A boy named xanth-part 1 (standard:fantasy, 1844 words)
Author: Finn Younger	Added: Dec 14 2005	Views/Reads: 3265/2134	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
xanth's dad falls ill, so xanth has to travell to the city to get a job, his attempts are tested by were-wolves, vampires, and monsters, as he travels throughj this harsh world.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

way towards the wounded creature, my hand gripped my sword hilt as if 
it was my lifeline, and the crossbow remained trained on the creature. 
We got to about four yards away, the cart driver told us to stop and we 
followed his wise orders reluctantly. Slowly the cart driver readied 
his axe, this was it, he looked at me' then at my travelling companion, 
then put his free hand onto the  spiky bush and readied to  move the 
bush to one side to see what was on the forest floor. He did it 
quickly; he pulled the spiky push vigorously to one side. Then the cart 
driver did a very big double take, puzzlement showing all over his wet 
face. I ran over to where the creature lay and let out a horrified 
gasp. The creature lying badly injured with a crossbow bolt in his leg 
was just a mere human! The crossbow wielding companion joined me, he 
stuttered. ‘But I thought it was a wolf! It was howling and all that! 
What the hell are we going to do?' He was interrupted by attention 
seeking groins of agony. ‘Help' the injured man muttered wearily as if 
he was falling asleep. Suddenly the sight of this dying man made me 
think back to my sick father, I suddenly took control of the escalating 
situation. ‘Someone lift him onto the cart!' The cart driver and my 
friend picked up the bleeding man and lay him out on the cart.  I took 
my bloodstained jacket off and wrapped it around the mans severed leg, 
I tightened it to form a bandage. ‘Rite you two stay here and comfort 
him, I will be back soon!' with that I ran off into the woods, leaving 
the chaotic sad scene behind me.  After several minutes of crazily 
searching, I finally found it, I ran up to the chestuck bush and madly 
grabbed some of its prized blue berries, I grabbed a big leaf from a 
nearby tree and ran back to find the cart. I may not have found my way 
through the confusingly similar forest but the screeches of agony 
guided me to my destination. I arrived out of the woods and onto the 
path, the man lay on the bloodstained cart, he was rolling around 
yelling. The driver was trying to keep him still whilst my travelling 
friend was no where in sight. I ran up to the man, and stopped beside 
the cart, I began crushing the blue chestuk berries onto the leaf until 
I had a thin layer of blue paste. I  put the   healing leaf onto the 
mans leg, and tied it in place with  some rope the driver had fetched 
me. I also then got some more of the blue berries and tried to feed 
them to the man. He pushed the berries aside and tried to turn his 
mouth away. I once again tried to put the berries in the mans mouth but 
he turned his head away. With the help of the driver holding the mans 
head still finally I  managed to make the man eat the berries, I poured 
some cold water from my hip flask down his throat, suddenly the man  
went floppy and lay down peacefully as if he was going to sleep after a 
hard days work. ‘What did you do to him?'  The cart driver asked 
accusingly. ‘I put him in a light sleep, when he wakes in a few hours 
his leg should be healed if the willing of God has been done. We have 
done all we can, now it is for him to decide whether he lives or dies,  
lets let time tell. I sat down with my back to the cart and laughed 
madly. ‘I have not even got to Phloden and I am having the biggest 
adventure I have ever had before' The cart driver smiled and spoke in a 
weary tired voice. ‘I no, after a year or so making my living by 
transporting people here and there, I have never had to deal with 
anything like this.' A clunking of horse shoes reached my ears, my gaze 
looked up the road and four horses galloped towards, their peasant 
riders urged the horses to go faster. On one of the speeding horses was 
my travelling friend, he bore a huge smile showing his revolting teeth. 
The horses finally drew to a halt beside the cart and the riders 
dismounted their tired mounts.  Immediately the three strangers went to 
the cart and inspected the wounded man, they produced glass rods, vials 
of green liquid, and many other things I did not recognize. My friend 
strided up to me and spoke proudly. ‘Soon after you left into the woods 
I just felt so useless sitting there waiting for you to return, so I 
began progressing as fast as I could  down the path, after a while I 
saw no one or no civilisation just this dull rocky path surrounded by 
the woods. But then I came across these people who were eager to lend a 
hand.' I smiled and congratulated my friend. ‘You did well friend' 


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