The silence that followed the cave-in was a heavy, suffocating blanket, broken only by our ragged breaths and the distant, muffled thump-thump of the mountain’s agitated pulse. Dust still hung thick in the air, stinging my eyes and coating my throat, but the immediate, bone-jarring chaos had subsided. We were alive. But we were also trapped, deep within the mountain’s forgotten arteries, with a malevolent, ancient presence now free and lurking somewhere in the darkness behind us. My scales still burned from the searing flash of the runes, and the scar over my left eye throbbed with a dull, persistent ache. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the crushing weight of guilt that settled in my chest. I had done this. My curiosity, my desperate need for answers, had not only led us into this perilous situation but had actively, irrevocably, unleashed something terrible. The triumphant echo Moon had sensed from the newly fractured wall resonated with a chilling certainty: I was the key. I had opened the cage. Qibli, despite his injured shoulder, was already on his talons, his keen eyes scanning our surroundings. He moved with a practiced economy of motion, his gaze sharp, assessing every shadow, every crevice. "Well, that was "There’s a passage," I said, pointing with my snout towards a dark, narrow opening I’d felt earlier, hidden behind a cluster of jagged stalagmites. "It feels Or, failing that, we need more dragons who will believe us. Dragons who can help us. Dragons who can My scales bristled, and my tail barb twitched. I took a step forward, but Qibli’s talon on my arm stopped me. He gave me a subtle shake of his head, a silent reminder of our plan. "It’s not about SandWings or IceWings, Winter," Qibli said, his voice calm and even. "It’s about the mountain. And what’s happening beneath it. Cactus has a unique ability, a seismic sensitivity. He can feel the mountain’s pulse. And that pulse "But if this turns out to be some elaborate prank, or if we all end up frozen solid or eaten by some ancient monster, I’m blaming you, SandWing. And I’m going to make sure you pay for it. With interest." "Deal," I said, a faint, almost imperceptible twitch of my tail barb. We had him. One down. Now for the harder part. Recruiting Peril was an entirely different beast. Winter, for all his bluster, was predictable. Peril was a wildfire, a force of nature, driven by impulse and a burning desire for action. We found her in the arena, practicing her fire-breathing, the air around her shimmering with heat. She was a terrifyingly beautiful sight, her crimson scales glowing, her wings flared, a living inferno. "Peril!" Qibli called out, approaching cautiously, his scales already feeling the oppressive heat radiating from her. "We need your help!" She turned, her orange eyes blazing, a faint wisp of smoke curling from her nostrils. "My help? What could you possibly need my help for? Unless you want me to melt something. Because I’m really good at melting things. Especially things that annoy me." "We might need you to melt something," I said, stepping forward, my voice calm and steady despite the intense heat. My desert-born scales were more accustomed to extreme temperatures than Qibli’s, but even I felt the oppressive warmth. Peril’s gaze fixed on me, her eyes narrowing. "You’re the new SandWing, aren’t you? Cactus. I heard about you. You’re the one who caused that little tremor in the history cave. Thought you were pretty impressive, actually. Took some guts to shake up Starflight’s boring lecture." "It wasn’t me," I corrected, my voice flat. "Not directly. It was something in the mountain. Something ancient. Something that’s breaking free. And it caused a cave-in. We’re trapped. And whatever it is, it’s dangerous. We need your fire, Peril. To clear the path. To fight it." Peril’s eyes widened, a flicker of genuine interest replacing her usual volatile amusement. "Breaking free? Dangerous? Fight it? Oh, this sounds like fun! Much better than sitting around listening to boring lectures. Tell me more! What kind of monster are we talking about? Does it breathe fire? Because I love a good fire-breathing contest!" Qibli quickly explained the situation, detailing the humming, the whispers, the Runed Wall, the malevolent presence, and the sealed passage. He emphasized the danger, the unknown, the sheer power of what we had unleashed. Moon added her perspective, describing the mental blank spot, the fear, and the cold, empty hunger she had sensed. Peril listened intently, her scales shifting from crimson to a vibrant, excited orange. Her tail twitched, her claws flexing. "So, you’re saying there’s a giant, ancient evil monster trapped in the mountain, and it’s trying to get out, and you want me to help you fight it?" Her voice was practically purring with anticipation. "Essentially, yes," I confirmed, a grim determination hardening my features. "We need your power, Peril. Your fire. To clear the rubble. To melt through whatever stands in our way. And if it comes to a fight

Recruiting the Muscle