"Magic gems?"
An idea occurred to Andrew, but he kept it to himself. Instead, he asked, "Why could Merlin cast spells without a ring?"
"Because Merlin branded a Magic Array onto his soul."
The Lizard Dragon hesitated, then said, "This was a special form of magic Merlin created himself. He used a Magic Array to transform his soul, allowing him to cast spells directly and reincarnate even after death.
"However, this method of reincarnation doesn't preserve memories from the previous life. In other words, Merlin really is dead. The person alive now is simply Dave.
"Dave won't become Merlin. But Merlin left a few trump cards in his soul. If Dave encounters danger, they'll activate. Some of them might be more than even you can withstand."
Clearly, the Lizard Dragon was trying to persuade Andrew not to cause trouble for Dave.
"Relax," Andrew said. "Merlin was one of the good guys, and so am I. I won't cause him any trouble."
The Lizard Dragon stared at Andrew with a look that said, I may not know much, but don't try to fool me. You call yourself one of the good guys? What good guy is so underhanded that he slips thirteen tricks into a contract?
Besides, you're a Demon King of Hell! Since when has a creature from Hell ever been one of the good guys?
"Haven't you heard the saying?"
Andrew understood what the Lizard Dragon meant. "To be a villain, you have to be cunning. To be a good guy, you have to be even more cunning. If you're not cunning enough, how can you beat the villains?
"Take Merlin, for example. That's what got him killed. If it were me, I'd never die at my own apprentice's hands. I'd use my apprentice to pull a fast one