Chapter 80: Does a limb hurts, if you don’t know it has been cut off?
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Kraedor had no idea what he was doing in this farm. Shouldn't he be in his townhouse in Huergaz? And what was with the leprechauns? Why were they ignoring him? He'd love to chat.

Kraedor felt hurt, then, his brain, weakened by the virus and the fever, gave up on him again, and the Ice Priest forgot all about his hurt. He stared dreamily out into the forest.

Why, this was such a lovely farm. Had a ghost led him here? He didn't remember. Maybe he should go out and explore? Kraedor stood and walked in the direction of the field, where, to his amazement, was an entire tribe of leprechauns preparing the land for the winter. Halfway there, Kraedor's mind stopped its train of thought, and erased it from existence.

Oh, look! Leprechauns! Were they friendly? He wanted to go speak to them. Farming leprechauns. Now, he had seen it all. Kraedor continued, unknowingly, on the same path he had taken. He made it to the field, this time, and he waved at a leprechaun. But then, he forgot again.

"I..." Kraedor looked around. What was he doing in here? Oh, Leprechauns. He must greet them.

"Hello, my name is Kraedor, and I am thirty-eight. I speak to ghosts," the aged priest told them. He was seventy, in truth. Yet, those were the memories his damaged brain had managed to protect.

"This must be the one hundredth time you told us that. Atha, get the priest back to the porch," much to the amazement of the priest, a Naga came and took his hand in his.

"The leprechauns will speak with you later. Come on, father, you must be thirsty. I will fix you up a glass of lemonade," Atha had no idea that the Ice Priest moniker was just an adventuring title, and that it didn't mean that Kraedor was an actual priest.

"Father? Am I your father? Naga women are beauties, but I had no idea I had a son," Kraedor squeezed the Naga's hand. He was old enough to be a father. Some would say that, at thirty-eight, he had nearly missed the last wagon.

"You are everyone's father. You are a priest, father," Atha informed him. Kraedor blinked, and his brain blinked with him. And the confusion that Atha was under remained.

"You are a Naga, correct? Am I on your land? I have no idea where I am. Tell me, my boy, how far away are we from Huergaz? I have a house there," Atha sighed and continued to slowly lead Kraedor back towards the farm house.

"We are just ten kilometers away from it. You are on a quest. To protect the farm from..." Atha wondered if he should try something different this time, seeing as griffins had gotten the old man in a panicked state.

"Animated mushrooms," Atha filled in the silence, and he looked at Kraedor. The man was looking around, and Atha knew he must have forgotten again.

"Hello, my name is Kraedor, and I am a ghost whisperer," Kraedor introduced himself, again.

"Hello, my name is Atha and I live in this farm. You are on a quest to protect it from animated mushrooms," Atha informed the man, knowing full well that he would have to repeat himself, soon.

"Well, those can be nasty, no joke. But, fear not, the Ice Priest is here," Kraedor pumped his free hand in the air and Atha smiled.

The man was harmless, and, it seemed like he was stuck in the past. The patience of the leprechauns had run out with him, and Bog avoided him because Kraedor tended to wave his arms threateningly at the goblin every time he saw him.

But, Atha liked the man. He had this enthusiasm to him that the Naga connected with the Try Hard Party. He did try to be alert, after Atha told him time and time again that he was on a quest.

It was not a permanent thing, Kraedor staying at the farm.

Valerie had set him up in a room at her house, but Arthur, her fiancé, couldn't take care of the old priest all the time. And neither could Valerie. So, they dropped Kraedor to the farm in the mornings and picked him up in the evenings.

Atha wouldn't mind for Kraedor to move in the farm. Sure, they would need to keep Bog away from him, but he was certain that the priest would be good company, overall. Besides, Bog liked to sleep in the west wing of the farm house, surely, he could agree to spend more time in his room. Painting his days away.

"Oh, hello," Kraedor murmured just as Atha was helping him to sit.

"You are on a quest, and the goblin that lives here is friendly. Now, kind sir, wait here and keep watch. I will be right back with a glass of lemonade," Atha slithered inside the house, leaving Kraedor to his musings.

He looked at the retreating back of the nice Naga, and wondered why the creature had not introduced himself. Had it been anything that Kraedor himself had said?

Kraedor felt a pang of sadness, and then his brain mercifully made him forget all about it. He stared out to the forest. It was such a beautiful sight. With all the brown and orange leaves and the slight breeze the played with the crowns of the trees. But, why was he here?

Kraedor then turned around and saw a field. Leprechauns were working it. Well, now he had seen it all. He stood and made his way to the field, only to forget.

"Father, I brought you your lemonade," he heard a soft voice call out to him. Kraedor turned around to see a Naga with a glass of lemonade. The Naga slithered to him and handed him the glass.

"Thank you for guarding the farm. My name is Atha, and I am in your care," Atha, the Naga, spoke and Kraedor smiled.

"Thank you, my boy. You are very well-mannered. I will definitely do my best on this quest. But, why are you calling me father? Could it be, did I meet a lovely Naga woman some years ago and forgotten about it? I have always wanted a son, you see," Atha blinked. He was just about to remind the man that he, himself, was a priest.

But then thought better of it. What was the harm behind such a lie, when Kraedor won't remember it? After all, it would bring the aged mage-priest some happiness.

"Yes, I am your son. Welcome home, father," Atha was hugged and Kraedor began to weep tears of joy. He forgot why he was hugging the Naga soon after, but his brain decided to spare him once more. The warm feeling towards the Naga remained, and Kraedor didn't ask the blonde creature why he called him father again.

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