The Anvil (6 page)

Tom
led
the
thief
down
to
his
canoe
and
told
him
to
get
in
.
Tom
launched
to
canoe
and
paddled
to
the
island
once
they
reached
the
island
dock
he
tied
the
canoe
up
and
told
the
man
to
follow
him
.
The
man
followed
him
up
to
the
cabin
then
asked
“
You
live
with
Alex
?”
Tom
replied
“
Yes
I
am
his
apprentice
”
Tom
opened
the
door
and
gestured
for
the
man
to
go
in
.
The
man
walked
in
and
Tom
followed
.
Alex
walked
around
a
corner
and
looked
at
the
man
in
surprise
.
The
thief
smirked
and
said
to
Alex
“
Hello
again
,
brother
.”

Chapter
4

             
Alex
saw
the
rope
and
asked
“
What
happened
to
you
John
?
I
haven
'
t
seen
or
heard
from
you
in
years
.
Why
are
you
tied
up
?”
Tom
was
standing
there
feeling
awkward
.
He
wondered
if
because
this
was
Alex
'
s
brother
,
would
Alex
,
once
he
heard
the
story
,
end
his
apprenticeship
.
Alex
looked
at
Tom
as
if
he
just
saw
him
and
asked
him
“
Did
you
tie
my
brother
up
?”
Tom
could
only
nod
.
Alex
then
asked
him
simply
“
Why
?”
Tom
looked
Alex
in
the
eye
and
said
“
There
was
a
scream
and
I
saw
him
run
out
of
a
shop
with
a
bag
over
his
shoulder
.
Someone
was
yelling
thief
so
I
ran
after
him
and
tackled
him
to
the
ground
.
I
tied
him
up
and
brought
him
here
because
you
told
me
to
bring
anyone
I
caught
to
you
.”
Alex
then
looked
at
John
and
quietly
asked
“
Is
this
true
brother
?”
John
only
nodded
.

Alex
then
grabbed
something
out
of
a
pocket
and
handed
it
to
Tom
.
It
looked
like
a
brass
claw
Alex
told
Tom
“
This
is
a
brass
claw
it
is
the
symbol
of
an
proven
apprentice
Guardian
Dragon
and
it
is
now
yours
.”
John
looked
at
Alex
and
said
“
So
that
is
what
you
do
now
you
are
a
Guardian
Dragon
.”
Alex
nodded
and
said
“
It
is
late
Tom
you
'
ve
had
a
long
day
go
get
some
sleep
.”
Tom
went
to
his
room
and
got
in
bed
and
fell
asleep
instantly
.

The
next
day
he
woke
up
and
found
Alex
and
John
in
the
kitchen
talking
they
saw
Tom
and
Alex
said
“
Tom
I
have
to
go
on
a
mission
for
the
commander
.
John
is
going
to
look
after
the
house
while
I
am
gone
and
you
can
go
visit
your
family
and
friends
while
I
am
gone
.
But
you
have
to
train
while
you
are
there
,
pack
your
bags
and
go
home
.”
Tom
started
packing
and
found
his
shield
and
axe
.

He
cleaned
the
axe
and
went
to
Alex
and
asked
“
Can
I
take
this
shield
with
me
so
I
can
fix
it
?”
Alex
answered
“
Of
course
it
is
your
shield
”.
Tom
went
back
to
packing
.
When
he
was
done
Alex
,
John
and
he
walked
over
to
the
dock
.
They
said
farewell
and
Alex
changed
into
a
purple
dragon
and
launched
himself
into
the
air
.
Tom
just
put
his
stuff
into
his
canoe
and
paddled
to
the
shore
.

He
tied
up
his
canoe
and
started
jogging
home
.
It
took
him
about
an
hour
to
get
back
to
Pine
Grove
.
As
he
jogged
over
the
hill
he
and
looked
at
the
small
town
he
realized
that
he
was
standing
on
the
hill
Alex
had
flown
over
the
day
that
Alex
noticed
him
.
He
walked
down
the
hill
and
into
town
.
He
walked
by
a
house
and
he
heard
someone
yell
his
name
he
turned
and
saw
Jordann
and
Mykala
two
of
his
friends
walking
towards
him
and
he
smiled
.

When
they
reached
him
Jordan
asked
“
What
have
you
been
doing
?”
Tom
said
“
I
got
an
apprenticeship
remember
?”
Jordann
said
“
That
I
knew
but
I
don
'
t
know
what
you
are
studying
.”
Tom
replied
“
Oh
,
but
I
don
'
t
think
you
'
ll
believe
me
.”
Mykala
gestured
for
him
to
go
on
so
Tom
continued
“
I
am
an
apprentice
Dragon
Guardian
.”
Jordann
and
Mykala
looked
shocked
and
Mykala
said
“
You
were
right
I
don
'
t
really
believe
you
”
Tom
chuckled
and
asked
“
Do
you
have
some
water
?”
Jordan
ran
to
get
some
and
Mykala
asked
“
Why
do
you
want
water
?”
Tom
answered
“
You
'
ll
see
.”
Jordann
came
back
with
a
bucket
of
water
and
Tom
concentrated
and
the
water
rose
from
the
bucket
,
it
froze
,
unfreeze
,
it
formed
shapes
and
finally
Tom
put
it
back
in
the
bucket
.