Threat Unknown

Lionel took in the scene before him; Drindle's pale face was a stark comparison to the dark red blood. Lionel stammered out a question never taking his eyes off the dried gore.

"Wh.. What happened?"

"I farted"

the old man's straight face contrasted with his joking comment. Lionel didn't know how to react.

Drindle smiled with a cold gleam in his eye. "It appears sleeping beauty is finally up and a about. Can't say the sleep helped your looks any. Heh heee."

Lionel couldn't understand why Drindle was playing around while covered in blood.

"How did you get hurt?"

"Oh stop worrying ya ninny. This isn't my blood. I'm not sure why but all the Gardgans from the valley attacked us last night. I had to pack everything up and send the carriage on its way. Lucky for someone.. they got a full night's rest. Anyone ever tell you, you sleep like a stump?"

'Why would they attack us?' Lionel thought while peering at the old man.

Drindle stepped over the bench and into the cargo area. The cargo bay was big enough for six or seven people to stand side by side with plenty of room to spare. In the far back of the wagon Drindle had all of his crates and chests stacked.

the old man went to one and opened the lid. He turned his head toward Lionel and arched an eyebrow. "Ya know I was only joking yesterday when I said I would take off my robe for ya. Turn around so I can get this blood cleaned off of me."

Lionel immediately realized Drindle was going to change his robe. While Lionel turned to face the waxed canvas. He asked a question that was bothering him.

"Why do you think the Gardgans attacked us"

There was a moment of silence followed by the sound of clothes hitting the wooden floor of the wagon.

"I'm not quite sure.. I'm dressed. did you save me any of that food for me?" Drindle spoke while making his way to the chest behind the driver's bench. "It seems you've read some of the books I gave you. What did you think?"

Lionel turned to face the old man careening into the chest. Drindle was pulling out what remained of the bread, when Lionel replied. "How many Gardgans attacked the hut?"

"Twenty or more, I stopped counting once I got the wagon flying." Drindle replied while taking a bite of the bread; his thin wisp of hair bobbed up and down as he chewed.

"Have they ever attacked you like that before?" Lionel spoke before letting Drindle swallow.

"Na... buch.. dey.. deem..du.. fink.. I.. ave.. dumfin.. empo.. tent.." Lionel couldn't make out what the crooked man replied.

Drindle swallowed what was in his mouth and looked at Lionel with his eyebrows raised. It appeared he was expecting something.

"What did you say?" Lionel said while trying to figure out what the old man wanted.

"See boy this is why it is important to have manners. How can you have a conversation when someone is scarfing down food like a dragon?" it seemed Drindle meant his mumblings from the day before. "What I said was 'No, but they seem to think I have something important.'"

"What's so important that they would attack you?" Lionel couldn't understand what would make a creature march to its death. When Lionel looked at Drindle he couldn't imagine one of those creatures marching willingly to face him.

"Well I have only gained one new stowaway since the last shifting, so I was hoping you could answer that question for me." The old man replied with the same arch of his eyebrows, expecting a response.

"Me?!.." Lionel felt incredulous. What could he possibly have that those vile creatures would want. he decided to see if Drindle knew. "What do I have that they could want??"

"Ah.. Figured as much. I'm honestly not sure. Ever since you opened my chest and stole my amulet I have had a tingling sensation all over."

Speaking of the Amulet reminded Lionel of questions he still hadn't answered. he immediately started blurting out questions that had built up since he first saw the blurry figure on the mountain.

"What was that Velthum I saw on the peak? How did I absorb that amulet into my skin? What was that amulet thing anyway?" He listed other questions off to the old man; how was the wagon flying, how did magic work, why did the old man leave him with books to read, and how did he even have time to put that stuff in the chest for him.

"First off, give me time to answer one question at a time. Keep in mind I also want answers from you." at those words Drindle sat on the chest facing Lionel. it appeared the boy had his full attention.

*

*

*

Drindle and Lionel spoke for quite sometime. Their conversation was aimed at finding the cause of the Gardgans attack. They had yet to conclude their discussion but the morning light was starting to shine through the wagon canvas.

Lionel told Drindle about his whole life; from being a boy born to poor parents; to the time his mother died. Drindle would comment here and there and ask questions of Lionel about his childhood. Drindle seemed particularly interested in Lionel's father and asked what he looked like. Lionel explained his father's appearance and nothing more was said about it. It seemed Lionel wasn't the cause of the beasts attack. Lionel had spoken for the majority of the time so he sat expectant waiting for the geezer to pick up the conversation.

After learning from Lionel, that he was just an ordinary kid whose parents were murdered; Drindle began to answer Lionel's questions. Drindle started by telling Lionel how he got the carriage packed and on its way while being under attack by the Gardgans. Apparently when Drindle had gone to bed he summoned the storm that surrounded the hut. It let Drindle know when something or someone was approaching. it was a habit of Drindle's to use the storm when he was busy or sleeping. It always gave him enough time to either be prepared fight or to run. If Lionel hadn't been sleeping the old man would have just run. Lionel wondered why the old man hadn't noticed him when he first climbed to the peak. Drindle's reply was quite harsh. "If you're half dead, I'd have no idea you were there. When I found you, you were curled up in a ball. I thought you were dead; if I hadn't seen the Velthum enter you I would have just left ya there."

Drindle then spoke of the Velthum on the mountain. He told Lionel the only interesting features that he noted was that the Velthum was already on the mountain when he had arrived 10 years prior. Drindle had tried to subjugate the Velthum for 10 years! Lionel could barely accept that, and asked if it was normal for it to take that long to subjugate a Velthum.

Drindle shrugged off that question with an annoyed glance. "I haven't ever taken that long. Really annoys me when a standard 2 day job turns into 10 years, then a good for nothing squirt comes by and snatches up my prize." as Drindle spoke his annoyed gaze turned into a sour one. His lips pursed and his eyebrows furrowed. "I never even got the stupid thing to speak to me." It seemed the old man was pouting

"Well what about the Amulet then, what is that thing? Do you think the Gardgans came after us because of it?" Lionel asked earnestly he wanted to figure out what the Gardgans wanted.

"I don't know what the amulet is. I haven't had that box open since I got it more than a hundred years ago." the geezer's face scrunched up even more. As he crossed his arms over he chest he grunted "Hurmph..."

Lionel sat there feeling incredulous, that box hadn't been open in who knew how long. Drindle hadn't even been able to open it. 'I wonder what that amulet was.' as Lionel sat thinking the grumpy old man raised one eyebrow while keeping his lips pursed.

"I didn't even get a good look at the stupid thing before you went and absorbed it.."

"I did." Lionel replied.

The old man's face lit up as he asked "Well what'd it look like? spit it out now" His impatience could be seen across his face.

"I want you to teach me to be an Enthraller"

The old codger's mouth dropped open. His face appeared stupified. "What the hell do you think the books are for?!"

"I want you to teach me, not me to have to read it and figure it out." Lionel knew he was asking too much. He couldn't help it though he wanted to be stronger so nothing would happen to him like what happened to his parents.

The old man had his sour expression on his face again as he glared at Lionel. "Fine, but you will do exactly as I say when I say it. Understood." Lionel nodded at those words. "I want you to draw what you remember of that amulet as well"

Lionel was super excited. Drindle handed him a quill, ink, and a scrap of parchment from one of the crates. Lionel quickly sketched what he remembered of the amulet. He drew the circular shape of the exterior. When he started to draw the tree trunk with 4 limbs Drindle jumped up and snatched the paper.

"This! Are you sure this is what it looked like?!" The old man was staring at the paper mesmerized.

"Yes, it's exactly like I remember it."

The old man took his eyes from the paper with a large grin on his face. His eyes were wide as he spoke to Lionel. "We have to go to the capital of Wastrial, then we are headed to the Grand Library."