Karigan's eyes were drawn to the door's movement as it slowly swung open, revealing a play of shadows across a dear face as he held up a finger to his lips. She nodded minutely, her heart beating furiously as she ducked her head back down, pressing a light kiss to the crown of Sara's hair. The young maid shuddered as the cries of more dragons rang though the air, echoing and bouncing off the stone walls.

The creature, still engrossed, did not turn as the door opened wider. Nor when a dozen tiendan poured out from the forgotten passage and hugged the sides of the damaged room, their eyes trained outwards onto the balcony. The remaining soldiers who had lingered within the relative safety of the chamber were quickly silenced as their bodies were lowered to the floor.

Zachary did not waste a moment as he swiftly strode forward and assisted the two women to their feet, squeezing Karigan's arm briefly but his gaze did not leave the back of Mornhavon as he ushered them back towards the hidden door.

His voice, laced with amusement, carried into the room and sent a chill down Karigan's spine. "Did you think, little Rider, that I had forgotten you?"

Zachary bodily stepped in front of her and pushed her back with his free hand, the other raising his saber in a defensive pose. Mornhavon turned slowly and cocked his head at the three individuals exposed by the rays of sunshine streaming into the room. "And do you truly think, that I did not notice you brought guests into the castle, Firebrand?"

The tiendan in the shadows tensed collectively but did not move, their eyes flitting to the young Queen and King in calculation. Zachary made an urgent gesture with his hand behind his back, sending Karigan and Sara partially into the wardrobe as he chose his words carefully. "I think that it was truly me you wanted to see, surely the others need not be here."

Mornhavon bared his teeth in a gruesome smile, "Perhaps so. But to be completely honest, I had hoped for the opportunity to slit the belly of your Rider whore and to see your despair before I had dispatched you."

Karigan's hands flew up to cradle the curve of her abdomen, swallowing the cry of horror that rose in her throat. Zachary hissed and took a step forward, "You have your chance to face me now, or do you prefer to bolster your ego with targets that cannot defend themselves?"

Mornhavon inclined his head, "Very well, Firebrand, if you truly wish to be the first to fall I shall grant your wish. I believe we have a score to settle."

"As do I," a voice quietly sounded in the room, coming from one of the many tiendan who hovered nearby.

The Eletian removed his helm, revealing an immortal face with eyes that seemed almost mercurial with their swirling depths.

Mornhavon swiveled his gaze and snarled when he beheld the man's visage. "You!"

Santanara smiled and handed his helm off, carefully removing the glove from his maimed hand. "Astute. Do you require assistance to recall my name?"

"You should have perished when you attempted to utilize the Black Star," the creature gritted out, his eyes glowing a deep crimson.

"That inelegant weapon caused me some grief," Santanara said serenely, "But it hardly was enough to cause my demise. I have had ample time since your last departure to study its properties, along with assistance from an outside party."

With that, he pulled the iridescent stone from the folds of his cloak, ignoring the indignant screech from his enemy.

Mornhavon was visibly restraining himself from stalking forward to snatch his creation from the Eletian's hands and instead steadied himself with a sinister smile. "And what would you know of its properties? Is not such an instrument of destruction beyond the pale for your principles?"

"I tend to make exceptions when the situation calls for it," the Eletian king said simply, turning to Karigan and Zachary. "I would have you two leave, for this must be finished between those who began it so long ago."

Zachary stiffened, but Santanara was quick to remind him, "Your duty lies to your queen and heir, mine lies with the final demise of this man."

The Sacoridian king tensed but acknowledged the other monarch with a curt nod, turning to usher his queen down into the passage.

They had not made two steps when an invisible force knocked all to their feet, their ears ringing from the impact. Zachary quickly cradled Karigan in his arms and checked her for injury. She shook her head and opened her mouth in horror as she pointed over his shoulder to where Mornhavon had stood.

All turned to see black flames issue from the creatures hands as he cackled, the tainted tendrils quickly consuming the remains of the hanging tapestries, almost reaching the tiendan before the flames abruptly stopped.

Mornhavon's eyes bulged a moment, his face almost comically distorting in an expression of horror and annoyance. His hands clenched into fists as the stone on his finger pulsed and glowed. The crimson eyes blazoned with less fervor as they seemed to soften, the gaze falling upon Karigan with an indiscernible expression. The red dimmed to a light grey, the features of his face relaxing ever so slightly.

He addressed Santanara directly, his voice no longer the raspy drawl it had been but the clear baritone of a long lost soul. "You have little time."

Santanara gave him a slightly pitying look, "When his soul is destroyed, so will yours."

The clear eyes of Amberhill lowered for a moment but he straightened. "It needs to be done," he looked to Zachary and Karigan with a wry grin, "Be well cousins."

Santanara muttered a few words under his breath, crossing the room quickly to thrust the Black Star against Amberhill's chest. He staggered back a few steps but held himself aloft stoically as the Star began to pulse, dissipating into a stream of energy that shot into his body.

His control over his psyche began to wane, the crimson eyes of his captor flashing as the creature cried out in his final throes of death. It was over in only a few short moments.

Instinctively, Zachary covered Karigan's body with his own from the blinding wave of light that engulfed the chamber.

I could be persuaded to finish this quickly with the right motivation.