"The jury isn’t out on whether dragons truly lurk the dungeons. Some veteran adventurers claim to have seen them with their own eyes. Surely they wouldn’t be this close to the surface? The shadow you see on the wall begs to differ. You brace yourself to battle the beast – but the creature that accosts you is much smaller. A pesky wyrm coughs its tiny flame at you, mugging you for gold to add to its hoard."

✦

The blistering heat of the Furnace pressed heavy against Selaine’s coat, but she found the ground beneath her hooves oddly comforting in its warmth. The air was thick with smoke, smothering everything in sight, and the distant rumble of molten stone echoed through the haze. She narrowed her eyes, sensing something—something large—moving ahead. "Could it be?" she murmured, her voice hoarse from the dry air. "A dragon... this close to the surface? My brother's notes said they never came this far."

Terrence, ever the optimist, tossed his mane and gave a confident snort. "A dragon? I don't think so. You've got too much smoke in your eyes, you're seeing things. Let's really see what we're dealing with, yeah?"

The shadow ahead shifted ominously, growing larger against the flickering light of the molten stone. Selaine's muscles tensed, ready to spring into action. This could be it—the test she had been waiting for.

But as the creature finally emerged, she blinked in surprise. It wasn’t the towering dragon she had braced herself for- Instead, a small, scaly wyrm slithered from the smoke, its wings buzzing with effort as it puffed out a tiny flame that barely reached the tops of their hooves.

The wyrm’s voice was nasally and high-pitched as it demanded,

"Gold! You gives me gold! Gold for my hoard!"

Selaine blinked again, taken aback. "Is this... really happening?" she asked, looking over at Terrence, her eyes wide.

Terrence laughed, his tail flicking in amusement. "Guess it’s not all fire-breathing monsters and glory after all. You want to deal with this little guy, or should I?" He grinned, clearly enjoying the absurdity of the situation. His head moved to peer down at the little rat, a grin spreading across his lips.

The mare sighed, shaking her head with a soft chuckle. "I suppose if it’s gold you want, it’s gold you’ll get." She reached into her saddlebag, her voice dripping with mock sarcasm. "For the hoard, of course."

The wyrm eagerly snatched the gold, its tiny claws clutching the coins as it puffed another small flame in triumph.

"Yes! Yes! Gold, Gold for the hoard!" 

Terrence leaned in toward Selaine as the wyrm hopped away, his voice teasing. "Well, looks like that little thing made out like a bandit."

She rolled her eyes, but a small laugh escaped her. "It's nothing I can't make back. Come on. Maybe if we follow him, he'll lead us to an even bigger prize."