The Quest

A New Member

"I am aware of your predicament but we have our own problems to deal with. The demon attacks grow stonger each day and we don't have the man power to keep up our defenses."

"Listen here old man, we need you to at least escort us to the mountain, even the foot of the mountain would do. If you help us we will rid you of the demons but we need an escort."

"Like I said we cannot give up any man power that could be used to defend the village."

Timothy stirred. His vision was blurry as he got up. He was laying on a fur cot in a poorly lit tent. Standing over on the other side was Pendleton and an old man in heavily ornamented robes. Timothy lifted himself up to a sitting position and almost blacked out from pain.

"Tim!" Pendleton ran over and helped Timothy back into the cot.

Timothy pushed him away. "Where's Sonia?"

"I'm sorry, Tim, it took her."

Timothy felt like he had been punched in the gut. He felt tears well up in his eyes. He tried to lift himself up again. The pain was almost unbearable as he lifted himself up into a sitting position. He sat there breathing heavily.

"Then we're going to get her."

Pendleton was dumbfounded. "Tim, you've been out for a day. There is no way in your condition that you are going anywhere."

"I don't care!"

"Tim throwing yourself at that demon and getting killed will not help Sonia. We need to hang back and form a plan. If you died helping her how do you think she would feel?"

Timothy lowered his head. "I can't lose her. Not like this."

"We won't. I have a plan in the works. You need to rest and I'll get everything sorted out."

Timothy nodded. He slowly laid back down and closed his eyes.

---

"I warned you Timothy. I told if you didn't give me the sword I would get it another way."

Timothy was back in Zhen Su's world. The warlock sat across from him in a large oak chair. His eyes glittered with cruelty.

"You...you sent the demon."

"Of course I did. I have to say I am proud of this one. I was worried it had killed you and I was upset it brought the wrong person to me but, no matter, if you bring me the sword I will release her."

"Why should I trust you? She could be dead at this point."

Zhen Su snapped his fingers. On the ground wrapped in ropes was Sonia.

"Timothy don't do what he say-" She was muted with another snap of his fingers.

"How about I give you a day to think it over? The life of your friend for a sword you can't even use."

In a flash he was gone and Timothy fell into a dreamless sleep.

---

He awoke a few hours later. Pendleton and the old man who had been in the tent earlier were now replaced by a young man. He wore light blue robes and had short brown hair. He leaned on a staff with a golden ring at the top. His eyes were shut as like he was sleeping but the ring at the top of staff was glowing. Timothy lifted himself up off the cot and went to step onto the dirt floor.

"You have not fully recovered. Don't move."

Timothy froze. He could've sworn the man across from him had been sleeping. He flopped back into the cot.

"Then when can I get up?" Timothy asked.

"The swordsman instructed me to not let you rise until he had returned." His voice wasn't deep but it wasn't high either. Nothing but his lips had moved during this whole transaction.

"Who are you?" Timothy asked.

"I am Virgil, the towns healer and the last of the monks."