Tanin shouted and held his shield before them. Issari crouched, pressed against him, hidden behind the bronze disk. The flames roared around them, reached around the shield, and burned across her leg. Tanin grimaced as the flames licked at his armor. Across the chamber, men and women screamed, and the smell of burning flesh filled Issari's nostrils.

When the fire finally died, Issari's heart sank. Dozens of Vir Requis lay dead between the strands, some propped up against the web. Their flesh was charred black and dripping blood; many were still burning. The flesh of some had melted, fusing with the demonic strands. A few victims still lived, screaming and rolling as the fire clung to them.

Issari leaped to her feet and ran again.

"Slay him!" Jeid shouted, running several feet away. Flames clung to his fur cloak; he tossed the garment aside. "Slay the beast!"

As more dragons entered the chamber, the survivors kept running through the web, moving closer to Raem. Only several more strands now separated them from the black dragon. Once past the web, they'd be able to shift again, to blow fire, to—

Raem rose higher, his belly swelled, and he blasted out new flames.

The jet crashed forward. Issari and Tanin hid behind the shield again. More Vir Requis screamed, skin peeling, flesh burning. When the flames finally died, dozens more lay dead, and the wounded ran screaming, fire clutching them.

Issari growled, raced between the last strands, and shifted into a dragon.

She soared toward her father. The demonic dragon loomed above her, thrice her size, tentacle writhing madly, eyes red and burning. Issari roared and blasted out her flames. Her white jet spun and crashed against Raem.

Other Vir Requis emerged from the web, some charred, some burning. They too shifted into dragons and soared. Their flames blasted out, bathing Raem.

The black dragon only laughed. The fire kindled his furred horse's leg, but the rest of him seemed unharmed. Raem lashed out his demonic limbs. The tentacle slammed against Issari, knocking her down onto the chamber floor. She groaned with pain, and through narrowed eyes, she saw Raem's lobster claw grab a young dragon and sever his neck.

"Cut him dead!" Jeid was roaring, leading a group of dragons. "Bite and claw!"

The copper dragon swooped, claws outstretched. Sitting upon his back, Laira fired arrows. Dorvin and Maev dived with their king, growling, reaching out their claws.