The feast stetched late, the tavern's warmth and noise a brief shield against the dangers outside. They swapped stories of their past adventures—Maya's daring cliff chase in a storm, Ash's dealt with the Frost Titan. For a moment, the weight of their fourth quests felt distant.
But as the cider ran dry, reality crept back. Ash's dragon loomed in his thoughts, its lair a mystery he'd need to unravel. His administrator panel could help—scanning for the dragon's daily habits, mapping mountain ranges—but the fight itself would test him in ways he wasn't ready for.
He wasn't sure himself, if his magic stat could afford him to summon the Frost Titan to counter the dragon.
Maya, too, grew quieter, her fingers tracing the edge of her dagger. The Coral Vault was no temple heist. She'd need every ounce of her skill and resources to survive the sea's depths.
