One Man's Will

Halberd left the cemetery. He didn't want to remember what · had taken place there years before. He traveled west towards · the only place he knew that a roc would live. The mountain · range of Warnil was the only place he had heard that had a · sighting of a roc a few years back. It would take a week to · reach the town of Dinav. It was the best place to go because · Dinav was a day from the mountains. · Halberd was deciding whether to continue this quest for the · child. It has taken him two days already, and he has no lead as · to where the child or the kidnapper could be. He seriously · didn't want to face a roc. It is a fearsome bird, many times his · size. "For the love of a woman," he sighed and started walking · with a slight limp towards Dinav. Unconsciously, Halberd had · just decided to find the child no matter what happens. · "Fool," mused the black-robed figure as he looked into the · shimmering crystal ball. The crystal ball showed the injured · Halberd is walking towards Dinav. "The fool is actually falling · into my trap. He is going for the Roc's lair," with a sinister · laugh, the mage continued to think. "Let us see if he will · survive fighting the Roc. If he does, he will still have to go · through two other ordeals. Should he succeed, he might prove to · be a useful tool," thought the mage as he talked to his pet snake · that was coiled around his lap. The mage stood up and checked on · the sleeping prisoner that he had taken. "She will be perfect · for the sacrifice. I am glad that I have not had to search far · for her. This is like killing two birds with one stone. I get to · kill Halberd as I killed his father, and I get to live forever." · laughed the mage. · Halberd reached Dinav as the sun was about to set. He found · an inn and went to sleep for the night. The night air helped him · go into a restful sleep. He took two days to rest so that his · body would heal. · He took the third day to look for a guide to Warnil, but no · one would go. He fell asleep still thinking about how he would go · about locating the Roc's lair. The moon rose high, and some · clouds covered it several times as it traveled through the night · sky. The shadows cast against the wall by the moonlight · included harlots trying to entice passing men and beggars. One · shadow wasn't seen, one that just entered a window of an inn. · The shadow moved slowly to the backpack that was on the · table. Opening it, the figure found only clothes and some food. · Shaking its head, it looks at the sleeping man. Slowly, he · approached the comatose form. Looking at the prone man, the · shadow checked out what he was wearing. Finding that there was a · pouch on the night table, he reached for it. As his hand covered · the pouch, a hand covered his wrist. In surprise, the shadow · withdrew his hand. The grip of the other hand was strong, and · the shadow saw the face of a man with eyes that seemed to cut · through his soul. The man took off the shadow's mask so fast · that the thief didn't even know that it was off until he felt the · breeze of the night air on his face. · "Please let me go," begged the thief, "I need money · to help my poor family." · The man looked at him for a few moments and let go. "Do not · steal, it isn't a very healthy occupation. Here's some money. I · hope your family makes good use of it," he offered. · The thief took the pouch and stared at the man in surprise. · He thought, "This guy must be a lunatic. No one would have given · me money, especially when he had caught me red-handed. I should · take this money and let him learn the way of the streets," but · something within him surfaced. A feeling that he never felt · before, the feeling of Guilt. · "I can't take your money," he pushed the pouch back into the · man's hand. He turned to the window and was about to jump out · when the man asked, "What's your name?" · "I am called Nyke," he replied. · "I'm Halberd. By the way, I think it would be best if you · used the door. It wouldn't be a good idea to let the watch spot · you climbing down a window," suggested Halberd. · Nyke nodded and headed for the door. · "By the way, do you know anyone who can lead me to Warnil?" · queried Halberd. · Nyke looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure you want to · go there?" Seeing the resolve in Halberd's eyes, he answered, · "I'll be able to guide you. I used to live a few miles from the · mountain range." · "Do you think we can head out on the morrow?" · "I think so. I'll have to prepare tonight. I will meet you · downstairs in the morning," said the brown-haired Nyke. · Halberd was awake as the sun began it's assent. He stepped · into the common room and spotted Nyke in a corner. He joined him · , and with a quick breakfast, they left the inn. · "Why am I doing this?" asked Nyke to himself. · The road was dusty, and the weather didn't help when it · started to rain. By nightfall, the two made camp at the base of · a mountain. One of the mountains that comprises the range of · Warnil. · "I'll take first watch," offered Nyke. Halberd looked at · him for a brief moment and nodded. · Halberd leaned against a boulder and closed his eyes. Nyke · watched the dark sky, hoping that it would stop raining. Two · hours passed by, and Nyke was starting to droop his head. The · rain had stopped. He was about to call Halberd when he saw · something move overhead and startled him. Nyke looked up. He · saw nothing but the clouds and the stars that played a small game · of hide and seek. He woke up Halberd and told him that it was · his watch. He went to sleep, hoping that whatever it was that · passed wouldn't return while he slept. · Nyke was blinded by the light when he opened his eyes. He · saw Halberd tending the campfire and cooking some food. He took · a quick look and saw that nothing had happened during his sleep. · Halberd looked at Nyke and then the mountain range. "You · have lived a long time in the city without money. An old legend · I remember being told to me concerns are treasure within these · mounts," he paused. "Do you still want to come with me or go · back to the city?" he asked after a few moments. · Nyke's mouth dropped at the mention of treasure. He quickly · tried to recover, but Halberd already saw his reaction and was · smiling. · "I guess that is a good indication that you will be staying · with me," smiled Halberd. · Nyke's response was a ready smile and a nod. · The path they followed led them to a level plateau. There · were remnants of old times. Bones littered the place, as well as · the scattered souvenirs of broken armor and weapons. A quick · check by both gave them the knowledge that these were once human. · Nyke shuddered at the thought of him ending up this way. · Halberd took one last look and led the way up another path. · Leaving Nyke thinking, "This guy must be so used to death. I hope · I was right in trusting him." · The climb was easy enough. Nyke kept looking over his · shoulder so that no one was following. The action was · commendable, but it was a mistake in this case. A boulder · smashed into his shoulder. Halberd was similarly injured. · They both quickly got up and had their backs to the side of · the path. Nyke looked up as Halberd looked ahead. They saw no · one. Halberd leaned close and whispered, "Giants. Have you ever · fought them before?" Nyke could only shake his head. · Several more boulders smashed a few feet away from them. · Halberd decided to take a quick look. He stepped out into the · open to see two giants coming his way. Both were sixteen feet · tall and wore animal hides. The giants also held huge clubs, · the size of small trees. Halberd braced himself for the attack. · One of the giants went for him and swung his club. Halberd · ducked underneath and slammed his fist into the giant's knee. · The creature howled out in laughter at the feeble attempt to hurt him. The other giant went for Nyke. · Nyke drew his short sword. The giant swung, and Nyke · narrowly avoided the blow. He quickly ducked under the giant's · legs and swung at his legs. The sword managed only a small cut · on the giant's thick hide. · Halberd breathed deep as the giant swung again. This time · Halberd dodged to the side and put his fists together. He knew · that if he didn't eliminate one, they would both end up dead. · Halberd slammed his fists on the giant's toes as hard as he could. · The giant yelled out in pain and lost his balance. The giant · teetered at the edge and then went tumbling down the mountainside. · Nyke heard the yell and looked over to see the giant fall. · The giant that was on him swung and smashed him against the · mountainside, knocking his breath away. Nyke tried to recover, · but the giant was too fast and swung again. Nyke barely managed · to duck underneath the blow. He could feel the solid wall behind · him quiver with the blow. Nyke pierced the giant's leg. The · giant's face went crimson in anger. · Halberd looked to see Nyke cornered against the mountain wall. · He looked around quickly and spotted Nyke's pack. He opened it · and found a dagger. Breathing deeply, he took one slow stride · after another. Creeping closer to the giant, Halberd jumped as · high as he could and slammed the dagger to the hilt into the · creature's back. He pulled himself up on it. The weight on the · dagger caused it to create a bigger wound. A small fountain of · blood gushed out of the giant. · Nyke saw Halberd's feet and braced himself for what his · companion was about to do. Seeing blood flow from the giant's · back, Nyke grew bolder and rammed his sword into its belly. The · giant fell to the ground, trembled for a few moments, and was · still. · Halberd watched the life of the giant leave its body. He · went over and closed its eyes. He looked up at Nyke and returned · his dagger. They both checked themselves and continued up the · mountain. · Both were wheezing for breath because of the altitude. · They stopped for a brief break. Halberd took the time to look · around and saw that they had traveled significantly up the · mountain. He gazed upwards and sighed as he saw that there was a · long way to go. · "Why can't Roc's live closer to the ground?" Halberd asked · himself as he motioned to Nyke to follow up again. Nyke could · only respond with a deep breath and stand up. Halberd sighted · something large and pointed at it. Nyke turned to look. It was · the Roc, and it was flying towards them. A few moments later, · Nyke realized that they were on the right mountain. The roc · landed far above them. · Four hours later, they reached level ground and found that · it is an edge of a small cliff. The cliff face also showed a · cave. An opening the size of five giants across and two giants · up. · Halberd looked at Nyke and whispered, "Are you up to what we · What are you going to face in there?" · Nyke looked at him and asked, "What's in there?" · Halberd looked at him, then at the cave, and answered. "The · Roc." · Nyke stared back and closed his eyes. "Treasure, think of · the treasure," he thought to himself. Opening his eyes, he · nodded to Halberd. · Slowly, they enter the dark cave of the Roc. Halberd lit a · torch and moved against the wall. Nyke followed. They could · hear the strong breathing of something big. A few more feet, and · they saw several feathers the size of their arms on the floor. · Nyke unconsciously gulped. Halberd's lips tighten and he moved · several more steps closer. He looked at the ground and checked · it thoroughly. There were no signs of small bones. · "So the child wasn't brought here. Why am I here? Where is · the child?" Halberd asked himself. · Nyke saw something glinting and moved forward to take a · better look. Halberd finished his checking and looked up as he · heard a gasp. Nyke was standing a few inches away from a talon · of the Roc. Halberd hoped the gasp didn't wake the creature. · Nyke slowly moved back. Halberd watched the bird as the · breathing seemed not to have changed. A snap rang through the · whole cavern. Nyke looked down and saw a bone underneath his · feet that had broken in two. · "Run," shouted Halberd. · Nyke didn't need a second shout and sprinted for the · opening. Halberd ran behind Nyke as he heard the roar of the · Roc. They both managed to get into the sunlight when the bird · caught up with them. · With a speed that defies its huge size, the Roc thrust its · beak down towards Nyke. Nyke managed to jump aside as the five · feet long beak hit the stone floor, making a hole in the solid · rock. Halberd's eyes widen at the size of the creature, but · he recovered in time to throw the torch at the bird. The Roc · screeched as the torch hit it, but the flames died as the torch · landed on the ground. · "Nyke, run for it!" shouted Halberd as he waved frantically · at the Roc to get its attention. The bird looked towards Halberd · and saw him running back into the cave. The bird quickly · followed back into the cave after Halberd. · Nyke looked at Halberd as he shouted. He turned and ran a · few steps and stopped. He turned back to see the Roc following · Halberd. Halberd was running into the cave. · "Damn, why did he do that? I am not even his friend." · muttered Nyke to himself. "I don't want him dead; he seems to be · a decent sort," he thought. He looked up at the sky and took a · deep breath. Unsheathing his sword, he went towards the cave · opening. He stopped at the entrance and did something for the · first time in his life. He prayed. · Halberd ran into the cave, without any light, he was blind. · He hoped that the Roc also had the same problem. He fell several · times as he heard the strong strides of the predator after him. · He fell into something that feels soft. He placed his hands out · and touched a warm, smooth surface. · "An egg?" questioned Halberd to himself. · A screech echoed through the cavern, making Halberd almost · deaf. The Roc knew the cavern well; it had lived here for · centuries. It was warming up its egg and hoped that today it · would hatch, but as it fell asleep, these small creatures · disturbed its sleep. The Roc thought that they were there to · hurt her offspring, and as such, it decided to give chase. · Halberd sat down and closed his eyes. He began to hum, · trying to keep calm. · The Roc reached its nest. It heard a hum near the egg. · Curiously, it sniffed at the air, then moved its head closer to · the sound. · Halberd calmed himself and felt a presence approaching near · him. He quickly tried to remember anything concerning a Roc. · Panic started to creep up his stomach. Just when he thought all · hope was gone, he remembered a legend of an elf talking to a Roc. · He opened his eyes and could see the shadow of the creature very · close to him. · Meekly, Halberd uttered, "Hello." · The Roc looked at the small man in front of her egg. The · man had just opened his eyes and said a greeting. She tilted her · head, trying to understand if this was a trick. Sensing that the · man in front of her isn't much of a danger, she sent out her · thoughts to him. · Halberd took even breaths, hoping that it would work. A · voice sprang into his mind saying, "Why are you here?" · Halberd looked at the bird. "Did you say that?" He could see · that the shadow moved up and down. "I am looking for a human · child. Have you seen any?" · "No, there are no younglings here. Only mine," sent the Roc. · Halberd nodded. He thought for a few moments and asked, "Has · Has anyone been here aside from my friend and me?" · "Yes, a man with a snake. He wanted me to guard something · for him." · Curious as to what the man wanted the Roc to guard and · queried, "What did he want you to guard?" · The roc picked up something behind the egg and dropped it on · Halberd's lap. · Nyke slowly crept up into the cave. He muttered about not · having light, but he continued inching his way towards to the · place where he and Halberd were before they ran out. He could · hear noises and hoped that it wasn't the bird eating Halberd. · Nyke figured he was too far. · Halberd unraveled the pack. Inside the pack was a child's · doll and a blue seashell. Halberd looked up and closed the · pack. · "Thank you. May I take this?" · "Yes, He left it. I didn't talk to him. I only let him · think that I would guard it." · Halberd stood up and was about to leave when he remembered · Nyke's wanting of treasure. He quickly looked around and spotted · something. "May I have this too?" · "Take what you will, just leave me and my youngling alone." · Halberd nodded, took a bundled item, and started for the · opening. · Nyke heard the noises stop. He slowly took another step. · Thinking that Halberd might be dead, he was deciding to leave · when a torchlight appeared. The man holding the torch was · Halberd. Nyke just stared at Halberd. · Halberd saw Nyke and tugged his sleeve and led him out. On · The way, Halberd smiled in the dark as he heard something · cracking. · "How'd you survive?" asked Nyke as soon as they reached · outside. · "I talked to the Roc," said Halberd with a straight face. · "By the way, I brought something for you." · Nyke took the bundle and opened it. The bundle revealed a · jeweled long sword. It looked very expensive. Nyke looked up at · Halberd to thank him, but saw him beginning his walk down the · slope. · "Hey, wait for me," He yelled out and tried to catch up to · Halberd. "Th... Thanks," he puffed as he reached Halberd. · Halberd nodded, but Nyke thought he saw a trace of a smile · leave Halberd's lips.