The cavern’s darkness exploded into simulated orblight. The blitzing earthwyrm hissed in agony, its eyes burning from the blinding light. The beast careened into Fai’s defensive rock wall, plowed through it, then collapsed.

As the beast closed in on him, Thoron shifted into his full darkwyrm form just before the earthwyrm could collide with him. The darkwyrm took to the air with a deep roar and darted at his archenemy.

The misty blue cloud around Glaviar swelled as the events on the cavern floor unfolded. When Thoron ascended, the mist dissipated, unveiling a four-legged blue dragon descending upon him. Dragon and wyrm revealed their sharp talons and teeth. They were set for a collision course. Both beasts inhaled deeply. Splashes of magical light and wind churned in their sharp-fanged mouths.

The darkwyrm was first to exhale a shaft of fire mingled with purple flames. His enemy countered with a stream of icy breath. The attacks clashed fiercely against each other, yet Thoron drove in harder and overcame the icy stream. Glaviar collapsed his wings and flipped backward defensively, hissing in pain as Thoron’s flames singed his scales. He remained focused on his adversary, however, who quickly advanced. The darkwyrm’s talons locked with those of the dragon as they ferociously bit at one another. Thoron and Glaviar tumbled and weaved through the air together in mortal combat, each sinking teeth into the other, intending to tear off the other’s head.

The earthwyrm swiftly shook off its blindness and the stunning pain of having smashed through the magical rock wall. Aggravation reverberated through every fiber of its body as it desperately searched for its targets. The green wyrm cringed under the warm, bright light still emanating from above as it caught glimpses of the ensuing battle between Thoron and Glaviar. The creature quickly ascertained that Thoron’s two associates were nowhere in sight. Some of the crystallic, spikey fins lining its back came alive with a green glow. Fastened like an earring to one of the glowing fins was a piece of a blue crystal, which came to life with light. The earthwyrm felt the presence of the matching shard of blue crystal Fai carried. The predator turned in her direction and perceived that the Vauxian was underground. The enemy then focused its power and imagination into the ground below it and toward Fai’s blue crystal. Green particles of dusty light appeared on the floor as the rocky ground drew back and parted, revealing a shallow shaft that led into a tunnel. The wyrm covered the hole with its wide mouth and breathed a whirlpool of chaotic green wind into the passageway.

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Fai moved forward, extending the tunnel as fast as her skill and imagination would permit. The rocky wall before her continued to roll up like a scroll, allowing her and Lorayla to distance themselves from the earthwyrm. Lorayla followed at the Vaux’s heels, using the green light beaming from the fox-woman’s wrist as her guide through the dark.

What have I gotten myself into? the woman thought, her panic barraging her senses. I’m fine, I’m fine, she coached herself. With each step, Lorayla felt more confident that escape was a possibility.

As they pushed onward, Lorayla’s gaze landed upon a mysterious blue glow emanating from Fai’s satchel. Before she could consider it further, an abrupt movement of wind disturbed the air behind her. Panic drew in closer as she glanced over her shoulder. Green particles of light appeared throughout the darkness, slowly spiraling into a flow that stretched into the gloomy tunnel. Then, the farthest particles transformed into torrents of swirling wind.

“Fai,” cried Lorayla.

The Vaux whipped around as the magical wind closed in. She immediately reached out with her imagination to counter the incoming attack, but her concentration was dampened and restrained. Drawn to her satchel, her eyes widened at the blue glow coming from it. “What treachery is this?” she exclaimed. Remembering the smeat her friend had given her, Fai reached desperately into her bag to secure the blue crystal her enemy was using against her. The funnel of green wind quickly reached her and Lorayla, however, pulling them off their feet and sucking them backward.

“Hold on to me,” Fai commanded Lorayla, grabbing one of the woman’s arms and wrapping it around her waist. The tunnel walls whisked by as the two were rapidly drawn back.  Fai tried with all her magical strength to resist the pull from the earthwyrm’s attack, but to no avail. She could have easily warded off the attack or sealed the tunnel had it not been for the blue crystal in her satchel that was diminishing her ability.

The magical funnel of green wind brought Fai and Lorayla near the end of the tunnel. Fai managed to separate herself from her bag and, releasing it into the funneling wind, the Vauxian began to feel her concentration returning. The churning wind grew increasingly chaotic as the women came to a bend in the tunnel, where the air funneled upward.

“We’re going to die!” Lorayla shrieked.

“Not yet,” Fai said in determination. With one hand, she touched the tunnel wall, gesturing toward their destination with the other. Another tunnel opened along the wall before Fai’s hand, branching upward and away from the first tunnel. A strong burst of green wind streamed from Fai’s other hand, thrusting her and Lorayla into the new tunnel. The tunnel expanded, rolling back before them as they zoomed through it. In only a few seconds, the new escape route abruptly ended, opening up into the large cavern. Fai curtailed her magical burst of wind just as they shot out from the ground. Lorayla lost her grip on Fai as the two fell from the air and slammed down onto the ground.

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The battle above, between dragon and wyrm, raged on. Each combatant bit and lashed at the other with spear-pointed teeth and razor claws.

Amid the combat, Thoron struggled to monitor his companions below, who were being assailed by the earthwyrm. His focus was unclear, as his chaos crystal had taken hold of his conscience, urging him to release his mind and concentration to its will. Drawing as much power as he could from his crystal, Thoron was on the brink of losing control. He nearly lost control when Lorayla and Fai disappeared, thinking he had failed in his plan by allowing them to be eaten by the earthwyrm. When he caught sight of them again, the earthwyrm was about to strike. Thoron barely managed to pull himself out of his descent into uncontrollable rage. The darkwyrm broke away from his battle with Glaviar to help fend off the earthyrm, biting into him and thrusting the dragon away. The dragon tumbled but quickly recovered and dove down upon the descending wyrm.

 Not so fast, betrayer scum, Thoron heard in his mind as a set of dragon claws clamped down on his short, thick neck. Where are you off to in such a hurry? No doubt to help those pathetic creatures below. The dragon’s grip tightened. I’m a little disappointed, Rage. You’ve gone soft while in hiding. Killing you now will be so much less satisfying.

 Anger surged through every fiber of Thoron’s being from his archenemy’s taunts. Folding back his wings, the wyrm twisted and turned. When he broke free of Glaviar’s hold, he unleashed an eruption of fire mingled with purple flames from his mouth. Glavair countered, opening his mouth and releasing an icy gale intermixed with purple streams. The cavern walls reverberated with the clashing sounds of the attacks as they pressed in on each other. The beasts’ attacks stopped within a few moments, leaving residual particles of light lingering in the air, as neither attacker wanted to expel too much energy. The light particles descended to the cavern floor as the combatants once again locked talons and exchanged vicious bites.

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 Slightly bruised and battered, Fai shook off the pain in her body and got back up. She reached out and steadied Lorayla, who stumbled as she was stumbling to rise to her feet. The Vaux stopped, catching the movement of a large object in her peripheral vision. She turned, looked up, and saw a wide, saliva-dripping, fang-filled mouth rapidly coming down upon her. Fai yelled, her hands shooting outward to protect herself. A green crystal on her short-furred wrist went aglow. Two wide pillars of rock, covered in magical green particles, mushroomed like lightning out the ground beside her, pommeling the earthwyrm’s mouth, breaking some of its fangs, and pushing the attacker back.

 The earthwyrm roared. Green wind enveloped its body as it pressed back against the Vaux’s stone edges. At the same time, Fai felt a magical force press upon her mind and body, her concentration and imagination coming under attack. The woman fell to her knees, becoming faint by the sudden assault on her abilities.

 It is pointless to resist, Vauxian, the earthwyrm mind-spoke to Fai wickedly. Your feeble powers are no match for mine!

 “Your taunts won’t work on me!” Fai resisted through gritted teeth, her body tensing as she focused herself and got back on her feet. “You’re a disgrace to your kind in aiding a dragon, especially one who wields the power of chaos!”

It is true that we wyrms have despised dragons for many an age. However, our hatred runs even deeper against our own wyrm families who wield the power of darkness and those who aid them.

 “Even those who follow the ways of the One? Wasn’t it He who commanded us to care for our enemies? Surely, you, the great ones of old, know of His teachings—”

 The force upon Fai pressed in harder, and blood began to trickle from her nose and pointy ears. You, your people, are weak for having faith in a so-called god who died and failed this world. Because of this, many wyrm families are taking matters into their own hands, even if it means alliance with our enemies.

 “It is His world,” retorted Fai, “and He’s not dead, but very much alive! He’s subjected our world to hope, something which you’ve apparently given up.”

 There is no hope! the earthwyrm growled. The Creator of this world is dead. We must forge our own path!

The earthwyrm pressed in with all the magical force it could muster, and Fai grew faint as she pushed back. Her magical defense held for a few moments but suddenly weakened, allowing her enemy to smash through a few feet of her rock-pillar defense.

The Vaux looked at her wrist. Her remaining crystal was becoming dimmer—its power was fading, and her mind raced to devise a new plan of defense.

Lorayla, feeling pain from her fall which had knocked the air out of her lungs, collapsed to the floor where Fai had left her. She opened her eyes, remembered the ongoing battle before her, and took a deep breath. She turned to her side as she regained her air, and there next to her was Fai’s bag. Its contents were gone, but a blue crystal laid at the opening of the satchel. Without thinking, Lorayla grabbed the crystal and staggered to her feet. She was awestruck by the sight of Fai’s rock-pillar defense that held off the earthwyrm’s attacks. Her wonder quickly turned into fright, however, as the earthwyrm penetrated the defensive pillars, its voice booming in her mind.

Lorayla looked toward Fai, whose weakened state disturbed her. She needed to help. Loosening her grip on the purple crystal in her hand, she eyed the object as if waiting for a sign. What should I do? she pleaded. As if activated by her thoughts, the crystal began to hum with power, its inner depths lighting up. A surge of energy ran through Lorayla’s body, forging a connection between herself and the crystal, and a flood of strategies came to her mind. She knew exactly what she had to do. With haste, she latched the crystal into one of her gloves.

“When I say go, propel me up with one of your pillars,” commanded Lorayla, locking eyes with Fai.

The Vaux nodded hesitantly, and Lorayla stepped back a few paces. Then, she charged forward. “Go!"

With outstretched hands, Fai worked to slow the earthwyrm’s advance. She flicked her head upward, and the floor beneath Lorayla shimmered with green particles, extending into the air. The rough pillar of rock jolted to a stop at nearly eye level to the earthwyrm, thrusting Lorayla into the air. She used the momentum to leap at her enemy’s wide, scaly head. The crystal in her glove lit with power as a long stream of purple mist extended from her hand. Drawing her arm back, a purple chain formed from the mist. Lorayla whipped the chain forward just as she landed behind the earthwyrm’s head. The chain wrapped around the creature’s neck, just below the jaw. Lorayla caught the chain with her free hand as it came back around, its links glowing brighter, fueled by her desire to leech the creature’s life force.

The earthwyrm ignored the new threat and stayed focused on its Vauxian target. Fai only had one crystal remaining on her wrist. The last crystal flashed brightly as she released a battle cry. Her enemy stumbled back as the stone edges erupted from the ground and pressed forward with great force. The release of energy lasted but a moment. Fai’s crystal power faded away. The earthwyrm regained its balance and crushed through the stone edges with its head like a massive hammer.