Free The Grim Wanderer by James Wolf

and locked the door behind them.
    ‘Bloody fools!’ The Wizard snarled. ‘So ignorant these people are of the world! Content they sit, chatting away in the tavern – whilst hundreds of soldiers die every year defending The Border! Just so these idiots can continue their ungrateful existence!’ The Wizard thumped her fist into her palm. ‘This is why the Maliven can spread their influence so easily. Sowing the Dark One’s evil seed in the world of Men – without them believing until it’s too late. I almost wish a Narg had come through the inn door! Well, almost…’
    ‘Why don’t they believe Nargs exist?’ Taem stashed his travelling pack in the corner of the room, and hung their cloaks up on the back of the door.
    ‘Because we do our job too well,’ Logan walked over to the window, peering down at the alley behind the inn. ‘We fight and die, to keep these people safe. And that is the thanks we get. It isn’t worth getting upset about, Hirandar. It’s always that way in the kingdoms far from the Shadowlands.’ Logan pulled the curtains across the window. ‘Show me the sword, Taem.’
    With the whisper of metal on leather, Taem pulled his blade from its scabbard and presented it to Logan with two hands. The Sodan Master took the blade and tried a few strikes through the air.
    ‘This sword is a unique wonder,’ Logan whispered, as he brought the blade up to his face. ‘Flawless and perfect,’ the Sodan Master turned the keen edge over, examining it from different angles.
    Logan’s sword was a mighty Sodan blade, but the Master knew this Starblade was something else. He could feel the power of Estellarum coursing through his blood as he held the sword. Logan had never felt anything like it, nothing even came close. The Sodan Master knew this Starblade was imbued with the Light itself. And he could already feel the link between Taem and his sword.
    ‘This is your sword,’ Logan offered the Starblade to Taem. ‘It’s a part of you now. You must never lose it.’
    ‘Yes, Master,’ Taem took back his sword, touched the flat of the blue blade to his forehead, and sheathed the sword by his side.
    ‘And Taem,’ Logan smiled, ‘I’m proud of you.’ Logan touched his apprentice on the shoulder.
    ‘Thank you, Master,’ Taem grinned.
    ‘I never doubted you’d come back with the sword,’ Logan said.
    ‘It’s late,’ Hirandar reached over to turn off the oil lamp, ‘It’s a long way north to Dolam, and further still after that. We better get some rest.’
    ‘Good night.’ Taem reached over to extinguish the last oil lamp, and fell asleep.
     
    Taem woke in the middle of the night, filled with a sense of unease. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Taem felt as if he could sense evil. He felt a terrible sense of doom and foreboding, as if he was in danger. He stared up through the shadows at the beams overhead, and looked round the dark room. There was nothing untoward in the room, and Hirandar and Logan were sleeping. But yet Taem could feel something was not right. There was something Dark close by. He could feel the presence of something that could only be evil. Perhaps he was just imagining it, but the sense of dread felt too strong.
    ‘Get up!’ Logan roared, as he leapt out of bed. ‘Nargs!’ The Sodan Master reached for his sword. ‘Hirandar, make some light!’
    The Wizard sat up in bed, and conjured a ball of white light to float above her outstretched palm.
    ‘Ready your sword!’ Logan shouted at Taem. ‘Nargs are coming, I can feel them. They are close!’
    Taem felt a surge of terror wash over him. He could not move. It made horrible sense. Logan had told him that Sodan could feel when Nargs were close, feel their blight on the world. That was the dreadful sense of evil that had woken him. He leapt into action, hurrying to pull his clothes on, relieved Logan was there to tell him what to do. A scream echoed through the night outside. Followed by a bestial roar that