The tunnel opened up into a chamber of sorts, large enough for Ceallach to stand. In front of him, glowing faintly with a dim warm light, was a statue of a great wyrm. It, too, looked like it had fallen - though there were no holes to show from where. It leaned to one side, its base of support planted in the ground at some unnatural angle. It was easy to see that the statue had been damaged in the fall - it looked like it was supposed to be a wyrm taking flight, but one of its whiskers was missing and half of its body broken. Had it been complete, it would have likely been a great thing to see, but as it was, it looked more pitiful than anything else. Regardless, Ceallach dug around for a rock, placed it near the statue, and sat to offer a prayer. There was little else to do, and any statue, whether or not it was completely intact, deserved some respect.

Great, booming laughter, as if from an old but powerful man, echoed throughout the chamber. Fear no more, mortal! Be blessed, for you have entered the presence of Vers-rhan!

The room erupted with light, blanketing everything around him with radiant gold and fire. The dirt and soil of the chamber evaporated, leaving behind marble streaked with copper. From the light swirled a serpentine creature, shining with even greater brilliance and laughing like thunder. It reared, its mouth open in something like a smile.

I am the Sun Swallower, the Immortal, the Chanter of Ballads! Hear me!

Ceallach tried to cover his eyes, but it did little to shield the brightness - he could see the creature even with his eyes shut.

The wyrm swooped in close with its jaws agape, baring a toothy grin. Welcome and well met! it boomed. When Ceallach shied away, fearing it would attack, it laughed again, the sound echoing throughout the chamber - which seemed to have become massive with light and flame. The wyrm's whiskers streamed behind its head, undulating softly as it gazed upon him.

"Thank you, Vers-rhan," Ceallach said after he waited a moment, wondering the creature would move away. It did not. "I'm a bit lost."

Be at ease. None are lost in the presence of gods. His head pulsed in time with Vers-rhan's breathing. What is it you desire, boy?

Rather than answer immediately, Ceallach found himself at a loss. He didn't know what to think - was this the statue come to life? They granted luck for travelers...did he desire reaching the Northwest? Or, he could desire a safe journey out of the pit he was in...

Vers-rhan reared again, its jaw snapping in disgust. Not those foolish things! Deeper! What would you do, boy, if you had the backing of a god?

It roared so loudly that Ceallach found it difficult to muster the energy to even think or conjure images in his mind. Water...what about water? Was he thirsty?

...No, the sea. Something he left there. Aisling, asleep...

"I wish to break a curse!" he shouted.

A noble desire! Many simply give up in the face of curses, but you - no. A brave heart burns within you, which refuses to accept your given fate. Yours is an enemy far greater than most would ever attempt to strike down, and in order to defeat it, you will need...strength!

The last word gripped Ceallach, grabbed him with such force he gasped sharply and started to pant for breath. His lungs felt hot, almost molten, as if the golden light had seeped into his body. Far from being painful, it was invigorating, and already he felt power just beyond his reach stirring within.

Vers-rhan's body slithered though the air, forming lemniscates, though its face remained steady, its red-hot gaze firmly on Ceallach. You will need to be strong, and I can give you power, youngling, if you serve me. Be my vassal, and you will have strength beyond the reach of mere mortals!

"Yes! I'll do it!" Ceallach realized he was on his feet again. The wyrm's chuckle echoed in his skull as it straightened.

To have my power is to become as I am! My strengths are many, and you will wield them as a wyrm would. The wyrm's first weapon...is his tail!

At this, there was the sound of something slicing through the air, and a metallic object cut through the light and landed at Ceallach's feet. He reached down to pick it up. It was a knife with a long blade and a loop on the end instead of a handle.

For a wyrm may not need to use his talons, his teeth, or his breath to defeat his opponent...perhaps he can be swift and strong enough to end the fight with a sweep of his tail! You, boy, may not have a tail of your own, but you have something that gives you its reach.

Ceallach looked around to see what it could mean. His eyes fell upon the end of his hair, which lay right in front of him. He looked back to the knife in his hand, turned it in his hands a few times, then threaded the end of his hair through the knife's loop and tied a knot.

Vers-rhan opened its mouth again, grinning ferociously. Clever boy! But, as with all weapons, you must know its function and capabilities intimately. Know that even a wyrm, greatest of creatures, can be harmed with his own tail. Hold it up, youngling, and mark yourself with it.

Ceallach held the knife by the loop, wrapping some of the trailing hair around his hand. The blade glowed a fiery color. He looked upon it a moment, taking the heat into his gaze, then made a cut across the bridge of his nose. He felt no blood on his face - the heat kept it in - but he saw a red mark seep into the metal and fade away. As this mark faded, he felt confident and comfortable with the blade, as if its weight was a natural extension of his hair and body. He loosened an arm's length of hair from the wrap on his hand and swung it in a loop in front of him, slowly building speed. Suddenly, he whipped his hand to one of the walls. The knife shot out and dug itself to the loop into the wall. He pulled his hand back, freeing the blade, and it sailed towards him. He caught it with his other hand.

You accepted its magic very well...interesting. Vers-rhan's voice had cooled to a smolder in Ceallach's mind. All wyrms hurt themselves with their tail once, but it only need be once. Some knowledge of its use has been burned into you. You must learn the rest.

"I understand," Ceallach said, wrapping his hair around an arm. "But why won't you grant me all the knowledge now, and make me the strongest I can be?"

Vers-rhan threw its head back with laughter, its teeth gleaming. I do not doubt you that much, even with your tiny human body! Do not worry, youngling. Vers-rhan believes in you, and knows you will grow strong through your own power!

He held the tail-knife up so he could look at it. It shimmered briefly from tip to end, as if encouraging him. A smile flickered across his face.

I will call for your services later, youngling. For now, master what I have given you. Go, and carve yourself a path!

Vers-rhan lunged, mouth gaping, but this time Ceallach did not flinch. Just before its jaws would close around him, it disappeared, along with the bright light and marble. Once again, he found himself in the chamber that he had found the wyrm statue. But try as he might, he could not find the statue at all, or any sign of what had happened to it. A booming laugh echoed around the chamber, fading slowly.

"Thank you," he said aloud, in case the wyrm could still hear him, and ducked out of the chamber. Now that he had a gift from a god, the fall seemed insignificant - he could surely find a way out of the pit he had found himself in. Daylight was fading, but there was enough light to see that dirt was tumbling down the incline. There was some kind of shuffling noise from above. He looked up towards the hole and saw something digging at it.

"Who's there?" he shouted. The digging stopped for a second.

"Ceallach! You're alright!" Claire's voice cried out in relief. "Hang on, we're trying to get you out!"

Another voice mumbled near her, and they had a short exchange before the digging began again.

Ceallach couldn't quite see how the incline had changed, since the people digging above were blocking out most of the sunlight, but he found that it was possible, though difficult, to climb now. He glanced over his shoulder back into the tunnel, but he could not find the entrance anymore - and not because of the dimming light, but because a wall seemed to have appeared since he had passed through it gain. He blinked, noticed dirt rolling down the incline, and decided not to question what he had seen just yet. He dug the tail-knife into the soil as he climbed, using it to anchor himself as he pulled his body upwards.

A hand caught his and dragged him out of the hole. A dirty-looking Sonja and Claire helped him to his feet. Claire noticed the knife in his hand and leaned closer to look at it. "Where did you find that?"

Ceallach wiped the dirt off of it and held it out in his palm for the other two to examine. It glinted in the dimming light. "This? I got it from a statue down in the pit."

The two girls looked at each other briefly, as if they didn't quite believe him, but said nothing. Sonja ran a finger down the edge. It made a short hissing noise like something sizzling and she drew her hand back.

"But that's not important right now!" Ceallach said, slinging the rest of his hair over his shoulder. "Where are Rowan and Ark? Are they..."

"They're still with those...ruffians," Claire said. "Sonja and I managed to get away, but...they'll probably be expecting us to come back and get them..."

"So? We can't just leave them!"

"We're not going to. But we can't just go in there without a plan," Sonja wiped off some dirt from her face. "Or some kind of idea of what we're going to do. It wouldn't do much good if we got captured or killed on our way in, right?"

The possibility of death gave Ceallach pause. "Well...if we need to fight, I'm armed now. It'll go better this time." He swung the knife in an arc away from the other two, launching it at a branch above them and slicing it clean off. Sonja caught it before it landed.

"I hope you won't have to use it though," Claire said softly.