The Nightmagic Legacy - Chapter 4: Warden

The next day, I put more time into making my home a little bit better.

That night at work, I put in even more effort than I had been putting in, hoping that Dampe would say that I was ready to protect the town.  My hopes were in vain that night, although he did notice the work I was doing.

"Keep it up, kid!"

When I went to get the mail the next morning, the ground was covered with snow!  School was cancelled because of the bad weather, so I spent the time working on the house.

After finishing an upgrade on the stove, I decided to have some fun and build an igloo.

It wasn't the same as back in Appaloosa Plains with my family.  To add to the homesickness, a wild horse showed up in front of my house.  There were always horses like that in Appaloosa Plains.  In all my time in Dragon Valley, I had never felt so alone as that day.

The weather had cleared up a bit by the time I had to go to work.  I was glad to get out of the house, and at work, Dampe finally said what I was hoping he'd say!

"Kid, I think you're ready.  Meet me at the Myth, Legend, Lore, and Fact Facility tomorrow."

I could not believe it.  I had a hard time finding one, but I went to a clothing store and bought some new clothes.  I wasn't going to go to the new job with the tattered clothes I had come to Dragon Valley in!

My time at the school was also at an end.  It turned out that I, out of everyone, was named valedictorian!

Before the vampire attack, I didn't have much of an appreciation for school.  But during my time with the vampires, I wasn't allowed any education.  I hadn't realized how much I liked school until it was taken from me.

After the ceremony, I went to the Myth, Legend, Lore, and Fact Facility to meet Dampe.

"You made it, kid.  I'll teach you the ropes of maintaining the ward.  First is finding and stopping the spirits that the vampires send into Dragon Valley; second is bringing them back here.  One more thing..."

Dampe walked out of the room for a bit, then came back with a sword, a weird-looking device, and a badge.

"This device safely captures the spirits.  Once you bring them back here, we can free them from the vampires' evil.  The sword, I hope you'll never need.  It's for a vampire, should one get through.  And the badge..."

Dampe touched the flat end of the sword to my shoulder.

"Duncan, I hereby name you a Warden of Dragon Valley.  Wear it proudly."

The rest of the week went by quickly.  M.L.L.F. would detect a breach and send me to the location, it would just be a group of minor spirits, I would catch them and bring them back to M.L.L.F. to be freed.

I did this two or three times a day until Saturday, when I was sent to the graveyard.  The breach there was anything but minor - it was a full-fledged vampire!  I was about to draw my sword when I recognized her face.  Could it be?

"Tyla?"