Reborn Evolution
Page 16
"Yes…-ayes!-aThat-acould-awork,-ayoung-adragon!"-aThe-aold-aWizard-aclapped-ahis-ahands-atogether,-ahis-aform-athat-aappeared-ato-abe-aon-athe-abrink-aof-avanishing-aall-aof-aa-asudden-againing-anew-avibrancy.-a
"Quickly-aplease!"-aHaste-aappeared-ain-athe-afading-aold-aman's-avoice-aas-ahe-amotioned,-aalmost-abegging.-a
Drago-astepped-aforward-aand-acarefully-aplaced-ahis-aclaws-aat-athe-aneck-aof-athe-ashaking-aman,-atrying-ato-anot-aaccidentally-astab-ahim.-aEver-aso-aslightly,-ahe-apierced-athe-askin-aof-athe-aman's-aneck-alightly,-adrawing-aa-asmall-aline-aof-ablood.-a
At-athe-asame-atime,-ahe-afelt-athe-avenom-ain-ahis-aclaws-aflow-aforward,-ainto-athe-aman.-aIt-avanished-ain-aan-ainstant,-afully-aabsorbed.-a
A-afew-aseconds-alater,-athe-aman-acalmed-adown,-ahis-abody-areturning-aback-ato-anormal.-aAs-athis-ahappened,-athe-agolden-ariver-aof-alight-aparticles-acontinued-ato-aflow-ainto-ahis-ahead,-asmoothly-aand-awithout-aerror.-a
As-aDrago-astepped-aback,-ahe-aheard-aa-agrateful-avoice-acall-aout,
"Young-adragon,-aI-acannot-athank-ayou-aenough.-aIf-aI-ahad-amore-atreasures-ato-agive,-aI-awould.-aAll-aI-ahave-aleft-aare-ainsubstantial-athings,-athe-arest-awas-adestroyed-aor-ataken-afrom-amy-abody."-aThe-afloating-aold-aman-alooked-aat-ahim-awith-aeyes-aglinting-abrightly.-a
Drago-ashook-ahis-ahead,-asaying-asimply,-a
"It's-afine.-aIt-awas-athe-aright-athing-ato-ado."-a
A-asilent-amoment-apassed-abetween-athem,-aand-athen-aanother.-aSoon-athat-amoment-abecame-aa-aminute,-aand-athen-atwo.-aEventually,-athe-ariver-aof-agolden-aparticles-afinished-aflowing-ainto-athe-aresting-aman,-aand-aall-awas-adone.-aThe-afading-afigure-aof-athe-aold-awizard-astudied-ahim-aone-alast-atime.-a
"As-aI-apass-afrom-athis-aworld,-alet-ame-agive-ayou-aone-alast-agift,-aas-amy-alast-athanks-ato-ayou."-aThe-aman's-avoice-abegan-ato-afade,-abecoming-aquieter-athan-aa-awhisper.-a
"The-areverberations-ain-aFate-ayour-asoul-agives-aoff-awill-afade,-agradually,-ain-aa-aweek-aor-atwo.-aI-acan-ahelp-ayou-ahide-athem-afor-aa-aday,-amaybe-atwo.-aThe-arest-ais-aup-ato-ayou,-ayoung-adragon.-aGood-afortune-ato-ayou,-aand-amay-athe-aCycle-acontinue,-aunabated…"-aA-afew,-afaint-awhite-aparticles-adrifted-aand-alanded-aon-aDrago.-aHe-ashivered,-afeeling-aas-aif-ahe-ahad-abeen-adunked-ain-aa-avat-aof-acold-awater.-a
He-ablinked,-aand-athe-ainstant-alater,-aas-ahe-aopened-ahis-aeyes,-ahe-arealized-ahe-awas-aalone.-a
The-afigure-aof-athat-aold-amage-awas-agone.-a
"So-agoes-athe-alast-aof-athe-aWizard-aHorhavil-aCandor…"-aDrago-amuttered-aquietly,-abowing-ahis-ahead-asilently-ain-arespect.-a
After-aa-afew-amoments,-ahe-aturned,-alooking-adown-aat-athe-ayoung-alooking-aWizard-awho-awas-ajust-anow-acoming-aawake.-a
"AHHH!"
..
William-aRobel-afelt-ahorrible.-aHis-ahead-afelt-acramped-aand-acrowded,-afull-aof-apain.-aHis-abody-afelt-aas-aif-ait-ahad-abeen-adragged-aalongside-aa-awagon-afor-adays,-abeaten-aand-abruised.-aHis-aonly-aconsolation-awas-athe-awarm,-aflowing-afeeling-ahe-afelt,-awrapping-aaround-ahis-ainjured-aform,-ahealing-ahim.-a
He-acame-ato-agradually.-aAs-ahe-adid,-athe-amemories-aof-athe-apast-aday-arushed-ainto-ahis-atired-amind.-a
The-abattle-afor-athat-aodd,-adancing-adragon,-athe-avicious-aattack-ahe-ahad-asuffered-afrom-athose-avile-aVampires,-aand-anow-ahis-aapparent-aabandonment-aby-athe-aDepartment-aWizards,-aand-aeven-ahis-aown-aFamily-aguards.-aHe-ahad-ano-amemory-aof-awhat-ahappened-aafter-ahe-awas-ainjured,-asmacked-aback-aby-athe-aattack,-abut-ahe-awas-aalmost-acertain-athat-athey-ahad-athrown-ahim-aaside-aand-afled.-a
Those-aVampires-aseemed-alike-abad-anews.-aHe-awasn't-asure-aif-aeven-athat-aBlack-aLightning-aWizard-acould-ahandle-athem.-a
He-abared-ahis-ateeth-aand-aclenched-ahis-afists,-afeeling-ahumiliated-aand-aangry.-aAt-aleast-ahe-awas-astill-aalive,-ahowever.-a
After-aa-afew-aseconds,-ahe-amanaged-ato-ablink,-aand-aslowly-aopened-ahis-aeyes.-aThe-abright-alight-aof-aday-ablinded-ahim-aas-ahe-alooked-aaround.-aAlmost-aimmediately-ahis-aheart-adropped-aas-ahe-asaw-aa-ahulking,-a3-ameter-atall-adragon-astanding-aright-ain-afront-aof-ahim.-a
"AHHH!"-aInvoluntarily,-ahe-alet-aout-aa-ascream.-aAs-ahe-adid-aso,-aanother-arush-aof-amemories-acame-ainto-ahis-amind.-a
Memories-aof-aan-aodd,-aconversation-awith-aa-astrange-aold-aman,-aa-aman-awho-atalked-ato-ahim-aabout-agiving-ahim-aan-ainheritance-aof-amagic.-aHe-aabruptly-arealized-athat-athis-aconversation-awas-aone-athat-ahad-aactually-ahappened-aas-ahe-afelt-aat-ahis-asoul.-a
In-ahis-asoul,-athe-aorb-aof-awhite-alight-athat-arepresented-ahim-aand-ahis-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix,-aWilliam-acould-afeel-awhat-aappeared-ato-abe-aa-asecond-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix,-afloating-anext-ato-ahis-aown.-aThis-amatrix,-ahowever,-awas-amerely-aa-apale-acopy,-aa-apoor-acomparison,-ato-ahis-aoriginal-aone.-aStill,-awithin-athis-amatrix,-ahe-acould-asense-aa-avast-astore-aof-amemories-aand-aexperiences,-afrom-aa-awizened,-akindly-aold-aman.-a
Tears-abegan-ato-astream-adown-ahis-aface-aas-ahe-arealized-awhat-athe-aelderly-awizard-ahad-adone-afor-ahim.-aGiving-asomeone-aan-ainheritance-alike-athis-awas-asupposed-ato-abe-aan-aintimately-asacred-aritual,-areserved-afor-ayour-aclosest-akin.-aTo-agive-aup-aan-ainheritance-ato-aa-acomplete-astranger-alike-ahim…-ait-awas-apractically-aunheard-aof.-a
Mentally,-ahe-amade-aa-apromise-athat-ahe-awould-anot-awaste-ait.-aHe-awould-agive-aup-ahis-amediocre-aWood-aMagic,-aand-aimmediately-atrain-athe-aold-aman's,-ano,-athe-aesteemed,-aHorhavil-aCandor's,-aLight-aMagic.-a
As-athese-amemories-acontinued-ato-acome-ainto-ahim,-ahe-arealized-athat-athe-adragon-ain-afront-aof-ahim-ahad-ahelped-asave-ahis-alife.-aHe'd-amanaged-ato-aregain-asome-aof-ahis-aconsciousness-aafter-asome-atime-ain-ahis-ahealing-aspell,-aand-ahad-aoverheard-atheir-aconversation.-aAnd,-ahe-arealized,-adespite-aits-ahulking-aform,-athat-ait-awas-asomehow-athe-asame-aas-athe-asmall-adragon-athey-ahad-atried-ato-acapture,-aand-afailed-ato,-abefore.-a
He-alooked-aup-ain-aconfusion,-anot-aunderstanding.-aWhat-aexactly-ahad-ahappened-aafter-ahe-afell-aunconscious?-aHow-amuch-atime-ahad-apassed?-a
"Um…-ahello."-aHe-asputtered-aout.-a
As-ahe-aspoke,-ahe-arealized-ahe-acouldn't-amove-ayet.-aHe-awinced-aas-ahe-atried-ato,-afeeling-ahis-abody-ashake-ain-apain.-aThe-ahealing-aspell-ahe-ahad-acast-aearlier-awas-astill-aactive,-athough-anow-aflowing-awith-aa-avibrant,-afull-apower-athat-ahe-acouldn't-areplicate.-aThe-apart-athe-adragon-ahad-agiven-ato-ahelp-asave-ahis-alife.-a
"You-ashould-astay-astill-afor-anow.-aYou're-astill-ahealing."-aThe-adragon's-avoice-awas-asmooth-aand-asibilant,-afull-aof-astrong,-apowerful-aconfidence.-aWilliam-ashivered-aas-ahe-aheard-ait,-aglancing-aat-athe-abeautiful-agreen-ascales-aon-athe-adrake.-aHe-anoticed-aa-asmall,-astill-healing-ascar-aon-athe-ahead-aof-athe-adragon,-aoddly-ain-athe-ashape-aof-aone-aof-athe-adragon's-aclaws,-aas-aif-ait-ahad-astabbed-aitself.-aHe-ashook-athe-athought-afrom-ahis-ahead,-ahowever,-aknowing-ano-adragon-awould-abe-aso-afoolish.-a
William-awas-aa-amess-aof-aemotions-aas-ahe-astared-aup-aat-athe-adragon.-aAnger-aand-ahurt-aat-abeing-aabandoned-aby-ahis-acompanions,-ajoy-aand-asurprise-aat-astill-abeing-aalive,-athankfulness-aand-ahappiness-aat-ahaving-abeen-agiven-aan-ainheritance.-aThe-afear-ahe-afelt-afaded-aaway-aas-ahe-alooked-aat-athe-abeast,-ajust-awanting-ato-aknow-aone-athing.-a
"Why-adid-ayou-asave-ame?-aThe-arewards-athat-aWizard-aoffered,-ayou-aand-aI-aboth-aknow-athey-awould-abe-aworth-alittle-ato-aa-aDragon-alike-ayourself.-aMagic-aHerbs-athrive-ain-athese-amountains,-aand-aeven-aif-ahe-ahas-asome-aextremely-arare-aones,-ait-ashouldn't-abe-atoo-abig-aa-adifference."-a
His-avoice-acarried-aa-astrange-apassion,-afull-aof-aemotion.-aThis-awas-asomething-ahe-aneeded-ato-aknow.-aHe-adidn't-aknow-awhy,-ahe-ajust-aknew-ahe-aneeded-ato-aknow-athis,-aeven-aif-ait-acost-ahim-ahis-alife.-aHe-afelt-aoddly-acompelled.-a
..
Drago-ashrugged-aas-ahe-alooked-adown-aat-athe-ainjured-ahuman,-athinking-ahis-aquestion-aover-aand-aresponding,-a
"I-aguess-abecause-ait-afelt-alike-athe-aright-athing-ato-ado."-aIf-ahe-acould-ado-asomething-ato-ahelp,-ahe-awould.-aMaybe-aif-ahe-a
thought-ahis-aactions-awould-aachieve-anothing,-ahe-awouldn't-ahave-atried-ato-asave-athe-aWizard.-a
But-aknowing-athat-ahe-acould…-aBesides,-athe-areward-awasn't-aas-asmall-aas-athe-ainjured-aWizard-awas-amaking-ait-aout-ato-abe.-aHaving-aaround-a200-aMagic-aHerbs-astored-awith-ahim-awas-adefinitely-asubstantially-auseful-afor-awhen-ahe-aleft-athis-aarea,-aand-athe-ainformation-aon-athat-atreasure-astash-awas-aextremely-aalluring.-a
Also,-athere-awas-aa-achance-ahe-acould-again-ainformation-aabout-athe-amen-atracking-ahim-afrom-athe-ainjured-aman,-aand-aabout-athe-aworld-aaround-ahim.-a
"What?!"-aThe-aWizard-abelow-ahim-astruggled-ain-ashock,-ahis-aface-aflushing.-a
"I'm-ayour-aenemy!-aI-atried-ato-acapture-ayou!-aI-aeven-ahelped-alead-athem-ato-ayou."-aAs-athe-aWizard-aspoke,-ahis-avoice's-apitch-awent-aup,-asputtering,
"If-ayou-awere-asmart,-ayou-awould-akill-ame-aright-anow!-aHow-ado-ayou-aknow-aI-awon't-alead-athem-ato-ayou-aagain?!"-aDrago-acaught-aan-aodd-atone-ain-athe-aman's-avoice,-aone-athat-amade-ahim-achoose-ahis-aresponse-acarefully.-a
Drago-alooked-aat-athe-astill-ahealing-aWizard,-ataking-aa-amoment-ato-athink.-a
It-awas-atrue.-aThis-awas-aa-abrutal-aworld.-aIt-awas-akill-aor-abe-akilled.-aBy-aleaving-athis-aman-aalive,-ahe-amight-abe-abringing-ahimself-aproblems-ain-athe-afuture.-a
The-asmart-athing-ato-ado-awould-abe-ato-akill-ahim,-ahere-aand-anow,-aand-asilence-athis-aissue.-aHe-acould-aeven-aabsorb-ahis-abloodline-aand-acreate-aa-ahuman-abody-aif-ahe-aso-achose.-aMaybe-asomehow-asteal-athat-ainheritance,-aeven-awithout-areceiving-awhatever-amagic-asoul-abaptism-athe-aWizard-asaid-ahe-aneeded.-aThere-awas-aa-achance,-aanyway.-a
But,-awould-ahe-aregret-adoing-athat?-aAs-athe-athought-atouched-ahis-amind,-ahe-afelt-ahimself-acome-ato-aa-acertain-ainner-apeace.-a
He-ahad-adecided-ahe-awould-alive-awithout-aregrets-ain-athis-aworld.-a
It-awasn't-athe-awisest-aor-amost-alogical-adecision-ato-alet-athis-aWizard-ago.-a
Perhaps-ait-awas-aeven-aa-amistake.-a
In-ahis-aRed-aSalamander-aform,-athe-aWizard-ahad-atried-ato-aattack-ahim,-athinking-ahe-awas-ajust-aa-astray-awild-abeast.-aIn-ahis-adraconic-aform,-ahe-ahad-atried-ato-acapture-ahim.-aAt-athe-aleast,-athey-aweren't-aon-afriendly-aterms.-a
Despite-athat,-aDrago-afelt-alike-athe-aman-awasn't-aa-abad-atype.-aMaybe-aothers-awould-acall-ahim-aa-afool-afor-athis,-abut-ahe-adidn't-acare.
"I-adon't-aknow-athat-ayou-awon't-alead-athem-ato-ame."-aDrago-abegan,-ashaking-ahis-ahead,-ahis-aeyes-aglinting,
"But-aI-awill-alive-ahow-aI-achoose-ato-alive,-aand-anot-aa-adamn-athing-ain-athis-auniverse-awill-achange-athat.-aMaybe-aI-adon't-ahave-athe-astrength,-aright-anow,-ato-aback-athose-awords-aup."-aHis-amind-awent-ato-ahis-afather,-athe-agreatest-aman-ahe-aknew,-aand-awhat-ahe-awould-ado-ain-aa-asituation-alike-athis,
"But-aone-aday-aI-awill.-aWhat-akind-aof-ahuma-ahem,-awhat-akind-aof-aDragon-awould-aI-abe,-aif-aI-adidn't-alive-aup-ato-awhat-aI-abelieved-ain?"-aHe-alooked-adown-aat-athe-ayoung-aWizard,-aand-athen-asmiled,
"I'm-aa-aDragon-awith-aprinciples,-aafter-aall."-aHe-asmiled-awider.-a
"But…-abut…?!"-aThe-aWizard-asputtered-aat-ahim-ain-adisbelief.-a
"No-abuts."-aDrago's-aeyes-alit-aup-aas-ainspiration-astruck,-a
"Life-ais-aabout-athe-abare-anecessities,-ayoung-aWizard."-aHe-asaid,-anodding-ahis-ahead-asagely,-a"The-asimple-abare-anecessities.-aJust-aforget-aabout-ayour-aworries-aand-ayour-astrife."-a
"Now,-aenough-aof-athat.-aBefore-awe-apart-aways-ahere,-awould-ayou-amind-aanswering-aa-afew-aquestions-aI-ahave-aabout-athis-aworld?"
###-aChapter-a19-a--aTaking-aFlight
Drago-alooked-aout-aover-athe-asteep-acliff-ahe-awas-aon-aand-aat-athe-athriving-aforest-abelow.-aThousands-aof-agreat-aoak-atrees-aspread-aout,-acreating-aa-adense,-abrilliant-acanopy,-alike-aan-aocean-aof-aleaves-arocking-agently-aat-asea.-a
After-atalking-awith-aWilliam,-athe-aWizard-ahe-amet,-afor-aseveral-aminutes,-athey-ahad-aparted-aways.-aThe-ahuman-ahad-ashared-aa-agreat-aamount-aof-ainformation-aabout-athis-aworld,-aand-aabout-athose-athat-awere-achasing-athem.-a
He'd-aalso-agiven-athe-aWizard-asome-alife-aadvice-ahis-aDad-aand-aGoogle-ahad-agiven-ahim,-afrom-aback-aon-aearth,-aonce-ahe-alearned-aabout-athe-apoor-aguy's-asituation.-a
Drago-atook-aeverything-athe-aWizard-atold-ahim-awith-aa-agrain-aof-asalt,-athough,-ajust-ato-abe-asafe.-aHe-adidn't-athink-athe-aWizard-awas-alying,-abut-ait-awas-abetter-ato-abe-acautious.-a
'Ausra,-ayou-asaid-aI-acan-amerge-abloodlines,-aright?'-aHe-aqueried,-aasking-athe-acalm-agenie.-a
'After-acompleting-aa-agrowth-acycle-afor-aany-acreature-aform-aand-afully-agrowing-aits-abloodline,-ayou-acan-amerge-athat-abloodline-awith-aany-aother-agrown-abloodline,-aor-aany-agroup-aof-aothers,-ato-acreate-aa-ahybrid-acreature.-aHybrid-acreatures-amay-anot-anecessarily-abe-astronger-athan-athe-abase-aforms.-aAn-ainfinite-anumber-aof-ahybrid-aforms-aare-apossible-aand-amost-aof-athem-aI-ahave-ano-adata-aon.'-aAusra's-aresponse-ain-ahis-ahead-awas-aclear.-a
He-anodded,-aconsidering-ahis-aplans.
-Myyr-aDragon-a--aGrowth-aStage:-a(2/4)-aMyyr-aYoung-aAdult-
Growth-aProgress-a–-a1,302/8,620-a-
He-awas-amaking-aprogress-aon-ahis-aMyyr-aDragon-aform-aagain,-aalbeit-aslowly.-aHe-awasn't-asure-ahow-ahis-aprogress-ahad-aincreased-athe-aamount-ait-adid,-abut-aguessed-ait-ahad-asomething-ato-ado-awith-athe-anow-adead-aWizard's-alast-agift-ato-ahim.-a
He-awas-aa-aMaster-aClass-abeast-anow,-aand-ahe-acould-afeel-athe-astrength-ain-ahis-abody.-aHowever,-athere-awere-aGrandmaster-aClass-abeasts-ain-athese-amountains,-aand-ahe'd-aneeded-ato-apick-ahis-apath-acarefully.-a
According-ato-aWilliam,-athis-aentire-auniverse-awas-amore-acomplex-athan-ahe-aoriginally-athought.-a
Ausra-ahad-amade-ahim-aaware-athat-athere-awere-aan-aenormous-anumber-aof-aworlds-ain-athis-auniverse,-aand-athat-aa-amultitude-aof-acreatures-aand-abeasts-aamong-athem.-a
He-anow-aknew,-ahowever,-athat-athese-aworlds-awere-aconnected-aby-aenormous-astrips-aof-aland-acalled-a'World-aBridges.'-aThese-abridges-awere-aliterally-abridges-abetween-aworlds,-abut-amassive-ain-ascale,-awhere-aeven-athe-asmallest-astretched-amore-athan-a2-adozen-amiles-ain-awidth,-aand-ahundreds-aof-amiles-ain-alength.-a
There-awere-athree-aWorld-aBridges-aconnecting-ato-athis-aworld.-aThe-abest-away-ato-aescape-ahis-apursuers-awould-abe-ato-aget-aon-aone-aof-athese-aWorld-aBridges.-aApparently-ahe-awas-abeing-atracked-athrough-aFate-aMagic,-asome-atype-aof-amystical-aart-athat-ahe-adidn't-aquite-aunderstand.-a
Fate-aMagic-aoperated-aweirdly-aon-athe-aWorld-aBridges,-aas-adid-aseveral-aother-atypes-aof-amagic,-adue-ato-athe-aspatial-ainterference-aand-adistorted-alaws-athat-asurrounded-aWorld-aBridges,-aallowing-athem-ato-aexist.-a
If-ahe-acould-amake-ait-ato-aone-aof-athe-aWorld-aBridges,-ahis-achances-aof-aescaping-awould-agreatly-aincrease.-a
The-aclosest-aWorld-aBridge-aled-ato-aa-aplanet-aknown-aas-aMesor,-anotably-aone-aof-athe-alongest-aWorld-aBridges-ain-athe-a30,000-aworlds.-aDrago-ahad-aautomatically-astricken-athat-aone-afrom-athe-alist,-abecause,-aaccording-ato-aWilliam,-athe-aWizards-asearching-afor-ahim-ahad-amost-alikely-acome-afrom-athat-aWorld-aBridge,-aand-awere-aconcentrated-ain-athat-aarea.-a
Instead,-ahe-adecided,-ahis-aeyes-aturned-ato-athe-asouth,-ait-awould-abe-abetter-ato-atake-athe-aWorld-aBridge-afound-awithin-athe-aTandor-aEmpire.-aSpecifically,-athe-aone-alocated-aoutside-athe-aCity-aof-aa-aThousand-aColors,-aYum-aCity.-a
The-aTandor-aEmpire-awas-afar-afrom-awhere-ahe-awas.-aEasily-aa-athousand-amiles.-aEven-afor-ahis-adraconic,-aMaster-aClass-abody,-athat-awas-aa-ajourney-athat-awould-atake-asome-atime.-aHe-acouldn't-aeven-asee-athe-amythical-aWorld-aBridge-athat-aexisted,-athough-ahe-awas-aexcited-ato-ahave-ahis-afirst-aglance-aat-ait.-a
The-aWorld-aBridge-athere-aled-ato-aa-aplanet-aknown-aas-aTaprisha.-aIt-awas-aa-aplanet-athat-aacted-aas-aa-abuffer-azone-abetween-aone-aof-athe-athree-aVampire-aFamilies-aand-athe-aBorrel-aAutarchy.-a
It-aalso-ajust-aso-ahappened-athat-aone-aof-athe-aWorld-aBridges-athat-aexisted-aon-aTaprish
a-awent-ain-athe-adirection-aof-athe-aplanet-athat-athe-afallen-aWizard-aHorhavil-ahad-asaid-acontained-athe-aEmber-aGorge,-aand-athe-ahuge-atreasure-astash-ahe'd-afound.-aThe-aWizard-ahad-aleft-aa-asmall-amap-aof-athe-aworlds-aclose-ato-ait-ain-athat-ainformation-aorb,-aand-aTaprisha-awas-aone-aof-athem,-aalbeit-aone-aof-athe-afarthest-aaway.
Drago-asmiled,-ahis-aeyes-ashining.-aHe-aneeded-apower,-aright-anow,-astrength-ato-astand-aby-aupright-aand-aproud.-aAnd-ahe-ahad-aa-aplan-ato-aget-ait.-a
With-athat-athought-aresounding-ain-ahis-ahead,-ahe-abegan-ato-arun-aforward,-atowards-athe-aedge-aof-athe-acliff-athat-aoverlooked-athe-aforest,-aroughly-atwo-ahundred-ameters-abelow.-a
With-aa-ayell,-aDrago-athrew-ahimself-ain-athe-aair,-ahis-aemerald-awings-ashining-ain-athe-amid-aafternoon-alight,-aand-abegan-ato-aglide-ahigh-aabove-athe-aforests-abelow.-a
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William-arubbed-ahis-aeyes,-amoving-acarefully-athrough-athe-aundergrowth.-aHe-astepped-agingerly,-ahis-abody-astill-arecovering-afrom-athe-ashock-aof-athe-awounds-ahe'd-areceived-aearlier-aand-athen-aforcibly-ahealed.-a
A-awooden-asword-afloated-ain-athe-aair-anext-ato-ahim,-athe-aspell-aWood-aMagic:-aArmory-aapplied.-aIt-awas-aa-asimple,-aself-adefense-aspell-adesigned-ato-adeal-awith-aanything-athat-awould-atry-ato-aattack-ahim.-a
He-ahad-ajust-amanaged-ato-aleave-athe-adangerous-amountain-aregion,-aand-aentered-athe-aforests-ajust-ato-athe-asouth-aof-aYor-aCity,-amaking-ahis-away-aback.-aOnce-ahe-agot-aa-alittle-afarther-afrom-athe-amountains,-ahe-aplanned-aon-asummoning-ahis-aflying-aark-ato-asoar-aback-ahome.-a
His-amind-awas-aaflutter,-aright-anow,-awith-aa-amillion-athoughts.-a
That-adragon-ahad-astayed-atrue-ato-aits-aword,-aletting-ahim-ago-awithout-atrying-ato-aharm-ahim,-aor-aeven-ablackmail-ahim.-aSuch-aa-abehavior-awas-aso-aatypical-ato-aanything-ahe-aexpected,-ait-awas-aforeign-ato-ahim.-a
Something-athe-adragon-ahad-atold-ahim-aresounded-ain-ahis-aears.-a