It was dawn. It had been two weeks since the council meeting. Garion and Mariana had spent the time since in a flurry of academic activity. They had spent the first day searching through the library for maps and charts of the Brackenfall Kingdom from the seemingly endless scrolls and reams of parchment stacked high on the rooms high shelves. After several off the charts had been laid out on the long reading tables. The two of them had then began to go through the small chest of reports Captain Thorne had sent from the capital dutiful marking down each known encounter with a dragon.

Over the two weeks they had read over five hundred of the reports ranging from sightings, to engagements and confirmed kills. They had been taking notes on the identifying factors of the dragons and so far Garion’s Initial theory had held true. Over the 400 or so unique Dragons they had identified, everyone had been noted to have antlers and thus where males. They had also been tracking the dates of the incidents. They did indeed seem to come in waves, in a pattern of every eight weeks or so. The reason for this was still a mystery for garion but he was grateful at least for the information. It did allow him to predict when the next wave of males should be expected.

The door to the library opened and Mariana walked into the room. Her plate armour sparkled as the rays from the morning sun beamed into the room through the easterly window. “sleep well wizard?” She asked Garion, “Today is they day you prove your worth right?” she followed up. Garion did not answer, his head was firmly buried in a large leather bound book. Mariana turned her head to read the spine “Dragonic Speech for Manfolk and Halflings” she read allowed. “wait we can talk to dragons? Like its possible?” Mariana asked curiously. “Of course” Garion answered snapping the book shut. “Dragons are after all one of the first magically aware species. They dont breathe fire strictly speaking. They cast a draconic fire spell.” Garion placed the book down on the table. “so, dragons are wizards? Not lizards?” Mariana asked honestly confused. “i’ve never heard it put that way but yes. Dragons are wizards not lizards” Garion said standing up from the table. “We should get out into the plains to the south. If the prediction we have made hold true the first dragon should be arriving i the hour before noon. If e want to be there before your guild take its head we will need to get a good few hours of hard riding in in-between now and then.”

Mariana snatched up a piece of fruit from the basket standing next to the small tree in the centre of the room. Before Garion woke Jezta who had been asleep on a high shelf, placed the familiar onto his shoulder and lead the dragon slayer from the libary.

As the entered the courtyard and came within view of the stable they came upon the stable hand. After Jeztas night in the stables the stable boy had made sure to treat the animals in his care with more respect and Garion had come to quite like the boy. “Good morning young sir” The Wizard said as they approached. “Could you bring us two of the castles finest horses please. We have business to attend too” the stable boy grunted and shuffled off into the stables clear still half asleep.

He soon returned with two white horse dressed in the purple and black livery of king Robert. Garion took the reigns of one before clambering up onto its saddle. He felt jezta’s tiny claws pierce into the spell-amoured leather of his dark green cloak to stay perched on his shoulder. Mariana with far more grace climbed atop her own steed and the too of them began there journey south.

As they rode Garion was reminded of just how much about the region he had learned from the weeks of careful research. When he had first rode into Brackenfall it hadn't even struck him as unusual that the plant life here was so desolate. It was clear to him now this land had once been lush forestland. It had been devastated by years of both human wars and dragonic incursions. To put it simply the nature had been burned away.

The kingdom now only stretched for just over 100 miles from its northern most to southern most point and it was no wider the 30 miles at any point. Brackkenfall’s people where mainly concentrated in its capital city to the south. The Blackcity was ruled by a council of high lords and nobles. The citizenry of the countryside where divided into five Garrison Castles. Thje villages of old lost to war or dragonfire. King Robert ruled from Brackenfall, but there was also four other castles throughout the desolate wasteland ruled by other distant relatives of the king.

Around an hour an a half into there ride the came upon the crest of a hill. In the valley below they could see five mounted armoured Dragon slayers. They seemed to be readying themselves for battle .checking over there lances and donning there helms. As Garion and Mariana approached Mariana pulled slightly ahead of the wizard, raising her own long vicious looking lance aloft in a salute. “Hail Dragon-slayers” She shouted in greeting. “Hail” responded the group. Once of the new group broke from the pack. As he approached Garion recognised the scale armour. “Hail wizard. Dear sister how has the castle been?” Captain thorne asked from under an ornamental helmet with antlers designed to mimick that of the male dragons. “The research goes well brother” Mariana said in response “We shall see today if it has been fruitful or not” she said with the honesty one saves for the closet of there kin “When we will know?” asked the Captain. Garion didn't need to answer. Neither did Mariana as almost as if summoned by the captain’s word a vast roared swept through the valley as a vast winged dark form flapped its way into veiw over the horizon. The Dragon slayer cheered and roared in response. Garion gazed at the great beast. Twice the size of the largest of horse and its wingspan the length of five horses snout to tail. The dragons raised its head as it circled above the group. It Dragon let out another great roar. It dove towards the ground. Hell was unleashed.