---
Star's eyes glowed like coals set ablaze. He beat his wings once, twice then shot upward, trailing fire like a comet. Gasps turned to awe as the drake tucked his wings, going vertical.
"Too high!" someone cried. "He's fleeing!"
"No," Fenna whispered, her eyes wide. "He's diving."
Star plummeted.
At the last instant… Just before the impact, he snapped open his jaws, and a stream of flame jetted out with all the fury of their bond. The Ember Trail synergy surged, intensifying the heat. The fire turned almost white at the core.
The blaze scorched across the Ash Scale's exposed head crest, melting through the cracked armor. The lizard didn't roar, it shrieked. It stumbled back, tail thrashing, and then collapsed.
A flare of white light popped from a handler's pole at the edge of the ring. The symbol of surrender. Bells rang. Victory confirmed.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
