Storm was already putting work into creating shields by the time the pair arrived to the remote location. She gave them no greeting or acknowledgment. All of her focus was on creating shields that involved all of the elements to create the most protection as possible. They needed to be protected from each other, and while she would not admit out loud, she was the one that required the most protection. With this in mind, she made her shields accordingly.

"That should be the last of them." Storm scratched her forehead around the hairline briefly. They were far away from any homes or Elementals on the Guardian plane, in a place Devin had simply named as "the circle." It took her more time than expected to create the various shields she needed, a different set for each of them as well as the entire circle. Stepping away to a safe distance, she nodded to the pair, the darkness of the night illuminated by floating balls of light.

Devin held the pair of fragile needles with their slender glass tubing carefully as he looked from Storm to the shields and then over at Paola. The night sky was dark beyond the balls of light, with no moon to illuminate it. He took a deep breath and then handed one of the needles to Paola. ?Are you ready?? He began calling up his element as he asked the question, and coal-black concern vanished as his eyes kindled and lit, brightening steadily through all the colors of fire to finally blaze white.

Paola could only nod in return to Storm as she backed away beyond the shields made for the bonding. She tried to smile for Devin, but it only appeared on half of her face, "Yes." It was said simply, taking the needle before calling her own element forth. Her vivid eyes grew even brighter, like two blue candles placed against the darkness of the night. With her needle in place, she watched Devin to match her timing to his. The winds picked up, blowing around her ankles, and slowly but surely up around her frame.

Unlike Paola, he was holding his element fully, but entirely contained for now ? not even a spark to escape. It seemed safer, without knowing what effects this bonding would have. Balling his hand into a fist and tensing his arm, he watched the vein at his elbow show in relief through a white-haze. A last look was given to Storm before he plunged in the needle. He would have warned her to be careful, not to take any risks ? to close them entirely within the shields and protect herself and her unborn; it had all been said before, and so he simply nodded once, gave her one of his cocky, confident smiles, and inserted the needle into the vein.

When Devin paused, Paola did as well. Her hand was also closed into a fist, and she squeezed to bring out the vein that was the most distinct. Her winds were coiled up around her tightly now, condensing her strength to offer all that she could. Taking the needle and carefully making sure the blood collected would not spill, she carefully inserted into her arm. The pain did not bother her, for it was just a small pinch and nothing more. It was the worry of all the things that could go wrong. Slowly squeezing her fist still, the blood began to gather.

Storm also accessed her gift, only to have the ability to manipulate the shields if needed be. Her sight refined with the small amount of light offered. While she had been given instructions on the process of the bonding, she was still uncertain. Rather than offering assistance, she continued to watch with anticipation.

For all the difficulty there had been in finding out about the battle bonds, once the crabbed notes of Abeni had been deciphered the process was remarkably simple. Under a new moon, using the needles, the pair drew their own blood. Holding their power, they exchanged it. No words to be spoken, just actions. Devin?s vial filled with blood, and he held it carefully so as not to lose any. When it was full, he withdrew the needle, ignoring the thin crimson trail that escaped from the puncture wound. He was actually shaking from the effort of holding his fire at full force and so tightly contained. When he stepped forward, and closed the distance to Paola, his hands were rock-steady.

When Paola saw Devin move towards her from the corner of her eye, she tried to see if her vial was full or not. Unable to see, but thinking it was full since it wavered with any tipping, she slowly pulled it out. Her face showed no sign of pain, and a small dot of red on her arm grew and began to trickle. When he closed the distance to her, she could not bring her eyes to look up to him. All she did was offer her other arm for him to put the needle in.

He could understand the worry, the fear that might keep her from raising her eyes to meet his, and still wish that she had for this moment. But words were held in abeyance for now, as he took her arm. He shifted it slightly to better see the blue line of her vein through her pale skin and the haze of fire-white in his eyes. His hands were hot on her skin, barely less than painfully so. One deep breath and he slid the needle in, and the blood in the vial began to trickle into her veins. He could feel it, as if somehow it were still contained within his own body. He could feel the fire surge, pulse, race as it sought out this new playground.

It was just before the needle was slipped into her arm, that she brought her eyes up to look at him. The heat of his hand was almost painful, but in a more familiar fashion. As soon as the needle entered, she felt like he had inserted the rawest form of Fire into her arm. It stole her breath, and clouded her vision. She could not tell if it was a painful experience or not - all she could feel was fire brighter than the sun. There was only a small piece of her mind that was set on the task, and not to experiencing. She did not even wait for him to pull his hand off of her once the blood from his vial was gone, before she blindly reached out and found his arm with luck, sliding her needle seamlessly into him.

When he had felt the fire invading Paola with his blood, it came to him, why they had to be holding their powers. It was to keep some control over the elements in the in-between time before the exchange was complete, so that one would not destroy the other. He barely had time to understand it, before all understanding was washed away. With her blood came something he had never truly felt before ? a rush of cold, with the air that she was holding. Air that was ? Goddess ? it was fuel for his fire. Pure, clean, cold ? as the vial emptied and the needle fell out of his arm, he convulsed, and with the convulsion, the fires lit. Augmented by Paola?s air, they exploded in a swirling maelstrom upwards to lash at the shields.

Most of her panic released with the heat, his blood finally mixing well enough with hers to where she did not feel as uncomfortable. Her breathing was still rough, but the color of her eyes controlled to her normal hue, and she stopped accessing her gift. "Devin." Her voice wavered as he pulled her close. He did not feel the same - there was no unusual, comforting warmth, "Devin," she repeated, her arms going around him, "I felt like I could not breathe... and... and?." she was clearly shaken from her past experience.

?But you can breathe now, and see. Not too hot, not too cold ? it?s all right, Paola.? His voice was calming, as soothing as he could make it. The turquoise finally faded and vanished from his eyes and dark brown concern mingled with amber as he pressed a faint kiss against her hair. From there he turned his gaze up to the standing Storm. ?I?m sorry.?

"You have nothing to apologize for. I think it might be best that you stay with her for a while, yes? It seems that you each can help calm the other when changes bring a panic about. I will see you both off, and then I will need to go. I trust that you know how to contact me if needed be."

Paola clung close to him, not yet ready to be released. "I thought you were harming me." She said softly to him, several worries and fears that she felt now surfacing. When Storm began to speak, it gave her mind a chance to slow down and return to a more average pace. She was alive and well, and so was he. No one was harmed, and everything worked to plan. "Stay with me." She murmured familiar words to him again, not yet wanting to lift her face from his chest.

At Paola?s soft words of fear he closed his eyes. He could not tell her how close to true that was, or how much it scared him to think on that. He responded to the quiet words against his chest, ?Of course,? before he spoke again and more clearly for Storm?s benefit. ?Of course I?ll stay. Thank you, Storm, for the risk you took and the shields you built. If we need you again, we will call for you, you may be sure.? Devin looked at Storm a moment longer before he bent his head and tightened the cradling grip around Paola.

"I would rather be here to help than not be here at all." Her ears picked up some of the soft words that they exchanged, but to give them privacy, she ignored it and continued with the last of the shields. She felt tired, and could only hope that the search for her husband later would not be a difficult one. "You can just gather her up and take her, or at least help her up. We need to be going."

?Of course.? He felt as if he had run miles without traveling any distance at all. His mind was screaming that there was no energy left in him, but his body disagreed and surprised him with the ease that it stood. Even with Paola?s slim form cradled in his arms it was little more difficult than normal. Somehow, it felt wrong for something so draining not to have affected him on a more physical level. He gave a nod of respect and gratitude to Storm, and then began the hike back to their quarters in this realm.
((All adapted from live roleplay))