The Warlock

"Odin, don't play too close to the edge; you could fall and be injured." Looking at her son jogging alongside the banks of a river, a lady shouted while standing some distance away. The boy was trying to catch the colorful butterflies. The woman finished gathering the herbs by the side and smiled softly before walking over to the boy. Odin was so focused on catching butterflies that his toe brushed up against a rock and he slipped.

"Ooodinn." The woman yelled and rushed in terror. But before he could sink into the river's current, two powerful arms gripped him securely. Looking at the person who held his hands, the boy chuckled a little.

"Father." He spoke in an innocent tone.

"Are you wounded in any way? Show me." The woman knelt down to see her son and hugged him when she discovered no scratches on his body. She reprimanded him, "I told you to be careful," her face showing anxiety and worry. Odin squirmed free of her hold and ducked behind his father, grabbing hold of his right leg.

"Your mother is worried about you, Odin." His father replied as he fluffed the young boy's hair. He turned around and took him in his arms. The boy immediately put his arms around his father's neck. "You should listen to your mum." The youngster lifted his head from the crook of his father's neck, his eyes glazing over with intent. "What if I had not arrived on time?"

"I was just trying to catch them, I'm sorry." He then turned to face his mom.

"It's all right, darling, just be careful all the time." The woman tenderly stroked his hair. "Let's head home." Odin leaned into his father's embrace and nodded gladly.

"He used to play by himself. He used to chase butterflies or assist me in picking vegetables while other kids went around fighting." While pouring tea for Hermes and the king, the older woman said. " He stood out from the crowd". She sat down next to her husband with a smile on her face."

"As soon as he did something wrong, he would always flash us his goofy smile." As he sipped his tea, the elderly man spoke. "He was enthralled by reading."

"Odin, let's play." He heard a boy his age yell. Odin peered out the window to find his friends standing outside his door, waiting for him.

"No, I need to complete this book. Have fun, you all." Odin yelled in response.

"Why don't you go, sweetie?" his mother murmured from behind him.

"But the book."

"You may read it later; it's not going anywhere."

"Odin, come on, we're missing a team member to evenly split a team." The boy yelled once again. Odin once more turned his attention in their direction as he considered what to do.

"Go, sweetheart." She picked up the book and bent the right corner of a page to make a mark on the page he was reading. "Here, now you'll know where you were reading." She repositioned the book on the bed.

"Okay." Odin yelled and thanked his mum before heading out to play with his friends.

Hermes and the king were listening to the woman and his husband patiently. "We used to live near the town before." The woman said. "But one night changed everything." The horror crept upon the faces of the elderly couple. Their smile fell and frown took over.

It doesn't feel right, Odin, sweetheart." The woman uttered in a disturbed voice. Odin turned into a wonderfully gorgeous man as he grew older. His brilliance was praised all across town, and women his age would drool over his smile. He was given a position as a counsellor in the king's castle because of his considerable knowledge. He was delighted and eager to share the news with his parents. His mother, however, behaved differently. She was Even though they were delighted that Odin had been chosen to serve as a counsellor at the castle, his mother couldn't help but feel dreadful.

"I can use my skills to the utmost extent by doing this, mother, so please let me do it." He put his hand on his mother's shoulder. His eyes had a happy quality to them, as though they contained the entire world. Perhaps Odin never left her side, which is why she felt this way? He should probably travel the world, maybe Odin is correct. Her mother's instincts, however, were too strong for her to ignore.

"Our son is now an adult, Eldora. He needs to see the world." Odin's father stated this as he patted his son on the back. Eldora smiled back at Odin and nodded her head as she let go of her son as each last bit of tension vanished from her body as he flashed his goofy smile.

Odin waved them goodbye and turned around to enter the cart that was waiting for him outside his door.

Days passed, then months and years. Odin had gone to serve the king for two years and hadn't returned. Odin's mother always waited for him and always prepared an extra meal in case Odin returned unexpectedly. Every month, they would receive a letter with money and sometimes gifts in which Odin stated that he was doing well and working hard. Odin's mother had saved every letter she had received and placed them in a trunk.

Eldora observed a strange figure standing across from her house on the other side of the road one night as she was packing up for the day and about to turn off the lights. She massaged her eyes, believing her mind was playing tricks on her, but the silhouette didn't move. His physique was robust, with broad shoulders. Eldora became afraid as he appeared to be laden with weapons.

When the mysterious figure approached her, she grabbed a stick from the ground to defend herself and yelled for her husband. When the light from the burning torch landed on the strange figure, the stick fell from Eldora's grip. Odin stood in front of her, his goofy smile on his face. Eldora couldn't believe what she was seeing and covered her mouth with her hand. Odin's father panicked and hurried outdoors.

"I missed you." Odin muttered.

"He did return, but he was no longer the same silly boy," the woman lamented. "His eyes were full of fire, not curiosity, as they had always been." She turned to face her husband.

He said he received new information and training while in the castle. The environment had altered, and the tea and pastries on the table had long since been forgotten. "He mentioned other dimensions and magic, and he expressed an interest in learning it."

"Did he learn magic?" Inquisitively, Hermes questioned her. The woman shook her head.

"We have no idea; he left."

"There was a barbarian invasion. They made the town of contented residents chaotic. They were cruel and slaughtering innocent people without showing mercy." The elderly man displayed the scar that extended from his neck to his chest. "Women were taken by them and they locked they in the city hall, everyone was able to fit in the hall because the town was small."

The king inquired, "What about your son, Odin?"

"We are unsure. We were there for who knows how long till a bright light abruptly lit up the sky. The next thing we noticed was that the hall door was wide open after we had lost all sight of everything." The woman spoke.

"And the next thing we noticed were empty roadways, as if the barbarians had disappeared into thin air and had never arrived."

"What happened just now? Were we hallucinating?" From behind, one of the women stated. When Eldora turned to check for her husband, she discovered him sprawled out on the floor with a pile of clothing surrounding him. She hurried over to see him and saw that he was unconscious, maybe from blood loss. Along with other injured individuals, he was brought to the healers.

The incident that occurred was the subject of rumors. Everyone was perplexed and unable to make sense of anything. Odin's father's wound was attended to by the healer, who also gave him a tonic to ease his discomfort. After a while, Odin's father was able to relax. Although he appeared in good health, a small amount of pain flowed down his left side.

All of a sudden, the crowd began to part to make place for someone. The path was soon made clear, and the king's guards sprung into action to surround the townspeople with a human barrier. After a little period of silence, a stranger walking behind him with a cart broke the stillness that had enveloped the entire area. He was moving slowly, his face concealed by a large cowl that engulfed his hands, feet, and face. He moved cautiously in the direction of Eldora and her husband. Eldora gave the person a perplexed look.

"He devoted his life to his people." Eldora continued looking at the speaker since she was unable to understand what they had said. He removed a small object from his pockets, a ring. "Here, it is a ring of hope". He stretched Eldora's hand and put the ring on it.

"What are you saying?" Eldora quietly enquired.

Eldora's eyes grew wide with terror as the cloaked individual moved aside. A man was carrying a lifeless body on his shoulders. The dead body was laid on the velvet cloth that had been spread out on the ground by him. It was Odin, lifeless on the ground. Odin's head was placed on Eldora's lap as she raced towards her lifeless son, her cheeks wet with recent tears. Odin's father was assisted in walking by a few people, and he sat next to Eldora. The air was filled with cries and wails, and sympathetic eyes were fixed on them.

"Save my son, please." Looking at the healers who were standing out to the side and some distance away, Eldora sobbed. Their heads were lowered. Eldora shrieked as she turned to face the hooded guy. "Save my son, please."

"I can't do that." As he spoke severely, the person's voice was devoid of emotion. Eldora pleaded with the gods to save him, but to no avail. The hooded individual just remained motionless.

"Why? You're a powerful warlock, aren't you? How come you can't save my son?" Eldora screamed her heart out. Without saying anything, the warlock moved gently in their direction until stopping at a secure distance.

Although I can make your son come to life, he will only be a puppet. Who would stand if you instructed him to sit if you said, "Do you want that?" Warlock in a hood said without raising his voice. Eldora shook her head as tears continued to trickle down her cheeks. " The promise ring is your son's last cry." He spoke.

Eldora turned to face his son, who appeared to be sleeping soundly and bore no signs of scratches or bruises on his body or face, giving the impression that he had passed away quietly. Something wasn't right. How did he die if he never encountered any barbarians?

Eldora stood up to take the used dishes after wiping a single tear from her face.

"But what was the name of the man under the hood? where did he go, then?" The king inquired

"We don't know; he suddenly vanished, and no one in town recalls what happened or the hooded figure we saw." The woman spoke once more. "He doesn't have a name or an address." She displayed the ring that the mysterious man in the hood had given her. It was a lovely ring with a blue stone in the middle.

"He responds when he is called. Some claim that he hears our cries and responds to them." In a somber voice, the man spoke. "We then traveled here, distant from the city. That's all we know."

The king and Hermes returned to the shed because it was getting late in the evening. They had the impression that there was something lacking from the entire narrative. How did Odin pass away? What made the warlock appear? Why do residents of the town not remember him?

"Your Majesty, I understand what you're thinking." Hermes rolled over and cocked his head to the side. The king also turned to face him.

"So, you must be aware of my plans."

Hermes hummed in answer, shifting his attention back to the ceiling." I thought the same thing."

"So..."

"Let's go tomorrow early."

"Who is the king once more?" Alaric made a lighthearted remark.

"My apology to your majesty." Hermes apologized and straightened up in his seat. The king laughed out loud as he turned to face Hermes.