Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

cheeks.
    “The man looked at the creature, ready to slice it in half, but could not bring himself to strike. He had fought dozens of battles and slain hundreds of men, but could not bring himself to execute this defenseless creature. Instead of executing the little creature, he lifted his sword once more and brought it down on the trap, freeing the leprechaun.
    “Filled with sadness and despair, tormented by his failure to lift the curse on his home, the man turned around, wanting nothing more than to get back to his wife. But the little creature called out and thanked him a thousand times for his mercy. He explained that these lands had been a meeting place for himself and other leprechauns. Every spring, they would come here and, for three nights, they would chant and celebrate mysterious rituals, which were not to be seen by human eyes. When he had arrived a few days earlier, the first of his kind to do so, he had seen this human, who had established a home on these sacred lands, and thought this man would surely hunt them down and force them out. So the leprechaun had put a curse on his family, as well as on the land. He did not intend for the child and wife to suffer, but had merely wanted to make the man leave, so he and his kind could continue the rituals they had performed here for centuries.
    “Understanding the fear the leprechaun had, the man swore that he would never disturb their rituals, so long as he knew when they would take place. During those nights, he and his family would simply remain inside, as long as nothing happened to their health or lands. The leprechaun agreed. Before leaving the man’s sight, he told him that his kind ways and generous actions would not go unrewarded.
    “Sure enough, when the man got back to his home, he saw his wife crying and smiling at the same time, for their son appeared to be perfectly healthy again, free of the fever and purple spots. Finally, the family was happy once more. But the leprechaun had another surprise for the man and his family. On the fourth morning after their encounter, the man woke up to find several bags on his porch, filled with gold coins, undoubtedly left there by the unusual visitors.
    “From that day on, every year at the same time, he man and his family stayed inside, and by the end of the leprechauns’ festivities, they would always find a tribute in gold coins on their porch. The rest of the year, their land was as fertile as any, though they no longer needed to worry about growing anything for their survival.”
    When Kaleb was done with his story, everyone remained silent for a few moments.
    “That’s your story?” asked Atwood.
    “Yes it is.”
    “What is it supposed to mean?” asked Darroch.
    “Well, I guess it means that appearances can sometime be misleading. Someone you think is your enemy can turn out to be a great ally, if you only take some time to get to know them. I believe it also shows that when facing a choice between committing a decent act or an evil crime, even if the latter seems like the only way to go, listening to your heart and acting as a decent human being will always be more rewarding in the end.”
    “So what choice will you make when they move to kill this boy we will bring them?” asked Freston.
    “I’m not sure,” answered Kaleb. “The story tells us to search within our hearts and find what we are prepared to do for our people. I don’t claim to have the answers, I only try to do the best I can in this harsh world.”
    “I think the story simply means that you should never settle down and get married,” claimed Darroch.
    “I’ll drink to that, brother!” Atwood nodded.
    Samuel thought about the story for a while, even after they had all gone to sleep. He imagined what he would do if faced with such a choice. Would he make the right one? He also could not help but see the similarities between Kaleb’s story and the fate that seemed to await the young boy they were looking for.
    Was the officer trying to say something through the story?
    Was it simply a coincidence?
    Suddenly, it came to him that it must be the Yfel’s plan to kill the young boy they were about to bring back to the king. It was obvious now that the fatherless boy played a key role in this legend, and killing him would be a sure way of sending the story off its regular track. However, the king and the advisor already looked as if they wanted execute the child themselves. Why would the agent need to plan for