(Adventure Adrian and the Kings) The Herald Quest

Chapter Nine

NINE

“Mr Izanbar! You’re alive!” I cried with sheer joy as our mysterious visitor emerged from the carriage. I was convinced that he’d been killed during the school trip and that the gargoyles had managed to overpower him during the desperate fight. But here he was!

Jay looked at me with slight confusion. Because even though I could hardly remember where I was from or any details about this world… it seemed I knew this man very well indeed. I was so pleased to see my teacher again that I hadn’t even questioned the fact that he was here in this mystical place. 

“Of course I’m alive lad,” Izanbar said with a fresh and bubbly confidence. “I’ve fought off some of the cruellest demons this Kingdom has to offer!”

“It was just when I saw those beasts attack you I thought…” I whimpered.

“A few thick headed gargoyles were never going to get the better of me,” he bellowed with a smile. “And actually Adrian…I’m Professor Izanbar here…not Mr.”

“Oh right,” I stuttered with some surprise. From the corner of my eye I noticed Jay looking on and I could see that he didn’t quite understand what we were talking about

“Teaching you history was only a part time job in that world,” Izanbar began to explain and then seemed a little confused like he was struggling to remember.” I originally took that job because…well… I. Anyway in this world…I’m the Head of Heraldry College. 

I studied Izanbar more closely for a moment and he did look more important than before. The Professor now wore a well-fitted, dark grey, three-piece suit. And the way he acted had kind of changed too. Izanbar had even more presence of a leader here and walked with more authority than when he’d simply been my history teacher.

And I couldn’t help but dwell on his comment about him calling where we were now…‘this world.’ It was slowly becoming obvious to me that I wasn’t in another country at all. It seemed that from everything I’d heard…I had in fact travelled to another place entirely.

In some ways I had been kidding myself that the blow to my head might have caused me to hallucinate or this was somehow all a dream. Whatever was happening here…I didn’t feel scared in any way and I knew for now at least…that I had to simply go along for the ride.

“So how are you young Jacob?” Izanbar asked my new friend and patted him lightly on the head. It turned out that the Professor and Jay’s father were old friends since before the Kingdom War. It reminded me…I needed to find out more about what happened in this war I’d kept hearing about.

“I’m good thanks Professor,” Jay replied and was almost in ore of our guest as if he were of great importance. “Do you want to come inside for some goonaberry juice? I can make a fresh batch with the fruit we just picked.”

“I don’t believe I’ve ever tried goonaberry juice,” the Professor admitted with a light chuckle. “But no thank you. I’m afraid I’m here on official College business.”

“What kind of business?” Jay pried.

“I was wondering whether Adrian would like to take a ride back to the College with me,” Izanbar replied before he stared down at me and waited for a reply. “I was hoping he would tell us all about how he’d chased off the nasty Chimera.”

“That dog…goat…mutant thing,” I said with uncertainty.

“Indeed,” the Professor sighed and looked slightly disappointed. I imagined he had taught me all about this particular creature as part of our middle ages lessons and seemed annoyed…probably because I’d forgotten the details.