Moonfall, #2
The Ballad of Falling Dragons
by Sarah A. Parker
Contents
Chapter 18
Overview
Trapped inside the Citadel as panicked citizens beg entry, Raeve’s group decides to breach the wall. Roan paints a powerful rune with Kaan’s Daga-Mórrk blood, ignited by a parchment lark nudged by Clode. The explosion creates a far larger breach than planned, drawing attention. Kaan collapses, jeopardizing their escape amid the ominous Moving Mists.
Summary
From a hallway overlooking the Citadel courtyard, Raeve, Kaan, Roan, and Pyrok assess their entrapment while citizens pound the gates and Moltenmaw riders suppress the crowd. Wardens pass close, forcing the group to void their minds and move. With the gates and guards impenetrable, they debate options and reject tunneling through Bothaimian ore.
Roan proposes detonating the wall using an etched rune powered by fresh dragon blood or an equivalent. Despite Raeve’s concern for the risk to Kaan, Kaan insists on contributing his Daga-Mórrk blood, arguing inaction means death. He bleeds into a flask of melted snow while the team hides near a large urn and tree for cover.
As Moving Mists unexpectedly billow over the wall—bringing the threat of waifs—Kaan outlines a fallback route to the underground canal if they breach. Roan paints an elaborate blood rune on the ore and needs a fresh parchment lark to carry ignition. Using Kaan’s earlier lark, Raeve calls on Clode, who gleefully nudges the burning lark into the rune.
The rune contracts and then explodes violently, liquefying and spattering the ore. The resulting breach is far larger and louder than intended, certain to attract attention instead of masking the escape. In the aftermath, with molten edges dripping and danger mounting, Kaan suddenly collapses, leaving the group exposed and their plan in immediate peril.
Who Appears
- RaeveNarrator; drives the escape plan forward, mediates risks, calls on Clode to ignite the rune, and prepares for a canal getaway.
- KaanDaga-Mórrk bonded to Rygun; provides blood to power Roan’s rune, leads planning, then collapses after the wall explosion.
- RoanScholar and etcher; devises and paints the complex blood rune, orchestrates ignition with a parchment lark.
- PyrokCompanion; supplies the flask, stands lookout, and prepares to move once the breach is made.
- ClodeCreator presence Raeve can hear; playfully redirects the burning parchment lark to trigger the explosive rune.
- WardensPale-eyed enforcers patrolling halls; their presence pressures the group to act quickly and covertly.
- Bothaim’s citizens and soldiersPanicked crowd demands entry as Moltenmaw riders and guards hold the line, creating chaos around the Citadel.