Vern could manipulate anything he owned. He had to use the hood of his car to quickly make a dome to prevent being attacked by the dragon. Now what? They were trapped and all he had to fight the dragon was either his cat or his guinea pig. Guess which one was used?

Vern went out on his quest with the toad wizard that he dubbed Toadface. They were in his compact car. Vern was a powerful wizard but lacking training. He had to learn on the run, literally, as a dragon chased his car down some rather rough roads.

Vern had said he'd think about helping the toads. But when he got up to get the Sunday paper, he found an oak tree in his yard where there had been a dying sapling. He and his home had been transported to the magical world. He snapped at the toad wizard, "I said I'd THINK about it!"

The sleeping Vern was placed in a white washed world that was on the other side of the mirrors. This was the opening gambit to convince Vern to go to a magical world to help a race of toads -- or else.