There are rumors about the dragons. Marianna in particular, she swore she'd not only seen one, but fought it off with her own hands. Does Lucia believe her older sister? Not really. There's nothing in particular that sells the idea she'd fought one-- she'd come back entirely unscathed. Even a veteran would be limping and battered if they'd encountered something that dire, right? Still, Marianna had been hailed as a hero, accolades that left a bitter taste in Lucia's mouth. There was no proof to speak of, just her elder sister's word. Word that had been far overblown before, and she doesn't know what to do with that information or all of these feelings.

Back to the Furnace, back to exploring, Lucia makes her way down the ragged path. Marianna hadn't even had the information, the full details as to where the dragon had appeared in her journey. How could Lucia just take her word for it? An annoyed snort echoing from her chest, as she winds through the molten level. It's far to the east, down winding tunnels and strange pathways. Way too close to the surface for a dragon to thrive, from the things she knows about dragons. Grim curiosity draws Lucia like a moth to flame. She's going to investigate the place Marianna swore she'd seen the dragon.

It's long past the penciled place on the map, Lucia and Capo still making their way through the dark halls. "See, there's nothing here. I knew she was full of it." Vindicated, but moderately annoyed. Lucia had come all the way down here, and it seemed there was nothing of interest. Nothing to find, no treasure, not even any interesting creatures. Mother wouldn't be pleased either, feeling like she'd wasted the day. "I don't want to turn back yet. Maybe there's something else down here." There's a grey air to her tone as she speaks to Capo, the pair making their way ever deeper in the dungeon.

A shadow catches her attention, fleeting, from the corner of her eye. Lucia balks. Capo flits back to her shoulder, resting there with a wary look around them. The way it moved, slinking across the wall... ominous. Very ominous. Holding her breath as they creep forward, both wide-eyed. Lucia worries about making more noise, drawing the attention of whatever had cast that distinctively dragon-esque shadow. Still, she needs to know. She needs to see it with her own eyes. Braced to run rather than fight, Lucia is tentative as they continue to wander forward.

The beast appears with a clatter and a puff of flame... a puff? Not a blast? In the orange glow of the furnace, Lucia's gaze comes to rest upon perhaps the smallest dragon she's ever seen. A little giggle bubbles in her throat, in a way she can't contain. This? This was what Marianna was hailed as a hero over? Surely no one would take her word over her sister's, but there's a certain satisfaction that comes from knowing. Having the information for herself. This little wyrm, barely a dragon by any stretch of the imagination, is what she'd been all hyped up over fighting.

"I'm not laughing at you, just... you met my sister days ago, and she made you sound terrifying." The creature assesses Lucia, another wisp of flame puffing past her face. "Oh come on down, you can have some gold for any trouble she's caused you." She giggles lightly to herself, and to Capo, before rummaging in her bag. The little beetle looks incredulously between Lucia and the dragon, as if unsure whether she's in her right mind or not. A stack of three gold coins left at the wyrm's feet, and Lucia turns to return home for the day. Vindicated. She's feeling awfully vindicated.