Jaxon was just finishing breakfast when Nord came to the next morning. The aroma of sausage and eggs made Nord's stomach gurgle in a horrible way. He leapt to his feet and rushed outside, sucking in deep breaths and trying to keep whatever was in his stomach down.
Jaxon stepped behind where Nord was bent over. "My, my. Someone's developed a weak stomach." He joked. "You know, this reminds me of the time you and Amon introduced me to spirits. I was such a gomer back then."
Nord gave a slight chuckle as he straightened. "If I remember right, it was the women, not the drinks that turned your stomach."
"Well, when the cute one has an Adam's apple, that's enough to throw anyone off their game." The halfling straightened his hat, checking the position of the sun in the sky.
Nord started walking towards Jaxon's home, a hand on his upset stomach. "Tell me you have some peppermint in your herb garden."
Jaxon smirked at him, "I see you're still using my indigestion remedy."
Nord shrugged his shoulders, "If it works, it works."
They continued walking towards Jaxon's house, Nord holding his tummy as if wounded. Slowly the streets filled and merchants began to open their shops. A baker opened his doors right as they walked by, and the smell of fresh baked bread wafted out into the streets.
"We should probably pick up something for breakfast, since your pantry's empty." Nord said, thinking of his nephew.
"Oh, no thanks, I already ate." Jaxon replied, walking onward.
Nord stopped in his tracks. "Really? You're going to try and bluff me like that?" Nord said, arms crossed, tapping his foot. "The same guy that stopped in the middle of a raging battle to fix sausages, tomatoes, and toasted bread, is going to walk by a bakery full of fresh bread? When I'm even paying?"
Jaxon turned right around. "You didn't mention you were paying!"
Nord laughed, "Here, why don't you go get a nice wheel of cheese, too." He said, tossing a bag of silver pieces to Jaxon.
"Fine, but you better get me a couple of honey cakes while you're in there!"
Nord agreed chuckling, and walked into the store. He ordered a dozen rolls and two loaves of bread, as well as the honey cakes, before heading out and searching for Jaxon.
Nord found him in the cheese shop talking to one of the other customers.
It was the bold woman from the day before. "You really should come over and meet my sweet niece, Sansha. I think you two would get along smashingly."
"I'll have to try to get away from my guests and do that." Jaxon replied, as he eyeballed Nord, trying to signal “Save Me!”
Nord ignored it though, relishing in the chance to cause trouble for his friend. "And who might this charming young lady be?" Nord asked, flashing her a dashing smile.
She smiled sweetly back to him. "Nice try, young man, but you're much too tall for my tastes." She mouthed, "Remember." to Jaxon, then turned to leave the shop.
"Whew, you have perfect timing, my friend." Jaxon handed Nord a large round of cheese. "The vultures have started to descend!" He said in exasperation.
Nord felt cheated by the universe, he had hoped to keep her around for a little torture on his friend. "Anytime, my friend, I know you'd do the same."
Jaxon disabused him of that belief quickly. "Actually, I would’ve thrown you off the cliff, like a piece of meat, for them to fight over. But that's why you're a better person than I am." Jaxon walked out of the store and took off toward his house.
Nord caught up to Jaxon, juggling the bread and cheese, right as he was reaching for the doorknob. "You've given me a quick escape twice from that nattering vulture." Jaxon said, entering his home.
Nord laughed, "At least she seems to like you, I flashed her one of my best smiles, and she rebuffed me like I was a hairless orc." He smacked his head on a crossbeam, juggling his load as bright spots flashed in his eyes.
"You'll think that, until she really does pay attention to you, my friend." Jaxon said knowingly, striding to the table, "Then you'll be looking for escapes only I could fit through. You're too tall to avoid her clutches!"
"She can't be all bad." Nord said, walking over to where Lovonian slept and dropping a roll on his noggin. It hit the table and started to roll from it. Just as it neared the ground, Lov awakened enough to snatch it from the air.
"Good thing you caught that before it hit the floor. It's your breakfast." Nord shoved the wheel of cheese, the loaves of bread, and some of the rolls into the pantry. He brought the last three rolls to the table and gave another to Lov.
Jaxon put some water on to boil. He finally noticed his goat bleating in a demanding manner. "Oh good, sounds like my goat wants me to squeeze her teats."
Nord raised his eyebrow at his friend. "Did you really just say that?"
"You are a right sick bastard, Nord." Jaxon replied. "It hurts her to have too much milk in her, and I need milk for my coffee. Get your mind out of the pig mud." Jaxon went outside with a pitcher, and the bleating stopped.
Lov ate his roll and considered telling his uncle about his visitor. He thought about his failed attempts to light the pipe the fairy had given him. He'd sat here for hours like an idiot, trying to light it. Nothing had happened. He had almost given in to his dragonhunger, and gone crawling back to Anna when his uncle and Jaxon had arrived. Nord munched contentedly on his rolls.
"Uncle, do you believe in pixies?" Lov asked tentatively.
"You mean little people made of flower petals with the vine clothes?" Nord asked.
"No, I mean a tiny woman who floated around like a glow bug. She made tinkling sounds." Lov realized how insane that sounded as he said it.
Nord gave his nephew the stink eye. "That's a fairy, not a pixie. Pixies aren't real." Nord said matter of factually. "Fairies are real though, and a pain in the backside."
"Well, I don't know about pain in the backside..." Lov started, trying to defend his little friend.
Nord laughed, "Okay, Junior. Let me know how that works out for you."
Lov shifted uncomfortably, "My grandfather sent her."
Nord stared uncomprehendingly at Lov. After a moment of Lov staring at him, it dawned on him. Lov's mother had told him nothing, other than bits and pieces she experienced with him.
"So your mother never told you anything about your dragon side, did she?" Lov nodded. "I don't know what to tell you, Lov. I've fought in battles with your grandfather many times. But he is a very busy warrior. We don't really get to talk much." He leaned back in the chair he was sitting in and put his boots on the table.
Jaxon walked in, pitcher in one hand, and smacked Nord with the other. "Boots off my table!"
"Sorry, Mate." Nord turned back to Lov tucking his feet under the table, and leaning upon it. "Why don't you tell me what she told you, and I'll see what I can do to help."
So Lov recounted the tale, with Nord listening attentively. Jaxon passed out coffee he had made as the young half-dragon talked. As Lov drew to a finish, Jaxon couldn't help himself. "Can I see it?"
"What?" Lov asked.
"The dragonweed, my boy! You have the stash of kings!" Lov pulled out the branch and passed it to Jaxon, who inhaled the fragrance deeply. Lov got his first good look at the pipe in the light of day. He saw now that dragons were etched down the sides of it, flames escaping from their mouths.
"This smells heavenly." He told Lov as he handed it back. "The first time you need to break into that, feel free to call on me. I love smoking my pipe." With that he whipped out his own pipe and lit it with a stick from the fire. He puffed away contentedly, while Nord fanned the air.
"Gods, I hate those things." He complained. "Anyway, Lov, it seems she told you about everything but your focus." He reached into his pouch for his blessing stone, the one he carried to use his innate gifts, and couldn't find it.
"What is it, Uncle?" Lov asked, leaning towards Nord, "Are you okay?"
"I seem to have misplaced mine." Nord replied, shaking his head. "Too bad really. I've had that one since the last orc war. Oh well, it was close to time to replace it anyways." He quit searching and turned back to Lov. "A focus. A stone or object you use to cast your magic through. If you don't use one, you stand a chance of burning yourself out. We'll look for some new ones later."
Jaxon jumped up, "Good, so now I can show you two what your chores are for the next couple days." He said, grabbing them by their arms and pushing them towards the door. "If I have to gather you two intelligence, you have to keep my farm running."
He took them through the rounds, feeding, watering, and showing Lov how to milk since Nord refused. After he got them started, Jaxon went back inside to pack for his journey.
Nord leaned on the rake he had been using. "Bleeding slave driver. If he didn't work himself as hard, I'd probably kill him." He went back to raking the leaves on the ground. "If I know Jaxon, he's got a stash of weapons around here somewhere. After he takes off, we'll have to find it. A bow's a good weapon, and I know you love that thing. But we have to train you with a hand to hand weapon too."
Lov nodded, shoveling dirt into a hole in the sod Jaxon had caused to fix his roof.
Jaxon came outside, pack slung over his shoulder. "I'll be back in a few days. Just don't break my farm, and I won't hurt you when I get back." He took off down the road and didn't even look back.
The two of them finished what few chores were left and went inside to get some lunch. While Lov munched on some rolls, Nord carried a hunk of cheese, and stood tapping on the walls. "I know you've got it somewhere." He would say quietly as he tapped.
Lov went back out to put the tools away. As he finished, he heard Nord yell, "Woot! I found the mother load!"
Lov rushed into the house, finding the dining room table turned on its side. He circled around it to see a trap door and a stairway leading into the ground. He watched his uncle disappear around the corner, and chased after him. He rounded the same corner to find a hallway, split in two, leading left and right. He chose the left corridor, the opposite direction of Nord. Lov had no problems seeing in the dark holes of the earth, a gift from both his parents, but he wondered how Jaxon would walk through the corridor with no light.
He spotted glass balls filled with a liquid marking the path. He walked over to one and gently flicked it. It shed an eerie blue light that not even the blackness of Lov's scales could absorb. He shined bright blue in the light, glowing like the fairy that had visited him. He continued down the corridor.
The young half-dragon passed through a doorway and arrived in an immense chamber, filled with gold and silver statues, uncut gems, jewelry both plain and ornate, and riches of all kinds. It was an immense vault full of treasure. The hunger in Lov screamed with glee. It took every ounce of his willpower to resist the urge to pile some of it up in a high mound and swim in it.
In front of him, a small clearing with stands showed what Lov assumed were favorites. An ornate chest, gem encrusted and inlaid in gold and mithril, it shone beautifully in the low light.
Another was a suit of armor old and ancient looking. It consisted of simple plates worn on the body, but Lov could sense a presence in them. A golden statue of a naked fairy moved! She went from standing straight to bending over provocatively, and flashing Lov a kiss. He gave a start and left the room, in search of his uncle.
He found Nord at the end of the opposite hallway standing in the center of an immense training room. Various training dummies and targets lined one side of the room. Along another was an obstacle course filled with traps and pitfalls and all kinds of moving blades and smashing clubs. But Nord was looking at the weapon collection.
If he knew Jaxon at all, these were the weapons of the fallen generals of the Orc Wars. Both sides had decided to use an assassination style take-over on the same day. The result was the death of the elven king without a proper successor. They also succeeded in beheading the army as well. Most of the elf generals with any sense of strategy were taken by dark rituals. The council had tried to take the reins in the war, but failed miserably. Amon had been the one to step forward and fill that void.
Nord and the elves landed their own blow upon the orcs. Suicide teams worked their way deep into opposing lands, killing tribal leaders, and attempting to split the orc alliance. They missed Greatmother Nika though, and she forged the men of her tribe into a hammer that smashed across the whole of the land, even pushing upon Heart itself, the seat of the Titan empire.
Only the Titans had been able to stop the orcs. The elven resistance, led by a much less experienced Nord and his brother Amon, had joined their intelligence gathering with the might of the Titanbringer Gendry. Once that happened, the orcs never stood a chance. The Titans sliced through the orc army like a blade being quenched in snow. The Greatmother Nika fell in battle attempting to drive her horde through the walls of Heart. The Titans smashedhed her and her army against the walls. What few survivors there were made their way back to their lands to lick their wounds, and for some to claim chiefdoms in the chaos. Nord realized he'd been talking out loud, and gave himself a shake.
Nord turned to Lov, a smile on his face. "Sounds just like something I'd expect Jaxon to do. Find all these weapons to preserve them. He always did believe in the powers of totems and talismans.”
"And you don't?" Lov asked.
"Of course I do." Nord replied, admiring the weapons. There were axes, maces, ornate and plain. There were staves, swords, and everything in between. Some were etched, others were carved. Made of wood and metal. Stacked floor to ceiling, and they all looked beautiful.
Nord picked up a dagger and a long sword He also chose an ornately carved elven shield. "Pick a couple, I'm sure Jaxon won't mind if we use them to learn basics."
Lov admired and appraised every weapon. He picked up every club, every sword. Swung every staff, just trying to get a feel for the weapons. One, a broadsword he knew was too big for himself, he gave to Nord saying, "It fits you better."
Nord pulled the sword from the scabbard, the soft blue steel shone brightly in the light of the bulbs. He swung the sword back and forth, feeling it whistle through the wind as a soft cry arose from the blade.
"This is the sword of our last king!" Nord said, shock and awe in his voice. "This mighty sword and the elves that wielded it protected our lands. It's fitting that now of all times it should return to the hands of an elf." Nord appraised his nephew. "You have an eye, young one."
Lov bobbed his head saying, "Cool, I like the soft whisper of a song that comes off it when you wave it." His hunger wished he had swung it before giving it to Nord. "I know it's yours, but can I try it out?"
As Nord handed it to Lov, it hummed sweetly, but as soon as it hit Lov's hand, all the singing stopped. Lov swung it a few times, attempting to elicit a sound, but the blade remained silent. He handed it back to Nord, full of disappointment. He felt his hunger scream and curse.
As Lov continued down the wall, he stopped, pulling a scimitar that hummed with power. Ivy vines were etched down the back of the scimitar and it was flexible, but strong. Lov tested the weapon, giving a few swings and liked the feel of how the blade cut through the air. It also balanced nicely in his hands, easy to maintain a grip on.
He placed it back on the wall to pull a battle ax down. It was all of one piece, blue, yellow, and red metals all alloyed together in a brindle pattern. The ax blade was wide and sharp, while the other side had a hammer head, an eye emblazoned upon it. The shaft was long enough he could use it as a walking stick.
An eye stared out from the back of the ax head. "Of course," Nord said, a hint of exasperation in his voice, "you have to choose the one weapon that's obviously orc made." Nord fingered the seal on the ax head. "That's the same symbol as our family signet." He said as he reached into his pouch and pulled the ring out. "It's the sign of the orc god, Gruumnsh. He is a god of power and strength. If you're going to wield that, maybe you should hold this."
Lov eyed the ring, then declined. "How about you hold onto it for me, Uncle. That way I know it’s with a family member." Lov swung the ax experimentally. It was heavy for him, and the haft was a little long, but Lov could appreciate the brutal efficiency of the ax "I think this is the one I'll ask Jaxon about." He said, setting the haft on the ground and leaning on the pole.
He continued down the line of weapons, one hand stretched out touching them, the other getting used to the weight of the ax. As he caressed the last one, he inhaled sharply.
"I don't believe it." He said. Nord looked around to see who he boy was talking to, but no one was around. "Alright." Lov said again to thin air. He lifted the sword as if to test it and then let it go. The blade floated in the air, as if held by some invisible hand. It was a beautiful long sword, the hilt was wrapped in leather, and the blade was made of a bluish alloy. It moved as if it had a mind of its own, floating aggressively towards the tall elf.
Nord jumped back, startled as the sword attacked him. Lov reached out, snatching it from the air before it could hurt his uncle, shoving it into the scabbard. Nord eyeballed the sword as Lov passed him, battle ax in hand.
"You can't use that floaty sword tomorrow, that's cheating. And we'll have to see about making some practice weapons. I'll trade the blacksmith for some handles and weight. The good thing about teaching you the ax is it’s just like teaching you a club. All you really have to do is hit your opponent and let the weapon do the work."
That night Nord fashioned two clubs with flat stones bundled in cloth to simulate ax heads for practice the next day.
Lov slept well that night. The next morning he rose before the sun, leaving the house and taking his bow and quiver with him. He walked through the town, getting a feel for the day. Few people were out and about, and those that were, seemed too tired to notice the young half-dragon as he blended in with the morning fog. He walked away from the town, hoping to find a small bird or a squirrel to have for breakfast. Lov walked with an arrow nocked, searching for small game. Suddenly, a bird flew from a bush bordering the road. He fired without thought, catching the bird on the fly, and ran over to where it landed.
The young man winced in pain shared as he saw he had missed his mark. He had aimed for a quick death, but instead, the arrow went through one of its wings, effectively breaking it. Lov ran up and snapped the bird's neck, wanting to end its suffering. Part of him had enjoyed it, his hunger reveled in knowing he had caused that bird to suffer, and it called for him to drink its blood after snapping the poor avian's neck. Lov wished he could sever that part of himself.
He carried the bird home, then gutted and plucked it in the yard. Once done, he then went inside and set it on a spit over the fireplace. He lit some kindling with his flint and steel and built a small fire to cook the bird. He also placed a pot of water to boil for coffee.
All that finished, he went out and milked the goat. After Lov took the milk filled pitcher inside, he called Nord for breakfast.
They split the bird Lov had shot, and went out to do what small chores needed to be done. When they finished, Nord went back into the house, and grabbed their practice weapons. He dragged Lov down the stairs and into the training room. The blue bulbs reflected off the smooth stone floors, filling the room with their pale light.
Nord approached an old training post, cuts and chunks of wood missing from it. He motioned Lov over. "Come here and show me your fighting stance."
Lov walked over and dropped into what he thought was a loose fighting stance.
Nord shook his head. "Well, at least it seems you don't have any bad habits I need to beat out of you." He said, stepping around Lov. "But it appears I have to start with the basics." He stepped close to Lov and used his own weapon to force Lov's legs farther apart. "You need to set your base wider... and spread your hands out more, you have them too close together. That will give you more power, but you'll sacrifice control for it. Like all fighting, you'll learn there's a time and place for it all."
When he was satisfied with Lov's grip and stance, Nord stepped back and assumed his own stance. "Alright, try to hit me."
Lov gave a half-hearted swing, not wanting to hurt his uncle. Nord caught Lov's weapon with his own, twisting his ax head around Lov's and sending the young one's weapon flying to the ground.
Nord gave him a good hard thump on the head. "Don't pussyfoot me, boy!"
Lov snatched his weapon from the ground. His rock head had been torn off. He set up his stance as if it were still there, and fought with everything he had. He managed a short exchange of three blows before Nord landed a solid hit to Lov's arm.
"You're gonna be sporting some bruises tomorrow, if you keep letting me abuse you like that, boy. Don't try to hit me with the head, just try to hit me. No matter what part of the weapon you hit me with, it’s going to hurt."
Lov shook his head. "That's the problem Uncle, I don't want to hurt you."
Nord glared hard at Lov. "Then think of me as something you want to hurt. Picture me as Reggie."
Lov nodded, "I'll try." He said.
Nord gestured menacingly at Lov. "That's a crock of shit and you know it. You don't try. You either do it or you don't." He said emphatically to his nephew.
Lov nodded and assumed his stance. He thought of his uncle as Reggie, picturing him as the mismatched suit of armor that had watched him all his young life. The memory of the council chamber, and finding his beloved father dead on the floor returned to him. A scream of rage erupted from him and he attacked Nord with a ferocity the tall man was not expecting. Lov dove at him, thrusting the club head in his face, then swung the handle around in a wild arc that just barely missed Nord's head.
Lov let go of his pain and anguish, letting his hunger feed upon it and guide him as he fought. He jumped and twisted, pivoted and slammed the haft of his weapon at Nord's face. It was taking every bit of Nord's skill to keep Lov at bay, and he was growing impressed with his nephew.
He jumped away from Lov calling, "Enough." Lov ignored him and charged onward. Nord shook his head thinking, when will this boy ever learn? While doing a front flip over Lov, he caught the young one on the back of the head with his practice weapon.
When Lov came to, Nord stood over him, holding out a cup of coffee. "Here, Lov, get up and let's talk about what I think we need to focus on for you."
They put their practice weapons up and went inside, looking for food. They walked to a nearby hill and sat in the grass, eating a meal of chicken and spiced potatoes.
"Your technique leaves much to be desired. You have good balance and fast reflexes, but any opponent that's a decent defender will pick you apart. We need to develop your defensive techniques while not gimping you offensively."
Lov nodded, knowing what his uncle meant. A few times today he had left himself wide open.