FIREHEART Legend of the Paladins

3.7. The Change of the Way

The Change of the Way

Robert sets out at once in full speed. Rael'charon's last sentence keeps echoing in his mind.

'You will have to change your course.'

A creepy feeling surges into him.

'Duke Walthorn! I must find the old duke and save him!' Robert thinks.

As he reaches a hundred miles from Alceste, he finds some Lorean troops running wearily - totally exhausted. Robert asks one of them about the current situation and the duke.

'Excuse me, comrade. I'm Robert of Lore, the scout. How's the situation of the battle now? How about Duke Walthorn, if you please?'

The soldier replies with terror on his face and a trembling voice.

'As you can see, comrade, we are retreating to regroup in the capital. We retreated in time but alas! The duke challenged an enemy general in single combat and the duke was slain.'

Robert is horrorstruck. His benefactor is dead - The man who promised to make him strong. Walthorn didn't fulfill his promise though, because the old duke didn't ask Robert to be near him so Robert can avert this loss or even take revenge of the murderer - Oh, yes, about the murderer....

'Who's the general who slew the duke?'

'Well, I can't recall his name. But he obviously has a long red hair and wearing a fiery red armor.'

Alexis.

Robert will always remember this name. But Robert won't take revenge because Alexis the Red Prince killed Walthorn in the eve of battle, so it's natural that in a single combat, one will die and one will prevail. Robert just determines to fight Alexis sooner or later, just because Alexis is indeed a great danger for Lore.

Before Robert can thank the soldier, the solider has already run away. As Robert turns to the capital to report to Rael'charon, he finds Duke Walthorn's steed, Paeldagrin running frantically, rampaging and crashing into everything and everyone nearby.

'Paeldagrin! It is surely mad because it has lost its master, but something worse might've happened to him!'

Robert stops a fleeing soldier, dismounts from his horse and gives his horse to that soldier. He asks the soldier to go in full speed to Alceste and report immediately to Advisor Rael'charon about the current battle situation and Lord Walthorn's fate. The soldier says yes and rides at once to Marlham Palace. Then Robert moves forward to try and calm Paeldagrin. He whistles a special tune that he and Duke Walthorn used to call Paeldagrin. Paeldagrin recognizes it at once and stops its rampage. Robert comes near Paeldagrin carefully to prepare himself from the horse's sudden outburst, and successfully rubs Paeldagrin's neck like he used to. Robert examines Paeldagrin and finds traces of powder on Paeldagrin's watery eye. It seems that the powder - that is actually sand taken from Lorean shores - isn't dangerous at all, but it was enough to blind a horse temporarily and made it panic and out of control. Robert pours water from the water bottle on Paeldagrin's saddle on the horse's eye, rubbing its neck to make it stay calm. Then Robert takes the armor from Paeldagrin's body, reattaches its saddle and mounts it, saying.

'Fly, Paeldagrin! Bear me to your master! Heeaaah!'

Paeldagrin raises his two front feet and runs, galloping in lightning speed. It sure can outrun all other horses without the horse armor. About a mile away, Robert sees some people in red uniforms with silver eagle crests are riding horses in high speed on the forest path in front of him. They wear chain armors and coifs and iron helmets like Robert, but don't share Robert's blue uniform with a gold lion crest on it.