as sharp as on the day of its creation. This blade will never dull, tarnish or break. Before the Great War against the Dark, it is said a meteor fell to earth from the constellation of Alarsium. The comet was made of a strange metal never before seen. The Starmetal from that meteor was used to create a great sword, forged by the greatest bladesmiths, and imbued with the magic of old. It is this very sword, Estellarum, the Starblade.’
Taem deftly swung the sword in a figure of eight. He was in awe at how easy and natural the blade felt. Taem felt overwhelmed, a purpose of being surged through him. But he could not take his eyes off the incredible blade as he turned it in his hand, making the reflection of torch light dance along its surface.
‘This is a very powerful weapon,’ Hirandar nodded at Taem. ‘With this sword a man could do great service, using it to protect the good peoples of Hathlore.’
Taem dropped his head in reverence, and touched his new blade to his forehead. ‘Honour, valour, virtue,’ Taem whispered the Sodan Code.
‘This sword will make you the hunted,’ Hirandar whispered. ‘When the Dark Servants discover the Starblade has been taken from the flames, they will stop at nothing. Nowhere will be safe. You will endanger anyone you meet, and any friend you have ever known.’
Taem’s stomach churned like the sea in a storm, the thought of being hunted by Dark Servants filled him with dread.
‘Will the Maliven hunt me like they hunt Logan?’ Taem whispered.
‘It may be worse,’ Hirandar said softly. ‘The Dark Servants want this sword more than anything else in Hathlore. They will kill you just for carrying it.’ Hirandar touched Taem on the shoulder, ‘But you are not alone, Logan and I are with you. Come,’ Hirandar started walking for the cave exit, gesturing for Taem to follow. ‘We must meet Logan at Stheeman’s Hill.’
Chapter 4 – Stheeman’s Hill
Taem and Hirandar approached Stheeman’s Hill in the late evening, three days after leaving the mountains. Taem had never been to such a large town before. It had almost two hundred buildings. The glow of lamplight was comforting and warm after a week in the wilderness. Taem looked forward to sleeping in a bed, and warming himself by a fireplace.
‘Keep the sword covered,’ Hirandar whispered to Taem as they walked towards the town. Taem made sure that his cloak was pulled over the sword at his hip.
‘The Maliven have spies everywhere,’ Hirandar glanced around the twilight countryside. ‘They could be looking for me, and they might even be looking for you. We don’t know how much they know. Keep the sword secret, always.’
Taem felt a shiver of fear as he looked ahead at the lights of Stheeman’s Hill. They no longer seemed so inviting at all.
‘The town looks busy,’ Taem could see lots of people milling down the main street up ahead.
‘Stheeman’s Hill is on the Mountain Way,’ Hirandar said, ‘the main trade route from the north to the south. It has many inns, and many traders and strangers passing through. It’s not safe here for us.’
Taem could hear the Wizard was anxious, and that made him worried.
‘Don’t talk to anyone,’ Hirandar nodded at Taem, ‘don’t even look anyone in the eye unless you have to. Anyone could be Maliven. Follow me, and keep your eyes open.’
Taem was on a knife edge as he followed the old woman through the lamp-lit town. They walked past dozens of people out for an evening stroll, and they all looked harmless to Taem. He saw rich merchants with armed guards, farmers, townspeople, travellers, shopkeepers and inn-workers. Even so, he was careful not to catch their eyes. He shivered when he thought any of these normal looking people could be a Maliven spy. Hirandar led them past shops and taverns, to the other side of town, and into the Boot and Fiddle Inn.
The two companions stepped inside, into the warm yellow glow of the common room, with its black beams,
Taem deftly swung the sword in a figure of eight. He was in awe at how easy and natural the blade felt. Taem felt overwhelmed, a purpose of being surged through him. But he could not take his eyes off the incredible blade as he turned it in his hand, making the reflection of torch light dance along its surface.
‘This is a very powerful weapon,’ Hirandar nodded at Taem. ‘With this sword a man could do great service, using it to protect the good peoples of Hathlore.’
Taem dropped his head in reverence, and touched his new blade to his forehead. ‘Honour, valour, virtue,’ Taem whispered the Sodan Code.
‘This sword will make you the hunted,’ Hirandar whispered. ‘When the Dark Servants discover the Starblade has been taken from the flames, they will stop at nothing. Nowhere will be safe. You will endanger anyone you meet, and any friend you have ever known.’
Taem’s stomach churned like the sea in a storm, the thought of being hunted by Dark Servants filled him with dread.
‘Will the Maliven hunt me like they hunt Logan?’ Taem whispered.
‘It may be worse,’ Hirandar said softly. ‘The Dark Servants want this sword more than anything else in Hathlore. They will kill you just for carrying it.’ Hirandar touched Taem on the shoulder, ‘But you are not alone, Logan and I are with you. Come,’ Hirandar started walking for the cave exit, gesturing for Taem to follow. ‘We must meet Logan at Stheeman’s Hill.’
Chapter 4 – Stheeman’s Hill
Taem and Hirandar approached Stheeman’s Hill in the late evening, three days after leaving the mountains. Taem had never been to such a large town before. It had almost two hundred buildings. The glow of lamplight was comforting and warm after a week in the wilderness. Taem looked forward to sleeping in a bed, and warming himself by a fireplace.
‘Keep the sword covered,’ Hirandar whispered to Taem as they walked towards the town. Taem made sure that his cloak was pulled over the sword at his hip.
‘The Maliven have spies everywhere,’ Hirandar glanced around the twilight countryside. ‘They could be looking for me, and they might even be looking for you. We don’t know how much they know. Keep the sword secret, always.’
Taem felt a shiver of fear as he looked ahead at the lights of Stheeman’s Hill. They no longer seemed so inviting at all.
‘The town looks busy,’ Taem could see lots of people milling down the main street up ahead.
‘Stheeman’s Hill is on the Mountain Way,’ Hirandar said, ‘the main trade route from the north to the south. It has many inns, and many traders and strangers passing through. It’s not safe here for us.’
Taem could hear the Wizard was anxious, and that made him worried.
‘Don’t talk to anyone,’ Hirandar nodded at Taem, ‘don’t even look anyone in the eye unless you have to. Anyone could be Maliven. Follow me, and keep your eyes open.’
Taem was on a knife edge as he followed the old woman through the lamp-lit town. They walked past dozens of people out for an evening stroll, and they all looked harmless to Taem. He saw rich merchants with armed guards, farmers, townspeople, travellers, shopkeepers and inn-workers. Even so, he was careful not to catch their eyes. He shivered when he thought any of these normal looking people could be a Maliven spy. Hirandar led them past shops and taverns, to the other side of town, and into the Boot and Fiddle Inn.
The two companions stepped inside, into the warm yellow glow of the common room, with its black beams,
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