Valtava: Dragon Sword

Chapter 17

After a long day of traveling, Stephen saw that the sun was about to set, as it casted his long shadow on the path he was walking on. He found himself approaching a dark brown mountain covered in lush forests and a few small waterfalls. Around the base of the mountain were towering pine trees that emitted a beautiful scent. After a few more minutes, he reached a large wooden sign that read "Mount Fara". I must be west of Elonia, he thought to himself, recalling his adventures he had made throughout his years wandering Dragmone.

He noticed a small village at the base of the mountain, which seemed like a popular spot for wanderers visiting or passing by. He was promptly greeted by an inn owner who motioned for him come inside.

"Good evening, sir! You look like you've been traveling for a long time! Come inside to have a rest!"

Stephen entered the inn and found a seat at a table where he ordered a couple of steamed buns. Surveying the inn, he saw that there were a few other travellers inside, some making their way to the guest rooms for their night stay. He decided that he would sleep there for the night as he was exhausted and needed to think about his plans for the next day.

He was eating his buns when he heard the sound of several horses' hooves approaching the inn. Soon after, a crowd of people entered, and their brightly coloured attire caught Stephen's attention. The group consisted of all men except for one young lady, who was dressed in red and yellow stripes and had her hair in two long braids. She seemed to be leading the group as she called the inn owner and said, "Bring some of your best dishes and some wine for all of us, please!"

"Yes, miss!"

Stephen continued eating his bun while watching their demeanors. They didn't seem to be from Dragmone, from their appearances. He wondered whether they were foreigners, and he couldn't help but be curious at their background.

After a while, the girl laid her eyes on Stephen, and he quickly moved his gaze away. He then noticed that she was staring at him, then whispering to the other men, and he soon realized that they were all looking at the sword he had placed on his table. He wrapped his hand around the sword's handle, trying to give himself some security.

However, he felt more uncomfortable the more they stared. He stood up and shouted to the inn owner, "I'm taking my leave, coins are on the table!" He then briskly made his way out the inn and hiked along the same path again, this time picking up his pace and looking back to make sure no one was following him.

After a minute, he heard the sound of hooves again, coming in his direction. Oh dang it, they're really after me! He quickly found some bushes on the side of the path and ran behind them. He peeked through the leaves and saw the same group of colourfully dressed people riding their horses, and they stopped right beside where Stephen was hiding.

The girl leading the group looked around. She was holding a whip in one hand, her other hand clutching the horse's reins. She peered her head in Stephen's direction, then raised her whip and swung it towards him. The whip wrapped around one of Stephen's arms, and she pulled the whip towards him with her strength, causing Stephen to fly up into the air.

"Aahhhhhh!" he screamed as he flew up, then landed onto the dirt path next to the horses, creating a small cloud of dust.

The girl released the whip from his arm, and she looked down at the young man. "Where is that sword you were carrying?" she demanded.

"What sword? I don't got no sword on me," Stephen replied, rubbing his back from where he landed.

The girl motioned for the other men to check the scene, and they got off their horses and searched the nearby bushes. One of them exclaimed, "It's here, Fennie!" He returned to her with the Dragon Sword in his hands and handed it over to her. Fennie got off her horse and took the sword, examining it and marveling at the intricate carvings on its blade.