“Eh, thank you,” Evan said. He looked at all of the people who were bowing before him. He felt terrible that they believed he was someone he was not. He had to say something. “But…”

“Come this way, dragonslayer!” Avlara said before Evan could continue. She took him by the arm and began to walk toward the inn. Evan liked how soft her hand felt on his arm. He also noticed that she was wearing a fragrant perfume that was quite intoxicating. “Everyone, please go back to work. The dragonslayer will let us all know when he will set out to slay the beast. But for now, he will eat and rest!”

The crowd began to disperse but slowly. Everyone was still looking at Evan with awe and joy. Some people even hooted and clapped. The older woman who had taken hold of Evan was bawling with happiness. She was being comforted by two women who were crying and beaming at Evan.

Evan walked with Avlara into the inn. He was greeted by the smell of food that made his stomach growl even more. The sound was louder than before and Avlara giggled as she had heard it.

“I was right! You are quite hungry, dragonslayer,” she said with those lovely green eyes of hers.

Evan smiled sheepishly. “Yeah. I guess I am. But, I need to tell you that I am not this dra….”

“Come and sit down, right here, dragonslayer!” Avlara interruped him. She led him to a wooden table with a wooden chair in front of it.

“Oh, there he is!” A woman shouted from the banister above as she looked down at Evan. Her eyes were large in her head as she stared at Evan in shock. “The dragonslayer!”

Evan looked up and saw that there were rooms above and that people who weren’t outside when he arrived were now gawking at him. There were mostly elderly people and they all had long ears. Evan was starting to believe that these people were elves. It was a crazy thought but all of this had been crazy since he got up from that field! Nothing seemed out of possibility now!

“Who is it?” A dark-skinned elderly man said in a loud voice. He was bent over and had an elderly woman holding onto his arm. Evan could see that the man was blind. He had to be the oldest person he had seen yet in this village.

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“Evan Pearson! The great dragonslayer is here!” The woman who was holding onto his arm said in a very loud voice.

The elderly man’s face became one of awe and hope. “Really?! The warrior who slayed the dragon Howanjan?! He’s here?!”

“Yes, he is here, Lord Brenwa,” Avlara shouted. She was standing near Evan and was smiling from ear to ear. “Evan Pearson, the great dragonslayer, had blessed us with his appearance in our village!”

“This is unbelievable! I must approach him! Gretwin, please help me down the stairs to him,” Lord Brenwa said in a very excited voice. Evan noticed that an energetic fervor seemed to come over the elderly man as he stood up a little taller and began to move toward the stairs before Gretwin who had to rush toward him to help him down them.

Evan watched uncomfortably as the blind elderly man smiled with joy as he made his way down the stairs with the help of the woman. He wanted to disappear and be whisked away from this place. He did not want to go back to Sedona Ridge but at least far away from this madness. What is this about Howanjan? He thought. Was that the dragon he had supposedly slain?

Lord Brenwa walked toward Evan with the help of Gretwin. They were both smiling with delight as they neared him.

Avlara turned to Evan. “Dragonslayer, this is Lord Brenwa. He is the lord of this village and has been for the past 50 years. He is my grandfather.”

Evan looked at Lord Brenwa. He cleared his throat and tried to gather his words. “Hello, Lord Brenwa. I am Evan Pearson but I am not…”

“He has quite a youthful voice!” Lord Brenwa said. “I have heard that he is the youngest ever to slay a dragon! 19 years of age, am I right?”

Evan was not surprised that the elderly man knew his age. “Yes, I am 19. But…”

“What I would give to be 19 years old again?!” Lord Brenwa chuckled. “And to slay a dragon no less! What a feat!”

“Um…yes…but…” Evan started to say.

“Please, tell me great dragonslayer what brings you to our village?” Lord Brenwa asked Evan. “I am sure that it can’t be about this terrible beast that has been attacking our livestock. You are an important young man and can’t be bothered with such matters. Are you just traveling? I know that the world has been at peace since you slayed Howanjan. Surely, there are no new foes that have arisen?!”

Everyone was looking at Evan expectantly. Some had scared expressions on their faces. “I…think…I…just-”

“Oh gods! Is there a new dragon?!” A woman shouted in fear from the balcony.

“Please, no!” Another woman shouted.

Evan noticed that Lord Brenwa was waiting for his answer as he stood there silently with a grim look on his face. “I…I…No…no new dragon.” Evan hoped he was speaking truthfully. “I am just traveling.” Evan did not know why he said this but it felt like the right thing to say in the moment.

Happy exclamations and cheers suddenly rose about in the inn from Evan’s words. The old man beamed in his direction. Evan glanced at Avlara and saw that she was smiling with happiness again. Evan felt encouraged by that smile as if he were indeed this great dragonslayer!