“I’m called <strong>the</strong> Mage Knight. That is all you need to know me by.”“Well Mr. Mage Knight, my name is Alexa, Alexa Marzgop. Now if you don’t mind I think that Iwill find my own way out of this cave.” There was much sarcasm in Alexa’s voice.“If you wish to live, I suggest that you don’t do that. I set up many magical traps in <strong>the</strong> cave andI doubt that <strong>the</strong> bandits had tripped <strong>the</strong>m all. So if you wish to leave here alive you will followme. Understand?”“Humph, you’re probably lying to me to help boost your broken ego but in <strong>the</strong> unlikely casethat <strong>the</strong>re are in fact traps out <strong>the</strong>re, I’ll follow you. Now lead <strong>the</strong> way Mr. Mage Knight.”Alexa may have been ungrateful but she wasn’t an idiot. An explosion at that time helped herbelieve <strong>the</strong> mercenary.“Follow closely,” was Isaac’s last command.Outside, in <strong>the</strong> sprawling fields of nor<strong>the</strong>rn Foresite paced <strong>the</strong> waiting farmer, Joseph. He wasanxiously waiting <strong>the</strong> return of <strong>the</strong> mercenary he had hired to save his wife. “How long have Ibeen waiting out here?” said <strong>the</strong> farmer, looking towards <strong>the</strong> sky, “<strong>the</strong> mid-day sun has alreadycome and gone.” He completed yet ano<strong>the</strong>r lap around <strong>the</strong> field, waiting anxiously, hoping,waiting. As he was about to finish his lap, he thought he saw a speck of black in <strong>the</strong> distance. Itwas <strong>the</strong> mercenary he thought and he ran towards <strong>the</strong> black figure.The black figure was, in fact, Isaac, with <strong>the</strong> woman following closely behind. They had notspoken a word since <strong>the</strong>y first left <strong>the</strong> final room in <strong>the</strong> cave. Isaac saw <strong>the</strong> farmer runningtowards <strong>the</strong>m and stopped walking, leaving Alexa to wonder what was happening. Then shenoticed <strong>the</strong> figure of Joseph far out in <strong>the</strong> distance, and with a tear in her eye she ran out tomeet her husband.When <strong>the</strong> met, <strong>the</strong>y embraced each o<strong>the</strong>r for what seemed like an eternity. It was an embraceof love and wishes come true. It was an embrace that could never be broken. Isaac saw <strong>the</strong>embrace, and smiled to himself. He looked up to <strong>the</strong> sky and for a moment he thought he saw<strong>the</strong> image of a person. “Mo<strong>the</strong>r, I will fulfill my promise to you one of <strong>the</strong>se days. Just give mesome more time to find <strong>the</strong> answers. Thank you.” He turned around to face <strong>the</strong> fast settingsun. He began his long hike, west, to <strong>the</strong> Foresite Academy, <strong>the</strong> place where he hoped to findhis answers.After a time that seemed forever, <strong>the</strong> couple let go of each o<strong>the</strong>r. Joseph looked around tryingto find <strong>the</strong> sorcerer, but to no avail. In <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> setting sun <strong>the</strong> sorcerer was nowhere tobe seen.English Journal 8 (January 20<strong>08</strong>) 63
“What are you looking for dear?” asked Alexa, confused.“The mercenary, he’s nowhere to be seen. I wanted to thank him for returning you safely andliberating <strong>the</strong> whole village from those filthy bandits. But it would seem to be that he hasalready gone.”“Well, it doesn’t surprise me. He’s a mercenary after all. You know <strong>the</strong>ir type, greedy,pompous, all around horrible people. I’m for one glad he’s gone. I mean, do we still even havea house. Probably not with how much mercenaries charge. The sons of…”“Now wait dear. Before you continue, I just want you to know that he did not charge usanything. He only asked me to collect maps for him until he collected, when ever that will be.That was <strong>the</strong> deal, you and <strong>the</strong> village for some maps.”“Wait, you mean that I have been wrong about this man <strong>the</strong> whole time. You mean he actuallycared about my life, and <strong>the</strong> livelihoods of <strong>the</strong> village people.” She fell to her knees, almostcrying. “How can I make amends for that man, <strong>the</strong> Mage Knight? How can I be forgiven?”“When he comes to collect his payment, <strong>the</strong>n you will have a chance at redemption.” Josephsaid this as he looked into <strong>the</strong> quickly setting sky. “Alexa, let’s go home.”Zach BodnarShe stares out<strong>the</strong> bus windowand watches <strong>the</strong> rain fall downlike her tearsit doesn't stop comingkeeps fallingkeeps fallinguntil she thinks she can’t cry anymorerocks thrown at windowslike her heartkeeps breakingkeeps breakinguntil its shattered into a million piecesEnglish Journal 8 (January 20<strong>08</strong>) 64