Chapter 1: The Priests and His Clerics

The second tale in the Talon Saga begins with Willard meeting some interesting new characters who help him get back to his feet. One has some interesting reservations about Talon.

Willard sat patiently as the cleric girl healed his wounds from his battle with Bruno in the days past.  During the blue knight’s fight with the Berserker, the sorceress, Oceana, who came from a mysterious clan of magic users who called themselves the Ancients was healing the severe wounds of Talon.  The sorceress healed the blue haired archer as a return favor for him saving her from a band of mercenaries named the Unforgiving Sword led by an elite sword master named Kilvren , who bested the sniper, Talon in battle.  In the middle of the healing process, Bruno approached Talon and Oceana with murderous intentions under the order of Oceana’s fellow Ancient, Morphus.  To save the still healing Talon from entering certain death, Oceana cast a sleeping spell on him, knocking him out.  Willard approached the terrain just in time to battle Bruno on Oceana’s behalf, as her powers were severely weakened.

After Willard defeated Bruno and killed him at the Berserker’s request, he took his sleeping companion and left the sorceress on the road to Pelmridge.  Willard wandered the road in his injured state carrying the enchanted Talon for three days, until his body gave out and he collapsed on the ground.  The blue armored mercenary was found a few hours later by a priest and three female clerics.  He awoke to the three girls around him, healing his wounds.  Two of the girls were young maidens, who looked like they were in their early twenties, and the third girl was a young lass who was less than ten year old.  As Willard awoke, his eyes fell upon the two beautiful older clerics.

“I must be in heaven to see these two visions of loveliness!” Willard spoke, as his gallant smile found its usual place on his face.  His eyes quickly began to examine two of the three clerics standing above him.  One had long flowing blonde hair while the other had long brown hair.  Both had striking blue eyes that reflected their purity.

As Willard started to rise from his laying position, both maidens blushed as he stood.  Now that Willard was healed and he at his full strength and conscious, his radiant charm was at its full power.  The priest, who was attending Talon quickly realized that his other patient had awoke, and moved over to Willard.

“So I see your up and well.” The priest said, as he frowned at his two lustful clerics.  “Praise the gods.”

“Trust me,” Willard replied, as his eyes continued to examine the maidens, “I am.”

“Yes I’m sure.” The priest said, his voice sounding quite unconvinced, as he stepped between Willard and the ladies.  “Well, brave sir knight, whose name is still a mystery to us, I have tried every dispel prayer I can think of to cure sleeping enchantments and your friend still is completely unaffected.  I am at loss as to what to do with him.  I am starting to get concerned.”

“Don’t sweat it, father.” Willard said, his tone changed from a playful flirtatious tone of voice directed to the females, to a serious tone as he looked at Talon sleeping against a tree.  “Something tells me the magic you possess is nothing compared to the magic that was used to put him to sleep.  It was really something…I don’t know who that Oceana woman was, but I wouldn’t mind never seeing her again…she didn’t seem like a sorceress that Talon and I should be messing around with.”

“Every spell is reversible.” The priest said as he walked over to Willard, “Just give me some more time and…”

“My name is Willard.” The blue knight decided to change subjects, not interested in dwelling on the kind of magic Oceana possessed.  “And as I just said, my friend sleeping there’s name is Talon.  We’re traveling mercenaries, and I guess I should thank your ladies here for fixing me up.”

The muscular man whirled around to look at the beautiful clerics.  The two older girls started to blush as his big blue eyes met theirs.

“I must have the honor of knowing the names of my rescuers.” Willard flashed his self proclaimed, award-winning smile to the maidens.

“I’m Dawn.” The blonde haired cleric said shyly, as her eyes looked away from Willard bashfully.

“And I’m Rebecca.” The brunette said slightly more confident then Dawn, her eyes obsessed with Willard’s physique.

A-hem!”  A higher and brattier voice was heard below Willard.  He looked down to see the small girl, no more then ten staring at him from head to toe, unimpressed with his good looks.  She gave him quite a peculiar look, almost suggesting the question “If you’re as hot as you think you are, how did you get so roughed up?”

“For your information, muscles for a brain,” the girl said loudly, “I was the one who did the majority of your healing.  Dawn and Rebecca are still learning their magic…and apparently they are still learning how to keep the pure mind of a cleric!”

“You’ll have to excuse the bluntness of little Clarissa here,” the priest said as he put his hand on the little girl's shoulder.  “While her mouth suggests she is as old as she looks…her talent in white magic is far past her own age.  She will make a great cleric one day…when she grows up and loses that fiery temper.”

“Pipe down, old man!” Clarissa said loudly in a condescending tone, as she walked past him. “Listen Brawny, you’re little pretty boy for a friend sleeping over there…I sense something really bad in him…I mean really bad…worse than anything I have ever felt, and that’s saying something!  Pops, me, and the bimbos over there have seen some pretty rough stuff in our travels…this guy has something really evil in him!”

“Now Clarissa!” the priest said, as he cupped her mouth with his hand.  “There is no need polluting this gallant knight’s head with these crazy ideas that are filling your head.”

The priest walked over to Willard.  “You’ll have to forgive me, I never formally introduced myself.  I am Father Brandon, and I am a member of the Order the Divine Light.  My clerics and I wander these lands helping the travelers in need, such as you and your friend over there.  Also, please forgive Clarissa.  Despite her amazing mystical talent, her head is still filled with the ideas of a ten year old.”

“Right.” Willard spoke somewhat awkwardly, unsure of how to deal with the annoying and yet mystical girl in his midst.  “Well, I really appreciate all of your help…but I think I am going to take my buddy Talon here and head to the nearest town…he probably needs a more comfortable dwelling to sleep in.”

“But he’s…” Father Brandon started to say.

“Thank you so much for your help!” Willard cut Brandon off, as he picked Talon up and threw him over his broad shoulders with blue armor covering them.  “Perhaps our paths will cross another time.”

Willard walked down the path out of the view of the priest and his clerics.

I still think there is something awfully awful within that blue haired guy.” Clarissa said to Brandon, as they started to clean their camp in preparation for departure.

“You and your ideas, Clarissa.” Brandon looked down at the gir lwith a gentle smile.  “One day you’re going to really give someone a scare with them!”