Arokh broke through the blade dragons with a roar and a breath of scalding magma. They fluttered aside with pained croaks and melting wings, too panicked to retaliate. The red dragon clawed his way higher, Rynn sitting above his shoulders with one hand on his neck and the other outflung, ready to throw her own fire if necessary... but none of the enemy followed.
The way up was clear.
Arokh reached the edge of the crater and rose above, wings beating powerfully against a furious wind. He and Rynn instantly sought the middle of the peak, the lowest part of the curved summit. They both saw the boy standing there, alone, head bowed and hands clenched at his sides. The air around him shimmered green.
"How far is he into the ritual?" Rynn asked.
Arokh shook his head. "I don't know, never having seen it completed. Do we go in?"
Rynn stared at her brother. "Yes. Send the signal."
They passed the border of the Great Spell of Protection and Arokh sent a stream of fire back over his wing.
"There!" Star shouted. "Now, Ebontyne!"
The War Mage snatched up the last crystal then whistled, not waiting to watch the spell take form. "Morghus - to me!" She put the crystal into her belt pouch with two others and said to Star and Glaive, "Let's get to the skies."
"Ebontynnnnnnne!" Morghus roared, tearing towards the ground. His jaws parted and fire poured out.
Ebontyne and Glaive were forced to duck and both turned while crouched, hands clutching at weapons as they saw the first of many, many wartoks burn to death before them...
The dome flushed through with colour, a shifting blue, visible to all who looked. Rynn nodded, then directed Arokh to land near Navaros. The dragon glided down, now uninhibited by a wind that couldn't enter the barrier.
His talons scraped the rock as he landed, and Rynn dismounted more slowly than usual. Once on the ground she touched the pouch containing the Jewels of Eternity, reassured by their presence, and looked at her Bonded.
"I'll be right back. We'll be right back."
He nodded and grinned.
She looked at her brother again, took a deep breath, and walked towards him. She could hardly stop herself from running, and had to remind herself that the ground was not smooth. Tripping would be too easy.
But the suspense was killing her.
There wasn't even any noise. Sound couldn't enter the dome. She had only her footsteps and, as she neared Navaros, a faint howling of tortured voices.
When she finally stood before him, looking down from her superior height, it was hard to feel afraid. Hard to think that this was Navaros. Her only discomfort was from the green haze, which seemed to creep around her body like insubstantial tendrils.
Eventually, slowly, she crouched down and glanced at Delon's right fist. Then, unable to resist, up into her brother's lowered face.
Navaros grinned down at her. "I've been expecting you," he whispered.