Tarragon

Anwen Porter travels to the Village of Lindwyrm, where she meets Tyler Duran and mistakenly reveals her identity to him. Tyler confronts her about using an alter ego, blackmailing her to keep her secret quiet.

Anwen wakes, realizing today she's supposed to hike up to the Ruined City. She gets up and gets ready. Anwen meets the others going on the hike in front of City Hall. Tyler shows up and gives them the rules of conduct for their day trip. Courtney makes fun of Daphne and is shut up by Tyler. The truck taking them to the start of the trail arrives and Tyler arranges for Anwen to ride inside instead of in the open back with the others. Anwen and her group arrive at the start of the trail and they all climb out of the truck. Tyler directs their attention to the view across the road where Lake Wyvern can be seen. He points out the Dragon Isle to Anwen, who is a bit awed. He then teases her about dragons before getting serious about the hike once more. He gives them all one last chance to back down from the excursion before heading out. Ready to hike, the group crosses a small stream to get to the actual trail. No one helps Anwen across the running water, though Tyler keeps an eye on her. They begin their hike into the nearby canyon.

The group of explorers, Tyler, Anwen, Courtney, Daphne, Josef, and a few others, continue up the path to the Ruined City. They take several breaks on the way up before Tyler decides it best for them to rope up for the more steep parts. They cross the Endless Chasm, Anwen needing a lot of coaching to get across. Courtney is less than pleased, and uses her magic to try and make Anwen fall off the mountain. Tyler helps Anwen safely get across a section of path that has broken free, aware of Courtney's involvement in Anwen almost falling. He thinks about saying something but doesn't. The group continues past the hurdle before breaking for lunch on a clearing on the other side of the Chasm. Once lunch is over, Tyler calls the group back to the trail. With the going a bit easier, they head towards an area like an open-air tunnel that Tyler calls the "Consecrated Hall", an obsidian-lined walkway. The area affects everyone differently, including Anwen. She hears the cries of thousands of past rock dwellers calling out to her. Some of the others simply slow down or relive events in their pasts. They finally make it through, Anwen almost bumping into an impatient Daphne waiting at the other end. Tyler leads them on down the path. The group continues past a series of lattice-covered niches in the canyon wall. Tyler explains how they are considered the resting place of deceased dragons but that a spell protects the area from anyone finding out for sure. Anwen hears voices in the wind from those buried inside the tombs. Everyone meets back up on the other side of the niches, near a stone arch, and Tyler announces they have arrived at their destination.

Anwen's group returns back to the trail head amid a developing thunderstorm. Tyler calls for their ride and everyone ends up riding in the back due to being wet from the sheeting rain. They return to the Village of Lindwyrm and Anwen heads to her hotel. Having safely to her room, Anwen tries to shake off lingering fears. There, she soaks in the tub and ponders the day's events. She tries to block out the storm by thoughts of Tyler and his unusual questions and actions, wondering who he really is and how he fits into everything. From across the street, Courtney ponders Anwen and what she's up to while lurking outside the Dridi Inn. She doesn't realize she's being followed as well by a dark shadow. After her soak, and still unable to sleep due to the storm, Anwen continues to ponder on the day's events. She flashes back to her father's murder, which she witnessed when she was a young child. She recalls how he made her promise to go to the Drakonii Mountains and fulfill his dying wish, which is to take the pendant from her mother and unlock her past to fill their family's obligation as Porters. She falls asleep, sobbing over the memory.

After being rendered unconscious by falling against the stone altar in the Sacred Grove, Anwen sees the galaxy in a vision. A voice, Kern Nurrim, shows her the Drakonii Mountains from space, as well as the solar system. He then tells her the answers she seeks about her past are in the Mountains and that she has the means to find all the answers. He then sends her back to the Shrine, which appears to be Anwen falling headlong from the heavens back towards the planet, and, finally back into her body. Anwen wakes with a nasty headache in the Sacred Grove, realizing she passed out. Tyler apologizes for doubting her, having seen the whole content of her vision. Realizing she's not okay, he takes her back down to the boat and across the lake. Anwen is listless, under the influence of a concussion and heat exhaustion. He splashes her with water from the lake as he rows their boat across the surface. Arriving on the other side, he takes the risk of carrying her up the path from the fishing village. Hoping no one is there to see his manifestation of power, Tyler speeds his journey to the trail head to spare Anwen as much suffering as possible. His passage super heats the earth, but they make it back to the top unseen. During this time, Anwen is mostly out of it and almost acts drunk when she realizes he plans on taking her back to the village on the moped from before.

The trio head to the Old Mill. Anwen decides to go on ahead without the others. After she's gotten ahead, Tyler pulls her away. Anwen struggles but is silenced by Tyler, promising to explain later. He releases her and leaves.

Anwen meets Courtney at the bridge and they cross over, heading to the mill. Anwen realizes Tyler isn't there but doesn't immediately question it. Courtney explains about the strange bridge and about the water wheel part of the mill before leading her to main door. Courtney leads Anwen inside the mill, where she shows her the grinding mechanism and how to get to the second floor. Anwen wonders if Tyler knows any fun facts about the mill and Courtney informs her she'll have to wait to find out as Tyler had to run an errand. Anwen is confused, as she didn't see Tyler leaves and Courtney assures him that's normal for him. Anwen decides to explore the top floor of the mill. Anwen decides to explore the top floor of the mill and heads to look out a window. She goes to look out a second window and gets a case of vertigo from the heights. As she pulls back, she feels something prick her neck, like an insect sting. The sting makes her dizzier and the world tilts. She falls to the ground unconscious. Hearing the thud of Anwen falling, Courtney decides to investigate. She finds Anwen on the ground, unconscious and starts to freak out. Tyler comes and accuses her of hurting Anwen. In full anger, flings her to one side. Courtney protests to the accusations and convinces him she wasn't involved. Tyler decides to believe her but also tells her they need to get out of sight. Courtney says she knows a place and starts to lead the way out. They notice a ravel spying on them and Tyler asks her to cast a spell of concealment to help hide them as they try to get away.

Courtney and Tyler safely reach the secret hideout where Tyler examines Anwen for wounds following their encounter at the Old Mill. He reveals that Anwen is the Key Keeper, the last Key Keeper, and therefore the only person who can open the Mountains of Tarragon and release the dragons from a spelled sleep. Courtney is shocked by this news and Tyler asks her what she knows of the Keepers. She tells him the history she learned, that they were exiled from the village, and relates how she overheard Mr. Millard, the innkeeper's husband, telling his wife that he'd killed off the last key keeper years ago. While Tyler examines Anwen, Courtney realizes Tyler is actually a dragon due to the manifestation of his abilities. He swears her to secrecy, even to Anwen, knowing it would put them all in danger for his heritage to get out. He decides he needs some herbs they don't have in their cave to cure Anwen. He makes Courtney promise to protect her while he's gone. She promises and he leaves to collect the necessary herbs.

Tyler rushes to find the necessary herbs to cure Anwen. When he doesn't find the ones he wants nearby, he goes to the inn in the village to retrieve Anwen's things and hide them. He then goes to the Sacred Island, retrieves her necklaces, and finds the herbs he wants before heading back to the cave hideout. While Tyler is gone, Courtney looks back on the day's events, remembering the events at the Old Mill and her perspective on them, and what she's learned since. While she's pondering, a Fallen attacks the cave. She manages to defeat it, but when she hears more sounds akin to the first Fallen, she tries to defend the cave again. This time she mistakes Tyler for a Fallen in the dark, but he keeps her from harming him. She sobs in his arms until she can calm down enough to help him with Anwen. Tyler goes after wood for a fire, returning to mix up the herbs he collected. He then prepares the herbs while Courtney starts a fire. They discuss the healing property of the herbs while they heat up. With the herbal brew finally ready, Tyler spoon feeds Anwen the resulting mixture. Courtney dozes off and Tyler uses dragon magic to pull out the toxins from Anwen's body. He is successful and ends up recalling part of a prophecy regarding the Key Keepers. Seeing Anwen doing better, he goes to bed.

Anwen has a dream vision of floating in water, where she meets a dragon who takes her to a Mountain. On that mountain, she meets Kern, Oldest of all dragons. He tells her she is a Key Keeper, the last of her line, and therefore the only one who can open the mountain city of Tarragon, releasing the sleep-bound dragons from inside. He also tells her he shielded her from her father's killer so she could live. Anwen is overwhelmed by this information and isn't sure she can believe it. When the dragon that took her to the Mountain dives off the cliff face, she tries to follow, ending her dream. Tyler wakes to find the spirit of his brother has come to visit. With the others asleep, he talks with his brother, who disapproves his working with mortals. Tyler tells Callum, his brother, that Anwen is the Key Keeper they've been waiting for. Callum scolds him for using valuable resources to prove Anwen's birthright but eventually accepts Anwen's position, even if he doesn't approve of Courtney. He gets after Tyler for using dragon fire on Anwen's soul as well, leaving after giving out some dire words about Anwen's fate. Tyler realizes their time is running short.

After waking from troubled sleep, Anwen learns the basic about Keepers. Tyler wonders if she knows where to find the Master Key but Anwen doesn't have a clue. They get ready to head out, Courtney apologizing for her previous behavior.

While heading to the Ruined City, Anwen and her party are attacked by Fallen. Anwen falls into Lake Wyvern and has another vision. Tyler defeats the Fallen, with Courtney's help, and rescues Anwen from the lake.

Tyler leads his small group to a hidden retreat where they can recover from the recent attack. Anwen has another vision and sees her ancestor, Mathias Porter, who sealed the Mountain in his day.

After waking, Anwen's health is called into question. While the group tries to make plans, she realizes she has had the key they've been searching for all along. They decide to head to the gates as quickly as possible.

After making their way back to the path to the Ruined City, Anwen, Tyler, and Courtney discover a new obstacle. Anwen falls off the path and Tyler tries to rescue her.

Tyler rescues Anwen from a devastating fall, blaming Courtney. When they realize someone else is responsible, the party continues on the path to the Ruined City, where an unexpected obstacle waits them.

While Courtney battles a formidable foe, Tyler and Anwen press on, opening the gates. Inside the mountain, the two are separated due to trickery.

Tricked into separating from Tyler, Anwen must confront an unexpected enemy, or die trying.

Tyler finds Anwen, buried in rubble and makes a mad gamble to save her life.