Hellokutu, thank you so much for your lovely comments :)
Well the battle is finally over with this chapter... finally!
Chapter Title and Quote from Death Cab For Cutie's song:
Love of mine, someday you will die
But I'll be close behind and I'll follow you into the dark
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight, waiting for the hint of a spark
She felll! She felll! God's teeth and bones! I'm not going to let her go again! I'm not going to let her go again! Run, damn you, run!
Tony dropped the pike, ignored the giggling priest and ran single-mindedly to the edge of the roof, ran like his life depended on it for indeed it did. His whole body and mind were chanting the same phrase over and over again. I am not going to lose Pepper! I am not going to lose Pepper!
The Dragon was roaring at him but Tony ignored everything and ran straight off the edge into thin air. He began to fall, his body growing weightless but unable to move with the force of gravity pushing him downwards. He was falling though the air, legs first.
He could see Pepper in the distance, falling, hair streaming loose, robe billowing about her.
The Dragon yelled, What is the plan here, Anthony? I hope you have one!
I do, Dragon, damn it, I am going to fly!
He closed his eyes tightly, Now how did I do this the last time? Shit! That was nearly two years ago!
He focused on the flame, its power coursing through him. He willed the flame to move him. He thought of Pepper. her grace, her tenderness, the joy he felt on seeing her return from the stars. The thoughts filled him with blue light. He heard a roaring in his ears and opened his eyes. I will fly and I'm going to catch my Queen.
He rotated himself mid air, such that he was falling against the wind, face first. His arms were flat by his side and he slowly released fire from them, to propel himself forward. Come on sweeting, come on, just a little closer.
He reached Pepper and grabbed her, pulling her tightly against him. She screamed with the shock, she had not known he was there behind her...
"Tony!" her voice echoed in his head.
The bottom of the cliff loomed close, with its rocks and boulders on which the waves of the Normanian sea broke and thrashed violently. Pepper was muttering something in abject fear and Tony held her even tighter against him, feeling her soft flesh against his. He inhaled deeply, the smell of lilacs filling his senses, twirling with the flame.
I am not going to let my Queen die. Love, give me wings. He focused on the flame once again, channeling it through his being. He turned upwards and felt them moving away from the ground.
Tony laughed with relief as he saw they were soaring horizontally along the coast line, the green scenery of Patait lining the edge of the water like a vibrant green border. He raised one hand forward, away from his body, so that he could balance Pepper, who was tightly clinging to him, head to foot, arms around his wait, one long leg entwined with his.
Her face so close, he could see her eyes tightly closed, lips moving, repeating a phrase "God, Tony, God, Tony" again and again, fear etched on her delicate features.
I've got you now, my love. I've got you and do not worry, I wont let go.
He tightened his grip on her. His heart swelled with emotion and he felt the flame course through him even more, raw power surging through him and he turned upwards and turned back to the Palace, moving horizontally upwards.
Pepper cracked open one blue eye and looked at him in wonder. She yelled, "Tony, Tony are we dead? Is this Heaven?!"
"Close to heaven, as close as we can get, while still alive." He yelled back, smiling at her.
She stared at him askance and looked down, then screamed "Tony! We are in the air! Shit! The sea, it is way below us!"
He chuckled at her confusion and she exclaimed, "Damn it! Damn it! You can fly! You can fly, Tony!"
She looked down and about her with curiosity and tightened her hands about his waist and just sighed deeply. She muttered, her lips warm against his throat, sending shivers down his spine, "Tony, Tony, Tony".
He snuck a glance at her, her eyes were shimmering azure pools of liquid, the ocean behind her face, deepening the color.
She whispered slowly, "Lord Stark... I have been amongst the stars in the sky, yet you still remain the most wondrous thing I've ever seen..."
Tony blinked away the tears that suddenly appeared in his eyes, the emotion in her voice, hitting him hard in his heart. He couldn't help brushing his lips along her forehead and murmured back "Pepper, the beauty you see in me is a reflection of you... welcome back."
As the Palace roof loomed ahead, Pepper shivered and held him even tighter. She said tiredly, "Tony, I am afraid, I can't, I just can't fight the priest... he's too powerful for me. I am sorry... I am sorry..."
"Hey!" he said firmly, pulling her up slightly, so he was face to face with her. "Pepper! Come on, you held your own very well! You nearly had him also... but your strength is sapped... I know...it is difficult to sustain flame for so long."
He pressed his cheek to hers, trying to comfort her.
How can I help Pepper? On my own, I know I'm useless against magic... especially a mage of Rana's caliber. How can I help Pepper?
The Dragon whispered slowly Think, Anthony, think .. yours and Virginia's powers compliment each other naturally ... your flame and her fire.
It came to Tony then. Together! A joint flame! Pure fire and Flame of Ryunn combined! Together!
He said out loud, "Pepper, we are going to fight Rana together. We can defeat him but you must have faith in yourself, in your power... you need to have faith."
She bit her lip and whispered low, "How can we do this together?"
"We merge our flames."
She gasped as he headed straight for the roof. "Tony! What do you mean, merge?"
"Pep, trust me! Follow my lead on this ! Now brace yourself for landing! Brace yourself!"
Their feet touched the roof together and they came to a running halt, Pepper being dipped in Tony's arms to balance their landing.
She straightened and they saw Rana in the distance, walking towards the edge of the roof to descend the ladder.
"Ho! High priest of Patait!" Yelled Tony, his voice echoing in the night.
Rana slowly turned and goggled with shock at the sight of them.
"Yes, we are still here ! It is not over yet, Rana. You have not defeated us ... come back and face us!" Tony challenged him.
Rana began walking back, a wide malicious grin on his face. He stopped and then unleashed a stream of black goo at them .
"Pep, duck!" Tony pushed her away and blasted the goo with his flame, burning it to thready strands.
Some of it touched his arms and neck and he grimaced in pain. Pepper shook herself. "Did it did it hurt you!?"
"Yes, it stings like a bee... ooooo... Wait he's refiring!" Tony leapt out of the way, falling on his chest as Rana fired another orb of black goo and yet another .
The High Priest huffed slightly as he panted before them. "I must confess I'm rather relieved that you returned, Lord knight. I was afraid how to explain your death to my master ... never mind that ... stand still please..."
As he spewed a torrent of black mass swirling towards them, Tony yelled, "Pepper, flame now!"
She unleashed an orange stream of flame of her own and then it clashed once again with the black goo, pushing against it with force.
Pepper bit her lip with the strain and then Tony stood behind her, leaning into her shoulder and raised his arm, parallel to hers. He released a blast of blue flame, joining with hers that rose to join the tussle.
He focused inwards, trying to matching the intensity of her fiery stream. He felt her shiver against him and she yelled, "Tony. ..what are you doing?"
"Trust me, Pepper ! Focus on the flames, move them together!"
She obeyed him and the blue and orange flames began to entwine together in a twisted ribbon of thick flame. It pushed back against the black goo and Tony whooped with glee as he saw Rana start to tremble with the intensity of their flame.
Pepper was keeping their ribbon of flame, steady and strong and slowly but surely the black goo began to subside, weakening.
Tony slid the door of his arc open slowly and willed the flame to leave him slowly. Extend yourself, focus your thoughts on the flame. It is part of you ... it is you. Use it to defeat the blackness.
He watched with awe as the thick blue swirl twirled out of him and he directed it towards Pepper's ribbon of fire.
Even though she was busy with the effort of keeping the ribbon, she noticed the third thick stream and shouted, "Tony, what are you doing ? What is wrong with you? ! Take it back! You need it!
"Pepper, sweeting, don't argue now, take the flame, merge it with your ribbon... Trust me, Pepper, I trust you..." he whispered against her soft ear, "trust me ..."
She looked at him deeply and then did as he said, gasping as Tony's flame took on the outline of a dragon, breathing and swirling in blue. It merged into the thick ribbon, adding a new dimension and Pepper's hands shook, trying to control it..
"Tony" she yelled as he began to hum. "What am I doing with this?"
"Push it onto him, attack Rana with it... burn him away!"
He felt the surge of power of the flame, its happiness at being released, Tony concentrated on Pepper's presence. He roared into the night as Pepper pushed the entire ribbon of flame forward, completely destroying the black goo and engulfing Rana.
It fell on him and swirled around him, binding him in two thick strands of blue and orange. He screamed with pain as the strands tightened around him, burning him with fire. Tony took a deep breath and moved the dragon flame forward with his mind. "Pepper, a little help please, raise it up, raise it."
She did so, raising the dark blue dragon stream, high above the priest. Tony yelled, once more calling on all his strength and drove the dragon stream down, right into Rana's open mouth. He forced the flame into the High Priest, driving it into him mightily.
Pepper screamed at the sight of the priest absorbing all the fire, trying to control it, trying to stop it but he couldn't. The fire began to fill him and light streamed out of his eyes, nose, ears and mouth in a horrifying manner.
Then he burst in a fiery ball of blue and orange flame. Tony closed his eyes at the blinding light. It is done. Pepper is saved. Come back, Dragon. Come back...
He felt himself falling to the ground and blearily opened one eye to see Pepper standing in front of him, back to him, clapping her hands with joy. He beckoned the flame back, reeling it in like a line of string. And he exhaled with relief as he felt it all return to him.
Rest, Anthony, rest my friend, you did well. The Dragon murmured tiredly, Virginia is safe. The evil is dead... rest Anthony. Sleep now. We need to sleep.
He felt so bone tired, his body was aching, all his strength gone.
His eyes were nearly closed, when he felt a soft weight against his side and a gasp. Then he felt wetness on his cheek and opened his eyes, to see Pepper kneeling against him, looking at him with concern. Her tears were falling on his face.
"Tony, Tony, are you alright, tell me how to help, you tell me what to do, Tony, Tony, please...hold on...please hold on..."
His heart began to thump softly.
"Pepper, why are you crying? It is finally over..." he rubbed his thumb over her velvety soft cheek and wiped the tears away gently. "Don't cry, my lady... finally you are safe."
She nuzzled his hand and when he was too weak to hold it up, she held it to her face, pressing her lips to his palm and murmuring fervently. "Tony, hold on, hold on..."
She seemed so far away, all cloudy and ethereal. He could taste blood in his mouth again and swallowed heavily. He closed his eyes and blindly felt for Pepper's hand. She caught it instead tightly. He locked his fingers into hers and held them firmly. "Don't let go of me." he whispered.
He heard voices and shouts and Pepper calling someone to get help. He heard heavy footsteps approaching. He was tired to react, to tired to do anything but hold on to Pepper's hand.
He felt shadows move across and try to move him, feeling him over, Pepper shouting instructions left and right. But he just held on tightly to her hand and muttered... "Pepper, don't go anywhere."
