Ashen worked dutifully at the alchemists’ table before him, mixing strange chemicals and herbs for his master. Truthfully, he had no real interest in the art of alchemy, but it was a necessary part of his studies.

Let’s see, he thought, powdered gangler root with…with what?

While Ashen silently pondered that question, his master, the illustrious Master Jakkeu studied a crystal ball mounted upon the mahogany table at which he sat. The swirling depths of the ball had revealed little as of late, mostly just brief glimpses of leathery wings and snapping, toothy maws. Jakkeu suspected, of course, that a dragon was nearby, but of which kind he couldn’t be certain. Whether it be the viciously stupid drakes, or the awfully intelligent wyrms, the creature had just hatched a clutch of dragon young, so he hoped to quickly discover which he was dealing with.

A sudden explosion rocked Jakkeu from his thoughts, and he was thrown from the stool upon which he sat. After several moments of stunned silence he turned around to look at his apprentice, undoubtedly the source of the catastrophe.

“Clearly, it was not meant to be mixed with asper essence,” Ashen offered sheepishly. He was covered from head to toe with a thick black soot, and he would definitely need a new set of robes. It was going to be a long day in Glimmertwig Tower…

***

“You are joking, of course?” Ashen asked more than stated. After he had helped to clean up the mess in the workroom, Ashen had received a very severe reprimand from Jakkeu before being given a new set of apprentice robes. Despite Jakkeu’s small size, the gnome could be very intimidating when he wished.

“I most certainly am not!” Jakkeu said. “These dragons are a great danger! We can’t allow them to multiply unchecked!”

“Who are they a danger to?! We’re the only ones foolish enough to live in this forest aside from giants and orcs!” Ashen retorted.

“The village of my childhood lies within these woods. Not to mention a wood-elven tribe.” This gave Ashen momentary pause, as he had rarely heard his master make any sort of mention of his past. The revelation that Jakkeu’s home was so close…

“Well, are you ready?” Jakkeu asked, interrupting Ashen’s reflections.

“No! By the gods, no I am not! I can not face dragons! I’ve been under your tutelage for less than four years! I have trouble with simple conjurations!” Ashen exclaimed heatedly. “This is complete foolishness!”