Lowery turned to his two companions, checking their readiness. Catherine stood by the piled firewood, her clear hazel eyes watching him expectantly. Beside her stood Poppo, who glanced around nervously, looking as if he were about to bolt as quickly as his short legs would carry him.

“You’re the mage, Lowery,” Catherine said, her voice low. “You’re the one who needs to be ready for this.”

He nodded, pushing his shoulder-length dark hair back from his face. “You’re right.” He took a deep breath, then drew a small leather pouch from inside his pale robes. Loosening the silver-threaded cord which held it closed, he dipped three fingers inside. When he took them out, they were coated with bright green powder that sparkled even without a steady source of light, glittering in the night.

Poppo cleared his throat. “Must we do this?”

Catherine shushed him before whispering, “Yes. This is important. The dragons are leaving us, it seems. We must know why.”

Poppo’s eyes grew wider as he watched Lowery sprinkle the scintillating dust onto the stack of firewood they had gathered.

Slipping the bag back into his robes, Lowery knelt beside the woodpile, closed his eyes and cupped his hands together, blowing into them as if trying to warm them. After three long exhalations, he clenched his hands tightly together and held them out over the wood, chanting softly.

“Dragon of smoke, who hath not spoke for years, hear our plea, for it is we who must end our fears.”

As he finished the third repetition of the chant, Lowery opened his hands, palms down, just above the uppermost of the gathered wood. Instantly, the tinder flared to life, flames leaping quickly, dancing to the rest of the pile, setting it aflame.

Lowery stood and drew a second pouch from his robes, this one tied with black ribbon. Upon opening it, he was assailed by the pungent scent of the charred tree bark inside. Hesitating only a moment, he upended the pouch, spilling its contents into the fire.

The effect was instantaneous. The flames leapt higher, brightening from orange and yellow to silvery white. Smoke rose, copious billows of it. Yet the abundant haze did not drift away, dissipating into the ether, but gathered, growing more and more dense.