“IT IS MY FATE AS WELL, AND I WOULD KNOW WHY YOU HAVE NO FLAME, LITTLE DRAKE, SO THAT I MAY ESCAPE OUR FATE! THE RED SCEPTRE SHALL NOT HAVE MY ESSENCE FROM WHICH IT MAY EXTRACT JUDGEMENT OF MY LIFE SO THAT ITS ANGER BE SATED! MINE IS IMMORTALITY UNENDING! YOU CAN DO NOTHING FOR THEM NOW, NOR FOR YOURSELF. GIVE UP OR I WILL CRUSH YOUR FRIENDS! THEIR TREASURE AND WORTH IS LESS THAN YOURS, DRAKE!” The pressure on his mind was immense. He could almost feel the inevitability of their words, could almost anticipate them before he heard them. She was right. This was hopeless; they couldn’t escape a fully grown dragon in its own lair. Whenever he managed it before, his friends had a clear way out, or someone actually went out of their way to rescue him. They were alone here. There was nothing they could do.