The Hunter's Apprentice by Mark Stentson Page B

like an eternity. Half of him wanted to stay where he was while the other half wanted to return inside. The Zorg terrified him but he knew that it would be cowardly to abandon his master.
    He took a deep breath and prepared himself to re enter the Zorg’s lair. He approached it carefully and took a step forward. He then felt a sudden pain as someone stumble against him and he fell down again. He looked up and saw the hunter as the latter turned and in a single swing cut the crystal which broke and turned into smoke. The portal disappeared instantly.
    The hunter let himself down with a moan and Aerys rushed to his side.
    -My bag, whispered the hunter. There’s…a …a vial.
    Aerys opened it quickly and looked inside. He found it immediately and took it out. He opened it carefully. There was so little left. He poured it in the hunter’s mouth hoping that it would be sufficient for him to recover. The latter graoned and closed his eyes. Aerys waited anxiously. He looked at the hunter’s body. He had been badly wounded and his clothes were covered in blood. But gradually, the cuts began to disappear much to his relief. He breathed again.
    The hunter opened his eyes seconds later and sat down.
    -That was a close call lad, he said massaging his left arm which had suffered most.
    -How did you manage to escape?, asked Aerys concerned.

-Bit of luck, he replied calmly. I was lucky that he got so big that he could not move freely in that cave. I cut down the pillars and the cave started to fall apart. It was my only chance and I seized it.
    -I thought that hunters were capable of fighting Zorgs, said Aerys intrigued. He had witnessed the fight and the Zorg had the upper hand.
    -That’s quite true, said the hunter gravely. But if you remember what I said when we first talked about them is that they are not of the same strength. There some who are really strong and we just met one unfortunately.
    -Why unfortunately?, asked Aerys with concern.
    -Because he will come after you now lad.
    Aerys looked at him with a mingle expression of shock and terror.
    -This…creature will follow me?
    The hunter nodded gravely.
    -I’ve never met one this strong before and now we are lucky that I did not defeat it for it would have come back stronger.
    Aerys did not know what to think. Was that supposed to be good news? That Zorg did not even need to become stronger. It was strong enough as it was to kill him.
    -So…how…how long till it comes after me? He asked.
    -I don’t know lad. It can take a month or a year. It can attack right now. It all depends on how quickly it can find a way out of its lair as the portal is now destroyed.
    -Well at least I got the artifact, muttered Aerys trying to find something positive. He lifted it above him and the fading sunlight made it shine brighter than ever.
    -That’s a nice one you got, said the hunter appreciatively. A dragon hilt huh…that’s some sight.
    Aerys looked at him with surprise. It was the first ever compliment he had ever said.
    He looked away immediately.
    -Well…, he grunted uneasy. Let’s camp here for tonight. The sun is already fading and darkness will be upon us soon enough. You know what to do right?
    Aerys smiled and went to make his usual inspection. Perhaps the hunter was not as unpleasant as he showed.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 8
    They arrived in Adlington well after sunset much to the hunter’s anger. It was a small lumberjack village and they found the inn quite easily as there was only one large road that cut through the village by the middle. There was one thing that bothered Aerys though; there was not a soul outside.
    The hunter knocked heavily on the door and they heard someone hurrying on the other side.
    -Go away, said a rough voice. We are closed.
    -It’s the first time that I see an inn closing at dawn, replied the hunter harshly. Hurry up and open this door. We are hungry.
    -No…no. Go away. It’s too late.
    They heard him going away and the hunter