Of Flame and Ash — Trip Ellington

The young apprentice-turned-wizard Mithris stands at the flaming and intimidating mouth of Mount Wileth, pursuing yet another of the powerful Crystals, Ember, that can help him reach his true powers and become a true replacement for his slain master. With his trusty crystal Vapor at his side, guiding him and challenging him at every step, Mithris continues his journey to harness the power of the crystals and fight evil in his world.
But more challenges await young Mithris, not only in Mount Wileth's physical challenges but also in the terrors that await inside. Ember, like all crystals, will not come to Mithris easily, and everything from molten lava pools to nastier surprises await Mithris in the depths of Mount Wileth.

But Mithris is not the only wizard seeking the crystals, and the evil wizard Eaganar is hot on his trail. Can Mithris recover the crystal Ember in time? Or will he be forced to do battle with Eaganar, who remains more powerful and more frightening than any enemy Mithris has vanquished yet…

OF FLAME AND ASH is the fourth novella in the EVERMAGE series by bestselling author, TRIP ELLINGTON