R/O/C = Race of choice (elf, human, [whatever else DnD has])

I don’t think I’ve ever done such exhausting work to learn more about magic, but I’d exhausted all other research. No one, no living sorcerer, knew what I needed, knew the whole extent of Fire Magic. No one was that well-trained. No scroll nor book had it either. Only one being was known to have the knowledge of how powerful Fire Magic could be.

And I had to find him. In this mighty mountain range.

The problem came with how to find him. No one had seen him in the area. And the rumour of his “cave full of treasure” was completely fake—it was bare, minus the countless booby traps and dead bodies.

But there was hope—maybe. A traveller I’d met, dirty and exhausted, in a tavern in Calling Horns, told a tale of a portal that led into open fields, full of herds with no man to hunt them. Though I wondered if he had been a hallucinating, even he wondered it, I imagined it looked so out of place among the Star Mounts.

“It reminded me of my home,” he said. “On the opposite side of the continent. So maybe I dreamt it. I was cold and exhausted, very homesick. I was on my way to Karse, so maybe it was the old gates? But… it might’ve been in a cave either. Everything was dark… Truly I don’t know what I saw, for I’d not seen those plains up close. The oxen were almost touchable…”

After that I stopped listening. He rambled and drank; I had all the information I needed. Even if it was near to nothing to go on.

The worst part was trying to reserve strength for the climb. The mountains were nearly vertical; a cyclone with a huge tree-rocking radius surrounded the peaks. I collapsed when I entered the eye of the storm. It was so peaceful within its windy walls, I almost fell asleep… maybe I did.

The mountain range was hard to traverse, for both its upright climbs and its lack of mapping. Not many adventures had made it past the cyclone; even fewer left it alive. And with such a stressful journey between mountain and forest, no one had enough time and energy to detail its trails, slopes or where the portal was located.

I made my way to, and stood at, the tallest peak, Mount Angoroth, in the entrance to the lair of a dragon Inferno had defeated—whose name is completely unknown. He’d never used the cave, instead letting adventurers risk it all in the booby traps for naught.

I peered off into the distance, watching the killer cyclone and calm trees. My soul felt serene, my body loose and my mind free of all cares. Except that’s why I was not here, I was here for my biggest care in the world. I had to put this dragon blood use, to make my grandmother proud for choosing a ballsy (R/O/C) over a dragon. I sat in the cave entrance, feet dangling over the edge of the huge mountain.

All it would take is one push—one leaning forward, one mis-shift of my weight—and I’d be a crumbled heap panned out on the rocky ground far below. It made my heart tingle and my lips smirk. How exciting!

Then I descended onto the next mountain, and the next, and so on until I reached the one farthest east—the closest one to the ruins of Karse. It seemed like the best place to start searching. As I made my way, I glimpsed a number of caves with a sparkle of gold and rubies. Inferno was very practical with his placement of treasure; no one would ever find it all. Very impressive.

“Damn smart dragon…” I leaned on the wall of the cave at the base, heaving softly. After travelling for three days around these mountains, I was frustrated and exhausted.

“Smart?” A voice echoed, smooth and powerful. “Why thank you.”

I snapped my head up and gripped my staff. It was then I saw it, something so out of place, an unnaturally sculpted stone doorway in the middle of the cave. It opened wide into a field rippling with long grass. Stars twinkled above, and the lowing of oxen accompanied the soft sound of the breeze. I couldn’t really comprehend it; it looked so out of place. Was I hallucinating?

To make everything even more confusing, glowing red eyes and the silhouette of an angular head and spike-lined neck extended from behind the portal. Claws dug into the sides of the portal. Wings slowly opened and a forked tongue flicked out between sharp teeth.

“You,” he started, walking over the portal. “I’ve been watching you.” He stalked towards me, red-scaled head and neck coming into the moonlight.

I took a few steps back as the smell of sulphur assaulted me. “Mighty Imvaernarho,” I coughed. “I’ve been searching for you.”

A smirk appeared on his face. “I know. I’ve been watching you, you cunning little sorcerer.”

I stared into his eyes, trying to figure out how much he knew. “Do you know why I’m here, o mighty dragon?” I figured guessing or presuming would be rude, or reveal too much that would get me in trouble.

A low hum came from Inferno, resonating in my eardrums. I tried not to wince. “I know you have dragon blood in you. You carry lovely hot fire magic, and you long to be elite, hence your particular route to get here.” He flashed his teeth at me. “And you’re far smarter than the rest; you’re not here for gems and gold; but something far greater.”

I looked at him, holding a calm and unchanging face. “That’s right. And I appreciate the compliment.”

“Just stating facts.” He lay down and placed his elbows on the ground, head on his paws, amusement sitting on his face. “Now tell me, why come in search of me?”

“I need to know more about Fire Magic; and you’re the best in the land. I need you to teach me.”

Inferno considered me, pupils narrowing as the words left my mouth. I watched his nostrils flare and relax as he thought and I waited. I clenched my teeth, to not snap at him in impatience. My body ached and my mind was tired; pissing him off would end up with me in a worse condition.

Finally, he hummed again, my bones vibrating. “Very well.”

I blinked, confused. “What?”

“Change your mind, little miss?” He stood up and tilted his head.

I frowned. “Of course not! I’d expected a test or something.”

“Learning is the test.” He grinned, so smug it made me want to punch him in the face. “Come along.” He left the cave and flapped his wings.

“Oh, fuck you!” I hissed, running after him. I saw him ascend and disappear into the mountain. Grumbling, I considered things for a moment. He was known to be playful and cunning, and so I had to be.

I went into the cave again and walked around the portal, my spine chilling at its supernatural energy. Behind it, I saw a helix staircase. I grinned. I wouldn’t waste my energy climbing up more stone when I could just walk some stairs. I put my staff in its scabbard and climbed them. The column was quiet, with only a single flickering golden light coming from an opening at the top.

The steps were steep, but nowhere near as exhausting as gripping cold stone with blistered hands and a sore back. When I reached the top, the warm glow of fire-lit lanterns embraced me. A small bed of gold and rubies lay before me, surrounded by piles of books in various languages.

“I knew you were smart. Well played.” Inferno came from the wide entrance opposite the staircase, leading out to the Star Mounts and the High Forest beyond. “You’ve passed your first test.”

I hummed, unamused. “I wasn’t wasting energy climbing another fucking mountain.” I walked towards him. I glanced at the books as I passed them, I could read half of their titles.

He lay on his bed of treasure. “That’s taking initiative, not laziness. Keep that up.”

Crossing my arm, I looked at him. “I plan to.” I dodged his tail as he swung it around to curl it around his front claw. “What’s next? I know a fair bit, but I want to hone my Fire Magic like you did. No accessories, no enchantments, just pure unaided power.”

Inferno grinned. “Oh, I like you!” His scales shivered in excitement, shining sharp red lights into my eyes. “I’ll try teach you. I won’t force you, but know that this will take plenty of patience and hard work.”

I bit my lip, picking my words carefully. “Considering what I’ve been through to get here, I’ll be well able to commit.”

He stared at me again, with those large red eyes. I was nowhere near as fazed by it this time, it was his little game and I had to learn how to play. He opened his maw after a while. “We start at dawn. Rest.”

*~*~*~*

I stayed with Inferno for a month and then visited weekly. I had a home built for me in the High Forest, not too far from the cyclone, but far enough where the foundations would be stable. For a few years, I stayed under his tutelage; the days, weeks and months bled together; I don’t know how long I lived there exactly. The knowledge and abilities I’d learned were wonderful, but I didn’t feel powerful enough yet.

It was like a constant itching. A wanting—needing—to be more powerful again. But as a sorcerer, there was only so much I could do, even with dragon blood in my veins.

But what if there was something else I could do?

I had Red Dragon blood in my veins, had the arcane power of my grandmother within me. Surely there was more I could do.

“You should be satisfied with yourself. There’s not much else a mortal can do. You’re so small and fragile.” Inferno looked down at me, I couldn’t tell if he was bored or irritated with my eagerness.

I sighed. “That’s the problem! What if I could be bigger, stronger? Not just a sorcerer but more!” I paced the floor, arms flailing.

His brow furrowed as he stared at me, concerned or enraged; I think he liked to confuse me.

“I need to be more, Inferno. I need to be…” I looked at him, stopping all movement, “like you. I need to have more than the blood of a dragon in me. I need the body of a dragon.”