Shadows - S Robinson (classic reads TXT) 📗

he could remember, he was very adept at moulding the shapes needed and working the bellows to get the desired effect from the metals he used. When you reached seventeen you had to take various tests to ensure your capacity as a man. He had passed his literature studies with flying colours, gaining many plaudits from the church. He had however failed his combat training. Ericou had claimed him to be a less than an average combatant, someone who could hold a blade but his skill was lacking and would be dead within seconds of entering a fight. Anan felt that was fine as he didn’t think this type of trait was required for a life of farming and home making. When he voiced this argument, Ericou's answer was always “you always have to be ready and a quill wont scare a blood thirsty beast from tearing you to pieces”. On approaching the forge he was met by Sister Felicity the Church teacher, who looked like she was really struggling with the heat
“by the gods its hot today Anan, have you finished Ericou's hammer yet, he asked me to call over and check your progress”. Anan studied her for a moment, for a women old enough to be his grandmother she looked great. She had no wrinkles on her face or hands and the sun sparkled off her long golden hair, she was a stern teacher who took no messing around from her students but Anan had always been one of her favourites, so he liked the Sister.
“ erm, not quite, I have just got to attach the handle then it will be ready, tell the moaning old man I will bring it around in about an hour” Anan replied half laughing.
“ don’t mock Anan, it does not become you. That old man as you put it is very aware of his age and has earnt more respect than that. He sets high expectations for his students and feels like he has failed them if they under achieve. He gets more angry at himself than anyone else, so will you get it finished today?” with that Anan nodded and the Sister turned on her heel and left leaving Anan confused and irritated at what she had just said. Upsetting the Sister was not what he had wanted to do, he was trying to be funny, and it had not worked out too well.
An hour passed and Anan emerged from the forge with the gleaming hammer in hand. It looked stunning. The iron head gleamed in the sunlight showing off the eagle decoration Anan had spent the last thirty minutes inscribing into the metal. He thought it was a nice touch as Eagles were a symbol of grace and power in Bockley and no one fit that description better than Ericou. Picking the hammer up and lumping it onto his shoulder Anan made his way to the arena. The arena was just a flat piece of ground situated next to the forest, still within the tree boundary but far enough away from the rest of the settlement as to not scare the cattle or the elderly for that matter. It had at least seven practice dummies and several target boards for archery. On arriving Anan stood and watched Ericou as he manipulated a long wooden staff in a series of over complicated moves and thrusts into mid air. Anan coughed under his breath and Ericou looked up a smile spreading over his face.
“ You have finished my hammer young man.” Anan approached holding the hammer out in front of him. It was very overweighted at one end but that’s how Ericou wanted it. Ericou reached forward to claim what was his. But instead of handing back the hammer Anan knelt quickly and lifted the hammer above is head.
“ I offer this as a thank you for all you have taught me, and hopefully you will honour me by treating it true”. Completely nonplussed Ericou reached forward put one hand on Anan's shoulder and took the hammer
“thank you, young man, I will endeavour to use this true. I am also thankful for your respect and creativity” he said this whilst looking at the ornate carving of the eagle.
“I cannot believe you went to such trouble, thank you again”. Blushing slightly Anan stood, his only intention was to impress the Master with his etiquette but this was a little overkill.
“Its no trouble Ericou, you spent years trying to teach someone as clumsy as I, in an art you have perfected. The least I could do to repay you was to show my skill and use my own time to recompense you”. Ericou gave a curt nod and took several steps back. He began to swing the hammer in huge loops at first over his head then spinning it in his hands, it was moving so fast you could just see the sun sparkle off the eagle. At some points the hammer seemed to be floating in mid air, then with an almighty cry Ericou recovered his full grip on the handle and drove it down on top of a practice dummy. The dummy shattered into pieces, wood and leather were scattered everywhere and the dummy was no more.
“ It is perfect” and with that Anan left feeling very good about himself and he also knew that Ericou would tell the Sister what he had done and by tomorrow he would be back in her good books.
After finishing off the new shovels he had made for the church he decided it was time to clean up and finish for the day, but he didn’t go home. Anan decided a cool ale after the day he had had was a much better idea. With that he made his way to the Tavern to see his friends Smyt and Cain. Smyt was a couple of years older than Anan but his brother Cain was the same age, and the three got along as well as boys that age could. Anan had just reached the cattle pen where the Folip were grazing for the night and something caught his eye. He spun quickly but couldn’t see anything. It was getting dark and the only light was the full moon above him. He was looking out over the pen when he noticed the Folip herd were all congregated in one corner.
“What are you all doing over there” he mumbled to himself. He opened the gate fully but that just seemed to agitate the cattle, so he quickly backed off and closed the gate. Then he noticed it. A Folip was dead on the ground and it looked like something was feasting on it. A pair of red eyes looked up at him, Anan fell backwards in shock taking his eyes away for a split second. When he looked back the unknown creature had disappeared. Not wanting to stick around Anan ran to the Tavern. He burst through the doors and everyone went quite.
“Come quick there's something in the pen, its killed one of the cattle quick” Anan panted. In the corner a huge man got up
“dead you say, I will take a look, Fi pour this young man a drink I will be back shortly.” Ericou left with the bright new hammer strapped to his back. Anan sat down at a table near the door, his hands shaking uncontrollably and Cain came over to sit with him.
“ you look like you seen a ghost, what was in the pen?” Cain looked sceptical like his friend had gone mad or the sun had cooked his brain.
“ I just saw two eyes glaring at me, then I got freaked and came here” Anan was completely exhausted. What he had saw was scaring him. Those red burning eyes were floating around his head.
“So you didn’t see anything then really, it could just have been a bird or something” before he could answer Ericou came striding back in.
“ Anan are you sure you saw something or is this some form of joke because there is nothing there, no creature and no dead Folip. The cattle do seem a little skittish though but nothing untoward”. Anan couldn’t believe it, there was nothing there but he knew what he had seen and now it felt like everyone was laughing at him,
“I know what I saw Ericou, that Folip was dead and those eyes were definitely real” Anan was speaking through gritted teeth. Where did this anger come from. He had no reason to feel hard done to. Ericou had checked it out for him. Maybe the moon and the shadows were just playing tricks with his eyes.
“ I apologise for startling you all, maybe my eyes have deceived me, I need a cold drink and a bed and I will feel better in the morning”. Everyone in the Tavern went back to their conversations with nods of approval and a few tuts. Fi the bar maid brought over four cold mugs of ale for Anan's table as Ericou had now decided to join them. Ericou was talking about his new hammer, how it glided through the air effortlessly and was the easiest weapon he had ever had the pleasure of wielding, Anan was not really paying attention however, his eyes had wandered to the doorway where a man stood dripping wet, his clothes ripped apart in places and blood, lots of blood, dripping from a wound to his head and left leg. Anan had never seen this man before, ever, and it shocked him. The man staggered through the door and clattered into a couple of stools, this got the attention of the others in the Tavern and everyone turned including Ericou. There were a couple of gasps and the man collapsed, overturning a table and its contents. Ericou raced over, shaking the man
“Vandai, Vandai what happened” the man made no response.
“You boy” pointing at Anan
“go and fetch Mags now” without hesitation Anan burst out of the Tavern, sprinting down the road, when he reached his home Mags was waiting for him at the door.
“Come quick.....” and that was a far as he got. Mags clasped her hand over his mouth pulled him into the house and closed the door, she then pressed a finger to her lips.
“Anan, I know there is a man in the Tavern who needs my help, I also know what you saw in the pen earlier, but you need to be quiet, do as I say and ask me no questions I will explain later” perplexed Anan nodded in recognition.
“Carry this please and follow me” Anan picked up the satchel she presented and followed her. They went into Anan's room and Mags moved his bed. Then with a couple of mumbled incoherent words her hand glowed and the floor where his bed had been transformed into steps that went down, down to where Anan didn’t know, but right now was not the time to ask. He followed Mags down the steps at an incredible pace, he was a fit young man but he was struggling to keep up as they sprinted down a well lit tunnel that seemed to be running underneath the town. Mags raised her hand to stop and again her hand glowed and the ceiling descended into a set of new steps that went back up. Climbing the steps Anan realised he was back in the Tavern, but the scene he had left was now completely different. The Tavern was now full and all the attendees seemed to be armed to the teeth with huge swords or axes with shields and armour, Ericou met them
“he has been