The Barren Land
The Shepherd, Book I
A Novel by Jeffrey B. Linn
All Rights Reserved

Chapter IV

As we sat by the fire and ate, we soon realized that this was not our poor salt fish. It was a fresh catch, and not of the scrawny kind found in the stagnant pools of the wasteland, but a plump thriving thing from somewhere beyond. Even the firewood was not what mentor had collected. The local wood gave off a stench when burned that permeated food. This stuff was aromatic. It perfumed the camp even as it seasoned the fish. The food and the fire revived us.

Presently the Shepherd spoke, "Only the scar will remain. It will help you to remember to take care."

I looked up from my fish abruptly. He was talking to me. I felt my wounded hip. The throbbing had ceased. I twisted my arm around to touch my back. The blood was gone, and the skin was smooth, except for a ridge of scar running lengthwise. I looked at mentor. His fish was on the ground in front of him. His jaw dangled loosely.

"You forgot something, mentor," he continued.

Mentor struggled for words, "I. . .I'm--"

"The boy is now free of any taint of the crimson witch. But you only needed to speak my Name. Nothing in this waste can stand against it, for I defeated its evil king long ago. To be free of any invading thing within or without, speak my Name."

"Shepherd," I began, not believing that I was speaking, "can't you journey with us?"

"Not with you, no. But in you." He glanced at the ground and scuffed the soil with his sabot. "There is a long plan and a short plan. Over those hills to the west," he lifted his crook and gestured, "you are needed now more than you know." He set the crook down and looked at us. "The long plan you are part of is greater than you can imagine." He leaned over and grasped mentor's arm. "Mentor, take care with him." He turned to me, and I looked into eyes that held a thousand years. "Boy, you will be bent so low that you will doubt the road. But you cannot imagine . . ." On that last word he faded into thin air.

Mentor and I looked at each other, then burst into cheers. We jumped up and down shouting. We grabbed each other and danced a jig. A half an hour ago we had been desperate failures. Now we were kings.

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