The Dragon's Bounty

Chapter 2

         Khan stood on the deck out front as he watched the horizon, hopeful their journey would be short enough to have time for a good defense. Aro sat inside and balanced an arrow on his finger, which was much harder in a tavern rocking side to side. After trying and failing for the twenty third time, he put the arrow back in his quiver and cross his arms.
         "I didn't even get to finish my magic training."
         "How far did you get?" Khan asked as he walked inside.
         "Well, my instructor said that next time we met we'd go over the final step, whatever that means." Khan looked over to Andrew, who was asleep in the corner. He cupped his hands around his mouth.
         "Yo, Andrew!" He shouted. Andrew jumped and nearly dropped his guitar.
         "I'm up! I'm up!" He shouted.
         "How are you doing your magic training?" Khan asked.
Andrew put on a disappointed face. "How long have we both lived here?" He asked.
Khan waved his hand. "No matter, Aro here is on the last step of his and was wondering if he could use your method." Andrew shrugged and grabbed a book from the shelf behind him, tossing it to Aro.
         "What's this?" Aro asked.
         "It's a book, numbskull." Andrew said.
         Aro frowned. "I know that, what's it on?"
         "It's a book on how to do your magic training. Though it's much slower than having someone teach you, but since you're almost done I'm sure you'll be done quickly." Andrew replied.
         "So you've been working on unlocking your magic as well?" Aro asked.
Andrew smiled and nodded. "I'm almost halfway through the book." Aro smiled and flipped through the book until he found the page describing the thing he had done last.
         "Ok, final instruction. 'You have unlocked your power, just find the right way to expel it.'" Aro frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Khan held out his hand. "It's simple, really. You have a magic power inside you, waiting to come out since you finished training. So find a way to let it out." Cyan sparks jumped around his hand.
          "Woah. You weren't kidding when you said lightning runs through your veins." Khan smiled and nodded.
          "Now where did Emma get off to?" Khan asked. Suddenly, a delicious aroma entered the room. All three got up, drawn to the smell. Khan opened the door behind the bar into the kitchen, Emma cooking a stew over an open fire. She looked at Khan, Aro, and Andrew with a smile.
          "We'll need more food soon. Maybe we could stop at the next town." Khan nodded.
          "When can we have a taste?" Andrew asked.
          "When it's done." Emma said, going back to cooking. The three slumped over.
          "Too long to wait." Aro said.
Emma frowned and shooed them out. "Go do something else. Let me cook!" After exiting the kitchen, the three went back to doing nothing, now taken hostage by the heavenly scent, causing them all to stare at the door until Emma walked out with four bowls of stew on a platter. "Who's hungry?" She asked. Khan, Aro, and Andrew smiled and stood, each claiming a bowl. After emptying the pot, everyone just simply lounged around the tavern.
         "That was amazing." Andrew said.
         "We normally just stop at other taverns that serve food when we stop." Khan said.
         Emma smiled. "I could be your chef." Khan and Andrew nodded.
         "For sure." They said together. Aro stretched out his hand and attempted to release his magical energy. He strained and strained, but nothing happened.
Khan patted him on the shoulder. "You'll get it. You know, some people's magical power require the use of a word, at least at first."
         Aro nodded. "Uh, abra kadabra!" He pointed toward the window. Nothing.
Khan shook his head. "Not a magic word, just a regular household word. And perhaps your hand is not able to release the energy. Try your bow." Aro nodded and drew his bow and arrow, pointing it out the window. Khan turned his aim toward the wall.
         "But I'll put a hole in the wall.
         Khan chuckled. "It'll repair itself." He said, walking away. Aro looked back to the wall and shrugged.
         "Uhhhh, Chair!" Nothing happened. "Hmmmmm, Table!" The arrow did nothing. "Um, Booze!" The arrow simply sat there in his hand. Aro sighed. "This'll take a while." Emma was writing a list of food items to be stored in the tavern for later. She handed the list to Khan.
        "This is a lot. This will wipe out most of our earnings."
         Emma smiled. "Don't worry, if we charge a decent price for the food, we'll make it back in no time, and then some."
         Khan nodded. "I believe it. We should be arriving at the next town any minute now." There was a light groaning and the tavern began shaking. Aro looked out the window to see that the tavern was lowering itself, making a final growl as it stopped on the ground. Khan walked out and looked around, down on the town in front of him, illuminated only by street lanterns. "In the morning, we get groceries." He said, turning around. "Everyone to their rooms." He and Andrew went upstairs. "The rooms are upstairs." Khan said. Emma and Aro smiled and walked up behind him, choosing a room and going to sleep.
         Bright and early, Aro awoke to pots clanging together. He rubbed his eyes and exited his room, stretching and putting on his quiver, bow, headband, and Stormy Fox badge. He walked downstairs. Emma tossed him a piece of toasted bread, which he happily ate.
         "Alright, everyone. Here's the plan. Aro, I give you the ingredient list and you buy the stuff. The rest of you, run this place with me." Everyone nodded. Khan handed Aro a pouch and the list. Aro exited the tavern and walked down into town. As he walked through the streets, he advertised for The Stormy Fox, pointing to it up on the hill. Most people smiled and told him they'd check it out. As he was entering the market, Khan jogged up to him. "Hey, I forgot to give you the second list." He said.
          Aro's jaw dropped. "There's a second list?!" He shouted. Khan smiled and nodded. "How am I supposed to carry it all?" Aro asked.
Khan patted him on the back. "You'll figure it out." As Khan turned and walked away, something seemed to wrap him up, keeping him from moving his limbs. He was spun toward the origin of this substance: a man wearing a black tunic, gloves and and legs, dark grey arms, with a coat wrapped around his waist, draped down over the back of his legs, a few holes in it. His face was only revealed past his hood through the eye hole, revealing two brown eyes.
         "I know you!" He shouted.
Khan smiled and chuckled. "Oh?" He asked.
         "You're The Storm of The Dragon's Bounty!" The man said.
         Khan frowned. "Uh oh." He said.