Chapter Six

Lights In The Darkness

An Eldwurm outside and an unknown dragon ahead made for grim news.

Though her last encounters with dragons had gone poorly, Marci decided that she would rather face the "lesser" dragon. If these tunnels were anything to go by, it might not be as big.

'Caewyn?' Mirana whispered. 'Can you still use that crossbow if I lean on you?'

'I won't be able to reload easily.' Caewyn replied. 'But I can try. I still have the cranequin.'

Marci gazed at Mirana curiously.

'If we run into the dragon who lives here, and knowing our luck we will, we'll need you.'

Marci saw her point. Caewyn could reload whilst supporting Mirana using the cranequin. It would not be easy, but it could be done. But Mirana couldn't use her bow like this.

Their only horse was spooked by the darkness, and it could no doubt smell the obvious signs of a dragon.

Caewyn had put the gem away, leaving Eserren's gauntlet blade as their only source of illumination. They needed more light. Marci reached into her tunic to withdraw the amulet, hoping that it would still glow in the dark.

'Marci!' Mirana reached round and held her wrist.

Marci frowned, then realised that there was something... different.

'That's new.' Davion remarked, staring at her arm.

Marci looked down and stared. Her skin was glowing faintly, lit from within by a soft honey-coloured light.

'No question about it,' Caewyn whispered. 'You have a radiant dragon's blood.'

Marci had a feeling that she could actually control this glow. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

The glow dimmed away into nothingness. Marci blinked, then focused again. Her skin started to glow more intensely, until it lit the walls and about five feet of the tunnel.

'You never cease to amaze me, Marci.' Davion smiled. 'I like it, it suits you.'

'I can't believe I never noticed any of this before!' Mirana breathed.

'You wouldn't have.' Eserren stated. 'It apparently takes time for wurm-forged to start mastering their powers, especially if they are unaware of them.'

'Radiant dragons start to use their powers when they're adults.' Caewyn added. 'But if everything we've read about the dragon cults and wurm-forged is correct, you won't be frying anybody with a light beam. Wurm-forged gain a fraction of a dragon's power, but more than a Dragon Knight would get out of the scales.' Caewyn smiled wonderingly at Marci. 'But imagine how awesome it would be if you could shoot light at things! Maybe you can. I hope you can! That would give Vylgranox something to think about!'

'Let's talk about this another time.' Eserren suggested. 'Come on. Marci? Can you sustain that light?'

Marci nodded. Unlike the power she had used against Kaden, this one was much easier to control and maintain. Though the light deepened the darkness, it was comforting.

It was slow going with Davion leading a reluctant horse and Caewyn supporting Mirana. The light Marci was projecting was warm. She had to wonder if her powers would work against Vylgranox. He had negated the power in Kaden's armour, and could apparently do the same to other dragons.

And what about Davion? He had an Eldwurm sharing his body. Surely Vylgranox could suppress him.

'At least it's a small dragon.' Mirana murmured, hobbling alongside Caewyn. It was more of a struggle for the two of them because Mirana was taller than the diminutive elf. 'It must be given how narrow these tunnels are.'

'Maybe.' Davion clearly had his doubts. 'If we're lucky, it'll be a young earth dragon.'

'And if we're unlucky?' Fymryn asked. 'And I suppose we will be.'

'If we're unlucky, it'll be a chaos dragon. They're not tunnellers, but they like to dwell in darkness.'

Marci had seen what Kaden had been capable of using the scales of a chaos dragon. She had no wish to see what a still-living chaos dragon could do.

'I wouldn't worry,' Caewyn piped up from under Mirana's arm. 'Mum and I have fought and killed one. I've heard that Davion is a good dragon slayer. Have you fought one before?'

'Just once.'

'I think we have a chance. Fymryn could give it a run for its gold, and Marci can knock its teeth out.'

Marci half-expected Eserren to tell Caewyn that it was no laughing matter, but she did not. Caewyn was just trying to raise their spirits.

They continued to follow the faint draft. It meant that there had to be an exit somewhere in this dark warren. If they were lucky, Vylgranox would lose them for at least a little while longer.

But with the warbler failing, and no chance of replacing it soon, a confrontation seemed to be inevitable.

Slyrak had not even suggested trying to reason with Vylgranox. That told Marci of two possibilities. Either Slyrak was too arrogant and proud to dissuade Vylgranox from his hunt, or Vylgranox was too determined to kill Davion to listen. Marci had to wonder what he would do to her when he learned what she was, assuming that he even cared.

Sagan growled softly. The horse tried to pull away from Davion, who did what he could to calm the animal. They should have let it go. Vylgranox would not have cared, but they needed it to carry the excess saddlebags.

Eserren held up her hand and they came to a halt. Marci strained her ears and sniffed. The scent of rotting meat was closer now, and she thought she could hear an odd hissing noise.

She consciously dimmed the glow emanating from her skin and moved to peer around Eserren. There was a faint glow in one corner of the chamber ahead, something blue in colour. There was a vague shape nearby, something which could only be a dragon. It was so dark it was nearly invisible in the gloom.

Marci gasped and shifted into a combat stance as a huge red eye winked at her. Eserren held out an arm to stop her, and Marci realised that the eye was too large, and was in the wrong place.

'Chaos dragon.' Eserren whispered into her ear. 'No sudden movements.'

On the other side of the chamber, there was a wider passageway with grew lighter towards the end. That was where the breeze was coming from.

Numerous bones lay discarded and broken around the dragon's nest. Carcasses sat rotting in the corners, and Marci could see the remains of humanoids scattered here and there. In the corner from which the blue light emanated from was a ravaged body, clad in what had been silvery dragon scale armour.

Eserren moved Marci back. 'A young adult,' she whispered to the group as they gathered. 'Asleep at the moment. The exit is on the other side of the chamber.'

'Can we sneak past?' Fymryn hissed.

Davion shook his head. 'The warbler will wake it up if we try. And if we silence it, the dragon will sense me and awaken. No. If we're leaving this place, we'll have to fight it.'

'I can't fight like this.' Mirana argued.

Eserren lifted her bardiche. 'Caewyn, leave the warbler here and guide Mirana to the exit. Marci, take this.' She handed Marci her bardiche. 'Get as close as you can without waking it. If it moves, go for the head as hard as you can.'

Marci took the weapon and nodded.

Caewyn seemed to know what she had in mind. Carefully, she helped Mirana into the chamber as Marci crept towards the chaos dragon. Eserren's bardiche would have been unwieldy for most, but she could manage. Sagan would be quiet if ordered to be, but the horse was another matter.

She knew what Eserren intended. As soon as Mirana was clear, Marci would bring down the bardiche. If she failed to kill it, the dragon would at least be badly hurt.

Caewyn had managed to get Mirana halfway across the chamber when Marci dared to move just an inch closer. The dragon's hot, rank breath wafted across her face.

The tip of Marci's boot nudged the bone of a long dead oglodi. It barely made a sound, but the dragon's snores ceased immediately.

On either side of the narrow snout, two red eyes snapped open.

Marci had exceptional reactions, but they were slow compared to the speed at which the chaos dragon moved. It did not leap to its feet and pounce, it practically exploded into action.

With a hoarse roar, it launched itself at Marci, all four wings beating at the air, the evil eyes glowing upon the jet black leathery membranes blinking in the darkness.

Marci did the only thing she could. On instinct, she threw herself down and the dragon sailed over her head. It spun on the spot, claws scrabbling at the stone, and roared before throwing itself at her again.

Though they were the smallest of dragons, chaos dragons made up for their lack of size with speed and sheer ferocity, as well as their ability to phase in and out of reality.

As Marci swung the bardiche, the dragon vanished in a haze of black smoke. It appeared behind her, its tail smacking her to the ground. The bardiche clattered across the floor.

Eserren scooped it up and swiped at the dragon. Davion seized Marci and pulled her away. The horse tried to bolt, but the chaos dragon, sensing weakness, flung itself at the horse and seized it. Blood sprayed and the horse's screams were cut short by the frenzied tearing of the dragon's serrated claws.

Caewyn swore and loosed a bolt, holding her crossbow with one hand. The bolt struck the dragon in the flank and it spun towards her and Mirana. It opened its jaws at it did, flinging the mauled horse at them.

Caewyn had no choice but to drag Mirana to the ground. Bones snapped and flesh tore as the horse flopped off the wall. Mirana screamed as she and Caewyn dropped, her broken leg dragging on the ground.

The dragon rushed at Caewyn.

Eserren did not hesitate. Using the power of the sky dragon scales in her armour, she launched herself into the dragon's path, bringing her weapon round.

She was a second too slow. The dragon's jaws closed around her instead of Caewyn.

'NO!' Caewyn screamed. There was no time to reload her crossbow. She drew her baselard and charged.

Fymryn was faster. Erupting from the shadows cloaking her, she leapt onto the dragon's sinuous neck and stabbed madly at its scales and hide. The chaos dragon snarled, dropped Eserren and spun on the spot, trying to throw Fymryn off. Sagan snapped at its legs, forced to back off by the mad revolutions, at risk of being swiped by the tail.

Caewyn and Marci rushed to drag Eserren away, blood seeping from rents in her armour. Davion swiped at the dragon as it rampaged madly, heedlessly throwing itself at the walls. Fymryn was forced to jump off as it launched itself onto its side, rolling over in an attempt to crush her.

With another roar, it phased and appeared behind her and Davion. Fymryn seized Davion and yanked him aside just in time. One of the dragon's claws sliced her shoulder, but the wound was shallow.

Davion ran out from under her arm and stabbed his sword into one of the weakest parts of the dragon's hide: the armpit under one of the wings.

Roaring, the dragon spun again, tearing his sword from his hands and swiping at him with its claws. Blood sprayed and Davion staggered back, three furrows torn across his torso.

With light flaring in her eyes, Marci launched herself at the dragon. Scales cracked and the dragon staggered. It gathered itself and flew, hovering over her briefly, before swooping down upon her with its jaws open and its claws slashing.

Marci dived forwards, narrowly missing the tail. The dragon snarled and laid its eyes on Eserren. She was standing again, but the dragon could sense her pain and smell her blood.

Something hit it in the eye and it howled. From where she lay, Mirana had hurled a stone at it.

The dragon vanished in a haze of darkness, then snapped into reality in front of her.

Mirana just had time to grab the warhammer and swing it, driving the pick on the reverse into the dragon's jaw.

That only annoyed it.

Eserren charged forwards, as did Marci and Sagan. Desperate, Fymryn flung one of her knives at it, but she lacked Marci's skill and it bounced off harmlessly.

A flick of the spiked tail threw Sagan back. Marci tried to jump onto its back, but it beat its wings and sent her tumbling. Its tail whipped towards her, slicing her shin.

With a fierce cry, Eserren buried the head of her bardiche into the dragon's neck. Caewyn ducked under it and drove her baselard in underneath it.

Mirana reached back and felt something hard. Something sliced her finger. Whatever it was, it would do.

Mirana grabbed the object and pushed off her elbow and her uninjured leg.

Still howling and trying to tear itself free, the dragon turned its head towards her at just the right moment.

The glowing blade entered the soft skin under its jaw and sliced into the carotid artery. Knowing that she had scored a fatal blow, Mirana fought against the pain in her leg and wrenched the blade around before ripping it free. She fell onto her back, dropping the silver bracer and its glowing blade. Blood cascaded from the dragon's neck, soaking into her clothes.

The dragon gurgled and staggered as if drunk. Small, strong hands seized Mirana's shoulders and yanked her backwards before the dragon could collapse on her.

Even when it was dying, the dragon moved violently and erratically, thrashing as it twitched, clawing at the air and snapping its jaws, as if trying to avenge itself before it died.

With blood pooling around it, the dragon twitched twice more, then finally collapsed and lay still.

Eserren and Davion both clutched at their chests, blood running from their wounds. Marci and Fymryn were both bruised. Sagan had a long gash in his flank, the blood staining his fur. He grunted and twisted his head to wash the wound with his tongue.

'Mum?' Caewyn reached out and tentatively touched Eserren's cuirass. 'How bad is it?'

'I'm fine.' Eserren stated. Her armour had prevented the teeth from digging in too deeply, and it was still intact enough to function. 'See to the others.'

Marci leaned over Mirana, her eyes wide and full of concern. Mirana could feel tears on her face, shed out of pain. The cut on her leg had not reopened, but her leg was in agony. Her blood-soaked clothing clung to her skin.

Mirana reached up and clasped Marci's arm. 'I'll live, Marci. Help Davion and Sagan. Go on.'

Eserren's cuirass clattered to the ground. The dragon's teeth had pierced her gambeson and scored her flesh. As Caewyn lifted Eserren's tunic to examine her wounds, Mirana noticed that she had a great many scars, just like Davion. Davion would have some new scars now too.

'I seem to bring horses bad luck.' Fymryn muttered darkly.

'It's unusual not to suffer losses when fighting a chaos dragon.' Eserren remarked, pulling her cuirass back on. Caewyn helped her with the straps. When she was done, Eserren strode over to the body of the fallen Dragon Knight and crouched before it. 'Ionic dragon scales. Ah. Muldrin. Brave fool.'

'He never told anybody where he was going.' Caewyn recalled, picking up her crossbow. 'He must have stumbled upon this dragon by himself.'

Marci reached down and helped Mirana up. Davion's wounds were thankfully less dire than they appeared to be. 'I can't say that I'd want to be a dragon hunter.' Mirana murmured. 'But this makes me appreciate the work you Dragon Knights do.'

Eserren strode over to her and held out a silver object, the fallen Dragon Knight's bracer and shard. 'Here. You earned it.'

'Are you sure?' Mirana checked. 'I'm no Dragon Knight.'

'No, but you did avenge one.' Eserren stated, a hint of admiration in her voice. 'And it I think it might serve you well. Hold out your arm.'

Mirana did as she was asked. Eserren fiddled with something underneath the bracer, and then strapped it onto her right forearm. 'There. Consider it a reminder, Princess.'

Mirana peered down at the silvery bracer. Though she could not draw power from it alone, the blade inside would be handy. She also appreciated Eserren's gratitude. 'Thank you.'

They recovered what they could from the saddlebags of the dead horse, taking only what they needed. Marci helped Mirana up onto Sagan's saddle once again. Apart from the loss of the horse, it looked like they had been extraordinarily lucky, suffering only minor hurts against one of the most dangerous kinds of dragon.

Marci was making her skin glow again. Mirana couldn't help but marvel at the effect. It made her look unreal, suffusing her with an unearthly beauty.

Davion groaned, one hand pressed against his forehead. 'Caewyn? Is the warbler still working?'

Caewyn hurried over to where the warbler lay. She picked it up and shook it. 'Oh no! No, no, no!' She shook it even harder, but it remained dim and silent. 'It's silent! I can't get it to work!'

Nobody needed to ask what Davion could hear in his head. With the warbler now silent, there was nothing to keep Vylgranox from following them.

They all exchanged worried, resigned glances. If Vylgranox was close, he would find them sooner rather than later. They would either have to find some way to avoid him or else face him.

Killing a chaos dragon was one thing, fighting an Eldwurm was another. To this day, only one Dragon Knight had encountered an Eldwurm in person and survived: Kaden. Nobody had ever managed to kill an Eldwurm, and though he was an outcast amongst his own kin, nobody could deny the power of Vylgranox—the other Eldwurms feared him for good reason.

Davion sighed and picked up his greatsword. 'It's me he wants.'

Marci sighed and rolled her eyes. She walked straight up to him and bumped his arm with her fist, glaring at him. Don't even think about it.

'Davion, I thought we'd made it clear that we're not abandoning you.' Mirana told him.

'He's an Eldwurm.' Davion argued.

'Until we defeat Terrorblade, you need to stay alive.' Eserren reminded him. 'You know why he merged with you now. If you die, Terrorblade will claim his soul.'

'Maybe we can reason with Vylgranox.' Fymryn suggested hopefully.

Davion was silent for a moment. 'I doubt it. But we could try. If they could fight each other, it would make things easier for us. But I don't want any of you to die for me.'

Marci sighed again and bumped his arm. She raised her hand, lifted a finger and moved it back and forth between them. She had never been one to callously abandon those in need, and she had grown too attached to Davion to cast his life aside. As with Mirana, she would sooner sacrifice herself than allow him to die.

'Eldwurms can be defeated.' Eserren said bluntly. 'Maybe none have been slain in recorded history, but they can be stopped.'

'It's true.' Caewyn added. 'Slyrak himself was once defeated by the armies of the Helio Imperium. And Vahdrak has been felled many times.'

Davion glanced at Fymryn, who nodded slowly. 'I'm no dragon hunter. But you are a friend to me, Davion.' She smiled slyly. 'I'd still like a chance to make you a part of my pod.'

Marci scowled. She lifted one hand and made a show of pushing it down with the other. Hands off!

'You're welcome too, Marci.'

Marci shook her head and made the hands off gesture again.

Fymryn looked away and rolled her eyes. 'Suit yourself.'


Vylgranox circled the quarry, listening intently to the Thunder. He knew that his prey was somewhere below, cowering in the tunnels.

The frenzied song of the chaos dragon had ceased, as had the ululating din of the Dragon Knight device they called a warbler.

Instead, he could now clearly hear the jarring, wrong note which was the abomination.

There were very few dragons in the area beyond the Yawning Maw, not enough to confuse the Thunder.

Vylgranox alighted at the edge of the quarry. All he had to do was wait, wait for Davion to leave the tunnels, and he would find him and kill him. He would restore Slyrak's soul to the Thunder and there would be another Eldwurm of Fire. If the abomination had Uldorak's soul too, and Vylgranox suspected that he did, that too would be dealt with. Order would be restored to the world and he could return to his slumber.

The hunt was drawing to a close at long last.


Terrorblade saw Vylgranox taking flight from the road. He had no fear of being discovered, since he and his un-dead cohorts simply killed anything they encountered. That was assuming that the Direstone did not claim them first.

Its influence was spreading, and his army was growing.

He might have failed to claim Slyrak's soul in Trestaine, but soon he would have the means to claim that and the souls of the other Eldwurms too.

No matter who survived the confrontation with Vylgranox, Terrorblade would ultimately claim his prize. Davion and his allies were capable, though they were no match for the Arbiter and Outcast, Eldwurm Unrecognised.

Terrorblade felt a smile on the face of his unimportant vessel. Even if Vylgranox suffered only minor injuries, it would serve Terrorblade's cause. He and his army would do the rest and he would have no need of Davion's corpse or the wurm-forged handmaiden.

No matter what happened next, he would have what he wanted.


The visions were becoming dimmer, more vague.

This troubled Purist Thunderwrath, for the Omniscience was supposed to see and know all, even that which lay beyond the sight of all others.

Though Purist still had absolute faith in his master, the growing darkness concerned him greatly. For something to affect the sight of the Omniscience, it must have been possessed of terrible power.

Though his enemy lay ahead, he was being directed to avoid a confrontation. A glorious end in battle would have pleased Purist, but he did not question the will of Omniscience. He knew why he was being ordered to go elsewhere.

He could not overcome his enemy yet, not alone. The Omniscience needed him to find allies.

He still did not understand why the sight of the Omniscience was dimming, and worryingly, nor did the Omniscience. His foe was powerful, but not that powerful.

Perhaps answers would come, perhaps they would not. It did not matter. Purist lived to serve the Omniscience, that was all.

He clucked his horse into a canter, setting off in the direction of the Yawning Maw. He would not be entering that grim place. He was needed elsewhere.

There was someone he had to meet. The Omniscience had need of her.


The tolling of bells was growing louder in his head with every step they took. Though it was a relief to step into the open air once again, Davion could hear the bells more keenly than ever before.

Vylgranox was closing in, and now there was nothing to stop him from finding them.

A warm hand brushed against his.

Davion looked round at Marci, the glow receding from her pale skin. 'You're not going to run out of surprises any time soon, are you Songbird?'

Marci half-smiled and shrugged.

Davion sighed, turning serious once more. 'He's going to find us now.' He would have loved to just talk to Marci about anything else, but there seemed to be little point. As capable as they all were, what chance did they have against an Eldwurm?

Marci clasped his hand, her pale brown eyes full of resolve. When Vylgranox came for them, she would stand at Davion's side and fight to the last. He had not wanted to ask that of her, yet she would have it no other way.

'Look on the bright side.' Caewyn suggested brightly. 'However it goes, it'll be worthy of song! Think about it: we'll be amongst the first in all of recorded history to make a stand against the mythical and powerful Vylgranox.'

'At the very least, we will die with honour.' Eserren added.

'Are you always so cheerful, Lady Eserren?' Fymryn inquired. 'You're formidable. Maybe you will be the one to kill him.'

'I doubt it.' Eserren half-turned her head, and Davion was surprised to see a small smile on her scarred face. 'If I was a gambler, I'd put my money on Marci.'

Caewyn unfolded a map as they walked, examining the walls of the ravine they had found themselves in. 'Beyond this ravine is a path which leads up into the Magadur Hills, past Charatel Lake. The Hills aren't especially safe, but there is some cover up there.'

'That won't stop Vylgranox.' Mirana murmured. 'Marci, help me. I need to sit properly.'

Marci frowned and indicated Mirana's injured leg.

'I know. It will hurt. But when Vylgranox appears, I will not be a burden. I will fight him. I need to be able to ride at speed. Now please, give me a hand.'

Marci sighed as Mirana placed a strip of leather between her own teeth. Her yells were strained as Marci helped her to sit astride Sagan. Though it would cause her pain, she would be able to ride at speed, and probably shoot more accurately.

'Before we go on,' Davion waved Eserren and Caewyn over. 'I know that I've said it before, but I will say it again. None of you need to stand with me. Yet you have, despite what I am, and I am grateful. I don't want any of you to die for me.'

'Then let's not die.' Fymryn surprised them when she stepped forwards, her pale hands clenched into fists and her lively eyes narrowed and determined, her narrow face drawn and grim. 'You all keep saying how powerful this Eldwurm is. You keep saying that nobody has defeated him.' But just because nobody had ever done something before, that does not mean that it can't be done.' She placed one hand on Marci's shoulder, the other on Davion's arm. 'We have two great Dragon Knights with us, one of them carrying an Eldwurm's soul. We have a wurm-forged who can shatter dragon scales. We have the Princess of the Moon and Caewyn is an amazing shot. And I have magic of my own. We could win this. We really could! So let's be the first. If we work together, we can beat him.'

They all stared at her, weighing her words. The strange thing was that despite the odds, she was right. All of them were capable in their own ways, and if they used their skills, they might win.

Their chances were still horribly slim, and they were unlikely to emerge from the fight unscathed. But they could perhaps defeat Vylgranox.

'You have courage, Fymryn.' Mirana smiled at the elf. 'Why so determined? I seem to remember that you couldn't wait to be rid of us not so long ago.'

Fymryn chuckled, reached out and took her hand. 'It feels like a long time since then, Princess Mirana. You're right. I wanted to be done with you and return home. But what can I say? For a priestess of Selemene, you aren't so bad. None of you are terrible people.

In fact, I like all of you. And I do still want to return home to Coedwig and be with my pod again. And I want you to return home too, Princess, you and Marci. I want Davion to find a cure and a home too, maybe the same one as Marci. They make a nice couple. I'd like you and Caewyn to stay alive too, Eserren, because I feel a lot safer knowing that there are dragon hunters like you out there, keeping us safe. I want you all to live, no matter who you are and who you serve.' Fymryn sighed. 'You're my friends. That's why.'

Mirana looked down at her, her smile widening. 'Your pod is lucky to count you amongst them, Fymryn. I didn't like you either at first, and I shouldn't now. But I do. It can't be helped. And right now I would have it no other way.'

'My father always said that we find out true friends in adversity.' Eserren agreed. 'It seems that he was right.'

'Caewyn, can you show me the map?' Mirana leaned over and peered down. 'If we're going to fight Vylgranox, we'll need a plan. And I have an idea.'


For the record, I'm not planning on giving Marci the full repertoire of AU radiant/luminous dragon powers. In this AU, they are effectively living laser cannons. Since I believe that there is such a thing as "overpowered", and since wurm-forged gain a fraction of a dragon's power, I can't foresee Marci shooting laser beams at people, though it is fun to imagine.

On that note, I took a fair bit of inspiration for the chaos dragon's attack strategies from an old rival of mine: Nergigante.

Before I get asked why none of the group decided to become a chaos dragon wurm-forged, here are the answers: nobody actually knows how to do it now. There's more to it than just killing a dragon and imbibing its blood. Second, chaos wurm-forged tend to go insane. They're the main reason why the early Dragon Knights considered all wurm-forged to be dangerous.