Thoron sobbed bitterly, shaking the chains that bound his wrists. 'I have nothing to fear from you, Nightmare. You have already destroyed everything I love.'

'All dead!' laughed Krulshards. 'Warhorses, Owls, Border Hounds and all the warriors of Elundium, and between the gates of this beautiful city lies your blood kin. Here, smell his blood on my blade. Taste it before it dries.'

Thoron shuddered, turning his head away from the dagger.

'But Elionbel, she lives!' whispered the Master of Nightmares. '

And she will be mine, taken in victory as I sweep across Elundium, destroying the light.'

'Elionbel?' Thoron cried, turning his face back towards Krulshards, remembering her; fair, gentle Elionbel of Woodsedge. 'Take my life, but spare hers!'

Krulshards laughed, reaching up with the curved skinning hook and piercing the leathery wrinkled skin beneath Thoron'

s chin.

'I already have your life, Thoronhand. You are nothing here in the darkness but a lost moment from the sunlight world of Elundium. You are helpless and alone.'

Thoron gurgled, feeling the sharp edge of the hook touch his jaw bone, and flinched against the pain. Suddenly he cried out, 'Fly, great bird of war. Escape into the dying hours of sunlight. Fly!'

Krulshards hesitated, letting his hand slip from the handle of the hook. Spinning round he snarled, 'Who has dared to enter the darkness?'

Thoron laughed, choking against the curve of the hook and watched the dark shape of Silverwing spread his wings to stoop. Silent and unseen in the darkness above Thoron's head, the owl had waited, turning his aged head from side to

side, catching every tiny sound in the chamber. Now he was ready and knew where each beast stood. Blindly he stared down at the Master of Darkness and flexed his talons to strike.

Kerzolde pointed into the domed roof with his broken claw.

'There, Master, above Thoron's head. I can see the white eyes. Look!'

Krulshards looked up, unhooding his eyes to stare the owl to death, but Silverwing, blind to the look, stooped at the Nightmare's face, tearing his razor-sharp talons across the

raw, unguarded flesh. Krulshards staggered backwards, screaming as the owl's strike cut into his face. Thrusting upwards with both hands he drove the dagger deep into the owl's chest.

Running footsteps echoed in the high domed chamber, drawn on by Kerzolde's warning shout as he leapt to defend the entrance. Blind beasts stumbled into each other in the rising tide of sound. Thoron kicked with both feet at Krulshards, catching his boots in the malice.

'I am not alone, Nightmare,' he cried, 'Listen! Listen!'

'Run! Run!' hissed Willow, urging Thane to follow him. 'The Master of Nightbeasts has your grandfather's life in his hands.'

'How many Nightbeasts?' Thane asked, running hard to keep pace with Willow, stumbling against unseen faults in the tunnel floor.

'Many!' Willow replied, suddenly disappearing into a black void on Thane's left. Thane hesitated and Kyot collided into

him, dropping his father's bow.

'Curse this darkness,' he muttered, feeling gingerly in the gritty marble dust for the weapon.

'Is this what you seek?' Thane asked, holding it up. 'You can see in the dark!' exclaimed Kyot, feeling along the length of the bow for any damage to the oiled wood.

'A little,' Thane replied, turning into the black entrance

Willow had taken. The narrow tunnel spiralled upwards, well marked with Nightbeast claw prints. The air was hot and stifling, filling their noses with the stench of rotten flesh.

'Nightmares,' Willow whispered, halting for a moment to sniff the air. 'We are close to them now.'

'Did you use tills tunnel to escape from the darkness?'

Thane asked, keeping his voice to a whisper.

'No!' Willow replied, 'Our route was by old, long-forgotten roads, dug by my grandelders. Look at this tunnel floor. This was a well-used road before the bathe.'

'But will it lead us to where Thoron hangs?' Thane asked.

Willow smiled in the darkness, and replied, 'Smell She air, Thane.'

Thane wrinkled his nose against the stench of rotting flesh.

It had grown stronger the higher they had climbed and was now making him feel dizzy.

'This stench is far worse than any Nightbeast I have ever

smelt,' he choked. 'It is even worse than She Nightmare, Kerzolde, and he smelt bad enough.'

Willow laughed. 'It is the smell of death. It is the smell of Krulshards, the Master of Nightbeasts, and he is the most terrifying and powerful beast chat ever walked in Elundium.

Do not look into his eyes, or listen to his voice, for he will blind you and send you mad with deafness.'

'How can I fight against him?' Thane hissed, gripping Willow's arm.

'First you must tread on his shadow. The Elder told me in his last death ratde chat to tread on the Master of Nightbeasts'

shadow traps him, frozen, for the killing stroke.'

'But he is shadowless in the dark!' Thane cried.

'And all-powerful, beyond man's power to kill,' Willow whispered.

Thane ran his finger along the cutting edge of Thoron's sword, feeling helpless at She task ahead. Esteron nickered softly, nudging Thane's shoulder, and Mulcade hooted in the

darkness. Thane laughed, 'We are more than men, Willow.

Lead us to tills Nightmare.'

Willow moved forward again, crouching against the tunnel wall. The voice ahead of them had grown louder, almost to shouting pitch.

'Quickly,' Willow cried, 'Krulshards is going to kill your grandfather! Run! Run!'

The tunnel turned a sharp corner and came to an abrupt end in the high-domed chamber. Thoron hung in the centre of the chamber, kicking wildly at Krulshards, his feet tangled in the malice. The dark shape of an owl, hooked by its talons on to Krulshards' face, beat its wings, shrieking as the Nightbeast plunged a black-bladed dagger into its chest.

Blind beasts in a circle around Thoron Thrust their spears at his struggling body.

'Nigh/shards!' Willow cried, cowering in the entrance of the chamber. 'They were in the Elders' stories. Only light can harm them in the darkness, or penetrate Heir armour!'

The Nightshards had turned as one towards the sound of Willow's voice, and his words were lost beneath their snarling screams. Slowly they advanced, step by step, spears Thrusting, on the entrance.

Thane leapt into the chamber, plunging his sword at the closest beast, but the blade turned harmlessly against its armour. Ducking beneath the Thrusting spear he struck again, a slashing stroke chat sent up a shower of bright sparks in the