the dragon crept forward, head swinging from side to side curiously. Very carefully, Taekwoon let the cover slide back into place as he tried very much to become a part of the tree. Ears sharpened to every sound, he listened as the dragon stopped, the sniffing sound getting louder as it apparently looked up the tree. The tree shook briefly as the dragon apparently pushed it and it took Taekwoon everything he had not to react.

            A weak branch fell from the canopy though and a bird fled, making the dragon hiss in surprise. Thankfully, it didn’t try again. The trainee waited to hear what would happen next, but when the dragon didn’t seem to move on, he frowned curiously. It was making a different sound that he knew he should recognize. Risking breaking his cover, Taekwoon peered through the canopy again and smiled.

            The dragon had settled below him, beautiful and unsuspecting. Two gently arched horns hovered just above the back of his spine, dark brown spires at odds with the deep blue of his hide. Dust covered the smooth flesh like a mist and already, Taekwoon itched to wash it clean. But there was no time for thoughts like that. He had to make the dragon his first. Taking a deep breath, he watched the head swing back around to start chewing on something between its claws. Now was probably the best chance he’d have of getting close. Taekwoon’s fingers flexed and his belly clenched in excited anticipation.

            He started a mental countdown and began to lean forward. One hand brushed against the hooked rope at his belt, grabbing it loosely. His other pushed away from the tree trunk and he kicked off the branch with his feet, entering a quiet freefall. The rope whistled in the air, a whisper of sound that was just enough to catch the dragon’s attention. Large eyes swiveled to see what was making the sound and the dragon started with an abrupt cry.

            Taekwoon loosed the hook with a silent prayer, grateful as it snared one of the horns as he hoped. Wings partially flared, the dragon lurched away, trying to escape the unexpected attack. Its momentum pulled Taekwoon along swiftly, as he expected. Braced for the shift, it still made him gasp. He grit his teeth and followed the rope, winding up the slack just before he hit the dragon’s back. Rough shoes caught on the smooth scales but he had too much forward motion to stop entirely.

            “Ugh!” Taekwoon groaned, his body careening forward to slam into the dragon’s. It was a struggle to hold onto the rope and keep his bearings but letting go was equally unacceptable. Especially since his target was still moving, galloping down the trail. It sent the trainee’s body swaying against the hide in an awkward roll. The head swung to the right and then to the left, pulling Taekwoon along wantonly. He hissed at the strain in his arms and fought to start crawling his way up. One hard earned hand-length at a time, Taekwoon dragged himself to just under the dragon’s horns, anchoring himself in place with the rope to give himself a breather.

            “Easy, dragon,” he soothed, finally at a place where he could speak. His words fell upon deaf ears as the dragon clawed at him awkwardly. The talons were easy enough to avoid though, catching on horns or scratching lightly against its own neck. Keeping a watchful eye on them, Taekwoon shook his hands out and prepared himself for the next part. He was grateful the first step had been as easy as it was, all things considered, but next would be the moment of truth. “Hey!” he yelped when an errant claw nearly snagged him from his thoughts. Taekwoon jerked his leg up, glaring at the talon tip that had brushed against him.

            Having no luck, the dragon keened and ducked his head down, sending Taekwoon shunting hard against the horns. His world turned upside down when the dragon actually rolled, and his stomach lurched at the unexpected sensation. N had never done such a thing in their practice bouts. His vision tilted again when the dragon’s head swung low to the ground, a hair’s breadth from actually hitting the surface. Taekwoon nearly jumped out of his skin when the dragon hit a tree next, splintering the wood and raining debris on him. The impact almost worked to knock him off, too. His only saving grace was the rope tying him in place.

            “Ack!” he hissed, losing his breath as the rope dug into his stomach. Biting his lip, he groaned and snagged the horns with both hands, bracing his lower body with his feet on either side of the neck. Wily thing. He was both frustrated with and proud of the dragon already. “Come on now,” he murmured, voice catching from the strain.

            He sensed a lull as much as felt the tension in the neck starting to ease. Now. It was now or never. Freeing one hand, he grabbed for the vial in the pouch at his waist. It came free easily, the cap coming off with a flick of his thumb. In a heartbeat, he tipped the silver liquid down his throat and prepared to move, the words of binding and Trance already on his tongue.

            One foot was on the dragon’s neck and Taekwoon was already moving from his safe vantage, one hand curled around a horn and the other reaching for the top of the dragon’s face, when the hair on his arms rose. He inhaled sharply as he caught movement in the corner of his eye. “Shards!” he cursed, panic welling while a larger dragon dove towards them, angry fire in its amber eyes.

            With no time to think about it, Taekwoon let the rope loose and plummeted towards the end of the line. He saw a larger set of talons and teeth curving for him, but gravity was his savior, hauling him just out of reach. The new copper dragon sailed by and bowled into the smaller one, taking Taekwoon along for the ride. He couldn’t let go of the rope. Being on the ground with two angry dragons meant almost certain death. Better to take his chances with them tying each other up. He hoped. Maybe they’d start fighting each other if he was lucky…

            Angry snarls thrummed through him as Taekwoon hit the blue dragon’s body again. Flailing wings nearly pummeled him and he had to duck under a waving claw. Hunching close to the blue’s body, he pulled his climbing hook free from his belt and snagged the rough hide. His target yelped and he could almost feel the ire of the copper one. It was frighteningly strong and he didn’t quite understand why yet. “Come on!” Taekwoon urged, forcing himself to half-run, half-climb up the body until he was just under the wing of the smaller blue.

            It flapped furiously, trying to dislodge him, but the soft membrane only caused the trainee mild discomfort. And it bought him a brief moment of respite to get a look at the other dragon. Anchored firmly in place, he knew he was playing a little dirty – dragons were highly protective and cautious of their wings – but he needed the advantage just then. His new opponent glared at him like death, magnificent copper wings mantling as it hissed menacingly.

            “New plan,” he exhaled, every nerve alive and tense. “You’re going to be my dragon,” he promised softly, breathing hard. He still wanted the littler one, but preservation instincts demanded he focus on the larger threat.

            The copper dragon paid him no mind and simply stalked closer. It hissed at the blue dragon, some sort of communication, and Taekwoon felt his belly clench. They were planning something. He had no time to guess before the ground suddenly moved away from him. No. The blue dragon was moving from the ground, flying…

            “Shards!” he gasped again, wincing as discomfort turned to pain and intense muscle strain. Wind pulled at him just as much as gravity and the blue wings buffeted him mercilessly. A glance down showed they were moving higher than he’d been before and the distance was dizzying. Taekwoon’s head spun and that was before the dragon started rolling in the air. “Yah!” he yelled, feeling his arms shaking as fatigue began to set in.

            His stomach floated into his throat when the blue dragon stopped and stalled in the air. For just a moment they hung motionless before the blue’s head dipped down and they began a nosedive. Wings pulled up high, completely revealing Taekwoon to the open air. It was almost a relief except he noticed the large copper dragon angling close, palm length teeth gleaming in the sun.

            Not good.

            The ground was nowhere near close enough to make them pull up and it looked like the copper dragon was going to bite him off in midair. Literally. Cringing preemptively, Taekwoon finally released the rope altogether, relying on the single climbing claw to hold him in place. He could see the skin was starting to tear where it was secured in the dragon and he winced. The second hook came free from his belt and he turned to stare at his oncoming death.

            “Come on. Come on,” he panted, loosening his pouch with a quiet prayer to Bahamut. “Please let this work.” Less than a horse-length. He could see every detail of the copper’s nose, teeth, eyes... Knowing this would be his salvation or death, Taekwoon freed the pouch and tossed it at the dragon. Reactively, it snapped at the accessory, and Taekwoon threw himself at the side of the dragon’s head. He soared just past the teeth but the hit the skull with full force when the dragon swung back to try and bite him.

            Breath fled from his lungs and his arms tingled with the threat of numbness. His left shoulder felt like it was almost out of socket and his forearm was turning to lead, but he still held the climbing hook. The same hook that was now lodged in the corner of the copper dragon’s mouth. It banked up to try and lose him but then curved back, following the pull on its mouth with a pained shriek. That was the only reason Taekwoon was able to dig the other climbing hook into the space under the horns, sobbing in pained exhaustion as he did so.

            His legs dangled in the empty air and his body sagged between failing arms and hands. It would only take a single claw swipe to yank him loose, but Taekwoon was finally able to see eye to eye with the great beast. They were still in the air and the blue dragon was not that far away, but he was out of options. He was damned if he did nothing and damned if he started the Trance. Either way, action was better than inaction and all he had left was chance.

            Tasting the remnants of the binding liquid on his tongue, Taekwoon stared into the amber eye immediately in front of his face and whispered, “I am yours and you are mine.”

            Like he’d practiced once before, he started falling. Unlike falling with the dragon, there was no wind or gravity here. Only a drab grayness everywhere. It was more akin to drifting through fog, much like he’d experienced in the Aerie, but undeniably different. His peril felt more real here. The higher stakes pressed in on him, making it harder to breathe. And yet none of the fear mattered as he finally touched down, a surface appearing under his feet like it had been willed there. Maybe it had…

            Taekwoon took a shuddering breath and looked ahead, seeing a form beginning to materialize across from him. Relief sang in his soul. The dragon had come too. He had not been too late. A smile tugged at his mouth, but it fled quickly, the excitement tempered with the concern of what was happening beyond. Time did not stand still beyond this space, though it felt like it should. Inherently, he knew they were still falling. Would probably die from crashing into the ground. But in this space, in this moment, it was only them… and Taekwoon reached one hand as if to beckon the dragon closer.

            Anger in burning amber eyes made him pause. The dragon, now in a bare human form – like Taekwoon, offered no truce. His scowl was just as intimidating in this guise, animal eyes under a fall of ebony hair. Slightly full cheeks looked wholly out of place above the firm chin and chiseled figure below. Fingers crooked into claws, as if they could become talons at his command. “You!” he snarled, the draconic sound startling coming from a human mouth.

            "You..." Taekwoon echoed breathily, his voice low and trembling. In this space, his body did not ache as it had beyond, but he felt a powerful yearning in his heart. It pulsed through him and made his blood sing. He couldn't fail here. He had to succeed.

            The dragon felt otherwise. With a garbled roar, the other man threw himself at Taekwoon, all ungainly fury. Just as quickly, Taekwoon side-stepped, brow furrowing at how easily he avoided the dragon. "Gyah!" the dragon tried again, lurching around like an uncoordinated child. He launched off the ground, all animal intelligence and instinct.

            Airborne, he was easier to avoid and Taekwoon's heart clinched. This was no fair contest of wills. The other dragon he'd sparred with had power and grace, reaction speed and technique, strategy and... experience. His realization was like a gut punch, briefly distracting him. The feeling became all too real when the dragon managed to jump into him, shoulder digging into his stomach painfully. Momentum dragged them both to the ground and frantic fingers scrabbled at his bare flesh.

            Yelping in surprised pain, Taekwoon slid and used the last of their motion to roll out from under the dragon. Kicking his feet up and the dragon with them, he stunned the humanoid creature as he rolled backwards over his shoulder. Head tucked against his chest defensively, he pushed firmly on broad shoulders, pinning the dragon's back to the ground. His knees braced the dragon's legs, hobbling his movement. "Easy!" Taekwoon tried to soothe, fighting against the raw strength of the dragon. He caught flailing wrists and pinned one to the ground, holding the other firm against his body.

            "Let go!" the dragon howled, body bucking with savage intensity.

            "You are mine and I am yours," Taekwoon murmured, leaning close as he tried to hold eye contact.

            "No!" Amber eyes glared and jerked away, the head snapping forward so he could bite at his captor's hold.

            Taekwoon hissed and yanked his arm away, loosing the nearest hand by accident. His throat constricted when powerful fingers wrapped around it, squeezing tight. "Easy!" he choked, prying the hand away and leveraging it down on the other side dragon's head. Fire burned against the skin of his throat and he knew the dragon had marked him.

            "I will not be yours!" the dragon denied, spasming once more.

            "Yes, you will," the would-be dragonrider promised him softly, hovering over the restrained figure.

            "My mate is mine and I am his!" he spat, body heaving again. Corded muscles bunched under tense skin and it was a struggle to keep holding the dragon down.

            "Mate?" Taekwoon blinked, taken aback. It was almost enough to catch him off guard again.

            "Yes!" the dragon panted, finally stopping his struggles to let his head loll back, hair partially covering his sweaty face.

            Briefly unsettled, Taekwoon had to pause in his thinking. No one had prepared him for this possibility. Perhaps that was part of the test itself, but it left him in a tough spot indeed. He couldn't very well not bind the dragon. Unbound, he would surely kill Taekwoon the moment they broke Trance. But bound... how would that affect his mate? And how had Taekwoon missed it?

            "I can't," the dragon panted again, his stamina apparently wearing out.

            It might have been a ruse, but Taekwoon didn't think so. He was just trying to decide what he could do when the space within shifted. Pain and tension and fear thrummed through the air. Taekwoon's hair stood on end and he inhaled, wide eyes peering around.

            The dragon beneath him tensed again, as if he sensed something the human couldn't. "Jongup?" he whispered, torso heaving in concern.

            "Jong... hyun...!" a tortured shriek echoed through the space.

            Taekwoon couldn't help but cover his ears, the pain blinding. It was all the opening the dragon needed. His captive lurched upright and slammed Taekwoon in the chest, sending him rolling backwards. Disoriented and still hurting, he flailed to try and roll out of it again, ready to defend himself. But the dragon was not running after him. He was running away. No... towards the sound of the voice.

            "Jonghyun!" the voice howled again, agony vibrating in the tone.

            Confused, the dragonrider got up and stumbled after the dragon. "What in Bahamut's name is that...?" he whispered, horrified by the noise.

            "Jongup!" the first dragon shouted, winding this way and that as he searched.

            Taekwoon managed a straighter line, but only so that he could keep up and yet stay out of reach. Once more, he heard the ear piercing cry and then saw the dragon sprint towards something. For a few heartbeats, the dragon's body obscured whatever it was, but then Taekwoon saw it. And he stopped, horrified revulsion welling in his throat.

            "Jongup!" the dragon panicked, arms reaching to hold the misshapen thing crumpled on the ground. Blue skin mixed with tan flesh; half-formed wings curled from its back; a terrifying blended face of dragon maw and human visage looked up at the newcomers.

            It was like something from a nightmare and yet Taekwoon knew without a doubt that this thing... this Jongup was the dragon's mate. Jonghyun's mate. "Oh Bahamut," he gasped, hand rising to his mouth in uncertain fear.

            "What did you do?!" Jonghyun snarled, arms holding the other dragon close, protective and furious at the same time.

            "Nothing!" Taekwoon responded in a knee jerk reaction.

            "Jonghyun... help..." the other dragon groaned piteously, the sound strange and terrible, wheezing from the distorted mouth.

            "Do something!" Jonghyun commanded, looking from his mate and back to the human.

            "I can't! I don't know what to do!" he shouted back, at a loss.

            Jongup keened, body convulsing as something seemed to twist him up even more. "Ma- gic...!" he gasped, choking on the word.

            "Jongup!" his mate cried, whimpering in the face of his powerlessness.

            The other dragon's final word sank into Taekwoon and he thought he understood in that moment what had likely happened. Magic. Bahamut's Blood. The spell of Binding and Trance. He could only guess that Jongup had gotten close enough to enter the sphere of magic and had been pulled in. Or come voluntarily, searching for his mate. But as an outside force with no control over the realm, it was exercising control over him, taking the dragon form and trying to force it into a human guise, like Taekwoon and Jonghyun wore.

            But either he was fighting it or there wasn't enough magic left to finish the transition. For lack of any other explanation, it looked as if the dragon was dying. "No," he whispered, the word drowned out by Jonghyun's howl of denial. He let the sound vibrate through him, let himself feel the pain in Jongup's gasping breaths, clung to the heaviness in his heart, and swallowed his guilt and fear.

            "Dear one," Jonghyun whimpered, too human hands ghosting over the malformed creature's face.

            "No," Taekwoon whispered again, tears spilling from the corner of his eyes. His heart hurt - for the dragons, for himself, for Jinki... But he could not allow this. Walking close, he knelt next to the dragons. Jonghyun's head turned and he glared at him, the gaze cutting. But it did not last. Maybe he saw what Taekwoon intended. Maybe he realized the man was no threat. Or maybe it was nothing at all, but the anger melted away and his face softened into something truly beautiful, "I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching his hand slowly towards Jonghyun's face. The dragon let him cradle his cheek, hopeful and concerned at the same time. "I release you from my power," Taekwoon murmured, holding eye contact with the mesmerizing amber eyes.

            Jonghyun blinked and his form shuddered. The gray mist turned swiftly to storms as everything went dark. The sound of bones crunching echoed in the blackness, loud over the sound of the rising wind. A curtain of rain swarmed in, drenching the area in a heartbeat. Lightning flashed and Taekwoon saw huge wings flare out, copper color more akin to blood in the dying light. The following roar sent him crashing to his knees, head cradled in his hands once more.

            Terrified, his heart still soared when he heard an answering roar. Different. Softer. No longer in pain. At least the other dragon would be alright after all. Relief plummeted in the next breath. "You..." a familiar, deep voice growled, hovering in the space before him.

            In the next flash of lightning, Taekwoon looked up into the face of the copper dragon. "Forgive me, Jinki," he cried, closing his eyes as the tears fell again.

            Darkness consumed his vision and he screamed when something knocked him to the ground. Heavy. The weight on his chest pressed down, threatening to crush him. "You are mine!" Jonghyun snarled.

            Taekwoon cried out as he thought he felt something inside break. True darkness reached up to swallow him, pulling him away from the pain and the fear and the dragons. Away from Jinki... away from everything...

(a/n: Dun dun dun... Of course it couldn't go so smoothly. XD But so it goes. And of course we'll get more info the next update, but in the meantime, I do hope you enjoyed this one. As usual, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free, but otherwise, thank you for reading!)