The Crimson Claymore

The Crimson Claymore: Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Searon woke up early as he always did without much sleep between the nightmares he had throughout the night. He yawned, wishing he could get a full night's sleep at least in the comfort of his brother's home. Yet he didn't know if he'd consider lounging on some fancy furniture in the main room comfort. Still, it beat sleeping on the hard ground, which he'd grown accustomed to during his travels. Nobody seemed awake, and he wasn't too sure where Starlyn had run off to, and so he decided to step outside and enjoy some fresh air.

The air was crisp and almost bit through his white button-up cotton shirt and brown breeches. He almost considered turning around and seeing if his brother had anything warmer to wear. Imagining himself in blue silk made him quickly dismiss the idea. Most of his brother's things were more elegant than he liked due to Noraes's position as duke. Outside was peaceful as he wandered from the stronghold toward the city. He found his stallion in the stables and rode into the city he once called home.

Nobody roamed the streets except a few peasants. A near-total silence pervaded the air, and he enjoyed nothing more. Searon liked the peace and quiet; it gave him more room to think. He wasn't sure what he liked thinking more about, his past or his future and heading into the war. Neither appealed him much more than grief.

As he walked, he notice a few of the stores were open, and he came to a stop in front of one that intrigued him. Vines cascaded from the top of the building only a few spans tall and veered into every crack of the brown stone. Hanging from the door was a large red sign with carved letters that read, Magical Enchantments. He slid from his horse and tied the reins to a post outside before pushing through the swinging stone doors.

Inside, the shop seemed plain enough with a bunch of mechanical gadgets hanging on hooks up the walls and a few thin metal shelves with knickknacks. The floor seemed worn from generations of travel, almost as if the shop had been there longer than the city itself. Behind a marble countertop he saw an elderly man fiddling with some sort of mechanical device with a screwdriver. His head was bald except for the sides where long strands of white hair tangled down to his shoulders. Suddenly, a spring from the device slipped from his control and shot out and hit Searon in the center of the forehead.

Searon nearly lost his balance from the impact when it hit him. He stumbled and grabbed onto a shelf in the story to keep himself balanced. A large welt formed on his forehead where he had been hit. It pulsed rapidly until he rubbed it.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir," the old man said with a deep voice through his large spectacles.

"Just don't do that again," Searon said as he rubbed his forehead.

"I won't, at least not to you. Is there something I can help with you today?" the old man asked as he pushed his spectacles up his large nose.

"I'm just looking around. I have never seen a shop such as this before." Searon glanced toward the gadget still in the old man's hands.

"Ah, a newcomer, and by the looks of you I'd say you are a warrior, cunning and proud."

"I am leading a force to strike against the draeyks."

"Ah, a leader," the man said as he rubbed at the white stubble at his chin. "There are plenty of things we have in here that you may find useful. Tell me, do you have a ranged weapon, or only that gangly claymore."

"My claymore is the only weapon I need," Searon said with aggravation.

"Yes, yes, of course it is. However, there may come a circumstance where you might be in a bind and in need of something with more...range. Here, let me show you something," the old man pleaded.

He walked out from behind the counter until he reached a shelf on the wall. On the shelf were various shortbows, crossbows, throwing axes, and daggers. He searched through all of them carefully until picking up a medium-length dagger in a thin leather scabbard and handed it to Searon.

Searon studied it carefully, feeling the tip of the titanium blade that was a span long. There was no handle to it, and the curves fit perfectly into his hand. Its balance was near flawless, and the rubies sparkled almost as bright as Searon's own.

"That is a nice throwing dagger, but I'm afraid it only has a one-time use. I am not going to be able to retrieve it after a throw," Searon commented and attempted to hand it back.

"Ah, but that is the beauty of it. The blade and scabbard are enchanted; you will not lose it so long as the scabbard is secured to your sash."

"How much?"

"Seven gold coins."

"Seven? You are trying to rob me. I can sleep in a good inn for half of that."

"Yes, you can. But can you sleep in an inn every night that comes back to you with an enchantment?"

Searon sighed, knowing the price was bloody high, and yet if the old man's story were true, the dagger could prove useful. Normally, an entire throwing dagger set cost only a quarter of the price. He grabbed his pouch full of gold coins and set seven on the counter. It had been so long since he'd spent any of his money that losing a few gold coins didn't matter.

He fastened the dagger to his sash and headed out of the door. Outside was no longer so quiet, and people walked about from every direction. It seemed a busy day for the shops. Strangely, he didn't notice any of the commotion while he was inside of the shop. He turned around only to find out that the building he had just been in was no longer there. Somehow, the shop had vanished from sight, and he didn't know if he would be able to ever find it again. Only an empty space stared back at him, and when he felt the space where the building should be, his hands only passed through air.

Searon shook his head and found his horse wandering toward him. The post that he tied Stripes to had vanished along with the shop, but at least his horse had somehow found him. He sighed and mounted his stallion before trotting back out of the main city toward the country and his brother.