Untold Tales of Kalda: Melinar, the Stonemason [COMPLETED] ✔️

6 - Shock

Shock

Shrilled screams awoke Melinar.

He tossed aside a thin blanket, leaping from the sofa where he had fallen asleep.

Frantic cries echoed through the house, undoubtedly Veydina.

What now?! Melinar bemoaned, rounding the corner and dashing into the kitchen.

Veydina was against the wall opposite the window allowing a view to the rear yard and the workshop. With a trembling hand, she pointed to the window, frantically screeching incoherent nonsense.

Melinar glanced out the window, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

I should still check the yard, he thought, darting to the home's rear entrance. He kept a sheathed sword near the door–not that this particular part of Tor was prone to crime. Melinar was his father's son, and that meant having a weapon handy to defend his family.

With sword in hand, Melinar bolted through the door, searching the yard. All was quite.

Was she pointing at the workshop? he wondered. The kitchen window was aligned with one of the workshop's window.

After determining the yard was safe, Melinar hurried to his workshop. The door was closed and locked, just as he had left it. Melinar unlocked the door and hurried inside. He started upon seeing the statue.

Melthas Dol'shir's likeness was not at all how Melinar had left it. The statue had moved, and the stone weapons were inside the once empty scabbards.

"Heleron's Fins and Scales..." Melinar cursed, shaking his head.

The statue had moved. But how? And the swords... each weight so much that one alone required five men to move it.

"What's going on here..." he muttered, cautiously picking his way toward the statue.

No longer was the statue gazing skyward. In fact, its head was tilted toward the door, and the expression on its face was no longer stoic.

Impossible...

As Melinar came within arm's reach of the statue, the workshop's door burst open and he spun to see Veydina leaning against the doorframe.

"It... it..." she muttered, shaking her head.

It... Melinar wondered, was she referring to the statue?

"It... it moved–" Veydina swallowed hard.

"The statue moved?" Melinar asked. He couldn't help but stare at her with a slack jaw. "What do you mean it moved? It's stone... it can't do that."

Veydina's eyes widened and she staggered backward as a booming voice spoke from behind Melinar.

"I would disagree with that assertion."

Melinar spun, drawing the sword from it sheath. Instinctively, he dropped into a battle stance–one of many his father had taught him. Though Melinar was not a warrior, he knew how to defend himself.

He frantically searched the workshop, but saw no one... and then Melinar saw the impossible.

The statue's stony legs shifted.

Melinar redirected his gaze, finding the statue of his grandfather staring directly at him, a broad smile forming across the stony visage.

"Don't be afraid," the statue said with that booming voice. "I won't hurt you. My name is Melthas Dol'shir." Though the words were deep there was something soothing to them.