The hotel had underground parking. Erhart found himself tucked into the backseat of a rather expensive looking white car. The inside had the new car smell, and had soft brown leathers seats. Erhart had fought and won the right to get out of his princess treatment. He buckled himself into the back, passenger side. After leaving, things had gotten a lot more peaceful. Outside the small death he experienced when the hotel staff saw him getting carried by a woman. 

“Damn embarrassing,” Erhart muttered, snapping the seat belt across his chest. His face was heating up at the memory, he had hid his face in his hands. He hadn't seen much beyond the first smirk and eyebrow wiggle. He didn't even want to know what they were thinking. Looking up, he saw a slumped over Summer drag herself to the driver's seat. Sneaking sideways glances at her brother, hoping he would change his mind. He ignored her and sat down beside him. 

“Where can we take you?” Summer asked, sitting in the driver's seat with more gusto than she opened the door with. Adjusting the review mirror, her thick brow cocked up in question. 

“Can you take me to Coven Tides?” Erhart thought of his cabin home, their cabin home. “My dad and I live on the woods near there.” Erhart swallowed hard. “He could be there, waiting.” Dad would be okay. Erhart had to believe that. He had to. 

“What happened?” Summer asked, putting the car into drive, pulling them out of the parking spot. 

“Our clan healer only got word about where you were, and that you needed us.” His voice spoke with a slumbering ease. Soft, and gentle. It had a calming effect that made Erhart feel at ease. 

“I wondered how that worked,” Erhart played with the strap across his chest, frowning at how tight it felt. He wondered about a lot of things, he gave Winter a side glance. He was hoping he would have some answers soon. “I'm Erhart,” he raised his head and held out his hand. “Thanks for helping with that show upstairs.” 

“Winter,” he said with a firm handshake. 

“Summer!” She called from the front. “We're twins, so we're twice the fun!” Giving a wink from the review mirror, Erhart chuckled. 

“Are you always this happy?” Erhart couldn't resist asking. Winter nodded, and cut off Summer's open mouth. 

“Yes, it can be tiring at times. Let me know when that happens, and I'll send her on an errand.” Winter told him, with a smile filled with nothing but love. 

“Smart-” Summer yelled, then the world started to spin, along with the whole damn car. The wound of metal crushing metal. Erhart never waned to hear outside the TV. It pierced his ears with high-pitched ringing that had him dizzier than the damn car spinning. Erhart couldn't tell up from down, the seat belt sling shot-ted him back into the seat. His shoulder and chest hurt something fierce. 

“Er-” Winter's words cut off with a high pitch ring. Striking some high note like his ears were at a concert, without him. Winter's face fared no better, his head was spinning, and so was the world. 

“I can't hear you,” Erhart felt like he was shouting, but he couldn't hear himself to tell. Winter touched his forehead. A warmth spread throughout his body, and his head cleared right up. One, two more blinks, and he could see the blue eyes staring him right back at him. “Thanks,” whatever he had done, Erhart was thankful. More than thankful. 

“We need to get you out of the car,” Winter told him crawling back, the car looked fine where he sat. From Erhart knees and outward, it was gone. He couldn't even see the front! Summer, Summer was in the driver's seat, the missing driver's seat!! Erhart couldn't see anything in front of him, besides Winter; who looked way too calm. 

“Summer is fighting the Doden's, we need to hurry. Even our purification abilities can not kill those beasts.” Winter ripped the fabric of the seat belt in two, leaving Erhart fumbling hands with nothing to do. Expect worry. Summer is fighting the Doden's, we need to hurry. Erhart repeated the line in his head, nope, it didn't bring him any comfort.    

“Doden's,” Erhart repeated out loud. He could feel his blood drain from his face, with that word. Erhart stood up, sending Winter stumbling backwards. Whipping around, he saw her, or what he assumed to be her. To her, he would assume it was Summer, until proven otherwise. 

Looking like the little white ball he chased in his dream, but much bigger. The Chinese dragon, head, was much larger, but still slender and refined. Where the baby was white, she was completely black. Her main flowed behind her, along her whiskers on her face. Her antlers, arched behind her ears, like the deer that lived in his woods back home. 

She floated, about six feet in the air and stretching her neck out, she let out a blast of white fire. Rising herself on her hoofed feet, the light of her fire? Erhart called it, whether it was, Erhart hadn't a clue. Reflected in her eyes, which were still an electric blue. A long slender scaled tail waved in the air behind her, waving in anger, much like a cat's. Caught in her new look, Erhart didn't see Winter coming, until he carried off Winter's arms. Where he stood, was a bone white dagger dug into the asphalt, a near miss. 

“Summer behind you!” Winter called out, confirming that it was Summer. Erhart, was grateful Summer was okay, but cursed his own stupidity. This wasn't the time to stand and stare! Summer turned her head with a hiss, the large worm like shadows from before appeared from the ground. Her large fangs lashed out, but fell right through the Doden, like it wasn't there. 

“Go!” Erhart struggled, and succeed, getting out of Winter's arms. His feet had settled on the ground, when he turned and pushed Winter towards his sister. “Help her!” He wouldn't be a burden, not again. Not at the cost of someone else. Not when he had the ability to move his body, he could run this time, on his own. “I'll run to a safe place.” 

“Heart,” Winter eyes kept pinning back to his sister. Summer was dancing around the air. Taking on too many close calls with the bone white dagger the Doden had in its slinky, slippery grip. “Can you hide?” 

“Look around, everyone else found a place.” Erhart waved his hand at the empty road, and sidewalks. Everyone knew about mythical emergencies. Don't be a hero, hide! Every town had one, or several, it was something even Erhart knew about, so it had to be common knowledge. Winter nodded. 

“Please take care, we'll find you.” Erhart did his best not to wince at those words. A bright light blinded Winter from Erhart's sight, and returned. He looked the same as Summer, but white, to her black. This time, Erhart didn't stand there and stare. Taking one last look at Summer, who had two of those Doden beast circling her, he took a deep breath. She would be okay. 

“Take those things out,” Erhart put his fist up in the air. Trying to encourage him, like he had seen done in his shows. Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and made his way around the wreck that was once their car. Erhart had a suspicion that once alone, that Leonhard guy might show up. It would be just his luck. Groaning, Erhart realized he had just set up his own flag. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come true. Erhart sent the thought out there, and hoped for the best. 

It had been one thing after another, so he decided to go forward with a mild paranoia. Since he raised that flag and all. Those things had come with him after all. Erhart swallowed hard, if he did show up. He would be ready, Erhart grabbed at his dog tags, hoping for his dad strength.