‘Oh crud!’ Henry whispered to himself. The beast began to close in on them with its large head and its terrifying eyes. Smoke rose from the house, though the fireplace was not lit. Henry swore he could hear a murmuring, and began to make it out.

‘How pathetic,’ the monstrosity seemed to say, ‘all the village sat here, shook and terrified. I will end their misery.’ Henry reached for his scabbard, he knew there was always a small knife in there. It saw him. From its jaw bore long, sharp teeth, which it bared at Henry. Henry drew the knife anyway, but before he could try to attack the beast it vanished in a wisp of smoke. Where the beast had been there was a tall, skinny man wearing azure robes. White hair was draped over his weak yellow head.

‘All is okay, the trouble is dealt with,’ he announced. ‘Let me introduce myself. I am James of the HESPH, High Elf Society for the Protection of Humans’ - some of the knights tightened the grip on their swords - ‘What you saw there was a dragon.’

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‘Enough of the stories, old man,’ one of the soldiers finally found the courage to say.

‘Typical of humans,’ Henry heard James mutter. James moved his hands in a flash, and streaks of lightning curled up together like pieces of twine floated around the hands. ‘Now do you believe me.’ The knight’s sword fell out of his hands onto the ground.

‘Why are you here?’ Henry asked. It was only now James noticed the people behind him.

‘Simple, you humans were in danger, and I saved you. Though, I do need one of you to come back with me to Jalkadh, dragons have not been seen for hundreds of years.’ Many people stepped back upon hearing that, but Henry stepped forward.

‘I will do it,’ he said. ‘I will go with you.’