Ash pressed himself against the tunnel's damp wall, the Golden Amulet's heat pulsing in his hand, a prize that had turned him into 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, flames roared in the main chamber, and the creature tore through its hoard in frustration. Ash's fire-resistant elixir was gone, his transparent shield shattered, and his magic was drained after summoning the eagle, wyrm, and wraith, plus raising skeletal warriors.
The Fangs of the Blue Dragon, his twin short swords, were notched but still glowed faintly at his hips, their fire, ice, and lightning magic his lifeline. The tunnel led deeper, but escape was impossible—the dragon's senses were too sharp, its obsession with the amulet too fierce.
