The mountain shook beneath the army's footsteps.
Rook stood at the entrance.
Mara stood behind him.
Eli looked through a crack in the wall.
"There are too many."
Orin nodded.
"They came prepared."
Mara touched Rook's shoulder.
"You don't have to fight them."
Rook looked at her.
"They will keep coming."
"I know."
"Then what do we do?"
Mara looked toward the mountain.
"We leave."
Rook tilted his head.
Eli understood first.
"There's a tunnel beneath the tower."
Orin nodded.
"It leads to the northern valley."
They moved quickly.
But Calder appeared at the end of the corridor.
He was holding a torch.
"You really think you can escape?"
Eli stepped forward.
"Move."
Calder smiled.
"You destroyed my home."
Mara answered,
"Your father destroyed it."
Calder's face twisted.
"You think the dragon loves you?"
Rook growled.
Calder laughed.
"Ask him what happened at Bellweather."
Mara looked at Rook.
She knew.
He lowered his head.
"I burned it."
Mara's eyes filled with tears.
"Why?"
Rook couldn't answer.
He looked away.
Mara touched his face.
"You were hurt."
Rook nodded.
"I understand."
Calder shouted,
"He killed everything!"
Mara turned toward him.
"He saved a child."
Calder went silent.
Mara continued.
"Because somewhere inside all that fire, he remembered what I taught him."
Rook looked at her.
Mara whispered,
"That's why you're still my son."
The army broke through the outer door.
Orin shouted,
"Go!"
Rook lifted Mara onto his back.
Eli climbed behind them.
They flew through the tunnel's opening just as the tower filled with soldiers.
They emerged over the northern valley.
But the army followed.
Arrows filled the sky.
Rook twisted through them.
One struck his wing.
He screamed.
Mara held him.
"Keep flying!"
Rook pushed forward.
Below them was a frozen lake.
Mara saw the army closing in.
"Rook!"
He looked back.
"Land!"
They crashed onto the ice.
Eli rolled away.
Rook collapsed.
Mara ran toward him.
His wing was bleeding.
The army reached the ridge.
Orin shouted,
"They're here!"
Mara looked at Rook.
Then at the ice beneath them.
She suddenly remembered something.
The symbol.
The Eclipse Moon.
The Ember Dragon.
The mountain.
"It wasn't Bellweather they wanted."
Eli looked at her.
"What?"
"They wanted Rook to find this place."
Orin's face changed.
"Mara..."
She stared at the frozen lake.
Something was moving beneath the ice.
A massive shadow.
Rook lifted his head.
The ice cracked.
Once.
Twice.
Then the entire lake split open.
A colossal dragon emerged from beneath the frozen water.
Older than the mountains.
Its eyes burned gold.
Every soldier stopped.
Rook stared at it.
The ancient creature looked at Mara.
Then at Rook.
Orin whispered,
"The first Ember."
The ancient dragon opened its enormous wings.
And suddenly every torch on the mountain went out.