Dragonchild

Ulric Hartgraff

Winter had started to make room for spring as the snow started to melt and the green grass started to show. We had a visitor today, one of Master Heartlance's first students. A man known by the name of Vu.

Leslie and I sat in the library, reading books about the Arcane, but mostly passing time, it was one of the days where I did not have to work so I had the whole day to myself.

"I am going to see what that Vu guy is up to." I laid the book down and left Leslie to her reading, making my way down the spiraling staircase and out the barn doors.

The weather outside was still a bit chilly, but that mattered not to Ulric who was sparring with Master Vu. The man's white skin and blonde hair gleamed majestically in the spring sun, it was almost as if he glowed himself. Both of them noticed the creaking of the old wooden barn doors and turned to me.

"Young master Everett, I was just giving young master Hartgraff a run for his coin." His tender voice sounded playful at the expense of Ulric who seemed out of breath.

"Hey Tiber...Vu here has been preparing me for something but he won't tell what..." Ulric panted.
"Master Hartgraff why don't you get Tiber and me something to drink?" Vu's revealed his bright white teeth in a smile to which Ulric threw down his sword and went for Stormvarr's door.

Vu pointed at one of the logs that lay around our pit we'd sometimes use when we would eat outside.
"Please have a seat, I wanted to speak with you." The man who looked like he was in his early forties sat on the log.

I hesitated, "Of course...What about?" I carefully joined him on the log.

"Now Tiber, Stormvarr, and I have been colleagues for a long time. We- "

I interrupted him, "I thought you were his student?"

Vu smiled, "Once upon a time, over seventy years ago." He smiled, not looking like someone who would be over seventy years old, with a confused look on my face I checked his ears whether he was an elf, but he appeared human to me...

"But wait how-" I was interrupted by Vu this time as he continued his story.
"That is not what is important now Tiber, Stormvarr has informed me of your predicament and has told me of the Friorïce. It is still in my studies, we will speak again in the future, I am sure."

"Then what was it you wanted to speak to me about?" I asked him.

Vu turned to look towards the door and I joined his gaze to see the silhouettes of Stormvarr and Ulric standing in the kitchen while they prepared a jug with something.

"Well, your old man was worried that you might have been worried you see?" he smiled at me like I knew what he was saying. He signed for me to come closer as he moved his head near me and spoke in a whisper, "Ulric is a shifter, he doesn't know yet and he will find out tonight, Stormvarr and I have prepared something under the moonlight, the perfect conditions for him to shift."

"So...is that why you are here?" I whispered.

He smiled, "Kind of, I am a master at Wyverncrest, the school. I can assist your master with matters while he can provide me valuable research material."

Ulric came from the farmhouse carrying a jug with colored water and a few mugs to go along with that, with Stormvarr joining him from behind.

We all sat for a moment as we enjoyed a refreshing drink, it was nice to see Stormvarr catch up with an old friend and colleague, but as they continued training with Ulric, I left again for the barn and made my way back up the stairs.