Jarek: New Mission

I stepped out of Belor's office feeling triumphant. That pesky old sheriff always made things difficult for me. Half the people in this town thinks I'm a dim witted loafter thanks to him.

I would have paid a thousand gold coins just to see Belor's expression again. That old fart nearly fell dead when he heard that Lord Foxglove invited me to his hunt.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

I turned around and saw Shalelu walking behind me. My teacher had followed me out of the Sheriff's office. I barely noticed her light footsteps and her stealthy movements. Shalelu was taller than most elves, with dark amber hair cropped short like a young boy. I heard she's over a hundred years old already, but she still looked like a graceful dancer in her early twenties.

"I'm heading home," I explained. "I think I deserve some rest after today's excitement."

Shalelu's eyes widened, as if she was about to reprimand me.

"I have to get some rest. I still have to accompany Lord Foxglove to his hunt."

"That excuse won't work on me," my teacher calmly stated.

"But..."

"There's still time between now and the nobleman's hunt," Shalelu added. "And there are still a lot of things to be done."

I shook my head. "I thought Belor has everything covered."

"That's what he wants everyone to think," Shalelu replied. "That's why we're here to help him out."

"Help fix the things he can't do," I added.

The elf maiden's face softened. "I need you to do something," she said in a slow soothing voice, like the way a parent would talk to a disobedient six year old. "The Mayor has instructed me to lead the rangers out into the forest to track the goblins."

"So I have to go with you right now?" I asked. All the exhaustion and weariness of battle had vanished. I was feeling ready and eager to take on my next assignment.

"No," Shalelu answered. "You'll be staying here."

The words struck me deeper than any arrow would. My own mentor doesn't have enough trust and faith in me. "I guess not."

Shalelu sensed my disappointment and patted my on the shoulder. "I need you to go to the cemetry and examine the place. See if the place had been defied and if you can find something that can help us identify the one who ordered the goblin attack."

I looked at my teacher and gave a weak nod.