Dying Light is the sixty-second episode of The Dragon Prince. It is the eighth chapter of the seventh book, "Dark".
A shocking betrayal turns the tide in Aaravos's favor. With Eternal Night upon them, Callum and his allies rally in a desperate final stand.
Plot[]
Amaya, Janai, Karim, and Astrid are flying above Lux Aurea alongside Embertail and Aegis as they approach the Sunforge that is infested with corrupted Banthers. Upon landing by the Sunforge, the group fights the Banthers off before Astrid casts "Stella Ignis", which ignites their crystal torches that allows them to keep the creatures at bay. Karim starts casting the destructive spell that will destroy the Sun Orb, but chooses not to trigger the last rune when he sees the approaching Aaravos. Janai is furious that Karim intends to betray her again, but Karim says that killing him means dooming Xadia. Karim then presents himself to Aaravos as the rightful ruler of the Sunfire Elves and threatens to trigger the spell unless he and the Startouch Elf become allies. Aaravos extends his hand to Karim, who steps into the former's palm and continues his speech about bringing order back. However, Aaravos is uninterested and clenches his hand to crush Karim, to Janai's horror. Amaya, Janai, and Astrid are forced to retreat with Embertail and Aegis since their plan failed, and the rising Sun causes the Banthers to slink back to the shadows.
Ezran, Bait, Azymondias, and Aanya hide amongst the debris in Valley of the Graves as the restless spirits continue to overwhelm the Katolian soldiers. Bait flashes a bright light that causes a spirit to recoil before Zym blasts it with a lighting bolt. Zym resumes to stand his ground against the advancing spirits until the sunrise causes them to disintegrate into ash and dust. Ezran hugs Zym and breaks down into tears as he talks about how weak and useless he is since he is unable to prevent Callum from using dark magic again. Just then, Ezran remembers what Aaravos told him about his weakness before leading Bait, Zym, and Aanya to a different part of the valley.
Aaravos draws the Sun Orb from the Sunforge and begins to use purple crystal shards to create a massive staff while reminiscing how the Stars never smiled upon the world they created. He goes on how it is suffering to exist within such a world and that death is no reprieve. Aaravos is about to cast a spell on the Sun when the ground trembles and the glass panels surrounding the Sunforge shatter. Moments later, Rex Igneous bursts from the ground and knocks Aaravos off his feet. The Archdragon of the Earth charges at Aaravos and is about to attack, only to be immobilized by Claudia. Aaravos uses the opportunity to use his staff to shoot a shaft of dark energy at the Sun, causing a shadow to shroud all of Xadia and allowing restless spirits and corrupted Banthers to thrive in the Eternal Night.
Ezran, Bait, Zym, and Aanya manage to gather around the statue of Ezran's ancestor, the Orphan Queen, which has been sculpted to wield the Nova Blade. Ezran deduces from what Aaravos told him that the Orphan Queen literally took the Nova Blade to the grave by having the sword disguised as part of her statue.
Ziard's restless spirit joins Aaravos in the darkened Lux Aurea as Claudia's hold on Rex Igneous starts to weaken. Rex manages to use his tail to swat Claudia away before tackling Aaravos to the ground and knocking his staff from his grip. Aaravos struggles to prevent Rex Igneous from biting him as a storm of black lightning starts to gather above Lux Aurea with the silhouette of a gigantic dragon soaring through the clouds. The storms distracts Rex from attacking Aaravos, prompting the Startouch Elf to knock the Archdragon away. Aaravos then tells Rex Igneous that he has brought a gift in the form of his old friend and rival: Avizandum, the Archdragon of the Sky and the former King of the Dragons, who has been resurrected as a restless spirit. Rex is appalled to see that Avizandum has been reduced into Aaravos's puppet and is forced to battle his fallen king while the Startouch Elf retrieves his staff. Not long after, Zubeia arrives in Lux Aurea alongside Pyrrah, Soren, Corvus, Terry, and the horrified Zubeia flies into the fray to stop the fighting. Zubeia's arrival distracts Rex Igneous long enough to be bitten by Avizandum, and Zubeia can only watch in despair as Avizandum turns Rex into a petrified corpse that immediately crumbles into ash and dust.
Rayla and Stella enter Lux Aurea's throne room where they reconvene with Soren and Amaya's groups, who are filled with anguish since Aaravos's plan to usher in an Eternal Night has succeeded. The hopeful Rayla tells them that Callum will arrive soon with a new pearl that can help them imprison Aaravos again.
Zubeia begs Avizandum to remember his true self and dodges his attacks since she does not wish to fight him. Aaravos simply laughs at the sight before he turns his gaze to the heavens and asks his fellow Startouch Elves if they are watching.
Terry tells Soren that they have to find and save Claudia. But Soren believes that his sister has gone too far and they need to stop her by all means necessary despite the sap swear he took. Callum and Runaan eventually meet up with the group, which in turn allows Sneezles to reunite with Hat and Jellybug. Callum and Runaan divulge that things did not turn out the way they intended, but they have what they need to imprison Aaravos. Astrid then reveals another one of Kosmo's prophecies, which involves one with dark eyes who will sacrifice himself when the hour turns black. Callum believes that the prophecy refers to him when he performs dark magic and prepares for the final assault. Callum asks his friends and allies to clear a path for him before leading the charge.
Team Zym uses everything they have to slay every spirit and corrupted Banther that gets in their way, and Pyrrah uses her fire breath to burn Ziard. The spirits eventually make Soren, Corvus, and Terry to fall off Pyrrah's back, causing them to continue the fight on the ground. In the chaos, Domina Profundis, the Archdragon of the Ocean, joins the fight and fires a torrent of water that briefly knocks Aaravos and Avizandum to the ground before standing alongside Zubeia. Aaravos and Avizandum return on their feet as Aaravos remembers how the current confrontation reminds him of his initial defeat. Aaravos taunts Team Zym and their allies as arrogant fools and encourages them to kill him since the explosion will destroy themselves and their loved ones in the process. Aaravos divulges that he will merely be sent back to the heavens and will return to Xadia to finish what he started when his stars align with Xadia in seven years and nineteen days.
As the restless spirits and corrupted Banthers start to overwhelm Team Zym, Callum reveals himself to Aaravos atop a tower and states his intention of imprisoning the Startouch Elf again. Aaravos replies that he never falls for the same trick twice since he already sent Claudia to kill Akiyu. Callum elaborates his plan of containing Aaravos inside one of Viren's enchanted coins, but Aaravos laughs at the idea since he will immediately possess Callum as his vessel the moment he performs the dark magic spell. However, Callum ensures that such plan will never come to fruition since a Moonshadow Elf has promised to assassinate him the once the spell is complete. Aaravos fires back by telling Callum that Rayla is an assassin who cannot kill, only for Runaan to reveal himself as the would-be-assassin as he aims his bow and arrow at Callum, to Rayla's aghast and Aaravos's anger. Callum prepares to choose his destiny of sacrificing himself so that Aaravos will be trapped forever without a vessel to control.
Characters and Cast[]
- Callum (Jack De Sena)
- Rayla (Paula Burrows)
- Ezran (Sasha Rojen)
- Bait
- Stella
- Azymondias
- Soren (Jesse Inocalla)
- Sneezles
- Hat
- Jellybug
- Corvus (Omari Newton)
- Aanya (Zelda Ehasz)
- Pyrrah
- Claudia (Racquel Belmonte)
- Terry (Benjamin Callins)
- Aaravos (Erik Dellums)
- Astrid (Boone Williams)
- Runaan (Jonathan Holmes)
- Amaya
- Janai (Rena Anakwe)
- Karim (Luc Roderique)
- Embertail
- Aegis
- Rex Igneous (Ben Cotton)
- Avizandum
- Zubeia (Nicole Oliver)
- Domina Profundis
- Sol Regem
- Ziard
Spells[]
| Sky Spells | Sun Spells | Corrupted Sun Spells |
Dark Magic
- Daed eht fo sgniw (Wings of the dead)
- Niaga esir reven lliw nus eht, dne eht gnirb, krad tseleurc (Cruelest dark, bring the end, the sun will never rise again.)
Trivia[]
To be added.