Role

Chapter 6

It was a gloomy day in Galadon. The clouds were dark and ominous and a light
drizzle had just begun. As the day wore on the sound of rain became louder
and louder on the tiles of our little stores roof. My dad was at his desk
like always and I was reading through herald missives and stories from the
local news of all the major cities. Some of the papers were a little old,
especially the one from Seantryn as it had come a long way. My father keeps
telling me that one of these days he is going to take me there and show me
the great palace of the Empress. He says he saw her once from a distance and
that she was radiant in a dark way. I dont know that I believe him, he
tells a lot of stories. Of course, he always makes sure I know that it was
from his days as a villager, before he retired to be a private eye full time.
It seems like such boring work, what he does. Like he says though, it pays
the bills, and sometimes, its exciting. All I ever hear are stories. Grand
stories, mind you, but stories all the same. Dragons and wizards, warlocks
and goblins, are not uncommon to hear from him. He has toned down his
storytelling a bit lately. I think it is because he knows I will be choosing
a guild soon. Im fast approaching my thirteenth birthday after all.

The stories have lessened, but our sparring with weapons has increased.
Every now and then when things are slow he will set the bell on the door and
we will go into the back room of the store. Since we dont deal in goods
like other retailers, we have a large storage area that he turned into a
personal gym. Lately I have really grown accustomed to the spear and stave.
He offers me great compliments on the speed of my hands with them. I think
he is secretly hoping that I will take up his specialty from the guild of
warriors. Being the good father that he is though, he knows it would go a
long way should I choose a more stealthy profession. He doesnt have to warn
me about magic, so Im sure he isnt worried about me choosing a magical
guild. Looking back, all those sleepless nights I had as a child because of
the nightmares of his story really did the job. Mom used to scold him for
it, but I think deep down they both knew it was the right thing to do. So
many of our race have been giving in to the sweet seduction that magic
offers. I know enough to know that once you start down that path, it only
ends in your inevitable quest for more and more, only to find an abrupt and
deadly end. Yes, yes, I know, some can cheat death and all of that, but no
felar has ever obtained that status, and what must you give up? Me, I like
the taste of fish to much to give up eating food all together. No magic for
me, thats for sure.

Anyway, the rain was coming down in sheets that gloomy day when a dark figure
strode into our storefront. He was garbed in a black hooded cape and had a
large axe on his belt. Just as I turned to greet the customer my father
looked up and shouted a curse. He told me to run but the man caught me in
his large ebony hand. He threw me against the wall and everything went dark.
Im not sure how long I was out, but when I woke the wall opposite of me was
on fire and my father was locked in a deadly struggle with the man. His hood
was thrown back and I could see he was a duerga