*
The twin moons, high overhead, gave ample light to the three sprinting figures upon the earth below as their beams caressed the midnight sky. Garnthalisbain fiercely concentrated on them as he ran. Anything to take his mind off of the incredible strain that he was putting on his fragile body.
He considered the green moon and the rumors and hypothesis surrounding it. Was it truly a living place? Did the Gods Above truly live there, assuming it for their home as they watched the realm below with ample amusement. In his mind's eye, Garn imagined the lush expanses of forests, long grasslands and the silvery waterfalls that he hoped to one day find there.
Observing the golden moon he frowned in uncertainty. There was no one theory surrounding it that the young mage could bring himself to agree with. Some said that it also served as a home to the Gods, yet it was so much smaller and seemed so cold in appearance. A great many people believed it to be filled with precious metals and the like, thus explaining its golden luster. Still another theory suggested that it was the home to dragons and that it was golden because it served as one humongous treasure horde. Garn tended to disregard that last one as a pure fairy tale told to small children. Who would believe in dragons anyway? he thought bemusedly.
In the lead, the bounding shape of Hal seemed to glide through the myriad passages of the Grove. He casually slid by overgrown vines and bushes while quietly pointing out the sharp thorns and branches of the vegetation, which, despite the warnings, Garn seemed to continually find his robes caught on.
Tasha was next, gracefully following Hal's every move with an agility that Garn was innately envious of as he staggered along at the rear. His breath came in wheezing gasps and his meager strength flagged dangerously as he pushed himself to exhaustion.
Finally, after almost twenty minutes of straight running, they reached the small fence at the end of the Grove. Hal brought them to a halt and Garn thankfully dropped to the ground in a heap, breathing in as much of the cool air as he could. His heart was hammering like a rabbit and sweat fountained down his brow.
Tasha knelt next to him, obviously concerned. "Are you all right?" she asked between gasps of breath. Garn absently noticed the light of the golden moon glistening off of her sweaty brow.
"I'll live," the mage croaked. He coughed harshly and solidly, spitting out a gooey gobbit of phlegm into one of the nearby bushes.
Hal stood off to one side, his chest hardly heaving at all. The only dampness on his forehead was merely the remaining water from his recent dunking in the trough. His hair, still wet, hung down the back of his neck reaching down past his shoulders with ease. In his right hand he held the wrapped parcel and was peering at it curiously.
"What is that thing anyway?" Tasha asked.
Hal shrugged. "I dunno," he answered blankly.
Tasha pursed her lips and held back from making a witty comment.
Garn felt no such restrictions. "Well then open it and find out you moron!"
Hal looked back at the mage abashedly and began to unwrap the parcel with his large and ungainly fingers. The object was covered by several layers of thick, gray blankets and it took some time for him to remove them. Detangling the wider end first revealed an elegantly shaped and designed crosspiece. Hal gasped in surprise and grasped the cord wound handle with one meaty hand, leaving more than enough room for his second hand, and withdrew the rest of the weapon.
The sword rested in its engraved, navy-blue, leather sheathe. Letting the wrappings drop to the ground, Hal took hold of the sheathe and slowly slid the weapon free. The ebon blade gleamed in the golden moonlight blissfully. It was a magnificent looking weapon, made for an elegant and powerful bearer.
Tasha stepped next to Hal and marveled at the weapon. Hal took a few tentative, clumsy looking swings before sliding it back into the scabbard. "Do you even know how to use one of those things?" she asked nervously. "I've never seen you use anything but your axe before."
Hal shrugged his huge shoulders and flushed slightly. "Sort of," he admitted slowly. "I've just never... been very good with a sword." He regarded the magnificent belt that came with the weapon. "I feel ashamed to think that Aeros would even... think of giving me this." Seeing Tasha and Garn's confused looks, he explained. "Aeros won this years ago at a tournament. He's only shown it to me once before and told me its name." Hal then took an uncharacteristic, dramatic pause. "Stormbringer," he whispered almost reverently.
Garn felt a wave of energy pass over him at the mention of the sword's name and shuddered. Without even examining the blade up close, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was somehow magically enchanted.
Hal proceeded to belt the magnificent weapon about his waist, hanging it on the opposite hip from his axe. "Think I'll stick with what I know best, though," he muttered, patting his half-moon bladed axe reassuringly.
Tasha cleared her throat and looked over at the relatively safe cover of the trees. "We should get moving," she said.
The young mage shook his head fervently. "Not yet." He went on after taking a very deep breath. "I really need to rest a bit longer."
Tasha gazed at her friend uncertainly. "Are you going to be all right?"
The mage shrugged. "I hope so."
Hal regarded the both of them carefully, not wanting to look the fool yet again, but knew that he didn't have much choice. "Whenever we get going, we've got to be careful. Going through a forest, night or day, can be danger... dangoru... " He paused to take a deep and embarrassed breath, clearing his throat. "There're a lot of hungry animals out there at all times of day. And we've gotta keep our eyes open for thieves and highw... hiaghu... " Hal flushed a deep red as Tasha watched him with a look of surprise in her full amber eyes. He and quickly went on. "But, we've got to go into the forest tonight and get quite a ways through it before sunrise or we'll be found by your father's soldiers too fast."
"But, I need to rest." The mage was still gasping for breath.
Hal looked down at his friend nervously. "If I have to, Garn... I can carry you... " Seeing the sudden dark flash in the mage's eyes, Hal swiftly reiterated, "But that's only if I have to." Garn nodded in approval. Looking up into the night sky, Hal seemed to be judging something. "We should go on for another hour or so before we take a rest." Turning back to Tasha, Hal seemed to remember himself and became flustered. "That's only if you want to, milady?"
Tasha said nothing for a moment. She just stood and regarded the normally oafish individual before her, spouting good sense for the first time since she'd know him. Realizing that a question had been sent her way, Tasha started and nodded her head. "No. That sounds fine, Hal. Just fine."
It was Hal's turn to look surprised, and he did an excellent job of it.
Then, realizing that they were all just standing there and not actually starting to move, Hal hauled the weakened mage up to his feet with one solid pull and started to dust him off. Annoyed, Garn smacked at the meaty hands and pushed him away, glowering at the big man.
"Shall we go, milady?" Hal asked.
Tasha turned to the mage for support. Garn sighed wearily. "This is hardly the time for second thoughts, Tasha. If we're going to go, let's just do it and get it over with." Tasha nodded her head resolutely.
They scaled the short fence surrounding the Vineyard Grove and warily entered the Oakwood Dale with Hal in the lead and the others close behind.