Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

on the shoulder, sending the poor guy flying in the air and knocking him unconscious. He would not be able to fight again anytime soon.
    His other friend, however, had decided to remove his trousers completely and was now holding the rusty sword, which he had finally unsheathed. The dull-witted look on his face was a perfect match for his peculiar outfit. He was now wearing only a torn shirt and dirty underwear, made from an unidentifiable material. While the giant was regaining his balance after the last, devastating blow, the dimwit charged Samuel, his sword raised above his head.
    Instinctively, the young man parried the first blow with his own sword, then the next one and finally, a third strike. Before his opponent could muster the strength for another combo, Samuel countered with a few blows of his own, disarming the half-naked man.
    How he was able to do these things, Samuel had no idea. Aware of his surrounding, his senses heightened like never before, he heard the incoming steps of the giant, charging from behind. The boy turned around swiftly and pointed his sword straight in the air, toward his assailant. The colossus stopped abruptly, his throat less than an inch from the tip of the blade.
    He dropped his war hammer.
    “All right! All right! Stop!” he said. “Take anything you want. Please don’t kill me.”
    “Get your friends and go. Leave me alone,” ordered Samuel. “Got it?”
    “Yes. Thank you, thank you!”
    The big man hesitantly stepped back, then to the side. As soon as he judged he was out of reach of Samuel’s sword, he turned around and ran into the night, followed by his friend with no pants. They did not bother to pick up their broken comrade, who was still unconscious.
    Samuel’s adrenaline diminished a little, his pulse slowly returning to normal.
    What had just happened?
    He looked around and saw dozens of men staring at him. They looked stunned, speechless before his fencing prowess. Samuel caught Malloy’s gaze. The warrior had witnessed the whole thing and was studying Samuel, almost certainly questioning how this young boy, with no apparent training, had masterfully defeated three adversaries with such ease, without suffering the slightest wound.
    “Here, take this, son.”
    The cook was holding out a beaten metal bowl and a mug of ale to Samuel.
    “Please, take it. Thank you! Thank you so much for getting rid of those thieves. From now on, you’re welcome to my humble cauldron anytime you want, good sir.”
    “Thank you,” was all Samuel could reply.
    He took the bowl and mug and quickly left. As he walked back to the bonfire where Malloy was, he could feel the inquisitive look of the warrior on him. He sat down and started to eat without saying a word.
    Malloy allowed him to eat his dinner in peace, but Samuel expected he would have to answer some questions before long.

    Almost an hour later, his belly full of a tasty stew, Samuel was strolling around the camp, looking for a quiet place to collect his thoughts and reflect on his first day on Metverold. After he had finished his meal, Malloy had indicated where his own tent was. He also mentioned to Samuel that he was welcome to use it, saying it was spacious enough for a few men to sleep in. They did not speak of the evening’s incident and Samuel quickly left, pretending to need some fresh air.
    “That was a good display of skills back there.”
    Samuel looked to his right and saw Angeline floating next to him. She had quietly joined him on his little stroll.
    “Pretty soon you should be ready for your task,” continued the fata.
    “Shouldn’t we find a quiet place to talk?” asked Samuel. “Somewhere less crowded?”
    “Why?”
    “Didn’t you say this morning that people couldn’t see you, and they might hear me talk to myself? Wouldn’t that seem a little suspicious?”
    “Oh don’t worry about them. This morning, everyone was fresh and rested, ready to embark on a long day of traveling. All their senses were on high alert, ready to intervene at the first sign of trouble. Tonight, though, they’re either too drunk or too tired to care about their surroundings. Contrary to what you seem to think, no one is constantly paying attention to your little self.”
    “It was you, wasn’t it?” asked Samuel. “The voice I heard, just after the giant man took his first swing at me. Did you give me some kind of powers?”
    “Yes and no. I cannot give you any abilities. However, as the Keeper, you did