The Legend Of The Wizard's Apprentice (Book 1) (36 page)

After they had all eaten their fill of breakfast, they broke camp and ensured everything was gathered up and put away. Master Sernett taking the lead once more with Byamee and Celie at his side, pushed on towards the dragon’s lair, saying over his shoulder for all the party to hear: “Only one more night out in the open and we should be there by noon tomorrow.”

“Master, what do you think the Gold Dragon will be like? Do you think he will try and eat us? Or do you think that it will be interested in talking?” asked Kerwyn.

“Truly, I have no idea, Kerwyn. In all my years I have never encountered a friendly dragon. But there was one time when I was just a young wizard after getting my Master Wizard’s rank; I encountered a young evil Green Dragon that was terrorizing a village. I can’t take much credit for the killing of that dragon, as all I did was to magically enhance the dragon slayers armour and spears. It made them fire resistant and enabled their spears to penetrate the dragon’s scales. It was one of the first things I was ever contracted to do once I became a full Master Wizard.

Anyway, this young Green Dragon would keep coming at night and tear through the villagers’ houses, eating and burning the people inside. It enjoyed hearing all the screams as they burnt to death or chomped to death. The village hired three dragon slayers to get rid of the creature. They finally found its lair, cornered it and then killed it. However, it did a lot of damage and killed a lot of people before it was brought down. Also remember that it was a young dragon and was only the size of a horse and they can grow a lot bigger then that. Well, as I remember it, the creature killed eight people, three dogs and nineteen sheep from the village before it died,” Master Sernett said.

“That was just a
young
dragon?” asked Kerwyn who was having a hard time swallowing, “Umm, Master? Do we really need to go and see this dragon? Errr, what I mean is: if they grow so big, wouldn’t it be dangerous for us to go and see it?”

“Kerwyn, there isn’t many creatures much more deadly than a dragon intent on killing you. Everything that I have read says that a good dragon will rate each person and will decide whether they are worthwhile meeting or whether you would make a better meal. Until we go see the dragon, we will not know how we have been rated. Just remember if anyone steals from even a good dragon; we will not come out alive. All dragons are very protective of their treasure,” warned the wizard.

As the party travelled throughout the day, nothing bothered them. There was a white tailed deer that had run across their trail at the start of their journey but the farther into the forest they got, and the closer the got to Fafnir’s lair, the less and less life they saw. It was as though the creatures could smell the dragon and kept a safe distance away. Just because Fafnir was a good Golden Dragon, that didn’t mean that he didn’t need to eat.

“Ok everyone; let’s rest here for the night. I guess this is as good of a spot as any that we will find getting so close to Fafnir’s lair. I doubt that we will be attacked here. This is Dragon domain and most creatures will keep their distance here,” Master Sernett said.

Everyone started to unpack their belongings and started setting up the camp for the night. Kerwyn and Korowai went to gather up some firewood and, once far enough from the camp, Korowai slid up to Kerwyn and pulled him into her for a kiss. Kerwyn was caught off guard again and pushed her away, looking at her with a dumb expression on his face.

“Kerwyn, don’t be like that. I have wanted you for a long time and I wanted a kiss. We have not been able to be alone so that we could… talk, but I have wanted to kiss you again and this is as good as any place to have one.

I know that it is going to be very dangerous and I just wanted to be with you before we go to the dragon’s lair, as we have no idea what will happen. Kerwyn, will you share a bedroll with me tonight? I do not want to be alone here, and this place gives me the creeps. I feel very unsettled and feel like we are being watched. I have felt like this for the past day or so. The trees won’t talk to me either as they are scared of the dragon,” finished Korowai.

Just then they heard a familiar voice: “Hello! May a friend join you for supper? I have another deer that I can share with you.”

Kerwyn turned to face the voice. He smiled and called out to Rinfaf, “Of course, a friend is always welcome and can join our group for supper.”

Kerwyn met Rinfaf with a good old handshake and a pat on the back and the two said their hellos.

The rest of the party came up to Rinfaf and welcomed him back into their camp again, and said that it was good to see him. The only one who didn’t look happy to see Rinfaf was Korowai. She looked at him very suspiciously.

Kerwyn called her over to meet his friend, “Korowai come and meet Rinfaf; he is from the Elvin domain in the mountains. He is the one that I told you all about. He’s the one that saved Master Sernett and brought him back to us.”

Walking in close to Rinfaf, Korowai held out her hand and Rinfaf accepted the handshake.

“Pleased to meet you, Korowai, I didn’t see you the other night. Where could you have been hiding? I’m sure that I would have remembered seeing such a pretty woman such as yourself,” Bending over, Rinfaf kissed her hand like a real gentalman would do in any of the king’s castles.

Korowai started to smile and accepted Rinfaf into their party no longer doubting his intentions. Kerwyn came up beside Korowai and put his arm around her waist. Rinfaf just smiled and gave Kerwyn a big wink that said don’t worry I am not here to steal your lady. Kerwyn blinked not even realizing that he had made a protective move that said
keep your hands off of her
all in the same heartbeat. Shaking his head Kerwyn knew that he would have to appoligize for that later. He just sort of did it without knowing that he had. He had to admit to himself that he really liked being with Korowai and he could still feel her kiss on his lips.

Rinfaf let go of her hand and focused his attention back onto the rest of the party.

Kerwyn leaned over to her and he whispered into her ear, “Yes, I will share your bedroll tonight, just to keep you warm and safe.” They both had a quiet laugh over this, as she had been the one to swear to Kerwyn and Erlina that she would protect him from harm. Reaching out, she grabbed Kerwyn’s hand, turned him around, and gave him another one of her great big kisses. Kerwyn was seeing stars for about an hour afterwards and the smile wouldn’t leave his face for the rest of the day.

After supper, Rinfaf and Kerwyn again found themselves alone for just a few moments. Kerwyn apologized to Rinfaf for his behaviour over the kiss on the hand that Rinfaf had given to Korowai. All Rinfaf said was that she was quite and amazing women and he was lucky to have such an attractive woman to share his bedroll. Kerwyn blushed scarlet, as Rinfaf must have overheard his and Korowai’s conversations.

“Kerwyn, can I ask you something?” asked Rinfaf.

“Of course you can, my friend; ask me anything,” Kerwyn, said.

“Why you? What I mean to say is; why do you think that you were chosen by Druantia to be the new keeper of the Tree of Life and its acorn? Also, why do you think that you have not found the Legendary Wizard?” asked Rinfaf.

“I wish I knew the answers to those questions but I don’t. I also am confused as to why Druantia waited for over one hundred and fifteen years just for me to show up? Why was I picked out of everyone in the world to be this bearer of the acorn? To these riddles, I have no answers but to the last I keep thinking that Master Sernett is the Legendary Wizard of long ago.

He was able to cast the Pure White Energy Bolt that killed the lava worm. I know that only a few wizards have ever done that and survived in all the histories. Plus, he is more vibrant then ever. I have seen my master cast some of the strongest spells of all time and I will never know as much as he does. My master is my hero and he will always be my father too,” said Kerwyn.

“You are very honourable, yet very naive at the same time, my friend. I respect you for your good heart and your good intentions and I find you worthy of my friendship.

I will not say sleep well as I do not think that you will be sleeping at all (here he glanced over at Korowai) but I do hope that you will be well rested and in good spirits when next we meet. I bid you a goodnight, Master Kerwyn. I shall be gone before you awake again as I have things to attend to,” turning Rinfaf walked close to the fire and lay down.

Kerwyn almost thought that Rinfaf was close enough to place his hand right into the fire if he wanted too. He was wondering about going over and warning him that he might be too close to the fire. Korowai called to him from behind and he turned to climb into their bedroll for the night.

When morning came and Kerwyn woke up, he had a silly grin on his face and a spring in his step. He remembering what Rinfaf had said and he had been right.

Rinfaf was nowhere to be found and had left again during the night. Kerwyn thought that this was very strange for a creature to do but Rinfaf had obviously been wandering the forest for a long time and didn’t fear any of its inhabitants.

Master Sernett called for everyone to grab something to eat, as they would get to the dragons keep that afternoon. Soon, everyone had eaten and things were packed away again and they all gathered up their gear and started out once more. Master Sernett took up his usual spot in the front of the group with Byamee and Celie with everyone else following behind them as always.

Just after noon they crested a hill and, there, in front of them was a huge mountain tucked away and half of it was hidden into the ground. In the front of it was a monstrous opening for a very large creature. The base had been rubbed smooth by the underbelly of the creature entering and exiting. All around the base was rubble and bones of deers and any sort of other creature that had become pray for the dragon.

Kerwyn had thought that a Golden Dragon would be much less of a monster and more civilized. But the reality was that dragons did not think like humanoids and, to them, this display was a warning for other creatures to leave its lair alone or pay the ultimate consequences. Heading down the hill and making their way towards the entrance to the cave, the party took it slow, as they did not want to offend or make the dragon suspicious of them. Upon making it to the entrance even the Cyclopes had enough room to stand without any problems and looked as though they were not going to have any height issues upon entering into the belly of the dragon’s lair.

As they walked down the corridor the light began to get weak. The smell of the dragon and the brimstone, in which the dragons eat, was getting very strong and almost too rancid to breathe. The green brimstone rock was to help with the creation of fire which most of the dragons could breath. It was also used to help line their lairs to keep the hot molten lava beds from turning to solid rock.

A dragon enjoys the heat and the hotter; the better. Judging by the temperature, Fafnir enjoyed the benefit of an almost uncomfortable place for humanoids. The gasses coming from the lava were not only toxic in large amounts but it was combustible and could explode without warning.

Master Sernett turned to Kerwyn and told him not use any flame spells as he might end up killing everyone unintentionally. He also reminded him to remember that they were there for answers to their questions and they were not here to start a fight.

Walking further into the dragon’s keep than any of them had ever been, they come across a lava river cutting off they entry. The dragon obviously didn’t mind stepping into the hot liquid as it wouldn’t get hurt from the heat, but for normal creatures, this was a deadly raging torrent.

Looking at each other the party needed to come up with a plan to get either around or over the river of lava. On the other side it looked like the lava river had turned into a big pond. Churning and bubbling, the hot molten lava gurgled with heat and gas. Popping and shooting sprays of lava shot into the air, only to be welcomed back into the fiery depths of the pond. Overhead the heat and splashes had reached the ceiling and has caused sharp jagged rock formations to droop down from it.

Trying to levitate across would be extremely dangerous so Kerwyn and Master Sernett put that out of their minds. Looking to the left they saw that there was another path, only this one was far smaller then any of the Cyclopes could enter. It was decided that the Cyclopes would wait here and that Master Sernett, Kerwyn, Korowai and Durin would carry on and see if there was another way around.

They entered the secondary path and followed it up a steep slope where it veered to the right, bringing them back to just the other side of the river into the room they had seen from across the river of lava. They called across to the Cyclopes that they had made it. Then they turned and looked for the safest way to get around the pond of liquid rock.

There was a line of rocks that seemed solid and the group thought that they could crawl across those. Durin taking the lead to make sure it was safe crawled like a crab across and onto a small ledge. Korowai followed and then Master Sernett and Kerwyn came last.

Once they had crossed, they stood on a little ledge and realized that they would have to jump over a flow of lava onto another ledge. Korowai was saying that it was too dangerous for Master Sernett that she would go first and throw a rope back across to them so they could climb over. Master Sernett said that there was nowhere to tie the rope and that it would be more dangerous than jumping.

“Umm, aye, dwarves cannot jump,” Durin, said while looking a little white around the mouth as he leaned over to look into the boiling lava. Since Durin was unable to progress any further it was decided that he would go back to the Cyclopes and wait with them. He wished them well and if they were not back by morning he said that he and the Cyclopes would head back to the Elvin domain, and let everyone know that the dragon had eaten them all.

Kerwyn felt sick at the thought of being eaten up by a dragon and looked at Durin as though he wished that it were he who was turning around and not the dwarf.