The commotion in the room after the appearance of the draik wraith was high, specially once the lights went out and Jing was forced to the floor. Boney but strong hands helped her to her feet, and directed her one way. “Quick! Climb!” Came Grisfam’s voice, as her hands were directed to the huge chain that was now in front of her.

Jing grabbed hold of the chain, and without thinking twice started to climb. She was scared about the draik she knew was still in the room after all. Was anyone else but her and Grisfam left behind?

Jing could feel the wraith as it inhaled, preparing to wail out it’s fury and anger. She felt a bushy tail brush against her head ahead of her. “Faster!” Called Grisfam behind her.

Jing nodded, continuing to climb as fast as she could. She remembered what Veldahar had said, and if that draik made another sound they were in trouble.

Just then the wail came out, fierce, angry, almost making them fall from the chain. But it seemed tempered by some kind of shield that protected them from the brunt.

Jing’s ears pinned back on her head and she was frozen in fear for a moment at the sound. Finally though she started to climb again, how far up were they? And how much farther up would they have to go?

They kept climbing, as they heard a large boom of a closing door, and the chilling wail of the dark draik again. It didn’t sound deadly this time, more like a cry of rage and anger.

Thick, heavy darkness wrapped around them. The climb was hard and tiring, and finally Jing bumped into Silver, who had stopped.

“We could use a light,” Silver called out.

“A fight? Where?’ Grisdam nearly lost his grip on the chain.

Jing let out a small ‘eep’ as she bumped into Silver. Blinking a couple times she looked down to where she heard Grisfam. “N…No Grisfam. Not a fight, a light. Can you make a light so we can see?”

“Oh, certainly. Let’s see, light…” Jing heard the magician fumbling in his pouches. Apparently he found what he was searching for, because he soon gave a little crow of triumph, spoke a few words, and a small puffball of bluish-yellow flame appeared, hovering near the magician’s hat.

The glowing puffball whissed up, danced around first Jing, then Silver as if to inspect them, then returned to the proud magician. Silver was enchanted. He had all sorts of questions regarding the wonderful flaming puffball, but his arms were getting shakey and the old magician was nearly done in.

Jing watched the puffball surprised, holding on tightly to the chain. Her tail was wrapped around part of it as well, but she was getting tired. “Shall we continue on? Before all our arms fall off?” She said with a tiny grin.

Silver nodded, looking up. They were at the top part of the fortress. The chain ran up over a huge wooden cogwheel mounted on an iron axle anchored in solid stone. The links of the chain fit over teeth big as tree trunks, then the chain stretched out across the wide shadt, disappearing into a tunnel to their right.

“We can climb onto that gear and crawl along the chain into the tunnel,” the jerboa said, pointing. “Can you send the light up here?”

“Light-to the wheel,” Grisfam instructed.

The light wavered in the air for a moment, then danced back and forth in a decidedly nay-saying manner.

Grisfam frowned. “Light-to the wheel!” He repeated firmly.

The puffball flame darted arond to hide behind the magician’s hat. Grisfam, making a wild grab for it, nearly fell, and flung both arms around the chain. The puffball light danced in the air behind him as if enjoying the game.

Jing watched the two, and couldn’t help but giggle. “Are you alright Grisfam?” She asked, still holding tightly to the chain.

Silver grinned faintly, and began climbing, “I guess we’ve got enough light.” He said.

“No discipline in the younger generation,” Grisfam grumbled. “His father-now there was a puffball…” THe old magician’s voice died away as he began to climb again, the puffball flame hoverng near the tip of his battered hat.

Jing continued to climb, looking at Silver “Better then everything pitch black?” She said, looking at the wheel. “How do you think we will get back to the others…?”

“Yeah…” He said as he climbed. “I was just thinking of that myself… no idea though, we don’t even know what they’re planning to do once they’re inside the fortress.”

Silver soon reached the first tooth on the wheel. Discovering the teeth were rough hewn and easy to climb, Silver crawled from one to another until he reached the top.

Jing followed Silver, once in a while looking back to make sure the old wizard was following. “Your right about that Silver… I can’t belive we got left behind… If it wasn’t for that huge chain we would be so dead…”

Grisfam, his robes hicked up around his thighs, followed them with amazing agility.

Silver sighed, “Yeah… I couldn’t see a thing down there too! Could you ask the light to shine in the tunnel?” Silver asked, glancing at Grisfam.

“Light-to the tunnel,” Grisfam ordered, his bony legs wrapped around a link in the chain. The puffball appeared to consider the command. Slowly it skittered to the edge of the tunnel, and then stopped.

“Inside the tunnel!” the magician commanded. The puffball flame refused.

“I think it’s afraid of the dark,” Grisfam said apologetically.

Jing laughed a little as she heard that. “Well atleast it is close to the tunnel right…?” She said as they continued to make their way to the tunnel.

Silver nodded, “If it’ll stay where it is, I think I can see enough to make my way across the chain. It looks like it’s only about fifteen feet or so to the tunnel.” With nothing below but several hundred feet of darkness and air, never mind the stone floor at the bottom.

“Someone should come up here and grease this thing,” Grisfam said, examining the acle critically. “That’s all you get today, shoddy workmanship.”

“If they did grease this thing Grisfam I think we would have slipped and fallen to our deaths by now.” Jing pointed out, following behind Silver. She really didn’t like heights much and hoped to get acorss as quickly as possible.

Silver nodded, crawling forward onto the chain. About halfway across the gap, the jerboa considered what it would be like to fall from this height, tumbling fown and down and down, then hitting the stone floor at the bottom. He wondered what it would feel like to splatter all over the floor…

“Get a move on!” Grisfam shouted, crawling out onto the chain after the two. Silver crawled forward quickly to the tunnel entrance where the puffball flame waited, then jumped off the chain onto the stone floor about five feet below him. The puffball flame darted in agter him.

Jing followed Silver, for once glad for her long tail which helped her keep balance easly. Jumping down after Silver she sighed and looked around a little. “Where do you think we should head to now?”

Finally Grisfam reached the tunnel entrance too. At the last moment, he fell, but Silver caught hold of his robes and dragged the old ixi to safety. They sank to the floor to rest.

Jing sighed sitting on the ground and rubbing her sore arms. She looked down the dark tunnel for a moment, nervous about what might be on the other end.

Suddenly the old ixi’s head snapped up. “My staff…” He said.

“What about it?” Silver yawned, wondering what time it was. The old ixi struggled to his feet. “Left it down below,” he mumbled, heading for the chain.

Jing blinked a couple times, watching him and quickly grabbed Grisfam “Wait! You can’t go all the way back down there!!!”

“Who says?” Asked the old ixi petulantly, his beard bristling.

Jing bit her lip a little “It could be dangerous… and after how long it took us to climb up… We need to find the others first!”

“Hmmm…” Grisfam said, sitting back down disconsolately.

“Was it magic?” Silver asked after a moment/

“I was never quite certain,” Grisfam said wistfully.

Jing was silent for a moment, looking back the way they came. She could always use her magic to get down and back up quickly, but that draik was the major danger.

“Well,” said Silver practically, “maybe after we’ve finished the adventure we can go back and get it. Now let’s try to find someplace to rest.”

He glanced around the tunnel. It was about seven feet from floor to ceiling. The huge chain ran along the top with numerous smaller chains attached, stretching across the tunnel floor into a vast dark pit beyond. Silver, staring down into it, could vaguely make out the shape of gigantic boulders.

“What time do you suppose it is?” Silver asked.

“Lunchtime,” said the old ixi. “And we might as well rest right here. It’s as safe a place as any.” He plopped back down. Pulling out a handful of rations, he began to chew on it noisily. The puffball flame wandered over and settled on the brim of the magician’s hat.

Jing sighed and nodded “I agree with Grisfam.” She muttered before sitting down. “Is that staff of yours really important?” She asked. Part of her wasn’t sure they would be coming back this way, if it met meeting that draik again.

Grisfam had taken out his own bit of dried fruit and was nibbling on it. “Well, I suppose I can survive without it, though it’s such a pain to walk without it.” He admitted. Silver giggled, “For someone who can’t walk without his staff, you climbed that chain pretty well.”

Jing nodded “I agree with Silver… But I could probably go back down there and get back up here pretty quick with the staff… if you really wanted it back.” She offered.

Grisfam shook his head, “No, child, that draik wriath is still down there, you might find it hard to come back up.” He said, a burning smell wafting through the air.

Jing sighed quietly “Wouldn’t it have gone back in its room?” She asked hopeful but her nose twitched at the burning smell. “What is that?”  She muttered, rubbing her nose a little.

Silver looked around, sniffing, then looked up. “Uh… Grisfam..” He said, “Your hat’s on fire.”

Jing looked over at Grisfam when she heard Silver, jumping to her feet. “He is right! Take off your hat Grisfam!!”

The puffbal flame had managed to set it alight, and when the ixi was too slow, Silver snatched the hat off and threw it to the ground, stomping on it to put the fire out, much to Grisfam’s horror. “MY HAT!”

Jing sighed quietly, sitting back down. “That was close. Quick thinking Silver.”

“Quick thinking?” Grisfam retrieved his flattened hat, trying to fix it. “You ruined my hat!” He wailed.

Silver sat down again, “It was on fire!”

Jing nodded “He is right Grisfam. If he hadn’t done that your hat would be ashes right now on your head.”

Grisfam looked quite put out, putting the hat, which now barely resembled a hat, back on. “Dreadful business, and I’m so fond of it too…” He sighed.

Jing looked at Grisfam and chuckled “Atleast it isn’t burned to a crisp.”

Grisfam was glaring at the puffbal flame, who had taken to hide behind Jing now. “Your fault! All your fault, you little fuzzball!”

Jing looked at the little flame and sighed “Might be best not to rest on something you could light on fire.”

The flame shivered in the air, then crept closer to Jing, Grisfam grumbling about water buckets and dousing fires.

Jing looked at Grisfam and chuckled a little, waving her hand “No permanent damage done Grisfam. Once we get out of here I bet Iris can fix up your hat. Lets just rest, eat, then head out to search for our friends.”

They did so, and after resting, they explored the tunnel they were in. But after inspecting everything, they found no way out. It was cold and barren and covered with dust.

“There’s got to be some way out of here,” Said the jerboa. “Surely they inspect the mechanism occasionally, or come up to admire it, or give tours, or something!”

Jing nodded “I agree with Silver…” She said before looking at the fireball “Can you float around a little so we can see if there is something we are missing in the dark?”

“Speaking of light…” Said the old magician suddenly, “Look there.” He pointed to one side, and they could see a thin sliver of light, that was visible through a crack in the bottom of the wall, near the entrance to the narrow tunnel. They could hear voices, and the light grew brighter as if torches were being lit in a room below them.

“Maybe that’s a way out.” the old ixi said. Running lightly down the tunnel, Silver knelt down and peered through the crack.

Jing went over with Silver. “Do you see anything?” She whispered quietly to him before bringing her ear close to the crack to see if she could hear anything.

Silver nodded, and moved over so she too could look through the crack. The two looked down into a large room, furnished with every possible luxury. All that was beautiful, graceful, delicate or valuable in the lands under Vergard’s control had been brought to decorate the private chambers of the Dragon highlord. An ornate throne stood at one end of the room. Rare and priceless silver mirrors hung on the walls, arranged so unningly that no matter where a trembling captive turned, the only image he saw was the grotesque, horned helm of the Dragon Highlord glowering at him.

Jing bit her lip as she saw this, bringing her head up and grabbing Silver’s sholder. This wasn’t good… they were in a lot of danger staying here and should leave… now.

There was one thing that covered most of the room they could see though, that made the small jerboa gasp. Stretched out to one side, and filling it completely, was the form of a very large, very evil looking red dragon. His huge wings were folded at his sides, his flanks heaved with every breath he took like some great infernal engine. Dozing, he snorted and shifted slightly. A rare vase toppled to the floor with a crash. Berfard looked up from his desk where he was studying a map of Qlaesti.

Transform yourself before you wreak the place,” he snarled.

Pyrio opened one eye, regarding Vergard coldly for a moment, then grudgingly rumbled a brief word of magic. The gigantic red dragon began to shimmer like a mirage, the monstrous dragon shape condensing into the shape of a red draik male, slight of build with dark black hair, a thin face, and slanting orange eyes. Dressed in crimson robes, Pyrio the draik walked to a desk near Vergard’s throne. Sitting down, he folded his hands and stared at Vergard’s broad, muscled back with undisguised loathing. There was a scratch at the door.

When Jing heard Silver’s gasp she went back to watching through the crack in time to see the dragon change. Seeing another red dragon, she didn’t like it at all. Keeping silent she continued to watch, maybe they could figure out some things to tell the others when they found them.

“Enter,” Vergard commanded absently.

A draconian guard threw open the door, admitting Todian and his prisoners, then withdrew, swinging the great bronze and gold doors shut.

Vergard kept the skeith waiting several long minutes while he continued to study his battle plan. Then, favoring Todian with a condescending gaze, he walked over and ascended the steps to his throne. It was elaborately carved to resemble the gaping jaws of a dragon.

Vergard was an imposing yurble. Tall and powerfully built, he wore dark night-blue dragonscale armor trimmed in gold. The hideous mask of a Dragon Highlord concealed his face. Moving with a grace remarkable in such a large yurble, he leaned back comfortably, his leather-encased hand absently caressing a black, gold-trimmed mace by his side.

Jing watched cusiously, wondering what was going on and who the yurble was. She knew he was obviously in charge but besides that she was clueless.

The two prisoners were a sorry sight. One, the taller of the two, was a white draikess, chained hand and feet, her one hand was heavily bandaged and even then blood was seeping through. It was obviously causing her great pain, and she looked tired and battered. The second was a smaller figure, a young mitchi who flopped to the ground sniffling in terror as he looked around.

Jing blinked a couple times as she saw the two, biting her lip a little. Part of her was curious as to why those two were brought there, but she also felt sorry for them.

The draik didn’t look up, pink eyes glued to the ground. Her body was trembling from a mix of fear and pain, face stained by tears.

“So this is the dragonkin? Not much of a dragonkin.” Said the masked yurble with contempt, looking at the white draik steadily. “I’d say just torture her to death here, I don’t see why Her Magesty wants her for herself.” The red draik rolled his eyes and glared at the yurble, but said nothing.

“Why did you bother bringing that quivering mass?” He demanded of the draconian guard. The guard bowed slightly, “Masssster, he was caught trying to help the dragonkin.” He said.

Jing was shocked at what she heard, looking at the draik. A dragonkin? Moving closer to the crack she watched her confused. She was white but the only dragon with white scales was a chromatic. Why were they treating her so horribly?!

Keelin winced as she listened to them, trembling more and feeling like she wanted to cry but she had ran out of tears. She looked over a little at the mitchi sadly before looking away again.

Pyrio sighed, “She’s an albino metallic, My Queen wants to experiment… and toy with her.” He said, standing as he walked around the two. Verfard shrugged, “Well, they’re both your prisoners, just remember, tomorrow you and I will go to see Qlaesti destroyed.” Pyrio nodded, “I know.” His tail snaked around Keelin’s legs for a second.

Jing listened to them all still in silence, not liking the sound of this more and more. Looking back at Keelin, feeling pity for the draik, so she was a metalic. There had to be something they could do to help her, she had obviously been through enough already.

Keelin felt weaker then ever as she listened to the two, wanting to fall to her knees right then but struggled to keep standing. She closed her eyes tightly when she felt Pyrio’s tail touch her and her trembling worsened.

Pyrios smiled darkly, “I’ll take the dragonkin to My Queen tonight.” He said, and after Vergard had nodded, the draconian guard ushered the two out, headed to the dragon lair, the small mitchi wailing in terror and fright.

Silver looked to Jing with wide eyes. “We have to save them!” He hissed.

Keelin let out a weak, barely able to hear cry when she heard Pyrios. She didn’t do or say anything besides that, going where she was forced to go by the draconian. Why… why couldn’t she die right now and just end all this…?

Jing looked at Silver, moving away from the crack they had used for spying and nodded. “I know.” She whispered. “But how?”

After Vergard had left, Pyrios prepared to follow, when a knock came at the door. “Lord Vergard has gone to his chambers!” Pyrio called out, irritatedly. The door opened a crack.

“It is you I wish to see, royal one,” Whispered a draconian.

“Enter,” Pyrio said, “But be swift.”

“The traitor has been successful, royal one,” the draconian said softly, “He was able to slip away only for a moment, lest they suspect. But he has brought the cleric.”

Pyrios paused to consider this, “Good… we shall make sure she does not leave this place. My Queen will be very happy to have one of Merial’s followers. Is the demi with them?”

The draconian nodded, “Yes, royal one, though they were separated from the girl.” Pyrios snorted, “No matter, we have no interest in her, only Him.”

The draconian left the room, leaving Pyrios pacing, back and forth, back and forth, rubbing his hands together and smiling to himself.

Jing looked back inside when she heard talking again, not liking what she heard, hands going into fists. Merial’s follower… that was Iris! But… what the heck was a demi?

Silver frowned, “No way, we have to warn the others…” He said, looking around. “Where’d Grisfam and the light go?”