"They say your father stole The Glory of Haller Lake."
I didn't believe it.
Haller Lake is a place name, and it is a lake.
But it is the holy place of Skadi, the only lake in a land of thousands of miles of ice that never freezes.
That's because in the centuries-old war with the enemy across the sea, whenever the enemy invaded, there was always a holy sword falling on the lake.
Given to the best of the Queen's men, this sword is strong enough to destroy the enemy's fierce steel armor and spears.
The sword is The Glory of Haller Lake.
What could my father, an unremarkable blacksmith from the small town of Crawford, have to do with the sword that defends the continent?
I couldn't help but blurt out, "What a slur!"
"The Queen's astrologer saw through the crystal ball that your father was involved in the loss of the sword, so the Necromancer took your father to the king's capital, Hermon, to be punished."
I was so distraught that I forgot to ask Ariel to explain his transformation.
"What should I do, Ariel?"
"Come on, Oscar. It looks like the other continent is ready to move again. We must find the sword and get your father back before the war begins."
"Do you have any clues?"
"Chanchal, a central city, is 300 kilometers from here. About a month ago, your father had an encounter there with someone from the palace. Uncle Parker, who went with him, said your father looked very strange, but he wouldn't say what happened. I think it had to be associated with that person."
"Can we find him again?"
"Stop being a bitch and act quickly, your father is in great danger. The Queen's men have left town, and Uncle Parker will take care of Sasha and Puppy! Look, I've brought all your luggage!"
"Thank you, Ariel, do we need to find horses? I mean... Or continue to ride on you?"
"I swear I'll really bite you, Oscar, Don't regard me as a vehicle! That's a special case, or you won't even think about it!"
"Well, let's hit the road."
"Is there nothing else you want to ask?"
There are so many questions I want to ask. This boy I grew up with, there must be a lot of stories I'm not being told.
"Are you really only 16?"
"Well, I lied about that. I'm actually a few months younger than you."
This is the first time in 16 years that I have truly left Crawford, even though I heard that I was not born here.
My mother died before I could remember it, so my father seemed a little overprotective of my sister and me, never letting us leave the town.
I am full of novelty and fear about the unknown road, especially when I think of rescuing my father, which is very difficult, but with a reliable partner like Ariel, I feel much more at ease.
"Oscar, we are about to get out of this forest. Listen to me, don't be afraid of danger, and don't trust others too much. From now on, your friend is only me."