[TEAM ALPHA - THE LAIR]
They walked back into the dragon's den.
Three warriors knowing they were going to die.
The question was just how long they could last.
"Remember," Masha said. Voice steady. "We don't need to win."
"We just need to not lose."
"For one hour."
Jin laughed. Bitter. "Easy."
Erica said nothing. Just let her flames grow brighter.
Hotter.
The dragon was waiting for them.
Still coiled on its throne. Patient.
'You return. How brave.'
The mental voice was amused.
'Or how foolish.'
"Let's find out," Masha said.
She slammed her hands to the ground.
CRACK!
Black ice erupted. Not at the dragon.
Around it.
Creating a maze of pillars. Walls. Obstacles.
Restricting the dragon's movement space.
The dragon looked at the ice. Tilted its massive skull.
'Clever. But futile.'
It rose. Bones creaking.
And smashed through the nearest ice wall with one swing of its tail.
CRASH!
The wall shattered into a thousand pieces.
