A Bard Christmas, Part 1

The old man sat by the fire, snoring comfortably as he dreamed of an endless fountain of hot cider. He was wrapped in a red and green knit blanket and lay sideways on the sofa, mouth agape with his own unconsciousness.
Suddenly, the door behind him flew open, and in ran three loud young children, followed by their mother and a strong gust of icy wind.
"Shhh! Quiet! Grandpa's sleeping!" she whispered. (The mother, not the wind, although if the wind should whisper to you, you should listen.)
"No, too late. I'm long past any point of returning to sleep," called the grandfather. "Is it bedtime yet?" He somewhat waddled into the kitchen where the mother stood, pouring a mug of cider.
"Yes, dad. Would you mind? They love your stories."
"Seems to me you aren't the only one to do that anymore," he replied. He turned to the stairs and began to climb them. He paused for a moment, deep in thought, but continued up the carpeted slope.

"Where did we leave off? Hmm?" the old man asked his grandchildren.
"The weasel! The weasel!" cried the youngest, whose farthest memory was the tales from the summer before.
"Yeah! The weasel guy showed up, and Gizmo wrote all those stories down!" yelled his grandson, dramatically portraying each event as he mentioned it.
"Ahh yes!" remembered the old man. "Well, you see, the Bards themselves moved on. I'm not entirely sure how, but I do remember one specific instance when they came together again."

It was a snowy night, much like the one that the old man slept through. In fact, it was EXACTLY like that night; it makes for a more dramatic transition, an easier visualization, and a more sinister intro. If this were a movie, I would take the camera out their window, fade in the logo, and fade in the dark shadow on the right.
This dark shadow was a walking figure. Huddled in a dark green cloak, he (or she, for all you know) struggled through the ankle-deep snow. He (or she) was blinded by the swirling winds around him, and bitter cold lined his bearded face (so yes, it is a "he." Or, a very ugly "she." But it's my story, so it's a "he.") In front of him, a cabin in the woods (true story) became a beacon of hope, a lighthouse to guide him to shelter. As he approached the door, he began to black out. Before he knew it, he made it to the hut. The door opened, and several pairs of hands helped him get to the fire. Removing his cloak and boots, they sat him down in a highback chair with a tub of warm water at his feet. A soft cry came from his cloak, and the hosts found a small fawn there. Only, this wasn't so much a deer as it was a caribou. Everyone, save the bearded hero, was surprised and crowded around; in fact, the bearded man smiled. Paddy, whose home the two intruded upon, burst out, "So why ya got a caribou?"
The others in the cottage stood and looked at the highback chair. Gizmo, Freddy, Holden, and The Lady of the River (as well as the Lady's right-hand maiden, a river nymph who left the palace as soon as she found that her long-lost friend was alive... such a huge back story.) who had all four gathered at Paddy for the solstice, pondered who this strange man must be. The man met their puzzled faces.
"I am Odin Krampus, King of the Northern Elves," he said. "This is the last of the magic caribou who roamed our  domain. Her parents are dead, and I must return her to Hiemalia Ventorum, the capital of my kingdom. If you will, I wish to stay the night."
"Of course," said Paddy. "There's plenty of room, and food too. We're all here for the solstice."
"My thanks," replied Odin.
The night went on as the Bards had planned. Gizmo sang a few high-spirited tunes, and there was, as Paddy had said, plenty of food. None left hungry, even the fawn. The group exchanged handmade gifts, and all had a jolly time.

The next day, Odin packed to leave. Paddy and Holden approached him.
"Are you headed north?" asked Holden.
"Yes, I must leave now to make it by sundown."
"Oh, I wish you could have stayed a day longer," replied Paddy. "We're lighting candles and filling socks with candy."
"That sounds dreadful," said Odin.
"It is," replied Paddy.
"Could I come with you?" asked Holden.
"Can you leave now?"
"Well, no. Wait, yes. We can take my car. I traded it in for a giant 4x4 truck."
"That's actually a great idea. I planned on taking this long journey which, in and of itself, would have taken 10, 12 hours. And that's not even the director's cut."
"I see what you did there," joked Holden.
The two climbed into Holden's large truck. They took off to the north.

Later in the day, Schaff and Dumon arrived at Paddy's home, to continue the fun of sock-filling and candle-lighting (Gizmo used up half the box of flints just lighting them) but Schaff was enthralled by the story of Odin. "So he just had, this, gazelle, I mean fawn, I mean, caribou-thing?"
"Yeah," replied Paddy. "It was definitely a thing."
"I used to hear about these things when I was little. My dad loved the elves. Both kingdoms were invaded by trolls, at two different times, so they helped each other defeat them. It was those magic caribou that really helped. They can fly AND talk. They're like, people, birds, and deer. All in one."

The last two to join the party, Badger and Scott, did not arrive to have fun.
"Schaff! Trolls have been spotted heading toward the castle!" cried Badger, throwing the door open.
"What!?"
"The armies are far from ready; our only hope is for us to get there and defend it ourselves!"
"No, it's not," replied Gizmo. "Someone could head north, and get those elves. Paddy, why not take Freddy? Seeing as you gave Odin shelter, and since there is good will between both kingdoms, call it a favor?"
"Right," said Badger. "The rest of us could head south."
The Lady's maiden, Le'ash, offered to go with Freddy, and it was decided then.
"Just like old times," commented Gizmo, as he pulled his brilliant, gleaming sword from his hilt.

But Wait, There's More...

When Kawan had seemingly won, and Gizmo and the Lady ran off to bring back Badger, the story took an odd turn of events. Scott, Badger's beau, and Dumon, left Bamah to tell Mama Sinkus, Karli, and Kati the bad news. Badger was, at this point, dead.


Scott figured that telling the sisters first would be less of a challenge than breaking a mother's heart, so upon arriving at Fort Ni Aps, The two sought out Kati and Karli. They did find Karli, but evidently Kati was with Mama Sinkus.
"Oh. Ok then, we'll all go there," said Scott.
"Why?"
"We have bad news for... all three of you," said Dumon. She held back a cry that Scott could not.
"What... happened?" asked Karli, but by the time she said that, it was clear.


The three wept for what seemed an eternity, but they grew stronger for it. The next day, they set off for Mama Sinkus' home. Before they left Fort Ni Aps, a hooded stranger stopped them.
"It is not smart for you to return to Bamah," he said.
"It is not smart for you to stand in our way," retorted Scott. "You DO know who we are...?"
"Yes, and I still advise against your return."
"Then let come what dangers that may." With that, the three rode past him.


Before the three got to Mama Sinkus' house, the three were again stopped by a hooded stranger. However, this one was slightly different than the first.
"You shouldn't be here..."
"Why not?" barked Karli.
"Kawan wants your heads."
"He can come get them from us," retorted Dumon.


Not long after, Scott, Dumon, and Karli were advancing up the steps of Mama Sinkus's house. Kati, smiling brighter than the sun, ran out to meet them.
"You're just in time!"
"For what?" was all Scott could stammer, before being yanked inside by the beyond jubilous sister.
Inside, his heart leapt at what could only be described as a miracle. The three travelers were face-to-face with the remaining Bards, Holden, Paddy, Schaff, Gizmo, and Badger. Scott and Badger embraced like the estranged lovers they were, and immediately Badger went from him to Dumon, and then to Karli.
"What... how?" said Scott, dumbfounded. Badger then recounted the entire tale, with sound effects added in by Paddy and Schaff. The reunion was more joyful than anyone could imagine.


Just then, the two hooded strangers walked in. Removing their hoods, their faces showed wonder and confusion.
"But... Kawan... and--"
"--and you were dead--"
"--but how?"
"Hold on. First of all, who are you?" inquired Gizmo.
"I'm Clarence," said Clarence.
"And I'm Wesel," said Wesel.
"We've been following the three of you, trying to warn you about Kawan..."
"He... You were all in prison," said Wesel.
"I refuse to tell this entire tale AGAIN," said Badger angrily.
"Why don't I just write down everything that happened, just for you two?" asked Gizmo. "Like, everything, from that time we fought the dragon, till now?"
The group thought.
"That way, we can actually tell EVERYONE!" said Paddy.
"everyone...?" echoed Dumon.
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea," said Scott.


"Thus, the Tales of the Bards were born," said the elderly man. "Gizmo made sure everyone knew every detail of ALL the stories, and the Bards lived on, forever after."
"But, Grand-daddy, you didn't say 'happily forever after'," remarked one of his starry-eyed children.
"I know. But, you're not ALWAYS happy, are you?"
"Well, no..."
"They weren't always happy, either. But, they had each other, and when they were together, that was when they were happiest. Now, I believe it's time for all of you to go to sleep. Dreams, my boys and girls, are the stories we make when we cannot live our own."

The Wrath of Kawan

Badger was dead. The Bards were broken.


Kawan was King of Bamah. He imposed law that made the Bards fugitives, and had them locked up in the dungeons that Schaff had never seen. Paddy, Holden, Schaff, Scheaun, and Freddy were in a single cell: they were alone but together. Gizmo had not been seen or heard from since That Day. Badger was dead. The Bards were broken.


Gizmo and the Lady sought refuge with Jacob Corona, as they had heard of the Bards' plight. The Day After That Day, the two had found the Queen of the Trees.
"Mother! We need your help!" cried the Lady.
"You were looking for it, my dear. How can I be of service?"
"A friend of mine is dead, and the other friends of mine are being torn apart because of it," said Gizmo.
The Queen smiled. "Your friend is dead, but I can bring her back. Because of your friend's heroism, I doubt Abram and Sarai will have a problem with it."
A river flowed from nowhere, just beside them. Two dolphins swam up to the three, and stood. As they stood, they took their true form. They became Abram and Sarai.
"My son," boomed Abram, "Your selflessness and bravery will be rewarded--as will your friends'. As you have requested, Badger will be returned to you at the time you need it most--soon."
Sarai nodded. "She will find you, so keep on the lookout. Do not go searching for her. She will be a spirit-clone, but she will be Badger." The two disappeared.
"Good luck, sweetie," said the Queen, as she returned to the trees. "Defeat the Dark One."
Gizmo and the Lady then saw Jacob Corona, not far from them. Normally odd, he was resolute.
"You guys need somewhere to stay? Besides the dungeon, of course. Your friends are there, but it's kinda cold."


Gizmo sat by the fire in Jacob's fireplace. He strummed on an old lyre, and the Lady listened intently. He sang a mournful song, but transitioned into an uplifting one at the bridge. It was the most beautiful piece Gizmo ever sang. Just then, two dark figures approached. Jacob Corona, stepping into the light, said, "We have company." It was Badger. Gizmo smiled.
"Let us destroy the Dark One... tomorrow."


The three--Gizmo, the Lady, and Badger--wandered into town. The Lady and Badger, cloaked, led Gizmo to the castle in chains. Badger stopped at the gate.
"I have the one called Gizmo! Where is my reward?" screamed the Lady.
"Lead him this way," called Qarsinn, as he opened the gates. The four traveled to the dungeon, where Badger disrobed the cloak and ran Qarsinn through with her sword.
"Did you miss me? I didn't miss you."
"Okay, enough," said Gizmo as he was unchained. "I'll go find Kawan. You two free the others."
Gizmo made his way to King Carl's old room. He threw open the door to find Kawan already dressed for combat.
"You have returned," he growled. "Gizmo the Bard. I've heard of you. You're not that great. Brave, for sure, strong, courageous, the whole nine yards. But you are not very smart. You shouldn't have come back."
"Well, so goes for Badger, but I hate that for you too. Wait... no, I don't."
"She's... alive...? HOW???" Kawan screamed.
"My girlfriend's a goddess. Literally."


The Lady grabbed Qarsinn's keys. Badger, running in front of the Lady, killed the evil guards Kawan installed. They vanished as she struck them, turning into a red mist. The two finally found the Bards, whose cell was the only one inhabited in the entire complex. Badger slung the jail door wide.
"Lift up your faces, you broken heroes. Today comes vengeance. Now is the time for your bravery! I'm back!" The Bards looked up in astonishment. Badger's speech and presence lifted their hopes.
Releasing her friends from their chains, Badger led the six to the castle armory. There, she found her old sword, stolen by Qarsinn on That Day. She handed it to Schaff.
"You're gonna need this."


Gizmo and Kawan stood in the middle of the room. Kawan was still stunned, but his anger presided over his surprise.
"No! You lie! I killed her. This cannot be happening! The prophecy!" he fumed.
"How did the end of that prophecy read, exactly?" remarked Gizmo.
"I will kill you!"
The two fought. Gizmo grabbed a shield from the wall, and dodged every blow confidently. Gizmo, who had collected his wits, easily beat the desperate villain. Gizmo had Kawan by the throat, but refused to kill him.
"This is not my fight," he said.


Schaff flew up the stairs faster than anyone before him. He reached the top and saw Gizmo with Kawan in his hand.
"Finish him!" cried Schaff.
"I was about to say the same thing."
Schaff smiled. "I appreciate that. But, revenge isn't always the answer."
Gizmo dropped Kawan and began to leave the room. Kawan immediately jumped, grabbed his sword, and leaped at Gizmo. Gizmo turned, and at the same moment, both Gizmo and Schaff lunged at Kawan, running him through together. Kawan was dead.


Badger was not.


However, the Bards were still broken. Little changed from That Day, despite their enormous victory. They were unified once more, knowing that they would never be alone, but they knew that they would not always be together, either. Abram and Sarai came to the group after they all met at King Carl's room.
"Such is life, my children," said Abram. "You must take peace in that you won't always be together. That is the other side of things."
"Yes. Abram is right," concurred Sarai. "You will never be alone. However, you must learn to stand strong apart from the group."
The Bards saw the truth in this, even though they resisted it. They grew together, and as Abram and Sarai told them, they eventually separated. However, the Bards together lived on as legends. They never forgot each other, stayed in touch, and remembered everything, but fate was fate. The Bards were never broken again.

What the Bards Found at Koma

The day after King Carl's death, the Bards met at Holden's house to discuss everything. It was clear that  Schaff wanted revenge for his father's death; each Bard agreed to support him in that effort. Badger, reminded of the bounty on Kawan's head and her actions toward that end, hid her past. She felt it better to not say anything; it would neither help nor hurt. Holden brought up an important fact.
"We have absolutely no idea how to find him, though."
Everyone in the room shared looks with each other and with the table. Then, Gizmo spoke up.
"I may know someone. He and I go back a long time, but he's an excellent warrior. He taught me to track, and might just be the best there is."
"Ok. You do that, and we'll go find out more about Kawan's people," replied Schaff. "That may help us when we finally meet."
Gizmo left Holden's to find Scheaun (That is another story.)
The other Bards gathered their gear and traveled to Koma. It was not on any map that Schaff had seen, but was located in an old book--an atlas--the oldest book in the kingdom's library.


The Bards--Badger, Schaff, Holden, Dumon, Paddy, and Scott--arrived in Koma, the home of Kawan's people. It was an old set of ruins, rugged green landscapes littered with large grey stones. The shadows hid the locals from the strange outsiders. No one made themselves seen, much less any help. The large boulders were carved so that they were hospitable inside. Despite the random placement of the stones, a large structure stood proudly at the center of the ruins. The Bards approached it.
The building itself was a marvel. Like a temple, it stood thin and very tall. Several steps led up to an open doorway, which was wide, but narrowed to a point at the top. An overhang above the door was large enough for someone to stand.
The Bards climbed the steps. The ghostly silence penetrated the hearts of the heroes, and they were quiet themselves. Entering the stone temple, they found a long, dark room with a giant altar at the far end. A hooded figure rose from his kneeling position by the altar.
"You've arrived," uttered a familiar voice. "He said you'd come."
The figure turned. The man looked exactly like Qabel, but with a moustache and long goatee. The Bards, stunned, stopped.
"Are you...?" stammered Schaff.
"Qabel is my brother," the evil man smirked. "He is helping your new king move in."
Schaff started. "You don't mean..."
"Yes. Your father took his kingdom; now he is taking your fathers'. He is brilliant, isn't he? Kawan knew you'd come, so he swept behind you to take Bamah. Kawan is the ruler of Bamah."
Paddy turned, and saw Kawan atop the steps. "Guys..."
"Now then. Badger, we have unfinished business. Draw your sword and fight me. But first, Qarsinn, take them outside," he said.
A red light glowed from the little light that was in the room, and from Qarsinn, the evil priest, himself. His eyes caught fire and he floated toward the Bards. The group exited the room, but Schaff stopped.
"I won't let you fight alone," he said.
"Schaff, this is my fight. I was hired to kill him a long time ago. I didn't tell you because this is bigger than any one of us. If I die, it is your fight."
Qarsinn shoved Schaff out of the room. As soon as everyone was outside, the doors slammed shut.


Badger drew her sword and Kawan followed suit.
"Who hired you?" asked Kawan, in an eerily calm tone.
"I don't know," she replied.
"I do."
"Who?"
"The man that just separated you from your friends. Qabel is actually dead. Qarsinn is a spirit-clone. Of the many things that the mighty Komaan, the god we worship... you know him as Chadde... taught me, the science of cloning is the best." He put down his sword, for Badger was piqued by his words.
"It's actually pretty simple. If you're faithful, he will do anything for you."
Kawan pulled a cord beside the altar. A ceiling-high curtain fell to reveal a tapestry of the same height. On it was the visage of Chadde.
"We killed him."
"That you did, which is why I've come. Vengeance is everything! Don't you see?" Kawan picked up his sword again.
Badger, angry, lunged at Kawan. He defended that first shot, turned, and struck her leg. She lunged again, and the two exchanged several shots. Then, Badger forced his sword down. Stepping on the flat blade, she jumped, turned, and cut his face. Kawan sliced at her, and cut her across her stomach. Another series of parries led the two up a set of stairs, and onto the platform above the door; they were in view of the whole group. Kawan spun Badger's hand so that she lost her sword, and stabbed her through her middle. She fell to her knees, and over. The doors flew open, and the Bards, led by Schaff, immediately ran to her side. Kawan left for the castle in Bamah. When the Bards reached the spot where Badger died, they only found Kawan's sword. Confused but emotionally drained, Schaff and Scott dropped to their knees and sobbed. The other Bards began to cry also.


The Bards silently returned to Dumon's Flat. Gizmo, with the Lady and Scheaun, arrived, only to see a teary Scott and Schaff being comforted by the other Bards. Fox, Kat, and Haley were there, but upon hearing the news, Fox and Kat left, never to be heard from again. They "did not want any part of this violence," and no one denied their logic. Unfortunately, Haley felt the same way, despite her love for Holden. She eventually left, as well.
Dumon was afraid. She had begun to feel for Schaff the way she felt for Paddy. They separated themselves from each other, but not from the group itself. The Bards were falling apart.


EPILOGUE
Gizmo took the Lady outside and told her, "I'm sorry I got you into this. This is dangerous work, and our world will never be the same."
"As far as I'm concerned," she replied, "I was involved from the beginning. Have you heard of spirit-clones?" She, a deity in herself, knew about the Triad of Abram, Sarah, and Chadde, the story, and the victory of the Bards. She also knew everything else there was to know about the Triad. "I will talk to my mom and dad. We'll see what they can do." Gizmo smiled and embraced her. The two snuck off to see the Queen of the Trees.

The Lady of the River

Growing up in Bamah, one of Gizmo's favorite comrades was another boy named Scheaun. Together, they fought monsters, dragons, and creatures beyond that of other children's imaginations. One time, Gizmo was running through the forest. Scheaun bet Gizmo that he could find him, no matter where he went, so Gizmo traveled to the only place he knew he could hide. He found a clearing in a deep forest, on the Bamah River. A small pool formed where the river turned; a large, hollow tree root formed a bay  so that anyone who was small enough could climb in, hide, and not be seen. Gizmo waited there, watching the path he came by. Then, Scheaun climbed up behind him.
"Whatcha lookin for?"
A stunned Gizmo made Scheaun smile. The two backed out, and Scheaun began to explain how he found Gizmo. They practiced their tracking and combat every day, until once, it began raining. The two were at Gizmo's father, now known as the Knight of Bamah's, house, when Scheaun's parents entered. The two boys were "trained" in reading people's emotions, and it was obvious that the parents came with bad news. The nomadic village elders were banishing them for some reason, unknown to the two at the time; nevertheless, the family was moving to theother side of the River Bamah. It was for this reason that Gizmo's father, later Head Elder, removed the council from power.
The news was heartbreaking to the boys, but they knew somehow that they would meet again.


The day after King Carl's death, the Bards met at Holden's house to discuss everything. It was clear that  Schaff wanted revenge for his father's death; each Bard agreed to support him in that effort. Badger, reminded of the bounty on Kawan's head and her actions toward that end, hid her past. She felt it better to not say anything; it would neither help nor hurt. Holden brought up an important fact.
"We have absolutely no idea how to find him, though."
Everyone in the room shared looks with each other and with the table. Then, Gizmo spoke up.
"I may know someone. He and I go back a long time, but he's an excellent warrior. He taught me to track, and might just be the best there is."
"Ok. You do that, and we'll go find out more about Kawan's people," replied Schaff. "That may help us when we finally meet."
Gizmo left to find Scheaun. He only knew that Scheaun lived on the Bamah River, but he had no idea if Scheaun was even alive, much less where he lived. So, Gizmo traveled to the pool where Scheaun taught him the proper art of tracking. There, he found it just as serene as the first time he had seen it.
Looking around, he saw a flash of light from deeper in the forest. Gizmo followed it, and as he traveled deeper, it began to wobble. Suddenly, Gizmo found himself in a clearing. A stump sat in the middle of the clearing, and tied to it was a lightly-dressed maiden. Her face was covered by a skin pouch, and a single vine tied her hands and feet. Gizmo removed the bag from her head, and found the most dazzling creature he had ever seen. She was a fair-skinned being, with blonde hair that shone like the sun. Gizmo was taken back for a moment, but he cut her loose.
"Thank you," she said, and hugged Gizmo till he could not breathe.
"No problem. Now, uh, could you tell me what exactly happened?"
"I am the Princess of the River, the Lady Bamah. Well, I am basically the river. My dad is the Great Sea up North, and my mother is the Queen of the Trees. They're not together anymore, but it's an odd combination. As for the whole being tied down thing, there's an evil priest who headed this way. He's from the Koma region, and I tried to stop him, but he was really strong."
"What, uh, kinda curse?" Gizmo began to slowly look up.
"Oh. Yeah, that." A giant spider approached from behind the Lady. Gizmo thrust her behind him with one arm and drew his sword with the other. The spider reared up on its hind legs, and slammed at the Bard with its front legs. Gizmo dodged one and sliced through the other. The spider fell over, and without wasting a moment, Gizmo cut through the other front leg, and stabbed the beast through its head.
The Lady again hugged Gizmo, only this time, of fright.
"Thank you, uh..."
"Gizmo," replied Gizmo. The two kissed for a moment, but after that moment, Gizmo was no longer alone. The couple returned to the pool, hand in hand, when The Lady stopped.
"How do you know this place?" she asked.
"My friend and I would explore this place when I was younger. It was my favorite place in the world."
"This is where I was born. I remember a specific little boy running around this place when I was little, too. A second boy came looking for him, but couldn't find him. I pointed the first boy out to him." Gizmo was in shock.
"I think that was me! Err, the first boy!"
"Who was the second?"
Just then, a giant hydra sprang from the river. It swept at Gizmo, who removed one of the two heads. As two replaced the first one, a dark figure flew through the air and removed all three heads at once. The creature fell over, dead. The figure landed in the river not far from the couple, who approached it. The figure turned and smiled.
"Him." said Gizmo.
"Gizmo!" cried Scheaun. The two embraced as only separated friends could.
"I've literally been looking for you!" said Gizmo.
"Really? Well, ya literally found me!"
"Shut up."
"Who is this?"
"The Lady of the River. Basically, the personification of the Bamah River."
The Lady smiled as Gizmo introduced her to his long-lost friend.
"I want to stay with you, but I can't," said the Lady as she hugged Gizmo one last time. "Lady of the River things, you know."
"Oh, yeah. No, I understand," he replied.
"Will you come visit me?"
"Of course." As she walked to the river, it began to reced so that she could not touch it physically. Each step she took was on dry land. She broke down and began to sob. Gizmo rushed to her side and held her tight. Her tears streamed down his shoulder and mixed with the river she could not have.
"It was the priest," was all she could mutter.
Scheaun looked on, and realized one reason why Gizmo needed him.

However, Gizmo soon explained the second reason.
"So you need me to find the man who killed King Carl."
"Yes. And to catch up, of course. It's not meant to be so one-sided."
"I see."
The three began to return to Bamah, when a warm wind began to stir the tree leaves into a whirl. They took the form of a woman, and the Lady ran to her. The two embraced.
"Daughter, you know who removed you from the river, but you know not how. You are no longer one with the River; while still immortal and powerful, you cannot come into contact with the Bamah River ever again," she said. "He is an evil priest, and you two are on the search for him." This was to Gizmo and Scheaun. "He is with the Dark One, and even more darkness is to be feared. You must stop him."
Gizmo and Scheaun exchanged glances, nodded and bowed.
"With all due respect, your highness, the Bards will destroy him." The Queen nodded and the leaves flew away. The three adventurers pressed forward to Bamah.

King Carl's Last Stand

When King Carl was a boy, he had an older brother, William. Their father, William the Elder, was the first king of Bamah. He conquered the tribal people that lived on the land, and by invading established the country itself. Kawan was the oldest son of the tribal chief, who lived with his older sister. The tribal chief killed himself when he heard of the coming invaders, leaving Kawan and his sister. She died in battle, but the young Kawan, who himself saw William the Elder murder his sister, was left alive. William took in Kawan as his own; he was the oldest surviving male out of the tribe. The three grew up together, and Carl and Kawan bonded because of their close ages; however, after both the Williams died, Carl and Kawan fell out of each other's graces.


A shadowy figure crossed a wide, green field. The light breeze made the tall grass ripple like a breaking wave; in fact, the sunlight on the grass was enough to create such an illusion. The dark figure, its hood like a sail on open seas, stood out among the grass. It made its way into a village, a large bag over its shoulder and an empty bow in its hand. It moved through the busy crowd and made its way to the castle where King Carl lived. Removing his hood, Schaff entered the gate; the keeper waved cheerfully at the young prince. Retiring to his room, a single, silent tear rolled down his cheek. Claire was nowhere to be found, but it had been two years since she disappeared; Schaff moved on.
King Carl entered the room unnoticed, and he addressed Schaff in the way only fathers can.
"You all right, son?"
"Yeah. It's over. I'll find someone else; I just hate to have seen it end this way."
"That's how it is a lot of times. Sometimes, the ones you care about most are the one you've got to let go of. Come on, we're holding that banquet thing tonight, and, to be honest, that... are you really gonna wear that raggedy-lookin' outfit?"
Schaff smiled. "No." King Carl began to leave the room, but Schaff caught him with a quick phrase. "Love you, dad, mean it."
"All right, Madame Harrison," replied King Carl, referring to the governess who kept Schaff when he was younger. (She always expressed her affection in this way.)


That night, the Bards met together, for the first time in a year. Each came in couples, Holden with Haley, Badger and Scott, Fox with Kat, and Paddy and Dumon. Gizmo arrived and began a new song; few had heard it. After a single chorus, the entire group joined in, and the other villagers with any musical ability contributed as well. The entire piece was a beautiful melody, and everyone applauded the Bards. Gizmo, the scheduled entertainment, then began a song more popular; this one was met with almost as much applause as the first. Then, King Carl formally began the feast. This feast was a simple harvest ball; the annual Baman tradition was a night of "food, family, and fun." Gizmo told stories that amazed the younger children, and many older children joined them.
Scott and Badger approached Schaff. Badger, in high spirits, embraced Schaff, and the three exchanged salutations. Then, Scott introduced Schaff to a friend from the Fort, Emily. She and Schaff began talking, and the two spent their entire evening together. Paddy and Dumon joined Gizmo in his story telling, and Fox and Kat watched from a seat together. The event was proceeding in a marvelous fashion.
King Carl watched the banquet with satisfied eyes, and turned to reenter the castle. He did, but as he passed his dining hall, a sight caught his eye; a chill ran down his spine. It was the maid for that room, dusting old armor on the shelf. He smiled and continued.
When Carl entered his room, he found Kawan sitting by the window sill, watching the events of the evening progress.
"Well done. Your fathers would be proud."
"Thank you," King Carl could hide the disgust in his voice, but not his face.
"I trust you know why I'm here, right?"
"Actually, no. Not this time."
"I have a bone to pick, well, another bone to pick with you. Remember when you tried to have me killed?"
"That was ages ago. I have to apologize for my actions, and I will, if you're willing to recant yours."
"Hmmph. As if. I accept your apology, though. I personally told you I didn't have him."
"I cannot allow you to stay here alive, Kawan. Your actions are far worse in the eyes of the law, than kidnapping my son."
"Yours are even worse than that, and you know it."
King Carl sighed. "My brother was a traitor; THE traitor. He threatened father; he deserved to die. That was his punishment, and I don't have to hear it from you!"
"He was innocent."
"He was guilty! I heard him myself!"
"I threatened your father! He killed my sister in front of me, with no reason. Then, he has the GALL to adopt me? He takes the one person I have, I take him. Your brother was a casualty, and for that I will apologize."
"You!? You murderer!" King Carl was taken aback. "Oh, you will definitely not leave here alive."
"One of us won't," growled Kawan.
"I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SPEAK!" King Carl grabbed a sword off his wall, and lunged at Kawan. The two fought as they had in their childhood, but the stakes were more than imaginary kingdoms and treasures of candy. Swords clashed, metal parried, and Kawan held his ground. However, King Carl had not kept up his sword training as much as he had liked, and his age was beginning to show. The two swords met in an upward cross, and Carl drove Kawan's blade to the ground. Carl turned and lunged, but Kawan drove his weapon through Carl's side. The king started, but fell to his knees. A tear rolled down Kawan's cheek, but he turned and left.
"It didn't have to come to this, brother," gasped King Carl. Kawan stopped at the door.
"Yes, it did."


Kawan entered the village streets, approaching Badger. Schaff stopped him with a sword and a fierce word.
"Boy, you might want to visit your father at this moment. It may be his last." Kawan's face was ravaged by anger and sorrow.
Schaff, stunned, took off to his father's quarters. No one ran as fast as he did that night, not since. Scott, Badger, and Emily turned to Kawan.
"We're not finished, girl. This had nothing to do with you," said Kawan as he vanished into the night.
"It has everything to do with me!" cried Badger into the darkness. The three took off into the castle. The other Bards witnessed the scene, and ran to be with Schaff.
They missed their chance. King Carl was gone, and his oldest son, was grieving over him. All the Bards sympathized with him, and they vowed to help him in his revenge.
"We're all here for you, dude," said Holden.
"Yeah, like, we'll help you tear him apart," replied Fox.
"Yes, we will." Carson's tears burned in fury. He turned to leave.
"Well, what about your dad? We can't just leave him here," called Emily. Dumon and Badger agreed.
"Well, we won't. It's just... sometimes, the ones you care about the most are the ones you've got to let go of. It was his time, and now, it's ours." The Bards left the room, and as Gizmo shut the door behind them, he heard a shudder. He saw the open window and curtains ruffling. Little did he know that King Carl's look of shock turned into a tearful smile. He died at and in peace.

The Battle of Kawan

In the days before the Bards came together, Badger was a free-spirited girl with the heart and power of a warrior. She learned many skills from her sisters, who had since left to defend the country of Bamah from southern invaders. These sisters, Karli and Kati, were known each for their fighting skill, and together for their many victories in battle. It was for this reason that a visitor came to Badger and her Mama Sinkus's home.
"Is this the home of Kati and Karli, the fearless warriors?"
"Yeah, why?" replied Badger.
"I have a job that I need help with, and I've been told they're the best."
"For one, they're kinda, you know, defending our lives. For two, I can do anything they can."
The stranger thought for a moment, smiled, and relented.
"I need someone... destroyed."


It was local legend that a dangerous being, Kawan, the Dark One, roamed the southeast region of Bamah. He was a deadly fighter, whose only reason for leaving King Carl and the Baman army was a feud between the two. By fear alone, Kawan held control of the people in the area. No one crossed him, and those that did were displayed for all to see.


The mysterious visitor made it obvious that Kawan was the target and that the best price would be paid to the best challenger. Mama Sinkus was asleep, but Badger thought up a good plan to keep her from worry. She agreed to the terms of the deal, and the visitor left.
When Mama Sinkus did rise, Badger told her that she would be traveling to Fort Ni Aps, to visit her sisters. It would be a week's stay, but the war could affect the amount of time she stayed. Badger left the next day.
She journeyed to a small village on the lower end of the Bamah River. It was bustling; the market town was small, but well populated. A man named Robert met her at the gate.
"Could you help me?" Badger asked
"I hope so. This whole dale, this valley, is mine."
"Where is the one they call Kawan?"
The man stopped. He spoke something about the rain and night, and hurried Badger inside.
"The Dark One is in this town. He is feared and fears none. He knows everything and has spies, everywhere. Look for him in the dark grey hut at the far end of the dale. For tonight, though, stay here. My wife and I'll do all we can for you."
Badger stayed the night at Robert's home. His son and daughter accompanied him in beautiful music that evening, and Badger learned to sing many songs that night.


The next morning, Badger woke up. She heard no noises from throughout the house. She ventured from room to room, but found no one. Packing her things, she prepared to leave. When she opened the door, she entered the deserted street. She started to the dale, when a voice froze her in her steps.
"So you're just going to leave like that? Fine? Don't say goodbye."
She turned around. Facing her was a dark-skinned war hero in full armor, which was as dark as he. He looked up from his polished gauntlets to her, and smiled.
"Oh, ok. I see how it is. Hi Badger, I'm Kawan. Or, the Dark One. Or, Robert. I do own the valley, though. The family is mine, too."
Badger looked on in fear and silent confusion.
"I told you I know about everything. I know about the hit on me, I know about your sisters, and I know how you think. I won't kill you; no, I'll let you go. If you can outrun the dragon. See, I don't hold the people in fear. Well, I do, but more so because of that thing." As he pointed, a dark shadow darted across the sky. A dragon made its way towards the two warriors.
"No, I actually need your help. No one stayed around here, except you."
"I sleep late."
"Oh, she talks? I see. Now, if you'll kindly draw your sword and draw that beast's attention, I'll see that it hurts no one, except maybe you."
Badger had no choice but to oblige. She drew her bow, though, and prepared to plaster the beast with arrows.


Her first fight. Nerves screamed, and she shook like a windswept tree. She took a deep breath, rethought her entire life, closed her eyes, and let go of the arrow. When she opened her eyes, she saw the dragon reeling in pain. A wooden shaft stuck out of its left eye. Kawan marched up to the dragon with the swagger of an undefeated champion, and removed the head of the beast in a heroic sweep.
Badger approached the dark warrior and his slain prey.
"Hmmph. That works."
"Did it? I--"
Kawan suddenly snapped.
"Listen. You get outta here. Go back to where you came from. We will end this, another day. I will find you, and we will settle our score. You want me dead?"
"Someone does."
"Tell them that you're delayed. I'm out of the country, and you're waiting to strike. I have more important fish to cook right now. Go. Go!"
Badger backed away, watching the crazed adversary look over the fallen beast. She turned to run, but stopped. Looking back, she saw the carcass of the beast, but no sign of the dark warrior.


Before she actually returned to her home, Badger visited Kati and Karli at Fort Ni Aps. While not completely out of the way, it would provide truth to her story. Karli saw her and ran up to her.
"Are you ok? I heard you fought... Kawan."
"What? How did you hear that?" Badger replied.
"Because someone sent a messenger to me asking us to fight Kawan. I sent him to you."
"Wait... who was it?"
"I, uh, don't know."
"Well gee thanks." Badger replied; she began to leave. Karli thought for a moment.
"Badger!" She called.
"What?"
"The messenger was... Qabel, the king's new deputy. He runs errands for King Carl, does things for him."
Badger never forgot those words, but she never understood them, either. She made it home safely, but she never heard from Kawan again.