Page 122 of Hell-Bound

“This tunnel should lead us to the volcano. Overland would have taken us days to cross the mountains,” he said.

“It looks pretty volcanic already,” Ren murmured, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

Azur strolled into the grotto, looking around.

“Wait,” he said, holding a hand to stop Ren, tail lashing nervously.

“I remember the answer. And it wasn’t stars.”

They heard a low rumble as the heat intensified.

“Ren—”

A tremor rocked the cavern, and both lost their balance and stumbled to their knees. More ash wafted into the air, and rocks began to fall from the ceiling.

Ren rolled aside just in time for a large boulder to miss her.

“What’s the answer!” she yelled, staggering to her feet.

As more rocks fell, crashing to the ground, Azur teleported to hover over her, blocking the onslaught. He had changed again, no longer Jester, he was The King of Hells—wings spread and face shimmering like coals.

Another low rumble vibrated the room before—

Stillness.

Then, through the brown and gray ash, she saw two giant yellow eyes.

“Dragon,” she whispered before the air left her lungs.

Azur grabbed her around the waist and shot into the air, the dragon’s eyes following closely, tracking them.

It was the size of several buildings, scales inky black, and shimmered in the light of the magma.

“You kept a dragon down here?!” she shouted. “How could you forget about adragon?!”

Azur was flying in circles around the room.

“I didn’tforgetthe dragon!” Another tremor tossed rocks around the room as the dragon beat its massive wings. “He’s only meant to appear if you get the riddle wrong!”

“Which we did because you forgot that the answer wasdragon!”

The creatures breathed in the air, pulling like a whirlwind. Its throat began to expand, and green veins appeared under its enormous maw.

“But we can’t be hurt by fire, right?” Ren hollered, predicting what came next.

“This dragon doesn’t breathe fire!” he shouted over the sound of crashing rubble.

The dragon’s throat began to pulse, threatening to explode, before it released a spew of liquified mucus towards the two. Azur dove—barely avoiding the eruption.

The green liquid splattered against the far wall and began to sear into the rocky exterior.

“Fire isn’t the only thing that burns, Elfy!”

The dragon bellowed in agitation and lashed its tail wildly.

Azur dashed to the left side of the grotto, where there was a narrow indentation on the rock.

“Stay here.” he said, releasing Ren and taking off again.