The Dragon's Lair

"Would you like me to carry you?"

I shook my head, rejecting Fyren's offer for the third time. As much as I yearned to give in and relax in his arms, this mountain, and the dragon beyond, was something I was determined to face on my own. 

But sheer willpower only carried me so far. Long before we reached the peak, where the magic circle continued to turn, my legs shook, threatening to collapse. The endless slog through the marshes and up the mountain had drained my strength almost entirely, and I was rapidly losing that which remained. 

Several paces ahead, Soltair and Trithe spoke in hushed tones, reviewing their strategies and training from the last several weeks. Despite their outward confidence, their hands often rested on their sword hilts or clenched anxiously at their sides.