Hero's Journey

Chapter 37

Kagon's eyes crack open, the whole world looks blurry and disoriented.  When he attempts to sit up a sharp pain pierces through his head and he lets out a loud groan.

"Kagon?"  A voice asks worriedly from beside him.

His scribe. 

"Aye, lass." Kagon says, then at last his gaze comes into focus and he remembers that he should not be in the living room on a plush couch, but in the cave, on a hard stone floor.

"What happened?"  Kagon asks quickly, sitting the rest of the way up though pain throbs in his head like the beat of a harsh drum.

Delia bites her lip for a moment before talking, nervousness lacing her voice.  "Well, when we were fighting the creature in the cave it...."  She hesitates, "....it knocked you out."

Kagon's jaw drops.  Knocked me out?!  I was bested?!

The writer continues. "I protected you the best I could with my lack of training, but there was no way the creature would let me leave.  They just kept taunting me.  Thankfully Kipdale was able to make them retreat and we carried you back here."  She finishes.

"Kipdale?"

Delia nods.  "The boy that melted us from our icen prisons back in Pik.  He also was with me for awhile at the refugee camp." Delia says.

Kagon raises an eyebrow.  "Him?  How did he find us?"

Delia shrugs.  "I don't know, but it is a good thing that he did."

"I suppose." Kagon relents.

"Ah, so I see you're awake."  Azzbell says, sauntering into the room. She looks Kagon up and down for a moment.  "And taking your failure surprisingly well."  She adds with a smirk.

Her words aren't really true.  Inside Kagon is reeling.  He hasn't been defeated in such a long time and it is almost too much for him to wrap his head around.  It takes him back to the day when he wasn't able to protect his family.

"I can't believe it."  Kagon mutters aloud.

Hearing this, Azzbell jumps at the opportunity to state her opinion.  "I can't either, but it is not like you are perfect.  Besides, you probably wouldn't of failed if you would of just listened to Delia."

Delia's face reddens, then she says tentatively.  "It's true, we should of researched more.  We needed more information about the creature."

Kagon feels angry as he lays his head back down.  Maybe I should of listened to the lass after all.  As I first noticed when I allowed her to journey with me --she is clever.

"Both of you, leave me.  I have some things to think about."

"Of course."  Azzbell says, looping her arm through Delia's and nearly dragging the girl out of the room.

The door shuts with a thump, leaving the hero to his thoughts.

〰〰〰

"Will Kagon be okay?  He was acting strange."  Delia asks as Azzbell pulls her down the hallway and away from the living room.

"Don't be such a worried house-wife." Azzbell jests with a chortle.  "He'll be fine.  The only thing that was really wounded was his pride."