5.

5.

    As the executioner cut down Grimwall's body, the crowd that had come to see the hanging dispersed slowly. They had, it seemed, expected something more exciting. Perhaps they had expected the Magician to use his magic and destroy the entire courtyard. They walked off, grumbling.

    Shoden stood where he was and watched, his eyes filling with tears, as Grimwall's body was thrown into a horse-drawn cart and pulled out of the courtyard. He hadn't known the Magician very long, but the man had given him a home when he had none and he had given him the protective advice that he must be careful of the Devil, who was after the use of the boy's own strong imagination. Now, Grimwall was dead and Shoden was, once again, on his own. He felt as the void and shadow in his heart grew.

    He sighed and turned to leave and ran right into the Heirophant. The old man had a stern look on his face that went further than his low eyebrows. His arms were folded across his chest and he held his Gods' Star in his right hand.

    "Pardon me, sir," Shoden said and moved to clear the holy man's path when he put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

    "Might I have a word with you?" The Heirophant asked gently.

Shoden nodded softly and said, "What would you like to speak with me about, sir?"

    The Emperor's religious adviser cleared his throat and said, "I heard what Grimwall said to you, about your quest for revenge."

    "Yes," Shoden nodded. "What about it?"

    "You know that I am the Emperor's religious adviser, yes?" 

    "Yes, sir."

    "Well, than I believe it is my duty to tell you that the Gods frown upon your quest. I may be going out on the proverbial limb here, but your revenge involves killing, doesn't it?"    

    Shoden nodded silently.

    "If you go through with what you are planning, young one, the Gods will wash there hands of you and you will be damned to the Devil's keep for all eternity."

    I feel as though I already am, Shoden thought, thinking of the Magician's warning that he was now in the Devil's eye for his creation of the tree creature in the Gray Woods. 

    "No good can come from your journey, boy," the Heirophant continued. "Take the Gods in your heart, before it is too late." With that, the old man walked off, back towards the Castle Arthur, where the Emperor had gone immediately after Grimwall's execution.

    Shoden stood where he was for a moment, letting the religious advisers words sink in.

_________________________________________________

    As Shoden and Trigger walked down the street that rested just outside of Castle Arthur, he realized that he hadn't a clue how to get to Morning Side, the name of some place the Magician had told him off. 

    "What're we going to do?" He asked his faithful dog, who just looked blankly up at him in response.

In the distance, a horseback rider came trotting towards him and Castle Arthur.

    "I guess I could ask this person," Shoden said, more to himself than Trigger.

As the rider approached, Shoden could see that it was a young man, not much older than himself, wearing a dark red robe. Around his neck was the Four Objects necklace that Shoden wore around his own neck. This rider was a Magician or an apprentice. Soon he was upon Shoden and Shoden flagged him down, waving his arms over his head.

    "What can I do for you?" the rider asked as he pulled his horse to a stop. 

    "I was wondering if you knew the direction to Morning Side." Shoden said. 

The rider thought for a moment and then replied, "I only know as far as Wolf Heart, sorry, but I think someone there might be able to help you out more. It's just southeast from Castle Arthur here."

    "Thank you," Shoden smiled and two headed off in opposite directions.