Delwyn’s knees ain't what they used to be and the long days on the road are not easy on him. He can’t complain, they need workers at the Crystal Tower, and they promise food and shelter, you don’t see that much nowadays, what with the realm on fire and all.

He sits down, someone hands him a piece of stale bread and a cup of hot chocolate, it ain’t much, but it’ll keep him going.

“Oy, mister!” a voice calls behind him.

“Mister, tell us about the Warrior of Light!” says a beaming boy with a dirty face. Many others flank him.

“All right, lad, what would you all like to hear? How about the time the Warrior of Light met his equal in battle?”

“Zenos zos Galvus was his name. A fearsome swordsman big as an oxen and with teeth made of iron, some say he could even see the future. But our hero was not deterred; he strode through Ala Mhigo defeating his soldiers single handedly...”

When he looks around he sees that not only children, but grownups are getting close, slowly and shyly at first, and like an avalanche later.

“So the Warrior of Light kicks the door to the throne room open and sees that the evil Zenos had defaced the treasures of our Ala Mhigo. Zenos turns to face him, his eyes full of cruelty and malice. He says, ‘Ah, my only friend, my prey...”

It was a party now. The children still at his feet listening intently, two young men play at being Zenos and the hero in front of an audience, he never heard of the Warrior of Light wielding a book, but there are a lot of stories, who knows?

“Just when it seemed it was over, Zenos lifted himself off the ground, the wound on his chest seemingly not a bother anymore. He looked straight at our hero and let out a deafening bellow. He transformed into his true form, a dragon the likes of which the realm had not seen since the Seventh Umbral Calamity.”

“What did the Warrior of Light do!?” the children yelled.

“A true hero does not lose heart! He scrambled back his feet and rushed to the enemy ahead. They fought for what seemed like an eternity, he dodged fang and claw, the fire and lightning could not touch the graceful hero, and when he saw his chance, the Warrior of Light climbed the tail of dragon, sliced the wings off the beast’s back and they went into free-fall...”

He knew to leave them with bated breath right before finishing a story.

“The dragon struggles and the Warrior of Light holds on for dear life while they plummet back to the throne room. When they reach it, the dragon lets out one last gasp and is silent forevermore. Zenos’ discarded sword has lodged itself into his own heart.”

Everyone claps and yells, they thank him for this small respite.

The man next to him hands him a bottle of wine and says, “What do you think happened to him?”

“Who knows? We don’t even know if he really existed.” He sighed. “But without his tales those kids wouldn’t be going to bed with a smile on their faces. Just that makes him deserving of the title of hero”

(Gaelicap)