time to face the music. [nandon, open]

[Nepherion]

Nepherion had no more words to say, between Murtagh's own need to survive and his own obsession with understanding him, the two would never find equal grounds. His determined eyes were dull in the smokey room and as the smoke rushed between him and Murtagh, Nepherion had no choice but to take a step back and raise his hand in defense. " Starlight, I'm coming. " he called out to him, before sprinting down the way he came.

His speed was amazing, even with the collapsing building and suffocating smoke, Nepherion had made it out with plenty of time to spare. " Starlight ! " he cried, trying to catch his attention. He ran out and over the barricaded area and stood in the middle of the streets.

Starlight roared in a fit of anger as he looked down at the rising Thorn. He circled around him with the massive smokey-scaled dragon. Honestly, even if he was on his team, Starlight felt as if he could be swept up in the dragon's attack at anytime. He was about to attack when Thorn sped off all of sudden. Then Nepherions' voice cried out to him. He gave the massive dragon a nod of thanks before flying towards Nepherion. He landed gracefully, almost having to raise his wings in order to not crash away the building beside him. " You join me, when the battle is over." he greeted.

Nepherion leaped into the saddle, strapping his feet and having Starlight take flight into the sky. " Yea, sorry about that buddy. I just needed to confirm something. " he told him. He looked towards the way his soldiers should had went and flew off in that direction. Deciding it best to wait for them on the other side then actually revealing the path. " Where is Emiryal's partner ? " he asked.

[Aelodil]

Vlaer looked round and round. He was exhausted having to use so much energy and didn't think he'd make it out of the building. He reached out with his mind and said to all the others, "I'm sorry." he then closed his eyes and stood there, in the falling building with no energy to run.

Belgabad was circling out when he heard his partner Vlaer say, "I'm sorry." and he felt the terror and sorrow in Vlaer and roared. He flew to the building and began to break down the building. But it was not destined to be. He made it worse and Vlaer fell under a pillar and his partner mourned. He still had a spark that Vlaer might be alive but for the moment mourned the possibility that Vlaer could be dead.

[Emiryal ♕]

Firern was holding his distance a ways off. His rider was limp in his saddle. Seeing Thorn's retreat he glided towards Starlight but remained out of attacking range. He wasn't sure if they could trust them or not. He and Emiryal were Empire Riders, former but all the same.




Sephora circled until she saw Starlight and Nepherion rejoin, then she flew towards them. Caspian was in her claws as she held onto him. He was conscious but very weak from attempting to heal her. "Starlight, are you alright?" she asked. "Thank you for helping me. Thorn had be for a moment." The golden dragon would've been done for had it not been for Starlight. She had something of a crush on Starlight, though only Caspian knew, something he often teased her about.



Syaoran Li crouched on the roof of the burning building looking very cat-like though he was in human form. He laughed in amusement as Belgabad attempted to free his rider. Why was he here? Well he liked to be where interesting things were happening and this certainly was interesting. "Hey, big guy, knock that off unless you are trying to kill him," he said standing up.

He morphed into his cat form, a white cat. He jumped into the building squinting into the smoke. "Belgabad get a hold of yourself. I need you to save Vlaer. I can't see anything in this smoke, guide me to him," he hissed in thought. He was sure the dragon would know through Vlaer's memories where Sayoran could find him. What would he do once he got there? Pfft he had no idea. But it seemed no one else was capable of helping right now.

[Aelodil]

Belgabad roared in defiance at the small voice before he saw the Werecat. Softening, he said, "My Rider is under this debris." pointing out a wall that fell and under it a pillar that was crushing his partner. He began to dig into the wall, though it took much effort and he finally got to the huge strong piller trapping his Rider.

Belgabad finally found his partner and heaved the pillar, yet though his strength be massive, he was exhausted and couldn't heave the pillar though he try as his might. Roaring in anger and rage, his mind turned into a storm and his fury was uncontainable and had his Rider not soothed him with gentle memories he most probably would have attempted to attack everyone in their minds.

Mewling like a cat Belgabad mourned that this pillar that he would have moved with ease was now his sole obstacle to his partner. Mewl he did, loud and clear hoping someone, ANYONE would come help him save his partner.

[Emiryal ♕]

Syaoran didn't seem to so much as finch when Belgabad roared. With a single nod he walked over to the debris his long white tail held high. He stayed out of the way when Belgabad began to dig, he didn't want to get in the way. His ears flicked back as Belgabad roared, the sound was loud to his cat ears and hurt. "Belgabad, please, not so loud," he grumbled in annoyance. In his human form such a sound would not bother him as much as it did in his current cat form.

He rolled his eyes as Belgabad mourned. "You are quite pathetic like that. Get a hold of yourself dragon," he snapped tired of Belgabad's antics.

The were cat padded over to Vlaer's pinned form ducking under the pillar. He stared at Vlaer for a moment like he was some sort of amusing creature that had caught his fancy. Belgabad seemed to be to distraught to offer him any help. Syoran closed his eyes and transformed into his human form. "Belgabad! If you want to free him trust me, break the floor under us," he said aloud trying to be heard over Belgabad's mewls.

(Amusing Belgabad did as he asked. Syaoran's RPer is going to pretend it did otherwise ignore this.)

As the floor was smashed beneath them the fire roared up to burn the floor. Syaoran, now in human form grabbed Vlaer and pulled him out from under the pillar as the floor fell. The floor giving away gave him a few seconds of opportunity to move Vlaer before the pillar would crush them both. The heavy pillar crashed to the floor sending burning wood in all directions. A cat-like yowl of pain sounded indicating some of the wood had hit Syaoran.

The were cat was smaller, rather boy like in height and appearance but he moved Vlaer out of the burning building now and laid him on the cool dirt near Belgabad. There wasn't much else he could do, he wasn't a magic user by any means. His shoulder had been bruised and burned slightly by a large piece of flying debris but he paid no attention to the injury. Instead he looked at Belgabad and smirked.

[Nepherion]

Starlight halted as his and Nepherion's senses picked up on the other Dragon's around them. He looked towards the golden dragon, who was the same age as him and yet vastly younger in both body and mind. His crimson eye mirrored her reflection in them. She was so small, he almost felt a little bad about surrounding her with the others. " I'm happy that you are okay Sephora. Try to be more careful next time ? " he told her, a bit angered with Nepherion for putting Caspian and her in that situation.

Nepherion felt Starlight's anger and somewhere inside he had known it to be justly so but he didn't have the time to dwell on it. He needed to figure out Emiryal's condition. He looked towards the stark opposite of his bonded dragon. The black dragon wasn't as large as before, or maybe he had just gotten use to Starlight's new size. " Check on Emiyral for me Starlight ? You know the customs for another Rider's dragon. " he reminded him

Starlight turned his gaze on Firern, unlike Nepherion, he had mixed emotions about the dragon. He had never trust the two and yet he had grown a familiarity with them that couldn't be denied. " Firern, how is the partner-of-your-heart-and mind ? " he asked, flying closer towards the dark dragon but leaving adequate space between them. Afterwards, a lamenting howl was heard in the distance and Starlight along with Nepherion had snapped their heads in the direction.

" What the ! " said Nepherion as he felt a massive magical mind becoming turbulent in the air. He looked around at the others and knew that he was the only form of protection that the group had. Caspian was weak from exhaustion and Emiyral was drugged with a magical restricting serum. He growled, the pain in that roar was evident and he wanted to help but he knew it too risky. Instead he turned Starlight's towards the direction and simply observed.

[Emiryal ♕]

"I'm glad, and I'll try to be," Sephora said. Thorn had been a harder opponent than she had anticipated. She'd not underestimate the red dragon again, nor confront him for a while. She still had much to learn. She glanced down at Caspian in her claws who was watching her. "I'm fine," he promised her. "You did well considering whom we were facing."

Sephora glanced away. "Maybe," she said uncertainly. If she were as big as Starlight she might have stood a chance. Why was she so small? Her growth was painfully slow in comparison to Starlight.

Firern watched Starlight wearily as he approached. He tensed ready to fight but the other dragon kept his distance. Feeling the white dragon's mind he hesitated a moment before allowing contact. Had he not met Starlight before he would've not allowed him to speak.

"Emiryal will be alright, he needs time to rest," he said. "I did not expect any help. I'm surprised you are here. Why did you help us? Last time we met it was under false pretense," he said. Emiryal and firern had gone to the Varden to spy and try to gain information. They had left and reported everything to Galbatorix. This time was different though, they were truly free now. Galbatorix held now power over them.