Legends: The Folklore Trilogy Book 2

Chapter 26-Where We Learn From a Rock

I slowly trotted to a stop. In the back of my mind, I wondered how I even knew how to trot, but decided not to question it too deeply.

"Dude, that was awesome," Deynan gushed. "We were running so fast I thought we were going to hit those trees but we dodged them like zoom, zoom, zoom, oh man I thought I was going to die!" He transformed back into human and fell to the ground, laughing. "That was the freakiest, awesomest moment of my life."

I slowly let the imaginary air wash over me. My hands were shaking. "Um, but let's NOT do it again."

"Agreed," Isaac said, running his hands through his hair, having returned to human form.

"Back to Fivendor, then?" I suggested.

"Yeah, I mean, he has our stuff," Deynan muttered walking back the direction we came.

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Fivendor looked upset when we found him. Glynneria was crying. I frowned. I cupped my hands around my mouth, shouting, "hey!"

Glynneria gasped and looked up in amazement. Fivendor's eyes widened in wonder. "Wh-what?"

"Wow, you look like you've seen a ghost or something," Deynan snickered.

Fivendor stood up, his mouth opening and closing in amazement, gesturing wildly with his hands in the absence of words. Finally he gulped and spoke. "How are you...you...?"

"What, alive?" I asked in confusion. He nodded slowly. Deynan laughed. "That's only the fourth Tempter we've beaten up in the past week, man."

"I wouldn't say beaten up," Isaac mused, "so much as scared away."

"Let him dream," I muttered. Deynan shoved me.

"That's incredible," Glynneria whispered. Deynan bowed and I rolled my eyes.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but we really should be going," Isaac said apologetically.

"No, I understand," Fivendor said, still a bit in shock. He picked up the scroll and handed it to me. "Take care of your imp. I would imagine kindness would make him more complacent. He probably knows more than he's letting on." He shook his head slowly. "How I wish your friend could teach me how to bind an imp. My!"

"Maybe he can," I said with a grin, slinging my backpack up onto one of my shoulders. "We might come back someday, when this whole business is over."

"Oh, ah, that's not necessary," he said hastily. But I could see the gleam in his eyes. I doubted his curiosity could ever be satisfied.

"It was nice meeting you," Isaac said, as we began to walk away. Deynan waved.

Fivendor looked at me intensely. "If anyone can save this island, it's you boys," he whispered firmly. I nodded once, trying to look brave.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Deynan yelled back.

Fivendor came me one more nod. I turned around and ran.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He was nice," Isaac said finally. "I feel bad for him."

"I don't," I said decidedly.

"Harsh," Deynan commented, raising an eyebrow.

"No, seriously," I protested. "He was curious. He wouldn't ever have been satisfied with the trivial elf life."

"But he wouldn't have known those awful things," Isaac stressed. "Don't you ever wish you could go back to your childhood when EVERYTHING was perfect?"