Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

how their confrontation would unfold. Even the forest seemed to quiet down, leaving the stage for the two protagonists. Only the crackling fire disturbed the silence.
    Finally, Malloy’s lower lips began to tremble, the young warrior unable to hold back any longer. Without warning, he suddenly burst out laughing, like he had just heard the world’s funniest joke. Every man around quickly imitated him, relieved to see this was only a prank. They went back to telling stories and shoving each other.
    “Oh my, you should see your face,” said Malloy. “Come on, everyone can see you’re just a spoiled kid from Venta. I mean, look at you, you hardly have any stains on your garments and you’re tired from walking, for God’s sake. Walking!”
    Samuel hoped Malloy did not pick up on his lungs finally exhaling, after he had held his breath the whole time. For a second, he had genuinely thought he was about to get killed right here, in the middle of a forest that was not even in his own world.
    “It’s that obvious, is it?” he finally said to Malloy, who was still laughing and slapping his knees.
    “As obvious as a dark horse in the snow, my friend. So tell me Sam, what happened? You fled before the Saxons got to Venta?”
    With the tension now down a few notches, Samuel was able to collect his thoughts and provide acceptable answers, which would create a compelling back-story for himself. After all, this was not much different than role-playing and he had plenty of experience with that. All he had to do was put himself in character, act accordingly and draw inspiration from stories he already knew. When role-playing, it was always easier to stick to a tale you knew and improvise on the details.
    “I didn’t flee!” he claimed, faking indignation. “My father asked me to watch over my sister, Shantel. He gave us both a horse and sent us away, before the barbarians could reach the town. He had heard the stories and knew what they would do to my sister if they ever found her.”
    “A wise man, your father. Where is your sister now? This camp might not be safe either, if she is around.”
    “No, she’s no longer with me now. Before we left Venta, she wanted to go see Lucian, her secret lover. They had been dating for a little while now.”
    “Dating?” asked Malloy.
    “Courting, I mean.”
    “Oh, I see.”
    “My father was against their marriage, because Lucian was from a rival family. He didn’t think he was worthy of his daughter’s hand.”
    “So your father is a nobleman?” asked Malloy, suddenly agitated. “Who is he? You shouldn’t be here with the common folk, Samuel. It could be dangerous for you as well.”
    Samuel had realized his mistake just as the words had come out of his mouth. In this world, people were segregated into different social classes. He should not have gotten carried away in his story. He would have to be more careful.
    “No, it’s okay,” he said quickly. “No one knows who I am, don’t worry. However, for your safety, I won’t say who my father is. Let’s just pretend you did not hear of it, understood?”
    “If you say so,” answered Malloy. “But tell me, what happened to your sister and Lucian?”
    Samuel could not believe this guy. He actually wanted the whole story. Didn’t these people have books or other ways to entertain themselves? Probably not, thought Samuel. It seemed he did not have any other choice but to continue the Shakespeare-inspired story.
    “Well, Lucian was leaving on the other side of the town. He and my sister had arranged to meet in a barn, but when we got there, we found Lucian dead. He had poisoned himself.”
    “My God! Why did he do such a thing?”
    “I don’t know. But see, my sister, upon seeing her lover’s body, cried and cried for hours, heartbroken and inconsolable, until she committed the unthinkable. Seized by hysteria, waiting for me to look away for a moment, she took a blade and plunged it in her heart. She simply could not live without Lucian and preferred to die instead.”
    “Oh my God!” yelled Malloy, his eyes now wide open with fright.
    “I know, right? But that’s not the end of it. A couple of minutes after she had expelled her last breath, Lucian woke up. He had only faked his death with a paralyzing poison, hoping I would report it to my father and that they could both run away in peace. When he saw my sister and what she had done because of him, he then took his own sword and cut his throat. And