Doomraga's Revenge Read Online Free Page A

skills and tools to do so. People such as dwarves!
    In the final seconds before touching down, he put it all together. These aren’t craters, after all. They are entrances! To the dwarves’ underground tunnels. Maybe even to—
    Before he could finish the thought, he saw Merlin deflect a new, terribly fierce barrage of flames from the dragons. Time to announce my arrival , he decided—and landed with a thunderous crash, slamming into the blackened ridge right next to the crater.
    The force of his impact nearly toppled Merlin from the crater’s rim, but the wizard managed to steady himself with his staff. Instantly, all the surrounding dragons halted their blasts of flame. In that moment of silence, the eyes of Merlin and Basilgarrad met.
    “What took you so long?” asked the wizard, his voice gruff but affectionate.
    “Oh, I took in some of the sights on the way.” Then the dragon’s eyes narrowed with concern. “What’s your plan?”
    “Plan?” Merlin scowled. “I thought you would have a plan.”
    “Green dragon!” boomed a powerful voice from the ring of attackers. “Whose side do you choose?”
    Basilgarrad spun his massive head around to face the speaker—an enormous dragon whose orange scales were almost completely blackened by soot. Columns of smoke poured from his nostrils; rage burned in his amber eyes. Though one of the largest dragons in the ring, he was still only two-thirds the size of the green dragon who had appeared so suddenly. Standing beside the orange dragon, Lo Valdearg started in surprise. Then he grimaced in rage. Smoke curled from his nostrils, and he angrily clawed at the remaining charred stubs of his beard.
    “Which side?” demanded the orange dragon. “That of your brethren, the dragons of Rahnawyn?” He blew an especially dark puff of smoke. “Or this ragtag wizard who tries to keep us from our jewels?”
    “ Your jewels?” called Merlin, his voice booming nearly as forcefully as the dragon’s. “They belong not to you, but to the dwarves! Who are, even now, underground as I instructed them—but who would bravely answer your attack if necessary. You do not own the jewels just because you crave them as a mosquito craves blood.”
    “Soon we shall!” Sparks of flame flew like spittle from the orange dragon’s mouth. “Just as we dragons will soon control every part of this realm, crushing any foes who stand in our way.”
    By his side, Lo Valdearg nodded and glared at one foe in particular, the only dragon who had ever defeated him in battle.
    The orange leader thumped on the ground with his foreleg, sending up a cloud of ash. “Choose now, green dragon, for tonight’s battle begins anew. And before it is over, any allies of that wizard will be dead.”
    From within the crater, Hallia said something to Merlin, too quietly for anyone else to hear. The wizard frowned grimly in reply.
    Moving his vast bulk slowly, Basilgarrad raised his tail into the air. All of a sudden, he brought the tail’s clubbed end down with a resounding crash. Rocks and dirt and ash flew skyward. Vibrations shook the ridge like a powerful tremor. Three or four of the dragons in the ring lost their balance, rolling into their neighbors. As the explosive sound faded away, he spoke—not only to the orange dragon, but to everyone in the ring.
    “I am Basilgarrad.” From deep in his throat came a terrible rumble. “And I stand with Merlin.”
    Instantly, the orange dragon—joined by Lo Valdearg and most of the others—shot a barrage of superheated flames. Basilgarrad swung around, protecting the people in the crater with one wing and his eyes with the other. But he didn’t retaliate. Not yet.
    As the withering volley of flames subsided, he raised his head high. “Is that all you have?” he taunted. “Nothing more?”
    Another blast of flames erupted—strong enough to melt the black rock of the ridge, forming sizzling rivers of obsidian. But once again, Basilgarrad’s wings deflected the