The monster that emerged from the shadows was a sulfur-drake, a mountain-sized beast with scales like rusted iron and breath that reeked of rot and volcanic gas. Its eyes, burning like twin forge-furnaces, fixed directly onto the scrawny, trembling teenager in the corner. Every time it breathed, a gout of sickly green flame erupted, singeing the cave roof and sending molten droplets onto the stone floor near Zarox’s boots."Look, Mr. Drake-y," Zarox stuttered, raising his hands in a frantic gesture of peace. "I’m just a visitor. A backpacker, really. I was looking for a spot to take a quick nap, but I think I’ve made a navigational error. My GPS... er, my internal compass is acting up, and I should really be leaving."The monster snarled, a low, tectonic rumbling that rattled the very fillings in Zarox’s teeth. It crept closer, its talons gouging deep, permanent furrows into the granite ground. A dollop of acidic drool landed mere inches from Zarox’s toe, instantly dissolving a patch

The sulfur-drake didn't just sleep; it vibrated. As it snoozed in the middle of the meadow, the dragon-like creature exhaled rhythmic plumes of pressurized fire-damp, scorching the grass in neat, circular patterns. Zarox, fueled by the manic, overclocked energy of the stolen Root of Eternal Life, felt like his nervous system had been replaced by high-voltage copper wiring. He didn't have time for a post-escape nap. He dragged the heavy, mangled pieces of his gear toward the drake’s cooling back. He needed the furnace, and he needed it yesterday."Alright, buddy, don't mind me," Zarox whispered to the sleeping leviathan, crawling toward the dragon’s snout. "You’re currently doubling as the most oversized stove in the entire mortal realm."He took out the original kitchen cauldron, the Aegis, and slammed it down onto a rock. It looked pathetic compared to the colossal beast beside him, scratched, dinged, and still sporting a persistent crust of burnt onion peel from his days in the kit