INTO THE WILD

              It was a beautiful day on the beach.  The sun shone brilliantly, and the wind blew just enough to keep the climate comfortable.  The waves of the ocean lapped up against the shore like gentle kittens begging for attention, and the clouds in the sky looked as if they were hand-painted there for additional ambiance.  It was perfect.

             The old man lay on the sand – which was the perfect temperature – with his bare chest up towards the sun.  His grey lustrous beard came down to his stubby little legs, only just covering up his brown leather leggings.  His eyes were closed, and a contented smile was on his face.

             Only a few feet from the shoreline, the old man reached his hand into a bucket that was next to him.  He pulled out a plump orange and began to peel away, all the while his eyes were still closed and the smile was still content.  Then he began talking to himself.

             “3…2…1,” suddenly, there was an upshot of water from the beach.  What had been a perfectly calm ocean view, with not a ripple disturbing the surface, became a jarring vision of a young man with shoulder length black hair, and a piercing gaze, erupt from the water and slowly make his way toward the shore. 

             The old man hadn’t sat up to watch, hadn’t moved an inch.  He lay on the beach and ate his newly peeled orange.  For a moment, after the young man had made his way out of the ocean, the lounging elder heard nothing.  Then, suddenly, he heard what sounded like a body collapsing thud to the ground at his feet.

             “Beau’iful entrance my lad, truly beau’iful,” the old man said as he finally picked up his head off the sand and saw the youth at his feet.  The swordsman was on his knees in exhaustion.  His breathing was heavy, and he was using his sword to prop himself up.

             “What…are you doing here?” the dark haired young man managed to get out between belabored breaths.

             “I’ve me own part n’dis li’le adventure,” the old one stated nonchalantly as he stuffed another piece of orange into his mouth.  Then he got to his feet and held out his hand in offering.  He stood only a few feet off the ground, and at his full height the elder was face to face with the young adventurer, who was on his knees.

             “Why are you talking like that?  And why do you look like a dwarf?  I don’t usually have trouble picking you out when you decide to change,” the young man asked, genuinely curious.

             “I didn decide to change dis time.  Somefin ta do wi’dis island, I suspec.  Gods cursed it, ya know.  Ages ago.  No, gettin here wasn’easy, eh lad?” he gave the young man a knowing smile, and a penetrating gaze.

             “No…it wasn’t,” the young man was finding his breathing easier now.  He looked down at himself, putting his hands on his stomach, his forearms, and finally his face.  “I seem to be the same, though.”

             “You’ll have to be won’ya?” the dwarf’s expression went dark, as he continued, “Dis is a sadistic place, an it wants to break ya.  The more challenge you can give it the more fun it has.”

             “Is that why you came after me?  Well, you needn’t worry yourself Master Dwarf.  If you know why I’m here then you know my cause is just,” suddenly, the young knight’s voice fell to an impassioned whisper.  “I will save the Princess Cecily from Betrayer.”

             The young swordsman looked sternly into the crystal clear azure eyes of the old Dwarf man, who looked back at him just as sternly while chewing on the last bits of his fruit, orange specks flecked throughout his long grey beard.  The swordsman immediately broke out into quiet laughter.

             “Quick to laugh.  Dat’s good,” the ageless eyes betrayed a hint of relief as the dwarf quickly looked toward the dense and ominous jungle that lay a short distance from where they stood.

             “My teachers didn’t think so,” the young knight finally stood to his full height.  Stretching the ache of his swim away, his body became taut in the sunlight.  As he strapped his sword to his back he said, “The best knights are the ones who can master themselves in every respect,” and with that, his face took on a stern expression as they walked.

             “Well, dat’s certainly true.  Although I think ya’re takin em a bit more literally den dey intended.  Being in control o’yourself don’t mean you won’t feel nothin,” the old man spoke, up to the knight who was twice his height.

             The pair had gone beyond the sands of the beach now, and were making their way across patches of grass and moss that grew on the ground.  A light mist had slowly begun to cover the earth.  It grew heavier as they got closer and closer to the edges of the jungle, and as they reached the very mouth of the great forest they could no longer see their feet, much less the ground.

             The dwarf stopped just shy of entering the labyrinth of flora and fauna that stood before him.  The young knight kept walking for an instant until he realized his small friend was no longer beside him.  He looked back for the dwarf but there was nothing there.  A wind blew across his face, blowing his long, dark hair out of his eyes.  He turned back to face the jungle entrance, and armed with a sword on his back and a smirk on his face he plunged in.