[Silent Wizard]

Kenton, a young man in Elderin for the first time was born in the Forest of Tides to a poor family of mushroom farmers. Orphaned as a child when mushroom fighters attacked the farm he was now an adventure. His parents had insisted that he go to school and he was away when the attack came. He hated school and studying, preferring to hunt and kill the many pests that inhabited the county side. When he returned home that terrible day all was gone, the house destroyed. All he found was his father’s hammer which he carries to this day.

While adventuring in the Sea of Greed one morning he happened upon a ghost ship just washed ashore. None would go near it, fearing plague or worse aboard. An adventure with no money and no skills Kenton had nothing to lose and boarded the ship. There he found a treasure chest filled with jewels.

Kenton had come to Elderin to sell his jewels but found all the merchant stores closed or deserted. With a treasure chest full of jewels but no money for a room and no money for food he thought to himself “If I had a store I would always be open!”

While wandering the back streets of Elderin looking for a nook or cranny where he could spend the night he saw a young woman, hardly more than a child really, burst from a house and fall down. She tried to stand and fell again. He crossed over the street to help her. As he helped her to her feet he could see that she was weak and her face was ashen. There was nothing Kenton could do for her but to carry her home.

Once at home Spirit was able to calm down and tell her story. On hearing it her mother, the Lady Loki, insisted that Kenton stay for dinner and the night. After dinner Spirit showed Kenton the jaded arrow she had found. This gave Kenton an idea. “I will help you” he said and went to sleep in the barn.

The following morning after a hearty and delicious breakfast prepared for him by Spirit who had risen early for that very reason, the likes of which Kenton had not seen for many years he was ready to go to town. For his kindness Spirit reached into her bag and gave to him the feathers wings with power of healing she had found. Once in town instead of selling his jewels as he had planned Kenton took them to Smith Karl and asked “can you forge these jewels into this hammer?” “Hmmm” was the reply, “why would you want to do that?” “I have my reasons, can you do it or not?’ said Kenton. “Well, maybe” Karl said. “But I might damage it, might even destroy it”. Kenton hesitated; this was his father’s hammer, the very hammer that had been used to build the mushroom farm. It was the only thing he had of his family. “Do it” he said…….

Spirit was excited; her mother had just told her that both her father and her older brother were coming home. Her father, Sir Brom was an intelligent and educated man. While doing field research in the Forest of Slumber he had come across a Giant Elvin Tree that had been struck and split by lighting exposing the heart wood. He had collected the heart wood and had been at the university in Uruga doing post graduate work studying the unusual properties of the heart wood and trying to find a way in which they could be composed or decomposed. For several months he was there working the problem with little success and now he was coming home.

Her brother Marty, whom she loved dearly, was in the Army and coming home on leave. He had decided to make a career of it and was to attend the Officer Cadet School. He had 30 days leave before he had to report to OCS.

Her dad got home first. He knew of Spirits problems from the letters he and Loki had been exchanging. He wanted to see the things Spirit had found. When he saw the stick and wand in the bag his eyes got large. “I know what to do with these!” he said. “I must return to the university right away!” “You just got here!” Loki cried. “I have missed you and Marty will be home soon. Don’t you want to see him?” “Of course I do, and I have missed you also. I will stay” said Sir Brom.

When Marty got home a few days later they discovered that he had been injured. Spirit had given her healing power to Kenton and could not help so she went to find him. Kenton, meanwhile, was still waiting for the safe (hopefully) return of his hammer. He had gotten a job in a merchant shop stocking shelves and cleaning up. He watched as the merchant would buy low and sell high and thought “this is not so bad, I could do that.”

Spirit found him and said “you must come and help my brother, he has been injured!” Kenton had not yet used his healing power and was unsure of himself but wanted to help Spirit so he came along.

Kenton went to Spirits home and met Marty. He could see that Marty’s injuries were bad but not life threatening. He asked Marty “how did this happen?” Marty told him “I got nailed by a Sand Mushroom in the Goblin Camp. I wish I had a shield to protect me.” Well, Kenton had a particular dislike for any kind of mushroom monster and told Marty how he had lost his family. Kenton brought out his healing power and tried it for the first time. He was surprised at how well it worked. Spirit was pleased and kissed Kenton on the cheek which caused him to blush red. She also drew from her bag the shield had found and gave it to her brother. “Use this next time dummy!” she said.

Spirit then took Kenton to meet her father. Sir Brom, having stayed in Elderin was busy in his workshop trying to compose the stick into the heartwood he had collected. Spirit came in and said “daddy, there is someone I would like you to meet.” “Meet someone!” he said, “no, no, I am much to busy to meet someone.” “Daddy” said Spirit, “this is Kenton.” Sir Brom stood up, “Kenton! Oh, I want to thank you for helping my daughter!” Kenton was uncomfortable; having lost his own father when he was very young he did not know how to relate with Sir Brom. This was a highly educated man while Kenton had almost no education at all. Sir Brom, a true gentleman, sensed this and put Kenton at ease right away by telling jokes. He said “I’m not as smart as I look Kenton. Tell me, why does a smart person cross the road?” Kenton was perplexed and said “I have no answer Sir.” Sir Brom then said “to get to the other side, just like everyone else!” Everybody laughed and Kenton felt much better.