Svarak was toying with his prey now, each powerful blow sending chunks flying from the creature. These chunks did not reform, did not return to the creature, but just melted where they lay. Finally, a massive forearm shiver shattered one of the creature's legs, and it toppled over, hitting the ground hard. The entire cavern shook, and a stalactite broke loose, just narrowly missing Rilana and Kona falling straight for the dragon. Svarak saw it and sprinted over to the fallen creature, and leapt tackling into the stone shoulder first, and sending it away. 

He landed gracefully next to the beast, looking up, just as his partners finished the shield, which flashed bright blue before dissipating. He smiled, shouting up through the cavern, [color=fff200][b]"Well done you two!"[/b][/color] His gaze came down, when he saw the Gatekeeper doing something strange. It was digging with a single claw into its own chest. Svarak's instincts were screaming for him to act, and he started toward it.

The creature exposed a glowing, blue, crystalline core. Just before Svarak could kick the claw away, it sank into the core. An intense, high pitched squeal filled the cavern, followed by an explosion of blue flames that froze the entire bottom of the cavern, filling the hole that Rilana and Kona had left, jagged shards growing out of it. The sudden explosion was causing the ceiling to collapse, large chunks falling. Kona would see the entrance that would leave to the safety of the tower. 

A single voice, one that Rilana would know came from the dragon, sounding exhausted yet elated, only heard in her mind, [color=00aeef][b]"Thank you for freeing me..."[/b][/color] Soon the entire cavern would be filled with fallen stone.

Svarak could feel the ice sucking the life from him. He could just barely make out Kona and Rilana above, through the crystalline prison. He found some peace that knowing that he'd be dead soon, even though he'd failed in his mission. At least now he could rest. He just wished he could've had some peace in life, settled down in the easy life, sought out the love of a woman who could love him back. As his mind began to shut down, the face of Rilana, smiling, on a lake of ice was seen. His last thought was that would've been perfect.

Up above, the entire tower shook as the cavern had collapsed, but it held firm. As Becker was searching through the tower, the sudden shaking startled him, for his training was not near as complete as it should've been. His mind was filled with fear, and Chartrose could hear it, as the dog darted out of the tower, dashing past the scared rams, into the cold. 

As the draining shield below was severed, the woman before Alya grew furious. [color=bc8dbf][b]"No! How? That's impossible!"[/b][/color] Alya could hear that song was all but faded, that the only notes were those being drained away from her. The Moon Fey woman was rushing around the room, creating more shields, muttering loud, her frustration and anger very evident. It seemed as if only one more straw was needed to break the camel's back with her. 

Her back was to Alya as she worked, swearing and huffing angrily. [color=bc8dbf][b]"I... I have enough, I surely have enough. Yes... yes..." [/b][/color] It would take a simple prod, toward anger, toward frustration, perhaps even toward confidence.

The dragon actually felt more alive now that he was in this frozen prison. His mastery over the element made him feel like a fish in water, and he moved through the ice with such ease. He saw the feline man before him, the one who'd fought so bravely and successfully to defend him. He plucked the man lightly by his clothes, and swam through the ice, through the tunnel the gatekeeper had appeared in. He knew it led to the outside, as he began sucking the cold out of the man. It would be such a shame if he died. But the dragon was hopeful. And had some business to finish. 

Drisceya popped her head out, [color=a187be][b]"Oi, get your lazy asses in here and start loading up these books. I'll know if you sneak any of them away. These are being claimed for the empire."[/b][/color] The others looked at her as if she were nuts, considering how they'd just fought their way up here before the statues had frozen once more. But none of them could challenge a Warden and began getting back to work.

Drisceya was getting the feeling she was missing something. There was another lock in this room, yet not another door, she was sure of it. No one had a room this nice without hiding the best parts away. But what might one hide in a library? She continued scanning the room, her eyes falling on a chess table. It had two chairs, yet, this tower was clearly a place where one sought isolation from anyone else. 

Moving over to it, she could see a thin layer of dust, except for one square. Studying the game, she smiled, appreciating the key. She moved a knight forward, putting the white king into checkmate. There was a soft grinding, as the table began lowering down into the floor and away, revealing a ladder into a small, hidden chamber. She hadn't noticed it one the way up, must be some clever architecture. Slipping down inside she squealed in delight, and began lifting three, heavy, small chests out of the room. One toppled over, unlocked, and a single book, stained with what seemed to be blood, fell out. Ortha would be able to smell the blood on it. If she turned toward it, one of her tiny horns would carve a thick groove through the ceiling, revealing the sound of the mage. The songweaver may have been transported by magic, but it seemed the ceiling was nothing more than plaster and beams.