The Golden Sword

• Curtis Viselli, Grade 7, Windy Ridge School
• Short Story
• 2001

Finalist in the '2001/2002 Schools Short Story Competition - Magic and Mystery Theme' competition

Lozen walked silently down the cold, wet dimly lit stone hall. Every once in a while he would find torches on the wall illuminating images carved from the rock. There were huge, hideous creatures carved on the wall.
Lozen was searching for the golden sword of his family of royalty. His family, the Tavoles, had possessed the sword for generations. However, one day it was stolen by a creature from a race of horrible beasts called Pogers. They were twice the size of normal people, brown, slimy and extremely strong. Lozen was trying to get the sword back from the Pogers’ caves. He did this because it seemed to all his family the sword was very powerful.
“Where is the chamber?” I thought I would be there by now,” said Lozen. Suddenly, Lozen ran into a door of stone. He shoved hard and the door opened. Before Lozen was a brilliantly lit chamber. On top of the stairs in front of him sat the golden sword on a pedestal. Lozen climbed the stairs and picked up the sword.
Immediately arrows whistled into the room, being shot out of holes in the wall. Quickly Lozen ran away from the chamber. The arrows were still coming, and Lozen could hear them fly by his head. Suddenly the walls came crashing down, and Pogers began swarming out, charging after Lozen. They came in the hundreds, every second they grew like a giant shadow, getting closer to Lozen.
Lozen ran through forks in the many tunnels, trying to remember the way out. He knew the Pogers did not like the light so if he could reach the end of the caves, he would be safe. Lozen finally reached the last tunnel, and saw the exit, with the Pogers close behind. To his horror though, Lozen saw it was dark outside. Night had come while he was in the caves.
The Pogers were very close behind. Lozen was terrified, knowing he could never outrun the Pogers back to his city. When the first Poger came into reach, Lozen started blindly swinging his sword. He heard screams behind him. When to many Pogers were around Lozen and he was sure he would be caught, he heard someone at the entrance say a few words and then there was a blinding light in the tunnel. Lozen had to shield h is eyes at the light. There were cries of terror from the Pogers, and they all ran back to their caves.
Lozen ran to look for the person. He thought the person was a wizard, because he had cast the spell to make the light. When Lozen came out of the tunnel no one was there. “Is anyone here?” yelled Lozen. “Who was the person who saved me?” he said. After looking for a while, Lozen gave up. Then he began his journey back to his city, with the golden sword in his hand.