Crest of Power: Kevin and the Magician

2. The Story Begins

“A long, long time ago,” Krevik’s mother began. “In a kingdom not far from here; there were two brothers. Though they were eight years apart in age, they grew up very close…”

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   One day, the elder brother King Emir, sent his younger brother, Prince Isadar, on a quest of great importance.  Isadar’s quest was to find an item full of magic. Its name was the Crest of Power. 
 
   Isadar had been searching for almost a year. He was told by his brother that he was not to return to the castle until he had found the crest. Then he was to bring the crest to his brother. And so Isadar, in disguise as a regular knight, went on this quest for his brother.

 Isadar had no luck at all in finding the Crest of Power. Everywhere he went, people looked at him like he was insane for continuing his search of a mythical item. 
 
   Finally, in one village, as a joke one of the knights staying there, told Krevik to go and visit the oldest man in the world. He should know where the crest was. And then the man and his subordinates burst into laughter. They even joked that the king must really hate him because he sent him on a mission from which he could never return.
 
   On Isadar’s way to the western village, where the oldest man in the world lived, he began to hear strange things about the castle. He only shrugged these off as rumors. Surely none of them could possibly be true. 
                   
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  “I’m sorry young man,” said the old man. “But that’s all I know.” 
Isadar looked at the old man in sincerity. “Thank you.” 

The old man smiled at Isadar. “You’re a good boy,'' he said. I can tell. Good luck.”

“Thank you again, and I am happy to have met you.” Isadar smiled at the old man. 

Upon leaving the old man's dark home he looked around himself. It was much easier to believe in a magical secret world in the Forest of Ern when he was in the small cottage listening to the old man's russet voice.

He looked around himself once more. This was the best lead he had so far. He would follow it. Into the deep dark Forest of Ern he would go. He would find the hidden village where the Enchantress lived. 

And then he would persuade her to let him into the magical world where he could find the crest. And then he could return home and live a happy boring life.

He decided to send the information of what he had learned to his brother. All, but one piece of information that is, he held back the part of the information that would hurt his brother. The part about the beautiful Enchantress; that would only make his brother think of her. 

Isadar began traveling to the east in order to reach the Forest of Ern. On his way there, he began to hear even stranger rumors about his brother. Emir had locked himself up, and was allowing no one to see him, except some strange magician. Many people said this magician was a horrible person and had begun demanding things from people, but he only used the gardener to communicate to anyone. 

The farther east Isadar went the worse the rumors got. Some rumors even accused Isadar of being a traitor! And from village to village, the people got stranger. It seemed that they now knew Isadar was on a quest for the Crest of Power. It also seemed that they resented him for it. Many were even beginning to believe that Isadar was a traitor. He had to flee from that village in order to not be executed!
Finally Isadar found himself in a village on the very fringe of the Forest of Ern. The people there seemed to have no troubles at all. It was as if the troubles of the entire kingdom never reached here.

Isadar had no Idea what to think. The people there all treated him extremely friendly, so much so, that he wondered just what they were up to. He had just decided that he would leave that village before nightfall, when suddenly…

A little girl ran right into him. The girl’s father came up to Isadar and apologized for his daughter. 

“It’s alright,” said Isadar, smiling. He liked kids. 

“Zenobia,” said the girl’s father. “What do you say to the young man?”

“Sorry I bumped you,” said the little girl. She stared up at the handsome knight. 

“It’s quite alright… really,” said Isadar. 

The man told Zenobia to go play. “My name is Joseph,” said the man. He seemed very friendly as well. 

Isadar decided it wouldn’t hurt to ask him about the Crest. He told Joseph about his travels up till now, and then asked “Do you know anything about it? …the Crest of Power?”

The man's face that had been friendly before Isadar’s tale; had grown cold, and almost angry. “I don’t. Neither does anyone in this village, so don’t ask!” exclaimed the man.

“What do you mean!?” cried Isadar upset. “You obviously know something about it!”

Joseph looked back at Isadar in shock. He had obviously been trying to hide his anger at the mention of that cursed crest, and failed. “What…” 

Joseph cleared his throat. “What do you mean?” He desperately tried to regain his composure.

“I thought so,” said Isadar frustrated.

“I don’t understand what is going on. Why won’t anyone tell me anything about the crest? I could see if I were to give it to some evil person, or if I was looking for it out of selfish gain. But I’m looking for it, to give it to my brother!”

“Sire, I . . .” the man began to say he understood the frustration the prince must be feeling. He had heard the Rumors. But this young man was no traitor. He was just so obvious. “I don’t know anything about it other than it doesn’t exist. I’m sorry you can’t find out anything more than that. Listen com and have dinner with me and my family. 

It doesn’t look like you have much left in that purse of yours.” The man smiled at Isadar and pointed to the red bag at his hip. It looked like it may be holding 5 cents in it.

“Thank you sir,” said Isadar, feeling guilty for his outburst. “You are too kind. I’m sorry I-“

“Don’t apologize,” the man smiled.

“You’re a proud knight.”

“This is precisely why I shouldn’t have had such an outburst.”

The men laughed at their own foolishness and walked away together to the man's house. A lone figure watched them from a dark window, and a solitary crow flew silently above their heads.