• Creeping stealthily through the warm tunnels of the dragon cave, my feet were soundless on the stone of the floor. Employed by a wealthy lord, I was there to reclaim his stolen treasure from the lair of the beast. I was a wanderer. Born of a family of healers, I quickly mastered the healing skills. Boredom drove me to seek training, to learn to use my inherited magic on a more productive art; combat. Unable to find a master, my magic remained largely untrained. However I possessed natural talent in the field of bladework, my skills were largely unmatched. But without proper schooling, all of my combat skills were useless. So I took the various jobs that came my way, and this was one of them.

    I slunk through the shadowy maze of caverns, keeping to the deep black shadows between the crags of stone. Slowly and cautiously, I worked my way toward the large caverns deep inside the mountain. It was not there, but in the shadows that I found the object of my search. A narrow tunnel, well hidden in the gloom behind a thick wall of stony columns. It was so dark that I probably wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t had a hand on the damp wall. A clever creature, hiding his treasures in a place where a human seeker wouldn’t find it. I had simply gotten lucky.

    Stealing into the cavern, I noticed a golden glow emanating from deep within. Hurrying towards it, I quickly found the source: golden treasure, encrusted with pearls and priceless stones, glittered in large heaps against the cavern walls. Among the treasure a variety of golden goblets were strewn, each carrying torches that burned with the eternal light of dragonflame.

    Cautiously, I slipped into a rocky crevice in the tunnel, as close to the treasure as possible. I realized that my entrance was also my only exit. Knowing I had to work fast, I shrank farther into the crack and looked out at the glistening plunder that filled the cavern. What belonged to my employer?

    Deciding that I didn’t really care, and knowing that time was of the essence, I began my work. I was unwilling to venture into the golden light of the open. Instead, I very carefully extended a tendril of invisible magic from the palm of my shaking hand, and wrapped it around a large ruby on a nearby treasure pile. Effortlessly, I used my magic to raise the stone and bring it into my hidden alcove. It was then that it caught my eye, a sleek silver sculpture of a dragon, with dazzling eyes of emerald and glittering diamond fangs. I made a move to repeat my trick, snaking a tendril around the serpentine silver scales of the sculpture. I seemed to be drawn to it, I couldn’t leave it alone if I tried. It seemed to call to me in an ethereal voice, beyond the edge of hearing, but still present. Tightening my grip on it, I tried to lift it and was surprised by its weight! Only an object that is saturated in enchantment can be that heavy when lifted with magical energy.

    Regardless, I summoned all my strength an, with agonizing slowness, it lifted from its perch upon a golden mound. I pulled it slowly across the room, to my hiding spot, not noticing how dangerously the effort of lifting it sapped my strength. It was almost there, a few more moments and the irresistible sculpture would be in my grasp. A triumphant grin spread slowly across my face.

    “Why don’t you leave the magic to the magicians, Korvik?”