Chapter 21

Iris looked up as a bright light illuminated the entire room through her windows. She nodded to Isperia and Aurelia, "Please excuse me." She leaped across the meeting hall of the Guildpact's Palace easily and opened the large double doors with a single nudge. She charged across the floating island and jumped off of it's edge.

Aurelia and Isperia followed her.

Iris arrived in time to see a sphinx made of water evaporating away in a brightly glowing white cage. But the god of the sun struggled to keep the cage intact. Her gaze was drawn to a group of children huddled up against a building, covered in dust and dirt, with wide terrorized eyes. She looked at the two Guild Masters flanking her, "Take the children to safety. I will deal with this."

Aurelia nodded, "Yes Ma'am." She went directly into a nose-dive.

Isperia sighed in mild annoyance as she watched the angel plummet. She nodded to Iris, "Consider it done," and followed Aurelia.

Iris landed and wrapped her tail protectively around Lian's unconscious form. Her voice was deep and raspy as she growled, "What are you doing here, Seth'ius?"

Seth'ius glowered at her, "I am fetching my son. Now step aside, lowly fiend."

Iris's eyes flashed, "I am no fiend." Her broad coppery red head moved very close to Seth'ius's comparatively small form, "I am a dragon." She lifted her head proudly and looked down at him, "Now tell me why you are here when this is not your world."

"Every world is my world," Seth'ius growled. He reached out his left hand and clenched his fist. Glowing golden chains leaped out of the ground and wrapped around her draconic form.

She growled and changed into a humanoid form. Her eyes were still a light blue with slit pupils and her skin was covered in patches of scales. She wore shining silver plate armor over chain mail. Her braces were wrapped in crystalline blue veins.

The chains fell uselessly to the ground.

Long black claws slowly grew out of her hands as she studied Seth'ius. She appeared calm on the outside.

Seth'ius growled and lowered his hand. He unsheathed his sword. A shield of light formed on his other arm. "Step aside, fiend," he commanded.

"I will not," Iris said confidently, "Not for as long as you intend to hurt the boy lying here." She motioned to Lian.

"He is my son. I can punish him how I see fit."

"Father-"

"Silence, Mayu," Seth'ius ordered.

Mayu's entire face tightened. She growled softly but said nothing.

Seth'ius shot a beam of light at Iris.

Iris's claws absorbed the attack, glowing and turning white hot. She leaped forward.

Seth'ius dodged to the side, slicing down at her as he went.

She twisted so the blade hit her scaled side, as opposed to her back. Wings spread from her back and propelled her into the air.

Seth'ius followed her without hesitating.

Daria hurried over to Lian and knelt down next to him. The first thing he did was check his brother for a pulse. When he found it he felt every muscle in his body relax, "That's good." He put his hand near Lian's mouth. Lian's breathing was only slightly irregular.

Daria tentatively touched the side of Lian's head, "I'm glad you're alright. Things will be better when we get you home, Lian. Father and I will protect you." He got to his feet and walked over to stand next to Mayu, "Mii'lian is alright. His breathing is slightly irregular but that should clear up in time." He glanced at her nervously, "Right?"

Mayu nodded but kept her gaze on their father and Iris, "Yes."

Lian grunted and opened his eyes to slits. He was cold. And the pit was back in his stomach. His head was pounding to the beat of his heart. He jumped and sat up as something large crashed to the ground in front of him. His eyes widened. It was a dragon. It was Lady Iris. She was bleeding heavily from her left side and her wing looked mangled.

Lian got unsteadily to his feet and took a couple steps towards her.

"Don't go near that," Daria grabbed Lian's arm.

"Let go," Lian fought weakly. He didn't have the strength to really fight Daria but he was still gonna try.

Daria shook his head and pulled on Lian's arm, "C'mon, Mii'lian. We're going home."

Lian's eyes were glazed and unfocused but he tried to pull free again, "I'm not...I'm not going anywhere."

Mayu came up behind him and supported him as he swayed, "Well, you have to go somewhere. And Mother can help you."

"I don't want to go back," Lian insisted.

Daria let Mayu take over helping Lian. He walked over to their father, "Is he going to be alright, Father?"

Seth'ius nodded, "He'll be fine when we return to the palace." He put his hand on Daria's shoulder and looked into his eyes, "You're brother was almost possessed today. You need to keep a watchful eye on him, Daria'lis. He cannot seem to comprehend the danger he is in so you need to protect him from himself."

Daria's eyes widened. He nodded, "Yes Father!"

The four of them returned to the Gods' Palace. Mayu took Lian directly to Nissa, "Mother, he exhausted himself."

Nissa nodded, "I can tell." She got to her feet and placed her hands on either side of Lian's face. She closed her eyes and her fingertips glowed green.

Lian gasped.

Nissa's magical energy flowed through him. The usual tingling was accompanied with a cool and calming sensation. It was quite different from the warmth he was used to feeling. The symbol of the spell pressed against his cheeks, smooth and cold like metal.

The numbness faded and his limbs no longer felt like they were some combination of jelly and wet noodles. Now his whole body ached. All he wanted to do was sleep.

Nissa pulled her hands away and smiled at him, "Better?"

Lian nodded, "Yes, Mother."

Nissa turned to Mayu, "Help Lian to his room."

Mayu nodded, "Of course."

"Lian!" Kayla rushed up and hugged him.

Lian swallowed, "Um…hey, uh, Kayla."

Kayla pulled away and smiled up at him, "Tash said you had a mission! How was it?!"

Lian blinked at her. He glanced up at Tasha as she walked up. His sister's gaze was hard. She had lied to Kayla and he knew that if he snapped the bubble Tasha had created around his youngest sister she would never forgive him. He forced himself to smile, "It went well. But I really gotta rest now."

Kayla stepped aside, "Oh. Okay. Tell me about it when you get up?"

"He won't be able to do that," Seth'ius interrupted firmly.

Lian stiffened. He turned around and watched his father approach.

Seth'ius smiled at Kayla before turning his gaze to Tasha, "Take Kayla outside."

Tasha nodded, "Yes, Father." She grabbed Kayla's hand, "C'mon. Let's go to the Center."

"But, Tash-"

"Go, Kayla," Seth'ius said firmly.

Kayla followed Tasha away.

"Father-"

"Silence Mayu. Leave."

"I won't," Mayu said calmly, "Mother said to take him to his room. He needs rest. Whatever trouble he's getting into it can wait."

Lian stared at her with wide eyes. He'd never actually seen Mayu stand up to their father like that. That was something their mother was more likely to do.

"You have other duties to attend to, Lani'i'mayu," Seth'ius reminded her threateningly, "See that you attend to them. I will take Mii'lian to his room."

Mayu had a response ready but Lian beat her to it, "It's fine, Mayu. If you have other things to do then you should go do them." He fixed Seth'ius with a steady gaze through slightly narrowed eyes, "I'm sure Father wouldn't hurt me."

Mayu turned to him in surprise. It almost sounded like he was challenging Seth'ius. She whistled softly, "Very well."