Hill looked up at the dark mountain range to the north, half of it shrouded in clouds.
The simultaneous earthquake and volcanic eruption had scoured the entire Neverwinter Mountains clean... aside from the traces left by magma, there was nothing but ash-gray blackness.
If Hill had not stabilized the earth veins on the other side, even this small southern half of Neverwinter Forest probably would not have remained.
Perhaps the only good thing about this disaster was that after the northern half of the forest collapsed, hot springs had welled up from underground.
Though most of them had mixed with muddy volcanic ash and turned into swamps... Hill suddenly had a strange feeling. Perhaps this region was destined to have a vast swamp, with two Black Dragon brothers poking their heads out of it and cautiously spying in this direction.
Though they had moved from the seaside to the mountainside, the two still made their home along this main road through northern Faerûn.
"Can we play in Neverwinter Forest from now on, Lord?" the White Dragon Oberon was riding suddenly asked in a shrill voice.
"As long as Oberon has no objections," Hill replied gently after thinking for a moment. "But you must keep the vines on.
"You know that you are prone to impulsiveness, right?
"You finally make a friend, then turn them into an enemy because you acted recklessly. What would you do then?"
The White Dragon tilted his head in thought, then immediately nodded. "I know! Fairies aren't exactly good things either. If their pranks go too far, they might... make us want to bite them to death.
"But if that happened... Oberon would be sad."
"Exactly!" Hill patted his head approvingly. "So you need to be a little more tolerant toward your friends!"
"What about those