Three of the fabled conduits were now at rest. The Mistral, quelled by Ashtan and rescued from the Flame of the World by the Skylord. Bataoac, slumbering once more at Anake's Elbow through the efforts of Targossas. And the Sorceress, freed of her binding to Mhaldor by the will of Sllshya. But one remained: Jeramun.

Awakened, unleashed, the lone conduit continued his rampage, armies of elemental fire continuing to spill forth onto the Prime Material Plane. Yet not all was lost, for devoting their efforts to Lltharax, Emissary of Kkractle, under the ambassador's direction the Court of Shadows had prepared a great ritual.

Upon the appointed hour did a soldier of Kkractle make the trek down the boughs of Yggdrasil, carrying with him an amphora filled with the resonance from dozens upon dozens of elemental cores. With all the militaristic precision of Elemental Fire, he provided Hashan with the final piece of their puzzle, placing it within the depths of the Gelid Hollow near the fount of the Wellspring. Led by Asmodron Dicondron, the Hashani conducted their ritual, seeking to summon forth as much power as they dared.

And the Wellspring responded. The air of the Hollow grew warm, its cool, moist surrounds momentarily suffused with Elemental Fire beneath the blackened smoke as incandescent chains encircled the fiery amphora, its essence imbued with gelid power warring against calescent energies. Bid to carry the empowered token to where the Flame of the World had once slumbered, the Hashani rushed to comply. Cracks were already forming within the surface of their precious cargo as, accompanied by dragon guards, they soared the skies of the north towards the distant Vents of Hthrak, placing the amphora within its depths mere minutes before its final detonation.

"I should stay," said Asmodron. "To see if it works."

It did. With a howl of fury in the unleashed energies, a blazing beacon to the enraged conduit, Jeramun gave chase. The fires dimmed in his wake as he left the southern reaches of the continent behind to once more take up station in Hthrak, screaming with rage as he lashed out wildly at all nearby. The stage had been set, for only one thing would be enough to quell Fire long enough to be returned to Kkractle: conflict.

Gathering themselves, with a cry to the White Dragon did Hashani, Ashtani, Targossian, and Cyrenian alike hurl themselves against Jeramun's incandescent fury, heedless of death or dismemberment in a desperate battle that painted the tunnel walls with their corpses time and again. Yet even as they fell, death after death bringing them closer to the Finality, the Flame of the World began to slow as the endless assault took a terrible toll on the weakening conduit.

And at last beneath their combined assault did Jeramun falter, carmine rage billowing upwards one last time as blackened chains cloaked him in the reforged armour of Dekalb, linked once more to Kkractle. His fires dimmed, his slumber assured, the final conduit was at last put back to rest.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Summary: Through alliance with Elemental Fire, the Court of Shadows employed the Wellspring beneath the city to empower a trap for the awakened Jeramun. Saving Sapience from his unending conflagration and ceaseless fires, the Hashani ritualists lured the World's Flame to Hthrak, where through a combined effort from almost two dozen Greater Dragons he was returned once more to his slumber, securing the final elemental conduit.

Penned by My hand on the 15th of Valnuary, in the year 759 AF.