The Four Protectors

Nineteen

3rd Person POV

Cassius had somehow managed to regain his composure until Azriel started screaming. He was at his side in seconds, Desmond crouched before them, but he couldn't do much else. Interrupting a spell while it was in progress was incredibly dangerous.

Azriel let out another scream filled with so much pain and misery that Cassius couldn't help the cry that ripped out of his own throat in response.

"We need to do something," Desmond yelled.

There were tears in Desmond's eyes. Cassius had never seen Desmond look so devastated. Azriel hands were now clawing at the stone floor.

"We can't," Cassius replied brokenly.

He took Azriel's hand in his and the tight grip seemed to crush the bones in his fingers. Still, Cassius kept Azriel's hand in his. Desmond shifted Azriel's shaking body to lie against his chest.

Desmond's low body temperature did nothing to cure the sweat that had now broken out all over Azriel's body.

Cassius wiped the damp hair off Azriel's forehead with trembling fingers. Another broken scream echoed through the air and Cassius started sobbing in earnest. He should have stopped Azriel when he'd had the chance.

Another scream and Cassius wanted nothing more than to die right then and there of guilt and pain.

"Azriel c'mon. You can do this," Desmond whispered.

If Azriel had heard Desmond's words, he gave no indication. Cassius looked at Desmond but Desmond refused to meet his eyes as he muttered reassurances to Azriel. They waited in agony and after what seemed like an eternity, Azriel's cries reduced to whimpers.

It broke Cassius' heart.

He pulled himself beside Desmond and caressed Azriel's face, hoping to offer some semblance of comfort. The whimpers slowly began to decrease. Still, Azriel didn't open his eyes.

The soft whimpers were replaced by a hollow silence. Azriel's eyes, which had been rapidly shifting behind his eyelids, finally stopped.

Cassius' heart skipped a beat, and in his shock he froze. The silence was deafening. Desmond was crying quietly, head buried in the crook of Azriel's shoulder.

Cassius refused to believe this was it. They'd come this far. They couldn't do the rest without him.

Cassius cradled Azriel's pale face in his large hands as tears dripped down his cheeks.

"Please, please," he whimpered.

Still, Azriel didn't move. Cassius didn't know how to check a pulse. He didn't think he'd have the strength to even if he did know how.

"Azriel, don't do this," Desmond whispered.

They waited in silence, staring at his immobile body. One breath, two breaths, a whole minute passed. Cassius began to pray to deities he'd turned to only once before in his life.

A cough. Slight movement.

A broken sob echoed out of Cassius throat as Azriel opened his eyes blearily. They were bloodshot, but still the beautiful violet eyes Cassius had almost lost all hope of ever seeing again. He pulled the drained warlock towards him, burying his head into Azriel's shoulder.

Long fingers gently combed through Cassius' hair and he cried even harder.

Desmond's arms came around them both and they were all nothing but a pile of jumbled arms and legs crying on the stone floor. Azriel drew back slightly, putting a hand up to Desmond and Cassius' faces. His eyes were twinkling as he spoke in a rough voice.