Life is as normal as normal can get with the threat of the evil mages inside their town. But nothing fazes the young 14 year old Robin. Robin is working in the square’s garden, tending to the old oak that gives life to them. Robin is cutting off the dead branches when his father calls him in to talk.
Father: Son, it has come to my attention that the branches hardly yield to your axe. You need to get it sharpened. Head on over to the smith and have him grind the edge to a point.
Robin: Yes Father. (starts walking towards the door)
Father: Oh, Robin? (Robin stops) Can you take my knife and ask the smith to sharpen that too?
Robin: Of course Father.
At the smith’s, the King’s favorite guard is close in the tavern with his two friends, gossiping about
how the king is getting older and he has no heir. Robins sees the smith in the tavern and decides to go get him. Robin starts toward the smith in the tavern when the next line stops him dead.
Guard 1: Well, he may not even last that long.
Guard 2: Why is that?
Guard 1: Well, the forces that the woodcutters saw in the woods have become stronger, and if we don’t subdue them soon, they will be bold enough to attack royalty.
Guard 3: Wow! Does the king know about this danger?
Guard 1: No, I haven’t talked about it with him. He has enough on his mind with negotiating the two peace treaties we need to stop this war. Anyway, let’s not worry about that. Cheers, boys!
They take a sip of their beerand Robin deems it safe to walk in. He walks toward the smith.
Robin: Smith, can you take my father’s knife and my axe and sharpen them for me?
Smith: Of course Robin.
After sharpening, Robin says something like, “It’s as good as new” and leaves for home.
Father: Wow, that smith of ours really knows how to do his job.
Robin doesn’t say anything, instead he walks into his corner of the house and writes himself a note on his wall. He plans to meet his friend at midnight tonight and share what he heard. Late that night, they meet in the dark castle square
Robin: Glad you could come, Christine. I found out a lot more today
Chris: Me too, Robin
Robin: You first then
Chris: Ok. So I found that there is an old secret base hidden in our land, and the mages are
using it!
Robin: Well, that puts my news to shame. I just found out from the Head Guard’s mouth that the forces are growing stronger. He doesn’t think the king will have enough time to get an heir to the throne before the forces attack.
Chris: That’s horrible! But news for us. We need to get people to act, now. I don’t know why they still let the mages live in our town if they could turn on us at any point.
Robin: Well, remember Chris, that the mages they have here are the ones that aren’t completely evil.
Chris: I still don’t trust them.
Robin: Don’t worry Chris. The Guards will keep them under house arrest.
Chris: I don’t trust them, Robin. I don’t trust any of them. I only trust my friend. You.
Robin: What will I protect you with, my axe?
Chris: This isn’t a laughing matter, Robin. I’m always scared at night, thinking the guards have fallen asleep and the mages will come and curse me to take everyone else away and kill them and…
Robin: Stop it Chris! You live closest to the castle. They would come for me and my father first.
Chris: Alright, fine.
Robin: Well, if you don’t trust the guards, let’s just go fight them all ourselves. Save the town, become the heroes, and get crowned prince and princess as heirs to the throne! (laughing the more they say)
Chris: YES! That’s it!
Robin: (stunned) I was only joking, Chris.
Chris: But that’s the perfect idea! We can get ourselves some decent weapons and find the base and get the Mages!
Robin: Chris, think reasonably. We, two fourteen year-olds, would be facing so many more full-grown adults with amazing powers. We wouldn’t stand a chance.
Chris: Come on, Robin! Think outside the box! We’ve never been allowed outside the town. And plus, I heard that there is a mage that is stuck in the tower but isn’t evil. We could get them on our side. Come on Robin! We need to take action, because nobody else will!
Robin: (sigh) I guess there’s no use arguing with you, then. But I don’t want to go now. I want to get a better weapon that my woodcutter’s axe. You hang around near the tavern and figure out about this good mage. The guards will let anything slip if they’ve had a good drink.
Chris: Ok, Robin! Good idea! Thanks! I have to go. My mom will worry so bad if I’m not at home. Bye! (walks fast off towards the castle)
Robin: I can’t keep up withher (walks toward house with wary glance toward the tower)
The next day, Robin saw Chris walking past the shop to go listen in on the guards in the tavern. Robin’s eyes stray back to the main shop. There, on the counter, is a beautiful steel sword with a matching shield. The shield has the Royal Family’s crest on it, the red dragon with his amber eyes shining. Robin starts walking toward the shop, drawn to the gleam of the pair.
Robin: Shopkeeper, where did you get this?
Shopkeeper: You know, it’s very strange. I found those a couple of days ago left outside my shop door. I had the guards test it for curses and all that, and it came out clean. So I decided to make a little coin and sell it.
Robin: How much is it going for?
Shopkeeper: 300 gold coins. It’s most likely to attract the guard’s families, I don’t expect a woodcutter or miner to want or need this.Why are you so interested in it anyways?
Robin: (taken aback) I-I-I think I just want to know about it. I like tha family crest on it. Wait, (looks closer at shield) there’s something written here on the backside.
Shopkeeper: Wait! Don’t touch the inscription. Set it down on the counter.
Robin: (sets it down and reads the inscription) Property of King Icarus and Queen Clarabell’s son, Prince Marcus
Shopkeeper: We never had a King Icarus. Must have been something a young guard’s kid did in a game.
Robin didn’t agree with this, but he didn’t want to get the shield taken away. It was perfect. He dashed home after saying goodbye to the Shopkeeper. Quickly he counted out the gold coins he had in his chest.
Robin: 153? That’s more than half of what I need!
Robin then ran over to the tavern where Chris was still listening to the guards.
Chris: Robin! What is it? Did you find something?
Robin: Yes, I found exactly what we need. Look over by the shop. What’s on the counter there?
Chris: Robin, is that a shield! And sword!
Robin: Yes, and they’re 300 gold coins as a pair. We need them, but I only have 153. Do you have enough?
Chris: (mysterious look) Come with me.
Robin and Chris walked over to Chris’s house together, not speaking at all. When they got there Chris waved Robin over to her corner of the house.
Chris: Look at this.
Chris opens the chest, and Robin gasped in awe. Inside is a good-sized pile of gold coins.
Chris: I’ve never spent any of the money I make on useless things. I knew we would need some money for something special.
Robin: Chris, are you sure that you want to spend some of this on a shield and sword?
Chris: I’m sure, Robin, Have you ever seen anything more that could help us against them? This would deflect anything!
Robin: Well, let’s count out how much I need to take from the pile.
Chris and Robin count out all the coins that Chris has. When they’re done, they’re sitting in a pile of gold coins while the sun is low in the sky. They had counted out over 400 gold coins in all!
Chris: Quickly! Take the 150 coins and go buy the sword and shield!
Robin: Chris, only one of us could use the pair. Are you sure you want to buy them if one of us would be vulnerable?
Chris: (almost mad) Robin, think of this as an early birthday present, Christmas, I don’t care. It’s for you. I’ll get my own gear. Just go, before some snotty brat gets them first!
Robin blinked at her, never before seen her this mad. Then he nodded and sprinted to the shop. He slowed down before the shopkeeper saw him, and walked slowly up there.
Robin: Shopkeeper?
Instead of the shopkeeper, her daughter Rosalyn turned around and asked him what he needed.
Rosalyn: Robin? Why are you so red? (concern)
Robin: (wiping his face on his sleeve) It doesn’t matter. I’ve come to buy that. (points at the shield and sword)
Rosalyn: Ok, sure. 300 gold coins please. (when Robin reveals the coinpurse, Rosalyn’s eyes bulged.) Where did you get all that? (looking into his eyes, she knew) Christine, huh? Listen, let me give you some general advice here. Expand your horizons. There’s more girls out there than just her. (Rosalyn gives him a sappy smile)
Robin: (red-faced) thanks for the advice. Can I buy the sword now?
Rosalyn:Sure, here. (puts it on the table) When you found that inscription, the guards had to check it again. There’s nothing to it, luckily.
Robin: Thanks, Rosalyn. (he turns, still embarrassed.)
Robin slowly straps the sword and shield to his back. They were surprisingly light for pure metal. He took a few practice steps, getting used to the sword on his back, then pulled it out and gave a few swings, making sure nobody was around to watch. Rosalyn is in the background, watching him with a lone look in her eyes. Robin walked back to Chris’s house, making as little noise as he could.
Robin: Christine! I’m back. And I got them.
Christine appears from the small kitchen in their house. The sunset cast a yellow glow on her face, so much that she looked like someone from another world. Robin shakes his head a bit to clear his thoughts.
Chris: Good, I was sure some other kid would’ve gotten them for some useless purpose
Robin: (smiling mysteriously) and I don’t think these are as simple and innocent as they might think. Look at this on the back. (he shows her the names on the back.)
Chris: Marcus, Marcus. I know that from somewhere. Where did I hear that name? (looks confused, then look terrified, excited, and I-wish-I-didn’t-think-of-that all in one) Robin, Marcus is the good mage! I know that, because those drunk guards kept talking about how Prince Marcus might refuse power because he doesn’t want it. Thats it!
Robin: But Christine, if that’s true, that would mean that this shield has magical power. Even though he’s good, that’s his only weapon. The problem is, the power is concealed enough for the mages in the castle to not detect it. What chance do we have of cracking the code?
Christine doesn’t answer that, instead she turns to the shield, and before Robin can stop her, she rubs her pointer finger along the words “Prince Marcus”
Robin: Chris! What are you doing! It could be cursed!
And she stepped away from the shield, because it started emitting dark purple smoke. Then it let out one puff of clear white smoke, and it cast towards them. Robin backs away fast, but Chris just stood there. The white smoke engulfed her. After delivering whatever it needed to, it sped towards Robin. Robin flinched, but the smoke didn’t hurt. Instead, it felt warm, and someone’s voice was whispering in his ear. “The Perfect person to help me, you must come to the mage tower tomorrow at midnight. Buying the shield, you are cursed to carry out this task. Refuse, and you will be transported here anyway. Come and destroy the darks forces known as King Icarus and Queen Clarabell of the Dark.
Robin and Chris stumbled a few steps to the door, and almost fell over themselves to get out. They slowly walked around to Robin’s small house, with a clear view of the tower. They fall in the grass, breathing heavily.
