Morghus & Ebontyne
The descent was brutal. Every step caused a dull ache, but when Arokh was obliged to spread his wings and glide down too-steep inclines Rynn could feel sharp stabbing pains in the right side of her chest. What made it worse in her mind was that she couldn't even take off her dragon armour to see how bad it looked.
After an hour they were below the clouds. If Rynn looked back she could see the grey barrier concealing the higher peaks. Forward, the way down still seemed harsh. There was a forest creeping up at the base, which worried her. Arokh wouldn't be able to fly over it or walk through it. And looking along its border, she couldn't see where it ended (or even if it did).
She brooded on this as Arokh concentrated on walking as painlessly as possible, and was thinking it fortunate that at least they hadn't been attacked... when a shadow passed over them.
"A dragon," Rynn said tersely.
"Not just any dragon," Arokh added, when he stopped to look. "Morghus."
"You know this dragon?"
"He was... one of the dragons of the Order, as I was." His voice was shadowed with doubt as the winged shape high above began to circle them like a hawk sighting prey. "As Werokh was. Rynn, if he attacks there's no other choice. I'll use my magma breath."
They waited and the dragon flew lower, obviously taking his time. Rynn had to squint against the brightness of the clouded sky, but it looked like Morghus was a black dragon with silver breastplates from neck to tail. As she watched, something else became apparent. "Arokh," she said softly. "That dragon has a rider."
"What?" Startled, Arokh looked up again. "By the Flame... it can't be..."
Morghus' wings beat gently as he landed on all fours several feet in front of them. His eyes were the same fiery red as Arokh's, Rynn realised. In fact, with the exception of colouring, Morghus could almost have been Arokh's...
"Brother," the black dragon said, his voice a soft rumble. "It has been a while. I did not know you had awoken."
"This is my Bonded, Rynn," Arokh replied in an oddly neutral tone. "It was she who woke me."
"Bonded?" said Morghus, tilting his head slightly and raising an eyeridge. "She passed the Test of the Tower?"
"She has. We are all that remains of the Order of the Flame." Arokh fell silent, and Rynn first thought it was because of the pain of speaking. Then she realised he was waiting - hoping - for Morghus to dispute his statement.
He did not. A small smile curved his jaws, and he said, "My Bonded is, as she was when last we spoke, Ebontyne."
The black-armoured figure on his back removed her helmet to reveal a face as young as Rynn's. Hair as black as a raven's wing framed pale skin, high cheekbones and vivid blue eyes. Those eyes regarded Rynn steadily for a while, then Ebontyne inclined her head. She didn't smile.
"That cannot be the same person, Morghus," Arokh said. "It has been too many years and she looks not a day older."
"The Dark Union has its secrets, Arokh," Ebontyne said. Her voice was deep. "Shall we dispense with the pleasantries, Morghus?"
"As you wish," the black dragon replied, his smile widening. "Arokh, Rynn, we're here to join you for a while."
"What?" Arokh started.
"But Ebontyne just said -" Rynn began.
"We have broken our ties," Ebontyne interrupted, "as did the other old riders when Navaros was defeated this second time."
"So you just want to join us because we're the winning team?" Rynn said in an accusing voice.
"No offence," Ebontyne responded coolly, "but I don't think you'd be the 'winning team' had we chosen to attack you." She raked Rynn and Arokh with her blue-eyed gaze, lingering over the red dragon's damaged chest. Her lips curved slightly and Rynn found herself flushing with anger.
"Then why?" Arokh demanded. "You did not come looking for us. You could not have known where to find us."
Morghus bowed his head in acknowledgment. "That is so. We were heading east on... other business. Had we not seen you crawling along the ground like a large and wingless insect we would still be going that way."
Rynn felt Arokh's muscles tense with the same anger she felt.
"We're joining you to indulge our need for vengeance against the Betrayer," Ebontyne said. "You know where he is, you have the means to reach him -" her eyes flicked to Runeblade's hilt, "- and you, Arokh, have defeated him twice before. This time, with our help, you can kill him."