As the morning sun rose off in the east, most of the merchants in the caravan of traders woke up and got to work.

Tyrrany had been curled up in a ball on her side of her couch during the night, snoring quietly. Jonathan, Flame and Arthur had fallen suit, with the former sleeping on the floor, and the dragonfly sleeping on the red dragon's snout. All of the teenagers were sleeping peacefully, though the dragonfly's snores were the loudest.

Bergan had not fallen asleep: instead, the purple dragon had spent most of the early morning hours going over the contents of a small scroll. He'd been taking some notes whilst in the middle of keeping himself entertained with the strumming of the violin.

When the day was bright enough, the purple drake shook the teenagers awake.

"Wake up, younglings." He commanded. "A new day has arrived."

Tyrrany awoke and quickly got onto her feet, shaking slumber from her eyes. Jonathan, Flame and Arthur took their time to get ready.

"What shall I do today, Dad?" The dragoness asked.

"Today, you are to explore the streets of Warfang." Bergan answered. "You haven't come here very often, and it would be best if you learn the city's layout."

"As you wish, father."

"However, I want you to avoid venturing too close to the Dragon Spire." The purple drake added.

"What?" Tyrrany exclaimed. "Why? Isn't that the key place to scout out?"

"We aren't ready to enact your vengeance just yet." Bergan declared. "We must think and plan first, as well as keep an eye out for a golden opportunity or two. Is that understood?"

The dragoness sighed. "Yes, Dad. I get it."

"Good. Now then..." Bergan passed the violin and its bow to Tyrrany and spun around. "Flamaedelus and Arthur, you two are to be Tyrrany's bodyguards."

"Yes sir." They said in unison.

"Uh, what about me?" Jonathan asked nervously.

"Jonathan, you are to take a handful of your friends and join my daughter." Bergan smirked. "However, you are to follow from far behind: We mustn't make it appear that a gang of hooligans is lurking about. Any attention is too much attention."

"Um, as you wish, sir." The earth dragon replied.

Tyrrany spent about a half an hour putting on her disguise, with Arthur and Flame helping her. Jonathan, meanwhile, opened up his satchel and pulled out a plain, white mask. He stood in the mirror and adjusted the mask on his face for a while.

"So, what do you guys think?" Jonathan asked as he turned to face the other young dragons. They weren't quite sure what to think: the mask perfectly sculpted to conform with the ridges on Jonathan's face. It was plain on all sides, and even hid the color of his eyes via the fabric over them.

"And just what is the deal with that thing?" Arthur asked.

"It's a disguise, of course." Jonathan said: his voice was muffled slightly by the fabric of the mask as it fell over his upper jaw. He pulled up his cloak and took a dramatic pose. "I don't know how many dragons will recognize me as the son of King Saul, but-"

"General Saul." Flame corrected. "He's not a king any-"

"Shut up!" Jonathan growled and pointed a talon at the smirking red drake. Arthur snickered, while Tyrrany just rolled his eyes. It didn't matter; Saul would likely be considered a king again soon enough.

"I get the point; it's to hide your identity." Tyrrany said. "Just like how my make-up and cloak disguises me. Fairly smart, I suppose…" She couldn't help but smirk. "And it even makes you look prettier, too."

Jonathan flinched, while Flame and Arthur laughed. The earth drake snorted in frustration through his mask. "Not cool, Annie."

"Well, if you're all done antagonizing each other…" Bergan scolded. "You can head out and begin your reconnaissance. Chop-chop: Time's being wasted!"

"Sorry, Dad…" Tyrrany sighed. She hefted her violin case over her side, walked over to the door and turned the knob to step outside. "Come on: let's go."

Bergan watched as the foursome made their way outside. He gave them all a warm smile as he waved goodbye. "Take care, my young friends!"

Tyrrany looked back at her father and frowned. She nodded her head and mouthed a "Goodbye" his way. She then turned around, pointed her head high, and ventured forth into the great unknown that was the streets of Warfang.

And Bergan was left alone in his carriage. He closed the door and gave a hearty sigh.

"Well then, now that they're off having their jolly good time…" He said with a grin. The purple drake held up a forepaw and began channeling his magic. "There's much to be done today."

~~…~~

There was quite a bit of chatter in the throne room today. Elenar sighed as she sat in her cushion. She tapped her talon on the floor as she looked around at the assembled Deep Shadows. They'd all come to decide what was to be done about Rune.

Across the way, Rune sat on his haunches in the center of the group. He twiddled his talons and refused to look at any of the Deep Shadows as they passed their own judgments on him. Some were sympathetic, others were harsh. But all in all, it would be up to the queen to decide how she would do things. And as she rested her forepaw on a little notebook, she prayed to the Ancestors that she could make the right decisions today.

"Are you alright?" Urobos whispered to Elenar; he sat on her left, like always. "You look as though you haven't gotten enough sleep."

"I never get enough sleep." Elenar snorted. "I could rest a thousand years and still feel tired afterward."

The queen stood up tall and cleared her throat. Immediately all of the Deep Shadows went silent, and Rune cautiously rose his head up to look upon the queen.

"Prince Rune…" Elenar said sternly. "You went too far in your arena match against Prince Lantel. While you weren't able to yield the match to him, Lantel quite clearly yielded to him…" She tapped her talon on her stone column. "And yet, in your anger, you nearly blinded him in one eye."

Rune shivered in place. He looked like he wanted to speak in his defense, but his eye twitched and clamped his jaws shut. Elenar sighed; she gazed around at a few of the Deep Shadows. Apella in particular looked ready to chew the prince out for threatening to blind her nephew. Elenar stood up taller.

"For continuing to do harm after your opponent yielded, you forfeited your victory, and no result can be determined…" Elenar took a breath. "That's how things go by the official rules, anyway. However, those rules don't take into account the repercussions of what comes after…" Elenar wracked her talons again. "Word has been sent to King Horus about the arena match. He's on his way to Warfang, where I'll have to apologize to him on your behalf."

"On my behalf?" Rune repeated uneasily. "Shouldn't I, uh… apologize to him directly?"

"No." Elenar shook her head. "You'll apologize to Lantel, and then stay away from him until you're told otherwise. And you will apologize to Apella for the trouble you've caused by her nephew and niece…" She looked at Apella again. "Is it safe to assume that you're in no mood to continue training my son in swordsmanship in light of recent events?"

"I'm still weighing my options, Your Grace…" Apella huffed. "But at the moment, I'm none too pleased with the prince's actions."

Rune sighed and bent his head low in shame. Elenar took another deep breath; this next bit would take quite a bit of tact.

"Prince Rune… word is quickly spreading about your violent outburst." Elenar said. "You'll need to learn some serious self-control in the near future. As such, we'll be excusing you from classes and private tutoring so you can-"

"Are you honestly just letting him off with a slap on the wrist, Your Grace?" Demanded a water dragon.

Most of the other Deep shadows, especially Wraith, looked at the blue dragon incredulously. Elenar just sighed and rose to her full height; she should have figured he'd be one of the few not in the know.

"Well, I guess Cerulean wishes to speak." Elenar sighed.

Cerulean was the second of the two Guardians to become Deep Shadows. He was an icy blue dragon. He pulled back his hood to reveal the scowl upon his face. He tapped his talons on the floor as he glanced incredulously between Elenar and Rune.

"The rest of the injuries done to Lantel were bad enough," Cerulean said, "but nearly gouging out the prince's EYE? That would be a criminal charge for most other dragons." He huffed and stood up tall. "Even if I'm to understand that Lantel was willing to assault Rune in the ring, your son's retaliation calls for some serious consequences. And simply saying 'sorry' isn't going to cut it."

Elenar just sighed and wrinkled her nostrils. "Normally I'd agree, Cerulean. But there other circumstances you need to be informed of."

"And that would be?" Cerulean demanded.

"Rune didn't merely lose his temper; he lost control of his body." Albanion said, drawing the blue drake's attention.

"Come again?" Cerulean blinked.

"I'm sure you're aware of the whole Ordeal with Malefor at this point, yes?" Elenar asked.

"Of course, but what are you…?" Cerulean stopped, and his eyes widened. Elenar sighed as she adjusted her stance again.

"Everyone here is aware that Malefor took possession of my son's body four years ago and nearly destroyed Warfang." The queen said. "While my son was freed, it left him scarred; both inside and out…" She glanced down at Rune in pity. "There's something inhabiting Rune's mind. He doesn't like to talk about it, but it's there."

All eyes were on Rune once again, He shivered as he tried to keep his composure. Meanwhile, Apella and Cerulean became increasingly distressed.

"Is… Is this presence the same thing that caused the prince to go and be intimate with my niece?" Apella demanded.

"Yes." Elenar nodded. This made the red dragoness rumble.

"Well, something must be done, then." Cerulean declared. "If the prince is possessed, then we should work to free him of it." He stamped his paws. "I motion that we keep Rune quarantined; keep him in his room and monitor him until we can strip him of whatever's corrupting his mind."

"No." Elenar shook his head. "If anything, he needs to leave for Glenhaven more than ever."

"What?!" Cerulean balked. A few of the other Deep Shadows chattered amongst themselves curiously. Even Rune looked upon his mother in confusion.

"Your Grace, I know that you love your son," Apella said with a huff, "But how can you just ignore all the trouble that this corruption of his has caused?"

"It's not corruption; its stress." Elenar declared. Apella and Cerulean exchanged incredulous glances. Before they could demand answers from her, the queen stood up tall again and fluttered her wings.

"We all know how Rune is normally; calm, collected, and a pacifist." Elenar said. "Even if he's trained to fight, he doesn't want to. Even if I hadn't urged my son to be on the defensive, Rune wouldn't normally want to fight back against Lantel. But in the arena he was forced to stand his ground as Lantel beat him down…" Elenar sighed. "And Rune was pushed to a breaking point. That's when this thing inhabiting his mind was able to take control."

"So to sum up… we don't like him when he's angry?" Wraith raised an eye ridge.

"If that's how you want to look at it…" Urobos sighed. "But it's not just anger; it's deep-seated frustrations that push the prince over the edge. The boy needs a positive emotional outlet to keep himself under control. And right now, locking him away and telling him he's simply awful would only make things worse."

"I'm sorry, but this still all sounds hard to swallow." Cerulean huffed. "Until I've seen this loss of control in him for myself, Prince Rune should still be held accountable for his actions." He looked at the queen directly. "And if his condition is to be kept a closely-guarded secret from the study body and the population at large, word is going to get around that you simply let the prince off with a verbal warning whilst Prince Lantel suffers in the medical ward. And I doubt King Horus is going to like that."

"I'm well aware…" Elenar sighed. "But I need to do what I can to ensure that my son isn't pushed down the same path as…" She took a breath. "My grandfather."

"You mean Runileon?" Rune asked, finally speaking up again.

All eyes were upon the prince as he sat on his haunches and glared at Elenar. The queen sighed in pity and looked her son in the eyes.

"I tried. I really tried, Mom." Rune said as he tapped the floor. "I wanted to keep myself under control, I really did! I wanted you to tell me about Runileon. But…" He looked down and glowered. "Lantel got to me. The next thing I knew, I was beating him senseless." He took a breath and looked his mother in the eyes. "I know that I went against what you wanted me to do, but…" He glared a bit. "If I'm becoming like your grandfather, then wouldn't it help us all if you just told me about him?"

"Rune…" Elenar tapped her talons.

"Why does it have to be a big secret?" Rune demanded. "Why won't you tell me anything?"

"It's not because of some secret, Rune." Elenar sighed again. "It's because… it's hard to talk about your ancestor Runileon."

Rune felt silent; the look on his face painted a clear picture to his mother that he was growing increasingly frustrated by the moment. Elenar shut her eyes and cursed herself; it was happening again.

"Alright, I'll talk to you about Runileon…" She glanced around at the Deep Shadows. "And this will serve as a refresher course for the lot of you as well."

Elenar returned her eyes to Rune. After picking up the book she held at her side, Elenar fluttered her wings and came to a landing on the floor to approach her son.

"Long ago, there was a queen of the shadow dragons who fell in love with a light dragon." Elenar began. She opened up her book and turned it for Rune to look at the illustrations held within. It was of two dragons standing together with their tails crossed.

"Sadly, before she could lay her egg, the queen's lover died of an unknown ailment." Elenar continued. "The queen eventually had her egg, whose shell was as white as the snow that surrounded Erebus. And the queen, out of grief for her lost lover, blamed the white hatchling for his father's dead. So, she ordered the hatchling to be tossed out into the snow and left for dead."

Rune shivered uneasily as his mother showed him artwork of the death of the king and the egg being tossed away; already this was making for quite the happy faerie tale.

"But the child didn't die; instead, it spent years fending for itself out in the wilds around Erebus." Elenar said. "As time went on, the shadow queen found a new lover and had more children. She completely forgot about her firstborn son. But the child didn't forget…" Elenar shivered. "He remembered his mother's face, and was filled with sorrow for being rejected. Several times he tried to enter Erebus to find his mother. And each time he was treated like a wild animal."

Rune saw several images of a white dragon being beaten and tortured by other dragons every time it approached the entrance to the mountain.

"One day, a shadow dragon realized that the white drake had the royal glyphs on his sides, marking him as a child of the royal line. But when he went to inform the queen, her disgust returned and she ordered that the child's wings be torn asunder, and the boy tossed into the depths of the Well of Souls, before anyone had the chance to realize he was an heir to the throne."

The illustrations of the beaten child made Rune's stomach churn. And they only grew worse as he saw the image of the child's wing membranes being sliced to ribbons. The pain on the child's face was unbearable: Rune could almost hear the cries of agony.

"And at once, the child was tossed in the Well of Souls… But he didn't die." Elenar said as she turned a page. "He fell a long way, to be sure… but he arrived in Convexity. And it was there that he found a wealth of the purple crystals, which he consumed out of desperation." Elenar pointed to an image of purple energy erupting from the child's body. "The wealth of the collective knowledge of the dragon race poured into the child's mind. He could finally think rationally and speak coherently... but all of his sorrow had turned to hatred."

The next image showed a furious white dragon with the deepest yellow glare.

"The young dragon spent several more years feeding off the gems within Convexity. And when he was finally strong enough, he used his power to make a gateway that brought him right back to Erebus. Now a fully grown adult who could speak freely, the white dragon made his way to the throne room at the top of the mountain…" Elenar turned a page. "And killed everyone who stood in his way."

There was red blood everywhere. Dead bodies and screaming dragonesses littered the area. And they all lead to the throne room n the next page… where the white dragon ripped the head from the shadow queen's body.

"The white dragon didn't just murder his mother. He… he devoured her." Elenar shuddered as she said it. "He consumed her still warm flesh right in front of his siblings. And then… he killed them too, and sat on the throne."

Elenar quickly turned the pages, refusing to show Rune the grisly contents.

"He called himself King Runileon, and executed the remaining few who refused to acknowledge him as the true shadow king." Elenar closed the book and shuddered again.

"Is that it?" Rune asked uneasily. "What happened next?"

"Years and years of a brutal conflict. That's what came next, Rune." Elenar sighed. "Spyro, Cynder, and King Hyperion did their best to help the shadow dragons overthrow their king. But even on his dying day, Runileon's hatred of his own kin was fierce." Elenar took a steady breath. "Runileon had two children: Alexander and Catherine. The white dragon looked them in the eyes, and using his own blood, he placed a curse on them. He said… He, he said…"

Elenar shivered and looked away; she didn't have the strength to say it. But Dona did.

"Some day, there will be another white dragon." Dona said carefully. "They will be far worse than I ever was, and will stop at nothing until all the dark dragons in all the world are DEAD." The shadowy dragoness sat back on her haunches and took a breath. "And the shadow dragon royal family never forgot those words. Nor did any other groups of dark dragons." She wracked her talons and leaned back. "Word spread like wildfire in the years after the death of Runileon the Wicked."

Rune felt a pit in his stomach. This Runileon definitely sounded like the wicked type. And he was driven to bloodlust by a consumption of convexity… that sounded all too familiar. And yet, as Rune looked down at his forepaws, he still wasn't satisfied.

"If this Runileon was so bad, then why did you name me after him?" He demanded of his mother.

"I… I didn't, Rune." Elenar frowned.

"What?!" He exclaimed. "Then who picked the name? Was it Father? Grandpa Urobos? Who?"

"That's a topic for another time." Elenar declared. "I'm feeling sick to my stomach the longer I have to think about our ancestor…" She sighed and rose up to her feet. "At the very least, I hope you can understand why so many of us are worried about you, Rune."

"So… you think I'm the result of some curse?" Rune tapped his talons on the ground. "I already thought I was cursed. But it's Malefor's fault, not Runileon's."

Elenar just snorted. "It doesn't matter how this came to be…" She leaned down and nuzzled the top of Rune's head. "I just want to be sure you're okay, son."

"I know…" He blushed and rubbed his upper leg. "So, what do I do now, then?"

"Try to keep calm and relaxed for the next few days." Elenar said. "Mind yourself while you're around the other students…." She brought her voice to a whisper. "And keep meditating with Spyro and Cynder; they're the best at helping you keep it under control."

"Alright, Mom…" Rune sighed and backed up. He then glanced over at Apella and grimaced. "I… I'm really sorry about the trouble I caused for your family, Miss Apella."

"Hmph…" Apella wrinkled her nostril. "Well, given the circumstances, I'd be remiss not to forgive you. But I'm still not too keen about continuing the private lessons right now. Maybe I'll reconsider when you get back from Glenhaven."

"That's fair…" Elenar sighed. She looked back at Rune. "Well, you're dismissed. Just… try to be good, my son."

"I will." Rune bowed his head. He said his collective goodbyes to the Deep Shadows and turned to leave the throne room. And once the prince was finally gone, Elenar fell backward onto her haunches. She sighed greatly and tried to calm her nerves.

"Cerulean, Albanion, I have a task for you in the coming days." The queen said. She turned to look at each of them in turn. "When you have free time, I want the both of you to collaborate on your knowledge on medical and magical remedies."

"What exactly are you hoping to cure, Your Grace?" Cerulean asked curiously.

"Find some means of providing relief and calmness to Rune." The queen continued. "When he leaves for Glenhaven, I want him to have the means to pacify himself in times of stress."

"Well, I'll certainly do my best to help the boy." Albanion said. "But it might have to wait until I've also inspected that caravan from Faeshrine." He fluttered his wings. "We all have a lot of actions to juggle, Your Grace."

"Yes, of course…" Elenar sighed again. She rose up onto her feet and glanced around at the Deep Shadows. "I have one final order for the lot of you: keep an eye on Rune from afar, but don't make him aware that you're spying on him."

Grail rumbled as he rose up. "Do you fear that Prince Rune will be engulfed in rage again?"

Elenar shook a bit. She couldn't bring herself to say it. So instead, she took a regal stance and put on a serious expression.

"As the High Queen, I must ensure the safety of all of my subjects as they interact with anyone potentially dangerous…" She shut her eyes and steadied herself. "But as a mother, I want my son to be cure of his affliction before he gets himself into even worse trouble."

"We'll find a way, Elenar." Said Urobos. The aged black dragon stepped down to the floor, walked over, and patted her on the back with a wing. "None of us want to lose Rune to this affliction. We'll find a way to cure him; I promise."

Elenar just sighed again. She stood up tall to glance about at the Deep Shadows. "This meeting is adjourned. Go in peace."

"And peace be with you, Your Grace." Most of the Deep Shadows replied; the only one to stay silent was Dona, who just snorted.

One by one, the Deep Shadows turned to leave through the doorways to go about their business in various parts of the Dragon Spire. Soon, the only ones left in the throne room were Elenar, Dona and Urobos.

"So, shall I be the first to snoop around your boy and see what he's up to?" Dona smirked. "I have a feeling most of our other dear friends won't really be up to it."

Elenar just glowered and rolled her eyes. "Very well. Just make sure he doesn't do anything rash today."

"As you wish, your Supreme Most Pious Grace!" Dona declare sardonically. She then sank down into her shadow and was gone. Urobos just sighed and patted Elenar on the back again.

"I'm off to consult with Argos and Icarox." He said. "We'll see if we can find some ancient means of putting a stop to the demon that haunts Rune's mind."

Elenar just nodded and sighed again. She surrounded herself in her shadowy magic and left the throne room. Urobos, with a frown, used his own magic to leave the same way.

Could anything be done to help Rune?

~~…~~

Rune gave a small breath of relief as he strode down the corridors of the Dragon Spire. He wanted to feel like the worst of the day was over. After all, he wasn't being confined to his bedroom or being charged with anything… yet. And yet he still couldn't shake a feeling of dread he had.

Everything his mother told him about Runileon only made the prince uneasy. A white dragon that was scorned by his people, only to be driven to bloodlust and murderous revenge? And he was the reason for why many dark dragons attempted to round up and kill any white dragons born in these recent years. It all felt so dreadful; like a horrific fable from the more brutal ages of history brought to life.

With no classes to attend or private lesions to practice in, Rune was left to his own devices for most of the day. He passed the time by going to the library to catch up on some old stories he liked. The prince also put on some fresh clothes in his room to cover up his scars again. None of the fancy princely attire; just some fresh robes that didn't confine him. And yet, for all of his time alone, Rune couldn't shake a strange feeling. Whenever he turned his head around in a seemingly-empty area, the prince felt as though he just missed something. A chill ran down his back; why did he feel like he was being watched?

Having trouble relaxing? Runefor chided. You really need to lighten up.

I don't have anything to say to YOU. Rune growled. Go back to sleep, or whatever it is you're doing when you actually shut up.

Temper, temper. Runefor snickered. I only want you to lighten up and celebrate our victory.

What victory? Rune snapped. Mother declared that we lost that stupid arena match.

But you got exactly what you wanted, didn't you? Runefor continued. You got Mother to tell you about this Runileon guy. AND you got to reduce Lantel to a crying heap. All in all, I'd call this a great day.

You're the one who beat him down! Rune dug his talons into the floor. You took control of me AGAIN! All of this was YOUR FAULT!

By all means, get angrier. Runefor laughed. It'll just make it easier for me to take over YET AGAIN.

Rune flinched. He retracted his talons and fell back onto his haunches. Damnit, Runefor was right; getting angry was exactly what the wild drake wanted, and he was taunting Rune over it. The prince took several long, deep breaths and tried to think of happy thoughts to keep himself relaxed.

"I'm done in here…" Rune said aloud. He stood up and made to leave the library. "I'm going to find something else to do."

Lead the way, Mr. Happy. Runefor scoffed.

Rune shuddered, but refused to talk to him again. The prince left the library and went down the corridor to find another place to go.

Along the way, he heard a multitude of voices echoing from the main halls. Rune checked the time; it looked like most of the day's classes had come to an end, and everyone was heading out. Rune sighed in relief; maybe he'd feel better if he walked amongst his fellow students.

The student body chattered amongst themselves in much the same way they always did. Rune carefully descended the staircase and took another breath.

Okay, here goes… He strode forward down the center of the hallway and put on the most casual smile he could. Act natural. Just act natural…

But it didn't take long for the students to notice the prince. And they voiced their collective opinion on him by not saying a single word. Everyone scooted out of the prince's way and avoided making eye contact. There were a few awkward coughs, and more than a dozen of them shivered in place. When Rune got too close to one of the fire dragons, he yelped and scooted out of the way.

"D-Don't hurt me!" The boy exclaimed.

"What?" Rune grimaced. "I wasn't going to-"

But the fire dragon gave him no chance to explain; he took off down the hall with another yelp. Rune just sighed and bent his head low; this was terrible.

Well, how about that? Runefor snickered inside his mind. They're finally giving you the respect you deserve.

This isn't respect; it's FEAR. Rune growled internally. Outside, however, he just took another breath and walked carefully down the hallway. Rune moved slowly and steadily, so as not to freak anyone out by accident. He didn't even comment as more of the students moved to avoid getting too close to him.

"Rune!" Someone called from down the way. "Rune, over here?"

"Huh?" Rune blinked and looked up. The familiar faces of Cyrus and Chalice were gathered on the far side of the hallway. Rune gave a small sigh of relief; at least not everyone was frightened of him now.

Rune made his way over to his friends as fast as he could. He then came to a stop and fell back onto his haunches beside his brother. "Hey, guys."

"We've been looking for you all day." Chalice said uneasily. "Are you feeling okay, Rune?"

"A bit, I guess…" Rune shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"Because everyone's been treating you like a pariah." Chalice grimaced. "That match of yours was certainly… something."

"Yeah…" Cyrus nodded. "I haven't seen that kind of ferocity in you since… well, since the Well of Souls."

Rune shivered at the mention. It brought back swift and unpleasant memories of the time the two black dragons had to fight off a horde of crepsculi, as well as worse things that happened up north. He shook his head and wracked his talons on the floor.

"I didn't want to lose my temper…" Rune said. "But Lantel just… got to me in the worst way."

Cyrus just snorted at the mention of the red prince, while Chalice just wracked their talons on the floor.

"Right… Did you hear about him?" Chalice asked.

"No, I haven't." Rune replied. "So… how is he?"

"Well, he's still being patched up in the medical ward." Chalice said. "But there's a rumor going around that King Horus is going to take both Lantel and Sandra out of the Dragon Spire once he gets to Warfang."

"What?" Rune's eyes widened.

"Good riddance, I say." Cyrus huffed. "Lantel is an asshole."

"Cyrus, you're not thinking of the bigger picture here." Chalice scolded. "I can't even imagine how the queen is handling all of this."

Rune grimaced and rubbed his upper foreleg; he was tempted to share what Elenar told him in the throne room, but ultimately decided against it. He was about to say something about else, when he spotted a familiar form emerging from a classroom a short distance past Chalice and Cyrus. Sandra walked out with some of her friends, and she had a dour look on her face.

"Sandra!" Rune exclaimed. He stepped around Chalice and made to follow after the princess.

"Rune, wait a minute!" Chalice called. But Rune ignored them, and continued on to get the princess's attention. "Sandra!"

Sandra came to a stop, as did her friends. While the other dragonesses cautiously backed away, Sandra stood her ground… and cast a very furious glare in Rune's direction. Immediately Rune flinched and fell back onto his haunches.

"Uh… H-Hi, Sandra." He said sheepishly. The princess blew a bit of smoke from her nostrils as she scowled at him.

"I told you…" She stepped closer and gnashed her fangs. "…to go EASY ON HIM!"

Rune stammered and jittered for a bit as he looked Sandra in the eyes. "Uh… I…"

"How could you do that to Lantel?!" Sandra screamed. "We all knew that you had the advantage against him! We all knew that you could have easily stepped out of that challenge as the winner!" She pointed an accusatory talon at Rune's muzzle. "I thought that you were going to let Lantel tire himself out with how much you were refusing to fight back! And then you go and beat him senseless?!"

"Err. I…" Rune shivered. "I'm sorry?"

"Sorry? SORRY?!" Sandra snapped. She stomped the floor and had flames pouring from her muzzle. "My brother is bound up in a hospital and traumatized after nearly having his eye poked out! YOU BETTER BE SORRY!"

Rune froze in place; he half-expected Sandra to attack him right then and there. But instead, she turned around and flung her tail about in the air before stomping down the hallway. The rest of her group sheepishly stood up to follow after the princess, leaving Rune in the dust. He felt his heart plummet down to the bottom of his stomach.

Was that the end of their relationship before it began? He felt like it was so: what sister wouldn't be disgusted with the drake who seriously harmed her brother? Rune sighed and stood up to turn around to walk back to Chalice and Cyrus. The two of them stood side by side and exchanged worried glances as Rune came over and slumped against the wall.

Chalice stepped up and patted Rune on the back. "Are you okay?"

Rune didn't answer; he just listened as Sandra's words repeated over and over in his mind. Everything felt so unreal.

"Hey, come on, Rune." Chalice turned his head and looked him in the eyes. "Just because she's mad at you doesn't mean it's the end of the world."

"I…" Rune stammered again. He shook his head and rose up to his full height. "I think should just go. Nobody wants to see me right now."

Chalice grimaced. They glanced around down both sides of the corridor; many of the students were moving quickly to avoid being too close to the black prince. Chalice just snorted and looked back at Rune.

"You need to relax, alright?" Chalice patted Rune on the shoulder. "Everyone's just unnerved right now, sure, but that doesn't mean people think you're a monster. Just give it some time, and everyone will mellow out."

"The other students are the least of my worries, Chal." Rune sighed. "The Deep Shadows think I'm suffering from corruption. And I'm starting to agree with them."

Chalice grimaced. Cyrus, however, just sighed and pulled Rune into a hug.

"Hey, come on. Don't think like that." Cyrus said. He looked around to make sure nobody was within hearing range, and then leaned in to whisper into Rune's ear frill. "Everyone worked together to help free you from Malefor's control. Even if you are still suffering from some kind of residual effect, then we're not all going to leave you to get worse."

"But what can be done?" Rune demanded. "Whenever I get mad, I start losing control. And I can't keep myself calm and happy forever. Not with…" He suddenly became sick to his stomach. "Not with everyone acting like THIS around me."

"I'm sure the elders will figure something out." Chalice replied. "Especially Lord Urobos; he wouldn't want to lose you, you know."

Rune just sighed. "I know…"

Chalice turned to check the time and huffed a bit. "Listen, I need to head back home soon." They turned to look at Rune and Cyrus. "Will the two of you be alright today?"

"Yeah, we'll be just fine." Cyrus nodded. He tugged on Rune to get him to follow him down a hallway. "Come on, Rune; let's take a walk together."

"Sure…" Rune gave a low sigh. He turned down the hallway and walked alongside his brother. Chalice waved goodbye and turned down a separate hallway, leaving the two princes alone.

Once the halls were mostly barren, Cyrus looked this way and that. Once he was sure that the coast was clear, he stood up to whisper into his brother's ear frill.

"You should have won."

Rune flinched. "Hun?"

"You had Lantel right where you wanted him." Cyrus continued with a scowl. "If it were me, I wouldn't have held back; he'd be in the hospital for good after I was done with him." He wracked his talons on the floor. "It wasn't fair of Mom to declare you BOTH as losters."

"Cyrus…" Rune said in exasperation. "I didn't want to hurt Lantel. "I just… couldn't help myself."

"Yeah, I know…" Cyrus snorted. "But that doesn't change the fact that Lantel deserved his beating; he's been nothing but a complete arsehole for months on end." He fanned out his wings. "It was so satisfying seeing you beat him down. If he EVER starts trouble again, I want to be the who throws down in the arena against him!"

"Cyrus, NO." Rune insisted. "I couldn't get out of the fight against him because he called for a challenge. But Mom doesn't want us fighting with any other future heirs!" He stamped his paw. "Do you have any idea how awful this whole thing has made her feel?!"

"Alright, alright, I get it!" Cyrus snorted indignantly. "Let's just… let's get to the front gates; we're wasting daylight hours."

Rune sighed again. "Fine…"

The two resumed their walk to the front of the Dragon Spire. Along the way, Cyrus looked at a wall-clock and grimaced.

"Oh, geez, look at the time." He frowned. "I'm running late for my date with Tina."

"Your… date?" Rune repeated curiously.

"Yes, a DATE." Cyrus puffed out his magenta chest. "I'm going to head to The Nexus to pick her up. Then we're heading for a tour of the gardens."

"Ah, sounds fun…" Rune said with a nod. "I hope you have a good time."

"Oh, I intend to have more than that…" Cyrus fluttered his wings and lifted himself up with shadow magic. He then spun about to do a complete somersault in the air above his brother's head. He then came to a landing and struck a dramatic pose. "I've been practicing my moves; I'm going to show her just how agile I can be in the air."

Rune grimaced at that. And then a spark ran through his mind, and he smirked.

"I don't know why you keep trying to impress her, Cy." Rune said slyly. "She prefers boys."

"What do you mean by…" Cyrus began to ask. When he saw the grin on Rune's face, the smaller prince flashed with anger. "Oh, screw you!"

"S-Sorry…" Rune suppressed a chuckle. He then stepped out of the way as his brother tried to take a swipe at him with his forepaw. "I couldn't help it."

"Not funny. Not funny in the slightest!" Cyrus snapped.

The two princes made their way out the front doors of the Spire and down the stoop toward the garden. Cyrus immediately spread his wings and took off for flight toward the floating fortress. Rune said goodbye and waved as he watched his brother leave. He then looked forward toward the front gates, where he spotted Albanion. The Deep Shadow spoke in hushed tones with a few soldiers and made to head out of the building. Rune sighed in relief; maybe his uncle could help him stay calm.

"Hey, Albanion!" Rune called as he trotted up to him.

The poison dragon came to an abrupt halt. He gazed down at the prince with a raised eye ridge. "Well, fancy seeing you out and about. Not still reeling from the little chat you had with your mother, are you?"

Rune grimaced. "Uh… n-no, I'm not."

"Hmph. Good." Albanion turned to walk out the building. "Good day, prince."

"Wait a minute!" Rune chased after Albanion. "Where are you going?"

"I'm off to investigate the caravan of traders that arrived late last night from Faeshrine" Albanion said with a snort. "We haven't heard anything grisly about the traders.. yet. So, I figured I may as well peruse their wares for a while during our investigations."

"Ah…" Rune nodded. He was about to wish Albanion a good day, when an idea sparked through his mind.

A caravan selling items from a place as exotic as Faeshrine might just have something to lighten Sandra's mood. Rune thought happily. Maybe then she won't want to smack me every time we meet.

"Can I come with you?" Rune asked Albanion eagerly.

Albanion raised an eye ridge again. "And why would you want to come along, Your Highness?"

"I could use some time out of the Dragon Spire." Rune said.

"And are you sure that the High Queen will approve of such an excursion?" Albanion demanded. He raised another eye ridge and fell back onto his haunches. "The moment you left the throne room, she started tearing herself apart about preparing to apologize to the fire king."

Rune nearly sank into the stone from the way the heat of Albanion's glare cut through him. He took a breath and made to stand tall.

"Well… she never said I was grounded." Rune chuckled awkwardly. He then flapped his wings and stood taller. "And besides, the Day of the Bonds is coming up. I want to find something to celebrate the holiday with… someone…"

"Hmph. Very well, Rune." Albanion said. "But you're to stay where I can see you for the entire trip; we've all been on edge around you lately, and we don't want another…" He leaned down to glare even harder into the prince's eyes. "Outburst."

Rune felt ice run up and down his spine; Albanion was terrifying when he wanted to be.

"Y-Yes, Sir." The prince nodded his head several times. "I understand, Uncle."

With that said Albanion made his way out into the garden and spread his wings. Rune walked alongside his uncle and prepared for flight as well. Several guards followed behind the two. But whether that was because of the investigation of the caravan, or because they suspected Rune of going wild, the prince was unsure.

As Rune and Albanion made their way south, Dona appeared from the shadows of the garden. She tilted her head and grinned as she watched them fly away.

Hmm, looks like they're off on a shopping spree. She thought with a snort. Looks like I'll need to give dear old Bergan a heads up.

~~…~~

Cyrus flew up to the Nexus as fast as his wings could carry him. He passed by a few other dragons who were traveling either toward or away from the fortress. When he saw some of the younger dragons, the prince did cartwheels in the air. He beat his wings, dashed around with a burst of wind, and even created little sparkles of magic in the sky, all with the biggest of grins on his face. Cyrus could never resist putting on a show.

Unfortunately, sometimes his audience wasn't all that grateful. Most of the older dragons just ignored the prince's antics. And while the younger dragons were enraptured by his tricks, they were mostly just called away by some of the older ones. Time and again, Cyrus was left alone, performing for the open air.

Just once, I'd like to have a long-lasting audience, He sighed.

Cyrus came to a landing on the crisp grasp of the front garden. He sighed as he looked upon the black stone and towers of the fortress. The prince held a grimace as he beheld a tower that contained what used to be his childhood bedroom. Too many times the prince was ordered to go to his room when the adults didn't want him pestering them.

All these years later, and I still can't look at that room with anything but dread, Cyrus thought with a snort. I wonder what poor sucker was assigned to sleeping in there after the fortress was renovated.

As Cyrus made his way forward, he passed by a couple of dark dragon soldiers that stood watch over the grounds. They barely acknowledged his presence as his made his way toward the front doors. Along the way, more dark dragons and dragonesses close to the prince's age were stepping out of the doors of the fortress. Cyrus grinned at the various wind and poison dragonesses who approached.

"Well, hello, ladies." Cyrus declared. "How was your day of study?"

They didn't reply to him; they just spread their wings and took off. Cyrus blinked a few times… and then glowered in frustration. Why were dragons always doing that to him?

In a huff, Cyrus pushed the doors of the chapel open and stepped inside.

Standing in the middle of the chapel was the burly Aegis. The crippled Deep Shadow was one of the teachers of the little school run for artificially-created dark dragons. After all, who better to teach them on the customs of being a transformed dragon, than one such transformed dragon?

Aegis sat on his haunches before the altar, while his daughter Tina stood across from him.

"…like I said before, Tina", Aegis was saying, "You should talk to your mother about it. She can explain it better."

"Okay, Dad." Tina replied. She gave her father's foreleg a hug before rising to her feet. As Cyrus approached, Aegis and Tina turned their attention toward him.

"Ah, Prince Cyrus." Aegis smiled. "I might have known you'd be arriving at a time like this."

"Hiya, Sir Aegis." Cyrus bowed his head. He then grinned in Tina's direction. "And hello to YOU, Tina."

"Heya, Shorty." Tina smirked. She stepped closer, making it all the more apparent that she was taller than him. She walked around him in a circle and came to stand by his side. "You're late."

"Hey, I had things to do." Cyrus snorted in derision.

"I suppose you two will be off to disturb the peace again." Aegis said flatly. Cyrus could never tell if Aegis was trying to be funny or not.

"We're not going to get into trouble, Dad." Tina said.

Aegis rolled his eyes. "Of course you will. You always do."

"Well, then…" The dark-yellow dragoness gave a toothy grin. "We'll just try not to get into too much trouble!"

Aegis just sighed and wracked his talons on the floor. "Very well, dear. Just don't get hurt…." He wrinkled his nostrils. "I have the strangest feeling about today."

"What do you mean, Aegis?" Cyrus asked.

"I don't know…" Aegis grimaced. He gazed out at the clouds. "There's just… something strange about today. Something's not where it's supposed to be."

Cyrus just shrugged and tilted his head. "If you say so, Aegis."

"Hey, Shorty!" Tina declared as she flapped her wings. "I'll race you!"

She took off into a run down the rows of bleachers and out through the front doors. Cyrus gasped and sprang to his feet.

"No fair!" Cyrus yelled. He had wind magic flow through his wings to take off at high speed after the dragoness. Aegis watched with unease as the two teenaged dragons took off into the sky and flew around each other. Once they were gone, the burly dragon just sighed and shook his head.

"Teenagers."

~~…~~

Tyrrany kept her cloak on tight as she stepped forward down the bustling city street. Flame and Arthur were just behind her, keeping enough of a distance so that she had some modicum of privacy. Jonathan had split off to venture off on his own a while back; presumably he went to pick up a few of his gang members to trail behind Tyrrany's group. It didn't matter; she was just glad that his ugly mug was hidden behind a mask and far out of her view.

As the hours went by, Tyrrany had to admit that she was a bit enraptured by the sights and sounds of Warfang. It was so different form what she was used to. Sure, it was massively populated like Faeshrine, and there were towers that rose high over her head… but instead of mushroom stalks and bulbs that blocked out the sky, she could see everything as clear as crystal beside the brick and mortar towers.

Tyrrany did her best to memorize the various buildings, city-blocks, and back alleys of the area surrounding the caravan. There was a lot to do during her mission, and she needed to be sure that hiding spots and safe points could be marked on a map. She also did her best to keep herself scarce; she didn't want any of the goons working for the High Queen to warn her of the white dragoness's presence. Flame and Arthur didn't have nearly as much cause to be careful; they were just a fire dragon and a dragonfly. Who would be suspicious of teenagers so mundane?

After several hours of scouting around, Tyrrany came to a stop on a hill that overlooked her primary target: The Dragon Spire. It was the biggest building that Tyrrany had ever seen in her life; it pierced the sky, with the Palace of Kings seated atop it like a cruel crown.

Elenar's seat of power, where she looms over all of the dragon realms… Tyrrany dug her talons into the deep. Getting in there isn't going to be easy.

After she'd had her fill of gazing at that ominous spire, Tyrrany made her way into an adjacent alleyway. She then hid behind a stack of boxes and got down onto her back. But she didn't have much time to relax; the black fortress known as The Nexus was starting to float into view. From what Tyrrany could tell, The Nexus moved about in a circle around the Dragon Spire, and never strayed too far. Tyrrany grimaced; there was something she didn't like about that fortress. The whole thing floated atop what looked like a tiny, upside-down mountain, whose peak was threatening to stab right through Tyrrany and the surrounding area at any moment. How could something so terrifying to behold be used as a safe haven for dark dragon children?

When it became the start of the afternoon, Tyrrany came to rest in one of the city's many back allies. She lied on her back, looking up at the giant black fortress floating above the city. Flame and Arthur came to a stop in the alley as well.

"I wonder how much longer we're supposed to do this." Flame's voice wondered. Tyrrany sat up in time to see him and the dragonfly make their way into the alleyway.

"Beats me." Arthur replied with a shrug. Tyrrany rolled her eyes. She shifted to get back up onto her feet and cover herself.

"We're supposed to be getting used to the city's layout." Tyrrany announced. "Perhaps father believed I needed one last training exercise before I got my revenge on Elenar."

"Right…" Flame said.

He stepped over to the dragoness and sat down on his haunches beside her. Tyrrany just ignored him and pulled her violin out of its case; she wanted to entertain herself with some low notes until she felt ready to get a move on again. But as she filled the air with tunes, Flame took a deep breath and tapped her shoulder.

"Say, Annie…."

She eyed him curiously. "What?"

"Why don't you and I….Oh, I don't know…" He nervously ran his talons through his mane. "...Why don't we just go have some fun somewhere?"

She stopped playing and raised an eye ridge. "Excuse me."

"When are we ever going to be alone in Warfang again?" Flame asked. "You and I should find a park or a museum to explore around in. Just you and me."

Arthur scoffed. "What, you want to just ditch me?"

"I didn't mean it like that, Arthur." Flame grimaced.

"It doesn't matter either way." Tyrrany said with her nose pointed up. "I don't think my future husband would like it if you put the moves on me."

Flame balked. "Since when did you consider his feelings?"

"I didn't say I considered them: I said Jonathan wouldn't like it." Tyrrany snorted. She picked up her bow and got to playing again. "Anyway, I'm only taking a few minutes to relax, Flame. I don't have time to go to a museum."

"But Annie…"

"No means no, Flame." Tyrrany narrowed her eyes. "Quit while you're ahead."

Flame struggled to think of are response… but ultimately just sighed and stepped away from the dragoness. Arthur came to a landing on Flame's head and uttered a few whispered words to cheer him up. Tyrrany looked away from the pair… and frowned. She put down her bow and curled up to get some rest. Suddenly, she felt too uneasy to play any music. Maybe, just maybe, she'd been too hard on her friend.

Eventually Tyrrany picked herself up and packed up her violin. She hefted it over her back and made her way forward. She turned her head up one last time to look at that ominous fortress…

And that's when she spotted something in the sky. Two dragonesses spun around each other as they flew down toward the city from the fortress. The first dragoness was dark yellow; nothing important. But the second one… the second one was black.

Tyrrany gasped. "A black dragon!"

Flame and Arthur looked at the dragoness in surprise. They then followed her gaze.

"Where is it?" Flame asked.

"There!" Tyrrany shouted. She pointed in the direction of the two dragons as they chased each other through the sky. They seemed to be heading toward a nearby park across the city. Tyrrany beat her wings and took off down the street.

"Where are you going?" Arthur shouted as he beat his wings to keep up.

"After them, of course!" Tyrrany snapped. "When are we going to get a chance like this again?!" She spread her wings and took off. "Hurry up!"

Flame and Arthur exchanged glances. The red dragon just sighed and picked up the pace.

"I guess we're going to the park after all…" He said with a slight chuckle. "Let's go."

"Hey, wait up!" Arthur shouted. He sighed as he struggled to keep up with the two dragons.

~~…~~

Rune could scarcely believe his eyes as he looked around at the caravan. Wagons and carriages were lined up all up and down the slanted streets. A great number of moles, avians, lagomorphs, felines, and other races had set up shops allover, showing their goods to the many citizens who came to see what goods were being sold.

Albanion and Rune spent the better part of an hour wandering up and down the various wagons, looking through the many goods up for sale.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" Rune asked.

"I am looking for something to give to Elza as a gift for her upcoming hatchday." Albanion responded.

"Oh, really?" Rune scratched his chin. "I'd forgotten she had one coming up. How old is she going to be?"

"If you are wise, your highness, you will never ask a lady that question." Albanion said with a slight smirk.

Rune sucked in a breath to keep from laughing out loud; it wasn't every day when his uncle tried a bit of humor. He was grateful to finally spend some time with Albanion… even if it meant enduring the guards that loomed just nearby at all times.

The two dragons continued looking through the caravan wagons, until they came close to the end of the caravan. The road continued on its downward slant after the last wagon. Rune reached into his satchel and retrieved a handful of gold coins: a small part of the money that his mother made available to him.

"I didn't see a single thing that Sandra might like." Rune sighed. "Guess the trip was a bust."

"It'll take more than a single trinket to get a dragoness to stop being mad at you, Prince Rune." Albanion scolded. "And besides, just because you have wealth, doesn't mean you should spend it too frivolously."

"But I hardly spend money ever!" The prince protested. "This is a rare occasion for me." He wracked his talons. "And besides, what else am I supposed to do to lighten Sandra's mood?"

"Well, for starters, you'd best give her some space." Albanion said. "Wait for her to decide for herself if and when she wishes to speak to you. Otherwise, you run the risk of driving her deeper into anger."

"I guess that makes sense…" Rune sighed. "Still, it can't hurt to give her some kind of peace offering, can it?"

"Fair enough." Albanion said. The Deep Shadow turned around to walk back the way he came. "I am going to double back, just incase I see an item that I didn't see the first time. Come along, your Highness."

"Can't I just wait here? My legs are aching."

Albanion glanced down at the prince. "Need I remind you that you're to stay where I can see you?"

"I'm not going to pick fights with anyone." Rune said worriedly. "Let me just wait here. I won't move from this spot: I promise."

Albanion huffed as he stood in place. He ran his talons along his muzzle and rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll be right back in five minutes. But you are to STAY RIGHT THERE. Got it?"

"Yes, Uncle." Rune nodded in annoyance. "I get the point."

Albanion turned toward the two guards. "Keep an eye on the prince, and see to it that he stays out of trouble."

"Yes, Lord Albanion." The two dragons said in unison.

With that done, Albanion made his way up the street, while Rune sat himself down on a little bench by the road. The two soldiers stood on either side of the prince and kept an eye out. Rune just sighed and leaned back to rest his paws.

As Rune tried to relax, he reached into his coin purse and pulled out a gold coin. On a whim, he flicked it into the air and caught it in his paw. He did this a few more times, seeing how high he could toss the coin and still catch it.

Why are you wasting your time? Runefor asked, annoyed. There are so many more productive things you could be doing.

I don't remember asking you. Rune scowled as he thought to himself.

Is this really the best thing you could think to do to pass the time? Runefor demanded. Playing with a coin?

Well, maybe if YOU hadn't gotten us into trouble, we'd have a wider range of activities to entertain ourselves! Rune snapped.

Oh, don't be so melodramatic.

You nearly killed Prince Lantel! Rune growled to himself. I'm in a world of trouble because of you!

All I did was put that chump in his place. Runefor snorted. He had his chance to accept an early victory when you wussied out. But nope! He called down the thunder, and wasn't ready for the BOOM.

"Shut up!" Rune said aloud. In his anger, he tossed the coin too hard into the air. The coin fell down between his talons and bounced along the street. The two guards, meanwhile, had looked down at the prince in alarm.

"Uh… s-sorry." Rune stammered aloud. His face flushed as he got up to go after his coin. "Let me just get that."

The two guards just exchanged glances; they let the prince go after his gold coin.

Idiot. Runefor scoffed. Rune just growled and went after his coin. He casually walked along the cobblestone path and bent his head down as he reached out for it…

The sick sound of something piercing flesh roared to life behind the prince. He heard of the guards gagging and choking behind him. With wide eyes and a chill going down his spine, Rune spun around… and watched as the guard fell forward onto the ground; there was a pointed spire of rock sticking out of his neck.

Someone had attacked with earth magic.

The other guard gasped and looked around for the assailant. Soon another earth spire came flying out of the air and flew toward the prince. Rune yelped and summoned up a shield of earth from the road to protect himself. The attack collided with his shield, making his ears ring in pain.

"We're under attack!" The second guard cried out. Seconds later, he coughed and gagged as another spire ripped its way through him.

And as Rune spun around, his eyes widened as a trio of adult dragons emerged from the shadows. They all covered their faces in torn fabrics and rags as they growled furiously at the prince.

"Kill it!" The leader, a fire dragon, shouted. "Kill the wretched black dragon!"

Rune felt his blood turn to ice as the dragons attacked.

~~…~~

Greetings, friends and loved ones.

I must seem like quite a stinker ending the chapter on a cliffhanger. It's one of the few pasttimes from the original version of the story that I gleefully enjoy to this day. Will Rune make it out of this scrap okay, or is he in some serious trouble? I guess you'll have to come back next week to find out. XD

Unless you're reading this in the future when the whole story is uploaded. In which case… hello, people of the future! =D

Tenebra ecce Veritas