With the prince’s arrival and the Twilight dragon growing enraged, the battle had entered its final, and most deadly phase. Burning blood was everywhere now, and no one avoided injury as they recovered from the surprise attack that had knocked them all back. Thankfully Calevaro and his thunder drake were doing an excellent job of keeping the enormous beast distracted.

  The prince was considered a cycling expert, but obviously understood the effectiveness of his Lightning Affinity as he didn’t recall his Familiar. Instead he focused on the dragon’s long, scaly neck, hanging by one electrified blade while slashing and stabbing with the other. The thunder drake was meanwhile making impressive use of its smaller size, staying right underneath the dragon’s chest, and stabbing upward with its deadly horns.

  From his precarious position on the massive demon’s back, Ethan was amending his earlier assessment of the battle. They may not have much time left on Valanor’s giant form, but perhaps they didn’t need it. Revan had once again latched onto the underside of the dragon’s jaw, claws raking, and Toby had only taken the time to help the large knight to his feet before charging back into battle, arms stabbing viciously with obsidian spikes.

  Ethan had heard a great deal about how much more powerful Familiars became with each rank up, and he felt like he was seeing the true extent of that for the first time. Although they were all only Dusk, the enormous monsters were piling onto the injured dragon like a pack of lions taking down larger prey. The demon was still fighting back of course, and its lifeforce was remarkable, but it also had five Hunters to contend with.

  Cara had shifted her focus from sending rapid arrows at the wing to more precise, power shots. She was making true use of her expertise as an Archer, targeting the existing wounds in the dragon’s neck. Her arrows were now embedding deeply into the beast’s throat, and Ethan realized immediately that they would be more effective with a maneuver the two of them had used before.

  With a few quick leaps he was next to her, glowing hands reaching out to her quiver. Seconds later, those power shots weren’t just digging deeply into the dragon, they were exploding with Dusk rank power. Cara gave him a rare smile as they watched the demon’s long neck turn into a series of gaping holes, dripping deadly fire below.

  Their success was also a danger, however, as the more the dragon bled, the more damage everyone else took from burning blood. The thunder drake’s roars of fury were slowly transitioning into pained wails as the acid-like blood dripped down on him. The dragon had also been far from passive throughout this time, its front legs slashing wildly while its injured wing speared forward, and each of the large Familiars leaked glowing mana from countless wounds.

  Then Valanor was back, timing his charge perfectly so that Revan had just pulled the dragon’s immense head downward, and Val’s shield slammed into with a sound like ringing an enormous bell. The beast’s eyes rolled into its head for a moment, allowing the shield knight to follow up that attack with a series of concussive hits from his glowing warhammer. He was clearly intent on using his last moments in this larger form to do as much damage as possible, and the dragon finally began to show signs of weakening.

  Between the endless barrage of precise, exploding arrows, three dogged Familiars piling on consistent damage, as well as Calevaro’s deadly lightning attacks, the grievously wounded dragon was falling. When the enormous beast’s head at last collapsed to the ground, Cal looked back at Ethan and made a beckoning gesture.

  With a grin, Ethan appeared in the air above the dragon, and saw the prince leaping up as well, gathering lightning around him. Twin longswords shot down like a bolt from the heavens, as Familiars were dismissed all around. A grateful Valanor backed away, shrinking down as he did so.

  A heartbeat before Calevaro struck, a brilliant shield of light appeared around him. His blades struck with explosive force, biting deeply into the already injured neck of the dragon, and sending out waves of electricity across the immense beast. The bubble of light protected him from the burst of fiery blood that erupted outward.

  The prince was already leaping away when Ethan completed his fall, odachi coming down like a butcher’s cleaver.

  Assassinate!

  He struck the precise spot that Calevaro had weakened. As the greatsword dug into the exposed spine of the dragon, the power of Ruin burst forth, hungrily devouring the massive, weakened beast. Ethan required no protection from the fiery blood as the entire Twilight Demon was rapidly consumed by black crystals. He jumped away, never having had so much time to watch something be transformed by the power of Ruin.

  The beast let out a final groan as its whole body shifted into a new form, and for a single moment it went completely still, looking like a black statue. Then it burst. The crystals turned to ash as they rained down around the group, who stood panting and injured, looking at what they’d done with disbelief.

  Valanor remembered himself first, limping toward Calevaro, then dismissing his armor entirely to move faster. His left arm was limp against his side, the complex mechanisms of runic power that assisted its movement destroyed in the fight.

  “My prince!” he called, and Cal turned to him, expression hidden by his ever-present helm. “I’m grateful you’re alive, Prince Calevaro, but did you see Savilar? Did he save you?”

  Cal raised his hands in confusion. “I don’t know what you mean, First Shield. My team was split into two, and I was forced to retreat into a side passage.” He turned and pointed to the ruined, blocked door next to where Ethan and his team had come through. “There was no way through. I lost two of my men as we fell back, hoping to loop back from here to reach the others. I never saw the Rift Hunter.”

  Valanor’s good arm fell weakly as his head dropped. Ethan moved forward, speaking softly. “I’m sorry, prince. We saw your knights at the opposite door, but we couldn’t get them through. Savilar was pulled in as well…”

  The group all looked to the blocked off section of the City, considering how long it had been since the man had been pulled into a raging battle against unknown odds. Valanor stared at the prince pleadingly, clearly looking for hope, but Calevaro shook his head.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “We triggered a Rune Trap. Many had been disabled, but it was one that conjured demons. It was more powerful than any I’d heard of, likely due to being in the Fourth Layer…we were surrounded by Dusk rank monsters. Dozens of them. By now…”

  He left the final words unsaid, and the group could only stand there quietly, no one sure what to say. The prince took charge. “If we want to mourn, we need to finish our business and be out of this place. The path I took should lead us out, but I won’t waste this opportunity to solve a centuries-old mystery.” He pointed at the massive door where the dragon had been resting, the portal to Potentia hovering ominously nearby.

  Selina was wiping her eyes subtly as she hurried forward. By now the fires had mostly gone out, but the damage was done. The bottom half of the door had been partly melted by the dragon’s burning blood. The Rune Mage began tracing out the patterns she could find, but was already shaking her head.

  “I think the mechanism for this is on the other side somehow–magical, not mechanical. From what I can read, there’s a Rune Circle that we should have been able to use to open it, but it’s been destroyed.” She turned back to the group, looking defeated. “I’m sorry, I don’t think we can get through.”

  As the rest of the group let out various disappointed sounds, Ethan was already searching the ceiling. He’d learned this lesson in Fort Dralis, and had been watching for an opportunity to make use of it. He quickly scaled the wall, and was running his hands along the green stone a moment later.

  “What are you doing?” Cara called up to him as the others looked on–all save Valanor, who hadn’t moved since speaking to the prince.

  “I’m looking for–” he stopped as he felt the rush of air he’d been hoping to find. “This. Air vents, carved into the stone.” He had a piece of origami out in a heartbeat, carefully sliding it into the chute, then feeling it take form inside. He gave it a touch of Dimensional energy, then let himself fall back to the floor.

  “Air vents?” Calevaro asked.

  Ethan shrugged. “This place is tightly sealed, but people need air. I’ve sent something to look for the vent in there.” He gestured to the closed door, then waited, concentrating on his connection to the little paper spider. Slowly a smile spread on his face. “That should just about do it. Selina, how would I complete the Rune Circle?”

  The Rune Mage had been staring into space, and seemed surprised by the question. “What? Oh. Your hand. Mana. It’s not meant to be a lock, just a switch. Like a magical version of the levers we’ve been using.” Ethan nodded in gratitude.

  “Hopefully I’ll see you in a moment,” he said, then disappeared in a flash of blue-white light.

  ***

  Ethan appeared near the ceiling of a circular chamber, mirroring the one he’d discovered beneath Fort Dralis. He let himself fall to the floor, looking around in wonder. He saw the other side of the impassable door, and thankfully recognized a glowing circle of runes, but he ignored it for now. He wanted to look around, his eyes following the rows of rotting wooden pews on either side of a long aisle, leading to a surprisingly familiar altar.

  Beyond that was another door, presumably leading to a vault like the one Ethan had found empty beneath Fort Dralis, but his eyes were locked on the object that seemed to be waiting for him at the end of the aisle. He walked slowly forward, until he was standing before an altar that looked much like the one he’d seen under the mountain on his first day in Nexum.

  On that altar was an egg.

  It wasn’t glowing with Dimensional energy as Deevee’s had been, but Ethan had an immediate sense of its power. It was various shades of green and gold, and he reached out to it with unbridled curiosity. The Mad system flared to life at his touch.

  Disabled [Rare] Eidolon detected!

  Attention: Eidolon is too weak to form True Bond.

  Attention: You already possess the maximum number of Primary Bonds.

  “Well that doesn’t help much,” Ethan complained, then carefully picked up the egg. As he did so, he heard sounds coming from behind him, and spun in place, ready to defend himself. Seeing nothing, he realized it was coming from the other side of the door. He tried his communication rune as he ran forward, but it was blocked as expected.

  Without thought he slammed a hand into the center of the Rune Circle, pushing mana into it wildly. It glowed in response, and the sounds of horrible metallic screeching began to echo through the room, as the ancient doors forced themselves open for the first time in what might have been millenia.

  Ethan was ready to throw himself through immediately as a crack opened before him, but instead he jumped backward in shock. He retreated all the way to the altar, his head shaking sadly. An unmistakable knight strode through the open doors, wearing white armor and a red cloak.

  The Church’s executioner had arrived.

  The knight paused after a few strides, looking around with obvious curiosity at the final chamber. Ethan took that moment to look behind the man, finding his team and the prince lying on the cold stone in the other room.

  “They’re alive,” the knight said in a deep, distorted voice, even before Ethan could ask. “Give me the egg and they stay that way.”

  Ethan looked down at his strange prize, having nearly forgotten he was holding it. There were answers here, and he needed them so desperately.

  “What’s so special about it?” he asked. “What could be worth everything you’ve done?”

  The white knight shook his head, seeming exhausted. “If you know the truth, I can’t let you live. Just give me the egg, and there’s a chance we can all still get out of here.”

  “Not good enough,” Ethan said defiantly, glaring at the man, hating what this meant. What he’d hoped so desperately wasn’t true. “I came here for this,” he said, gesturing around the room. “I know what this place is–or at least what it was. This is a Church, and it always has been. It’s no damned Dimensional Bleed. I want to know why your people needed in here so badly, and it obviously has something to do with this egg. So talk.”

  “If I talk, you’re a dead man, Bishop,” the knight replied. “I have no interest in killing you.”

  Ethan let out a bitter laugh. “Should I take that on faith?” he mocked. “Should I trust you, executioner?”

  “I’ve only ever done my duty. Don’t make me do it here,” the knight said, taking a step forward. He stopped when Ethan made as if to smash the egg.

  “We both know what your ‘duty’ entails,” Ethan said with venom. “So enough with these games. Talk to me, Savilar!”

  The knight froze, then deflated slightly before dismissing his ornate white helm. The Rift Hunter, and leader of the Brightsouls looked back at Ethan, his dark hair spilling to his shoulders.

  “Give me the egg, Ethan” he said, barely above a whisper. “Please. Don’t make me kill my whole team.”