Quin raced down the street towards the source of the explosion, Mendax on his heels. The sky was burning, golden light setting roofs aflame. He could see figures, black shapes with arms outstretched before him. Eerie chanting reached his ears as Quin forced his way though the wall of heat. Mendax yelled for him to stop, but Quin didn't yield. He tripped over something and glanced down. Nothing, nothing but golden light leaking between the paving stones so when he looked down all he saw was light. The wind howled, whipping around pieces debris in and out of the flames.

He continued to run.

~

Luna stood, rocking the boat back and forth as the sky to their left exploded. Axel's eyes widened, only the comand "get down" making it past his lips before golden fire turned the surface water to steam, raining down like arrows from every direction. Minx threw her good wing over Jags, shielding him from the embers. Axel lay flat at the bottom of the boat, water lapping at his face. Luna had fallen overboard. Her fingers clawed at the hull, trying and failing to gain a purchase as she came up for air, sucking in smoke before vanishing once more beneath the waves.

~

Minx heard Axel shouting, but couldn't make out the words. The noise was too loud, intense roaring and spitting brought on my the heat. The boat groaned under the pressure but, thankfully, refused to catch. Beside her, Jags whimpered.

The river was awash with golden fire, dancing across the surface as though the water were mixed with oil. Minx risked a glanced upwards into the burning sky and her heart stopped.

Amongst the clouds a long, snake-like shadow twirled around, ribbons fluttering behind a mane of silky brown fur. She shook her head; this couldn't be happening. But now Minx realised the roaring wasn't coming from the fire. The fire itself was completely silent, only the boiling water spat and hissed. The roaring came from the sky, from the shadow. Minx gulped.

"Meden help us," Axel murmured. He'd worked it out. Jags placed a paw on her hand, looking up at her.

The final known guardian had emerged.

~

Tein-lung's eyes opened, irisis the same colour as blood. He snarled, rows upon rows of teeth catching the golden light so that they appeared to glow like jagged stars.

He saw a Pyron, running blindly through burning streets. He saw a mystic, laying motionless. He saw a human and a lycanthorope and a dragon and a tanuki struggling to keep a tiny boat from capsizing. He saw the shadows that danced in the streets and his eyes narrowed. Slowly, Tein-lung began his descent from high in the ozone towards the earth. As he got closer, he heard the voices that had summoned him, the girl with pink hair, arms outstretched, chanting. Her eyes were cloudy and white, unfocused, yet somehow settled upon him as he landed.

"Who dares summon me?" he roared, lifting off of the burning ground, floating so his eyes were level with the girl. She smiled, taking a step towards him.

"The falling sky," she laughed, her voice rough and masculin. Tein-lung bared his teeth, shaking out his mane.

"Pasirima, I take it this vessel is the eigth?"

The girl, Pasirima, laughed again, holding her hands behind her back and walking towards him. "You're quick to catch on, aren't you? Sundragons always are."

Tein-lung felt something brush against his skin and glanced down to see a clay figure clambering up his tail. He rolled his eyes and flicked the creature away, watching it tumble through the golden fire out of sight before his head swerved back to the girl.

"Enough of this demon. It is time you come out and face us head on," he growled. The girl's eyes flickered orange in the flaming light, embers twirling around her face and shoulders.

"You. The others have already been claimed," she chuckled happily. "You are alone."

Tein-lung hissed, pushing himself up so he was above the chanting group. "I have no time for the affairs of mortals, demon." He started to rise, back into the sky, but Pasirima's voice rose to follow him.

"Three."

Tein-lung ignored her, continuing to climb further and further, spiralling towards the clouds.

"Two."

He took one final look at the ground, where the girl was stop staring up, grinning ear to ear. He turned back to the sky and stopped.

"One."

A heavy weight slammed into him, sending him crashing back to earth. His skull smashed into a tiled roof, sending debris scattering like frightened insects. Stone claws dug into his shoulders, large chunks of dried clay falling away as his assailant brought a cracked snout close to his face.

"See, it is no use guardian. We are everything. I am everything," the dragon snarled. Crusted, blackened wings spread out behind the monster, splattering the buildings around them with mud. Tein-lung struggled, thrashing back and forth as the beast holding him down drew thick, navy blood.

"Jashalock, he is corrupting your mind," Tein-lung gasped, trying to catch his breath as Jashalock squeezed harder, legs shifting as his feet pressed down with even more pressure. Ink eyes stared down into his.

"There is no Jashalock anymore," Jashalock hissed. In the back of his head, Tein-lung was aware of the fact the girl was talking at the same time as the guardian, but was focused on Jashalock's unmoving face. "Only me. You are along. You will be consumed. We will take this place back for us."

Tein-lung forced his muscles to respond, kicking his legs out from under Jashalock. He connected, sending the creature tumbling backwards into what looked like a bakery. Not that it mattered, in seconds that and three other buildings were reduced to rubble as Jashlock stumbled back into his feet. Tein-lung was on him in a heartbeat, slamming his back into the clay creatures chest, tearing his left wing. It crumbled to dust, like a grey water fall of grey mist and chips. But, even as he fought, Tein-lung felt his limbs convulse. Dirt clambered up his back legs and tail, bringing him to the ground as he struggled to free himself. Jashalock rose, face torn open to reveal a mouth full of rows upon rows of teeth, jagged white pins arranged in a never ending spiral.

"You will die alone, just as the others did. You cannot fight us."

Tein-lung smiled. "Maybe I can't, but they can."

He closed his eyes, and the shadows exploded to life

~

Alistar leapt forwards, emerging from the shadows as four limbs worked in tandem to push him forwards. His body was sleek and lean, a panther with glossy black fur catching the golden light.

All around him shadow walkers ran, darting between the flames and throwing themselves at the two fighting dragons, pulling them apart and frantically trying to free the Sundragon. Alistar knew it was no use, already the dirt was halfway up the guardian's back. He closed his eyes, sprinting straight at the remains of a crushed wall.

Cold water rose above his head and he jumped out of the river, landing nimbly beside a black dragon and tanuki. He grinned, shaking his fur. A man - no that wasn't right he smelt different, musky, like a wolf - a lycanthorope, stood, rocking the tiny boat back and forth.

"Alistar?" he yelled. Alistar nodded as a girl burst to the surface, treading water with one hand. In the other she held a soaked hat.

"No time to explain. We received word from Mendax that the remaining members of the society were seeking sanctuary," he glanced up at the darkening sky. "We must hurry. Tein-lung has Pasirima occupied for the moment, but I doubt he will hold out for much longer."

"What?" the girl gasped, trying to pull herself into the boat before slipping back into the river.

"Grab onto the boat!" Alistar commanded, ignoring the dragon and Tanuki as the barraged him with questions. Ahead the willows were so thick they almost entirely blocked out the sky. He closed his eyes, tensing his muscles as the boat slowly but surely floated into the shade.

"Ready?" he shouted above the distant roars. The sky groaned, the feint light flickering away into twilight. He felt a cold chill run up his spine as the temperature dropped.

"What?" the girl repeated, the boat rocking again as she pulled herself over the edge.

Alistar ignored her, focusing. The sound of rushing wind engulfed them, his tail whipping around. His ears popped and he opened his eyes, stepping out of the boat.

The stone was cold beneath his paws, level and smooth. He turned around to face the group.

The dragon and Tanuki had their eyes screwed shut, hugging each other. The girl was frozen in place, gripping the sides of the boat so tightly her knuckles were white. Axel staggered to his feet, wobbling slightly as he padded over to join Alistar.

"Are we dead?" The dragon asked. The girl stared unblinking, straight ahead, as she took several deep breaths.

"What the hell just happened? She whispered.

"Luna, Minx, Jags. Allow me to introduce Alistar," Axel announced. Nobody moved. He sighed. "He's a shadow walker."

Still, nobody moved.

Across the hall another shadow walker appeared, black smoke rising from his fur as he shook himself down. "You can let go now, kid."

Quin fell to his knees, gasping in lungfuls of air. The other shadow walker rolled his eyes and prowler over to join them. Axel moved over to Quin, helping him to stand. Alistar watched watched the child bury his face into Axel's chest, sobbing quietly.

Several other shadow walkers materialized, panting as they joined the group. Mendax pushed his way through the crowd, an unconscious Nyx slung over one shoulder.

"Axel!" he called out. Axel's head snapped up and he grinned.

"Good move, sir."

Mendax shrugged, gently placing Nyx on the floor. "I just sent a message to Vienna asking of she could give us word of your location. I didn't expect...this."

"Nor should have you."

Every head turned to face the newcomer. She was large, at least as big as a bear. A necklace of bones around her neck clicked in time with her movement's as she entered the hall. She thumped her tail against the ground twice and tourches placed around the room sparked to life, illuminating the hall.

The walls were made of granite, images carved into the rock stretching from the ceiling to the floor. The other shadow walkers bowed, as did Axel and Mendax. Quin gaped at the shadow walker. Luna continued to state blankly into the air before her face. Minx and Jags were still tangled together, neither wanting to let go. The new shadow walker rolled her eyes.

"Not as brave as the other members, are they boys? I take it these are the new recruits you were telling me about Mendax?"

Mendax smiled apologetically. "Yes, Lady Vienna. The dragon is Minx, the Tanuki is Jags and the girl who looks like an ice sculpture is Luna." He motioned to the boat. Alistar snorted but was silenced with one look from Vienna.

Luna blinked, as though waking up from a dream. She turned to face Vienna. "Wait, you're Vienna?"

Vienna smirked. "Yes. I would have expected a much...braver response from the descendant of the great dragon hunter."

Luna blinked again, slowly prying her fingers away from their hold on the boat. "Its been a weird past few weeks. I think I'm out of brave for now."

Vienna chuckled, turning back the way she'd come. "Follow, all of you. Bring the Mystic," she nodded her chin towards the spot where Nyx had been placed. "We have much to discuss."