The Book of Magic by T. A. Barron Page A

of wielding axes, maces, lances, and pikes. By her sixteenth birthday, she had collected enough locks of ogre hair to weave an entire shirt. That is why it surprised so many that she joined the new Society of the Whole as a follower of Elen . The following spring, in the Year of Avalon 18, she became one of the first priestesses ordained. She remained a friend of Elen, Rhia , and Merlin throughout her life. She was even invited to the wedding of Merlin and Hallia , but decided to battle ogres in Rahnawyn instead.
    She lived a very long life, possibly due to a few drops of wizard's blood that Merlin once gave her to heal her wounds. Finally, she perished while saving the life of the great dragon Basilgarrad in the Battle of Fires Unending (chronicled in Ultimate Magic , the final book in the Merlin's Dragon trilogy). She bequeathed her entire collection of ogre hair shirts to the Eopia College of Mapmakers.
    Basilgarrad, Wings of Peace
    The greatest dragon ever to live in Avalon , Basilgarrad's name means Basil the Great Heart. His origins remain a mystery . . . although some believe that he sprang into being as part of Avalon—making him a living embodiment of his world. Others believe that he spent his youth hidden in a secluded place. But what place could have hidden such a huge dragon? Still others claim that he started out as a tiny, unremarkable lizard, although this theory is very difficult to believe. In any case, Basilgarrad's first known adventure was a great journey with Aylah , the wind sister. Soon he earned the name Wings of Peace by vigorously protecting smaller creatures who were bullied or attacked. In the War of Storms, he fought so courageously that he became a living legend. He angered many of his fellow dragons by siding with elves, humans, and eaglefolk in the centuries-long war. But he swiftly proved himself an extraordinary warrior, often defeating several dragons at a time—less through his vast size and strength than through his supreme bravery.
    In time, Basilgarrad became a great friend of the wizard Merlin . It is said that the dragon actually saved Merlin from a deadly, magic-devouring kreelix —and that during the fight, the dragon suffered his first battle wound: a broken tooth. He possessed the unusual ability to cast smells over great distances (including his favorite smell, that of the herb basil). But as a green dragon from the western coast of Woodroot , he could not breathe fire. Even so, his sturdy scales shielded him from the flames of attackers. And his unusually broad wings gave him remarkable mobility in flight. His massive tail, though, was his most powerful weapon. "Brutal as the tail of Basilgarrad" goes the saying, for good reason. Yet this warrior could also be extremely gentle—as he proved to the female dragon who became the love of his life: Marnya , the only water dragon who ever learned how to fly.
    When the War of Storms finally ended in the Year of Avalon 694—thanks to Basilgarrad's stunning victory over Rhita Gawr and his servant Doomraga —the great dragon carried Merlin all the way to the stars, so that Merlin could relight the darkened constellation known as the Wizard's Staff. After that journey, however, Basilgarrad mysteriously disappeared. Although many have pondered where he might have gone, no one is certain.
    Batty Lad
    Never, in all his travels, did Tamwyn meet a more bizarre creature than this scrawny little fellow with wings so crumpled that they resembled dead leaves. Because of his batlike appearance, as well as his erratic behavior, he earned the name Batty Lad. Yet there was also something mysterious about him, hidden behind those glowing green eyes. Tamwyn could not identify it. All the young man could say with certainty was that this creature never failed to make him smile. Perhaps it was Batty Lad's cupped ears that dwarfed his face, or his wacky flying maneuvers, or his peculiar manner of speech—which included such words as "wetwater,"