The next day, Enzo rose feeling stiff and sore. The blisters on his arms and chest were still quite painful, but the healing process was never going to be a quick one with the extent of his injuries. Gingerly, he got ready for the day. He grabbed his pack and set off for breakfast downstairs before leaving the inn in search of Tobias. The old man had mentioned a herbalist in the village that could help speed up his recovery from the burns.

Enzo found Tobias already bustling around his workshop. The old man seemed to be getting ready to do some smithing today. He stepped forward and helped Tobias move an old whetstone wheel into the middle of the shop. The heavy lifting done, Tobias huffed and smiled at Enzo.

“Thanks, son. How are you feeling today?” Tobias asked, as he dusted off his smock.

“Better than yesterday, but still stiff and sore,” Enzo replied. “You mentioned a herbalist yesterday?”

“Ah yes, Cornelia. We’ll head that way in a minute,” said Tobias. “Do you have the egg shell with you?”

“I do,” Enzo replied, setting his pack down on the workbench against the wall. He removed all the pieces of the egg and set them out for examination.

“Excellent. This looks like pretty high quality dragonstone. We can put together a couple nice pieces with it,” Tobias explained. He turned over a few of the pieces, looking for any imperfections.

“First, we’ll need to grind it up into a fine powder, then mix in charcoal and fine iron dust,” the old man continued. “It’ll take a while to get all of the shell ground down, a couple days at least. I’ll get started on it while you see Cornelia. She should have you ready to work again by the time I need you back here.”

Enzo nodded and gathered up his pack again, leaving the egg shell on the workbench.

“Fair warning, Cornelia can be a bit… unusual,” Tobias said. He grabbed a coin pouch from behind the counter on the sales side of the workshop and walked out the front door. Enzo nodded and followed onto the main street of the village.

“Unusual in what way?” Enzo asked.

“Well, for starters, you’ll notice her shop immediately,” Tobias replied. He gestured a few buildings down the street to the shop dominated by plants. The roof was the only thing visible above the tangle of leaves. “She doesn’t really believe in controlling nature. Much rather let it run wild and free. If she wasn’t as skilled as she is in healing, I’m sure the council would have gently pushed her back into the woods.”

“Back into the woods? As in, she prefers living in the woods?” questioned Enzo.

“It’ll make more sense when you meet her,” said Tobias. He leaned in and continued quietly, “Just don’t mention her ears, she’s very self conscious about them.”

The pair stopped at the fence that surrounded the little shop. Thick blackberry bushes filled the other side of the fence, standing taller than the two men. Tobias led Enzo around the side of the enclosure to a small opening between the bushes. Brushing aside small branches, he pushed into the middle of the garden.

Enzo followed through the opening Tobias made and gasped at the sight behind the wall of leaves. The small garden was in full bloom. The air was warm and humid despite the cool crisp air outside that signaled winter was nearly here. Bright flowers of all shapes and sizes filled intricate flower beds. A small pool in the center of the garden grew water lilies and reeds. Vegetables grew along neat rows of shelves built into the wall of the small building at the back of the garden.

The building itself looked centuries old. Where the rest of the village was made from simple stone and plank architecture, the herbalist’s home looked like it had grown from the ground on its own. The wood that made up the walls was seamless, and the roof appeared to be a living thatch made of a thick tangle of vines. Grapes hung down, purple and plump. The scene was truly otherworldly.

Tobias approached the door to the building and knocked softly. “It’s me, Cornelia. I’ve brought a friend to come visit,” he called out. For a moment, nothing happened. The wind inexplicably blew through the garden to rustle through the leaves, somehow bypassing the wall of bushes. Eventually, the door slowly cracked open, and a figure stood hidden behind it.

“Tobias, you’re early. I don’t have the arthritic ointment ready yet,” the figure said, her voice like a whisper on the wind. Enzo strained to hear her. “You’ll have to come back another time.”

“Thank you Cornelia, but this visit isn’t for me this time,” Tobias replied gently. “This time, I brought a young man with me. He needs your help.”

The figure turned slightly and eyed Enzo. She froze momentarily then began to shut the door.

“He doesn’t need my help and I don’t want to offer it,” she replied, pushing the door closed. “He smells of fire and death, like you used to. I have no interest in helping his kind.”

“Cornelia… he isn’t like that,” Tobias explained. “He’s like me, he didn’t have a choice. The boy is young. He was branded without knowledge or consent. Please, just have a look.”

Cornelia opened the door again, a little wider this time. Enzo was able to make out a green tint to her skin. Her eyes were large, and a deep forest green. Her hair was tangled, like the vines that intertwined to make the roof of her home. Her pointed ears delicately poked through the tangle. Enzo was careful not to stare. She’s an elf!

“Show me, then,” Cornelia said. Her voice was like the flowing water of a stream. There was a magical quality to it Enzo couldn’t place. It put him at ease, and he carefully removed his shirt. The wood elf wrinkled her nose as she examined the wounds from the door.

“So you were the one to poke that hornet’s nest. Or were you trapped there, when it was poked?” she said, reaching out to touch the marks along his arm. “Show me the mark the dragon gave you.”

Enzo slid off his gloves. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to do. Everything the wood elf said just made sense to him. She could ask him to run through a wall of fire and he’d ask how far. Sit on the bottom of the ocean and he’d ask how long. The feeling was invigorating.

“You don’t need to keep doing that,” said Tobias. “He’s just a boy.” Enzo was completely ensnared, standing still as the wind brushed along his body.

“He has an Affinity for fire and the mark of a fire clan. A Geschmolzen Red. He would destroy this place in a second and there’s nothing anyone here could do to stop him,” Cornelia replied sharply. “I can hardly stand to be this near him, and that’s with him sedated.” She paused and considered him before continuing. “You are right though, he is just a boy. What will you do with him?”

“I will give him a chance at the life I could never have,” Tobias replied, full of conviction. “I’ll help him find a home here and teach him my trade. I only ask that you help the burns heal properly.”

Cornelia gave Tobias a hard look but the old man met her glare. After a moment, she turned and sighed.

“Fine, I will heal him. He is your responsibility. If he causes problems here, I will be sure to enact retribution upon you as well,” she said, looking back at the boy. “It will take me time to prepare the herbs needed to clear out the dragon’s mana from his wounds. Bring him back tomorrow.”

With that, the wood elf closed the door. Vines quickly grew over the opening, signaling the end to their conversation. Tobias looked over at Enzo and picked up the boy’s shirt. He tossed it in Enzo’s face, breaking the enchantment.

“Come on, boy. She’s agreed to see you tomorrow,” Tobias said, turning and heading back to the break in the bushes. “Put your shirt back on, we have other things to take care of today.”

Enzo shook his head and looked around. He could’ve swore they had only just gotten here. The last thing he remembered was seeing the wood elf hiding behind the door. What the hell happened?