Lynde heard a man scream and turned away from Trianna to the door. It sounded like Arlen, strangely enough, and she went to the door. Behind her she heard Trianna speak a spell and the lock and hinges of the door melted and fused. She turned back to the magician and saw several armed men she had not before coming out of hiding places. It didn't take her long to realize that this was a trap!

She drew her sword and contacted Artsanna. What is it? Artsanna asked, sensing the urgency about her. After seeing through Lynde's eyes Artsanna understood and said, I will be there shortly. Try to hold on until I arrive.

What can you do? Lynde asked.

I am a large, heavily armored creature that can breathe fire. I believe I can be of assistance. Lynde scolded herself for forgetting one of Artsanna's most visible strengths.

As Lynde took stock of her opponents she decided to try and buy some time by talking to them. She hoped that it would work. "Why are you doing this, Trianna?" she asked.

"I wouldn't know," Trianna replied. "I was told to do it by Nasuada and I don't intend to disobey her."

"I didn't think she would trust you," Lynde said. "You tried to take her throne." Trianna looked at her as if she were surprised. "Prisoners talk and you've got a history that a lot of people want to warn about. We all thought you'd try and take over the Empire once you got out."

"Perhaps I still intend to," she replied. "But I was recaptured after my escape and 'convinced' by Nasuada to go on this mission. Perhaps I'll work my way back up and become strong enough to successfully take Nasuada's throne from her."

Lynde shook her head. "You're making a mistake," she said. "I can be a valuable ally."

"No, I don't think you would," Trianna replied. "It is necessary that you die here so that I can roam free. I would not want to disappoint the Queen, even if she has imprisoned my people. But this has been quite enough talk, so let us end this! Attack!"

The warriors charged her, and she swung her sword at the first one that came close. He blocked with his wooden shield and lunged with his sword. She managed to jump out of the way in time and kicked him in the shin. Her foot met hardened leather and she hopped back in pain. This wouldn't be easy.

As the warrior lunged again she parried and swung her sword at the man's head in a single motion. He blocked with his shield just in time, but she used the opportunity to kick him in the stomach. As he went reeling she pursued, swinging her sword so hard this time that he lost his grip on his shield. She then ran him through and as she pulled her sword back out she realized what was going on.

The warriors seemed to be circling her, getting into positions where they could all attack at once and overwhelm her. Obviously the man they'd sent against her hadn't been meant to die or if he had then it was a poor plan. In the background she could hear Trianna chanting in the Ancient Language some spell that she did not know but it worried her all the same. Turning her attention back to the circle it was almost complete. She had to break it in order to survive.

She ran towards the man nearest Trianna—as she intended to interrupt her after escaping the circle—and swung her swung her sword in a downward arc towards him. He raised his shield, but Lynde felt her hands move slightly without her consent. In an instant she was aware that Artsanna was watching and helping her hit a target—a crack in the shield from when it might have been broken sometime before. Soon enough she knew why.

When Lynde's sword met the crack it split the shield in two. The metal reinforcement bent and the wood shattered. Both she and the man holding the shield were stunned, but she recovered faster and slashed him in the neck. She then ran, free of the circle, towards Trianna.

Just as she was about to strike, a strange light appeared and Trianna's chant ended. With the spell complete she spoke another spell that sent Lynde flying backwards. She slammed into the hard stone floor, but she managed to get up in a timely fashion.

Looking back to Trianna the light in front of her continued to puzzle Lynde. It changed color at random and there seemed to be whispers coming from the light. She could only guess that it was a Spirit, but she had no way of knowing if it was one. She decided to keep her distance from it, but that wouldn't work for long if Trianna was using it to power her magic.

Just as Lynde was about to despair, she saw a hopeful sight through the large windows; Artsanna was barreling towards them with great speed and urgency. As she came to the windows she tucked her legs and wings in, barely passing through without touching the sides. Once through she opened her wings, slowing her down considerably and blowing a huge wind up. Lynde ducked—as did Trianna—as Artsanna passed overhead, barely missing the support columns, and landed behind her with a crash as the tip of her tail hit one of the warriors, sending him into the wall. Artsanna had arrived.

Behind her the door—which had been fused shut—burst open with a large explosion and Arlen, Rose, and Lynde's father came through ready for battle. Arlen was wielding his sword with his left hand for some reason that Lynde decided was unimportant for now. Rose had her longbow draw and Lynde's father had his staff ready to hit someone across the head with. Lynde turned to Trianna, smiling smugly, and said, "You can't fight all of us."

Trianna frowned and said, "Yes I can." She cast a spell that wrapped around Artsanna and immobilized her. She then reached out with her mind and attacked Lynde. She tried to fight back, but Trianna was too powerful, forcing her to retreat into the very depths of her mind.

Lynde was not the only one in trouble though. She could vaguely sense Arlen being attacked as well—through her bond with Artsanna—but by the remaining warriors, not with magic or the mind. Lynde's father also had trouble with the men, but both seemed like they could survive at the very least.

Rose, recognizing the true threat, fired an arrow at Trianna. The arrow was blocked by Trianna's wards, but then Rose drew another arrow—the metal, blue feathered one she used to kill Raud. Rose fired it, but instead of hitting Trianna it hit the Spirit, causing a massive explosion of light. Afterwards the arrow could not be seen, nor the Spirit. Was it possible that Rose killed something so ethereal with an arrow like that?

Trianna was distracted for a moment, allowing Lynde to attack with her mind. Trianna recovered faster than she could have anticipated, restoring her mental defenses and casting a spell. Lynde was thrown across the room to her allies, who were having poor luck against the warriors. They were holding on, but they needed help. Lynde tried getting up but her muscles wouldn't let her, too sore with being tossed like that to do any more than sit up. She was helpless.

Meanwhile, Rose and Trianna dueled. Rose brought down one of the columns—which had been weakened by the death of the Spirit and the resulting explosion—onto Trianna. Trianna, however, stopped it in midair and threw it at Rose. Rose then shattered it into pieces and fell to the ground, exhausted to the point of unconsciousness. Trianna had won this bout.

Lynde wondered how she had the energy to do such things, and suddenly she was given the answer. Artsanna showed her a necklace with a gem in it, as well as her thoughts on how it was being used. It was holding some of the Spirit's energy, which Trianna had transferred into it when the Spirit was still around. It made sense, but it meant that they were in big trouble.

The situation seemed hopeless. Arlen and her father were losing their fight, Rose was unconscious, and Artsanna was trapped. Lynde of course was too sore to get up, but also saw this as too much. They were going to lose this fight, despite defeating the Shades before without Artsanna, and they would die.

Without warning, a great anger built up inside Artsanna. This anger was at Trianna and of her own uselessness in the battle with the Shade, and was so powerful that it began to manifest itself as magic—Dragon magic. Without warning Artsanna shouted a single phrase that was meant for all to hear for as far as they could hear it. It channeled her feelings of uselessness and anger into one solitary spell that took effect almost immediately. I SHALL NOT BE CAGED!

Lynde was shocked that Artsanna's magic worked and the spell keeping her down shattered. Trianna, pale and weak, tried to reform the spell, but it was far too late for her. Artsanna pounced on her and grabbed onto her with her teeth. She picked her threw her into the wall, killing her instantly if the bite hadn't done it. She then breathed silvery fire at Trianna's—most likely—corpse, incarnating the remains. Artsanna then declared to all present, Such is the fate of all who cross Artsanna and Lynde!

The warriors suddenly lost their stomach for battle and ran. Lynde almost would have laughed had it not been for her surroundings.

All around her were the dead and injured. Her friends were hurt and tired, except for Artsanna, and she was just like them. She tried standing up but she could barely do it. Her father went to her and supported her, ignoring the gash on his forehead. She turned to him and said like a little girl, "Take me home, Dad. Take me home."

He looked at her with tenderness in his eyes as he said, "We will, Lynde, we will."