He takes a drink, sets down his mug, and steps into the firelight.
“I am Adam, son of Kyle!” He echoes some of what he’s heard and more of the spirit of the thing. “I am called Linnorm Bane by some, and I will tell you why!”
“Chief Brekke set me to guard the Trod here at Rivervale when she and the others went to fight the Dragon Skalstryke. I wanted to go to battle with them, but…. I accepted the task she set me to.
“I waited in the dark and the cold with Oak as my companion. Oak is a strong warrior and a Good Boy and I was glad to have him with me.
“After hours of waiting, the trod send out magic, opening to let a linnorm out! I had never seen or heard of one, I didn’t even know what it was called, but I had been set to keep everything out of Rivervale coming by way of that trod, so that is what I did.
“I have no blade or edged weapon. I have a staff, and a mace, so those are what I used. Oak had his teeth, and that is what he used. The Linnorm had fangs, and claws, and venom…. That it what it used.
“It could speak! It told us that it was here to cast magic against the Fae of Rivervale, destroy them all. And it cast that magic against me!
A pause.
“But I am not Fae. And the magic didn’t hurt me.
“It was an ugly battle. The Linnorm drew blood, and often, while Oak and I tried to gain an advantage. Finally, we struck often enough, and lucky enough, that we were able to stop it, and then kill it.
“Oak was badly hurt. I had a healing, uh, biscuit in my pocket and I gave it to Oak to help heal him. And I had some too.
“We got better, enough to take up my post again. And so I did.
“And that is why some call me Linnorm Bane.”