air’s cold everywhere, and a walk amid nature does me far better than the dim light inside.” He continued to shuffle along. “You have something on your mind, child? Out with it.”
“Have you thought about the curse on the girl I told you of last night?” Lathaar asked.
“If Calan cannot cure it, and believes that I cannot as well, then I trust his judgment,” Keziel said. “But you knew this before you ever came to me. What is it that really bothers you?”
“It’s about Mira,” he blurted. “I think there’s more to her than what you told me.”
“I told you everything you needed to know,” Keziel said, his eyes fixed firmly ahead. “She’s a special girl, one rarely born upon our world. Protect her, keep her safe, and nothing else should matter.”
“But I’ve found another,” Lathaar said. The old man halted his walk and stared at Lathaar with disbelieving eyes.
“You shouldn’t lie to an old man.”
“No lie. I have seen another, by the name of Tessanna. I witnessed her magic, and even fought against her. She rivals Mira in power, and she may well be her twin.”
Keziel resumed his walk. “What I can tell you will not ease the fears in your heart,” he said. “And it will not aid you in choosing your next path. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“I must know,” Lathaar said. “I made a promise to a friend.”
Keziel sighed and scratched his long white beard.
“I don’t think even Mira knows what she really is. Few do. Are you sure you want to hear?”
Lathaar nodded.
“Very well,” the old man said with another sigh. “Then listen carefully.”
The paladin did listen. And when Keziel was done, Lathaar knew a lot of riding awaited him in the coming months. Tarlak needed to be told. Mira too. And Keziel was right; his fears were not eased. Not in the slightest.
W here is it you think you’re going?” Jerico asked him as Lathaar saddled up his horse.
“Stonewood forest,” Lathaar replied, pulling tight one of the leather straps. “I need to find Mira and bring her to Veldaren.”
“Who’s Mira? You have a love I don’t know about?”
Lathaar chuckled.
“She’s a young woman. She helped me defeat Darakken not so long ago.”
“What’s so important about getting to her?”
“Too long a story to tell.” The paladin hoisted up a rucksack just behind the saddle and began tying it on. “At least at this moment, anyway.”
“So I finally find you and now you’re going to leave me? So rude, Lathaar. I expect better from a fellow paladin.”
Lathaar laughed.
“I assumed you would come with me, whether or not I asked you.”
Jerico leaned back against one of the wood beams that made up the stall.
“You assume wrong,” he said. “I’m still needed here. Ashhur has been quite clear about that during my prayers. If you bring this Mira girl here after you find her I’ll travel with you to Veldaren.”
The two paladins embraced.
“I know what you mean,” Lathaar said. “I hear his warnings too. Five days is all I ask. Stay safe until then, and throw me a prayer or two.”
“Toss me a few as well. I can’t imagine what need I have here in the Sanctuary, but if something or someone is crazy enough to attack here, I may need all the help I can get.”
At this Lathaar turned, hiding the trouble on his face. Jerico caught the look and refused to let it pass.
“You know who approaches, don’t you?” he asked.
“Five days,” Lathaar said, his back still to Jerico. “Four if I leave now and ride hard. They should not have caught up to me, but if they did… just be careful.”
He mounted his horse and grabbed the reins. Jerico frowned, displeased with how much he was being kept in the dark. As Lathaar rode south, Jerico decided he and Keziel needed to have a nice, long chat.
O nce he was several miles from the Sanctuary, Lathaar closed his eyes and did his best to clear his mind as he rode along a faded road once traveled by pilgrims
“Have you thought about the curse on the girl I told you of last night?” Lathaar asked.
“If Calan cannot cure it, and believes that I cannot as well, then I trust his judgment,” Keziel said. “But you knew this before you ever came to me. What is it that really bothers you?”
“It’s about Mira,” he blurted. “I think there’s more to her than what you told me.”
“I told you everything you needed to know,” Keziel said, his eyes fixed firmly ahead. “She’s a special girl, one rarely born upon our world. Protect her, keep her safe, and nothing else should matter.”
“But I’ve found another,” Lathaar said. The old man halted his walk and stared at Lathaar with disbelieving eyes.
“You shouldn’t lie to an old man.”
“No lie. I have seen another, by the name of Tessanna. I witnessed her magic, and even fought against her. She rivals Mira in power, and she may well be her twin.”
Keziel resumed his walk. “What I can tell you will not ease the fears in your heart,” he said. “And it will not aid you in choosing your next path. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“I must know,” Lathaar said. “I made a promise to a friend.”
Keziel sighed and scratched his long white beard.
“I don’t think even Mira knows what she really is. Few do. Are you sure you want to hear?”
Lathaar nodded.
“Very well,” the old man said with another sigh. “Then listen carefully.”
The paladin did listen. And when Keziel was done, Lathaar knew a lot of riding awaited him in the coming months. Tarlak needed to be told. Mira too. And Keziel was right; his fears were not eased. Not in the slightest.
W here is it you think you’re going?” Jerico asked him as Lathaar saddled up his horse.
“Stonewood forest,” Lathaar replied, pulling tight one of the leather straps. “I need to find Mira and bring her to Veldaren.”
“Who’s Mira? You have a love I don’t know about?”
Lathaar chuckled.
“She’s a young woman. She helped me defeat Darakken not so long ago.”
“What’s so important about getting to her?”
“Too long a story to tell.” The paladin hoisted up a rucksack just behind the saddle and began tying it on. “At least at this moment, anyway.”
“So I finally find you and now you’re going to leave me? So rude, Lathaar. I expect better from a fellow paladin.”
Lathaar laughed.
“I assumed you would come with me, whether or not I asked you.”
Jerico leaned back against one of the wood beams that made up the stall.
“You assume wrong,” he said. “I’m still needed here. Ashhur has been quite clear about that during my prayers. If you bring this Mira girl here after you find her I’ll travel with you to Veldaren.”
The two paladins embraced.
“I know what you mean,” Lathaar said. “I hear his warnings too. Five days is all I ask. Stay safe until then, and throw me a prayer or two.”
“Toss me a few as well. I can’t imagine what need I have here in the Sanctuary, but if something or someone is crazy enough to attack here, I may need all the help I can get.”
At this Lathaar turned, hiding the trouble on his face. Jerico caught the look and refused to let it pass.
“You know who approaches, don’t you?” he asked.
“Five days,” Lathaar said, his back still to Jerico. “Four if I leave now and ride hard. They should not have caught up to me, but if they did… just be careful.”
He mounted his horse and grabbed the reins. Jerico frowned, displeased with how much he was being kept in the dark. As Lathaar rode south, Jerico decided he and Keziel needed to have a nice, long chat.
O nce he was several miles from the Sanctuary, Lathaar closed his eyes and did his best to clear his mind as he rode along a faded road once traveled by pilgrims
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