Ash pressed himself against the tunnel's damp wall, the Golden Amulet's heat pulsing in his hand, a prize that made him the dragon's prey. The narrow passage gave him a moment's safety, its rough stone stopping the beast's claws, but the cave shook with the dragon's rage.
Coins clattered, and flames roared in the main chamber, the creature ripping through its hoard. Ash's fire-resistant elixir was gone, his transparent shield broken, and his magic was low after summoning the eagle, wyrm, and wraith, plus raising skeletal warriors.
The Fangs of the Blue Dragon, his twin short swords, were notched but glowed faintly at his hips, their fire, ice, and lightning magic his lifeline. The tunnel led deeper, but escape was a dream—the dragon's senses were too sharp, its obsession with the amulet too fierce.
Ash's fighting skills, honed through countless battles, demanded he face it again, using tactics and his summons to outsmart the beast.
