The Origin Of Gallahon

Ten years have passed and the war had ended. King Erloc had won and now sits upon the throne of Windfall. Three more years had passed and the child had become a thirteen-year-old blonde-haired teen with blue eyes and a twelve year-old sister named Nina Darkoss who had black hair. Now that the war was over and Erloc sits on the throne of Windfall, they cannot go back to Windfall. Gallahon looks over the horizon of Windfall.

“Someday Nina, Windfall will be saved. And we can go back home.”

“But this is our home now Gallahon.” said Nina.

“Kids, dinner!” said the mother. Nina and Gallahon headed back home. Some rabbit stew with bits of potato was lying in an iron pot in the middle of the table. The three of them sat down and chowed down with their wooden spoons. Gallahon just sat there with a board look on his face, twirling the stew with his spoon. He was sadden that he did not get a chance to meet his father.

“What’s the matter Gallahon?” asked the mother. “You haven’t touched your food.”

“I’m not hungry.” he replied.

“But why? Rabbit stew is your favorite. I cooked it just for you two because you’re my angels.” Gallahon had stopped twirling his stew.

“Why did dad have to die?” The mother reached over and put her hand over his shoulder.

“Your father was a great man. He did what he had to do honey. He tried to fight for our freedom. Now come on. Finish your supper.”

Gallahon had finished his dinner and went straight to his room. He lied on his bed, looking up at the ceiling with both hands behind his head.

“Windfall will be freed someday.” he thought to himself. He turned his body and slowly shut his eyes. The next day, Gallahon was in school, taking his martial arts class and weapons training. His teacher was a descendent of a Spartan, the feared warriors known to man. Over the years, he had cared for and watched over Gallahon like he was his own son. Nina was taking in Gallahon’s teachings from what he learned

“Alright Gallahon.” said the teacher. “You seem to have the knowledge in hand-to-hand combat. Now let’s see how you do in weaponry.” Gallahon was the star pupil of his class. His teacher had handed him a wooden sword. Gallahon charged at him. The teacher shoved him out of the way.

“No.” he said. “Don’t just come charging in. Wait for your opponent to strike first and then attack. Try again.” Gallahon got up from the floor to face him. He circled around him in fighting stance until the teacher attacked with his weapon. Gallahon quickly blocked it.

“Good.” he said. “But keep your guard up and move your feet....” Gallahon had dropped his guard and the teacher stopped his weapon at the edge of his neck.

“...And never leave an opening for your opponent to strike.” The teacher stepped back and Gallahon came plunging in. Gallahon and his teacher clanged their wooden swords together left and right. When their swords were entangled together, Gallahon swept kicked him, ’causing the Spartan to fall. Gallahon stopped the tip of his sword at the Spartan’s face before he had a chance to get up.

“Impressive Darkoss. Doing an attack that your opponent did not see coming. You’re a quick learner.” Gallahon held out his hand to help the Spartan up. As he did so, the Spartan did the exact same thing to him.

“But you forgot one rule. Never trust your opponent. The most important rule.” Nina was standing in a corner, watching the whole thing, learning the art of weapon’s combat. The class lasted until sun down and Nina and Gallahon headed home for another day of weapon’s training class to come. As they were heading home, the two of them overheard two grown men talking to each other.

“Did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“The news. They say that a murderer is on the loose in these parts. They say that he came out of nowhere. That he just sprang out of the shores or something.” Gallahon was shocked what he overheard. He stopped to listen to some more.

“Good God. Are they ever going to catch him?”

“I don’t know. But I overheard them talking to the mayor about a plan to capture him.” Nina continued on. Gallahon noticed that Nina had gone ahead of him and caught up with her.

“Where have you been brother?” He did not say anything to her about what he overheard.

“I thought I dropped something.” he lied. They both got home. They have had their supper and went off to bed. Gallahon was sound asleep and then he started to dream.

In this dream, he dreamt that he was back on Windfall Island standing in front of a castle. He had entered the castle with no hesitation. The castle was abounded. As Gallahon continued forward, he noticed a bright light coming from a doorway. He walked in the door. When he entered the room, it was a hallway that had stained glass windows with light beams shining through them. At the end of the hallway was a pedestal with a sword. The cross guard of the blade was in the shape of an X and was platted with gold. Gallahon walked up slowly towards the sword.

“This sword,” he whispered softly. “It looks exactly like my father’s.”

“Indeed it is.” said a voice from behind him. Gallahon looked back to see that it was King Erloc.

“It is my trophy when I killed him.” Gallahon took the sword in his hand and pulled it out of the pedestal.

“Give it back to me you little brat!” Gallahon took the sword in two hands and leaped towards Erloc. He then threw his sword down, splitting Erloc in two. Gallahon raised the sword above his head. The beams of light shined towards the tip of the sword.

Gallahon woke up the next morning. He was shocked to discover that his father’s sword was still in his hands.

“M.... My father’s sword. But how...?” Gallahon had sat up and got up from his bed. Gallahon had walked out of his room. He had past his mother’s room. She was still asleep so Gallahon could slip by. He walked out of the house and then he was off to weapon’s training. He did not go through the front. He went around the back and entered.

“No sign of the teacher.” he whispered. As Gallahon was finding a place to hide the sword, the teacher was right behind him.

“Gallahon. You’re late.”

“I apologize sir.” The teacher noticed the sword in his hand. He gasped.

“That sword! Where did you get that sword?”

“Oh this? I had it in my house.” he lied.

“Gallahon. I know when you’re lying.” Gallahon said nothing. “That sword belonged to your father.”

“You knew my father?” he asked.

“Yes. He and I go back. I have served alongside him in the war. Great man. Great warrior. I never told you how much you look like him.” There was a small tear going down his cheek.

“Thank you sir.”

“It doesn’t really matter how you got it. Now Come. It’s time for your training. Your sister’s out there waiting for you.” Nina was watching as Gallahon and the Spartan sparred with each other in the arena.

“Okay Gallahon, let’s see how you handle your father’s sword.” Gallahon positioned himself in fighting stance, but did not charge in the attack. He waited until the Spartan attacked first. Gallahon moved his feet on the ground, teasing the Spartan. Gallahon than came into close-combat with his sword towards the Spartan. The Spartan was quick enough to block it. They clashed and banged their weapons together. As the Spartan swung, Gallahon was quick enough to dodge it. Gallahon stepped back and prepared to leap. He jumped high in the air with the sword in two hands. The Spartan blocked his attack. Gallahon stepped aside right after his sword tangled with the Spartan’s weapon and Gallahon stopped his sword at the edge of his neck.

“Most impressive Gallahon. You’ve improved since yesterday.” The Spartan was pleased at how Gallahon fought today. “I’m proud of you.”

The day was about to come to an end and Gallahon bowed before his teacher before he left. Gallahon and Nina were walking home. Gallahon looked over the horizon at Windfall one more time. Then he looked at his father’s sword.

“You know Nina....I think this sword called to me for a reason. I think I was meant to save Windfall.”

“That’s crazy,” she said. “Swords are made of steel.... They can’t call to you.”

“I know it sounds crazy Nina.... But why would I fall asleep and wake up with it in my hands the next day? It’s a sign Nina. A sign that I am to save Windfall.” As Gallahon and Nina were talking, they were unaware that they were being watched. A pair of blood red eyes were staring at them through the bushes. Gallahon and Nina headed home. When they both got home, their home had been trashed.

“Mom?” Gallahon shouted.

“Mommy!” Nina called out. Both of them walked past the mother’s room only to discover that she was lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood.

“Mom!” Gallahon rushed over to the body and grabbed her hand to see if he could feel a pulse.... But no pulse. She was dead. Murdered. Nina stood in the doorway with tears running down her cheek. They were both sadden about the death of their mother. Tear’s rolling down Gallahon’s cheek as he sobbed over her corpse. Nina walked over to Gallahon and kneeled. Gallahon looked into Nina’s sad face and reached over to give her a hug. They’ve hugged for as long as they could.

Just then, Gallahon noticed a ball of light at the corner of his eye. Gallahon got up from the floor and ran after the light.

“Gali, where are you going?” Nina ran after him. They both ran outside the house.

“This way.” A wispy voice came from the light. It had said this way Gallahon continued to follow the light and Nina followed. They had no idea where it was leading them. They had followed the light to the end of the island into some kind of shrine. The light had stopped in front of a statue. The statue resembles that of a man in armor holding a shield and raising up the exact same sword that Gallahon was holding. Gallahon slowly crept up towards the light. The light had transformed itself. It formed into a spirit of a man.

“Gallahon.” It said.

“How do you know my name?”

“Gallahon. You have been chosen. You have your father’s sword and have been chosen to save our island of Windfall.”

“But. Who are you?”

“I am the king of Windfall, King Psygon. No, I am not dead. I am using my power to contact you. This place. It is a sacred shrine used to speak with the dead. Someone here wants to speak with you.” A ghost of a man in armor stepped out from the statue. The ghost was his father.

“Hello son.” he said

“Father?”

“Gallahon. Look at you. You’re the spurting image of me. And look at how you’ve grown.” Gallahon could not believe that he actually got to see his father.

“I have failed to protect Windfall. And now you have been chosen to be its savior. Go now and save your sister island. Take my shield with you.” He had handed Gallahon his shield. It was a round, gold platted shield with a picture of a water dragon painted on it and dragon horns on the sides.

“Thank you father. But mother. She was killed.”

“Yes. I know.”

“Who? Who killed her?”

“His name is Slayer. Slayer and I go way back. No one knows, not even I know where he came from. But I do know this. Slayer is a dangerous man. Best I can say is watch out for him. Good luck son.” Gallahon had a small tear run down his cheek when his father slowly disappeared. King Psygon had vanished too. Gallahon turned around, wiping the tear from his cheek. He walked towards Nina. They were stopped by the teacher. He had followed them.

“What are you kids doing up here? Shouldn’t you two be at home?”

“We can’t go back. Our mother was killed by Slayer.”

“Who?”

“The murderer.”

“I’m so sorry about your mother.”

“We’re heading to Windfall; can you take us there?” Gallahon had asked him.

“Windfall? I can probably take you there. There’s a boat just off shore.”

“Thank you sir.” Just as they finished talking, a sword had cut right through the teacher’s body. A man with a mask was right behind him. It was Slayer. Slayer pulled out the sword from the Spartan’s body as the body fell to the ground.

“I just love doing this....” Gallahon and Nina were frightened. Slayer was a tall man with a black cape with purple trimmings. He wore a white shirt, gray pants, a gold scaled belt and tall black boots. His mask was covering his face and neck.

“Ah. Brat boy and brat girl.” He said as he looked at them with his blood red eyes. Gallahon and Nina managed to get past him. They ran down the hill and headed for the shores. Waiting on the shore was a boat. It was the same boat his mother used to get them here. Nina managed to get on the boat.

“Gali, look out!” Nina yelled. Slayer had followed them. As he struck his sword at Gallahon, he managed to duck and avoid the blade. As Slayer struck again, Gallahon blocked the sword with his father’s sword.

“Ah,” Slayer continued. “You carry your father’s sword. I heard that he died in the war. He was always such a mortal fool.”

“Don’t talk about my dad like that!” Gallahon shouted. He took up his sword and slashed right through his mask, cutting his cheek. The cut was deep. Slayer placed his hand over the cut. As he stood there with his hand over his cheek, Gallahon quickly kicked the boat off shore and jumped in. They were safe.... For the moment.

“How far ’til we hit Windfall?” Nina asked.

“I don’t know. I’d say about 30 miles or more.”