Prologue

                                    

                                          
"It's over, Evgenis," the Darke Force grinned unsettlingly. Around him, like harbingers of doom, flapped the Darkened Draconi. The Evgenis brothers stood side by side, both exhausted. Behind them crouched a terrified figure holding two small, sleeping babies. Even though Flamethrower had seen the Darke Force taking Lyght from the Draconi, he could still scarcely believe that the Draconi had fallen.
                          
"Give up. I have conquered your fellows and soon, I will take you. I may even spare your wife if you step away from the Core of Order," the Darke Force cackled at the two panting brothers.
                          
"I will never back down," Lyghtbringer growled, "Flamethrower, stand back. This has gone on long enough."
                          
"But what are you going to –" Flamethrower began, but was cut off by Lyghtbringer's roar.
                          
"You want me to back down? Sure. But I'm taking the Core with me," Lyghtbringer's scales began to shimmer. Flamethrower realized what was about to happen mere seconds before it did. Throwing himself over the three humans, he threw up his wings to shield them, and squeezed his eyes shut.
                          
A blinding white light began to build, becoming brighter and brighter until it filled the whole cave, enveloping the Core of Order in its harsh light. All through it, the Darke Force's screeches of agony echoed around the cave. 
                          
Abruptly, the light was gone, but so were the Core of Order, the other Draconi and the Darke Force. Lyghtbringer's Draconis burst had caved in the cave mouth, and left rubble cascading down from the ceiling of the cave, completely covering the area where Lyghtbringer had stood. Frantically, Flamethrower shifted layer after layer of rock, searching desperately for his brother. Finally, he found him, buried under layers upon layers of rubble. Lyghtbringer was in his crippled human form, his eyes closed. Flamethrower took in a deep, shuddering breath. Gently, he lifted his brother and placed him next to his unconscious wife and their children. Flamethrower bowed his head, tears stinging at the back of his eyes. Through a daze of grief, Flamethrower laid his talons on his brother's body, preparing for the rite of Transcension – and felt him take a breath.
                          
Flamethrower's head jerked up, and his eyes latched onto Lyghtbringer's chest. There was no doubt about it: he was alive, albeit barely. Working quickly, Flamethrower deftly flicked his tail, flinging the rest of the rubble blocking the cave mouth aside. He scooped up his brother, his sister-in-law and his nephew and placed them on his back. Forcing his exhausted wings to flap hard, he began flying towards the only ones who could save Lyghtbringer – the Dragon-Kin.