One thing about having your right hand turned into a dragon's head: it really doesn't interfere with flying very much. So Alptraum doesn't take long to find Kaira atop the small hill where her 'desk' used to be. The dragon looks very much as Alptraum first saw her: clad in shiny armor made from various metals and holding a black-bladed iron sword. Also like the first time, she's completely frozen, and her surroundings have a less-than-real aspect to them.

Alptraum folds his wings in and lands near the 'statue' of Kaira. He reaches out with his left hand to touch her, saying worriedly, "Kaira? Are you there? Please tell me you're still alive." He's forgotten his mutated hand just for the moment, well, until he brings that one up and almost touches her with its nose.

There's no response from the frozen dragon, and it's difficult to get any actual sense of touch from the contact.

"I suppose you're not going to tell me what happened?" Alptraum mutters to his deformed hand. He sits down near the feet of Kaira and sighs, trying to think of what to do next. While he thinks, he absently tries to actually move and operate the head affixed to his right arm; to see if e can manipulate the jaw like a claw, perhaps.

The jaw opens and closes as appropriate, working like a mitten. The voice that comes into Alptraum's head does not see to originate from the dragon-head though. "You haven't asked yet," Vorgulremik rumbles. "What would you like to know?"

Alptraum opens the jaws of his 'hand' to look inside curiously. "Well, for one, what you did to my hand. I do not care to become one of your kind, nor give birth to you by proxy," the Eeee answers, sounding a bit frustrated. "For two, what happened in here? Not that I expect you to tell me the truth."

"Have I ever really lied to you before?" Vorgulremik's voice asks. "And I did not do that to your hand, the Shadow did it – although devouring my body surely gave it the template. Flesh is like clay to the Shadows. And as for what happened here, I think it is quite obvious: Kaira underestimated the Shadow's strength, and was defeated. The jailer is now a prisoner, and the prison is in a riot."

"You tell me what is in your own benefit and leave out details that would be in mine. Anyway, I have to free Kaira and defeat the Shadow Dragon. Great," Alptraum remarks as he continues the inspection of the dragon's head, examining the teeth and looking for a tongue, if any. "As for my hand, can this be undone? And do you know where Kaira is being held?"

"If you can beat the Shadow, then you can restore your hand," the steel dragon says. "And Kaira is right before you, locked away. She's just a spell, after all. The irony is that she might have won, before you drained away half of my power. Her power derives from my own, after all."

"That's the problem with all of you. None of you dragons want to tell the complete story. Had Kaira told me what she was planning I would have known better and imprisoned the Shadow first," Alptraum notes. Finding the tongue inside the maw … well, Alptraum tries to move it like a flexible finger. "And I doubt you'd be willing to help me beat a shadow dragon, would you? In several ways I'm not that much different from you and ultimately, I imagine you see me as a rival of sorts."

"That all depends on how you intend to beat it," the dragon voice says. "I know that you possess an artifact with the key to the Shadow's True Name. You might be able to control it with that. I might be able to devour the Shadow with such a key, but I am too weak now to take the monster by force."

"I wouldn't let you devour it anyway," Alptraum notes, "But if I can control it, I can, in theory, bind it to my will. That is a dangerous gambit and it's not like I can read its true name right now, anyway. And I wouldn't ask you to read it for fear of what you would do. You are ruthless, Vorgulremik, like all of your kind from what little I saw of your home world. I have no illusions that any help you would ever offer ultimately helps you."

With a bit of concentration, Alptraum can get the tongue to move as he wants, although it feels weird when it actually touches something.

"This is really disturbing," Alptraum adds as an afterthought when the tongue finally moves and he curls it around the finger of his normal hand. "Do you know if this is happening to my hand in the outer world? Or is it only in here?"

"I have no idea, but I take your question to mean that your real hand has not undergone this transformation yet," the dragon-voice says. "And like it or not, I doubt you will find anyone else willing to help you in here. Everyone has gone to ground to hide from the Shadow, even me."

"My hand is still a hand, though it is covered with scales and the start of a head. Are you telling me that it will continue to change?" Alptraum asks, sounding concerned. "And … is it going to spread?"

"I couldn't say," Vorgulremik admits. "It may spread, or it may not. Ask the Shadow."

"And I don't necessarily believe that no one would help me. For their own survival it would benefit them to assist me in subduing the Shadow," Alptraum says as he gets to his feet. "Regardless, I need to hunt down the Shadow and stop this for everyone's sake. This is … partially my fault as well. I insisted we capture the Shadow. Therefore, I need to solve this. Anyway, where is the Shadow?"

There is a long moment of silence before Vorgulremik replies, "I'm not sure. I have a general idea based on where the most damage has been done. And if you want to help those in here, then you need to release the Shadow back into your world."

"I intend to take it with me, one way or another," Alptraum says as his wings unfurl. "And if someone in here can teach me its true name, I can take it out and keep it from causing any more damage. So, I think that should be reason enough for others in here to aide me." He then reaches out and presses his good hand to Kaira. The Eeee then leans in and presses his cheek against her scales, whispering, "I don't know if you can hear me or not, but I will rescue you. Somehow."

"The Shadow was bound to the sarcophagus," Vorgulremik says. "While you have drawn its essence into this world, it may still be bound back in yours. Do you still have access to the sarcophagus?"

"If it has not flooded, yes," Alptraum answers. "Why? Can I still affect it from there if it is still bound there?"

"Unless Amenlichtli managed to somehow sever it from its heart, then it must still be embedded in the sarcophagus," Vorgulremik claims. "The Shadow can be destroyed."

"There's the problem. I do not want to destroy it," Alptraum remarks and shakes his head. "I need its help for another problem. Its death is last resort. I'd even willingly cut off my right hand before I resort to killing it." His wings spread wide and he then takes to the air. He climbs high, trying to see where any path of destruction may lead.

There does seem to be a trail of sorts, where the rubble has been flattened a bit, as if a giant serpent had slithered across the ground. There's no way to tell the direction in this place, but it's most likely leading away from Kaira.

Alptraum follows after the trail, his wings beating furiously, propelling him hopefully after the Shadow. "You probably think I am insane, or stupid," he comments, assuming Vorg is still listening. "This isn't about me, it's about someone else and those she protects. If I fail in this, I fail and doom them too."

"What do you intend to do if you find the creature?" Vorgulremik asks. "In here, it is a foreigner just like you, and can hurt you. Outside you might have a chance."

"Reconnaissance. Know your enemy," Alptraum remarks. "Plus, I may find someone I can help here who will, in turn, help me. I never said I would strike at it here. I am simply trying to learn more about it. Just like I snuck into your mind to learn about you."

"Besides, it's already ruined my hand. What worse things could it do?" Alptraum adds a bit jokingly.

"Death, mutation, madness," Vorgulremik starts listing. "Possession, perhaps."

"Eh. I'll deal with mutation if it happens. Madness, well, I'm probably already crazy. Death … well, if I die it's not my problem anymore," Alptraum counters bravely. Well, he tries to sound brave, anyway.

Something black resolves up ahead, at the head of the path. It's almost formless, like a blob of tar nearly twenty feet across. It oozes forward over the ground, grinding it beneath itself.

Alptraum beats his wings and follows the strange blob. "How intelligent is it? Can I speak to it?" he asks. "And how quickly will it be able to sense me?"

In answer to the final question, the creature stops and starts to strain upwards towards the flying Eeee. Tentacles erupt and reach, but they are slow and the distance is still too far, so they retract back into the main body again. "It is intelligent," Vorgulremik asserts. "You can try to communicate with it, but I advise doing so at a safe distance."

Alptraum lowers itself a bit, but tries to make sure he's out of the range of the tentacles, or at least far enough that he could move before it reaches him. "Hold. I wish to speak with you!" he calls out to the creature below. Quieter, he asks, "How quickly does it affect things if it contacts?"

"No idea," Vorgulremik answers. The black blob doesn't have anything like a face or eyes, but it feels like it's staring at Alptraum. "Light!" it cries out, strangely enough, in Khattan.

"What about light?" Alptraum calls back as he circles far above.

"Need light! So long, so very long in the dark, buried, suffocating," the Shadow bellows, in a voice like a tumble of gravel.

"I pulled you from the sarcophagus Amenlichtli sealed you in!" Alptraum calls down to the blob. "I hoped to offer you a chance for some freedom again and have you benefit another Shadow Dragon of your kind. We brought you in here to examine you before we decided if it was safe to pursue binding."

"Binding!" the creature wails. "Locked away from light, fed only the dead and dying, not able to keep enough for myself!"

"It sounds insane," Vorgulremik comments in Alptraum's head.

"Not that kind of binding!" Alptraum insists, "Bound to one of us in our world. So that you my exist along side us and experience our world. Another of your kind does this now; it shares a symbiotic life with someone. But … it too is now in danger of losing that relationship and becoming lost in darkness!" To Vorg, Alptraum comments, "I would be too if someone stuffed me in a box like that demon did to it."

The creature exudes tentacles again, which curl back and seem to beat on its own central body for a few moments before retracting. "Where is my heart? Why am I here? Have you killed me?" it demands.

"I don't know where your heart is for certain! I pulled you from your prison so we could examine you!" Alptraum calls back, "Do you not remember me at all?" He holds up his deformed hand to see if it triggers any memories.

"You aren't dead!" the Shadow accuses. "Pulling… I was being pulled! I held onto you, but I was pulled in anyway! You did this!"

"No, I'm not dead! I'm trying to help you," Alptraum insists. ""I'm trying to stop an evil Amenlichtli did long ago. How can I help you further? How can I prove you can trust me?"

"Bring me my heart!" the Shadow demands again. "Give me light!"

"What does your heart look like?" Alptraum calls back. "And if I promise to seek help, will you stop harming those here and release the one you imprisoned?"

"The dragon-thing fought me, I will not release it until I am safe!" the Shadow claims. "Everything here is dead. Dead dead, dead, already, and still moving, but not by my will. I hate this place!"

"Fine, I understand. Do you trust that I will help you? Will you calm yourself while I seek your heart? Or is there anything I can offer that will prove I am trying to help you?" Alptraum asks as he circles.

"Release me and I will trust you!" the Shadow says. "Or let me eat you! There is some light in you, the only kind of light I've been allowed."

"If you eat me I will be unable to help you!" Alptraum points out, "Please stop your rage in this place while I seek out your heart. I promise to return! Do you believe me?"

"No, I do not!" the Shadow claims, and lashes around with its tentacles to cause more destruction. "Fleshlings cause me pain, always! Always attacking, or locking me away!"

"How can I prove to you I will return, then?" Alptraum asks plaintively. "I need to know this world will be safe while I search."

"This world is my hostage then," the Shadow says. "Return quickly or I will ruin it. I will drain out all of the color, and warp the people into monsters! Trust in my threat, for I will not put my trust in you!"

"Then describe your heart to me and I will seek it out! And if I fail, I will submit myself to you as either your meal or your servant," Alptraum promises. "I know you do not believe me, but I do want to help you, and in turn, help others."

The Shadow roils in place, as if fighting with itself. "My heart… my heart… " it mutters. "An egg of diamond, glowing in the light." it finally reveals.

"Then I shall return with it, or submit myself to you," Alptraum reiterates. "If I succeed, will you listen to my proposal of freedom?"

"Maybe," is all the Shadow seems willing to promise.

"That is all I can ask of you, then. I speak the truth now, even if you do not believe. I am sorry for the torment you have been through over the centuries. I will return as soon as I can," Alptraum says then his wings hefts him skyward. "Any opinions, my now brother of scale and blood?" Alptraum remarks and looks to his hand and the visage of the steel dragon.

"You had best be prepared for its reaction," Vorgulremik suggests. "It is most likely undead, and does not realize it."

"I know. One thing at a time, I suppose. I will need to learn its true name before returning with its heart," Alptraum answers as he continues to climb. "Now, if you have been helping me, I have one question for you. Why?"

"To earn your favor," Vorgulremik replies. "Do not destroy me."

"If this goes well … I will consider discussing that," Alptraum answers rather noncommittally. "Now, it is time for me to get back to the real world.  Hmm. Usually that involves hitting my head, unfortunately."

"Why not crash into Kaira then?" the dragon-voice suggests. "Maybe you could manage to tip her over if you hit hard enough."

"I'll just drive into the ground," Alptraum counters. His wings then snap in and with a graceful arc … darts downward towards the ground below.

It isn't easy, especially with instinct and reflex urging him to pull away – but Alptraum actually manages to crash face-first into the ground. There is a burst of stars, and when his vision clears he finds himself looking up at Phlagaea from where she holds his head in her lap.

"Nngh," mutters Alptraum as he brings his right hand up to his head to both dull the pain and see the state of it. "Things are not good," he whispers.

The little tongue flicks out and tries to lick Alptraum's eyeball. Other than that there seems to have been little change in the hand's appearance. "You could have broken your head open if I hadn't caught you!" Phlagaea says. "What happened? You've been unconscious for nearly half an hour, and I was beginning to worry."

"Kaira has been imprisoned and the Shadow is destroying everything in its path," Alptraum says as he struggles to sit upright. "I have to do two things now. One, I have to find the Shadow's heart. Two, I have to learn the Shadow's true name to keep it from destroying me after I give it its heart back," he answers. "And if I can manage both of those, I can get my hand back to normal as well as solve other issues. I have to go back to the Keep."

"You'd better rest up first," Phlagaea says. "You look exhausted."

"No real time to. The longer I take, the madder it's going to get," Alptraum admits as he tries to get to his feet. He also starts looking around for his gear, hoping he still has the torc with him.

Everything is still where he left it in the room, at least.

Alptraum starts digging through the gear quickly, looking for the metal band. "Do you want to come with me? I understand if you do not," he asks the green Eeee. "And hmm, did you still want to bandage my hand?"

"If you get yourself killed, there's no reason to bandage it," Phlagaea notes. "I think I can fly now, so I'll go with you."

"Yes, but you wouldn't have to look at it," Alptraum points out with a small grin as he tries to cheer himself up. "It could be a lot worse than it is right now." Finding the torc, he tucks it safely into his belt. He gathers up his blood-dagger as well as a regular one, then nods, "Let'sgo quickly and get this part done. I hope it will be easy to find."

"Yeah, looking for a heart in the dark on a stormy night in ruins," Phlagaea says cheerfully. "Sounds like a date to me!"

"With a guy who's hand is contaminated with the blood of a steel dragon and has the fate of one world and one Draco County in his care. Chance of success … slim. Chance I won't try anyway … none!" Alptraum says as he puts his arm around Phlagaea. "There's always hope if you're willing to try. Let'sride the wind."