The compound was filled with bristling spears and adrenaline, and the alert guards were silhouetted against the gray sky around the compound. Shiel ducked back down beside Paurus, talons clenched in a fist and eyes blazing.

"We don't have a choice, we'll have to just..." He sighed, a list of profanities sworn under his breath. "We'll have to just go." He shoved the folder into Paurus's bag. He'd have a better chance of- don't think like that.

"I can use the vents." Paurus whispered, flicking his tail to the grate positioned beside him. He couldn't hide the fear in his voice like Shiel could. "I'll... will you..."

Shiel grabbed his shoulder, no longer a playful gesture. "I'll meet you back at the house."

Before the dragonet could respond, he was pushed into the ventilation shaft, sliding a few tail-lengths before catching a hold in the metal. He breathed heavily a few times, paws shaking. Helpless and alone, he started forwards.

...

Shiel edged along the walkway until he reached the base of one of the watchtowers. Two guards swiveled to face him, their skull-like helmets glaring. The fire dragon lunged at them without hesitation, knocking the first's spear out of his hand and slamming him into his partner. As they slumped over, the clattering of their armor caused the guards on the ground to jerk in his direction.

Shiel grimaced down at them, it really was time to go. He spread his wings and launched into the sky. Out of his peripheral, he could see several guards winging towards him, and he flexed his talons.

He whipped around, locking talons with the closest one. He snarled and shot into a backwards arch, swinging them up and over his head. They plummeted like a stone, desperately twisting to right themselves before they hit the ground.

Shiel slammed his clenched paws into another's stomach. He opened his jaw and blasted her face with searing orange fire.

She fell, clutching her snout, and another guard caught him from behind. The fire dragon could feel metal daggers digging into his soft flesh below his wing socket and he howled, writhing in what turned into freefall. His opponent readjusted themselves to clutch his neck, their skull helmet looming in front of his face.

Shiel swiped at them desperately, glimpsing the ground fast approaching. His opponent swung back, fist colliding with his ear.

Disoriented and distracted, the fire dragon slammed into the ground.

...

Paurus could hear them running beneath him. Their panting and frantic voices mirrored his thoughts in a way that he almost felt bad for them. His sympathy quickly turned to hatred, however, when he reached the end of the vent and spotted Shiel crash into the soil. His body twitched with heavy breathing and blood trickled out of his ear.

Paurus tore the grate from it's bolts using his multi-purpose tool, fueled by determination or terror. Did it really matter which? He needed to protect Shiel, how wasn't his concern. He just had to get to him. Everything will be better as long as we stay together.

Talons dug into his shoulders as he ran, unaware he had already left the ventilation shaft. He wriggled around and instinctively bit down hard on the foreign talons, and was sprinting again.

Shiel's eyes were open, and they were fixed on him. Paurus's brain registered the words as if in a trance; "Paurus, get out of here!"

He was grabbed again, and his body collided with the rocky soil. His hearing returned and the sound of dozens of guards storming towards him made his legs tremble.

The guard above pinned him by his neck, and the dragonet thrashed in his grip. I have to get to Shiel. We'll be fine if I can just-

A fist collided with his face. Blinding pain shot through his muzzle. Another collision, and blood filled his mouth. Another, with a resounding whack. He couldn't tell if he was lying in blood or tears.

...

He had never felt the urge to tear someone to shreds more than he did in that moment. Blood boiling, gut wrenching rage compressed his chest as he dug his claws into the guard on top of him. He tasted the tangy blood as he clamped his jaws on the exposed neck, cracking bone and flinging the limp body behind him as he charged.

The world was tinted red as Shiel lunged at the dragon standing over Paurus, eyes slitted. His tunnel-visioned target looked up too late from the bloodied dragonet below him.

The force of tackling the armored dragon sent vibrations through Shiel's aching shoulders, but he paid them no mind as he tore apart the dragon. He didn't know if the high pitched whimpering was coming from Paurus or the shredded face of the guard beneath him.

Shiel dug his talons into the rocky soil, baring his fangs at the approaching guards. Maybe twenty had rallied to defend their compound and destroy the intruders. They will not take us. Despite the odds, they will not take us.

The fire dragon flared his wings, and his eyes glowed like the depths of the underworld. His jaw snapped open, and brilliant orange fire swept before him. The guards caught up in the blaze screamed in agony, clawing off their armor that glowed with heat, their scales burned black.

Giving them no chance to retreat, Shiel descended on the nearest guard who hadn't been licked by flame. His claws flickered as he tore them through the metal armor, singeing the scales beneath. An arch of fire spread rapidly along his spine and curled like a snake around his horns.

Paurus gazed dizzily up at him. He didn't look anything like the Shiel he knew.

The fire dragon stood between the crumpled dragonet and the previously advancing guards. They stood still now, watching Shiel with a mix of horror and awe, unsure of the conflict and carnage.

It was that moment that the laden skies began to fall. Paurus watched as the water droplets fell on the ground and on Shiel, his flaming mane hissing and belching steam.

The battlefield was still for several moments, with no sounds but the crackling and sighing of dying flames. Shiel's eyes lost their glow and Paurus could see his legs start to shake violently from exhaustion.

Lightning flashed off of the metal armor as the guards charged them, and while Shiel bared his fangs fiercely, Paurus could see the toll of whatever he had unleashed.

Loops of spiked chains were thrown over the fire dragon's horns, wings, and his legs as he struck out at them. There were just too many, and he had lost the aid of adrenaline. His impact with the ground had made his shoulders weak, his reflexes were no longer honed, and the guards brought him down.

Paurus cried out in fear as he was grabbed, dragged away from freedom and away from Shiel. The fire dragon's eyes flashed with lightning and his agonized roar was heard above the clap of thunder as his scales were torn by chains and talons.

Then the dragonet's muzzle and paws were wrapped in chains and he could almost feel the turbulent waters of his nightmare rising around him.