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“How on earth can I do this? I’m just a secretary! Me and my father are different, can’t his majesty get that through his head. Honestly! Besides me and violence does not go toget -aaaak…..OUCH!”
After falling for the fourth time over a rotting log, Peter Lightheart decided to lie where he fell. He knew he wasn’t cut out to retrieve the ridiculous form of payment. Why couldn’t he have sent one of the knights or something, it would have made much more sense if he had, thought Peter. Besides how am I supposed to find him? He knew that no one knew where Edger Nighthawk had hid himself. No one wanted to find him in the first place. After the empire nearly falling into economic chaos because of him, no one cared.
He got up for the fourth time and dusted himself off. His father’s old and prized sword at his side, and a pack filled with food was all he had. I’m really not cut out for this, he thought, starting to concede defeat to the Forest of Light. He looked around. He heard nothing from the forest. And people say they hear a girl singing every day, what nonsense.
He started to walk again until something tackled him to the ground. He pushed it off then ran behind a tree. He looked to see a wild man staring at him. He shakily withdrew his sword. He was an awful sword wielder. He knew if the other man was skilled with fighting then he was certainly finished. Peter pointed the sword at the man from behind the tree, hoping that it would scare the wild man off.
“Do you honestly think that scares me boy? Do you even know who I am,” yelled the wild man.
“I don’t r-r-really know s-s-sir but please l-l-leave me be, I am on a-a-an important mission f-f-for the k-k-king,” stuttered Peter knowing his plan had just backfired.
“The king, well let me tell you something about your king boy. He is a spoiled brat just waiting to squish some poor little ant that’ll come by, begging for his mercy.”
“Y-y-you’re wrong s-s-sir. He’s a v-v-very nice and benevolent k-k-king. He w-w-would never do s-s-something like t-t-that.”
“Then why are you out here, when it’s as plain as day that you’re scared,” said the wild man softly.
Peter couldn’t argue. He knew that the man was right. He was not meant to be out there. He was a book worm, a home bound boy. He was not an adventurous man with courage always at his fingertips, like his father.
“What’s your name,” asked Peter after a long silence.
“My name was known far and wide. I have travelled to all the reaches of this wretched planet, even some that you have never heard of. I have defeated many creatures on my own including the dreaded dragon of the lava mountain. I am Edger Nighthawk.”
“O-o-o-oh… m-m-my…”
“Well boy we shall now start business,” said Edger with a slight smile on his face. “Give me your food or else.”
“O-o-or else w-w-what?”
“Well boy we’re just going to have to find out now won’t we.”
Before Peter even knew what he meant he returned the sword to its sheath and ran. The trees seemed to fly past him as he went. Soon he took a quick glance behind him and saw that Edger was pursuing him and was gaining ground. I’ll never out run him, why did that idiot send me out here, thought Peter desperately as fear gripped him. When he looked ahead he could see a cliff. He tried to stop but tripped over another log.
He rolled closer and closer to the cliff but couldn’t stop. His bag was flung away but the sword stayed at his side. Edger still chased him. Peter finally rolled to a stop, right next to the edge. That was a close one, he thought. He looked to see that Edger wasn’t stopping. He looked over the edge. It was easy to crawl down, but falling was another matter. He looked back at Edgar but soon felt feet kicking and tripping over him. He looked over the side.
The body of the once powerful, intelligent, and brilliant Edger Nighthawk lay broken on the ground below. Peter thought that Edger had broken his back. The agony and tears on his face told Peter his suspicions were true. Peter climbed down the cliff. He then walked over to Edger. Edger looked at him then back at the cloudless sky.
“How could I have been bested by a mere boy,” coughed Edger.
“I don’t know sir, but why didn’t you stop?”
“Blindness.”
“Blindness sir?”
“Yes boy, never let it happen to you.”
“Alright sir”
“Everyone worshiping me like a god, it was ridiculous but I fell to it. I accepted it and soon I believed them. I thought I could do anything. Being beaten by you, a mere terrified boy, returned me to my senses. My poor girl…you must save her.”
“Poor girl…what do you mean Master Nighthawk? I’ve never seen you with a girl.”
“Stupid boy she’s under a …well…no I shouldn’t tell you.”
“What is it sir?”
“No you will find out on your own. Take the compass and keys from my pocket. You will need them to find her. Use the compass it will always show you the way.”
“Why…sir…I don’t understand.”
“You will someday boy… You and your father are so alike. I cannot believe that I never saw that before. I should have done something that one tim-…It’s too bad you never got to spend much time with him. He was a great man.”
“You knew my father!”
“Use your heart wisely boy, it can go astray so easily.”
“Master Nighthawk! Wai-......he’s gone…now what.”
Peter kneeled beside the body. What were you trying to say sir? My heart going astray? Him knowing my father? What does this all mean, questioned Peter. He dug through the pockets and found the objects, then placed then in his pockets. The head! He used his sword then collected the head in multiple bags. He thought back to when he was a child.
“Father what does this all mean, can’t you tell me?”
“No son, this is something you need to do on your own.”
 Rosalinda Plaisance · Thu Sep 04, 2008 @ 10:39pm · 0 Comments |
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