Gabriel and Ciro raced out of the castle and down to the city. No clue where they were going and all their faith was placed in this soldier trying his hardest to stay in front of them. Adrenaline pumped through their veins and the cool night air stung their faces. This didn't slow them a single bit though. Heavy breathing was shared between the two as they picked up speed. The soft glow of Ifera came into view and soon enough so did the chatter of the city.

"Where too?" Ciro asked between his heavy breaths.

Gabriel looked absolutely floored. He looked around as they entered the city. "I don't know."

"This way." The soldier pointed. They ran down a barely lit road when he stopped to look around.

Ciro shook his head. "Don't tell me you're lost."

"I'm sorry. This was my first post in the city."

Ciro threw his hands in the air. "I swear to the Gods!" He turned to the soldier but Gabriel stopped him.

"Just give me a second to think." He held out his hand stopping Ciro from saying another word. Where would Theo be? Gabriel looked around quickly. Everything was mostly closed except for a tavern that was down the road. Gabriel looked back at Ciro. "Tavern down the road." Then he was off.

Ciro rolled his eyes in annoyance and huffed. He ran to catch up with Gabriel who was a good ten feet in front of him. Both abandoned the soldier who they couldn't care any less of right now. The noise of the tavern was growing louder and louder but no sign of Theo. Gabriel looked back at Ciro with fear in his eyes. Something he didn't often show. Ciro caught on and went into survival mode.

"Listen, you stay out here and look around. Any small alleyways or streets. I'm going in and seeing if he's in there or if someone has seen him." Ciro quickly fumbled out. Gabriel had just enough time to nod before Ciro disappeared.

Gabriel started asking around outside at the few stragglers but no one knew who Theo was. He began to check around some of the alleyways between the shops to no avail. His faith in finding Theo or Noah was starting to wane. How were just two of them going to find these kids in a large city? He went back and forth retracing steps and asking strangers, but to no avail. Ciro still hadn't returned and that was worrisome as well. Gabriel felt hopeless at this time and there was very little he could do. He sat down on a small brick wall taking a deep breath to try and calm down. At that moment a group of about four men came walking up, they were headed to the tavern.

Gabriel looked up and thought it wouldn't hurt. "Hey!" The men turned to find who was yelling at them. "You have a second?"

"Sure but make it quick."

"Have you seen a kid walking around here? He's around sixteen, a little shorter than me, and had brown hair." Gabriel knew deep down this probably wasn't going to work.

The taller man stood there thinking for a minute before speaking. "You know we just passed by a guy that fits that description." It was odd to Gabriel though when some of the others chuckled. At this moment Ciro came sprinting out of the tavern.

"Gabriel! The barmaid said she helped Theo out of the bar but didn't see which way he went. She said he was saying something about him trying to find his brother." Ciro was talking a million miles a minute. Gabriel was trying his best to keep up.

"Oh yeah. Some kid ran into me as I passed him and said he was looking for his brother." The man said. Gabriel notices his knuckles were quite bloody.

Gabriel nudged Ciro a bit and he caught on. Gabriel's blood boiled when he put two and two together. "I've got another question for you." Ciro started rolling his sleeves up as Gabriel continued. "Where in your right mind did you think it would be a fair fight of five against one very inexperienced kid?" And Gabriel threw an unexpected punch to the man's jaw. A sickening crunch could be heard by those standing fairly close by.

The man grabbed his face as he bent forward. Blood poured through his fingers. "What the bloody hell was that for?" He yelled but it was muffled from the blood.

The two did stay long enough to answer or get into a fight with the other three. They were off in the direction that the group had come from. The lights seemed as if there were only torches placed further from each other. It was getting harder to see anything not directly under one of the torches. Gabriel stopped and took a quick look around without any success. This was the only lead they had in finding Noah and Theo, and it seemed that it wasn't a very good one. As they both stopped, silence fell upon them. Only their heavy breathing was heard in the night. That was until a cry for help. Ciro looked at Gabriel with the same concerned look. Gabriel took a deep breath before cautiously walking closer to the sound. As he came closer, he saw a silhouette laying on the ground and another holding them. Gabriel could smell the metallic stench of blood. Then he saw who lay in front of him.

"CIRO!" Gabriel yelled out before collapsing onto his knees staining his pants in a pool of blood.

Theo turned to see Gabriel sprinting towards him with Ciro hot on his trail. "He won't stop bleeding." Theo choked out. His clothing was completely soaked in his brother's blood.

Gabriel scooped Noah up. "I got him. I got him."

"He won't stop bleeding" Theo repeated. Noah lay limp in Gabriel's arms as he looked around for Ciro.

Ciro waved his hands at Gabriel. "GO! I've got Theo." That was enough for Gabriel as he was off again. Theo stood choking out sobs as Ciro grabbed him by the shoulders. His warm golden eyes swam with concern. "Hey. Hey, look at me. We need to get back to the palace. Can you manage?"

Theo weakly nodded.

Ciro squeezed his shoulders and they began back up to the palace ignoring the odd looks of curious eyes.

~~~*~~~

"Get him to the healer! NOW!" Lorcán was hot on the tails of Gabriel, Ciro, and Theo. He had heard the commotion as they entered back in the main entrance and ended dinner early. Lorcán had sent for a few healers as they had run out earlier and thanked the Gods he did.

The two raced down to the halls trying not to waste precious seconds. Those men had done a number on Noah and he was barely hanging on. Each breath he took felt like a weight crushed his lungs more and more. He couldn't focus on anything but that could be from all the alcohol. The yelling of everyone around him sounded a million miles off but still rang in his head like alarm bells. Noah looked around trying to figure out who was who. It was no use though with the alcohol mixed with the beating of his life.

"Is he still breathing?" Ciro asked with a little breath he had. He may have been a God, but running was not his thing.

Gabriel looked down at the mangled body in his hands. Noah let out a bloody cough. "He's hanging in there." he sighted his hold on Noah. He wasn't going to lose another one. "You hang in there a little longer." He whispered.

Noah knew that voice. It was his friend um... Gabriel! That's it. He looked up painfully through the blood that stunk his eyes and saw Gabriel's eyes. Those hard-to-miss silver eyes, but were full of fear and worry. Noah couldn't imagine why though. He remembers entering the tavern for a drink... maybe that's it. He drank too much and now was being taken back, but why was he being carried? He could walk perfectly fine. So he tried wiggling a big but Gabriel's grasp tightened.

"Just stay still Noah, we're almost there," Gabriel spoke urgently. There was a shakiness to his voice. One that Noah had never heard before.

Theo stuck close by. The stinging in his lungs and burning in his legs were the last things on his mind as he pushed himself forward. Ciro would glance back every so often keeping Theo in his peripheral vision.

"Keep him here." Lorcán stated to Ciro.

Theo went to run past him but Ciro caught him. "NO! He needs me!" But the protest fell on deaf ears as the doors were shut on him. Theo realized that Ciro was still holding on to him.

"Breathe Theo," Ciro whispered in his ear. "Breathe." Theo tried pulling away but the fatigue of the night was wearing on him and he collapsed. "They're going to do everything they can to save him."

Tears fell but no sound left his lips. He was tired. Tired of screaming and crying and now that the adrenaline was wearing off, Theo wanted to sleep.

"He has to be okay," Theo whispered. He buried himself into Ciro who wrapped an arm around him.

Ciro stared at the large doors praying to whatever God would hear him. He looked down, squeezing Theo tighter. "He will be."

~~~*~~~

The sunlight was peering in through the heavy drapes that weren't closed fully. The hall was quiet other than the occasional echo of far-off footsteps. Those who had entered into the hospital wing hadn't left and the palace staff chose to veer away from this wing.

In the hall, two boys lay fast asleep against the far wall. Ciro had his back rested against the rough stone while Theo rested his head in Ciro's lap. Neither wanted to leave in case something was to happen.

A loud noise rustled both from sleep. Ciro began to stir but Theo was still sound asleep. It was the door to the wing opening. Lorcán walked out with a somber expression. He lifted his head to see the two lying on the floor. He wasn't surprised by any means and felt a pang of guilt not checking on them sooner.

He knelt down as Ciro opened his eyes. "Morning."

"Morning," Ciro answered groggily as he rubbed his eyes. He dropped his hand and felt the matted hair of Theo. After a second of still trying to gain his bearings, he remembered what happened the night before. "How's Noah?"

"Resting." Lorcán looked down at Theo. "Why don't you two get cleaned up and go see him."

Ciro sighed, "Has Gabriel gotten any sleep?"

Lorcán shook his head.

"Take Theo back." He moved the boy carefully off his lap. "I'll switch with Gabriel and worry about getting cleaned up later."

"If that is what you wish."

~~~*~~~

Gabriel sat in a not-so-comfortable chair next to a sleeping Noah. The healers were able to stop the bleeding and rid most of the swelling, but they could do nothing for the scars that would appear once everything fully healed. Gabriel never left Noah's side as they worked on saving his life. He sat there in an uncomfortable wooden chair watching the shallow breaths of Noah hoping they wouldn't stop. The sun was shining through the windows casting a warm light onto a very tired-looking Gabriel. His hair was a complete mess of sweat and oil and dark circles were forming under his eyes. Gabriel was very much used to staying up during the night and wouldn't feel much effects but this was something different. This situation took something from him.

A soft unlocking of the door caught Gabriel's attention. Ciro quietly walked in closing the door behind him. He didn't look like he had gotten much sleep either, but it was more than what Gabriel could say.

"How is he?" Ciro asked. He glanced over at Noah who was bandaged up mostly except for the bruising on his face.

Gabriel rubbed his tired eyes before giving in a much-needed stretch. "Stable. He hasn't moved much."

Ciro stepped over to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder squeezing just a bit. "Gabriel, go get some rest."

Gabriel shook his head. "I can't leave him like this." Memories of last night kept replaying and replaying until it all ran together. They were too close to losing Noah and Gabriel wasn't going to leave his side in case something went bad.

"That's why I'll stay with him, but you need to get some sleep before you go insane," Ciro answered. Gabriel sighed and finally stood up. "If he decides to wake up, I'll be sure to grab you and Theo first."

"Yeah." Gabriel gave in. He stood and stretched his aching body. As he stood, he noticed just how much of a mess he was. Blood was caked on his hands and clothing. He just stared at his hands in a daze until Ciro snapped him out of it.

"Sleep."

"Alright alright. I'm going." Gabriel surrendered.

He walked out of the infirmary and headed down the hall. He wasn't sure how he managed to make it back to the bedroom but the last thing he remembered was peeling off his shirt and passing out on the bed.