Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

make a stand against our enemy.”
    “And all fifteen thousand men will fit in a fort like that?” asked Samuel.
    Malloy turned toward Samuel, his cheeks filled with oatmeal.
    “Must you question everything?” he mumbled. “How should I know what their plans are? God, you’re worse than my mother. Just eat your breakfast and keep quiet.”
    Samuel was astonished. A few weeks to build an entire fortress? He wanted to believe his friend, but he would have to see it for himself.
    He took a few bites of the bread dripping with oatmeal.
    “So what about you?” he asked Malloy. “You never told me where you were from.”
    “Me? I was born and raised in Deva, north of here. At the moment, however, I live in Conavium, with my family.”
    “You have any kids?”
    “I have one son,” answered Malloy, looking in the distance, where the fog had started to fade. “He was born last winter. I haven’t seen him since this spring.”
    “Couldn’t you just go and see them for a bit, if you wanted to?”
    “I suppose I could, but I made the decision to serve my king and defend my country. Like your father, I know what would happen to my wife if the Saxons ever reached our village. I joined the army to protect her and my son, to make sure they have a future where they can be free of this violence. Trust me, I would much rather be by their side, young Samuel.”
    “I’m sure you would.”
    “Plus, the nice purse of gold that will come at the end of the war will be most welcome.”
    For a moment, both men remained silent while they finished their meal.
    “Sam, I need to ask you something,” Malloy said. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but it was quite surprising to see your fighting skills last night. You definitely don’t come across as the type of guy that could defend himself as you did.”
    Samuel did not raise his head and continued eating, hiding the panic that was rising in his guts.
    “Appearances can be deceiving,” he muttered.
    “Yes, they can. Still, it was an extraordinary display of skill. I had never seen anyone fight like that before.”
    “It comes with training.”
    “And that is precisely what I meant to ask you. Whoever taught you those skills and the technique you used is either a genius or a god. Where did you learn to move and fight like that?”
    “There’s a school back home that teaches the different skills I have.”
    “A school? You mean a training facility?” asked Malloy.
    “Yes. There is a master at this facility, who only accepts a small group of students. Only a few get selected every season, to train with this master.”
    “Would you tell me the name of this master? I wish to get my son into one of these prestigious groups when he’s old enough.”
    “Aragorn. Master Aragorn.”
    “I’ve never heard of him, but from what I saw the other night, he must be very good at teaching. For someone who has never been to battle, you were quite impressive. Do you think you could put in a good word for me with Master Aragorn, when this is all over?”
    “Of course, it would be my pleasure.”
    “Thank you, my friend. I really appreciate it. Now then, are you that good with other weapons?” Malloy asked.
    “Master Aragorn has introduced me to other weapons,” Samuel said cautiously, “but I’m not sure how well I could use them in the heat of battle. Practicing in a closed room is probably not the same as the madness of a battlefield, I assume.”
    “Indeed, it is not,” answered Malloy with a smile. “Come, let’s see how you handle a bow.”
    Malloy went to a nearby tent, where he asked a man for a couple of bows and a few arrows. He gestured to Samuel to follow him and they walked out of the camp. At the fringe of the forest, Malloy handed one of the short bows to Samuel, along with a single arrow.
    The boy looked at the weapon, a little puzzled, trying to figure out how to hold it properly.
    “Here, let me show you,” said Malloy. “Turn your left shoulder toward the forest and move your right arm back. Like this. Now spread your feet a little, but keep them aligned. Hold the bow pointing down for now. Don’t raise it yet or you will only tire your arms.”
    Samuel was following his friend’s instructions as best he could.
    “This is almost as hard as learning golf,” he said.
    “What’s golf?” asked Malloy.
    “Just a game my family plays. I think it’s quite new.”
    “You’re undoubtedly a strange one, Sammy. In any case, for now, simply focus