Short story on fantasy character Heitah Wayne Zedicus.
Heitah’s Diary: Yesterday was my birthday, I turned sixteen. I have grown up in the city of Xynkie, of which I have left. I am heading towards the lands of Buronch, which are north of Xynkie, in search of my family, who I have never met. It is many miles that I will have to travel, and I may not make it there. I do not even know my parent’s names, let alone if I have a brother. But I proclaim this to the world, I will either make it to my destination, or die trying.
Heitah left his homeland in search of his family, to travel across many mysterious lands to travel to Buronch, where he thinks his family may be. Heitah took his only possession left by his father, an ancient sword with powers undiscovered, and started his quest. He left alone, at night, without telling the people he grew up with. He knew they would be very sad if they saw him leave.
He went down the old friendly trail, out of the city, over the washing creek, and through the night. Heitah was a very intelligent teenager. He was taught by the blacksmith how to use his sword, taught by the wood’s guide to know nature, and had much common sense to guide him. He noticed the many foot prints of the people who had passed by during the day. They were trampled in by mostly humans, but it was evident to Heitah that some Dwarves, Elves, and even Goblins had been on this trail.
“Goblins, ohhhh boy, just my favorite creature to fight,” he whispered sarcastically to himself.
Although Heitah was very trained in the arts of the sword, and was very familiar with his own, he was extremely frightened by Goblins. These were vile and evil creatures who haunted the night outside of his city. He had encountered the likes of them before, but had never come across more than one at a time.
“Well, I better hurry up or I’m going to have to sharpen my Willy.” He named his sword Willy, after he first acquainted himself with the sword, whipped it through the air, and thought it sounded like the word Willy.
He made his way many miles out of the city without encountering anything in the night, and was very pleased with himself for making such speeds quietly to the neighboring city, Quilchdad. Here he planned to buy supplies, and hopefully find someone to go on his journey with him. Heitah thinking to himself, “After this city, it is into the wilderness towards my destination.”
“I’d like to buy these supplies,” he said to the dealer at the shop, as he handed him a paper.
“We carry these supplies, but they don’t come cheap. Thirteen silver pieces, do you understand?”
“Yes, I have enough money for them.” The dealer went in back, got the needed supplies and returned. He handed them over to Heitah, who pulled out his life earnings and gave them away in a blink of an eye.
“Ten years hard work; one gold piece and seventeen silver pieces, and only five coins left,” he thought to himself. He had worked for the blacksmith, forging swords, daggers, and other various weapons.
Heitah walked out of the store, out of the city into the wilderness, on his way. “Zoom.” An arrow went right past his head into a nearby tree, landing squarely in the head of a chipmunk.
“Astonishing! Who shot that!”
“It was I, Rose.” An Elven girl, probably only in her thirties, young by Elven standards.
“That was an incredible shot. How did you do that?”
“It was nothing, I do it all the time. I was taught when I was but a child, and still take lessons now. What are you doing out here in the wilderness?”
“I have important business to attend to, nothing for you to worry about.”
“Oh is that so. I saw you walk out of the dealer’s shop just an hour ago. Those are a lot of supplies to have just for oneself, even for a long time.”
“If you must know, I’m heading to Buronch. I’m going there to find my family, and you can’t stop me from going.”
“I didn’t intend to. In fact, I was going to ask to accompany you. I want to get out of this boring old place. May I come with you?”
“I... guess... as long as you don’t eat too much.”
From that moment they were friends. They had different backgrounds, and different races, but they had one major value in common, honesty. They continued to travel towards the city of Buronch. A few days passed, and they bonded quite well. They always traveled during the day, and made superb timing.
Rose saw the arrow coming before Heitah did, and pushed Heitah behind a tree. The arrow went skidding down the winding path and off into a thorn bush.
“We’ve got trouble. I think it’s Goblins,” Rose snarled with hatred for the vile race as deep as Heitah’s fear.
Rose and Heitah came out from behind the tree, and began hunting for their foes. Heitah found the first one. Diving, he backstabbed the Goblin leader. After the Goblin had fallen over, he pulled out Willy, and hurriedly hunted for the others. Heitah found another Goblin, dead on the dirt floor, Rose had been here. Running towards the scream of Rose, Heitah found a Goblin about slay her. Heitah quickly slashed Willy through the air, slicing both of the Goblin’s arms off. The Goblin fell over, breathed another breathe, and died. The Goblins were defeated. The four surviving Goblins of the seven, ran for their lives. Heitah and Rose took what useful things were on the corpses; gold, and a few other supplies.
They made their way through the forest lands, in which they had been traveling for the last three days, and came into the Swamp of Bongindea. This was the wasteland of a frog-bird race with scum all over, they looked like dead decomposing rats. Rose had been here before, and was very agitated. Heitah foolishly walked straight into the open, but Rose grabbed him by the arm and took the lead. She knew of the grave dangers here, and she wasn’t about to let Heitah get tangled in traps the frog-birds had left behind. They made their way through the swamp. In the week it took the to travel through the swamp, they did not encounter any frog-birds.
They finally reached the Desert of Stokolola. Scorching rays of sun were hitting down upon Heitah and Rose as they ventured upon the sands of Stokolola. The desert had few plants or trees, and was not very encouraging to the eye. Water thirsty and tired, they stopped for the night by the only shrub in many miles. With no wood to make a fire they knew they were in for a cold night, even though the days were very hot. Heitah found a snake just before the moon came up and sliced it’s head off with Willy. They ate it raw, too hungry to care for the taste. They went to sleep in their tent and made it through the night shivering, near each other to get warmth.
The next morning they were greeted to the tickling feeling of more than ten black scorpions crawling all around them. Rose screamed, and was vigorously stung by three scorpions. With quick and amazing speed, Heitah pulled Willy out of its scabbard and sliced off the tails of all the scorpions. Rose fainted and Heitah quickly found the wounds and began taking care of them. He didn’t know if the poison from the scorpions was deadly enough to kill Rose, but he didn’t take any chances. He did his best to push and suck out all the poison from the wounds. An hour later, Rose still wasn’t looking good and hadn’t obtained consciousness yet. Heitah was very worried that he might lose his new friend. Holding tightly to Willy and Rose he shed a tear. The tear landed on the sword and then dripped onto Rose’s cheek. She immediately woke up, and saw Heitah crying. They locked eyes and spoke no words knowing what the magic sword of Heitah’s had just done. They made surprising time that day even though what Rose had gone through should of drained her strength. It didn’t, or perhaps she had gained it back.
It took three weeks and a day to cross the scorching sands of Stokolola, but they made it. The base of a very large mountain was just ahead. Heitah pulled out the map that he had been using to get to the city of Buronch. Surprisingly the mountain was not on the map, but he was confident that his location was correct. After showing Rose the complications to their journey, they decided to go around the mountain instead of going over it. The mountain was enormous, and it was going to take at least a five day trip to the east to get around
After two days, they came upon a merchant concealed in a black cloak, with a caravan of three horses.
“Hello there merchant. I’m willing to pay you 1 gold piece for the horse that is carrying no supplies.”
“Sure... I’ll sell you her. She’s a beauty, but I’ll take no less than three gold.” Heitah was shocked at the price; three gold, when the horse was barely even tame.
“I have only one gold to spare sir, will you take my payment of one gold, and perhaps also take something from us that catches your eye?”
“Awww, I see... What about that sword th–.”
“Nooo! It is not for trade.”
“As you wish, I’ll be on my way.” Heitah was furious with the ridiculous behavior of the merchant. Rose was obviously very weary from their travels, and this swayed Heitah’s next actions. They had begun to lose weight, and were not eating enough food or drinking enough water.
“Perhaps merchant, I have another proposal. I’ll pay you one gold, for the chance at a sword duel. Winner gets to keep the sword and the horse. The winner is declared when the opponent loses a drop of blood.”
“Quite a bargain you are giving me dear boy, I accept. But you are giving me a free sword and coin.” He grinned evilly and jumped off of his horse.
Rose was shocked at the bargain Heitah just agreed to, and proposed for that matter, but it was something even Rose would do, if Heitah. If he won, they would get a horse. Heitah went into the combat mode his mentor, the blacksmith, had taught him. He won the battle after many minutes, striking a blow that just took off a piece of the merchant’s top left ear. After arguing that Heitah had won, the merchant conceded, and Heitah sheaved his sword triumpantly, took the horse, and rode off with Rose. Now with a horse, they made an even better pace around the mountain, and finally arrived in the city of Calentine. This was the last safe place to rest before Buronch.
They stayed only two nights in Calentine, reviving from their weary travels. Using his last silver pieces, Heitah bought the few supplies he could and left with Rose for the final week long journey until they would arrive in Buronch. The week seemed to take an eternity to an expectant Heitah, but they finally arrived there. Walking inside the city with only hope, Heitah and Rose went through the gate. The guards gave them a tip with their armor helmets and a wink to Rose. The city was a valley that Humans had cultivated for many years, and Dwarves and Elves had both come here to farm. Heitah didn’t know where to start looking, but he held firmly to his sword Willy. Getting inspiration from Willy, or from deep inside himself, he knocked on a door to a village cottage. A man who resembled Heitah very closely, in an older form, opened the door. Wide-eyed and shocked, both looked into each other’s eyes. Heitah walked forward to embrace who he though was his father, but right as he tried to take his first step, he woke up. Heitah fell off of his bed, hit his head on his dresser, and realized that everything that had happened was just dream. He already had known his family, had two brothers, and loving parents. Satisfied he would never have to go out on a fantasy and adventure like that, he got back up on his bed, and went into slumber.