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The issue begins with Dhakab and Nightwind looking for the Key. For Dhakab, there is comfort in what is about to happen. He seems almost aware of the things to come in just a few short moments. He locates the Key and urges Nightwind to move quickly, sensing that Belegard is still very much alive.
Outside Shadolok finds himself face to face with Belegard, his one time comrade, Argent, nothing more than charred bones and ashes. Unaware that behind him, another confrontation is taking place as Tarrus One-Eyed moves his men in on Haka and his three companions.
Just as Belegard seems about ready to destroy Shadolok, a bolt of flame strikes the mighty dragon. Belegard rises to see his new challenger, the only one so far to truly bring him pain. Belegard immediately senses there is far more to Sultar than meets the eye. Recognizing that Sultar is possessed by a demon and that his dragon’s flame would never harm him; Belegard proves to be ever resourceful by collapsing the cliff above Sultar, burying him beneath stone!
Belegard does not have long to savor his sweet victory over Sultar, for Bladehelm leaps upon him and begins burying his axe deep into Belegard’s scales and flesh. Belegard swats Bladehelm away effortlessly – once again, just about to deliver the killing blow when he sensed that someone had taken the Key!
As Belegard returned to his den to confront the thieves, Shadolok approached Coron and asked about Sultar and Bladehelm. Coron explains that Bladehelm may yet live, but there was no way Sultar lived, being buried beneath a ton of jagged stone. Inside Belegard’s domain, Nightwind draws her dagger, fearful that Dhakab was going to turn, knowing that he had been intertwined with Coron’s foul magic. Dhakab assured Nightwind that he was free of Coron’s spell and that he was here to defeat Belegard. When Nightwind asked how he knew, he explained the three visions; One for his calling; another for his ultimate dream; and the last, his final victory. Dhakab’s final vision had been of Belegard’s defeat.
Dhakab and Nightwind ran out of the room and came to a cliff where Dhakab turned and faced the raging Belegard. He threw his first sword, it pierced Belegard’s wing; the dragon, unable to control itself collided into Dhakab who waited for the dragon. Together man and dragon tumbled off the edge, engaged in their final moment of combat; both reaching the bottom; neither of them alive.
Nightwind takes the key and departs, finding the others outside, she gives the Crown of the High King to Bladehelm, explaining that Dhakab had told her to give it to him. To Shadolok, she said that he had told her, “Live in the glow of your own fire and you can do anything.” She then turned to Coron and smiled beneath her mask, “He had but two words for you Coron – ‘I’m free.’”
As the Adventurers come out, a rain of arrows assails them. Taking cover, Shadolok notices the design of the arrows and recognizes it as those used by the guards of the City of Liam. Realizing that Tarrus One-Eyed had betrayed them, they look up and see four heads – one of them belonging to Haka, the other three the agents of Accuris – all on pikes.
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