Deep within the mist-shrouded Mountains of Moon, a woman made the last wind-whipped steps to a massive cave mouth leading deep into the mountain. Her attire exposed much of her body - hardly the garb for such a journey, but she was unfazed by the chilling air and wind. She entered the cave with naught but the echoes of the earth around her as her companion. The tunnels ran long and were pitch dark, but the woman navigated them without any torch. A light could be seen at the end of the tunnel, and through that opening was a colossal room within the mountain itself. A gentle breeze was coming from the holes in the cavern ceiling, which allowed the light from the outside to filter in. This light reflected off the violet scales of a gigantic, serpentine creature coiled up, apparently sleeping. The woman approached without fear and called out the creature's name.

"Muunfareng!"

The scaled mass shifted and partially uncoiled to reveal the face of a creature known to humankind as Moonfang. She was enormous as a castle in her draconic form, with glimmering violet scales, black talons and ridges along her spine. Her slim countenance was crowned with a discreet pair of antlers. She acknowledged her visitor with piercing white eyes. She took a great breath, brought her head up, and covered the cavern ceiling with a blanket of brilliant silver fire, lighting hundreds of hanging braziers that had been otherwise difficult to spot. This new light revealed the eggs that Moonfang held within her coils. Moonfang spoke with a low and motherly voice that could calm the most furious of hearts, "If it isn't Qorrametz...or do you prefer Quora in that shape? I am always glad to receive a visit from you, dear friend."

Quora smiled as she watched Moonfang nuzzle her clutch of eggs. The great dragon said, "You've always busied yourself with your life in man's realms. I must ask what brings you here today."

"My life can be hectic, to be sure, and naught as peaceful as yours," replied Quora, "But we are among the last of our kind. Need I an excuse to visit with the one I've come to love as a sister?"

"A sister!" Moonfang's laughter shook the cavern, "An adorably human sentiment I'd do well to cherish. That form is not your true one, Qorrametz, but only we dragons would know that; were it not for our senses, I daresay you'd have me fooled as well."

Quora felt gratified. It had taken a monumental effort to choose a suitable human shape and blend into their society with it. She preferred a woman's body with long flowing black hair, and decades of sculpting this shape had left Quora with an unearthly beauty few could match. This human shape would be infallible if not for her eyes, a distinctly intense shade of amber that glowed faintly - a byproduct of her draconic blood.

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"Speaking of senses," said Quora, "I did note the smell of another human on my way here. Were any of the eggs harmed?"

Moonfang tilted her head, "Ah, worry not. That would be Cyrus."

"Cyrus?"

"Yes, an elderly human male. He was a scholar seeking Fafnarok's writings - apparently, my days as his consort are no secret. I quickly shooed the man away."

Quora was intrigued, "How could he have learned that? Was he looking for anything in particular?"

Moonfang waggled her head, "I know naught of the former, but he sought my lover's texts regarding the end of days. Of all of his writings, why those, I wonder?"

Quora looked to a small opening along the side of the lair, “Did you let him look?”

“Nay. You may, if you fancy it.”

Quora went through the opening and walked through a short tunnel when she sensed the tell-tale ringing of magic behind her. She looked behind her and saw Moonfang had assumed a human shape. She was taller than Quora and slightly slender in comparison. She was tying her long silver hair into a bun.

Quora stammered, “But, your eggs-“

Moonfang’s human voice was like a songbird, “They are in safe hands with both of us here.”

Quora nodded, and both women continued through the tunnel into a room that lit itself when they entered. The room was perfectly square and smooth, and wood shelves packed with scrolls lined the walls. A red carpet had been laid over the floor and beneath a reading table with four chairs. The room's centrepiece was an empty display case with a glass windowed door – which had been left open. A dark green cloth had been left on the floor near the case.

“What is this?!” Moonfang rushed to the display case and peered inside. Quora picked up the piece of cloth and sniffed it.

“It was Cyrus. His smell’s all over this cloth.” Quora stated, “Whatever was in there, he managed to take it somehow.”

“The scoundrel! Fafnarok left it to me to protect it!” Moonfang seethed, “In that case was a passage from Visions of Fafnir, the very text Cyrus had come to me for. He must have planned for if I would deny him…”

Quora put a hand on Moonfang’s shoulder and held up the cloth, “Leave Cyrus to me. With this, I’ll have little trouble finding him. I’ll get that passage back for you.”

Moonfang’s eyes lit up, “You will? Oh, thank you…How can I repay you?”

Quora eyed the shelves of scrolls, “I know Fafnarok authored spells. One spell is all I ask.”

“Take whichever you like. I’ve little use for magic.” Moonfang returned to the tunnel, “I must tend to my eggs. Take as much time as you need.”

Quora waited until the footsteps faded away and could hear the rumblings of Moonfang coiling about her eggs once more. Quora wasted little time sifting through the shelves for Fafnarok’s spell scrolls. She opened and gave each scroll a cursory glance until he found the spell she sought. A sinister grin crawled across her face.

“I will find you, Cyrus, and you will rue the day you met me…or perhaps you won’t at all.”