The salamander and the glassmaker stood before the mighty serpent wordlessly. The wyrm expected them to speak, but the appearance of the jealous glassmakers wielding weapons compounded their fear. The wyrm tried to alleviate their fear by wearing a friendly face, but had a difficulty in doing so for his flesh was stiff and rigid. Though his aura had changed to a bright and comforting one rather than the angry and fiery one he wore towards the jealous men.

"Y-your b-brilliance," the salamander stuttered. "We p-present to you th-this c-cartload. F-fruits o-of our l-labor just as you w-wanted."

"Speak no more, little salamander. Tiny is your body and power, should your words be too."

"Do not be in fear, Anthony and salamander. This will not take long. After this, I promise that you'll be set free."

The wyrm set his claws before him. He lifted a few items before his eyes and inspected them. It isn't clear whether it met his expectations or not based on his expressions.

The wyrm held a large glass statue. It was sparkling and starry inside. Fire glowed within as if it were alive and ready to jump.

"Is all well, your brilliance?" The glassmaker asked.

"All is well, glassmaker. They're just as I expected them to be. The clarity, the luster, the quality, the fire, all spectacular. Although it lacks the distinct fire of the gem I had given you," the serpent answered as it felt the piece in his paws.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Ah. About that... a group of envious men broke into my shop and stole your gem. They melted it into cursed pieces. I believe they have buried them away. I am sorry for it."

"Yes, indeed. I am disappointed for it, but I am thoroughly impressed that you were able to create such quality as great as the gem I had given you."

"Indeed? Thank you, your brilliance," the glassmaker blushed a bit from the wyrm's comment.

The wyrm closed his eyes and returned the glass orb to the pile. He reared and curled his neck as a bow before the glassmaker and salamander.

"Anthony the glassmaker, ever since my eyes rested on your innocent and pure heart, I immediately knew that you could be the perfect one. The one I can entrust my kind's future and will accomplish said task."

"What?" It was all Anthony and the salamander could say. They were flabbergasted by wyrm's speech.

"My kind has been dying out. I may be the last left alive. I have not heard or felt another of my kind through the leylines for decades. They have gone silent, possibly gone and dead. I can't make more of ourselves with only one."

The wyrm left his bowing position. He brought glowing irregularly-shaped crystalline stone, and gave to the glassmaker. "I have found another way for us to multiply. Take this, Anthony, for it is an egg, a wellspring of the essence of my kind. Use it to make You may shape them, raise them as you like."

The wyrm held the cartful of glassware with his forelimbs.

"Farewell, glassmaker. I'll be taking this cart now. Please take care of yourselves, and my eventual children."

The glass serpent slowly slunk into the darkness of the woods. His brilliant dazzle of opalescent scales leaving with him, lighting the dark shadows with rainbows which soon disappeared.

The glassmaker and salamander stood in the deserted clearing. The crickets soon started playing their song. The glassmaker noticed that the wyrm left some scales behind and pocketed some up.

The glassmaker and salamander went for home. It was quite late. He longed to be in bed, sleeping. He yawned as he was on his way to town.