Chapter 3
"Ay, he's back" Gimble greeted, "How did it go, your business I mean?"
"I don't know yet, it is being decided by people more important than I." Mused Nis, "I suppose I could use a chat, or maybe a story to pass the time."
"Heh heee, well if it's a story you want, I've got plenty! What would you like to hear? The hunter and his shoes? Andonius the strong? Hmm, perhaps you would like to hear the legend of the seals?" Ice formed in Nis's blood, that was the last thing he wanted to hear about, and yet, he wanted to know why... Why this had happened, why his family had to die, why he had to live, why... Gimble continued without seeming to notice his guest had suddenly become the color of the ground outside. "Maybe Gewen the fair? or perhaps- Oh, you look awful, I think you need a drink before you have a story. Here, please sit down, I'll bring you some ale." With that Nis was momentarily alone.
The fire crackled and popped, it's flames danced and licked at the fresh wood. The light making the shadows waltz across the room, and the warmth slowly seeping into Nis. As much as he had been trying not to think about what had happened, now things flooded in, that night only three weeks ago when everything in his world was destroyed. It replayed now in the darkness, with the shadows...
****
It had been a hard days work in the smithy, sweat soaked the back of Nis's shirt, his hair fell wet against his brow. The sun was dipping behind the mountains, it was time to close up. It was time to go home to his sweet Catelin. He walked leisurely along the dirt roads of Stirm, passing friends who were themselves winding down for the day. As he approached his home, he could smell stew cooking, Catelin must be cooking something great, he thought. Caleb his son was peeking out from the doorway, his blond locks and bright green eyes resembling his mothers. "Daddy! Daddy! You're here, I waited all day, I wanted to show you something I found." He said excitedly, racing towards his father. Catelin appeared at the door, a smile on her face so bright it could have outshone the sun. Golden hair fell past her shoulders, framing her soft kind face. She wore a faded apron over a blue dress, slightly newer than the apron but the months since its creation still showed.
"Caleb, it's almost dinner time and I'm sure your father is tired." Catelin scolded softly. Her emerald eyes turned to her husband, "Dear, your son has been playing in the forest again, it's good to see you." she hugged him as he closed the distance. And Caleb ran up and hugged his leg, the boys arms were like a vice. After the embrace they all went into the house together. Catelin had already set the table, chicken stew, bread, and carrots. The smell stirred his stomach, it made him even hungrier than he was moments before when he was outside. They sat and started eating and discussing the day.
"Old Dweren wants that plow done in time for his fields, it's all I've been working on today." Nis said.
Catelin frowned, "But you have so many other projects that need to get done, why are you so insistent on finishing his first, especially since he waited till the last minute to ask," she sighed, "I know he is your friend, but he's going to put you out of business."
"I made a promise Cate, I keep my promises, it's why I have business at all."
"I understand, but you also have obligations to your other customers," Nis knew better than to keep arguing, Catelin always won when they argued, and it was better to let it go while he still had his pride intact.
"Daddy, can I show you what I found after dinner? Can I?" Caleb said dispelling the tension.
"Sure son, but we can't take long, it's getting dark and the beasts of the forest will start coming out soon."
"You two better be careful, I don't want to have to be patching up animal bites or any other wound you might get out there." Catelin was always concerned for their safety whenever he would go into the forest, son in tow or not. They continued talking and eating, and as he had promised, after dinner Nis followed his son out into the forest. It was already twilight and even that was waning, the trees made for a thick canopy and Nis carried a lantern for light. It was already darker than he liked. They traveled moderately deep into the forest before Caleb stopped and pointed, "Look, it's over there!"
Nis looked and could make out the shadow of pillars and a building, he knew instinctively what it was, the temple of the north seal. Many a young boy had stumbled across it, Nis remembered, he himself even found it on his explorations as a boy. It was harmless enough, yes the seal held back great evil, but to break it someone would need to be a very powerful wizard. "Let's head home Caleb, I have a story to tell you, I think you will enjoy it, it's called the story of the seals."
They started home in the dark, the suns light was now absent from the landscape and the only light other than the lantern came from the stars and a full moon. Owls hooted in the dark, standing Nis's neck hair on end. Soon they were home. Catelin was waiting for them by the fire. Caleb went to his room to dress down for the night. Nis sat by Catelin and held her, she leaned into him and he could feel the pressure of her head against his chest. "It worries me when you two go out there alone like that," she said in a quiet voice.
"I know Cate, I know, we men have to be able to explore though, I would be worried if our son wasn't curious about things."
"I know" They sat in silence for a time, and Caleb came out ready for bed.
"Daddy, can I hear the story now?" He said excitedly, and with a yawn.
Nis felt Catelin stir in his arms, "What story are you telling tonight my love?"
"The story of the seals," Nis paused for reaction, when Catelin gave none he felt she was ok for him to proceed. It was not after all, a story for bedtime.
"Long ago, there was an evil man, a dark wizard named Shimloke. He was powerful, but a man of his greed wanted more, he was constantly looking for more power. He eventually stumbled on some magical texts that talked about other realms, other worlds where fearsome creatures lived. It spoke of how to summon them to our world, temporarily at least. But that wasn't good enough for Shimloke, he wanted doorways, he wanted to conquer these other worlds as he had been doing with this one. Eventually he succeeded, he was able to construct four doorways between our world and others. Unfortunately, he underestimated the creatures of these worlds, some of which possessed far greater magic than anything our world has ever had. When he realized too late that instead of conquering these worlds they would soon destroy his, he tried in desperation to destroy the gates that he had created. But the powers of the other worlds had already solidified the gates permanently between the worlds. In a last effort to stop the destruction that he had brought, he gathered three of the greatest wizards of the land, Derindell, Farthswith, and Vimoth. They each used all of their magic and life force in a spell to seal each gate. They succeeded, but it cost them their very lives. For a while there were still monsters roaming the land. But slowly they were all either hunted down and killed or died on their own. All the creatures that is except the few dragons that had come through. The four gates remain sealed to this day, and it is said that only one who is a descendant of one of those four wizards can ever unseal them." Nis finished the tale. It was all he knew of it and it was really all he cared to know. He honestly had no idea of what might be able to break the seals or if dragons even existed. A lot of what he had said he had added to make the story more exciting.
"Wow, Daddy how come there aren't wizards now?"
"I don't know, maybe there are. It's time for you to go to bed though. Run along now lad." Nis said, dismissing Caleb. Catelin had fallen asleep in his arms. He gently picked her up and carried her to bed. He then dressed down and joined her in bed. He drifted off into dreamless sleep, until it was interrupted by the town bell. Nis got to his feet and started getting dressed, he didn't understand what was going on. He could hear a lot of commotion outside. People were yelling and he could hear a scream or two mixed in. He reached his front door just in time for it to burst open slamming him behind it, his head hit the wall in the commotion, and things started to lose focus. He saw something with a torch walk in, and then nothing.
He awoke to choking smoke in his nostrils, the house was ablaze. He immediately got to his feet, and rushed to his room. His blood froze, his heart stopped, the scene before him could not be real. Catelin was all over the room, pieces of her were anyway. It looked like she had been ripped apart, her head was sitting on the floor by the window like a vase that had been knocked over and carelessly forgotten about. Numbly, mechanically, he walked over and picked up her head. The emerald eyes stared blankly, a face frozen in terror. He was locked in an eternal gaze with her. This couldn't be real, this wasn't real, he would wake up soon.
Suddenly the golden silk caught fire, the smell was bitter and tangy, enough to make anyone vomit with too much exposure. Nis snapped out of his trance, and dropped the thing, the head, before he caught fire too. He rushed to his sons room, hoping against hope that he would not see a similar scene. His feet hurt, but he didn't know why, nor did he care right now. The door to Caleb's room was off its hinges. Nis braced himself for what he was about to see. He entered, the room was empty. There was some blood stains on the sheets, but Caleb's body was nowhere to be found. He slowly walked to the door of his house which had become a nightmarish hell. As he walked things burned around him, beams fell, it was far too hot and he knew that he wouldn't last in this. He didn't want to.
This door too was off its hinges. No wonder he had been knocked out cold. He walked through the doorway. One fire replaced another as he saw the whole town in flames. People lay dead in the streets in much the same way as... "Catelin". He could barely hear his voice over the roaring blaze, but it occurred to him that that was all he heard, fire and his own voice. No cries for help, no screams, nothing. Just fire...
****
"Here you are. That ought to warm you up and maybe take some of those lines off your face, eh?" Gimble said kindly, setting a large mug of auburn liquid on the table next to him. He then pulled up a chair and sat next to the fire somewhat facing Nis. "So what'll it be?"
"I'm not sure I'm up for a story anymore, perhaps something light and happy, I don't know." Nis said almost absently. He was still thinking about the fire, about the thing that burst into his home with such force as to rip the doors from their hinges.
"Well cheer up then. I've got the perfect story for you, and drink up; I didn't pour that so's you could stare at it." Gimble produced a pipe from his shirt and started stuffing tobacco into it. "Let's see now, I think the hunter and his shoes will do just the trick." He chuckled to himself, a slightly raspy but still jovial chuckle. Nis found himself sipping on the ale, or whatever it was he'd been given. It tasted sweet and warm, like honey heated over a fire with just a hint of boysenberry and something else that Nis couldn't put his finger on. More than the taste though, it was heavily calming and he found himself forgetting his troubles and just listening to Gimble talk. He seemed to have missed some of what had been said as the story seemed to already be half over by the time he started hearing it. "...and so the witch gave him the shoes, but that old hag didn't mention to him that they would turn him into a goat. So he slipped them on and sure enough, he was a goat. The witch thought she had her next meal but the hunter had different plans. As she was bent over the fire to add more wood, he charged her and she was added to the hot flames. The fire burned blue the rest of the night and the hunter was resigned to his new life as a goat. He wandered about in the forest for a while until he finally fell asleep in a circle of mushrooms. After he was asleep the fairies came about. They decided that this one had had enough fun and turned him back to a man. Of course being mischievous fairies they left him a little souvenir, he kept his horns. When he woke the next morning he realized what had happened...I don't know about you, but for a pair of shoes that doesn't seem worth it. I'd go barefoot." Gimble finished with a hearty laugh.
Nis was still sipping the almost empty mug. The story had calmed his nerves for now. He sat silently staring at the fire. It was all but coals now. Gimble must have noticed too because he got up to get more wood. Nis drifted off again, sleep taking him, though he was vaguely aware of being lead to a bed before he was completely lost to sleep.