Meera paced the snow eagerly awaiting the dawn, staring tentatively at the mountain peak. Ignis had ordered her to fly down to the base of the mountain, where the fight between the brothers would be held.

It was a rocky clearing with enough space that even the two gigantic dragons would have enough space to fight it out. She could only imagine what it would be like once they were done. But to kill one's own brother. She could never do it, no matter what power she gained, and especially not for vengeance. Even if it was to avenge her mother.

This whole thing is so complicated.

Dragons were watching her from the cliffs above. They thought that she couldn't see them, but she could, and much further beyond them. Though her hearing wasn't good enough to hear what the brothers were talking about at the mountain top. Even if she could, they would probably be speaking in their own tongue.

Finally, she sat down, with her back to a boulder, and closed her eyes, and kept scanning everything with her Mirrorbound Sight. There were no new notifications for her to review, nor were there any stat points waiting for her to add to her attributes. So, she sat there for, she didn't know how long, until she heard movement behind her.

Well, it wasn't directly behind, but it was coming from the forest. A few moments later, Thulir popped his head out of the trees.

"Psst, Meera," he whispered.

None of the dragons above stirred or made any sign that they had heard. She wondered how the dragons would treat him, walking on what was probably sacred ground for them. Most of the dragons were not happy that Meera had been allowed to set foot here.

"Meera." Thulir tried again, louder this time.

Meera sighed. "Coming."

She stood, dusted herself off, and walked towards the woods. Now, the dragons stirred.

She looked up at them. "Just going to relieve myself. I'll be back soon."

Then she walked off to join Thulir. She placed a finger on her lips and motioned towards the forest, signalling him to remain quiet.

Thulir understood and followed her in. Once they were a respectable distance away, Thulir started speaking.

"Oh, I'm so relieved and surprised that you're okay, my lass," Thulir said, grinning.

"Believe me, I am too."

"Tell me what happened, in great detail. Don't leave out anything." He pulled out a book and a feather pen and got ready to take notes.

Meera frowned. "You're going to note all of it down?"

"I am," he replied. "You see, one of the duties of us Keepers is to record significant memories to pass on to our successors, and I can't see a more significant event than the birth of a new archdragon."

So, Meera began, and his hand moved at a furious speed. The man could write at a blinding speed. Every word was written down. He didn't even misspell anything. She didn't leave anything out and told him all that had happened. Even her complaints about the Canterworm juice. He was happy that it had helped, and even then, his hand hadn't stopped writing. It was a fantastic skill to have.

"And that's all," Meera said.

"Wow, a challenge of the Dawndreamer…I never thought I would see one in my life."

"What, or rather who, was the Dawndreamer?"

"The Dawndreamer was the name of the very first archdragon, or so the legend goes. He was the only one who had been blessed by Aetheron himself when he became an archdragon. Over the millennia, the dragons forgot that fact about him, but not that he was Aetheron's right hand in his war against the gods. So, they associate most things with him. Like when someone wants to challenge the king for the throne and any dragon can, they call it the challenge of the Dawndreamer."

"I see. Well, make sure you are well hidden, or they won't take long to swallow you for stepping on their sacred ground, probably."

Thulir laughed and slapped her back lightly. "Oh, don't you worry, I intend to have the best seat in the house. After all, how else am I supposed to record this significant event?"

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"Okay." She didn't even want to know what he meant by that. "Anyways, I need to head back or the dragons might think I've run off."

"Good luck, lass. An Ascendant blessing the birth of a new archdragon, who would've thought."

Meera certainly did. That was why she was here, and she prayed to any god that was listening that she was right. That she could bless the birth of an archdragon or one of the brothers would die for no reason, swiftly followed by her.

She said her farewells and left. By the time she made it back, the dragons on the cliff were up on their feet and looked ready to take flight to find her. She waved and smiled at them, and they dropped down on their bellies.

It didn't take long for dawn's first light, and with it came the dragon horde. At first, Meera thought they were birds or bats. But the entire mountain looked to have come alive and blotted out the sky. Less than a minute later, the dragons were falling on the ground like soot. They shook the earth as they landed one after another.

Thankfully, they landed far away from her, or she would've pulled off her chakrams and done something that would've started another war. The brothers were the last to arrive. Of all the different kinds of dragons, Meera didn't see the rainbow-scaled dragon. Drania was nowhere to be found.

Meera frowned and scanned the skies, but she wasn't there either. She figured that the dragon was up on one of the cliffs, as those were littered with dragons. The whole mountainside was alive with kind.

Finally, Ignis began. "My brothers and sisters, I will speak in the tongue of the humans, so that the human amongst us can understand. We are gathered here today because my brother has issued me the challenge of the Dawndreamer. Not because he covets my throne. No, my brother is not so ambitious that he would see me dead to become king. No, this human, the one most of you know as kin slayer, has brought to us fortuitous news."

There were some roars from the dragons closest to the king, and she figured that they knew what news it was. These were roars of excitement, and not a signal to attack, as none of the dragons stirred.

"She passed Drania's test and divulged the truth about who was truly responsible for my mother's death." The dragons hushed. No one moved. No one made that guttural sound that they usually made when they talked in their tongue. "Yes, Veridiana may have killed her, but she was not the one who had poisoned her to madness. It was another human called Elrasil Krasir, the head of the very cult that brought us the news that Meera was killing our kin, which I now know to be nothing but another false claim from the treacherous ape."

Another silence pervaded the group.

"Yes, my brothers and sisters, this man has been playing games with us from the start, and it is time we end his treachery. He will not live long, and my mother, your grandsire, will finally be avenged."

Now, the dragons roared so loud that Meera's eardrums burst, and she didn't heal them until the dragons calmed down.

"Meera not only brought us that news, but she also brings us the secret that I have coveted for a long time…the secret of becoming an archdragon. I now possess the knowledge of how to become an archdragon, and that is why my brother has issued me the challenge of the Dawndreamer. We will fight, and whichever one of us prevails will become an archdragon, and your new king, and go forth with Meera to avenge our mother, Akhessai."

Once again, Meera's eardrums popped from their roaring, and they didn't calm down for a long time.

Ignis pointed to the east, and the first light of the dawn peeked over the horizon. "Let the challenge of the Dawndreamer begin!"

The dragons started flying off to rest on the mountainside. The clearing was soon cleared of all dragons, save for the brothers. Meera was the only one who stayed. She still needed something from the brothers before they began this deathmatch.

"You're supposed to leave now," Ignis said.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I will need both of your dragon names. For I can't bless you if I don't know your true names."

Ignis nodded and was about to speak, but Tigris interrupted him. "Just know that if you're lying, your death will shake the three worlds."

"I know, that is the risk I'm taking," she replied. "I knew that even before I came here, but that is a risk that I must take, for without your help, I won't be able to find my brother. And without my help, you won't truly avenge your mother."

There was a guttural noise in Ignis's throat, and all the hair on the back of Meera's neck stood. "Listen to me, Meera, you cannot possibly understand what I will lose if I win. Not only will I lose my brother, but my right hand. The one who has been by my side since the day we hatched. If you are wrong about this, I will do things to you that there are no words for in any tongue."

Meera gulped and had to force her legs to stop moving. "Yes, Your Majesty. Your Names?"

Ignis spoke first. "My true name is Ymrulth."

"Recstrakh," Tigris said.

Meera bowed her head. "Thank you, lords."

She didn't know if it would be right to wish them luck in this scenario, as the victor would have to kill the one they loved the most. He hated that aspect of it and that every archdragon, even Akhessai, had killed her sibling or parent or lover.

Meera flew off and found a perch on one of the cliffs. The dragon was not happy and tried to shift to the side, but the place was jam-packed. Then something flashed above, and Drania finally showed herself, shining her bright light on the world.

Then she breathed out fire, making a circle that covered most of the clearing in white fire. Even sitting up on the cliff, Meera could feel the heat coming off those flames. She could only imagine what it would be like in that circle.

Drania roared and spoke in a voice that echoed throughout the Krathor mountains. "With the circle of the Dawndreamer, this life and death duel commences. Two of you entered the circle alive, and this circle will not break; these flames will not extinguish until one of your flames perishes. Let the Dawndreamer bless your might and grant you victory…Let the challenge begin!"

The brothers roared loud enough to split the heavens, and their clash shook the world.

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