'Look out there,' said Rastlin, pointing down a path.

Josh shaded his eyes from the early morning sun. 'That wasn't there before, was it?' he asked. They walked towards it.

'Hmm.' Rastlin stopped for a bit. 'I can see what it is... it's a... a bar,' said Rastlin, caught off-guard for the 23rd time that day.

'Out in the desert and so close to my village?' said Josh, also caught off-guard — but for him it was the first time that day.

'Yeah, but it might be a old dead one,' said Rastlin.

They came to the door and knocked. A girl opened it. She had pale, blue-grey skin and hair.

'Oh, customers! What can I get you? Come in! A drink? It is hot out in these deserts. Lemonade, beer, wine or maybe some food? It is so much cooler in here — maybe you should travel tonight instead and stay for the day. Lavender, come down here, we have customers! As I was saying, around here it is safer to travel at night. We have plenty of room cards, darts and pool for games. Lavender, hurry up! So what would please you?' she finally stopped talking.

'Umm,' said Rastlin.

'24,' whispered Josh at him. Then he said to the innkeper, 'How much beer and food do you have?'

'Uh, well, let's see...' she said.

'We want all of it,' said Josh, plainly showing her some money. 'We want to save the trip, and money is no object.' Josh was more worried about Xeros than about the trip. She just stared.

Lavender came down. 'Yes, ma'am?' said Lavender. 'AHH! What did you do to her?'

'Th-th-they want to buy supplies here in-in-instead of going to town. W-w-we have actual money as soon as we give them the supplies,' she said.

'So,' said Josh, 'I take that as okay.'

'Yes! Definitely. Just let us gather it up. Would you like a drink? We have a special alcoholic lemonade,' she said.

'Okay, two please.'

'Coming up, sir. By the way, my name is Miru.'

'I'm Josh and he's Rastlin.'

'Okay, sir. Coming right up.' She went to the back where the supplies were.

Josh smacked Rastlin upside the head to knock him out of his trance. 'She's got a boyfriend already, said Josh. Rastlin sighed.

About five minutes later, Miru came out with the stuff for the lemonade. She put it in some high-tech thingy that Josh and Rastlin were in awe about.

'Wow, that was good,' said Josh, ordering another.

'Lavender, you almost done?' yelled Miru.

'Yes, ma'am!' yelled Lavender from the back room.

'So where are you staying, and how do I know the money isn't stolen?' said Miru, though she didn't care too much.

Josh thought for a bit. 'First, have you seen a man named Xeros? Big black armour, blood-red X on his helmet, always wearing his armour?' said Josh.

She thought about it. 'Nope, haven't seen a soul in months,' said Miru.

'Okay, then I guess we can tell you,' said Josh. They told her about the village.

'So what are you doing here anyways?' asked Rastlin. 'You know, in the middle of nowhere.'

'Well, you see, this was the only place where anyone would let me do anything. They never liked my people because of our skin and hair colours. After that, we decided that since we would be alone, we would work more on our technology, but when we surpassed everyone, we were almost all destroyed. Me and Lavender are the only ones left.'

'I see... we aren't so different. The village up in the mountains was my home. His parents died when he was five, mine when I was eleven,' said Josh. Rastlin whispered something in Josh's ear. 'Sure... I guess,' said Josh.

'Would you two like to come with us?' said Rastlin. 'Decide quickly.'

'Yes,' said Lavender for Miru, guessing her thoughts.

'Yes,' said Miru.

'Okay then, since we are all packed I'll get us back,' said Josh.

Back at the village, Josh said, 'Okay then, it's time to tell you the whole story.'

The Tale of Three Weapons Archive

Josh_Master_of_the_Staff

09.08.07 Front Page

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