Chapter 4: The Storyteller
Warrin woke up in the barn.  He had no clue what had happened.  All he knew was that his hand hurt really badly.  It was probably because he had not really eaten last night at dinner.  Then he wondered why his hand would hurt if it was just that he did not eat dinner.  He then remembered that Pheleria had her foals the night before…and the red colt…Blazeran…touched him.  He ran into the house and into his room.  No one was up yet even as the sun was rising.  
There right on his hand was a strange marking.  He was not sure what it was.  It might have had something to do with Blazeran.  He would ask Pheleria when he got a little more sleep.  He had blacked out for…he then realized that he did not really know how long he was out.  There was another thing he would have to ask Pheleria.  As he was getting ready to get a few hours of sleep, he noticed that there was a lot that he would have to ask Pheleria. Take for instance, he looked a little thicker through out his whole body, but in a good way, or at least he thought.  He would have to put it out of his mind for a little while as he slept.
It seemed as though he had just went to sleep when he could have sworn that his mom was calling to him in his dream.  Warrin…Warrin…Warrin…
“Warrin, hey sleepy head, time to get up.  Come on it is getting late.  I need you to go to town after you chores are done so I would really like you not to dilly dally around on your chores.”  Lumera watched her son wake, but he still looked tired.  
Warrin realize that it was after nine in the morning and he quickly jumped out of bed.  He had to go check up on the foals and Pheleria.  He hurried and ran out into the kitchen and grabbed a quick bite to eat. “Hey mom, Pheleria had her…”
You cannot say anything. Please do not say anything.
He did not know where that voice was coming from.  He knew that it was not Pheleria.  It was a male voice so it could not be Pheleria.  ‘Hello?  Who is this?’  He had to know whom that voice belonged to.
This is Blazeran.  As I said, you cannot tell anyone.  As soon as you get out here, we have to talk.  We are not in the barn.  We had to get out of there before anyone seen us.  Go to the far pasture beyond the back fence.  We have to stay out of the open spaces.  Please hurry.
“Well honey, what happened to Pheleria?  I believe you said that she was having her foal last night.  Is she OK?”
“Yeah mom, she is ok but…the foals aren’t.  They died last night after birth.  I don’t know what happened but I need to get out there and do my chores.”  Warrin left his mom standing in the kitchen and ran outside and into the barn.  ‘OK.  Where are you all now?’  He listened but did not hear a response.  ‘Are you there?  Is anyone there?’  He could not take this anymore.  He did not know why they would not answer.  Perhaps something was wrong.  He thought back to what he had said.  He had said something about the far pasture and the trees.
Warrin did not hear anything else for the rest of the day.  He hurried and finished his chores as fast as he could.  Although to Warrin, the day could not go by any faster.  He did have some fun that day.  He caught his brother right square in the mouth with a cow patty when they were out in the field.  As usual, Malipheus threatened to hunt him down and shove three patties in Warrin’s mouth.  He did try; however, Malipheus could not come near him.  Usually Malipheus had no problem catching Warrin, but today Warrin out ran his brother and wore him out before Warrin was out of breathe.  
“Warrin, I need you to go to town for me.  I hope that they are open.  All we can do is hope.”
“OK mom, I’ll go there and get that stuff you need.”  
Mom will pick you up.  Stay there and do not move.
‘No,’ thought Warrin, ‘just meet me here later.  I have to go to town for my mom.’
OK, but please hurry back.  We cannot waste too much time.  We will leave as soon as you get back.  Wait! Mom is coming with you.
‘OK but tell her to hurry, I’ll hang around here as long as I can, but I can’t delay too long.  Tell her to be careful and if I’m not here then I’ll be on the road walking.’
Warrin went into the house, trying to give Pheleria enough time, and grabbed things that he would need like his knapsack.  He could not wait until he seen the foals again.  For him, it seemed as though giving Pheleria a place to stay, have her foals, and learning all he could about the Mystic Ryder’s gave him a reason to get out of Daladurmer.  Warrin looked outside and saw that his brother taking care of the animals.
“Warrin, what are you still doing here?” ask Lumera.
“Oh, I’m just looking for my flanghoul.” what was that, Warrin.
“What is a…flanghoul?”
“Ummm…flanghoul is…”
Knapsack.  Flanghoul is knapsack in the ancient language.
“Flanghoul stands for knapsack.  I was looking for my knapsack.”
“Oh well, as soon as you find it, please go to town. It’s getting late and I need the food for dinner tonight.”
“Yes mom.”  Warrin found and grabbed his knapsack and then started walking down the road.  He could not take staying in the house any longer.  He started to think about what it would have been like to grow up rich instead of poor.  He loved his family and all but the one thing that he hated more than anything was that he was born poor.
Hey, stop for a minute.
Warrin looked around looking for Pheleria, but that voice did not sound like Pheleria.  It was Blazeran...he just knew it. However, he thought that Pheleria was supposed to pick him up.  That was fine by him though.  He looked to his left and seen nothing but the road. Warrin looked right and seen the same thing.  Then as he was going to look to the left again, he saw some bushes move.  Then a large animal stepped out of the bushes.
That large animal was Blazeran.  He had grown…fast.  “What happened to you?  You were just born last night.”  Warrin walked over to him and started to check him out.  He had the same capabilities as his mother, to appear like a true horse.  “Wow, you look amazing.  You…grew up…nicely.”
Yeah we have the ability to mature fast when we need to, as I did last night.  Mom sent me hear to get you, we cannot wait until later.  The soldiers are on the move.  They have almost found us twice.  Mom has moved everyone else but we need to go now.
“What do you mean Pheleria ‘has moved everyone else?’ Look, I can’t just leave my family high and dry.  I just have to get a few things before we can leave.  It will not take that long trust me.  The thing that will take the longest is getting into town.”  Warrin said aloud.  He could not believe that Blazeran wanted him to leave now and not take care of his family.
Keep your voice down; you do not want the whole countryside to hear you.  OK look, mom has sent my brother and sister into hiding so that they wont fall into the wrong hands. We can go into town but it is in and then back to your old home.  After that, we have to get started.  We will get there faster if we fly so come on.
Warrin stopped right where eh was and stared at Blazeran.  He actually thought that Blazeran really meant that. “Ummm, Blazeran, we can’t fly.  Are you crazy?  Do you want us to be seen?  We cannot fly; we have to take the road.  There are too many houses around here for us to fly.  Come on we better hurry.”
Blazeran thought about what Warrin had said.  He knew he was right, but they needed to hurry.  Then he had an idea, “Alright you’re right, but get on my back.  I have great endurance.”  Warrin climbed on his back and off they went. He was surprised at how fast they were going.  They could defiantly get into town in record time.  Warrin could tell that Blazeran was worried about the others.  “Don’t worry, the others are fine.”
Blazeran understood this; however, he still could not stop thinking about his mom, brother, and sister.  He knew that his whole family could be in trouble as easily as he could open his wings up.  He tried to keep going but had to slow down after 5 miles.  They were close; of course, they could have already been to town and half way back if Warrin would just let them fly. “Warrin, have you thought about your new name?  If not, you need to start thinking about it.  It could be your life if you don’t.”
Warrin never really thought about that part.  He then realized that since Blazeran touched Warrin, he would have to change his name, leave and forget his family, and then never return to this place.  He would have to do it whether he really wanted to or not.  It may not be as bad as it sounds, thought Warrin.  He was sure that he could still look out for his family even if he was miles and miles away.  How bad could it be?
Do not worry; I can help you with your name.  I think you will be quite surprised to find out that I have knowledge of quite a few names.  Oh look, we have arrived.  
Both Blazeran and Warrin looked at the same time toward the entrance of town.  To everyone else, Blazeran looked like an ordinary horse but who still looked different.  He was, unlike the other horses of Travilamur, very muscular and prideful. It seemed as though the horses living on the farms surrounding Travilamur had lost their pride. Being worked to the bone everyday did that to them.  Warrin sensed that Blazeran was thinking the same thing.
They walked down the street of merchants and commoners.  They both tried to remain calm and unnoticeable.  People continued to stop and stare as they passed no matter what they did to stop it.  Therefore, they tried to ignore everyone staring and concentrated on what they had to do.  Warrin looked down at the list and seen what his mother needed. Red cloth, rawhide, and meat were on the top of her list.  As usual, his mother always needed new material to make things. He could have sworn that there was red cloth material on his mother’s bed.
Down the street was Trawnagoo’s Materials where he could get just about any material that he could dream of getting. Trawnagoo had everything from Clothing material to outdoors material like lumber and nails.  With no one in front of him to slow him down and no one behind him to follow him and Blazeran, they both proceeded down the street to start getting the items on the list and get out of town.
‘Mom loves this place, as does everyone in town.  Oh sure he gets people from out of town that think they can compete with him but they soon run out of business.  He has always been nice to mom.  Well let’s get this started.’  Warrin liked the fact that he and Blazeran could communicate without speaking aloud.  He thought that it made things a whole lot simpler.  
As they stepped up to the front of the shop, Warrin realized that Trawnagoo had received his latest shipment of inventory.  He left Blazeran in front of the Window so that he could watch out for him.  As he stepped into the building, he noticed the merchant in the corner of his store laying out new merchandise.
“Hey Trawnagoo, do you need any help?” asked Warrin.
“Don’t be a mindin me. I am just puttin away the lace that I got from Escanaba.  Do you know where that is?  Well I guess yer have not been a travelin them roads out there. It is a decent size town with lots a rich folk. Not my cup a tea that be the truth.  What brings yer in my lovely store today?”
“Red cloth and rawhide for my mom.  Did you get that in your shipment?”
“Yes I did.  I have already put it out. Yer know I ordered a little but extra lace and I bet yer mom could make a lovely dress with this here lace.  Why don’t you take it and give this to her for me.  I just know that she would love to have a good dress.  What woman wouldn’t?”
“Trawnagoo, I was wondering, why does my mom need so much material?  I mean, she has a closet full of material that she uses.  What makes this red cloth any different?”
Trawnagoo looked at Warrin with surprise and tried to find the right words to say.  He had never been good at finding the right words at a specific place and time.  “Yer know women are like…well…they are like onions...and they…”
“Trawnagoo, are you trying to tell me that my mom needs more red cloth because she is an onion?”  Warrin found this a little hard to believe.  His mom was not an onion.
“Well of course not.  All I am tryin to say is that she makes different things for everythin.  She makes many things for you and yer brother. You never know, she may have made you or him somethin.  Anyways, take this lace and give it to yer mom.  Oh and yer wanted that red cloth too right?”
“I wanted the rawhide as well Trawnagoo.”
“That’s right.  Here is it.  Now take the lace, cloth, and rawhide and get on with yer shoppin.  Now go on, run along.”
“But…OK.  See you later.”  That was weird, thought Warrin.  Trawnagoo had never offered free material before.  He would have to think about that later though.  He turned and walked out of the shop hoping to find that Blazeran was still standing where he had left him
To his luck, when Warrin got outside and seen that Blazeran was still standing in front of the store he ran up to him and hugged him.  He was afraid that someone might have recognized him. ‘Then again who would recognize you, the only people that possibly could, would be the soldiers and they are anywhere near the town. Are they Blazeran?’  He had to ask him.  He was the only one that would possibly have a clue besides the others.
Warrin put the material and rawhide into his knapsack and got onto Blazeran.  He pulled out his mother’s list and found that he needed to go get some meat.  ‘That was going to be a lovely visit.’ Warrin told Blazeran.  ‘Hagord hates my family. Mom says that he and my dad got into a big fight a long time ago.  Man, it is getting late.  My mom will have a cow as soon as I get home.’
Is it possible for that to happen? Blazeran asked.  He had never heard that phrase before.  Blazeran wanted to know as much as he could from Warrin, as he thought Warrin would want to learn from him.  
They started to travel down the dusty street and Warrin wished that it would rain.  The town had seen better days, that was for sure.  Everything was turning brown and dying with the lack of rain.  The animal’s watering hole was drying up, and quickly.  It made Warrin angry that they had not gotten any rain. It seemed as though all the towns around them were getting rain but not Travilamur. It had to be the king’s fault. Travilamur had not really seen a good rain since Pheiliak began his rule, which was before his time.
They started to pass Durroch’s yard and seen that he was about to start telling stories of the olden days.  He always loved his stories.  He believed that they held no truth, but they were still fun to listen to.  ‘Blazeran that man is Durroch. He tells the town of stories from the old kingdom.  They are good stories for entertainment.  I do not believe them but they are fun nonetheless.’  They continued to the Butcher’s Shop and stopped when they reached they front door.  Warrin got his mother’s list and proceeded to get of Blazeran’ back when a shout came from inside the building directed towards him.
“You better stay out of my shop you little thief.  I do not want you anywhere near here. Do you understand me?  If you step one foot in this door, I will have you arrested of thievery. Do you hear me brat?” shouted Hagord.
“I do not know what you are talking about Hagord.  I have never stolen anything from you in my life.  Please, I need some meat.  I have money.  I can show it to you if you let me in your shop.”
“NEVER!  I do not even want to see you around my shop.  I guess you are to go elsewhere for you meat you pathetic little…”
“Easy Hagord.  That is no way to treat a customer.  You would lose business if you talked to all of your customers like that.”  Interrupted Durroch.
“But he does...all the time.  I have done nothing to anger him.”  Warrin stated.
“I know boy, it is meat that you seek, is it not?”
“Yes sir and Hagord won’t give me service.  Thanks but I’ll just go and find somewhere else to find meat.”
“Nonsense. You will not find anyone around here for the next 30 miles and he knows this.  Let me handle this for you.”  Durroch focused his attention to the Butcher.  “Now my friend, where is the finest meat that you have to offer?”
“You are a fool to help this beggar.  This boy brings nothing but trouble. You better just move on Durroch.  Leave this boy to me.”
“I will ask again. Where so you keep you finest meat that you have to offer…IS that all that you have to offer? Well that is a lot for this part of Daladurmer.  Alas I will pay you 10 gatons for the lot.”
“You fool.  I could get three times that much sold separately.  Do you take me for a fool? I will take 35 gatons.”
“Oh Mr. Hagord.  That is a bit pricey for all of this.  20 gatons.”
“No, 30 gatons.”
“How about 25 gatons.  That will be my final offer.”
“Done, on one condition though. You get that thief out of my sight at once!”  Hagord was getting angry and Warrin knew when to leave.  He got upon Blazeran and started to walk off when Durroch approached him.
“You are forgetting your meat.  Let me give it to you after you listen to tonight’s story.”
Warrin looked at Durroch.  I did not really think that he was going to give all that meat to him.  Twenty-five gatons was more that Warrin had on him at that very moment.  “Why are you helping me? You do not even know who I am.”
“Ah but I do. You are a boy who does need help and are getting it and I do not mean me.  Do not worry. Now come, sit down, and listen to tonight’s story. Then afterwards, I will help you home with this.  You mother wont be mad don’t worry. Tonight’s story is not that long. I hear the soldier’s will be in tonight. They aren’t that far off.”  
Warrin was not sure of what he should do ‘What do you think? Should we?’  Not many things made Warrin scared, but looking at all that meat…he doubted that he would make it home with out being jumped and losing all of it.  
I do believe that we should take him up on his offer. It is not yet dark so I will not be able to fly us home.  Tell him yes, that we do accept his offer.
“What is your story of tonight Durroch?”
“I am glad that you have asked, but you will have to hear it to know.”
“Then we accept you invitation.”  Warrin had heard one of his stories and wanted to go back but always had chores to do that kept him from returning.  All three walked over to Durroch’s house and found a seat in his yard to listen to the story.
“All right ladies and gentlemen, have you ever wondered where Pheiliak really came from?  Well if you stay, you will find out the truth.  Tonight will be short; I do not want you all to get in trouble on my behalf.  The soldiers are on their way and you all need to be in your houses when that happens...”
“In a place where the land still flourished, there was the kingdom of Daladurmer that had a special force of soldiers that had been kept secret for more than 200 years.  The king did not appoint just men to this force.  In fact, he had no control over who was in this force anymore than he had control over where the hills and mountain lay.  Elves, dwarves, and the human race have been allies for centuries, ever since the first Pegasus came and brought these three races together.  When all the races met with the Pegasus’ so many years ago, the Pegasus’ chose two from each race to be able to live with them, learn their ways and hopefully become one with them.”
“The six became twelve when it was all over.  This twelve was then to be known as the Mystic Ryders.  Each elf, dwarf, and human was given what looked like a horse.  When they were to appear as horses, in public, these Pegasus’ not only looked like horses, but acted and was treated as such to an extent and when it came time for the kingdom to be saved, then that’s when they let their wings out and flew into battle.  Many years passed and the secret force stayed true to their code.  Many generations came and went...many by the terrible battles.”
“In the generation of Mystic Ryders just before the fall of the great King Remaladur, the king appointed one of the strongest of the Mystic Ryders to be the head of his Elite Forces...to teach them what he could and to prepare them for the worst possible situation.  The soldier put in charge of this force, was the one that they called Pheiliak, which lead these soldiers into many victorious battles. They dominated many of the fields that they pursued.  Almost immediately, the soldiers began to conquer land that they sought for themselves, and for Pheiliak.”
Durroch looked at his audience. Their eyes told him that they were waiting for him to continue. He paused, taking a drink of water before he continued. He then rubbed his hands together and started the story again...
“Pheiliak soon began to smell power all too often.  He began to devise plans on the assassination of the king and to take his place.  His brother’s in the Mystic Ryders soon began to sense that something was erroneous with their fellow Ryder.  When questioned about this, Pheiliak denied the whole thing and then when his brother’s were asleep, he tried to kill all of them.  He killed everyone except one.  That one ran to the king, to warn him.  The king found it hard to believe this, sent the Ryder away, and died that very night, along with every one of his personal guards.”
“Pheiliak soon began to brainwash all of the guards and gave orders to brainwash the leaders in every town and village.  Some say that if you listen closely while you are in the palace you can hear Remaladur begging for you to help…”
“LIES, LIES.”  Shouted a voice behind everyone.
“How dare you speak against the king? You should be hung for that.  Everyone had better get back to their own business if they know what if best for them.  Now move!”  Said the second soldier.