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Walf's AdventureChapter 2: Back To Orion
The company was on the road. Jos was pulled behind the horse on a liter as Logon led. Alex strode beside, with Urgun the wolf at his heels. Walf was in the back and Dale was there too, traveling inside Reno’s sword.
“So Dale,” Walf asked the sword, swinging it wildly about as though fighting an invisible foe, “What's it like, being a ghost?”
From out of the sword came a soft chuckle.
“Well, it does have it’s advantages, I suppose. I’m never tired or hungry. I never get sick and I never have to relive myself if you know what I mean. I suppose I’m immortal too, but...you can’t really call what I have ‘living’. I can’t taste or feel anything. I can’t breath the sweet air of a misty morning or fell the warmth of the sun in the afternoon. It’s rather lonely, really. Being separated from people. No one can really relate. She would never love a ghost.”
Dale fell silent and Walf didn’t press the matter. The boy didn’t know what Dale meant, but he could tell by the sorrowful voice that this was a topic best left undiscused. They carried on in silence for a while until Walf ventured into another topic.
“You know we’re pretty lucky Dale. That knight we fought was a really good swordsmen. I’m surprised this sword didn’t break.”
“Break? No, this sword wouldn’t break. The curse wouldn’t let it. Who knows, perhaps if it did I would be free. But you are right. We were lucky. I wasn’t even sure if I could move the sword, let alone fight with it. Of course I’ve got it under control now.”
Suddenly Reno’s sword leapt from Walf’s grasp, flying through the air in a series of loops twirls until finally returning to Walf’s hand.
“Wow!’ Walf exclaimed, “That’s amazing! Say, when I was in the dungeon of the Drullen Bell Keep and there was that one golden sword...were you…”
“Yes, it was me who warned you against taking that sword. It was enchanted, you know.”
“I knew it was you.” Walf said, “I just knew it.”
Meanwhile Alex and Logon were having there own conversation.
“What?!” said Alex, totally shocked at Logon’s last remark.\
“I said that Logon isn’t my real name.”
“You lied to us?!”
“Oh no. It’s not that. You see I have many names. I just like to change them when going from place to place that’s all. I've been Logen, Logan, and now Logon. I’m not exactly infamous, but I have gotten a bad name in some places and changing it now and then helps.”
“Helps what?”
Logen smiled.
“It helps.” he repeated and they stepped out of the trees and into view of the gates of Orion.
“It was a terrible scene, let me tell you! Fireballs wizz’n this way ‘n’ that. People runnin' fer their lives. It woulda been one thing if it was only me I ‘ad to worry fer. But a course I had my Delvey and the six youngins to take protection of too. O’ course we were up and outer of the city with as must speed as the fear of a giant dragon can afford. But it weren’t no easy task neither! I tells ya them angels must’ve been watching our very steps, or we’d never ‘ad gotten out with our skins!”
It was morning on the first new day since Walf had returned to the capitol city. The group had spent the night in an rather crowded inn, run by a man named Biirn. Right now they were all in the main part of the tavern listening to the inn keeper tell the story of his escape.
“This war is been bad business and that’s for a truth. Sure you may think it good business for me, seeing as how your homes are laid to ruin and as how ya’are now filling my rooms to the brim. But I tell you this! It’s a good fortune for all of us that this ‘ere inn was spared and in this time when all ‘ave suffered so greatly, I can’t find in me heart to charge you for yer keep.”
At this, there arose a loud cheer from the crowd and several mugs were raised in toast.
“However!” said Biirn, cutting off the applause, “However, it seems that my wine cellar’s been plundered and several of me best barrels, broken or stolen. Because of the shortage and the multitude of dry gullets, the tavern will still be require’n payment fer the ale.”
There was no appluase this time. Only uncertain looks from several men to their flagons. As soon as Biirn was free, Logen approached him, with Walf following behind.
“Excuse me sir, but I’d like to have a word with you.”
“Yessir gov’ner, and what word might that be?”
“Um, yes...you see I’m trying to secure some extended lodging for a friend of mine. He’s been badly wounded and will need proper treatment until he gets better. ‘m willing to offer this sword as payment.”
Logen unfastened the gold hilted sword and scabbard and laid it out on the tavern bar.
“Hmm.” said Biirn, “Well, I usually don’t except anything short of trigs or cobles, that is, when I’m charging at all. But if this friend of yours is wounded like you say, I will take it as payment for seeing after him.”
Biirn picked up the sword and held it at arms length.
“Fine looking piece of metal though, isn’t it? Definitely not standard, though I think I might have seen the design before. Well, if you’re sure you want to part with it…”
“But wait a minute,” said Walf as they walked away, “What about me?”
“What about you?” said Logen, climbing the crowded stairs to the upper level.
“Well, I understand that Jos will stay here. This is his home...my home, but what about me? Why can’t I just take care of him?”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. Here, why don’t we talk it over with him.”
Logen opened the door into the small, two person room, where Jos was laying on one of the cots.
“Is Alex back yet?” Jos asked as they entered the room.
“Not yet. He’s still out asking questions about his friends. Besides, they wouldn’t let Urgun inside.”
“Have you made the arrangements for me?”
“Yes, but don’t think I needed to. Walf says that he could take care of you himself.”
Walf nodded. “Yes, why shouldn’t I stay with you? This is my home too, remember.”
“Actually Walf, I thought about it and I think you should go with Alex and Logen. At least until they finish the rebuilding of the city. You may be able to take care of me, but who would take care of you?”
“No, I have to stay! You have to let me! I don’t want to run away anymore.”
“What, run away?”
“I left home once looking for adventure and look what came of it. My parents died, Jos! And I should have been there. I should have-” Walf looked away, there was a crack in his voice.
“Oh, Walf,” Jos sighed, putting an arm over the his shoulder, “It’s not your fault. Walf, when I escaped the city, I came across your father’s shop. It was destroyed. Collapsed on top of them. If you were there Walf, you would have been killed too.”
“At least we would be together then!” Walf shouted.
He raced out the door and disappeared into the crowded tavern. Logen ran after him of course, but by the time he reached the main hall, Walf was already gone.
Where would he go? Logen thought to himself, Jos. Jos would know.
Logen sprinted up the stairs and into their room.
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