FSE

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Axton sat on the soft royal purple cushion of his seat staring out the window of the carriage he was riding in. His ice blue eyes scanning the plethora of trees lining the path it was taking him down. He gave a sigh as the usual beauty of the forest could not lift his spirits. For how could it? He was only the young age of twelve and already send to be away from his mother. He wrinkled his brow as he remembered insisting he get into this carriage to take him to what she had called his destiny. Apparently there was a wizard who lived out here in the great forest, in a mighty stone tower. One that looked like a stone guardian, surveying everything within it's sight.

He ran one of his hands through his short black hair, and giving a slight sniff. Tears had already run dry after his first hour into the trip, but he still felt saddened at leaving his one home behind. True it had been a small village and he his family had not been the most wealthy, but he had been happy there. He looked down to his one backpack he had grabbed with home, filled with only spare clothes that he had. His own clothes her wore, were just a simple brown shirt, and black breeches with grey stitching. He wiggled his feet, glaring at the worn leather boots on them. Why would this wizard even want me there? The thought raced through his mind, although it quickly came to him why. For over the last few months he found himself able to will up some magic to the other children's amusement. He found himself able to summon some sparks, stoke fires, and even turn invisible. He probably wants to train me or something. But how did he even know? I never went around and talked to any of the adults about it. He stared out at the now fluffy clouds outside, spying several birds darting and flying free within the wind.

How he wished sometimes he was up in the sky, feeling the wind against his face, but that was only a dream. Gryphons hardly were in his village, and he knew that was the most likely way that one would experience the dream of flight. He had heard tales of dragons being able to fly as well. But they would probably not let someone ride them anyway. Also they are very dangerous. He pictured one of the great scaled beasts, unleashing fire onto the thatch roofs of his town, and shivered. Beautiful looking they may be...but oh so dangerous.

There was a bump in the path that pulled his thought from the sky, and dragons. He heard the driver of the carriage call out a loud “woah" to the large black horse that had been pulling the carriage swiftly along the path. Axton tried to lean forward into the glass to get a good look on why they were slowing down. Were they here? He pressed his face against the glass, smudging it's clean surface. He frowned as he soon realized he could not see it from this angle. He felt his heart quicken, as he realized he had never met this wizard before. Would he be nice? Would he be old? Would he have a long flowing beard? Would he have a band of dwarves with him ready for an adventure to go steal from a dragon? He shook his head at each of the thoughts, and trying to not think about the pit in his stomach as he longed for his old house, for his friends, and for his mother. I may not see her again. He hung his head, as he swung the pack over his shoulder.

“Well come on out my boy! Do not be shy!" came a cheerful voice outside.

Axton grabbed the carriage handle and pushed it open softly, covering his eyes as the afternoon sun glared down at him. It seemed the sun's rays were only coming down in this area through the clouds, like it was trying to blind only him this day. He stepped forward out of the light, and seeing an old man in front of him wearing black robes.

The man was standing with a smile painted on his wrinkled face. He had a long grey beard that hung all the way to his waist, as he looked to him with soft amber eyes. “Well its about time you arrived." the man gestured to the tower standing tall behind him with one of his bony hands.

The tower itself was massive in size, standing easily taller than maybe one hundred dragons placed from snout to tail. Axton felt his jaw lower slightly as he traced it's smooth dark surface with his eyes all the way to the tip top. If he did not know any better he would have swore the top pierced the very hevansthemselves.

“Now your the boy everyone was talking about." the old man continued, “The lad running around that dirt hole of a town, able to summon magic up in a whim?"

Axton stole his gaze from the tower back to the old man. “Uh...yes sir." he replied nervously.

“Well no need to be nervous my boy. I have decided to place you within my care!" He replied, walking over carefully and placing a hand on his shoulder. “I spoke to your mother only a fortnight ago, and she agreed this would give you the future she had always wanted for you! Imagine my boy, being able to summon up the most powerful of magical spells, placing you far above the riff raff of our simple dirt village?"

Axton had to admit, that mental image did sound pleasing to him. Although something started to nag at him again. The feeling of being homesick. “Will I be able to visit my home from time to time?"

The wizard placed his hands around his beard and began to stroke it. “Still feeling homesick huh? I suppose that is natural when taken away from your home to a new place....Don't worry my dear Axton, you will be able to see them again in time." He held up one of his fingers as he started leading him towards the towers large doorway that seemed to be made of solid granite, with runes carved into it's surface. Axton figured by the way they looked, they had been made with some giant claw or talon.

Perhaps it was made by a dragon? He followed the wizard carefully, making sure that he kept at the man's pace. “What is your name sir?" he asked, realizing he had not gotten it.

“Oh my name is so long and complicated to say that it is best not even trying." The wizard laughed. “You can call me master, and that will be sufficient."

_ Well if that isn't weird_. He glanced back at the carriage that was now departing with the horse. He gave a long drawn out sigh as he remembered his mother, his village, and the life behind him now.

“Still feeling down?" The wizard asked, as they stood before the grand door.

Axton nodded silently in reply.

The wizard tapped his foot for a moment, stroking his beard once again. “I know." He held up a finger. “Do you happen to like dragon's Axton?" He smiled.

Dragons!? “Well of course I do sir, they are big, can fly, have scales, and breath fire!....although they can also destroy villages like mine if they so chose....or that's at least how the stories go.

“Well wait until you see my dragon." the wizard chuckled. “She is one of the most beautiful dragons around." He turned as the large doors opened with a crack. “And I am sure she would love to meet you my new apprentice.