by Koren Rabe
According-ato-aAusra,-aAbilities-awere-aa-apower-aunique-ato-abeasts-awith-aunique-aor-apowerful-abloodlines.-a
The-abloodline-aof-aa-abeast,-aand-atheir-arespective-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix,-awere-ainherently-atied-atogether-afor-aalmost-aall-acreatures.-aSome-acreatures-ahad-aunique-aabilities-athey-agained-adue-ato-athe-amakeup-aof-atheir-ablood-aand-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix.-a
These-aabilities-awere-avery-asimilar-ato-aMagic-aSpells.-aThe-asource-aof-aeach-awas-aidentical,-afrom-aone's-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix.-aWizards,-ahowever,-ahad-ato-apractice-avery-ahard-ato-amaintain-atheir-amastery-aof-aany-aspecific-aspell,-alearning-aand-aunderstanding-amore-aabout-ahow-aMagic-aworked.-a
An-aAbility,-aon-athe-aother-ahand,-awas-acompletely-anatural-ato-athe-abeing-athat-aheld-ait.-aThe-acomplex-asymbols-aand-aenergy-aused-afunctioned-aautomatically,-ameaning-aeven-athe-aleast-aintelligent-abeast-acould-aoperate-ait.-a
Some-aWizards-ahad-amade-ait-atheir-alife's-awork-ato-auncover-amore-aabout-athe-aAbilities-aof-abeings-athat-aheld-athem,-ato-auncover-athe-asecrets-aof-athe-auniverse.-aAusra-adidn't-ahave-aany-aspecific-ainformation-aon-ahow-athey-ahad-aprogressed,-abut-asaid-athat-ait-awas-aentirely-apossible-afor-aa-aWizard-ato-amimic-aan-aAbility,-aif-ayou-astudied-ait-aand-alearned-aabout-ait-along-aenough.-a
'Ausra,-ait-asays-athis-aAbility-agrows-ain-amastery?-aWhat-aspecifically-adoes-athat-amean?'-aHe-afelt-aas-aif-ahe-acould-aguess,-abut-awanted-ato-abe-acertain.-a
'Some-aabilities-aare-atied-ato-athe-agrowth-aof-ayour-aphysical-aform.-aAs-ayou-agrow-astronger,-athe-aAbility-awill-agrow-aalongside-ayou-aas-ayour-abody-aand-asoul-abecome-aable-ato-ahandle-aits-astronger-aand-astronger-aform.'-aThe-agenie-areplied.-a
He-anodded.-aThat-awas-awhat-ahe-afigured.-aThe-astronger-ahis-abody,-athe-amore-apowerful-aAbilities-ahe'd-abe-aable-ato-ahandle.-a
As-ahe-atook-ain-ahis-arecent-agrowth,-aDrago-amade-asure-ato-anot-alet-adown-ahis-aguard,-akeeping-aa-acareful-awatch-aon-athe-asurrounding-avalley.-aHe-asaw-aat-aleast-aa-ahundred-aof-athe-aonce-atall-atrees-awere-abent-aor-afolded,-athe-ashockwave-afrom-aearlier-abreaking-athem.
He-adecided-ato-atake-aa-afew-amoments-abefore-ahe-aleft,-aanalyzing-athe-apast-afew-aminutes.-a
He-afelt-alike-aan-aidiot.-a
He'd-abeen-aso-aexcited-aupon-aobtaining-athat-apowerful-aAura,-ahe'd-athought-ahe-awas-ainvincible.-aAfter-aall,-asuch-aa-apowerful-aAura-ashould-amake-aany-aintelligent-abeing-aflee-ain-afear,-aright?-a
The-aanswer-ato-athat-aseemed-ato-abe-aa-aresounding-ano.-aJust-abecause-ahe-ahad-aa-atrump-acard-adidn't-amean-ait-awould-aalways-awork.-aRelying-aupon-athat-ato-asave-ahim-awas-afoolish.-a
He'd-alet-adown-ahis-aguard-ain-aa-avalley-ahe-aknew-awas-adangerous.-aSure,-ait-ahad-aseemed-asafe-aat-athe-atime,-aand-ahe'd-aonly-ahad-aa-asingle-aencounter-awith-aintelligent-ahumans-abefore,-abut-athat-awas-ano-areason-ato-aleave-ahimself-aopen.-a
Starting-aa-afire-ain-athe-awilderness-acreated-aan-aobvious-asmoke-atrail.-aHe'd-astarted-asinging-aas-ahe-arelaxed,-afeeling-aas-aif-ahe-awas-atruly-asafe.-a
He-aneeded-ato-aremind-ahimself-athat-athis-awas-anot-aearth.-aHe-acould-anot-aact-alike-ahe-awas-ajust-aa-aregular-ahuman-aout-aon-asome-acamping-atrip.-a
Powerful-acreatures-aexisted-ahere,-abeings-athat-acould-acrush-ahim-alike-aa-abug.-a
His-aeyes-ahardened-aas-ahe-anodded-ahis-ahead-asharply.-aHe-awas-aextremely-alucky-ato-ahave-asurvived-athis-atime,-aand-athe-aodds-aof-athat-ahappening-aa-asecond-atime-awere-aslim.-a
He-awould-anot-alet-athis-amistake-ahappen-aagain.-a
Drago-asighed,-arubbing-ahis-ahead.-aOr,-awell,-aattempting-ato.-aHis-aclaws-aappeared-ato-abe-amuch-asharper-athan-ahis-ascales,-aand-ahe-aaccidentally-astabbed-ahimself.-aAt-aleast-ahis-aregeneration-aseemed-ato-ahave-abumped-aup-aslightly-athanks-ato-ahis-aupgrade,-athe-awound-aclosing-aup-aand-astarting-ato-aslowly-aheal.-a
Why-adid-aall-athose-ahumans-aand-aVampires-atry-ato-aattack-ahim,-aanyway?-aOr,-arather,-atry-ato-acapture-ahim.-aTill-athe-afight-aunfolded,-anone-aof-athem-aseemed-ato-awant-ato-aactually-akill-ahim.-a
How-adid-athey-aeven-afind-ahim?-a
His-aeyes-aflashed-aas-ahe-aremembered-athat-aWizard-athat-ahad-aseen-ahis-aRed-aSalamander-aform.-aPerhaps-ahe-aled-athem-ahere?
But-awhat-aabout-athe-aVampires?-a
As-aDrago-awas-apondering-athis,-atrying-ato-adecide-awhere-ato-ago-afrom-anow,-aa-aflash-aof-awhite-alight-acaught-ahis-aeyes.-a
He-aspun-aaround,-aa-asnarl-aon-ahis-aface-aas-ahe-areadied-ahimself-ato-aflight,-ahis-aeyes-aglinting.-a
Floating-ain-athe-aair-abefore-ahim-awas-athe-atransparent-afigure-aof-aan-aold-aman-awith-aa-along,-awhite-abeard.-a
"Excuse-ame,-ayoung-adragon.-aCould-aI-ahave-aa-amoment-aof-ayour-atime?"-aThe-aelderly-aman's-avoice-awas-acalm-aand-asoothing-aas-ahe-aheld-ahis-ahands-aout,-astanding-astill-aand-anot-amoving.-a
..
Hundreds-aof-amiles-aaway,-aLord-aHadrion-aof-athe-aBlack-aLightning-aDepartment-awas-agazing-ain-aDrago's-adirection,-aa-asmall-afrown-aon-ahis-aface.-aHe-astood-aupon-athe-asouthern-awall-aof-athe-agreat-acapital-acity-aObsidia,-alooking-aout-aat-athe-aworld-aaround-ahim.-aThe-aenormous-ariver-abordered-athe-acity-aoff-ato-athe-aeast,-awhile-aa-alarge,-arelaxing-agrass-aplain-aflowed-ain-aother-adirections.-a
"What-ado-ayou-areckon-athat-awas,-aLarah?"-aHe-asaid,-amotioning-ato-athe-adistance.-a
A-alarge,-agleaming-apillar-aof-alightning-ahad-ashot-ainto-athe-asky,-aattracting-ahis-aattention-ajust-amoments-aago.-aThis-apillar-aheld-aa-avery-alarge-aamount-aof-anatural-aenergy-awithin-ait,-aenough-afor-ahim-ato-anotice-ait,-aeven-aat-asuch-aa-adistance.-a
Larah-aConsta,-ahis-aGrandmaster-aClass-aFate-aWizard-acompanion,-ashrugged,-aher-aplain-aface-adevoid-aof-aemotion-aas-ashe-aresponded,-a
"I-aam-anot-acertain,-abut-ait-aalmost-acertainly-ahas-ato-ado-awith-aone-aof-aour-aown.-aI'll-alook-ainto-ait.-aWe-ashould-ahave-aa-afew-aof-amy-aWizards-ain-athe-aarea.-a"-aThe-awoman-asat-adown,-adirectly-aon-athe-aouter-astone-awall-aof-athe-acity,-aher-ahands-awaving-aout-ain-afront-aof-aher.-aLight-aseemed-ato-aglow-afrom-aher-aeyes-aas-ashe-afocused,-aconcentrating.-a
As-athe-aleading-amember-aof-athe-aDepartment-aof-aFate-aamong-aall-athe-aFate-aWizards-athat-ahad-acome-awith-athem,-aLarah-awas-athe-aabsolute-aleader-aamong-athem.-aShe-ahad-aa-aunique-agrasp-aof-aFate-aMagic-athat-awas-aat-athe-apeak-aof-athe-aGrandmaster-aClass.-a
Fate-aMagic-awas-aan-aincredibly-aobscure-atype-aof-aMagic,-abut-aalso-aone-aof-athe-amost-auseful.-aAny-aqualified-agroup-aor-ateam-aof-aWizards-awould-ahave-aamong-athem-aa-aWizard-astudying-aFate-aMagic,-awithout-afail.-aIt-awas-apart-aof-awhy-athe-aFate-aDepartment-awas-aone-aof-athe-alargest-aand-amost-awidespread-aof-athe-a108-aDepartments,-ahaving-amembers-aon-ateams-awith-aevery-asingle-aother-aDepartment.-a
Hadrion-astared-aat-athe-alightning-aas-ait-afizzled-aout,-ahis-aeyes-acalm.-aThat-awas-adefinitely-aa-aspell-aof-asome-asort,-aand-ahad-aa-avery-astrong-aresemblance-ato-athe-athe-aLightning-aMagic:-aRequiem-aAbove.-a
He-asighed.-aTime-awas-arunning-aout,-aunfortunately.-aThey-aprobably-adidn't-aeven-ahave-aa-afull-aday-abefore-amembers-afrom-athe-aDarkness-aDepartment-aand-aSundering-aDepartment-aarrived.-aThe-aheadquarters-aof-athe-aBlack-aLightning-aDepartment-awas-aon-aa-aplanet-aclose-ato-athis-aouter-aworld,-abut-aso-atoo-awere-athe-aheadquarters-afor-athe-aDarkness-aDepartment-aand-aSundering-aDepartment.-a
If-ahe-acould-asuccessfully-acapture-awhatever-acaused-athe-adisturbance-ain-aFate-ahere-aon-ahis-aown,-ahe'd-again-aa-avery-alarge-aamount-aof-amerit-awithin-ahis-aDepartment,-aand-asubsequently-abe-aheavily-arewarded.-a
Unfortunately,-aFate-aMagic,-aeven-afor-athe-abest-aFate-aWizards,-acould-abe-aa-adamned-adifficult-athing-ato-aunfold.-aThey'd-amanage-ato-apinpoint-athe-adisturbance-ain-aFate-ato-asomewhere-awithin-aa-athousand-amiles-aof-ahere,-abut-athe-aexact-alocation-awas-aelusive.-aHe'd-aalready-aspread-ahis-amen-aout-aas-afar-aand-awide-aas-athey-acould-ago,-abut-ahad-ayet-ato-afind-aanything.-a
The-abright-abeam-aof-alightning-amagic-ato-athe-awest,-ahowever,-awas-aincredibly-aintriguing.-a
"I've-a
established-aa-aconnection-athrough-aFate-awith-aone-aof-aour-aown-ain-athe-aarea…-aThey've-afound-athe-alocation-aof-athe-adisturbance-ain-aFate!"-aLarah's-avoice-acontained,-afor-aonce,-aa-ahint-aof-aexcitement.-a
Hadrion-asmiled,-aclenching-ahis-afists.-aIt-aseemed-athey-awouldn't-abe-atoo-alate-aafter-aall.-aLarah's-anext-awords,-ahowever,-acooled-ahis-aenthusiasm.-a
"It's-aapparently-aat-aleast-aa-aLord-aClass-aBeast,-aand-aa-avery-apowerful-aone."-aShe-acontinued,-aand-athen-astopped,-astuttering.-a
Hadrion-aturned-ahis-ahead,-awaving-afor-aher-ato-acontinue.-a
"What-amanner-aof-abeast-ais-ait?"-aHe-afrowned-agruffly.-aA-apowerful-aLord-aClass-aBeast.-aThat-acould-aprove-atroublesome,-aespecially-aif-ait-awas-aat-athe-apeak-aof-astrength.-aHis-alast-abattle-awith-aa-aLord-aClass-abeast-ahad-abeen-aan-aextremely-atough-aone-athat-awiped-aout-aan-aentire-amountain-arange,-aand-athat-abeast-ahadn't-abeen-aone-aat-athe-apeak-aof-aLord-aClass.-a
"It…-auh,-ait-aappears-ato-abe…-aa-agreen-ascaled-ababy-aDragon...-athat-alikes-ato-asing-aand-adance?"-a
###-aChapter-a17-a--aAn-aOffer
"Yes,-aI-aknow-aCommander-aLarah.-aI-aknow-ait-asounds-aridiculous,-abut-athat-ais-awhat-awe-asaw."-aOblong-asqueezed-ahis-ahead,-atrying-ato-aignore-aa-amassive-aheadache-aas-ahe-aspoke-aaloud.-aHe-awas-acurrently-asitting-aatop-aone-aof-aRoyal-aWizard-aAymon's-afloating-aspatial-aboats.-a
"I-adidn't--aNo,-aI-adon't-aknow-awhy-ait-awas-adancing,-ait-ajust-awas.-aI-adidn't-arecognize-athe-alangu--aYes-aCommander-aLarah."-a
After-agetting-afar-aenough-aaway-afrom-athat-amonstrous-atiny-adragon,-aAymon-ahad-aopted-ato-asummon-aone-aof-ahis-aspatial-avessels,-ahelping-athem-aquickly-aretreat-atowards-aYor-aCity.-a
The-alast-athey-aheard-aof-athat-adragon-aand-athe-aVampires-awas-athe-afemale-aVampire's-aagonized-ascream.-aOblong-ahad-ashaken-ahis-ahead-athen,-afeeling-afor-aher-adespite-athem-abeing-aenemies.-aHer-aown-aarrogance-ahad-aled-ato-aher-adeath.-aAt-aleast-athey-ahad-amanaged-ato-aescape-ain-atime.-a
White-alight-awas-aglowing-aout-aof-ahis-aeyes-aas-ahe-aspoke,-aa-afew-amystical-asymbols-afloating-ain-athe-aair-aaround-ahim.-aHe-awas-acurrently-ausing-aone-aof-athe-amost-awidely-aknown-aFate-aMagic-aspells,-aFate-aMagic:-aFate-aConnection.-a
The-aspell-aallowed-atwo-abeings-ato-atemporarily-aconnect-ato-aeach-aother,-ahearing-aand-aseeing-awhat-athe-aother-aperson-awas-aseeing-aand-ahearing.-aIt-awasn't-aa-afull-aconnection,-aand-aeither-aparty-acould-alimit-athe-aeffectiveness-aof-ait,-abut-athe-aspell-awas-astill-aextremely-auseful.-aIt-aallowed-afor-athe-atransportation-aof-ainformation-aacross-athousands-aof-amiles.-a
The-aspell-afunctioned-aoddly-aon-athe-aWorld-aBridges,-abut-aworked-aperfectly-afine-aon-aany-anormal-aplanet.-a
"Yes,-aCommander.-aYes,-ayes."-aHe-aducked-ahis-ahead-aby-ainstinct,-awaving-ahis-ahands.-aLarah-awas-anot-asomeone-ayou-awanted-ato-across,-aand-ahe-ahad-ano-aintention-aof-aangering-aher.-a
"We-awill-aawait-ayou-ain-aYor-aCity."-aHe-asighed-aas-athe-aconnection-aended.-aLarah-ahad-aalerted-ahim,-aand-amost-alikely-aevery-aFate-aWizard-ain-athe-avicinity,-atrying-ato-afind-aout-awhat-awas-agoing-aon-athanks-ato-aGraxital's-aspell.-a
He'd-alost-aa-achance-ato-amake-aa-asolid-aimpression-aon-aLord-aHadrion,-asomething-athat-awas-atruly-aunfortunate.-aStill,-ahe'd-aonly-abeen-aworking-awith-athis-ateam-afor-aa-avery-abrief-atime,-ahaving-aencountered-athe-agroup-aof-aBlack-aLightning-aWizards-aon-aMesor.-a
A-aLord-aClass-aTitan,-aone-athat-awas-astudying-amagic,-asuspected-aof-abeing-aa-adouble-aagent-afor-athe-aGraal-aAlliance-ahad-abeen-adiscovered-aon-aMesor.-aOblong-ahadn't-aexactly-abeen-asure-aof-athe-adetails,-abut-ahe-ahad-awitnessed-athe-aoverwhelming-amight-athat-aLord-aHadrion-aheld.-a
The-aman-ahad-asinglehanded-awiped-amore-athan-aa-adozen-amountains-aoff-athe-amap-awith-aa-asingle-aspell,-aand-aeventually-aobliterated-athe-arogue-aTitan,-aa-aformer-amember-aof-athe-aSundering-aDepartment-aof-athe-a108-aMagic-aDepartments.-aHis-apotential-aas-athe-aRising-aStar-aof-athe-aBlack-aLightning-aDepartment-awas-amassive.-a
He-asighed-aagain.-aWhat-awas-adone-awas-adone.-aHe'd-ahave-aanother-achance-ain-athe-afuture.-a
He-aglanced-aover-aat-athe-aunconscious-aGraxital,-abearing-ahis-ateeth-aat-athe-aman-ain-aannoyance.-aHe-athen-aturned-ato-alook-aat-athe-avarious-awarriors,-amany-aof-athem-ainjured.-aSome-ahad-ataken-aout-amedical-asupplies-athey'd-abrought-awith-athem,-awhile-aothers-ahad-ataken-ain-ahealing-apills-aor-amedicines.-a
As-ahis-aeyes-alanded-aon-athe-awarriors-asent-afrom-athe-aRobel-aFamily,-anoting-athat-athey-aseemed-ahuddled-atogether-ain-adepression,-ahe-aabruptly-aremembered-atheir-aother-acompanion,-athe-aWood-aWizard-aWilliam-aRobel.-a
After-athe-aWizard-ahad-abeen-ahit-aby-aone-aof-athe-aVampire's-aspells,-ahe'd-alost-atrack-aof-ahim.-aIt-aseemed-athe-aman-ahad-afallen,-aunable-ato-adefend-ahimself-aproperly.-a
Well,-ahe-athought,-ashrugging,-athey-ahad-amade-acontact-awith-athe-adisturbance-ain-aFate-anow,-aso-ait-adidn't-amatter-atoo-amuch.-aWhile-athe-areverberations-ahe-acould-adetect-awith-ahis-aFate-aMagic-awere-agetting-alesser-aand-alesser,-ahe-ashould-astill-abe-aable-ato-atrack-adown-athe-abeast-ajust-awith-ahimself.-a
He-awent-aback-ato-amusing-aabout-athe-afuture,-atrying-ato-athink-aof-aa-anew-away-ato-acurry-aLord-aHadrion's-afavor,-athe-alost-aWizard-along-aforgotten.-a
..
"Who-aare-ayou?!"-aDrago-aspat-aout,-ahis-abody-atense.-aThe-aodd,-afloating-aold-aman-agave-aoff-aa-avery-afaint,-agolden-aand-awhite-alight,-abut-adidn't-aemanate-aany-adangerous-aaura,-aas-afar-aas-ahe-acould-atell.-a
'Ausra,-awhat-ais-athis?'-aHe-aqueried-aimmediately,-anot-awaiting-afor-athe-aghostly-afigure-ato-arespond.-a
'It-aappears-ato-abe-aa-aconstruct-aof-aMagic,-aa-aSoul,-aand-aa-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix,-aformed-aafter-athe-adeath-aof-aa-apowerful-aWizard.-aYou-aare-aunable-ato-aabsorb-ait.-aIt-aappears-ato-abe-aminutes,-aperhaps-ahours,-afrom-adissipation,-aand-ais-aunable-ato-aharm-ayou.'-aAusra's-aresponse-acame-ainstantly,-adrawing-afrom-athe-averitable-aencyclopedia-aof-aknowledge-aplaced-ain-ahis-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix.-a
"My-aname-ais-aHorhavil-aCandor,-aa-aformer-amember-aof-athe-aCandor-aClan-aof-athe-aElector-aEmpire."-aThe-aold-aman-abegan,-agiving-aDrago-aa-anod.-a
"Oh!"-aDrago-ayelped-aout,-arecognizing-athe-aname.-aIt-awas-athe-asame-aas-athe-aone-afrom-athe-aring-ahe'd-afound.-aIt-ashould-abe-athe-asame-aunless-athe-aghost-awas-alying-ato-ahim,-abut-afor-ait-ato-aappear-ahere-awhere-athe-aWizard-adied…-aHe-awas-aconvinced-ait-awas-athe-areal-adeal.-a
The-aman-alooked-aat-ahim-aquizzically.-a
"Greetings,-aesteemed-aWizard."-aDrago-abegan,-ahis-avoice-arespectful.-aBeing-apolite-acost-ahim-anothing,-aand-awhile-aAusra-asaid-athis-aWizard-acouldn't-ahurt-ahim,-ahe-adecided-ato-abe-amore-acareful.-aHe-acouldn't-aafford-ato-amake-amore-amistakes.-a
"You-aknow-aof-ame?"-aHorhavil-aasked,-araising-ahis-aeyebrows.-aThe-adragon's-areaction-ato-ahearing-ahis-aname-ahad-abeen-aquite-aodd.-a
"I-afound-aa-aring-aof-ayours-aa-ashort-awhile-aago,-aand-ahave-aheard-aof-ayour-aplight."-aHe-aspoke-acarefully,-achoosing-ahis-awords.-a
The-aWizard's-aeyes-alit-aup-awith-apleasure.-a
"Ah,-ayou-afound-aone-aof-athe-aSaint-aRings-aI-amade?-aDo-ayou-astill-ahave-ait-awith-ayou?"-aThe-aelderly-aman-aqueried.-a
"No."-aDrago-aresponded,-ashaking-ahis-ahead.-aWhen-ahe-aabsorbed-athe-aenergy-aleft-ain-ait,-ait-ahad-afallen-ato-apieces.-a
"Mm,-awell,-ait-ais-aimmaterial-aanyway."-aThe-aelderly-aWizard-ashrugged,-aan-aodd-alooking-aaction-afor-asuch-aa-aghostly-abeing.-a
"What-acan-aI-ado-afor-ayou?"-aDrago-aasked,-astudying-athe-aHorhavil.-aHe-aseemed-ato-ahover-aaround-aa-afoot-aoff-athe-aground,-ahis-afeet-afloating-aabove-athe-adirt.-aA-aball-aof-agolden-alight-awas-avisible-athrough-ahis-atransparent-afigure-anear-ahis-astomach,-ashining-adimly.-a
"I-awanted-ato-aask-aa-asmall-afavor-aof-ayou,-ayoung-adragon."-aThe-aelderly-aman-abegan,-abowing-ahis-ahead.-a
"I-aam-anot-along-afor-athis-aworld,-aunfortunately.-aToday-awill-abe-athe-afinal-aday-aof-amy-apassing.-aI-aoriginally-aawoke-aupon-afeelin
g-ayou-aunleash-aan-aAura-aextremely-asimilar-ato-amy-aown,-abelieving-ait-ato-abe-aa-aSuccessor-asent-aby-amy-aClan.-aAlas,-amy-amistake."-aHe-acontinued,-asighing,
"Over-athere,-aunder-aa-apair-aof-abranches,-alies-aa-ayoung-aWizard-athat-ais-amortally-awounded.-aWhile-aour-astyles-aare-anot-aexactly-amatching,-ahe-ais-athe-aonly-aWizard-anearby.-aI-ahave-adecided-ato-amake-ahim-amy-aSuccessor,-aso-athat-amy-astyle-aof-amagic,-aand-athe-aknowledge-awithin-ait,-amay-abe-apassed-aon."-aHorhavil-apaused,-awaving-ahis-aghostly-ahands-aoff-ato-athe-aside.-a
Drago-alooked,-aseeing-aa-apile-aof-abranches-aunnaturally-agrown-afrom-athe-aground,-aglowing-awith-aa-apale-alight.-a
"I'm-asorry-ayou-awere-aawoken-aearly.-aHowever,-athat-aWizard's-afate-ais-ahis-aown.-aWhat-afavor-awould-ayou-aask-aof-ame?"-aHe-aquestioned,-ahis-avoice-acalm.-aHe-adidn't-amean-ato-asound-acruel,-abut-ahe-aknew-anothing-aabout-amedicine-aand-acouldn't-ahelp-asomeone-athat-awas-amortally-awounded.-aIn-aaddition,-ahe-awas-acertain-athe-adying-aWizard-awas-aone-aof-athose-athat-ahad-abeen-awith-athe-agroup-atrying-ato-acapture-ahim.-a
He-ahad-anoticed-aone-aof-athe-aWizards,-athe-aone-athat-ahad-aseen-ahis-aRed-aSalamander-aform,-aget-ahit-aand-aknocked-aaway-ain-athe-aprevious-abattle.-aHe-aassumed-ait-awas-ahim.-aThere-awasn't-amuch-aof-aa-areason-ahe-awould-awant-ato-asave-asomeone-athat-ajust-atried-ato-akill-aor-acapture-ahim.-a
His-aeyes-ahardened-aat-athe-athought.-aHe-acouldn't-aafford-ato-abe-athe-anice-aguy-afrom-aearth-aanymore.-aHis-aheart-awavered,-ahowever.-a
"Dragons,-asuch-aas-ayourself,-ahave-aremarkably-avibrant-abloodlines.-aThe-aspell-athat-ayoung-aWizard-ais-ausing-ais-aa-adecent-ahealing-aspell,-abut-aone-athat-alacks-aessence.-aIf-ayou-awere-ato-agive-aup-aa-aportion-aof-ayour-ablood,-aspreading-ait-aupon-athe-abranches,-athe-aspell-awould-aincrease-ain-aefficiency,-aenough-ato-asave-ahis-alife.-aYour-ablood-awould-areplenish-aas-anormal,-aand-ayou-awould-aremain-aunharmed."-aHorhavil-aresponded,-aand-athen-acontinued,-a
"I-awould-anot-aask-athis-aof-ayou-afor-anothing.-aIf-ayou-aagree-ato-ahelp-ame-asave-amy-aSuccessor,-aI-awill-agive-ato-ayou-aa-alarge-astore-aof-aMagic-aHerbs-aI-apossess,-aone-aof-athe-afew-atreasures-aI-ahid-aaway-abefore-amy-adeath.-aThere-aare-anearly-a200-aMagic-aHerbs-ain-athat-aSpatial-aPouch,-amany-aof-athem-aquite-apowerful,-athat-ashould-abe-aof-agreat-ause-ato-ayou,-aeven-awith-ayour-aodd-astyle-aof-agrowth."-a