3. Myths - fact or just fable?
"Bobby?" Sheila yelled again and again, but they never got an answer.
There she saw something in some distance. When they got closer they could recognize a figure. It was Bobby, who stood there, trembling slightly.
Sheila ran to him and embraced him happily and said, "Hey, Bobby! Oh my god, there you are. I was so worried 'bout you!"
But he didn't return her hug, but remained stiffened.
"Bobby, what's the matter?" Sheila asked worried and looked at her brother, who only stared at a spot behind her.
The others, which arrived at the two siblings in the meantime, noticed as well where Bobby stared at.
"Good gracious..." Presto only let out.
Then Sheila turned around as well to see what's going on at all. She also got a shock. A strange man stood in front them.
He cleared his throat and said, "Hello. Excuse me if I've frightened you. Of course, this wasn't my intention.
I'm sorry if I've scared you with my sudden appearance seemingly out of the blue, young Barbarian."
Then he looked at Bobby and the others.
"Um, who... who are you? And what are you doing here?" Hank asked slowly; remembering the warning words of Dungeon Master.
"Well, I am Pankratius, better known as just 'the Hermit'. I've been living here for many years in a hut quite near.
I was searching for the ring of my deceased wife which I apparently lost somewhere here while collecting firewood when I heard a noise. I looked around and found your little Barbarian here." the stranger explained.
"I hope you're not thinking that I'm one of those 'lost souls', which only lie in wait for its victims, do you?" the man asked.
When he saw the faces of the friends, he laughed shortly and continued, "Well, then let me tell you that the whole thing with the 'Forest of the Damned' and the 'lost souls' in it are only myths to keep people out of the forest. They aren't true.
This here is a forest as any other forest.
There's nothing unusual here, even a hermit - like I am - isn't anything unusual; neither here in the Realm nor in your world."
"How do you know that we're not from here?" Diana asked surprised.
"Well, I just had to look at you to find this out. Your clothes told me that you didn't wear them all the time.
Besides, nobody, who knows the supposed legends about this forest, would dare to come here. That's also the reason why I live here my life of a hermit.
I'm here all alone, only I and the wonderful nature and no soul-devouring monsters or something else of this kind."
"Um, that's odd. Should Dungeon Master perhaps have told us lies?" Presto considered aloud.
When Presto mentioned the name, the blue eyes of the stranger flashed shortly. But none of the others seemed to notice it except Sheila. She frowned thoughtfully.
"Nope. I don't think so. He never lied to us earlier, did he? And why should he do such a thing?" Hank said.
"Well, maybe it was a sidekick of Venger that would mislead us..." Eric pondered.
"Nah, some would-be-Dungeon-Master couldn't scare you as good as that." Bobby said; who has recovered from his shock again and already forgot the event before the meeting with Pankratius and has forgiven his friends.
Eric rolled his eyes and Hank prayed inside that Eric wouldn't say anything else to start another argument with Bobby, because they were tired of it for today.
And really: Eric really held his tongue and confined himself only to a snort and put his well-known I'm-better-than-you-in-any-case-and-I'm-always-right-and-that's-why-you-shouldn't-start-an-argument-with-me look on.
Hank breathed out relieved and turned again towards Pankratius, "Say, you've been living here for some time now, haven't you? Did you ever notice here a portal or something similar?"
"A portal? No, as far as I can remember I've never seen here such a thing. I'm sorry." Pankratius said and looked at the Young Ones sadly. "If you don't mind I rather would go on searching for the ring of my beloved wife, before it's getting dark and I can't see anything else in this dark forest, where hardly sunshine gets there. I certainly won't sleep all night long if I can't find it .." And so Pankratius turned away.
"Wait, we can help you with your search. Maybe we're gonna find a hint to a possible portal that way. 'cause I guess Dungeon Master wouldn't have sent us here in vain..." Hank offered.
"Ah, you really would do that?" Pankratius asked and looked at them grateful.
"Of course." Bobby said grinning and he already went off with Uni and searched for the ring.
And also the others nodded in agreement and turned away: Eric turned away as well and walked into the opposite direction than Bobby.
Hank called behind Bobby, "Bobby, you shouldn't walk here by yourself. I'm gonna come with you..."
And Hank followed the youngest among them, who wasn't glad about this company at all, "Aw, gee, Hank! But Eric also goes by himself..."
"Yeah, but..."
The others couldn't understand any longer what they were talking, because the both were already too far away from the others.
Sheila had an odd feeling with the whole thing.
Why did her friends trust this stranger that careless?
They met him only short time ago and they already brought so much trust towards him, although they normally were anxious to get to know the one even more.
Sheila didn't trust this stranger at all!