by Garry Spoor
When they got closer, the old man got to his feet. He was dressed in tattered rags, with an old weather-beaten hat perched on his head. His face looked as worn as his clothes, yet his eyes were still bright. He held up an apple for Grim, who surprisingly took it gently.
“And where would you be heading, young mistress?” he asked.
“I’m going west, but I have one stop to make on the way. I made a promise that I intend to keep.”
“And what will you do out there?”
Kile shrugged. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. I guess I won’t know until I get there.”
The old man reached under his stand and pulled out something wrapped in a grey cloth. “You’ll be needing these.”
As soon as Kile took the bundle, she knew what it contained. Pulling back the edge of the cloth, she revealed the worn wooden handles of an old pair of Lann.
“Sir, I can’t possibly take these from you. They’re yours.”
“And you will probably need them more than I. Besides, I was thinking of taking a long sea voyage. Do you know of any places worth visiting?”
“You’re going back there, aren’t you?” she asked.
“It is long overdue.”
“On the south side of the island, above the cliff, right off the beach, you’ll find an interesting rock formation. Dig on the northern side.”
“I’ll remember.”
“What about the… Veller… Hunters?”
“Ah, you mean the Wild Hunters, well, that’s been taken care of. They have a new Guild Master, so to speak. She’s already seeing to the training.”
“She? Erin Silvia is the head of the Wild Hunters?”
“Who better? But, she could use a little help. How about it?”
“No,” Kile said without hesitating. “Not me. I just… I don’t fit in. I need something more. I don’t know what it is yet.”
“I’m sure you’ll find it, someday,” he told her.
“I hope you’re right. I guess this is it then.”
“We’ll meet again. Maybe not in this world.”
“She’s waiting for you, you know. Risa. She told me to tell you it wasn’t your fault.”
The old man smiled sadly and looked away. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“Well, I’d better be going.”
As she rode away, Kile turned around on Grim’s back and waved good-bye to the old man. When he finally disappeared below the horizon, she pulled her feet up on the mountain pony’s rump and rested her head against the back of his neck.
-So, we’re finally going.-
“Just one more stop to make.”
-And where’s that?-
“Cabargbu. We have an egg to pick up, and after that, well, we’ll have to see.”
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Coming Soon…ish
Tales of the Legendary Wizard
@VellerKile
