Dragon Knight (5/7) SGA AU
Dragon Knight (5/7)
author:
tari_roo
Rating: PG13 (gen)
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I profit from nothing but oh boy, do I wish I had a dragon. Or was a dragon. Or knew a dragon. *sigh*
Summary: Sequel to Geek Knight vs. the Black Dragon. Atlantis is imminently under attack by an Asuran fleet, and Queen Elizabeth has a desperate last chance plan. Recapture the dragon that is supposedly their last hope in defeating the Asurans. Rodney McKay and his team are back on their quest to capture the black dragon, Jhepard-shon. Shep though is determined not to be found... mostly because he is still recovering from the last attack.
Chapter 5
The brig was muted and quiet, the thick stone preventing sound from travelling down into the cool confines of the lower levels of the Citadel. The wards of the brig were understood by none of the mages, and it was rare that any monarch of the city allowed one of them to study them. It was hardly prudent allowing someone, anyone, the opportunity to study the workings of a prison which might one day hold them.
Teyla sat cross-legged in the middle of the cell that held her, trying to find a measure of peace and serenity. It was a difficult exercise as her mind and emotions were still in turmoil - mostly due to the Dragons, but also due to the impending invasion. If Atlantis fell, it would not take Asur long to reach the other Southern Realms that bordered Equestria. Athos, Sateda, Hoth - all would fall as none had even half the defences of Atlantis.
Yet her honour was screaming at her that their and by pure direct correlation, her actions towards the Dragons were... unconscionable. Unfair. Wrong.
She wasn’t entirely sure why the Queen wanted the Dragon, but Teyla recalled enough of her own people’s legends to put two and two together. The Dragons hailed from the days of the Ancients. Atlantis was an Ancient City - a city that barely remembered or resembled the one of the Ancients, but an Ancient City nonetheless. Legends held that the City once shone with an inner light and lived and breathed as if it were alive itself. In all the years since the Atlanteans had come, journeying from the North thousands of years ago, the City had been silent - beautiful but silent.
Legends were just legends. Myths were stories mingled with fact but so badly mangled not even scholars could sort out truth from fancy at times. There were parts of the city in serious disrepair, as damage from storms went unchecked and neglect and ignorance failed other sections. Atlantis was the crowning jewel of Equestria but was in serious need of a polish in some areas.
Teyla sighed and tried to order her feelings. She would need to be calm when she faced the Queen. No matter how angry Elizabeth was, she still needed the Captain of the Veil, and Teyla was still Captain. Being in the brig did not automatically transfer her Key to Halling.
She heard the attack start before Halling, and Torren reached her, their faces set with grim determination. She needed no words to reassure them, only time and the aftermath of this battle would resolve the issue of the Veil Guard Captaincy. Together they ran to the Throne Room, a run that seemed longer than usual through strangely empty halls and corridors. As they entered the Throne Room, the view of the City that greeted them was frightful - the defences already hard pressed by the Asuran Fleet in the Bay.
Elizabeth radiated stern determined anger, and as Teyla activated the Veil for the new day, she could not but help reach out to the City itself. Atlantis was a strange city, though it felt so familiar at times, like an old friend especially at Dawn when Teyla activated the Veil. Sometimes it was almost as if something waited within the City, waited for her each morning and greeted her with a smile.
As the Veil initiated, Teyla felt the Black Dragon sweeping the city, a search spell bouncing off the Veil. Giving it no more thought that ‘I must!’ she sent a small message through the Veil.
“Here”.
It was perhaps her imagination, but for a second she thought the City flickered in response. Elizabeth certainly noticed though.
Either way, Jhepard-shon was coming.
*sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon* sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon* sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon
Atlantis lay below him, a city of blues and greens awash in the early light of the sun as it rose over the ocean. A fleet of ships made their way into the bay, the flags and banners marking them as Asuran. Shep snorted in derision - those silly fools continued to stamp their feet like angry children, determined to prove their superiority to everyone else.
Shep had one goal, and it wasn’t tangling with the Asurans. No, all he wanted was to find Cam and get the shards out of Atlantis and leave it to its fate.
The citizens of Atlantis hurried and scurried through the streets, a stream of people heading away from the harbour and the bay. A much smaller stream of Mechanicals and soldiers were heading towards the City’s walls. Shep roared again, searching for Cam, his locator spell as fine tuned as one could make it when you had to isolate one soul amongst thousands, even if it was as unique as Cam’s.
The hum of Atlantis was loud, especially in the brighter, more stable parts of the City. Although she slept, the City tugged at his senses, whispering and teasing him. His bane- induced state yesterday as he had entered the City for the first time, had drowned out any sense of homecoming or life as he was dragged before the Queen of Atlantis. Now though, chock full of power and life, the City sang mutely, distantly to him.
He ignored it.
Several fool mages shot fireballs and mage-fists at him - their insipid magic sliding off his scales with no effect. The concussive missiles were another matter and although most were directed at the Asurans, the odd catapult and spell-caster took aim at him. Shep had to keep a weather eye on stray or intentional missiles while he searched, shooting the odd fireball at persistent attackers.
Shep flamed another turret of archers, encouraging them to shoot at targets in the bay. He was running out of time and energy, the effort of the spell and flight badly draining his reserves. Cam’s strength was long gone, and the roar of the fire’s energy was slowing, fading away.
Time was not on his side.
As he banked around one of the tall spires, a flare of magic drew his attention - a ward being activated. It was a powerful ward, one that covered the City entirely. It felt - familiar, like the touch of an old friend. The ward tried to repulse his spell and succeeded in part. More importantly, he felt for an instant the clear, logical mind of the caster - the Athosian. Sir Teyla.
Hoping against hope that she was either near Cam or could tell him where he was, Shep turned, wings angled for a steep climb. He rose towards the central tower, circling it as he aimed for the shine of glass windows. A quick battering spell to break the glass, and Shep flew into a huge room, scattering the puny humans inside, rising to his full height, wings outstretched.
There she was - Teyla, standing unafraid without her armour, sword on the ground looking up at him. Shep ignored her and instantly found Cam. His fury at the Athosian vanished as he saw the Queen standing before him - her men’s swords threatening Cam’s life. A quick flame would kill almost everyone without the magic and speed to cast a ward, but Cam would die just as certainly.
“We need your help.”
Shep snarled.
*sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon* sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon* sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon
Samantha raised her ward just in time, and a missile directed at her position bounced off it and fell back into the Asuran Iron Soldiers, landing with a massive explosion. The remains of the soldiers, large cracked pieces of armour, lay scattered everywhere. Where two fell, four took their place. They had lost the first two walls so quickly; she was shaken by the brutality and speed of the Asuran attack.
Now, they defended the third and final wall. The remainder of her army fought - Battle Mages struggling to maintain wards and attack at the same time. The couple dozen Mechanicals that McKay had designed were proving very handy - withstanding most of the Asur spells and going toe to toe with individual Iron Soldiers very well. Two dozen Mechanicals versus hundreds of Iron Soldiers were impossible odds. More Iron Soldiers were disembarking from the Fleet as Asur gained ground with each skirmish lost.
The noise was tremendous, the roar and clamour of the Iron Soldiers, the cannons on the ships all battering her senses. It was difficult to think over the noise, let alone direct her troops. Pockets of defenders were holding strong, Teal’c and his Jaffa especially. The sun was barely risen, the air still fresh, but the beauty of the morning was lost in smoke, fire and ash. The remains of the two walls were still smoking, with the heat of ruined soldiers, burning turrets and lost ground washing over the remaining defenders.
Gritting her teeth, Sam directed a fireball at three Iron Soldiers, disintegrating them on the spot. The Asurans fought a faceless battle, with only their Iron Soldiers were on the battlefield. There were no visible human soldiers. If there were people on the ships, they remained hidden, perhaps safe behind their own wards. There was a steady fire of missiles and attack spells from the Battleships, so obviously someone was on board. The Iron Soldiers moved with purpose and clear tactical direction, attacking weak points, and exploiting breaches in defences. They acted in concert and individually, relentless in their attack giving neither quarter or relief.
“Hold that position, Teal’c, hold it!” Samantha shouted, sending her voice to her second with a speak spell. Distantly Teal’c nodded, but his position was under serious pressure as missiles from the Fleet pounded the wall beneath him. The wards above him and Iron Soldiers attacked his men head on. The Asurans were concentrating their attack on the portions of the Walls facing the Bay. The impressive Gates into Atlantis were unchallenged, but it was pointless holding them if Asur breached the City right here.
Scanning the wall, Samantha wiped her brow refusing to put on her helm - she needed to see to predict the next wave of attack. Rodney had run to summon reinforcements, and they were arriving to bolster the walls, assist the defence. The Battle Mages were still standing - still protecting the citizens of the City, but they would not be able to hold out under the constant onslaught of missiles and spells that battered their efforts without pause or break.
A ragged cheer ran through her army as a concerted effort from the Mages sent a spiraling ball of blue magic into one of the ships where it exploded into red and yellow flames. Sam could feel the effort that spell required. If that’s what it took to take out a ship, they would never have enough brute strength to overcome the Fleet.
The Asurans responded by redoubling the torrent of spells and missiles directed at the Mages, who nearly buckled beneath the onslaught. How on earth any battalion of mages had so much energy for such an attack was beyond her.
The third wall was already cracked and crumbling in places, quivering beneath her feet. Beyond the wall, the narrow streets of Atlantis waited, and her army could bottleneck the Iron Soldiers in dozens of dead-ends and traps. Street fighting was costly - in civilian lives. Once an enemy was inside a City, it was so difficult to remove them, so very difficult. Better to hold the wall.
A hail of concussive balls of flame battered the wall, and a series of deep, widening cracks ran across its surface. Sam disintegrated a couple more Asurans, refusing the tug of weariness such prolonged spell casting created.
The Dragon was gone. She had missed seeing where it went, but Sam hoped to the High Moon that Elizabeth’s plan worked. It was one less enemy to monitor, without it hovering overhead. It also created a new worry - where had it gone? The Central Tower still stood, looming over the City spires, returning fire from their own scattered concussive missiles battering futilely against the warded ships.
Slashing and stabbing an Iron Soldier that climbed the wall to attack her, Sam cut off its head and kicked if off the wall. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but there was no way she was holding the City by might and magic alone.
“Come on, Elizabeth.”
*sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon* sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon* sga*dragon*sga*dragon*sga*dragon
It was scant comfort that McKay Manor was on the very edges of the outskirts of the Atlantean countryside. If the City fell, Jeannie and her family would still be in danger. It was a no brainer - staying and fighting - the battle had to be won in Atlantis. After a terrifying but thankfully brief time on the Walls, McKay found himself facing down the Black Dragon - again. Granted its attention was on the Queen, but McKay still felt a measure of responsibility to make sure this worked - whatever ‘it’ was.
Judging by the presence of the madman Daniel and the stranger they had rescued in the forest, McKay’s suspicions were right. The Queen and the Princess were hoping to high hell that Daniel’s ridiculous ramblings were correct - that Atlantis still had a connection to the Ancients who had built her - and that connection was now with the Dragons.
McKay had never felt the supposed hum of Atlantis, but Carson had - he swore by it. Whatever the hum meant, Rodney was appalled that Elizabeth was pinning their future on the wild dreams of a man who had been eccentric before he lost his mind. For years Daniel had been obsessed with lunatic ideas about the Ancients and their lost records. To concoct a notion, even before he descended into incoherency, that Dragons were the Ancients well, Daniel made Rodney look like a reasonable, well balanced individual at times.
“We need your help.”
Rodney nodded minutely agreeing with Elizabeth but trying not to draw attention to himself. Oh shards, they did. The Asurans were pummelling the army outside.
In the silence that fell, the Dragon snarled, and every knight in the room who still had a sheathed weapon drew their sword. Daniel lay unconscious near the dragon, a tangled sprawl of limbs and wild hair. The fool wasn’t even awake to see the fruits of his insanity. Teyla stood unarmed near the Queen, her sword forgotten on the floor.
The Queen waved for them to hold, to stay any attack. Her armour shining brightly in the sunlight, her hair swept back by the wind; she looked magnificent. She lowered her sword, and it fell with a clang on the stone floor joining Teyla’s.
Behind her, their prisoner snarled in the lull, struggling futilely against his bonds and captors, the growl oddly draconic, matching the Black Dragon. McKay shuffled his feet, wishing for more protection than a suit of armour and a sword. It wasn’t much use against being cooked alive in your own juices. Nonetheless, Rodney prepped the beginnings of a ward against fire just in case this all went pear-shaped.
The great Black Dragon swung his head, sluggishly watching them all; eyes narrow with anger but dull with pain and fatigue. It wasn’t quite the same monster he remembered from Kandahar, even if it looked incredibly large inside the room. Insanely, Elizabeth stepped forward, hands outstretched, the dull thud of percussive missiles battering Atlantis’ defence audible in an urgent fashion. “Jhepard-shon, please hear me.”
Despite Peter’s cautionary hiss, Elizabeth stepped even closer to the dragon, her eyes fast on its. “Please hear me out. I realise that you have been treated ill and...”
“Ill! Ill does not even come close to describing it,” the man shouted from his knees, neck still bent but face twisted to see the scene, restrained but certainly not gagged. Rodney shot him a worried look. Was the fool trying to get them all killed? It didn’t take a genius, and Rodney was certainly a genius to put the pieces together. This man was the gold dragon, no matter how fantastical that seemed. McKay told his brain to be quiet and focused on his spell and his sword.
Elizabeth shook her head imperceptibly again at her men, indicating they should do nothing. She calmly addressed both the dragon in human form and the monstrous Black. “Catchell-meron, I regret how things have turned out, truly.” Rodney noted that Evan stepped closer to Peter and Charles, probably to lend a hand if the dragon tried to change. Oh, that was a cheery thought. Two dragons in one room with lots of little snacks running around. Rodney edged closer to the door and stopped and listened intently to the negotiations.
Catchell-meron snorted, clearly disbelieving Elizabeth’s regret, and his snort was echoed by the Black Dragon. Her voice shaking with emotion and probably fear, Elizabeth said loudly, “No matter what you may think, I regret that we have come to this, but our need was vital and is now urgent.”
The dragon growled and swung his head around towards her, his head dwarfing her entire body. “But it was one of your own making, Queen. “
Elizabeth paused, her gaze running over the Dragon, trying to judge its mood. She sighed, “Be that as it may, we are here. My city is in need. My people are in danger. However you judge our actions, they were born out of need - real need.” She stepped moderately closer and stared up at the Dragon. “My ancestors came to this city long ago and failed to uncover its secrets, so it has fallen into disrepair. We have not had the skill or knowledge to stop that, to fix the damage wrought by hundreds, nay, thousands of years.”
Rodney smiled briefly. Elizabeth had always had a way with words. She could talk the birds out the trees, ambassadors into profitable trade agreements, and send suitors back to their homes feeling that it was their decision to abandon their pursuit of her. No doubt she was bringing the full weight of her persuasive abilities to the fore now.
She continued, “I regret the years of neglect that has plunged this city into disarray. I regret that time and thinning bloodlines have failed us - when legends speak of a City that lived and thought once. Now we cannot even wake her long enough to save us-to save us in our darkest hour!”
Rodney felt his jaw drop, and he shot a look at Carson who was shaking his head in amazed dismay. Ronon standing off to one side out of the way did not seem surprised - rather he radiated curiosity. Teyla was staring at the Queen and shooting glances at the Dragon. Elizabeth had kept this secret well. A Living City - what next?
Elizabeth now stepped with striking distance, ignoring years of training and common sense. The dragon could now just reach out and end her life with a single blow. Slowly, sincerely, she looked up at him, her hands open, arms at her sides. “Most of all though, I regret the pain and hurt you have suffered. Suffered due to our, my, ignorance and need. Pain that could and should have been avoided. Hurt that even now plagues you.”
Oh, that was an interesting move - letting the dragon know she was aware it wasn’t fit to fight. It was a moot point almost, as it could certainly take them all out. For an instant, a thought brushed McKay’s mind. Why? Why was the dragon talking and not rampaging about killing them? It didn’t need to hear her out, even if its friend’s life was in the balance. The dragon twisted its massive head and regarded the Queen coolly. It might be injured, hell it might even still be in pain from their attack, but it certainly did not seem helpless.
The wind from outside was cool and delicious on his feverous hide. Shep felt a real urge to just abandon this mess and take to the skies once more, although in truth it was probably for the last time. Shep blinked long and slow, blinking away the fugue that clouded his vision, the ache in his chest, and the pounding in his veins. He resisted the urge both because Cam needed him and well, with his luck he’d probably be shot down or crash into the City below the second he took off.
The Queen standing before him was close enough to bite, her upturned face open and pleading. Her apology was overdue and uttered only in desperation, so what level of sincerity did it truly have? Even though he needed to extract himself and Cam with as little physical effort as possible, he was not inclined to forgive recent events so quickly - for expediency’s sake. He would not last long in a protracted fight though - his strength was fading even as she spoke. Nor did he wish his final moments to be spent meeting out death and breaking age old oaths.
The little Queen before him smiled sadly and extended her hand, reaching out as if to touch, but she did not close the distance. Her face was earnest, open - eyes wide and mouth poised with real emotion. “We need your help, Dragon. I don’t understand it fully, but I have to trust - something. It is too late for any other plans. Our enemy is at the gate, breaching our defences and threatening to destroy my people.”
Shep met and held her gaze, peering into her heart, trying to see her mind, the true intent of her spirit.
Her words shook with emotion, fear uppermost. “We started this all wrong, did everything wrong, and now I must ask you to forgive us and in the same breath save us. I must trust that you can.”
“What if you are wrong?”Shep rumbled, surprised at how gruff his voice sounded, unsurprised by how much it hurt to speak. “What if those legends are just fantasies cooked up by your fathers?”
Directing Shep’s gaze with her as she moved, Elizabeth pointed at the ancient Throne placed at the centre of the room. Ungilded, simple, etched with beautiful design, the throne echoed a distant time so ancient it was almost forgotten. Almost. He had been ignoring the throne in favour of the far more urgent conversation just as he was ignoring the underlying presence of the City. Unnatural thunder rumbled over the city as the battle outside raged. The knights in the room kept glancing at the view, watching to see if the defence held.
More importantly, Cam still knelt in his bonds - cold hard steel at his throat.
The Queen spoke slowly, no matter her urgency or the seriousness of the situation, “Maybe they are wrong because no matter how hard we searched - the only answer we ever found was a cryptic line.” She paused, her eyes boring into his with intensity. Slightly mesmerised, the thrum of life fading in his heart, Shep heard her say in concert with the sounds of battle from outside, “Only a dragon can awaken the city.”
Elizabeth licked her lips, a strangely calculated move that nonetheless betrayed true emotion. “A good friend lost his mind trying to understand - trying to figure out if it was just poppycock.” Her face fell with the memory, and she turned to look at the unconscious human by his talons. “Daniel sat in the throne and tried to use a magic he barely understood to wake the City.”
The man, Daniel, did not stir, his glasses lying broken on the floor beside him. “It broke his mind - whatever it was, and he has not recovered.”
She turned back to Shep, her back straight, face clear and firm again, the loss gone from her voice. “I have to believe, even if it’s madness. I don’t know how you can save my City, but something tells me you do.”
The whole City rocked as a backlash of magic whipped out from the battle below. The room shook, dust and powder falling from the ceiling, the glass on the floor shifting underfoot. Everyone but Shep fought to keep balance. A reverberating boom echoed belatedly through the City, all eyes drawn to the Bay and the Asuran ships. Long plumes of smoke billowed from the sections of the city nearest the walls. Several buildings were on fire and even from their high position, they could hear the clamour of cries and shouts, missiles and battle magic.
Drawing her eyes away from maelstrom of the battle, Elizabeth turned to him again, and cried, “I hate putting the safety and continued existence of my people on the whim of something those same legends depict as voracious, cunning, and untrustworthy: a being, a dragon, no one had seen for hundreds of years.”
Strangely enough Shep noted that Sir Teyla, the treacherous Athosian, coloured at the Queen’s words. From beneath swords and strong arms, Cam laughed, dark and brittle. There was a brief struggle as he probably fought the bonds. Before Shep could move to help Cam, Teyla, her face red, spoke loudly, “History is written and forgotten by the victors and those who pick over their spoils, my Queen. We would do well to think on who wrote those legends.”
The Queen stared at her knight, and Shep could see the tension between them . Although he did not particularly care for their opposition, he snarled, “Time is running out, Queen. My patience is gone and your city is dying.” He wanted to add more, to tell her immediately his answer was no, but what else could he offer as ransom for Cam?
Shaking her head, Elizabeth pulled herself together and cried, “Whatever my feelings about the madness of relying on a dragon, it is no longer material.”
“Because Asur is knocking on your door,” Shep growled. He was running out of time too - fast. His left leg was trembling, the weakness hidden by his wing, but the wound was bleeding, and he could feel the drip of blood down his hide. The energy granted to him by the fire was ebbing, a muscle- deep weariness taking over.
Nodding, the Queen said slowly and clearly, “Yes, because Asur is here, but also because you are standing before me - talking, instead of killing us all and leaving the City to die. That gives me hope - hope that the legends about dragons are wrong.” Again her eyes bored into him. Shep did not want to see the urgency, the need, the desperation in them, but he did. There was no denying that Atlantis was in trouble - and no denying that they had mortally wounded him. Nonetheless, he quirked an eyebrow of disbelief, and a rumble echoed through the throne room, a deep, troubling noise. The attack carried on, unabated. The Asurans were relentless.
“My City is about to fall,” Elizabeth cried, hand outstretched, pointing to the burning city. “I am sorry , so sorry for how you were hunted, trapped, and hurt. Please believe that. No matter how unfair it may seem, dragon, please help us.”
Nodding to the men who guarded Cam and who stared back at her in disgust, the Queen said, “Release him.”
The guards looked at each other, and slowly, reluctantly, stepped away and lowered their swords. One of them cut Cam free and slowly as if suspecting a trap, Cam stood. He did not look like he’d been hurt, bar for the trickle of blood down his neck.
It was a bold move - one that Shep would have appreciated in a different time. With her leverage gone, the Queen was relying entirely on his good humour - no, that was wrong. She was relying on his honour, trusting him to be honourable. It was a big leap of faith, and Shep could just as easily snatch Cam and leave.
Perhaps feeling exposed and overwhelmed by this move, Elizabeth’s voice shook as she said, “I place my life and lives of my people in your hands. You are free to leave. Free to take your friend with you.” To her credit she did not add - and leave us to die.
She waited to stress the truth of her words, and Shep felt her honesty in the plea. He knew what was coming. “Please save us. Whatever it is you need to do - please. Whatever you ask of us, is yours.”
Elizabeth stepped back, bowing low, exposing her back and neck. She and her city were at his mercy. Shep stared at the throne, the path clear up its steps, its blue frame unhindered and beckoning. He swallowed, his long throat convulsing with the movement and the pain it caused.
In the silence of the room, Cam walked the distance between them skirting the humans, gingerly making his way. Once within reach, he tapped his hide gently, reassuringly. Shep swung his head down to his level, and Cam whispered, “You don’t need to do this. We can just leave.”
Cam’s expression was a mixture of worry and anger, and he no doubt wished he could transform and bully Shep into leaving. Before Shep could answer him, he turned and glared at the humans in the room and said loudly, “You have no idea what it is you are asking. None.”
The tower rocked again with a slightly smaller shock wave making the Queen’s footing unsteady. Elizabeth bowed again and said softly, “Be that as it may, I ask it. I ask it for my people. For this City.”
Sir Teyla stepped forward and knelt in front of Shep, her head bowed, voice directed to the floor. “Sir Dragon. My shield and sword are yours. I ask forgiveness for my part in this, but also ask for your help, please. I swear on my sword, my life is yours. Even if you chose not to help us.” She lifted her head, eyes boring into Shep’s with a grim determination to repair her honour. Unfortunately, she needed a city and a duty in order to do that.
Again, quietly, just for Shep’s ears, Cam sighed, “You really don’t have to, Shep. We can just fly away, leave them to ....” Cam’s voice was soft as he trailed off, unwilling to mention the fate that awaited Atlantis. Shep knew that if he chose to leave, Cam would not say anything, but it would weigh on both their hearts - leaving the City to perish. No matter how just the punishment, it was not right for thousands of innocents to suffer for the thoughtless blunders of a few.
Shep considered the moment, considered the decision before him because it would be completely life altering. The temptation to just fly away was monstrous, no matter the guilt, but Shep could also feel the dull, insidious climb of the Bane through his blood, clogging and thickening in his veins. For all intents and purposes, he was dead. His body was just slowly collapsing and catching up with its inevitable fate. If he left this city and this people to die, he would not be far behind them. There was no hope - only Cam would live if they left now. His decision would either save them all or kill them all even if in a sense, he would die either way.
Coughing abruptly as his stomachs roiled and fire pierced his lungs, Shep groaned and twisted forward, nearly crushing Cam with the motion as he tried not to curl around the torment inside him. He must be bleeding inside, the Bane’s progress more rapid than he thought. This was no doubt due to his exertions to reach Cam.
Straightening and noting that no one had moved, Shep saw that all eyes were either on him or the City. The City was on fire, the third wall breached, and Iron Soldiers were marching through the streets. If there was a moment to make a decision, this was it.
Drawing himself up to his full height, neck arched, wings barely furled, Shep rumbled, “You’re asking a sharding lot from me, Queen of Atlantis, and I am certain that you have no idea of the consequences that will follow. This sacrifice comes at a price that we will both pay and maybe live to regret. I will help you.”
The wind picked up and blew the acrid smell of smoke into the room, and Elizabeth said sharply in a loud voice, “We will not agree to slavery or indenture, we’d rather die...”
Shep barked out a laugh, one that hurt, but he smiled as he lowered his head so that he looked her straight in the eye as he said, “You mistake me, again. You have already made your choice, Queen. The price is set in stone.”
“Wait,” Elizabeth shouted as Shep raised his head, stretched out his wings and stood, his legs trembling with the effort.
Ignoring her, Shep smiled at Cam who hovered near his feet and said quietly, “I choose.” It hurt to say those words, and it hurt even more to summon the magic to make it so, but Shep did not stop. Instead he embraced it like he was coming in to land without slowing down.
Shep beat his wings one last time and let the magic course through him, willing the change. He began to glow from within, a deep blue similar in colour to the blue of the throne and so many parts of Atlantis. Every nerve, tendon, and muscle sang with power as Shep burned out every magic reserve he had. With painful clarity he felt the beauty and majesty of his wings, the blood running through the membranes, his triple hearts beating in concert, scales and hide pulsing with life.
The glow around him intensified, filling his eyes with light, so that the last thing he saw was Cam staring up at him. In the white light, Shep could only hear his hearts and distantly a crash that rocked the room as an Asuran missile crashed into the central tower. A chorus of cries echoed around him. Undeterred, Shep ignored the noise and distraction and changed.
Part 6