Tenor scanned the environment as he located his mate. He saw a faint blue light scurry across the thick trees to his left. He veered in that direction, knowing what it was and who it belonged to. He dived down and used the trick his mate taught him to eliminate the whistle of his dive. Windwalker looked over her shoulder and was too late to stop Tenor as he crashed into her, sending the two tumbling around in a heap of scales.
With the wind knocked out of her, Windwalker was helpless as Tenor used the momentum of their crash to pin her down with him atop her back. She struggled and roared, snapping her jaws at her captor in vain. Tenor placed a paw on her head, immobilizing it.
"Please Tenor, don't hurt me!", Windwalker begged.
Tenor froze, puzzled by her sudden plea for mercy. He hadn't expected her to do that. Those words impacted him-he would never hurt her. 'Maybe she's back to normal', Tenor thought optimistically.
However during that time, he lightened his hold on her and Windwalker took advantage of the distraction. She threw him off of her and pinned him to the ground.
"Gosh Tenor, you are so stupid it's sad. You are just so easy to trick", Windwalker grinned.
"You know what? Maybe I am stupid. Maybe I am just some mutt who deserves nothing. But somehow, despite all my differences and imperfections, you still love me. I know you do", Tenor scowled.
"Who says I still love you? You are nothing but a toy to me Tenor. A sad, lonely, and emotionally desperate toy", Windwalker smirked.
Tenor was deeply hurt by his mate's words but he steeled himself over. He had to be strong. If not for his sake, then for Windwalker's sake.
"That tends to happen to a dragon whose parents leave him behind when he was still an egg; who constantly got judged and shunned for being different from all the other dragons growing up. That would make anybody sad, lonely, and yearning to be loved and accepted. My black scales were a persistent reminder that I would always be different for the rest of my life. I figured that I would grow up with no one to love. No one to call my family. And ultimately, no one to share my heart with. But I thank Draco every single day that I met you, for you changed my life for the better Windwalker".
Windwalker was silent as she listened to Tenor. A part of her was fighting for control. It was struggling to break free from her deluded state of mind and comfort and apologize to the dragon she loves. However, Hael's control proved to be a formidable force.
"Growing up with Re and Aurora did help ease the pain I felt, but it did not make it go away. They helped me realize that I don't have to be sad and lonely for the rest of my life but still, they would never understand what it feels like. Even when I matured, I kept to myself because I didn't want to become a burden to others. And you right, I was emotionally desperate. I searched and did my best to find a mate but all the other female Blackfangs rejected me, saying I was a freak or just plain cocky. I was about to give up on love until I met you. Gosh, when I met you, I swear I thought you were the most beautiful dragoness I had ever set my eyes on, even though we were enemies at the time. As we became friends, I made a promise to myself that day, Windwalker. I vowed that if you rejected my advances, I would stop searching for a mate, grow old alone and die. If all the other Blackfangs rejected me, then maybe females from my Night Fury side would be different. Even though my judgement said you would more than likely reject me, I still had to try", Tenor continued.
"So what are you trying to say? I was just a last resort to you? You couldn't find a single female who met your expectations, so you just decided to settle with me?", Windwalker fumed.
As Windwalker finished saying that, Tenor was slightly scared because her tone was of genuine anger. He didn't know if that was the old Windwalker talking, or the one under Hael's control.
"That's not true Windwalker. I decided to see if you were interested in me, because you not only met my expectations, you superseded them. I wouldn't have asked you to be my mate if otherwise. As I started to know the real you, it made me realize that I was foolish to hold you up to a standard, because nobody is perfect. After learning your history, you made me realize that. You made me change my expectations of a suitable mate. You made me discern that I was arrogant to only find a mate based on likeable qualities. My standard changed to finding a mate who I can accept for who they are, what they have done, and what they strive to do, and can do the same to me in return. Because that is what being mated to someone is about: accepting each other's weirdness and flaws. It's about being yourself and finding happiness together. It's about seeing an imperfect person perfectly. Once somebody has connection, they become unstoppable", Tenor smiled.
Windwalker was baffled, but her face did not show it. She felt a slight pain in her head as memories of the times they spent to together resurfaced.
"You can claim that you don't love me or I don't love you, but I will call you a liar every time because we have been there for each other through hard and good times. We have saved each other's lives, we have a child together, and we would do anything to keep the other happy. If that's not love, then I don't know what is", Tenor explained.
Windwalker scrunched her face up in discomfort, as the pain in her head increased exponentially.
"You...you're lying to me! You're just saying these things to confuse me!", Windwalker exclaimed through gritted teeth.
"Windwalker if you truly believe that, then you can kill me right here and right now, and I won't hold that against you. But before you make a decision, I want to let you know that my love for you, Windwalker, is deathless". As Tenor finished his statement he tilted his head back, exposing his throat.
Windwalker's eyes grew wide as did so. He was willing to die for her. He made a rash decision, but he didn't care. He loved her that much. All of these thoughts are what made her inner self take control of her body again. The struggle against Hael's will was definitely painful, and Windwalker expressed it verbally. She trembled as she agonizingly pulled the claws of Hael's control out of her mind. She collapsed next to Tenor and groaned in pain. It felt like she was pulling a scorching hot spike out of her head. Tenor rolled away from her and watched Windwalker with worry, hoping that she would break free.
Tenor quickly glanced up as Chris and Re landed a few feet away from them.
"What's wrong? Is she okay?", Re asked.
"She's fighting Hael's control", Tenor answered.
"Come on Windwalker. You can do this. We're all here for you", Chris said as he kneeled down and petted her head.
After a few moments of writhing, she stopped.
"Windwalker?", Tenor whispered.
"Windwalker, are you there?", he repeated as he gently nudged her face. She didn't respond and lay limp.
"No, no, no, no, no. You are not dying on me Windwalker!", Chris shouted, panicking.
"Windwalker please, I can't lose you!", Tenor cried out as he nudged and prodded the rest of her body, doing his best to get a reaction out of her. His eyes swelled up with tears.
"I think the strain was too much. She was under Hael's command for too long", Re said quietly.
"No! That can't be! I was under Hael's command longer than her! She can't die! Not now, no please!", Chris choked, the tears already flowing through his eyes.
Tenor collapsed, his heart was shattered. The love of his life lay dead before him. He laid his head on her side and weeped to his heart's content, wailing to the heavens above. Chris held her head, cradling it in his arms as his best friend was gone. Re did nothing, could do nothing but hang his head in sadness and respect. A good dragon had died today, it seems. All 3 males were mortified that a loved one was suddenly snatched from their lives forever. A myriad of negative emotions flooded the males as they gazed upon the body of Windwalker. No physical pain could ever compare to losing a loved one, especially Windwalker.
The following silence hurt more than an axe to the chest. But then, Chris and Tenor felt a slight shift. They stopped and looked at Windwalker in confusion. Again, another subtle shift. Hope filled their bodies as Windwalker ever so slowly shifted once more. Re took notice of this and stared at the Night Fury with curiosity. All three held their breaths.
"Windwalker! Windwalker wake up!", Chris Tenor shouted, stirring her awake.
"Uh, uuuuugggghh", Windwalker groaned weakly. Chris and Tenor rejoiced as their female Night Fury was alive! They hugged and nuzzled her lovingly, glad that she wasn't dead. Re beamed with happiness and wagged his tail.
"My love, you're alive! You're alive. Oh thank Draco!", Tenor shouted with glee.
"Don't ever scare me like that Windwalker!", Chris chided.
Windwalker was stirred into consciousness as she was being licked and hugged repeatedly by Tenor and Chris respectively."Can you guys knock it off? I feel like my head was smashed into the side of a cliff", Windwalker moaned.
Her rider and her mate quickly gave her space. She fluttered her eyes open weakly, once again in control of her body. The Night Fury looked around with half-lidded eyes. She exhaled and shakily got to her feet. She soon thumped to the ground again, not having the strength to carry her own weight.
"Even though your struggle for control didn't kill you thankfully, it did take a toll on you", Re commented.
"That was intense", Windwalker groaned, struggling again to get onto her feet. But again she fell.
"Don't get up Windwalker", Tenor said, approaching her.
"No I have to! After what she made me do! She has to pay!", Windwalker retorted.
"I understand clearly. I also understand that Hael's influence took a toll on your body and I am not going to risk losing you, and considering your weakened state, you are not going anywhere at the moment", Tenor replied, laying down beside her.
"Tenor you have seen the things she made me do! Those horrible things! It tore me apart as I helplessly watched myself and Chris tear our family apart. She needs to pay", Windwalker seethed.
"I don't blame you for vengeance. But please understand that family will always look out for each other and help one another. Windwalker, let us, your family, take care of this", Tenor said calmly, nuzzling her face and locking eyes with her.
Windwalker looked into her mate's eyes with worry. After a mean she sighed, defeated, and nuzzled him back. She hardened her gaze and regarded Re and Chris. "You both better make sure Hael answers for what she's done and make sure Serenity comes out of this safe and sound", Windwalker asserted.
The king and his son both nodded in acceptance.
"There's another way into the mountain on the east side. Chris and I were ordered to go there after we...took care of you guys". Windwalker hesitated as she spoke that last part.
"You guys go ahead, I'm gonna stay behind", Tenor voiced.
"No Tenor! You are more useful saving Serenity", Windwalker exclaimed.
"I'm not going to leave you here defenseless. Now you can argue with me about his later. We're wasting valuable time as we speak!", Tenor said fiercely.
"Tenor is right dad; let's go get the others. We need to stop her now! If Hael does what she plans to do, then it will be too late to save my wife", Chris pleaded.
Re nodded and took off in a sprint. When he passed him, Chris swung himself into his father's saddle and they took off.
"What do they plan to do to her?", Tenor asked with fear.
"I have never met a living being as heartless and sick as Hael, Tenor. She is going to give Ruby an ultimatum. That's why she wanted him and his mate Harmony to come to this island", Windwalker explained.
"What do you mean?"
"Hael is going to make Ruby choose between Serenity and Harmony . She is going to make him decide which one deserves to live, and which one deserves to die", Windwalker choked out, the fear in her voice evident.
As Tenor's jaw dropped in horror, Ruby and Harmony had traveled up the tunnel (as they had no where else to go) and finally reached the heart of the mountain, unaware of what was to come.