Evelyn screamed, mostly because she knew no one could hear it. The dragon roared when she started screaming, and then time froze as she let it all out. Except it didn’t stop, and she started to hyperventilate. Panic made her mind scramble. Now there was a level six dragon inside the bubble. She couldn’t have a panic attack when time was frozen.

Clarissa had used up one mana slot for flame blade. Others had used up more. This was a young desert dragon, about ten feet long. It wasn’t as massive as an adult or ancient dragon, but the group of adventurers were level four, and had already fought three creatures today.

She grabbed the dice and gave it a roll, getting a thirteen total. Just like that, time resumed again and everyone could see her panic.

Though she wasn’t the only one. This was a dragon they weren’t supposed to face until they reached level six or higher. Clarissa’s bubble should have blocked it. Why didn’t it block it?

Grizzizzik strode forward with his short bow, an arrow already nocked. “If this thing flies, we’re all sitting ducks!” Grizzizzik shot the arrow, and it pinged off the dragon’s muscular wing. “Shit!”

Ezekiel gestured toward Milo. “Guiding bolt!”

Milo reached into his inventory and pulled out a vial of gold and red mana, handing them to the cleric. “I only have two more red mana left.”

“Understood.”

Ezekiel drained them before grabbing his medallion and ushering a prayer. Light filled his medallion before he channeled it into his arms. A blast of light rocketed toward the dragon. It slammed into the wing. The young dragon took the hit before snarling at Ezekiel.

Hraktar eased Sylvar to the ground before looking at the group. “Rafael, Derek. Take him back into the cave, away from the heat.”

Rafael and Derek hardly reacted before Hraktar ran forward with his great sword. With a bellow of rage, Hraktar slammed his great sword into the base of the wing of the young dragon. With a power Evelyn almost didn’t believe, the half-orc gave a snarl that could match the dragon’s as it slammed the great sword into the dragon’s shoulder. The red dragon shrieked in pain as Hraktar pulled it back out again, panting as it backed as far away as he could. Evelyn’s mouth was slightly open as she glanced at Alejandra.

Again, Alejandra beamed. “Nat twenties are my favorite!”

Rafael and Derek grabbed Sylvar between them and hoisted him up. Tyler ran over to help as they made their way into the shelter. The dragon didn’t look as grand or intimidating as it did before. But they still had a long way to go before they could win this thing.

Time stood still, and Evelyn glanced through her list of spells. Grizzizzik was right. If that dragon took flight, it would pick them off one by one. Evelyn mentally chose entangle.

Time resumed, and Clarissa chanted something in elvish before shooting her hands forward. Thick briars shot out of the ground beneath the dragon. The creature nursed the wound on its shoulder and was taken by surprise. It roared as the vines wrapped themselves around its body.

Tyler was at the start of the tunnel, ushering toward the others. “Evelyn, Nick, Alejandra. Get in the shelter. We’ve got to stay away from the dragon.”

“Pretty sure if the dragon breaths at the mouth of the cave, we’d all be toast. Literally,” Nick said.

Tyler’s voice went dry. “Humor me, please.”

Evelyn moved toward the hideout opening.

“Okay, um, everyone cover for me, ‘kay?” Milo sat on the ground and worked on his cannon again.

The dragon screamed in rage as vines snapped off its body. It shook them away before taking a deep breath, electricity filling its body. Evelyn picked up the pace. She wasn’t sure how much the dragon’s breath could hurt, but she didn’t want to find out.

The dragon roared, and a shot of electricity slammed into Hraktar’s chest, then Ezekiel’s, then Grizzizzik’s. Hraktar shouted in pain as he stumbled back, his forty-seven hit points dropping to twenty-seven. Ezekiel and Grizzizzik buckled before collapsing to the ground, their hit points at zero.

Evelyn made it into the shelter, but everyone was crowded around the opening.

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“Tell me someone has cure wounds,” Rafael said.

Derek rubbed his chin. “Milo has a ton of healing potions.”

“Shit.” Everyone turned their attention on Nick who swore. “Nat one on a save roll.”

Tyler hissed as Derek leapt out of the rock opening. “Milo! Grizzizzik’s in critical danger!”

Hraktar moved forward, panting as he gave the dragon another swipe with his great sword. The dragon shrieked and snarled.

Time froze again, and Evelyn studied her list of spells. She hadn’t prepared cure wounds ever since Ezekiel was back. None of them expected a level six dragon to down their cleric. She just wanted to cause as much damage to the dragon as possible.

Since the dragon breathed lightning, it would most likely have an immunity to it, so her flame blade might be enough. They had the ingredients from her pouch, so she chose that one. It would also use up the last of her level two mana slot.

She rolled the d20. Seventeen, that was nice. She then rolled a one, a two, and a three. What the odds of that were, she wasn’t sure, but she wished it were slightly higher.

Time resumed, and Clarissa grabbed a leaf from her inventory as she chanted. It turned into a blade before she walked forward and slammed it into the dragon. It skidded a bit off the scales, but it cut through enough.

Milo sprinted toward Grizzizzik as he pulled a vial of gold mana out of his inventory, pulling out the stopper with his teeth and jamming it into Grizzizzik’s mouth. The rogue sputtered and choked as he forced it away.

“You almost died.” It was Milo’s only explanation before he aimed his glowing crossbow at the dragon. The ice blue bolt streaked across the desert before smacking into the dragon’s eye. It shrieked, and Milo looked genuinely surprised that it worked so well.

The dragon turned toward Hraktar and snapped at him. Hraktar leapt out of the way, right into the dragon’s claws. He let out a bellow as a claw pierced his stomach and ripped across his chest. Hraktar panted before the dragon took flight, shrieking.

“We almost have it!” Clarissa shouted. “Don’t let it get away!”

Grizzizzik scrambled to his feet, already taking out his bow. The dragon was in the air, but it was a large enough target. Grizzizzik’s arrow flew, but missed. He grabbed his head, blinking back whatever had dazed him from the electricity hit.

Rafael glanced at Derek. “Ezekiel’s got one success and one fail.”

“Better than a nat one, but we also don’t want that dragon to pick up his unconscious body and drop him, either,” Tyler said.

Hraktar pulled out his crossbow and took careful aim before letting the bolt loose. The bolt smacked the dragon in the throat, and it shrieked again, whirling on Hraktar.

It was Clarissa’s turn next, and she really only had the option of her bow. Clarissa grabbed her bow and tried to aim, but when she let the arrow go, it plinked harmlessly off the dragon’s underbelly.

Milo stood up, holding his cannon and his crossbow, shooting both at the same time. The ball of white energy smacked into the underbelly of the dragon, and the crossbow bolt entered its heart. The dragon shrieked before it stopped. Its wings tucked in as it fell.

“Yes! Kill shot!” Derek said.

Tyler covered his face and let out a breath. “If that dragon had gotten any higher.”

“How did this dragon even get in here in the first place?” Alejandra asked.

Tyler sighed. “I’m… not sure.”

The ground rumbled as the dragon collapsed. The characters were all panting, with Hraktar grabbing his stomach to keep the bleeding under control.

The silence broke with Rafael’s shout. “Can someone get Ezekiel? That was a second fail.”

Milo nodded, then sprinted toward Ezekiel, replacing his crossbow with a vial of gold mana. Milo slid next to Ezekiel, pulling out the stopper before easing it into the cleric’s mouth. It was about a swallow’s worth. Once it was down, the cleric gasped awake, glancing around.

Milo waved. “Hi! Glad you’re back!” He got to his feet, looking excited. “There’s a desert dragon, and I’m going to need at least three hours with its carcass.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Clarissa climbed to her feet. Evelyn was relieved that she looked unharmed. “A dragon entered the bubble when he shouldn’t have. We can’t stay here at the edge of the bubble when Calawit told us a bunch of other creatures are out there.”

“How did it show up?” Hraktar said.

Tyler rubbed his temple, furrowing his brow. Evelyn watched him, ignoring all the other feelings that were too complicated to process. Tyler glanced at the characters, dropping his hand. “Good question, Hraktar. Does anyone have any ideas?”

Tyler’s face froze, and words appeared in her vision.

Make a perception check.

Evelyn grabbed the d20 and gave it a good shake, realizing her eyes were still on Tyler and she focused on her hands. This was ridiculous. What was she doing? Nothing changed between the two of them. Tyler would be nothing more to her than a friend. Clearly. She was sixteen. He was twenty. Why was this so hard to grasp? Tyler had no interest. At all.

Seventeen. Clarissa had a +5 on perception, bumping it up to twenty-two. Movement came back to everyone.

“Nice. Twenty-two.” Evelyn glanced at Tyler.

“Hmm?” Tyler asked.

Evelyn’s cheeks grew warm. “Right. Sorry. Force of habit. Forgot you… don’t actually need to know.”

“Well, it’s nice to hear it’s past twenty. Gives me hope.” Tyler glanced at Clarissa. It gave Evelyn the time needed to calm her blazing hot cheeks. What was wrong with her?

Clarissa placed her hands on her hips as she turned toward Grizzizzik, a slight smile on her lips. “Ah, I do believe my favorite phrase is in order.”

Grizzizzik hesitated, then annoyance flickered across his face. “Seriously, Princess?”

“Yes, Grizzly Bear. This—” she made a circular motion with her pointer finger toward the sky, “—is all your fault.”

Grizzizzik ran his tongue over his sharpening teeth, pushing them back into place as the annoyance turned into a glare. Nick saw the reaction and unfolded his arms, giving Evelyn a nervous glance. Grizzizzik and Clarissa might enter one of their sibling fights. Obviously, they weren’t siblings, but things might get dangerous.

Nick held up a two and a one, which meant he rolled a twenty-one. Evelyn held up two twos. Clarissa was right, and Grizzizzik knew she was. This fight could get dangerous.