This, you enormous buffoon, said Lithium, snarling as she swatted away a smaller, wingless Dark dragon with a tail whip, is why you always listen to the woman. If we had gone left—

Gender is a social construct, interrupted Azreth. Lithium snorted. Ignoring her, he cast vortex after vortex of fire, which circled their attackers. And anyway, we're doing— just—fine!

We've endangered the mission! We need to find the humans and get out of here immediately.

Think I don't know that? Azreth's eyes flicked. There are more coming.

Leaf, channeled Lithium as Azreth hummed, Gary.

Lithium! Something's loud, dragon roars—is everything okay? Did they find you out already? came Leaf's voice, but it was faint.

Unfortunately, said Azreth.

No thanks to the beast, snorted Lithium, as Azreth wrinkled his nose and protested, Hey!

Azreth, do we need to abort? Gary cut in.

No, said Azreth sharply.

We can hold them off for now, said Lithium as she psychically slammed a dragon into the stone wall, which crumbled. She roared at two other dark dragons, who flinched and took half steps back. The wall-slammed dragon stirred weakly on the ground, served up as an example.

God, that's hot.

Lithium's eyes narrowed, and an image of Azreth's lilac-lit body flying into a rock wall flashed through his mind.

Okay, okay, I was—kidding! He blew back several more smaller dragons with a pulse of dark energy. Sheesh.

So weird to listen to, said Gary.

Ash and I are halfway to the dragon dungeons. Keep them busy for as long as you can, said Leaf, whose message was promptly relayed to Gary.

Where are you, Gary?

We just entered from the northwestern entrance, making our way down, said Gary, but it's dark. Looks like the guards took a lot of the torches with them since they're coming after you, Az, Lithium.

Be careful.

Keep us updated.

Don't go easy on the bad guys.

Azreth bristled. Wouldn't dream of it.

Leaf heard her blood pounding in her ears. Each step felt dizzyingly light, but every soft echo seemed as though it would give them away. She and Ash erred on one side of the dim, stone hallway, and treaded slowly.

Dragon roars sounded in the distance, near where they had entered.

"Lithium and Azreth were found out. They're fighting off guards," whispered Leaf, to which Ash scowled and nodded.

"Let's hurry and find the dragons." Leaf nodded curtly.

The hallway seemed endless until it finally split in two. Left. Forward. Right. Forward. Still forward. Always forward.

Soon they came upon a large stone archway, which led to a flight of stairs. Beside this particular archway was a small wooden sign: Quarantined dragons.

"Jackpot," murmured Ash, taking a flaming torch from the wall.

They followed the wide, winding stairs down, stepping gingerly. Leaf eyed the cracks and indents in the walls, and imagined Vesuvius's guards corralling Resistance dragons down these very stairs. Were those indents in the rock the result of careless tail swings or intense struggle? Were the Resistance dragons here placated with those dragon mind control devices she had seen on others? Or were they beaten and tortured the traditional way?

Eventually they came to the end. Several steps from the last turn that would put them in full view of whatever would await at the base of the stairs, Leaf and Ash stopped. They listened.

Sure enough, the unmistakable grumble of idle dragons, sleeping and breathing. The unmistakable scent of dragon scales and dragon dung.

"This is it," whispered Leaf. She heard Ash inhale, and she reached out for his hand. "It'll be okay."

"Yeah," said Ash. "Come on. Let's go."

They slipped around the final bend. Ash went first. The light from the torch made their presences known down the hallway, casting their shadows for several meters. Leaf's hand hovered over her dagger, sheathed at her waist, and she cast glances over her shoulder. She wondered if it was possible for her hearing to be muted by the blood rushing in her ears and the pounding of her heart.

Leaf's eyes skirted around their surroundings. They were in a dim hallway running through a series of cells. The hallway itself had turns near the stairs and about a hundred meters away, which presumably led to more rows of jail cells. All to plan.

The further they walked, the more pale, glowing eyes opened and reflected torchlight from the dungeon walls, and the more they were watched. Most, if not all, of the dragons were battered, bloodied, and thin. At their pace, Leaf could only make out whether or not she recognized a dragon, though she thought she saw something glitter on some dragons' necks.

"DMCDs," she whispered. "What if they attack us?"

"Looks like we're good for now," replied Ash. The dragons continued watching them, though those whom they had passed lowered their heads again, uninterested.

"Come on… Seltore and Firroth, where are you?"

Leaf quieted. She warily returned the glowing gazes, but also appreciated Ash's one-track mind, which was so focused on finding Misty's and Drew's dragons. Were there other Resistance dragons here that she would recognize?

A sharp sadness flooded through her. What, exactly, was Vesuvius going to do with these dragons? Enslave them as their war machines? And where were their Riders? Dead?

Leaf gritted her teeth. No, that was the wrong way to think. Misty and Drew would not be dead. They couldn't be dead.

"Seltore," whispered Leaf, a vain attempt at hoping that the water dragon would actually respond, and if the water dragon was alive, then Misty must be as well. Sometimes, flawed logic was all one had to hold onto. "Firroth?"

They continued onwards, looking each dragon in the eye and raking their bodies. Too dark, too blue, too small, wings too large…

A low gasp in front of her, and Ash stopped so abruptly that Leaf almost ran into him.

"There they are," muttered Ash.

Sure enough, in adjacent cells laid Seltore and Firroth, heaps on the floor. Ash and Leaf ran up to them, and gripped the bars as if doing so would give them a better look.

Seltore was considerably bloodier-Vesuvius's guards certainly hadn't bothered to wipe the serpentine dragon down. Perhaps they hadn't considered it worth it. Many of her white scales were chipped, with long trails of missing scales along her neck and body. Much of the blood loss seemed to have been from a neck wound, which had not closed so much as healed over, swollen, and it still oozed pus. Aside from the light rise and fall of her breathing, Seltore was still.

Physically, Firroth fared better, but the dragon had barely stirred when Leaf and Ash had approached. The dragon's worst injury seemed to be a cut over its eye, which swelled, and a few large scratches.

"They're both wearing DCMDs," breathed Leaf, her eyes caught by the small silver devices behind Seltore's and Firroth's cheeks. "Do you think we can try to get them off?"

Ash growled. "We have to try."

"We can't just… reach through the bars, though," said Leaf, as Ash got down on his knees. "What if they wake up and are programmed to try to attack us?"

"I'm about to find out." Ash inhaled. "Seltore. Seltore? It's me, Ash."

Seltore growled. Leaf watched, aware of her tightening chest.

"Seltore...do you remember me?" muttered Ash, as Seltore's eyes opened a sliver. "Hey there—it's me."

Seltore adjusted her neck to look at Ash, her movements small and lethargic. Her eyes betrayed little sign of recognition. Her neck relaxed, and she closed her eyes again, as if ignoring Ash.

"Seltore, I'm going to touch you," said Ash, reaching his fingers through the bars. His hand advanced slowly until his fingertips rested lightly on Seltore's snout. A soft glow began warming his fingertips and traveling down Seltore's veins. "Everything will be alright. I'm going to get you back to Misty soon."

Leaf watched Ash stroke the water dragon, and wondered what kind of pain followed the realization that your partner's dragon, to whom you had also once been connected, did not recognize you. She thought about Azreth: as annoying as the dark dragon and his Rider was, she could not remember a time when Azreth's eyes did not look at her and light up in recognition. And that faint but familiar feeling that came with wondering whether your partner was dead…

Leaf's eyes trailed to Firroth, sleeping soundly. Where was Drew?

"Hey! You there!"

Shit, thought Leaf as she whirled, looking for the source. Shit, shittin' shitballs. "Ash-"

"I know—" Ash's brows creased in concentration. He had not fully healed Seltore's wound, but the dragon's eyes had opened in alarm and, perhaps, fear. Knowing his seconds were numbered, Ash broke the healing spell and reached as far into the cage as he could and swiped wildly at Seltore's DMCD, but it was too far down her neck.

A whish, a tickle of wind, and then a clatter several yards away. Human figures on the other side of the dungeon, approaching.

"Ash, we've got to go, they're shooting at us," hissed Leaf, reaching back for one of her throwing knives.

Suddenly, the light on Seltore's and Firroth's DMCDs flickered on. Seltore lashed at Ash's hand, which he retracted just in time before Seltore flung her body against the bars, buckling wildly and snarling at Ash, a different beast. Firroth was also roaring in his cage, body coiled as if ready to attack, eyes manic but blank.

There's no way we can save them right now, thought Leaf, eyes darting between the crazed dragons and their pursuiters and Ash, who had recoiled on the ground, shocked.

"Come on, Ash," shouted Leaf, grabbing his arm as another arrow whizzed by. "They're getting closer!"

Ash shook his head, then looked up at Leaf as if finally registering their circumstances. Forlorn, he tossed one look back at Seltore, then Firroth, and nodded. He scrambled to his feet, and they stumbled into a run.

"Get them!" resounded a voice. "You can't escape!"

Watch us, Leaf wanted to retort. Instead, she saved her breath and alerted her partners. Lith, Az—we're found. Can't save dragons, escaping now.

Get to the western exit, we'll meet you there and cover you, was Lithium's clear reply. They were close.

Given their lead, Leaf was confident they could outrun any of the guards, and that any arrows shot would be misaimed in the dim lighting. But then she heard a roar and a succession of much heavier steps, and felt a blast of heat in the dungeon.

"Dragons!" shouted Ash, as they rounded a corner. "There!"

Leaf immediately saw what Ash meant: a narrow staircase, an exit through which the dragon behind them couldn't follow.

Paces away from the staircase, Leaf's eyes flitted to a dragon imprisoned beside it. It was large, so large that the roof in its cell seemed to be carved higher than the other cells. The dragon itself was cloaked in darkness, but at certain angles, its scales seemed to shimmer crimson and violet…

"Ceprien," breathed Leaf, so quiet that she would not have expected the dragon to hear. A silver device clung to its neck. But his gaze flicked to her anyway, and their eyes locked. Ceprien's eyes were stoic, but not blank, as if a hard wisdom still flickered within him, a hard wisdom that distinctly reminded her of—

Red.

A million thoughts raced through Leaf's mind. Red must have been captured. Red must have been captured with Ceprien. He must be in Ganglion. She must find him here. Red is alive. Her brother is alive. He must be alive. Red is alive. Red is alive.

"Leaf!" shouted Ash, jarring her from her thoughts. She had stopped running. "Come on!"

"Right—" Leaf followed Ash up the stairs, two steps at a time, finally breaking eye contact with Ceprien.

Red, are you here? she tested, but the connection was empty. Are you in Ganglion? What have they done to you? Please... answer me.

They turned a bend, and none too soon, as a blast of fire smashed into the wall behind them.

Drew's mouth twitched.

Silver leaned against the bars, arms draped over the horizontal supports, watching idly as Drew's face twisted into another tortured expression of pain. His eyes moved wildly beneath his eyelids, beads of sweat running down his forehead into pinched brows as he clenched and unclenched the muscles in his jaw. This was probably the worst Silver had seen him yet.

"So when did this spell start?" he said to Misty. She ran the wet towel he'd given her over Drew's face, wiping away the sweat and grime of the jail cell. An almost imperceivable shake ran through her fingers, though she'd be loathe to admit it. The sustenance—if it could even be called that—that they gave the poor kids here wasn't fit to feed a rat, let alone a teenage girl whose body was running on empty trying to heal a smattering of bruises and wounds.

With a shaky sigh, she smoothed the towel out across Drew's forehead and sat back.

"Not long before you got here," she said. A frustrated groan ripped through her mouth. She drew her knees to her chest, covering her face with her hands. "I just wish I knew what was causing them. Maybe if Ash were here or something he'd be able to tell, but I just—I'm no good at this."

A distant cry from above echoed her distress. It grated on the edges—a cry of pain. Something was going on upstairs, but Silver wasn't about to go and check. Any distraction that let him slip away was a distraction he was going to run with, and the longer it lasted, the better.

Misty's lips curled into a mirthless smile. "Maybe it's a Resistance raid, and we'll all be freed. Wouldn't that be a great end to a horrible month?"

Don't get your hopes up.

He bit the inside of his cheek, glancing askance as if she could read his thoughts through his eyes. She doesn't need my bitter attitude. Aren't they all going through enough already?

"Yeah, maybe," he mumbled instead, resting his head on the bars.

Drew had settled down, his face going blank and smooth once more. The faint sounds of shuffling and coughing echoed through the thin corridor as prisoners farther down tried to find a more comfortable position to rest in.

It was the same routine day in and day out. And night in and night out, for that matter. Not like they could tell the difference. Nothing existed down here except for the chatter of the mice, the echo of the water that dripped from the ceiling, and the sound of feet, multiple, coming down the stairwell at an unnaturally fast pace—?

Silver scrambled away from the cell door. The wall next to the entrance of the stairwell was slightly gritty under his hands as he pressed himself flat against it.

The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by hushed voices. Misty drew closer to the cell bars, craning her neck to see him from her constrained position. Her expression was quizzical.

"What—"

"Shh!" he hissed, reaching for his belt. He only had a small dagger on him at the moment, but it would have to do. He couldn't have one of the guards finding him down here and reporting back to his father. One quick hit from the butt of the handle is all it would take…

A moment's pause. A young man with brown hair emerged from the stairwell, followed by two similarly aged girls.

Silver hesitated. These weren't any guards he'd ever seen before.

And neither did they look like guards. Their dark brown vests and fitted pants were similar to the shredded clothes of the students imprisoned here… but there was no way they were actually with the Resistance, right? Breaking into Ganglion had never ended in the Resistance's favor-he knew Misty knew that all too well.

"This is it," the boy said, looking around. "I'll tell Az."

There wasn't time to debate with himself. Who they were and why they were here were questions he could ask later, before they alerted others of their position.

He raised the dagger, handle facing forward. The boy. He'd aim for the boy. He looked like he was calling the shots.

His hand shook.

This is fine, you've practiced this a million times. Now isn't the moment to wimp out—

Without a sound, he lunged forward. His attack was so practiced and precise, so perfectly calculated—a single, quick strike to the side of the head—that he flailed when his target vanished right in front of him.

He gasped, sliding to a halt.

"What the fu—"

Something cold and sharp poked him in between his shoulder blades, and he froze. Oh shit.

"What the fuck is right, kid! What was that?"

"I'm—I'm not a kid," he stuttered out, instead of something meaningful and apologetic like, "Sorry I tried to attack you. I thought you'd tell my dad. Please don't kill me."

The mystery man huffed, no doubt ready to retort—

"We don't have time for this," the older of the two girls said, audibly irritated.

The pressure at his back disappeared, and Silver chanced a glance over his shoulder. His eyes widened. His would-be victim was half immersed in shadows, like a nightmarish ghoul emerging from another world, eyes glinting unnaturally with an inhuman power...

...and nice cheekbones, too.

"How did you—hear me?" he said, on the off chance that asking someone how they cloaked themselves in shadow would be considered rude.

"I didn't hear anything," the guy deadpanned. The shadows melted away. He gestured with his dagger behind Silver. "If you want to blend in with the shadows, you need to conceal your own first."

Silver looked back at where he'd been standing. The torch he'd brought down was where he'd left it, mounted on the wall directly behind him, in the perfect position to alert everyone of his presence. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Oh my god," came a breathy exhalation behind them. "May? Gary?"

May's eyes were drawn past the young boy to the corridor of barred cells behind him. A familiar face peered out from the nearest set of bars, dirty and bloody but still so, so relieving to see. This mission still had a chance at success.

"Misty!" she said with unstrained glee, rushing to the other side of the bars. As their fingers interlocked, Misty let out a trembling sigh, squeezing May's hand tightly. Her fingers were cold. So cold.

"Just the lovely lady we came to see," Gary said. He sheathed his dagger, but kept a cautionary eye on his assailant. "We need to watch out for this one?"

She gave a weak laugh. "No, Silver's fine. He helps out down here sometimes. But forget that. What are you doing here? And how are you not behind bars?"

"Trade secrets," Gary said, finally abandoning his post and approaching the cell. "We're here to bust you out."

Sounds of people stirring and murmuring slowly rose above the noise of their footsteps, battered and bruised faces coming to the cell doors to observe the commotion. Many of them were young—academy-aged. Some even sported frayed Resistance logos on torn jacket sleeves and ratty shirts. The hallway stretched into the darkness, painting their faces in ashen tones, like ghosts of past students coming to haunt the survivors.

"How many of you are there?" May said in hushed horror, staring back at the hallway of faces.

"Thirty seven," said a small voice behind her. She glanced back. The kid, Silver, was resolutely avoiding their gazes, a scowl tugging at his brow. He toed at a crack in the stone floor. "There were more. They cleaned out the dungeon a couple months ago."

Cleaned out. May took a deep breath, fighting back the nausea rising in her throat. She wasn't going to think about the implications. Murdered? Sent to fight? Shipped somewhere else?

Damn it, she was thinking about the implications. Something else, then. Misty. Drew. Finding Drew. Saving Drew. Saving Misty.

She clutched her chest, empty fabric in her grip. If her partner necklace were still there she knew it would be thrumming. Drew had to be here. He had to.

She gripped Misty's hands.

"Is Drew here?"

Misty's lips parted, eyes unconsciously flicking to her left. Trembling, May's gaze followed.

The cell extended far back into the limestone bedrock of the fortress, too far back for the light of Silver's lone torch to illuminate. It was bare of all bedding—only cold, pale rock, and two still figures lying prone on it.

Her heart thumped hard, once, in her chest.

"He's here," Misty whispered. Slowly, torturously, May pulled her gaze back to her. Misty squeezed her hand. "But it's not good."

"I need to see him."

It started off slow. Her lower lip quivered, hands fumbling with Misty's hands, fumbling with the lock.

"I need to see him."

One wheezy breath in. No breath out.

"May, wait."

"Open the door, please—"

She was hyperventilating.

"May."

"I need—"

A firm hand on her shoulder. "May, calm down."

Gary's voice, solid and real in her ear.

"Count your breaths, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to control her breathing.

1, 2, 3…exhale.

"Do you have the keys?" she heard faintly above her head.

"No, but I can pick locks."

1, 2, 3...inhale.

"And you never tried to free these guys beforehand?"

"Do I look like I could fight of a hundred armed guards and dragons on my own?"

1, 2…3...

"Fair enough. Come here. And pass me that torch."

She was gently herded to the side as Silver stepped forward and began fiddling with the lock. One click later, and it was open.

Misty shakily stepped aside, clutching the bars for support.

"He's been here longer than I have. I don't know what they did to him, but he's been unconscious most of the time. He shakes in his sleep, and if he wakes up, he starts screaming."

"Good to know," Gary muttered as he guided May inside, a hand hovering near her back for support.

As they approached, the shadows receded, revealing that unmistakable shock of green hair. It was greasy and a little more gray than green, but unmistakably that of Drew Hayden. The other occupant of the cell raised a hand to the light, his lips parting in a pained grimace. Besides the pallor of his skin and the red welt on his jaw, he could pass as a male version of White. Almost like a twin.

Gary paused, his voice grave. "White, get in here."

May's eyes were locked on Drew's inert form, trembling legs bringing her closer with every small shuffle forward. White's quick footsteps echoed against the stone floor as she abandoned her post by the doorway, rounding the corner of the cell.

"What is it?" she asked. A pause. "Oh Arceus, Touya!"

May was aware of a flash of dark hair passing by as White rushed to her brother, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Touko...?"

White flung her arms around him. "Touya… You're really here…"

May collapsed to her knees by Drew's side. He was still wearing the Savoir Faire Academy uniform—the last thing she'd seen him in before he'd been whisked away on the back of a dark dragon. It was soiled and absolutely filthy, stained with blood and things she'd rather not know, and yet the sight still sent a sharp pang through her heart. His tie was missing, but there, nestled in the folds of his shirt, laid his partner pendant.

She clutched the empty space at her throat, absent of her own red and green stone.

He was still unconscious. His academy blazer had been rolled up and placed underneath his neck to keep his head off the dusty ground, and a wet towel was draped across his forehead. His face was absolutely expressionless; if not for the gentle rise and fall of his chest, May might have assumed he was dead.

She extended a shaky hand, brushing his bangs out of his eyes.

But he was here. And he was real, this time. Finally. After so many months of agonizing over his fate, seeing visions of him in winding caves and murky dreams, she'd finally found him.

"Drew," she whispered, cupping his cheek. Her throat grew tight, eyes stinging with the threat of tears. "Drew, I'm here. It's me, May."

He groaned, tossing his head. The towel slid off of his forehead.

"I've never seen him respond to anyone's voice before," Misty whispered behind them.

"If it'd be anyone, it should be her," Gary quietly replied.

"Drew?" May said, barely breathing. His brow pitched together, eyes squeezing tightly shut, then relaxing. Fluttering. Another frown.

And then, green.

Drew stared up at May, eyes cloudy with confusion.

"Drew," May said, a sob forcefully breaking through at the sight of those familiar green irises. "Arceus, Drew…"

"May…?"

His gaze was fixed on her face, slowly coming to life with the spark of recognition. He raised his hand, firmly clasping her wrist. She winced at the power of his grip. For how bad he looked, she hadn't expected such strength.

"You…" His eyes narrowed.

"I—I can't believe you're alive, I'm so glad—"

"Don't touch me!" he spat, twisting her wrist. She gasped at the pain, landing sharply on her elbow as her body rotated to follow the movement. She rolled onto her back. Drew scrambled to his knees, uncoordinated, lips parting in a snarl. He shoved her down as she tried to sit up, digging a knee into her stomach and pressing down.

She wheezed, trying to shove his knee off.

"Drew—"

He wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed. Her lips involuntarily parted, a choked gasp escaping. She clawed at his fingers, violently thrashing her lower body. Blood rushed in her ears.

This can't be real. Why would Drew attack me?

Instincts had taken control. Faint screaming reached her ears over the adrenaline. Drew's snarling face came into focus, eyes wild and enraged. She made one more desperate, weak thrash.

The hands around her neck were finally, violently ripped away.

She curled onto one side, coughing. Every rattling breath hurt, like needles inserted into her throat. She pressed her face against the cold stone as tears leaked out of her eyes.

Gary had his arms locked under Drew's armpits, forcefully dragging him as far away from May as he could. Drew let out a blood curdling scream, thrashing in Gary's grip.

"White!" Gary gasped. "Shit, help!"

Two steps ahead of him, she had already swiped a dagger from a dumbstruck Silver, and—with no hesitation—struck Drew's head with the handle.

The screaming cut off. He crumpled instantly, pulling Gary down on top of him with a loud oomph.

For a moment, silence filled the air, punctuated only by Gary labored breaths and May's coughs.

Gary gingerly lifted himself off of Drew. "Not what I meant, but just as well," he said weakly. "It's a good thing you didn't grab the torch, or else we'd have to check him for splinters."

White squatted at him, though she was shaking. "Be serious, would you?" She rushed to join Misty at May's side. "God, May, are you okay?"

"I'm alive," she croaked. Her face was blotchy and tear-streaked, but nowhere near as bad as the sickening ring of purple bruises blooming around her neck. "Is Drew okay?"

"He's just unconscious," White assured, helping her sit up. "We'll get Ash to look at him when we meet up. And your neck, too."

Misty grabbed her arm. "Ash is here? Ash Ketchum?"

"He went with Leaf to heal your dragon," Gary said, bending down to heft Drew over his shoulder. "We'll explain later. Right now we need to move. Ash and Leaf were discovered."

"Are they okay?" White asked.

"For now. They're making their way to the western exit."

"Wait," an incredulous voice interjected. Touya braced himself against the wall, struggling to his feet. He looked at White in disbelief, his eyes flashing back and forth between her and the deadweight on Gary's back. "You're going to bring him with you after what he just did?"

May glared at him. "He's my partner," she bit out, trembling. Her throat spasmed against the pain of speaking. "We came to save him, just like we came to save you. I'm not leaving him behind."

"Do you even know why he reacted that way? What if he goes batshit again the next time he wakes up?" he retorted. "Do you want to get attacked like that again?"

May flinched.

"We'll figure it out," White cut in, giving Touya a warning glare. Frankly, she was shaken by Drew's attack too, but she had to trust that everything would work out in the end. When you were in a dungeon fifty meters below ground with nothing but enemies above, that was all you could do. She placed her hands on May's shoulders and gently pushed her towards the cell door. "If the others were discovered, then the guards will be scouring this place. We don't have time to stand around and argue. Let's go."

Gary cautiously peered up and down the corridor before exiting the cell, Misty and May following. White looped Touya's arm around her neck. He winced when she pressed lightly against his ribcage, and she quietly murmured an apology.

"Hey, what about the rest of them?" Silver said heatedly. They turned around. He stood at the entrance of the empty cell, one hand clenched around the handle of the torch. The flames illuminated his trembling lower lip.

"What about all of them?" he repeated, casting the flame back on the hallway of faces. "Are you just going to leave them here?"

The girl in the closest cell grimaced against the light, shielding her face. Through one squinted eye, she met their gaze.

"Are you with the Resistance?" she asked. "Please, help us. Get us out of here."

Gary glanced at White. White glanced back, biting her lip.

Of course they knew what the right thing to do was, but… how were they supposed to sneak out of here with three injured people, let alone forty?

"We don't… we don't have a way to open the doors," she said pathetically. Shame immediately washed over her. Ugh, hadn't she used to be a base leader? They couldn't just leave all of these people here! "Unless… Silver? How fast can you pick thirty locks?"

There are so many coming, growled Lithium, crouching, her weight on her right limbs. Her left leg was bleeding openly. I don't know if we can hold them off for much longer.

Alkali. Titaia, barked Azreth. He received hums in affirmation. Back us up. We're getting out of here.

No—Leaf, protested Lithium, but winced at the effort of psychically slamming a guard dragon into another. We have to find Leaf, and the others…

The others can do that. If we stay here any longer, you're not going to be a Resistance dragon any more, retorted Azreth. He bellowed in fury as a guard dragon latched onto his hind leg, which he smashed into the wall with a kick.

Get out of there, came Titaia's command. Alkali will circle the western exit and find Leaf and Ash. Mosh and I will come to you and distract the guards. Leave, now.

A pause.

Lithium? Azreth whirled. Lith—-...oh, fu—

Lithium was held in a chokehold by a dark dragon, which was several sizes larger than her and sneering. A dark ball of energy was rapidly collecting in the dragon's mouth, which would possibly prove fatal if fired from such close range at Lithium, weak to dark attacks, and her neck, a dragon's greatest liability.

Fury overtook Azreth, and he roared as if doing so would scare the piece of dragon shit off, and he saw stars cloud his vision, a new black fire licking at his periphery. The other dragon eyed Azreth for the first time, challenging him.

Get your fucking claws off of her! he bellowed, losing control of his body. Thick coils of black energy and violet fire rose from the ground, pulsing and writhing as they danced around Azreth. With a flick of his eyes, they rushed the guard dragon.

The other dragon's eyes widened in alarm, and it threw Lithium's body to the ground. Whirling to face Azreth, the sneer still etched on its mouth, the dragon fired the ball of energy it had collected into Azreth's attack.

An explosion. The sheer force of impact threw Azreth back, and the slam onto the ground sobered him up from the power trip. Ears ringing, everything ringing, he was acutely aware of the aches and exhaustion weighing down his body. Briefly, he imagined dying here.

Lithium, he attempted, but there was no response. Was the tomb now empty or was he knocked deaf by the explosion?

A hum, if he listened closely: not a vocal response, but an involuntary frequency. She was alive.

He struggled to get up, pivoting his neck to get a glimpse of Lithium. In the past half hour they had given this part of the dungeon quite a renovation—walls had been knocked in several layers out, and the flames of extinguished torches had been given new life, incinerating residue in the dungeon and starting small fires.

And there she was, a heap thrown against the wall by the explosion. The offensive dark dragon was further down the hallway, also knocked out.

Ignoring every protest in his body, Azreth limped over to LIthium's battered, still body. He nudged her belly with his snout.

Lithium, he said gently. It's time to go.

She stirred, perhaps involuntarily, but didn't respond. Azreth checked their periphery. Clear, for now. The last attack had also done a number on the other smaller guard dragons coming for them, but at least some of them would wake up soon.

Azreth rolled her body over and bent down, snaking his head and neck under hers. Then it was a balancing act and a maneuvering game to tuck her into the crevice on his back between his wings. He tested a few steps, then lumbered out.

Titaia, you and Mosh have to cover Gary and the others. I have to get Lithium to safety.

A jolt of concern from Titaia, but she didn't press him. Got it. Follow the back road to the waterfall. We'll meet you there.

Sneaking around with a train of forty people was as easy as Gary expected it to be—which is to say, not easy at all.

He adjusted his grip on Drew as Silver and May, at the head of the line, cautiously led them down the narrow corridor. May still looked shaken by Drew's assault, her eyes faintly swollen, but with Gary and White assisting the injured, she had done an incredible job pushing that aside and taking the lead.

Leaf would be proud if she could see this.

...And also probably horrified by May's bruises, but breaking that news could wait until they were safe and far from Ganglion.

At that moment, Silver stopped, saying something to May. She nodded and fell back to where Gary was.

"Silver says—back way ends here," she said hoarsely. "Main hallways from now on."

He glanced at the approaching corner, where light from the connecting hallway shined through. It was bright. High ceilings, then. "Dragons?"

"Yeah."

He took a deep breath. There was really no way to hide this many people if they encountered anyone, and the only ones with weapons were himself, White, and May. He took his spare dagger off of his belt, pressing it into May's hand.

"Tell White what's going on, then give this to Misty. I'll join Silver at the front."

She nodded, setting off to where White guarded the end of the line.

Az, update? he tried as he carefully maneuvered his way through a clump of people. They leaned against the wall, heads bowed, taking a quick reprieve while they remained halted. Their breaths were harsh, emaciated body shaking with the effort.

Lithium was injured, came the immediate response. I'm getting her out of here.

Does Leaf know?

Can't contact her. Connection went flat when Lithium went down.

Gary cursed under his breath. Their plan was going to pieces.

What about the other dragons?

Alkali is on her way to Leaf and Ash. Titaia and Mosh are on their way to you.

Good. With dragon backup they might actually get out of here without casualties.

Watch your back, okay? We'll meet you outside.

We'll be by the waterfall. A thread of concern wound its way down the bond. Be careful, Gary.

Silver was cautiously peering around the edge of the hallway as Gary stopped beside him. With a grunt, he lowered himself down to rest Drew's body against the wall, far enough back to be out of sight. His head lolled limply. Gary sighed.

It was easy to feel sorry for the guy. He looked so vulnerable in this state. Who knows what he'd been through. Yet the manic way his eyes had flashed, the way he had snarled at May—Gary shivered. That would probably show up in his nightmares.

He turned his attention aside. "What's the best way to go from here?" he asked Silver.

The teen pulled away from the corner. His face was pensive. "Right down the hallway, then left at the arch. Then… I—I don't come to this area all that often, so—"

"It's okay," Gary said, muffling a sigh. Silver was obviously young—twelve or thirteen, maybe, though what a kid that age was doing freely roaming a prison like this, he didn't know—and thrown into a stressful situation he had been completely unprepared for. "Thank you for helping us."

Silver gave him a suspicious glare. "I tried to stab you."

Gary rolled his eyes. "We both know it was the handle. Cool it, kid. Misty vouched for you, and you've already done a lot for us. I just want you to know we appreciate it."

Silver mumbled something under his breath, crossing his arms and looking away.

Choosing not to push the issue, Gary glanced back at the hallway of people. Some were looking back at him with wide, hopeful eyes. He turned away, neck prickling with the weight of so many gazes. These people were expecting him to get them out of here alive. It was almost too much weight to bear.

"Do you hear that?" Silver said suddenly.

"Hear what?" he asked, then froze.

The thud of dragon footsteps, coming this way.

A hand touched his shoulder. He jumped, spinning to see White.

Titaia? he mouthed.

She shook her head, eyes wide.

Gary grabbed Silver and pushed him behind him, forcing him and the people at the front of the line back several steps, as far away from the corner as he could get them. The vibrations of footfalls grew stronger, nail clacking against the stone at an even pace.

He held his breath as a light green foot appeared, wicked, overgrown claws curling from the toes. Not a dark dragon like he'd expected, but… something wasn't right. It took another step forward, and the movement was distinctly mechanical. Something shiny caught his eye. It glinted on the scales near its shoulder, catching the light as it moved forward and out of sight.

A girl on his right whimpered. "Mazi!" She gripped his arm. "That's my dragon!"

He barely had a moment to register her words before she slipped under his arm and stepped into the hallway.

The pieces clicked together a moment too late.

A DMCD.

"No, wait—!"

"Mazi!" she screamed, cupping her hands. "Maz-!"

Gary lurched forward, slamming a hand over her mouth. He wrapped an arm around her waist, dragging her back into the safety of the smaller hallway. She protested into his hand, but he shushed her.

It was silent for a moment. He held his breath.

The swish of a tail, and clicking claws came back down the hallway.

Mazi's snout appeared at the entryway. She sniffed at her surroundings. Gary pressed his back against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut.

This is it, he thought. One fireball down this hallway and we're all dragon-sized party poppers.

The dragon's Rider shook in his arms, tears dripping onto his hand. Had she realized this wasn't Mazi as she knew her?

Mazi snarled, lips curling back to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Flames flickered at the back of her throat, quickly coalescing into a solid ball of fire.

As the flames continued to grow, Gary pushed the girl behind him, shouting over his shoulder, "Go back!" A few people desperately scrambled away, but some were frozen in shock, blocking the path for others.

Gary turned back to his impending doom. Mazi's jaw were open wide, and the fireball had grown to a meter across.

Maybe I can shield the others from taking too much of it, he thought desperately. What use is a good-looking guy if he doesn't make a heroic sacrifice? Isn't that something Reth would jokingly say?

The flames crackled, glowing in intensity-and then sputtered out.

Gary stared in shock.

Mazi stared back blankly, slowly closing her jaws. Her eyes were absolutely lifeless. His stunned expression stared back at him, reflected in their smooth black surface.

Releasing a shaky breath, his let his eyes roam her face. Something red caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, and with one last cautious glance at her face, he looked towards it.

The DMCD was flashing red.

Abruptly, Mazi's head jerked to the side, and she ambled off the way she had been going as if she had never seen them in the first place.

When the clicking finally faded away, he looked behind him.

White—face as pale as her namesake—stared back. Her expression was mirrored down the hallway.

"We're getting out of here," Gary said. "Right now."

To the fairy dragon, who had been dispatched from Faydell with his Rider to investigate the dragon roars and explosions at Ganglion, the sight of a dark dragon darting away from Ganglion with a limp psychic dragon on its back raised a number of red flags. One of Vesuvius's dragons taking prisoners, surely.

His Rider picked up on his concern. Follow that guard dragon. The dragon nodded and plunged, readying an attack.

After everything that had happened tonight, Azreth thought he deserved to at least make a successful escape, save Lithium, and maybe look cool while doing it.

But when a pale pink light appeared overhead, he had a bad feeling, and when it was followed by a harsh light that blinded his vision, seared his scales and, frankly, his damn soul, he knew this was going to be ugly.

Azreth crumpled onto the forest floor, his body numb and cold from the impending stress of blacking out. The last thing he saw was an outline of the approaching fairy dragon and its Rider, whom he heard gasp and say, "A-ah, no… that's Lithium, and… Azreth?"

* ~ x ~ *

Apheleia: hi y'all, i would be SHOCKED if anyone were reading this author's note right now. this story MUST HAVE disappeared from everyone's periphery, including ours! obviously there's a lot to unpack here but in the interest of? excuses? i think the urgency of savoir faire just faded for us as high school started getting interesting, what with Aqua and I both being like… literal sophomores in early 2015(!). and now we're deep into our college years and have reconnected some, and wanted to give SF31 a go before winter break ended, so.. here we are! we might end up knocking out SF32 before break is over, but no promises uwu and I don't think either of us can promise much once the semester starts, so sorry that this update is kind of selfish in that it's probably more for us than for the story & any readers left, haha. lately i've been thinking a lot about fanfiction, this community, and how formative all of this was in my early adolescence, so… thank you to those who have been in community with us all this time :) hit us up with PMs if y'all want to catch up and get in contact for real!

AquaStarlight: this is probably the last way you expected 2020 to start, right? I've thought back fondly on this story over the years, and writing this chapter really reminded me how much fun it was to write these scenarios and characters (but OOF, looking back at some scenes it's just,, painfully preteen. But that's okay! we gucci! we moving forward! we making progress!) this story truly did have a big impact on my adolescence and the career I chose to follow, and I think I'll always remember the experiences and the people. So to those of you who see this update, i hope you enjoy :)