The door proved to be only a brief obstacle for Azara and her friends, and she blasted it away rather than trying to solve the puzzle required to open it. After this, they moved down a maze of various hallways. The dead ends were constant, but Azara was adamant that everyone stay together rather than split up and search. They had yet to run into any more undead creatures like the ones they had seen the night before, and it was an inevitability in Azara's mind that they would.

Some hours passed by as they explored the place, and they soon found themselves going around and around to the same spot. Azara had had enough at this point.

"Are you sure that this place was where the artifact was?" she asked Valerius, who had been the one that encouraged them to continue down this path - of the two that were at the surface.

"Yes, I am sure," Valerius replied. "Perhaps we went the wrong direction, and the right way was through the other door in the atrium. The silver knights only came this way because Konrad was told to go through the tomb on the right by lord Orstread."

"But ar you sure?" Azara asked, unconvinced. She picked up a skull lying in a spot carved out of the wall, it had many other bones beside it, and one fell to the ground as she did this. "-these guys are just packed in here. It isn't exactly the grave of a king."

Valerius shook his head. "It is. Kings back then were not as rich as those now, and they were buried alongside their warriors. For King Dreifregis, that could have been many more than those closes to him. Likely, long after he died, others who did honor to Ursulam or died in valor wished to be buried here as well."

"Maybe that is why it was abandoned and forgotten about." Kasper speculated, looking over the dark walls, and brushing one with his finger. A great deal of dust had settled over time. "I mean, maybe it got filled up."

"Yes, possibly, but that just makes finding this artifact harder," Azara replied, before looking around and contemplating what they knew versus what they had encountered. She stopped in place after a moment, and a look of triumph appeared on her face as she examined the floor.

"What is it?" Irinia asked, eager.

Azara knelt to the floor, and let the light she held in her hand glow even brighter, illuminating the area a bit more.

"It is beneath us."

There were little runes written everywhere on the floor. A large stone circle had been carved out of the cave floor, with its edges almost fit perfectly into the stone around it, rendering them unperceivable in the dust.

"Can any of you read these?"

Valerius and Irinia knelt, and began looking over the inscription. Valerius nodded. "It is an old form of Ursulan. Stars above, I never imagined I would be so grateful to my history tutor for being so strict about learning old languages. He said it was important for reading old texts. I cannot say he was wrong anymore."

"What does it say?" Irinia asked, leaning in beside him as if somehow that would allow her to read the words herself.

"It appears to be a sort of riddle, I think. It says 'Breath as the dragon, the breath of life. Breath as the king, his body set alight. Breath stone, be seen, ye seeker.' but then there is this other part, down here, that is strange. It says 'Breath as dragon, the breath oblivion. Breathe as Agarath, his breath gone. Breath upon stone, be lost, ye...faker? Deceiver? I can’t tell. 'Oblivion' may also be the void, an abyss, or a volcano, I'm not sure."

"That is enough," Azara said, as her mind understood the riddle. The old dragonslayers had known about her kind's ability to change their appearance - the magical ability of shying or shape-shifting. It seemed like a riddle to Valerius, but it was actually a warning. The runes and this downward door were meant to deter any of her kind from desecrating the tomb.

This worried her, a lot. There wasn't a way for her to get around this, and she would have to be careful about how she presented her next few words, and how she explained what they needed to do.

"Irinia, I'm going to need you to create fire and cast it upon the stone."

"What? Why can't you do it?"

"It’s because...it’s because I'm consecrated to fire, let's say," she explained, giving Irinia a knowing look. "What the inscription is saying is that I can't unlock it with my fire because I am like the dragons, consecrated to fire. Do you understand what I am saying? Only someone who can create fire outside of having a consecration seal of fire can do this, since it was designed to keep dragons out? You also probably can't do it with your hands, you have to do it from your mouth - you know, as I showed you the first time. That should meet the requirements."

"How do you know all this?" Irinia queried, confused now about how much information Azara had extracted from the stone.

"Well, it has to do with Dreifregis legend, and that of his son. They were said to breathe fire like the dragons to spite them. So I'm supposing they want the feat replicated to gain entrance to his tomb."

The Veyorn woman thought about this for a little while, before finally nodding.

"Alright, I'll try. Everybody, get back, I've not even managed that much with my hands, much less my mouth. I'm going to burn myself, I know it." she said, putting her hands out to motion for everyone to stay away from her.

"I think you can," Azara assured as the rest of their companions stood aside, and Azara positioned herself behind Irinia. On one hand, Azara was sure of her apprentice's abilities and knew that it would be difficult for Irinia to hurt herself with this task. On the other hand, she had seen what could go wrong when a prodigy failed to use fire magic correctly and lost control. "Just stay calm, and breathe. Take your time, there is no rush."

With slow and deep breaths Irinia began to meditate upon her task. First was welling up the magical energy, then concentrating it. From her lungs, or her lips? Where was she supposed to focus? As if knowing that she was struggling with this, Azara spoke from behind her.

"Focus on your stomach, not anywhere else. Pretend the energy is there and welling up into your chest and out your mouth," she instructed, before going silent again.

This was confusing since Irinia had always thought of the source of breath as the chest, but she tried it as instructed. to her surprise, it worked, and she could feel presence building within her much more readily. After a few deep breaths, she summoned up as much courage as she could, and attempt to expend it all in one. As she did so, the presence petered out, and no conflagrations came from her lips.

Azara was quick t offer more advice.

"Don't think normally now. Don't try chaining your magic with the words or ideas I taught you, because right now you need everything you have. So instead, think about whatever visions that paladin's sword gave you. Now think of fire burning in those visions, the things in them, the people in them. The flames licking away all in their way, buildings, tools, animals, hair, flesh, anything. Then think of that fire building it all again. Embrace that cycle, feel it in your breaths. Don't let go of it for a moment."

Irinia heard the words, and followed without complaint, even though the idea of remembering the visions pained her. She closed her eyes and concentrated. The energy within her grew, and yet grew again with each cycle of inhaling and exhale. She thought through each cycle of happiness and loss it died and then roared to life again. Her mind focused on the images and ideas, and then lost herself in the, She began to see things she hadn't even wished to see, and though this broke her concentration the flow of presence within her continued.

At last, it became unbearable. In an attempt to end it she opened her eyes and all blew the air out of her lungs and down toward the floor with as much force as she could muster. At first, nothing happened, and when she was nearly out of breath, a gout of flame leaped from her mouth and blazed across the floor. As quick as it had begun, however, it ended.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

The Veyorn girl collapsed on the ground. she grasped her mouth and let out a tiny yelp at the same time. Azara immediately knelt beside her and began to look her over. "Are you ok?! Are you burnt? How bad is it?!"

She didn't move at first but then released her hand off her mouth to let Azara see. To Azara’s joy, there was almost no damage at all. She just had a slight burn on her bottom lip that was bright red.

"Good job, Irinia. You can breathe like a dragon now."

Irinia held a hand to her lip and smiled. Pride was welling up inside her, and a sense of readiness she hadn't felt for a long time. For much of her life, she'd just been swept by the winds and fires of change. She had always attributed it to the star's guidance. Now she was controlling it a bit, gaining her own ability and strength. It was a liberating feeling.

"Thank you. I don't know if I ever deserved to be taught magic at all though."

"Nonsense," Azara replied, and gave the girl a bright smile.

Beneath them, the runes upon the floor had lit up wi a dull red light, and the floor began to move downwards as it descended into a large chamber. A single large sarcophagus rested in the middle of this chamber, and around it was strewn weapons, armor, and very large bones. A bright red light shined down from a pillar behind it. The source of this light was a single stone embedded in the rock, with runes around it.

"There it is my friends," Azara said, directing an awed stare towards the gem.

"Ever watchful over the tomb of its owner it seems," Valerius added, also awed by the sight, but lacking the curious greed in his eyes that entranced Azara.

Kasper, on the other hand, had the awe fade very fast and ran forward. He jumped up onto the king's coffin to give him a start on climbing up the pillar. He grabbed on to it and shimmied his way up.

"Kasper wait!" several voices cried out at once.

It was too late though. He had already reached the top and was going for the stone. "What? We've got it, don't we?"

"It could be booby-trapped or-" Azara began, before he grabbed onto it and pulled.

Suddenly his body jerked, and he cried out as if a great pain were afflicting him. His back arched and his body started to contort, though he never the less held on to the pillar.

"Kasper!" Irinia and Valerius shouted, with Joakim looking away. Azara clenched her teeth and began to go into a panic before her sight told her the truth, and Kasper did so as well.

His contortions stopped and he grabbed onto the pillar securely again. He smiled and winked at the group.

“Fool you?” he said, his tone sarcastic. This elicited several curses and annoyed glares from everyone gathered, but Azara just shrugged.

"Oh well, I guess nobody here likes a little fun," he said, before he grabbed onto the stone and plucked it from its setting with a little wiggle. He then slid down the pillar and began walking back towards the group.

“You’re sooo funny you little thief,” Azara remarked, giving him a smirk.

"Yes, lies that make your friends worried are so much fun," Irinia, just a bit more annoyed.

"Hey, the point is we've got it!" Kasper said, gripping the stone above his head triumphantly. "A little joke to celebrate doesn't hurt now does..."

At that moment, he froze, and the stone twinkled just a little bit brighter in his hand. He stared at Azara with a dumbfounded look.

"Are you alright, Kasper?" Valerius asked.

“I - I'm rather tall if I do say so myself Azara,” Kasper said, his voice puzzled. "Why would you call me little?"

Joakim chuckled. “Still shorter than her though. Shorter than me. Your point?”

“Yes but...that’s still an odd comment.” he murmured, staring at her dumbfounded...

Azara felt her heart skip a beat. She had worried a little about this. The idea had crossed her mind. However, it had never been something she had expected. The plan had been to keep it from happening, by using the stone herself rather than letting Valerius do it. If he had demanded that Irinia use the artifact, then that would be acceptable, because Irinia already knew the secret. However, she had never counted on the stone being the variety of enchanted artifacts that required no training to use at all.

"We - we have to leave!" he said. There was panic in his voice.

"What, why?" Azara asked, stuttering a moment as she attempted to feign innocence. Perhaps he didn't see through her shapeshifting after all, maybe it was just a similar feeling. After all, what would he see, her soul?

He looked up at her. His eyes stared directly into hers. At that moment she saw suspicion, doubt, confusion, and tremendous fear. He turned his eyes to the ceiling.

"There is one right above us now! I think the dragon we are after is on the mountain, maybe even inside the atrium!"

"But wait, how do you know where-" Valerius began, however, Kasper cut him off.

"I'll tell you later! Right now there is no time!" he shouted, before running past them. "We have to get out of here."

The panicked rogue then ran over to the stone circle, and as if by command the runes glowed again and began lifting upward.

"Wait how is he-"

"It is the stone, it has to be," Irinia replied. "he can tell where the dragon is!"

"Guys get on!" Kasper yelled, the stone still rising.

Everyone scrambled to do so, and he helped pull up the stragglers, Azara and Irinia, as they went. While helping Azara up, however, he paused and looked worried. It almost looked like he was going to drop her. She gave him a confused look, and he still hesitated.

“Kasper, what are you doing?!” Valerius shouted.

Kasper looked to Azara, and she could see the question of whether or not to betray her crossing through his mind and soul. He desperately wanted to drop her, but his ideals of loyalty prevented him from doing so.

"Kasper, please!" she pleaded, quiet over the grinding noise of the stone rising back up into place. Valerius ran over to them and grabbed Azara's other hand, and helped pull her over. Kasper backed away from her and to the other side of the stone circle once she had been hoisted up.

Then, when the stone had lifted itself back into place, Kasper ran for the catacombs entrance, sprinting.

"Kasper wait, slow down!" Valerius yelled. “You’ll trip and hurt yourself!”

"There may be undead!" Azara shouted as well.

Nothing would deter the young man though, and soon they were just chasing after the light the Dragon's Eye emanated.

After running the whole distance and exiting the catacombs, a terrible scene greeted them.

At the top of the walkway in the atrium was Konrad and his knights, fighting a horde of undead coming from the tunnel entrance on the other side of the atrium. They were doing well, considering the numbers they were up against. Just by raising his holy sword Konrad caused many of the undead to run, wail in agony, or retreat from him. However, its effect upon contacting them was even more impressive, as one after another exploded in flashes of light and heat.

Those that were nearby had their bones and the tattered rags they wore set alight by arcane fire. They ran away as if in pain, igniting the other undead that they pushed past. Konrad raised his hand to one undead attacking his companion, and a beam of white light shot forth, cleaving through the creature. His fellow warrior thanked him, before continuing the fight. As more undead poured out, Konrad raised his sword to the now darkening heavens, where the stars were peeking out.

In an incredible display of power and might, beams of light shot out of the sky at his call, shooting from the few stars now out in the night sky. Azara noted which ones they emanated from. One, of course, was granted by the fourth star. Another from the second star. And the last a small twinkle that she did not recognize. They struck the undead horde with tremendous force. The ground beneath the undead ablated in a powerful explosion, which shook the entire atrium. When the attack was over all the undead on that side of the atrium were destroyed. Unfortunately, as soon as this was done, a new horde spilled out from the hole.

Azara observed all this for a second before she ran up beside him. His face that of exhaustion, and his hair was drenched in sweat, There was bloody cut near the top of his forehead. He wasn't wearing his full plate armor, and other exposed areas had also sustained wounds. He was exhausted and it was clear adrenaline coursing through his veins was all that was keeping him going now.

The fact that they had probably been fighting for some time caused Azara to realize just how deep the tomb had gone into the mountain. They hadn't heard a thing from within it.

"You may have some incredible tricks now Konrad, but you've still got some pretty stupid ideas."

"Well, what are you doing to do sunset bi-" he began to reply but was cut off as Azara unshielded her tearstone, and a powerful beam of fire and light shot out of it.

The beam was aimed at the atrium wall across from them. It arced across the rock, causing it to ablate from the heat and crack. The massive stones fell upon the undead, and soon a small piece of the wall was sliced off and fell over the entrance from which the undead were coming. This cut them off from escaping their tomb.

"You finish off the stragglers, thank me later, bye again!" Azara said, and waved as she ran after Kasper, who had slipped by the fight and run towards the main entrance.

Konrad sighed and rolled his eyes, but did not argue. He charged forward into the remaining undead, his knights following him.

Soon Azara had lost sight of Kasper in the staircase, but she pressed on, trying her best to catch up with the swift-footed thief. Eventually, she reached the top and immediately looked around to see if she could spot him.

When she did, a scene greeted her that chilled her to the bone, in a way which the snow she walked through never could.

There, he stood.

His scales glistened and glowed from deep within. The scales were the color of deep red embers, and each looked beautiful gems. He was taller than a couple of houses stacked on top of each other and had a form so powerful it put the strength of every other animal in the world to shame. His limbs were like massive trees, and his claws glinted like spear points. His outstretched wings made even the largest sails seem small.

Deep and rumbled words escaped from the dragon's mouth - accompanied by small spouts of flame.

"Hello, sister."