Friedrich had awakened during the night and remained in the surprisingly comfortable bed on the top floor of the inn. Marina and Teleri remained fast asleep close by, but Teleri had been awake for some time while she complained about Friedrich’s inability to negotiate for a better deal and for a separate room for himself.

At first, he thought that it was a small pang of guilt for not putting in more effort into getting a second room, but he realised after lying awake for an hour that it was more to do with his concern for what he wanted to achieve. Things were moving slowly in many ways, yet quickly in others.

As his thoughts tossed and turned throughout his mind, he finally stood up and walked out onto the balcony. He sat up on the stone bannister and stared at the crescent moon hanging in the sky. It would surely not be much longer before the sun would rise and the night would fade into day, turning the expanse of blue before him into the sprawling golden sands of Kai’roh.

“Father,” said Friedrich, his voice barely even a whisper, “I’m trying to find a way to get to you, but I need more time. I know that time is all you have, yet I can’t help but feel sorrow that it is taking me so long to find what I need. I’m on my way to buying the boat needed to cross the ocean, but that’s not enough and I know it all too well.

“The fox has granted me its power, but I don’t know how to harness it now that it’s free of the mask. The minotaur continues to fill me with fear, yet I know that I must find a way to overcome its immense will. My sword and my shield…well, they’re simply a sword and a shield. They will not be enough to even storm the gates. I need—”

Friedrich suddenly stopped talking upon seeing something moving towards the inn. It looked like a human, but he could not see it clearly. As it drew close to the torches, the disjointed mass of cloth covering the man filled with colour. The bizarre robes were colour in various shades of yellow, red, and purple, patterned in spots, stripe and even flowers. It couldn’t be the same man that he had met near the mine, could it?

Elketh stopped and looked up at Friedrich who remained perched on the bannister. He held up a hand in greeting before walking to a chair that sat at an outside table and sitting down.

“How can you be here…” muttered Friedrich, staring at Elketh in disbelief as the tale teller sat peacefully.

Friedrich swung his legs back onto the balcony and hurriedly walked back inside. He shook Marina awake and then approached Teleri, giving her a more cautious prod.

“What is it?” groaned Marina, opening her eyes and looking outside. “Friedrich, it’s still dark! I’m going back to sleep.”

“You had better have a good reason for awakening us,” said Teleri.

“Elketh is outside?”

“Who?” asked Marina.

“The bard with the odd sense of taste?” asked Teleri, sitting upright and holding the thin blanket over herself.

“The very same,” said Friedrich, upon which Marina also sat up. “I was sitting outside when he walked up the path. He waved to me, and then sat down. It may sound crazy but I don’t believe this is a coincidence.”

“Agreed,” said Teleri. “Turn around, I must dress myself appropriately.”

Friedrich walked over to the doorway and kept an eye on Elketh while Marina and Teleri put on their clothes and picked up their weapons. The tale teller remained unmoving at the table, staring into the distance at nothing in particular. To say that Friedrich was puzzled would have been an understatement.

“Does Elketh know about the soul masks?” asked Marina.

“It was he who steered us towards the minotaur mask,” said Friedrich, “and now he is here in the middle of the desert where we just so happen to be? That strikes me as more than a little bit odd.”

“Then let us ask him directly,” said Teleri.

The three marched out of the room, down the quiet stairs and through the now-empty inn. They walked outside and over to Elketh who raised a hand in greeting once again.

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“Ah,” he said cheerily. “If it is not that kind strangers that I met in Western Mercia. How do you all do?”

“Well,” said Friedrich, gesturing towards the other chairs at the table. “May we?”

“You may,” said Elketh, giving a deep nod.

Friedrich and Marina sat down while Teleri walked over and stood between them, eyeing Elketh suspiciously.

“Forgive my boldness, Elketh,” said Friedrich, “but I did not expect to meet you here.”

“I am a tale teller, Friedrich,” said Elketh, holding out his arms. “I go where the road takes me, telling tales and seeking more. Yesterday I was in Mercia, today you find me in Kai’roh, and tomorrow you may find me in Heartland. Nothing is certain in this life, the threads of fate being woven in surprising ways that even the one who weaves did not expect.”

“Are you trying to tell us that it is a mere coincidence that we find ourselves in the same place once again?” asked Teleri.

“Nothing is a coincidence,” said Elketh, “but it is rather fortunate that you made your way here for I have a tale to tell you about a man and a hammer. Would you like to hear it, Teleri?”

Teleri stood up straight, looking highly disturbed. “How do you know my name?” she demanded. “I did not utter it around you the last time we met, nor did Friedrich or Marina know it at the time.”

“It is as I have said. I am a tale teller and I also seek out tales. What is a name, but a tale of someone’s life? You can learn everything you need to know about a person from their name. It is the knot that binds everything together.”

“That is not an answer,” spat Teleri. “You must tell me the truth. How do you know my name?”

Friedrich could tell that Elketh was smiling underneath the robes that covered almost the entirety of his face.

“I know all about you, Teleri. I know where you come from, I know who you have lost and how he—”

“Enough! Do not utter another word,” yelled Teleri.

“There is no need for anger,” said Elketh calmly. “I simply know what I know. I do not wish you harm, nor will I cause you any.”

Friedrich leaned forward and pulled out the minotaur mask. “Do you know what this is, Elketh?”

“Yes,” said the bizarre man. “It is a soul mask. Within its stone is a spiteful creature once known across the land. He is a dangerous one, he is, Friedrich, but what power he possesses. You have had a taste of it, have you not? Such indomitable will, yet you have been able to pull yourself together even before the magic runs thin. That is quite the feat, I must say, my friend.”

“Did you send me after the mask on purpose?”

“I did not send you after the mask. I told you a tale and you chose to seek it out. Perhaps if I had not told you, you would have found it anyway, but we won’t ever know. Telling you gave you a much more direct choice, even if you did not understand the full weight of my tale.”

“Who is the man and the hammer?” asked Marina.

“Ah, so you would like to hear my next tale, would you?” asked Elketh, standing up.

“If we hear your tale and go the opposite direction, what would you do?” asked Friedrich.

“I would do as I always do. I would tell more tales and seek out others, for that is my way. It is my purpose.”

Friedrich sat quietly for a moment, deep in contemplation as everyone watched him. When he had decided, he leaned back. “Tell me your tale, Elketh. I would like to hear it.”

Elketh stood up abruptly. “Excellent,” said the tale teller. “I am pleased that you are so interested in what I have to say.”

He cleared his throat and began.

“There once was a man, proud and tall,

Who wielded a war hammer and would call,

Upon the power of the smithing god,

For his own attempts were truly flawed,

He came to a rather unfortunate end,

The day he thought he would try and mend,

A powerful artifact that now resides,

In an ancient temple, deep inside,

Perhaps you will find it within the sand,

Perhaps it is held within the hand…”

Marina clapped, expecting Friedrich and Teleri to not, but Friedrich clapped along with her. He did not know what the tale meant, but he believed that he would find out one way or another.

“Thank you kindly, thank you kindly,” said Elketh, giving a deep bow. “Teleri, perhaps I will one day earn your applause. But for now, my friends, I must bid you farewell, for I have many more tales to tell and many others who are in need of them.”

Elketh pushed his chair underneath the table and walked back down the road where he had come from before disappearing into the distance. Teleri continued to stare after him, not one of the three saying a word the whole time.

“He is gone,” she said upon the curious fellow passing beyond even what her elven eyes could see. “I do not trust that man for even a second.”

“He knows things that he shouldn’t know,” said Marina, looking to Teleri. “How could he have found out your name between our first meeting and now? We didn’t even know it until two weeks ago.”

“I am not sure, but the more I think about it, the more I believe it is something I am not sure I wish to find out. I fear that he is much more powerful than he lets on.”

“I agree that he’s powerful,” said Friedrich, “but I do not believe him when he says that he means us no harm. He sought us out for a reason and the last time he sought us out, I found…this.”

Friedrich held up the minotaur mask.

“If you find him so untrustworthy, why did you listen to his tale?” asked Marina.

“I listened to his tale so that I could know exactly how to avoid doing what he wants us to do,” said Friedrich. “He may lead us to something powerful, perhaps even something very useful…but it may also be something truly dreadful.”