"Hey."

"Hey mister."

"Hey."

Guldivine groaned and rolled over in bed and opened his eyes. To his surprise, there was a child right next to his face, staring at him.

"Are you awake, mister?"

"I am now." Guldivine groaned sorely, and tried to sit up in bed. Everything ached, from his feet to his head. He had been bandaged up nicely though he noticed, and cleaned with fresh drab clothes.

"Where am I?"

"Skorn." The kid said back quickly. "Its a town I live in. Father says you're lucky to be alive. After being attacked by Mardoc and all."

Guldivine's memories came flooding back. He remembered being rescued, the hell ride, even his conversation with the dragon. But then he was stepped on, and the world had gone black.

"I suppose I am lucky to be alive." Guldivine agreed. "Skorn. I think I was headed here before I was attacked. I am supposed to meet a man named Barbadd."

"Well you are in the right place." The kid said. "This is his tavern and Inn. He gave you a room upstairs to recover." Then the kid inserted his name unsolicited. "I am Melethan. I help Barbadd around the tavern when Im not helping my father on the farm."

"Nice to meet you, Melethan. I am Guldivine."

"Guldivine eh? Thats a cool name. You're not from around here are you?" Melethan asked.

"No," Guldivine admitted. "I am from a kingdom south of here."

"And you came here willingly?" Melethan asked, surprised. "Are you here to try and hunt the Dragon or something?"

The kids words struck Guldivine profoundly. His mind raced at the idea of hunting a Dragon. And as ignorant as he was of Guldivine's past, the kid was not wrong to ask. Maybe it was even more blunt than Guldivine had been ready to accept. He was indeed a hunter who had come to the island, and hunting giant beasts and monsters to protect the people was not only his profession, but his religion too.

Before Guldivine could form an answer, Melethen kept talking. He sat down casually on the end of Guldivine's bed by his feet as he talked. "...Because that would be a really dumb Idea. My father says nothing can kill a dragon. NO-THING! No sword or arrow or spear can penetrate his scales! And Mardoc is too smart to be fooled as well! He has everyone here exactly where he wants them!"

"Is that so?" Guldivine asked curiously.

"At least thats what my father says." Melethan shrugged. "He saved your life by the way. Brought you back to town."

"Barbadd?"

"No!" Melethan said in frustration. "Keep up. Edwin is my father, Barbadd is the tavern master downstairs. My father pulled you out of the flames once Mardoc took off back south. He brought you here, and then we all thought you were dying. It was pretty bad for a while."

"How long?" Guldivine asked. "How long has it been since I was attacked?"

"Fourteen days." Melethan said, then added "Oh but don't worry about the tab, Barbadd said you could stay here as long as it takes to recover."

"You know." Melethan said, hopping off the bed and now opening drawers at a nearby dresser and shuffling through them. "For a foregn guy you don't have many items. Your clothes were destroyed from the fire. And THIS."

Melethan pulled out the short sword that Guldivine had when the dragon attacked him. "This is one of the Zealot swords. I recognize it. Most of them have one like this."

Guldivine could tell by the way Melethan held it that he had never touched a sword in his life. "Yes its mine, now set it down. Its not a toy." Guldivine warned.

Melethan pointed the sword at Guldivine's throat and Guldivine got real nervous. "Hey! Enough kidding around!"

"Alright alright." Melethan pulled the sword away and leaned it against the corner of the room.

Guldivine relaxed some. He let out a sigh of releif and said "If you agree to help me out, Ill let you keep it."

"Really!?" Melethan asked, excitedly. "You mean it!? I can have your sword!?"

"It comes with a condition."

"A what?"

"A condition. A rule."

"Whats the rule?"

"You can only use it when I get well, to train. So I can show you how to handle it without hurting yourself. I can tell you lack the practice." Guldivine explained. "But you need to know how to use it if you are going to own a sword."

Melethan's eyes widened with glee. "Oh of course you can teach me! We just cant... my father. We dont own any... I mean that is... He dosnt care for violence..."

"Well I wish to talk to him." Guldivine said. "And This Barbadd fellow downstairs. You could help me by fetching them."

"Understood!" Melethan said excitedly.

After a time, it was turning to dusk outside. The window was cracked open and Guldivine could hear the townsgoers in the street with ambient chattery. There was a light breeze coming into the room, but this place felt so much hotter than Guldivine had ever been used to. He wondered if the Trade Islands he was supposed to go to were this tropical as well.

Melethan returned with Barbadd, a grizzly bearded man with a jovial smile, and Edwin, a stern looking gray haired hardened man. They both introduced themselves to Guldivine, and Edwin asked his son Melethan to give them privacy.

"First of all, thank you for saving my life." Guldivine said.

"Think nothing of it." Edwin said. "We would have saved anyone from that foul beast! It's amazing you're alive. That was an oversight on Mardoc's part. I figure he's too large to realize you were still breathing."

"It was sloppy of him." Barbadd agreed. "And lucky for you, friend."

Guldivine gave them his recollection of events leading up to the fight with Mardoc. He told them about the ship, and getting stranded. He told them about the temple and Ong and their plan to sacrifice him as some sort of ritual. Then he mentioned Sacalious. Barbadd and Edwin both looked at eachother at that.

"Sacalious rescued you?" Barbadd asked, looking concerned. "Did he give you any messages to pass along?"

"No," Guldivine frowned. "He just told me to seek out Barbadd. That this town had little love for the dragon."

"He did well pointing you here, lad." Barbadd said. "There are no Zealots in Skorn. Our chapel sits empty. Whatever the dragon and his people want out of you, You can remain hidden here. No one will turn you over, you have my word on that."

Edwin nodded in agreement. "When you can get out of bed, I might even have some work for you on the farm."

"Harvest is coming on soon." Barbadd added. "Edwin is always looking for extra workers to help."

"Keeps that damn dragon off our backs." Edwin grumbled. "Half of it goes right to him. Tributes, so he dosnt burn our village down."

"So thats how he does it." Guldivine realized out loud. "He taxes you in food because if he just ate everyone on the island he'd have no more food. He needs you here."

"I wouldnt say all that." Edwin disagreed. "He's a damn dragon, who knows what he's truely capable of. But, to keep the status quo, we play these games. Everyone is kept in line, and we are allowed to continue on our peaceful farming life."

"So there is no talk of revolution?" Guldivine asked. "An army against a dragon. Take back the island."

"There is talk, through the right people in the right places." Barbadd said.

"There is a resistance that Barbadd and I belong to." Edwin said, lowering his voice. "You met another colleague of ours, Sacalious. There are more of us throughout the island. Its not enough to wage a war but, we do our part to disrupt the zealots who follow him."

"We keep tabs on Mardoc. See what he is up to." Barbadd said.

"I see." Guldivine said. "Your friend, Sacalious. About him." Guldivine held up his wrist to reveal his Hunter's Mark. "He is one of my Hunter bretheren. He took the same oaths I did, and completed the same trials. I am starting to think two hunters on an island with a dragon is damn good luck for you."

"I am saying that Ill help you slay your dragon."

There came a muffled child's voice from across the shut bedroom door. "I told you, you cant kill it!"

Edwin turned around in a rage and opened the door. "MELETHAN! I told you to go downstairs!"

"Yes, father." Melethan sounded defeated and stomped away loudly down the hallway. Edwin shut the door again.

Barbadd was chuckling. "That kid is the sharpest mind in town, and deceptive as well. Watch yourself with him Guldivine, he can talk you into any situation he wants."

"He needs to learn some respect!" Edwin grunted.

"He seems like a nice kid." Guldivine said. "In fact, when I can walk again, I mean to train him to use a sword."

"No!" Edwin protested furiously. "He will not!"

"Edwin..." Barbadd tried to put a calming hand on Edwin's shoulder but Edwin brushed it away angerly.

"Guldivine. You can come work the farm, Ill give you a place to stay out of the way, but you will not teach my son to be some fool hearted soldier. Do you understand!?"

"Yes." Guldivine nodded.

Edwin flung the door open and walked away. Barbadd looked after him but stayed. "He's not a bad guy. Just has a bit of a temper." Barbadd explained. "His son Melethan is quite the handful. His wife died a few years ago. He's been a little grumpy ever since. Cant blame the man though, after what he went through."

"And against swords?"

"I think he just dosnt want to see his son killed as well." Barbadd shrugged.

"Understandable." Guldivine said. "But knowing how to defend yourself is a useful skill all across the realm."

"I agree." Barbadd said. "Anyways, Ill have dinner brought up to you. You can rest here as long as it takes. Whenever you can, come down to the tavern and Ill get you an ale on the house. Welcome to the island, friend."

The dinner that was promised came an hour later and Guldivine wolfed it down. Then he rested and listened to the street chatter fade and fade until it was quiet. He drifted off to sleep.

For recordkeeping, it took six days in all for Guldivine to find the strength he needed to leave the room. During that time he had more discussions with Melethan, Barbadd and Edwin. Melethan kept him company most of the day, telling him about the various people throughout town, and their gossip. At night, Edwin would visit to retell the dragon story over and over. It was like the two of them were looking for some sort of small missed detail that would give them a way to fight back. But no conclusions were made.

On the night that Guldivine came down to the tavern, The place was fairly busy. There were probably thirty patrons in all, sitting at tables, or crowded around a fireplace. half of the bartop was seated. Guldivine found himself somewhere in the middle. At the end of the counter, leaning against the brick wall that contained the fireplace, was a strange red bearded man with his hood up. He was drinking alone, and carrying on no expression. He also seemed to be looking at nothing in perticular, just in a direction across the counter.

Barbadd Greeted Guldivine with a warm "He arises from the dead!" And walked over to give Guldivine a victory hug. "Let me get you an ale! Fresh off the tap!"

Guldivine accepted, and a moment later a tall foaming glass slid across the bartop and into Guldivine's hands. It was cold, and Guldivine had a sip.

"Mmm! Barbadd! This is the best damn ale Ive had since... before the boatride!" Guldivine announced.

"Thanks laddie! Its a family recipe, Brew it myself!" Barbadd said, then turned his attention to a few other customers.

Melethan appeared and climbed atop one of the barstools to get level with Guldivine. "Hey, you're moving around!"

"Yeah no thanks to you, Kid." Guldivine joked. Then he made a gesture with his eyes towards the strange man in the corner. "Hey, who's that guy behind my back?"

Melethan lowered his voice with his head. "I dont know his name. No one does I think. He showed up here shortly before you did. He wont talk to anyone or anything, he just sits in that corner and drinks. I even tried following him back to his home one night, but I lost him in the darkness. He gives everyone the creeps, but Barbadd dosnt want to throw him out. Itd be bad for buisness he says."

"Aye Mel, we need another bottle of wine from the cellar!" Barbadd announced loudly.

Melethan departed and Guldivine chanced a glance over at the man in the corner once more. This time the man was staring right back at him. Still expressionless but looking right at him. Guldivine turned away quickly. Guldivine looked back again, but this time the man was motioning him to approach.

Hesitantly, Guldivine slowly got up and walked to the end of the bar and reseated himself next to the stranger.

Guldivine took a long swig and emptied his mug. Then asked to the man, "Another Ale?"

The stranger gave an approving nod and Guldivine called for two ales. Barbadd brought them over and handed them out. "You know him?" Barbadd asked Guldivine.

"Not yet." The stranger spoke in a raspy voice.

"Whoh. Thats the most Ive ever heard you say buddy." Barbadd chuckled, then walked away. Guldivine noticed Barbadd keeping an eye in their direction after that.

"You're not from here are you?" Guldivine asked.

The stranger nodded in agreement.

"Neither am I."

"I know who YOU are." The stranger said suddenly seeming threatening. "You are Guldivine, First Royal Hunter of Darkwood Kingdom. You have the judge rank and you sit on the council. I know how well you can fight. I know that these people have no idea how famous you are. I know your presense here makes everything entirely unstable."

Guldivine was taken aback. This stranger did know a lot about him. This stranger had known who he was before everything had happened. And the stranger was right. Elsewhere in the world, he was quite famous.

"I WAS all that."Guldivine admitted. "But Not anymore. Now I am just a man trying to dissapear to the Trade Islands."

"It is ironic that you should find yourself here then, if the goal was to truely dissapear." The stranger smirked. "Not many people even in my order know of this place. And once you come here, you do not leave. Mardoc makes sure of it."

"Who are you?" Guldivine finally asked.

"They named me Mage. I am a weaver of Fire elements. I am a Warlock like you are a Hunter. You know of my colleague, Hayne."

Guldivine looked surprised. "A warlock!? Here? I do know Hayne well. He helped me to escape Darkwood. But as I said, why come here? Your order dosnt travel much. I can count on one hand all the Warlocks Ive ever encountered."

"No we dont usually make journey's like mine. But with my attunement to fire, this place has been calling me. My magics are getting stronger here, I am coming to the source. Now I sit and wait for a sign. Perhaps you are my sign Guldivine. Why else would you have shown up here?"

"Its a mistake that I am here."

"No mistake." Mage said. "The dragon caused it all did it not? Perhaps the dragon wanted you to be here."

"Perhaps its just terrible luck." Guldivine scoffed. "Ive been having a lot of that lately. I should be dead three times over."

Barbadd walked back over with three mugs of ale this time. He passed out two more and then kept one for himself. "So, you two do know eachother!"

"Not exactly." Guldivine said.

"You are part of the resistance." Mage commented towards the bartender. "No need to fret, I am here to help."

Guldivine looked at Mage. "So you mean to go after the dragon?"

"Yes." Mage said flatly. "I beleive thats what he wants. I beleive thats what the essences of my powers want as well."

"Powers?" Barbadd asked.

"It would just be easier to show you." Mage said. He held out his hand and snapped his fingers. Suddenly a small ball of fire appeared in the palm of his hand. The flames danced off it up towards the ceiling. Then with a swipe of the hand, it was gone.

"Was that!? - How did!? - Did You!?" Barbadd was a bit tongue tied with amazement. "That was..."

"Magic, yes." Mage confirmed. "I am a Warlock. A fire warlock specifically. And I am here to deal with your dragon."