Chapter Text
Can you believe
In somethin' that you can't even see?
Can you agree
We're part of somethin' bigger than you and me?
I'll take the long road home that's lined with blood and snow
Now I've become so numb that I can't even feel the cold
(Oh) And you can give and take
Crack my bones but my heart won't break now
(Oh) And don't commit no crime
Find me innocent but still I serve my time
Some think rage burns hot, like a wildfire feasting on a forest suffering from drought, it consumes settlements and leaves nothing but ash in its wake. Once you become angry it runs through your veins in a fiery conquest impossible to be subdued, so incredibly focused on the target of your annoyance it blinds you from the world until you accomplish vengeance.
Before his best friend had been stolen from them, Scott would have agreed with that assumption having experienced Pyro’s ire a number of times over the years, he would concur that their anger among other examples burns impossibly hot.
But after Pyroscythe, a Dragon Rider who wielded the magic element akin to his name, had been arrested for high treason by the Queen of Eternal Summer whom the academy reported to…his rage froze into something icy with how helpless he was in the situation that followed. His insides were a chilly wasteland that was only reinforced in the days that followed when he visited his dear companion in prison on a daily basis, growing colder and more bitter with the range of emotions they traded during each of these excursions.
At first it had been denial: they swore up and down that as a Dragon Rider they could not be executed, they needed them as one of the last remaining forces that could withstand the corruption that was killing their land and people. That had been followed by bargaining with the guards, Penrose, Osteon anyone and everyone who would listen as to why they were still being held and making sure that Amber was safe alongside providing all information they could to strengthen their case for the upcoming trial. Finally their anger returned ready to burn the world around them with flames licking up the walls of his cell as he screamed and shouted in frustration, something Scott only barely managed to temper with his presence and reasoning while he himself felt his heart grow colder towards the authorities above them in status.
The worst stage was the depressive mood Scott last left them in after his most recent visit before the sun had started to set forcing him to return to the academy, taking one heartbeat of a moment before he stepped out the door to search those wild blue eyes for any remanent of the blaze that could warm the ice mage upon the coldest nights only to find it had shrunk to a mere spark of light. His injuries weren’t treated by the guards and his food was adequate at best, Scott found himself in the kitchen each time before he went to see Pyro cooking up a storm just so they could have good sustenance while still under lock and key. Yet not even Pyro’s favourite meal could bring back his handsome smirk full of mirth, all he received in return was a quiet thank you before the fire mage sat back down on the floor with a pained groan…Scott shivered thinking of just how small his childhood friend looked in that cold, unforgiving room barred with thick iron and surrounded in harsh stone.
The one Scott regarded as the sun to his moon had lost his hope, trapped in that terrible room meant to break him and the unfortunate thing is it seemed to be working. No matter what Scott did, which book he read, the amount of people he questioned, nothing helped in regards to securing Pyro’s release from the Eternal Summer’s clutches. At the beginning of this reckless plan Scott had a feeling something would go wrong but he had never imagined this.
One of the most promising Riders the academy could boast…held under lock and key, accused of high treason, and slated to be executed if their trial didn’t go well.
As Scott marched down the halls of the academy he barely noticed the frost creeping along the windows beside him as he took long strides, heading for his dorm as it was the only place he felt safe these days within these walls if even for a brief moment as he gathered supplies to return to his town for the night. Snowflakes fluttered past raining from somewhere above him and fell to the carpet beneath his rugged brown boots, those sad pale blue eyes continuously flashing past his vision reflecting on how Pyro stared at him with a terrible sorrowful expression when he left today.
With everything that had happened Scott learnt instead of raging fire his anger froze like a bitter mountain’s chill during the harshest winter, intent on turning anyone who pissed him off into a statue made of ice and flesh which he could shatter with a brutal swing of his fist. A fate that would be certainly more satisfying than the trees he had been taking his heightened emotions out on around Thawdale, his village that he was responsible for and also where he had spent most of his time when he wasn’t visiting his best friend who had been unfairly accused. He couldn’t handle the pitying looks his classmates gave him after they learned of Pyro’s fate and wouldn’t take kindly to anymore useless questions of if he was okay and how they could help. Deep down he knew they were trying their best but he felt so raw he could only snap back short answers, refusing to hurt them any further he had even taken to sleeping at his Thawdale residence full time just to steal a few moments to himself to breathe and the precious silence that came with being alone.
He pauses briefly to stare at the door across the hall from his own, remembering his promise he takes a deep breath before pushing open the door and making his way inside. Locating Pyro’s storage room Scott forces down the rage and puts a bittersweet smile on his face while kneeling down before Cindermere, Pyro’s beautiful crimson hatchling, offering fresh meat for the hungry young dragon.
“Hi sweetheart.” He chokes out after clearing his throat from the ice that coated it, watching with pride as Cindy reaches forward to grab the tender food within her sharp teeth before gulping it down while peering at him with a clever gaze. “I’m sorry, it’s just me again. We are doing our best to reunite you to your Rider but for now you are stuck with me.”
Placing his backpack on the ground he helps Aurora clamber out to play with her friend, watching with the first real hint at a smile in days as they chase each other around Pyro’s lava-themed storage. Combing his hands through his thick once-blonde hair he tries not to worry seeing the pale blue slowly staining further down his tresses, his attention only shifting when he notices the snow around him start to fall faster onto the dark stone floors he rested upon.
Usually his own cold didn’t bother him, in the moons since his powers had awakened he had developed a tolerance for the chill and even enjoyed how nostalgic it felt reminding him of the snow-covered peaks that guarded Tegrith. But ever since he lost his balancing factor the cold had intensified tenfold deep within his core and had been slowly freezing his extremities to the point he was back to old habits of standing dangerously close to flames so he could feel the smallest amount better and warm the chill from his limbs. He hadn’t lost control like this in several weeks, he hated how helpless he had become on multiple fronts between his own powers growing more intense with the heavy emotions he was processing and Pyro’s entrapment by Royal orders among other stressful events. Their separation was warping him in ways he didn’t recognize, a ruthless sense of justice threatened to overwhelm his logic all in name of protecting the fire to his ice.
The Queen had called the ice mage loyal, after she named him Stalwart her parting words were ‘Thank you for your service, and being truthful and loyal’, something he had accepted without a word despite grinding his teeth to dust behind the blank emotionless mask he forced himself to wear not wanting to give a single one of his own treasonous thoughts away. She had made a mistake in assuming his loyalty was to the crown, a dangerous guess at where his intentions lie that was utterly wrong in every way possible, something which he could not wait to make her realize just how wrong she was. The mountain man’s protection extended to his family and those he trusted, an unbreakable bond he would die for with a smile on his face knowing they are safe. Once you earned his respect it was a lifelong promise he would do anything to keep them happy and well, by hurting his dearest friend especially he would happily put a blade through anyone who stood against him.
The Queen had made the wrong gamble, bet on the wrong person, and Scott couldn’t wait to turn it around upon her and everyone who supported this treason accusation. They had accused Pyro of high treason after he risked life and limb defeating one of the most dangerous threats to their Academy of Dragon Riders, they were going to have to invent a new term for the destruction he was going to rain down upon those who stood against them in retaliation for everything they had ever done and then some.
As the snow started to pile around him despite the lava only a few feet away Scott wonders if he was angry enough that he could summon a winter storm harsh enough to blanket the land of Eternal Summer in thick ice and bone-chilling cold. Picking up a handful of the frozen precipitation he ponders what to do next, a surprised laugh bursting out of him as Cindy dives headfirst into the blanket of white fluff with an excited squeal followed closely by Aurora who chatters happily at the antics. Both their heads pop up from the cold with a bright shine in their eyes, facing one another Aurora tackles Cindy back into the drift as Scott chuckles.
If even for a moment, it was nice to forget his anger and worries. Despite each time he saw Cindy he couldn’t help but think of her attached Rider it still brought a measure of peace watching the pair of hatchlings scrap. Listening to his heart, he stays for a good long time letting them play until they were both exhausted.
Picking up Aurora from where she had been dozing he puts her back in his knapsack before tucking Cindy beneath a blanket, with a pat to her forehead he vows to be back tomorrow then leaves the storage room back to Pyro’s main quarters. He hated how empty the fire mage’s space felt, a crushing loneliness reminding him once again of the dreadful situation Pyro had found himself in despite doing their best to protect the Academy they were part of.
I think I believe
Now I can feel it speaking to me
My reasoning
Is logical like it's all in my dreams
I'll take the long road home that's lined with blood and snow
Am I forever young, or will I simply fade before I'm old?
(Oh) And you can give and take
Crack my bones but my heart won't break now
(Oh) And don't commit no crime
Find me innocent but still I serve my time
Rushing out as fast as he can he nearly runs over Shelby and Drift who waited outside Pyro’s room, only barely recovering in time to straighten up instead of falling over and observe the pair who held steaming mugs of tea.
“Come on, we have one waiting for you." Shelby’s no-nonsense tone left little space for arguments as she turns around, the ice mage following two of the four that made up their Elemental Quartet back into his own chambers where indeed a mug of tea waited for him on a coffee table before his fireplace.
Drift pokes at the fire after tossing in another log, joining Scott and Shelby where they had sat down upon the large plush couch that took over the middle of Scott’s room. Turning to face Shelby his heart stutters seeing the open space beside her where their fire mage was supposed to reside, something Drift had clearly noticed too when she went to place a fourth mug down near the empty space before pausing her movements.
“Right…my mistake.” She nervously laughs, trying to wave it off by placing the mug down beside her own. “There’s a second helping of tea for when we run out of our first, then.”
An uncomfortable silence builds before Shubble finally breaks it, clearing her throat as she turns her attentions to the ice mage beside her. “You are running colder than usual.”
“Oh, sorry.” Scott winces noticing Drift shiver where she is sat on his other side, tugging the blanket from the back of his sofa to drape around her small yet sturdy shoulders.
“It’s okay, heightened emotions influences our magics, I know it isn’t your fault.” Scott’s chest feels a brief flicker of warmth at her kindness, appreciating just how lucky he was to have close friends like these.
“I take it the prison visit didn’t go well?” Shelby makes an accurate guess as to why Scott is upset, the air mage had developed quite a knack for reading him like a book and he couldn’t decide if he found that to be a pleasant aspect of their friendship or an uncomfortable one when she saw through him regardless of the mask he wore around others.
“It was…fine.” Taking a sip of tea before responding, he ponders what to say next before deciding to hell with it, these two were on a short list of the people he felt completely safe around, they wouldn’t judge either of the fire or ice mages for how they currently were acting. “He just seemed so defeated, I couldn’t pull a smile out of him once and he barely spoke a word to me beyond a thanks for coming and appreciating the food I brought him. I think the imprisonment is breaking him, or already has broken his once indomitable spirit. I can’t blame him for it, I’d be feeling much the same in his position but its so weird seeing him without the fire he is infamous for at this point.”
As he talks the snow around them picks up its momentum again, Scott standing up immediately when both Shelby and Drift flinch away from him as the temperature around him plummets. Going to sit on the edge of the fireplace he tries to regain control by taking deep breaths, his internal monologue blaming him relentlessly for freezing those dear to him even if it wasn’t his intention.
“Do you want us to go with you next time?” Drift quietly offers, Scott raising his lilac eyes from the floor to search her gaze for any hint of pity and finding none, only a rock-solid determination he had come to treasure. “It can’t be easy facing that alone and you shouldn’t have to, you have us to stand by both your sides.”
“She’s right, you keep thinking you have to do this alone but we can’t be the Elemental Quartet without our ice and fire.” Shelby adds to Drift’s argument with ease, nodding to the fourth mug still nearby. “He’s still here with us, he hasn’t been unjustly killed yet and hell if we will let that happen as long as we draw breath. I need someone to wind blast off trees and cliffs after all.”
Scott chuckles at the air mage’s mischievous side appearing as she tries to lighten the mood, taking another drink he smiles quietly afterwards thinking of their previous joint explorations and the good times that were had.
“Now…how cliche is baking a cake with a knife in it?” Scott nearly spits out his tea hearing Drift’s next question, turning to her with a raised eyebrow. “He shouldn’t be in there totally defenceless and he might need a weapon if we have to break him out.”
Laughter bubbles up between all three of them picturing the scenario before Scott returns his focus to Drift. “I think we can save that to be a later plan as Osteon seems confident we have a strong case for the trial but if that doesn’t work then yes, lets bake him a cake with a sharp surprise.”
“You have spoken with Osteon recently, then?” Shelby asks, Scott nodding in response.
“This morning just as I was leaving they were too, we walked to the Capital together while discussing everything. Her and Penrose have spent the last several nights together plotting how to present their case to the court of the Eternal Summer Kingdom, they mentioned there being a lack of true evidence and how Pyro had been acting in service of the Queen by taking out the threat to her precious Dragon Rider’s…I have to have faith in something and I do trust them in at least this instance that they have good intentions behind their actions.”
“But if that fails…then we do the prison break plan?”
“Oh one hundred percent, in fact if that happens I am trusting you two to get all the innocent souls out of that city before I plunge it into a frozen wasteland as retaliation for harming my lifelong best friend.” Scott doesn’t even notice the ice crawling up his mug as he speaks, only finally seeing what happened as the next time he tries to drink what's left of his tea it has become a frozen mass stuck to the bottom.
“You know I am in.” Shelby’s powers rise to match Scott’s own, a breeze tumbling around his indoor room to tug at their hair and ruffle their clothes. “Pyro has never been anything but kind to me, and though we tease each other all the time I do really like having him as a dependable friend. We will get them back, I swear it.”
“I mean if you are twisting my arm…” Drift adds on in a playful tone, Shelby using her free hand to actually reach out and gently do so to which Drift smirks at. “Of course I will help, I have already turned my back on one Kingdom, what’s one more to that tally.”
“That is…certainly a way of putting it.” Scott is only then reminded of Drift’s past in that moment, looking between the pair who had moved closer together, Drift wrapping the thick blanket around Shubble as well. “Is it still too cold? I don’t mean to do this—I don’t know how to turn it down…”
“We are okay, we promise.” Shelby assures him where he is still huddled by the fire, the ice mage searching her expression for a lie but finding none. “A little chill never bothered me and I wouldn’t change where I am for anything, you are worth being cold for so we can spend some time with our friend who is clearly hurting and perhaps planning treason.”
“‘Perhaps.’” Scott sarcastically uses his hands for quotation marks as he repeats that word, sending a wink towards Drift and Shelby who don’t look at all shocked. “But we can save that line of thinking for when we are far away from prying ears, I don’t trust this academy one bit.”
“Darn it, shouldn’t have revealed my knife plan.” Drift pouts with her eyes twinkling, Shelby nudging her with her own shoulder.
“Yeah, why did you do that, it was brilliant.” Her reply was dry as could be, Drift rolling her eyes at the wind mage’s comment before turning her gaze back to Scott. “If you have finished your tea I did bring along something else…”
Removing her dragon from her backpack she locates a bottle of wine at the bottom, all three Dragon Rider’s took a moment to tuck their hatchlings near one another in a large fluffy bed by the wall before Shelby yanks out the cork to pour them each a glass. Scott replaced his own with the tea that had been brought for Pyro after quickly downing the drink, leaving it empty for the redhead to fill right to the top.
All three pick up their respective glasses before holding them up together, clinking them against each other as Scott clears his throat for the toast. “To ‘perhaps’ planning treason and getting our friend back, no matter the cost.”
“Here, here!” They both respond at the same time, all three taking deep drinks of their wine before they face each other once more.
“Feeling a little better?” Shelby asks Scott with a knowing look, waiting for his verbal confirmation with a satisfied smile.
“You always make my day better, both of you.” He sighs, his mind yet again unhelpfully reminding him who was absent from their little group. “To answer your earlier question, yes, I would like you to accompany me on my visit tomorrow to see Pyro after I put the finishing touches on Aurora’s nest in Thawdale. It is after all the deadline for that quest that was given to us by the Queen.”
“If we can make a trip out of it I’d like to do the same too, if possible.” Drift mentions, Shubble looking sheepish at her side.
“I might have forgotten about that assignment in all the chaos…”
“If all three of us work on it we can absolutely throw something moderately well done together, I believe in us, even on a time crunch.” Looking between the pair on his couch the tiniest amount of his frozen heart thaws, his voice dropping a bit as he asks a question he is a bit apprehensive to ask but he can no longer deal with the silence he experiences each night. “Do you want to have a sleepover in Thawdale tonight then? That way we can get moving right at dawn…”
“Anytime Scott, we would love to.” Without hesitation Shelby agrees for them both, Drift nodding along. “Lets finish our wine then we can locate the nearest caravan to take us, better we travel together anyway getting this close to dusk. Despite us taking out the bandit threat I still am concerned something might try to attack us.”
“They can try but they certainly won’t survive the encounter.” Scott’s icy tone makes them both shiver, Drift letting out a nervous chuckle.
“Remind me never to get on your bad side dude, I don’t fancy the idea of becoming an ice sculpture.”
“It’s comments like those that remind me why most here consider you the strongest Dragon Rider of our class with how adept you are using your abilities and your fighting prowess you show off in every skirmish and duel.” Shelby mentions, her voice full of pride. “You are one scary mage, Scott.”
“Why, thank you.” Scott playfully preens making them both smile, the wine drowning out his worries and replacing them with the joy he had been missing keeping himself as isolated as he had been.
For the first time in far too long Scott’s anger melts away in the presence of those dearest to him, minus one of course but he found his hope rekindling as they spent the rest of their wine bottle poking fun at each other between light-hearted musings of plots and schemes of how to save their fourth from the execution they were set for if the trial didn’t go well. Once the bottle was empty they follow Scott to Thawdale and spend the rest of their evening distracting one another before Shelby and Drift laid out some blankets directly beside Scott’s bed and slept over as they planned. They repeated over and over how they didn’t care they had to build the fire so high, his aura of cold had dissipated some since his friends had comforted him, a temporary solution at best but one he clung to until all four and more of them could be reunited.
Would you never die if you lived a life
Frozen and empty?
What you waitin' for when you start a war
And you're your own worst enemy?
Crack my bones but my heart won't break now
And don't commit no crime
Find me innocent but still I serve my (Time)
(Ah-ah-ah) The mirror's always showing me
(Ah-ah-ah) A shell of who I used to be
“Want to talk about your injured knuckles?” Shelby addresses Scott’s wounds as they journeyed to the Capital under the bright morning sun, the ice mage lifting one of his hands to inspect them as he winces.
“Oh…yeah.” He fidgets with the bandages wrapped around his hands before using them to tug his knapsack strap around his broad shoulder higher, taking a deep breath. “Just me coping, nothing that bleeds was hurt.”
“Besides you, apparently.” Shelby’s voice cuts through his excuses, hesitating to level his gaze upon the far-too observant air mage striding at his side. “When we get back to the Academy we are going straight to someone who can help heal that, you need to stop suffering on your own.”
“—yes, ma’am.”
As they arrive at the Capital Drift reaches over to clasp his hand, giving him a grounding point as their boots walk across the cobblestone ground heading towards the prison that wrongfully contained their friend. Trying to shake off the eyes he felt watching them Shubble leads the way with her teal-blue cloak fluttering behind her striding forward with purpose. Their brunette companion is also looking around nervously until Scott squeezes her hand once, bringing her focus back to him.
“We will be inside soon, Amber promised she and Osteon would distract the Duke for a bit.” Scott reminds Drift remembering the message he woke up to this morning, thanking his lucky stars yet again they had so many people fighting for their cause, the right cause.
“We are nearly there!” Shelby announces, leading their way up the stars to the intimidating building that had been their goal.
The guard that tended to the front desk had been lenient today, waving them past as he knew Scott from prior visits and honestly didn’t seem like he cared too much that the ice mage had others with him. They didn’t even search the trio’s belongings, watching them descend the stairs with a bored tilt to their head until they were out of sight.
“This way.” Scott hurries his pace until he is in front of the group leading his two friends to the final cell on the left, anxiously peering inside to see Pyro curled up on the cot far too short for him in the corner. “Pyro!”
Shelby and Drift crowd him on either side as they try to look in the tiny window through the iron door, it taking a couple of calls of their name for the fire mage to stir before he started to get up with an echoed groan.
His normally steady and soothing deep voice is slurred, accent heavier as he struggles to speak, “Who’s there…”
“Its us…Scott, Shelby and Drift.” Shubble speaks up, Scott seeing the distress on Drift’s face as she sees what condition he’s in between his ragged stained clothing and injuries still angry and red cutting through his flesh.
“Are they healing him at all?” The brunette’s voice drops in volume as she speaks to the pair of Rider’s nearby, gasping softly as Scott gives the tiniest shake of his head.
“Not that I’ve seen or heard.”
“Typical.” She hisses, taking a moment to compose herself before Pyro joins them at the threshold of his cell.
“Ah, my friends, it pains me for you to see me in such a way.” Scott tries to stamp down the anger creeping out from the center of his chest and down his limbs threatening violence at the continued trauma his friend was still facing.
“You have definitely looked better, dude.” Drift tries to joke, Pyro giving a weak chuckle.
“Not quite my handsome self, its hard to clean up in this dingy cell. Oh how I miss my bathtub…” Laying his hand on his forehead dramatically before he breaks down coughing, Shelby’s golden eyes narrowing as a thousand thoughts clearly ran through her mind.
As she goes to speak Pyro suddenly collapses, scared shouts echoing as Scott is overtaken with panic banging his fists hard against the cell door. Drift rushes off to fetch a guard to let them in as the ice mage desperately calls his best friend’s name, considering all the ways to get into the cell before he finally has an impulsive idea. Pressing his hand against the lock he uses his ice to form a hardened key, wiggling it around until it clicks and releases the latch, Shelby using her wind to blast the cell door wide open so they both can rush forward to their friend’s fallen form.
“Pyroscythe Dagmeare, you stay with me!” He doesn’t realize how loud he is panicking despite Shelby wincing off to his right, clutching his dear friend close as he searches for a heartbeat using one of his hands pressed against the side of their bruised neck. “We need a healer…now!”
“Drift went to get help, Scott…you need to calm down a bit…” Shelby cautions, Scott finally pulling his attention away the smallest amount watching the ice he emitted crawling up the stone walls around them and the temperature plummeting into the negatives.
“Mmmmmm…the chill is nice…” Pyro mumbles as he slowly comes to, Scott only embracing him tighter as his friend struggles to blink open his wounded eyes. “How are you in here with me?”
“I broke in.” Scott states simply, giving in as Pyro reaches weakly forth to grasp his hand and place the ice mage’s palm against their own forehead.
“Well that’s impulsive and an act of alleged treason…”
“I learn from the best.” He gives a sorrowful smirk, hating just how much damage is beaten into Pyro’s usually sturdy skin, how dare these bastards treat one of their own prisoners in such a way. Have they no decency?!?
“I missed you…both of you. Where’s Drift, she was just here?”
“She went to get someone.” Shelby’s voice is gentle, her eyes bright with angry recognition at the condition their fourth remained in with his memory loss and physical health weakening as the long hours pass. “Are any of your wounds infected?”
“I los’ count of which ones aren’.” He slurs again while resting his head against Scott’s firm chest. “It’s okay though—why waste resources on a dead man?”
“We won’t let that happen.” Scott’s firm denial is all he can offer as his rage freezes his bones colder, snow starting to fall around them once more even with the fiery mage cradled in his lap.
“Come on Scott, we both know that Duke is aiming to make an example of me and I am a rat trapped in a cage here! They are convinced I did it and therefore I take the fall, its a tale as old as time.”
“Well too bad for them a quartet like us is meant to change history, not fall victim to it.” Shelby promises, falling to her knees to grab Pyro’s other hand.
“If they don’t, they will burn.” Scott replies simply, matching the golden sun-rays flickering in Shelby’s intense gaze.
“Hey, that’s my line.” The fire mage protests as footsteps hurry closer to the cell.
“There is no frost burn without flaming agony, there will be a new realm of Endless Winters by the time I am done with them if they murder you. There might still be in fact judging by how they treated you in your captivity thus far.”
“Speaking of, you need to melt the obstruction into this cell.” Shubble lays her other hand on Scott’s shoulder, turning him slightly to see the wall of ice blocking them in where Drift and their help yelled faintly from the other side.
“Breathe friend, I am not dead yet.” Pyro’s soothing voice breaks through the chill threatening to overwhelm them, not seeming worried in the slightest about their current circumstances. “You need to balance yourself, you are safe here.”
“None of us are safe.” Scott whispers as he struggles to gain control of his magic, breathing deep into his lungs before releasing it through his mouth for several heartbeats until the ice slowly melts into a puddle around them.
All too quickly they are once again separated, Pyro being dragged off by the guards to some healing wing while Scott can only watch, held back by Drift and Shelby who reason with him to leave it be for now. The trio is rushed out of the jail and back onto the streets of the Capital so fast their heads spin, finding themselves standing in the courtyard staring at one another contemplating just how poor that visit went.
“How dare they…” Scott clenches his fists as his mind helpfully reminds him of all of Pyro’s wounds and untreated lacerations from the bandit mission they had led in the name of protecting their fellow classmates only to be handed an absolute punishment.
The rage rushes forth all consuming as it finds purchase within his bottled-up emotions, chills rushing through his veins as snow fell faster around them. The harshest winter air swirls around the trio as cold as death’s embrace while brushing away all his inhibitions and reasoning.
His friend may very well be dying of an infection, or slowly bleeding out, hell he might have shattered bones that had not been properly treated because of the careless nature of the guards. He might not even live until the supposed trial tomorrow—Scott was just supposed to sit back and watch? To act like a loyal servant of the Queen by her supposed decrees as the soul he trusts the most is put to the executioner’s blade for a crime he committed in the name of saving the Academy? The gall these Royal members had, treating them like tools until they had run out of use before disposing of them as they saw fit. They were nothing more than titles for their elements to the Queen, a useless moniker to either be praised in some dusty history book somewhere or destroyed the moment they opposed their order.
Pyro’s anger was hot, it burned and consumed and wrecked everything that stood in their way. It was loud and destructive, something others feared may be turned on them if they ever wronged him or spoke badly of them. There was a common misconception among those who only knew them as Dragon Riders from the Academy that Pyroscythe Dagmeare was the dangerous one of the pair of childhood friends from Tegrith.
They were wrong.
Scott’s rage had been stamped down for far too long and had amassed into a swirling storm of skin-splitting ice and bitter winds ready to tear flesh asunder from bone so it could freeze your very marrow before stealing the breath from your lungs. He danced on the edge of control with a feral grace that was one incident away from being unleashed, and if he didn’t restrain it now it would bury them all beneath a mountain of snow.
A hand grabbing his own shocks him out of his internal plotting, Shelby biting her lips as pain twisted her lovely face but refusing to back down until she got through to her companion.
“He’s going to be okay, we will make sure of it.” Her vows break through the loud ringing in his head, allowing him to ground his presence in the moment as Drift stands just behind the redhead. “You both have an entire class who would willingly stand at your side even if the entire world was against us, one pesky accusation will not stop us from saving him. If the trial doesn’t work, we break him out and disappear into the sunset with our wonderful dragons.”
“You already know Osteon is on your side, same with Penrose.” Drift offers, taking one step forward as the cold lessens ever so slightly. “Plus the Professor will absolutely argue on behalf of the well-being of our dragons, we have a good chance here. But we will always have a back up plan and we will not let them harm him further. We have all been through enough already, we won’t let them take him too.”
Several heartbeats pass as Scott allows their remarks to settle into his mind, fighting back against the reckless actions his heart wanted to do while the other two waited patiently for him to gather himself. Once he settles down they make their way out of the Capital and without saying a word between them start the trek back to the Academy.
They were right, of course they were. There was an entire class of people who stood behind them ready to do whatever it took to protect one of their own. All of them arrived at the Academy as strangers and misfits but their life experiences and what they had gone through so far had only bonded them impossible close together. Several souls came to mind already of who would help them even if that meant they were on the opposite side of the kingdom they once swore to defend.
The ice mage enjoyed the warmth of that thought and held it close to his heart, it wasn’t a replacement for Pyro being safely at his side once more but it could act as a temporary balm until they were reunited. Which they would be, there was no question in Scott’s mind about it.
It was time to bring the rest of their fellow students together to make a plan, somewhere far away from listening ears. Besides Shelby and Drift, Scott had a good idea who he would scheme with next. It was time to incite the masses and bring their missing member home, no matter the cost. Whether that be at the Academy or somewhere on the run, their home was wherever their friends were and Scott didn’t intend to face this next chapter without every single person he was loyal to safely by his side to make thousands of new memories with.
I'll take the long road home that's lined with blood and snow
I've become so numb that I can't even feel the cold
I'll take the long road home that's lined with blood and snow
Am I forever young, or will I simply fade before I'm old?
[Chorus]
(Oh) And you can give and take
Crack my bones but my heart won't break now
(Oh) And don't commit no crime
Find me innocent but still I serve my time
Would you never die if you lived a life
Frozen and empty?
What you waitin' for when you start a war
And you're your own worst enemy?
Would you never die if you lived a life
Frozen and empty?
What you fightin' for when you start a war
And you're your own worst enemy?