Ferno beat his wings faster and banked to the east, opening his jaws wide. He coaxed the heat as it mounted in his stomach, as though stoking a furnace. The closer he flew to the shadow dragon, the more he anticipated the red overlord’s gratitude.
From his inadequate hiding place, the shadow dragon glanced one last time at the approaching enemy. Too late to find better shadows. Not now, not that the red had made its decision. The shadow dragon angled to face the red, beating his wings slowly as he rose, focused his strength, concentrated his energies.
Flames burst from Ferno’s mouth, a crackling ball of fire that raced to engulf the shadow dragon. Translucent black scales sizzled and popped, the heat and flames threatening to overwhelm the shadow dragon.
The shadow dragon beat his wings harder, faster, taking him above the flames and the furnace-hot air. The red dragon stretched out his claws and drove them deep into the blackness of the shadow dragon’s chest, sending a shower of scales into the air.
The shadow dragon howled, inhaled deeply, and let loose with his own breath weapon, a cloud of darkness that expanded to envelop the red. Dark as ink, the cloud folded in upon itself, coating the red and sapping its strength.
“How dare you!” Ferno hissed. The red dragon flailed, flapping to keep aloft, and struck out again with its claws. “Malystryx will reward me well for slaying you!”
But the shadow dragon had slipped above its grasp, hovering now over the red and the blackness. His adversary was temporarily blinded. He listened to the red’s taunts, watching and waiting. Then he breathed a second cloud of darkness, even as the first was dissipating, and then dove into the blackness that surrounded the red, his own talons outstretched. His eyes pierced the darkness as easily as others saw in light. His talons sliced at the red’s wings, ripping through them and filling the air with hot dragon blood.
“For this affront you will die painfully!” Ferno bellowed. Although virtually sightless, the red dragon was hardly powerless. He twisted his head back over his shoulder, and his furnace breath rushed out to set the air on fire.
Translucent black scales melted under the intense heat, and wave after wave of hot pain pulsed through the shadow dragon’s body. Another blast of fire surrounded him. The shadow dragon only dug his claws deeper into the red’s back, bringing his suffering head down closer to the red’s neck. Smoky quartz teeth sunk in, parting red scales and discovering the flesh beneath. The shadow dragon clamped his teeth down, dug his claws into the red’s sides, then released his prey, pushing off his back and flying away to escape the heat and pain.
The red cursed and flapped his wings madly. At last he broke free from the cloud of blackness that had continued to sap his strength. “Malystryx!” he cried. “Hear me, Malystryx!” Still blind, he fought to focus his other senses.
The shadow dragon glided above him, silent, scentless, regaining his strength and absorbing the strength lost by the red. He followed the red, noting that its wounds were not fatal.
“Curse you, blackness!” the red bellowed. “Where are you? Fight me!”
Above, still silent, the shadow dragon opened his maw, summoned the last of his energy, and released yet another cloud of blackness.
“Malystryx!” Once more Ferno felt engulfed by blackness. It was like a cool, wet blanket. It smothered his flames, sapping his energy and his willpower. “Malystryx!”
“Your overlord is too far away to save you.” The shadow dragon spoke at last, his voice raspy. He was weak, burned horribly, and no doubt permanently scarred. He considered fleeing while the red was still dazed. In the shadows he might heal. The red would let him go now, he was certain.
“I need no one to save me!” the red retorted. Ferno had listened closely to the shadow dragon’s words and could pinpoint where his opponent was. The red inhaled deeply, twisted his head, and breathed another blast of fire.
The shadow dragon had dove just as the red’s jaws opened. He twisted onto the red’s back even as the crackling flames passed over his head. Scalded, he fought to master the moment and keep his hold on the red. His claws dug in, as his jaws found the red’s neck again. Hot blood flowed over his quartz teeth and rained down on the mountains below.
Ferno’s last fire breath had sapped his waning strength. Now he could barely keep himself aloft, especially with the weight of the shadow dragon riding him. “Malystryx.” The word sounded like steam escaping, so little strength was behind it. “Malystryx, help me.” It sounded like a prayer.
Black claws dug deeper, smoky teeth tore at flesh. And the shadow dragon felt a rush of energy as he began to absorb the red’s life essence.
Malystryx watched the sky, studying Khellendros’s retreating form. The blue dragon, dismissed so she could tend to other matters, was returning to the Northern Wastes. He would inform Gale, his lieutenant, of the red overlord’s plan.
At the back of Malystryx’s mind, she heard a muted voice of some significance. “Ferno,” she said. She closed her blood red lids, slipped her senses to the back of her mind, and wrapped her thoughts around the whisperer. She willed herself to find her red lieutenant.
Dhamon Grimwulf stepped toward the defenseless Solamnic spy, raised the glaive to finish him, then felt the pressure of the red overlord lessen. She retreated just a bit further, and he was able to stay his hand.
Behind him, in the large makeshift building, Commander Jalan moved closer. “The Solamnic...” she began. “Finish him—or if you are incapable—I will be obliged to do it for you.
“Malystryx!” Ferno called in desperation.
The shadow dragon would not relent.
His strength lost, his wings unable to support his weight, Ferno plummeted down, the shadow dragon riding him while continuing the wild assault that was purging the red’s energy.
Ferno felt the warmth of his own blood on his neck and back. His claws flailed uselessly. He felt his wings tossed by the wind. Then, blessedly, he felt the shadow dragon’s claws pull away and the vicious jaws unclench. Ferno felt the dragon shove off his back and was glad to be free of the weight.
With a shock, he realized how close he must be to the ground. Still he saw only blackness. But he sensed the earth, now close below him, and he made one last strenuous effort to work his wings.
Too late. Ferno sensed Malystryx’s mind caress his. Then he felt a spear of rock thrust into his belly, impaling him on a mountaintop. Then he felt nothing.
The shadow dragon hovered on the updrafts for several heartbeats, looking at the streams of red that poured from the dead dragon. Then he descended to absorb the last of the red’s power.
“Ferno!” Malystryx’s cry echoed off the volcanoes that ringed her peak. The thunderous word rocked the plateau. As if in reply, the cones glowed red and sent gouts of sulfurous smoke into the air. Streams of lava ran down the volcanoes’ sides. Ribbons of red and orange, they glittered brightly in the morning sun.
“Ferno!” The great red overlord was enraged. Shared plans were lost. Schemes half-hatched between the two were now dashed and broken.
But more than the loss of her lieutenant, she was angered at the disrespect shown by her by the shadow dragon. The Dragon Purge had ended by her command. No more were dragons to draw power from the luckless spirits of those they defeated. Never again!
Ferno could be replaced—would be replaced—within the next few weeks. But the shadow dragon...
A rumble started deep inside her, growing until the noise filled her plateau. Fire streamed from her mouth, touching the bases of the volcanoes, and her anger deepened.