Losing Something Important

          "Lost!" he exclaimed, the word sounding like a vile curse. "Lost! Where could it be?"

Desperately, his pale blue eyes searched the room. The place was in a disarray, as he liked

it. If things were put away too neatly, after all, someone might come in and steal something

important. Of course, now there was the problem of being unable to find the object he sought.

Where did he last see it? It had been so long since he needed it that he could no remember

where.

          "Put something away where it will be safe until needed again, and you'll never be able

to find it when you need to." He muttered to himself. "Damn it! This is important!" Thinking

back, he remembered the last time he had used it. It had been long before his hair had turned

to grey and his body had become frail with age. Perhaps a hundred years gone, the world had

needed someone to wield it against an evil that sought to cast all the lands in shadow. He had

been handsome and strong, then. He'd carried the mighty sword into battle himself, weaving

magic through the talisman of war to smote his enemies to ruin. Now, he was too old and frail

to carry it, but there was another who was ready for that responsibility, and the world needed it

again. The question was, where had he put it?

          Toppling tables and chairs, using a conjuring here or there to aid him in over turning

things he could not move with his aged muscles, he sought the ancient blade. He searched

along walls and among other weapons forged for other purposes. None of them would have the

power to do what needed to be done. Only the blade he sought could aid in this battle.

          "Damn this old man's memory!" He spat. "Where could it be?" Vainly, he kept

searching.