The Chosen Phoenix II

Chapter 11- Zachary Speeder

Jyn had been thinking all day. She had asked if she could keep the book for a while. She stared at the handwriting.

This handwriting looks so familiar, but from whose handwriting is it— Jyn blocked her thought with a gasp. 

' The blacksmith! No wonder! ' Jyn rushed over to pull out a tiny scroll the blacksmith had given her with a letter of thanks for the last time she saved the world. 

' Come on, Leck! ' she called as she rushed out. Leckeo yelped as he leaped out of his basket and raced off to catch up with Jyn.

She stopped by the blacksmith shop and opened it. There were all sorts of useful weapons. The weapons Jyn never knew existed ( she wasn't so free as she was now before discovering the Chosen Phoenix, so she hadn't discovered weapons, except for swords, spears and axes. ). She looked around, observing every weapon in awe.

' Ah, Lesley. What brings you here? ' a voice startled Jyn and she nearly tripped over onto the neatly organised weapons.

' Uhh, oh! ' Jyn carefully stepped away from the " danger zone " and turned to the blacksmith. An old man, stood in front of her with a polite smile on his face.

' Oh, um, hello. Y- you're Zachary Speeder? ' Jyn asked.

' Ah, yes I am. Not many people in this village know me that much. I used to be an author. ' Zachary chuckled, his smile stretching wider across his face as he scratched his well- shaved beard.

' " Author "? ' Jyn repeated under her breath, surprised. She looked at him.

' Um, sir. You used to write this book based on Gunnar Lesley, right? Legend of the Chosen Phoenix? '

Zachary was busy polishing his new- made sword, and when he heard Jyn's words, he stopped abruptly. Putting down the sword, he turned to Jyn.

' Er... yes. Eh... why? ' 

' You left a note at the end of the book, but it seemed more of a clue. Sir... '

Jyn watched an all of a sudden nervous and scared- looking Zachary looking around the shop desperately, then looking into her eyes, full of fear.

' Um, sir. What's wrong? Did I say anything that scared you? '

Zachary hesitated for a moment, then he inhaled and exhaled sharply.

' No, Lesley. It's j- just that the n- n- note wasn't supposed to be written t- there. Back then I was only your a- age when I w- wrote this book. The note I've written was m- meant for Gunnar a- and Gunnar only. B- b- but I must have been out of my mind and... '

He paused with a  shiver and sighed.

' ... you decided to share the note to everyone? All around the world? ' Jyn finished. Zachary let out another cold, fearful shiver.

' What does the note mean? ' Jyn asked.

' That, Jyn, is a secret. ' 

' Oh. '

' But only the Chosen Phoenix can solve it. '

' Okay. Wait... solve it? '

' It's— more of a clue or puzzle than a note... '

' Oh, o- okay? '

A while later Jyn raced down the path as fast as a cheetah to Ben's house.

' Ben! ' Jyn was lucky not having to knock the door as she spotted Ben at the entrance cutting the hedge by his house.

' Huh? Oh uhh... Jyn heh, err... what's wrong? '

' Zachary Speeder... ' Jyn panted, struggling to catch her breath.

' Who? Zachary? The blacksmith? '

' He— he... ' Jyn still couldn't catch her breath.

' Woah, woah, Jyn calm down! ' Ben put a hand on Jyn's shoulder.

'  He's the author of Legend of the Chosen Phoenix! ' Jyn breathed finally. ' Z. Speeder. That stands for Zachary Speeder, he's the author, the blacksmith. '

Ben stood there stunned, his mind spinning on what he had just heard.