Alphande'
Essence

Dunes of smooth black rock crowned by dark clouds surrounded me. The phantasm was gone but I wasn’t alone. I heard voices coming from below me. I crawled to the copse of the hill and looked down.

“So the chuman arrived as well. I must say that I am surprised. I will have to think of it differently now.” It was Ashbeth that spoke.

“Fortunately for me, he took my chain and brought me along for the ride else I’d be dead.” I turned my head to see the second speaker. It was Vykros looking as fresh and pus-free as he did the first day of the race.

“To my great displeasure, since I had already eliminated you. I was prepared to deal with Ashbeth alone at this point, but it seems we have all made it, thanks to its benevolence.” added Ballahad with a small amount of chagrin.

“Sacrificing me to cross, I am not pleased with that.” said Vykros without a hint of anger.

“It was you or my mother. Though she is quite simple for our kind, she was the only one I had at home and it would reflect poorly on my character if I let her die. So you became the obvious choice.” The three laughed. “How did you know the chuman would sacrifice himself and take along your chain?”

“It was in its pattern of behaviour. It was always others over self—a destructive quality it possessed. I knew this and used it to my advantage.” boasted Vykros.

“An astute observation.” complimented Ballahad. “But how did you know that it would work?”

“I researched all the Great Races and as we all know once the contestants enter the hill, the race can no longer be seen by those watching.”

“Yes,” said Ballahad impatiently.

“Do you remember the race of Garla of the house of Hisso.”

“Yes, he died before he entered the volcano yet he ended up winning.” said Ashbeth.

“It was also the race in which he competed against Anshan his half-brother.”

“He was wearing the necklace they exchanged in the ceremony of kinship.” said Ballahad sounding amazed.

Vykros spoke again, “Everything we own has a part of our essence within it, by sharing we share ourselves.”

“You are quite the scholar. Why do you waste your talent with cattle-herding?”

“Obviously my talent was not wasted Ballahad, as it served me well up to this point. I preferred to condition both body and mind and not slunk into the laziness of most academia who choose to sit with scrolls as if that was all there is in the world.” I could tell that the conversation had taken on a bitter edge.

“Where is that damn chuman? The faster we kill him, the quicker I can get rid of you two and win.” said Ashbeth interrupting whatever scathing remark Vykros was going to get.

“He is only chuman. He’s probably holed up and recovering somewhere. That is what happens when half breeds are allowed to run amongst us.” said Ballahad.

I fitted an arrow into my bow. As I got up a few loose stone broke away and all three turned.

“If I understood correctly the conversation that passed, I unlike the rest of you, bore the essence of another’s soul on my journey here. I may have taken longer but my chuman-ness shows that I am stronger than at least one among us. ” I said directing my words to Vykros before looking back at him.

“Compassion is a blight in your eyes and you have used it against me. I will not make that mistake again. We all will do what need to get ahead.” I said as I stood up and walked over to the edge of the pit.

I realised that we were at the top of the volcano. The clouds were made of ash and a lake of bubbling lava stretched ahead of us.

“What are you up to chuman?” asked Ashbeth suspiciously.

“Throwing away my compassion.” I said as I tossed the chain that Vykros had given me into the lake.

“No!” he cried out but it was too late. The metal melted as soon as it touched the surface of the lava and in the same way we watched as he too melted into oblivion.

“You look surprised Ballahad.” I said looking at him. He didn’t answer. “I bet you are happy that you weren’t in his place.”

“I am, easy come easy go.” He said. “Besides you wouldn’t do that to me.” He said with a beatific smile.

“You mean that I couldn’t because of your enchantment?” he stopped smiling. “Yes I know about that. I rescued your mother in EnkÐáfheetra and in return she gave me a gift. Two as a matter of fact. The first was my freedom from your spell and the second was this,” I said holding up the ring she had given to me. I saw his eye bulge in recognition. “I bet this is yours. She made me promise to bring it back to Talithá, so I will. Your death I mean to deliver in a more deserving way.”

“You wouldn’t.” he said threateningly.

“Except I would.”

I raised my bow and fired. He tried to run but it was too late. The first arrow lodged his knee. The second in his chest and the third in his head. Like Vykros before him, he melted into oblivion.

“And then there were two or do you have something bearing my essence as well.” said Ashbeth.

“No I don’t, but I think was always meant to be us two. We were warriors from the beginning and attaining anything of worth always came down to a fight. The winner taking all.” I could see him relax slightly.

“That I wholeheartedly agree with.” As he grabbed the gilded hilt of his sword. My bow was already strung and stretched and I aimed it right at his heart.

“I say you surrender now. You will be dead before you pull the sword.”

“I would like to see you hit me.” He taunted.

“Fine,” I said as I let the arrow loose. It undulated straight towards its target and as soon as it was about a foot away it seemed to stop and the crumble right in front of his face. The metal tip made a ting ling sound against the hard stone. Ashbeth waved his sword theatrically twirling it in the air before giving it a small toss upwards. Before it fell into its scabbard his hands folded in front his chest.

“Impressive.” I said not lowering my bow.

“Something I learned when I was a child.” He dropped his hand. “Lower your bow Evander as trying to shoot me would be pointless.”

“I don’t agree with you there.” I said remaining steadfast.

“Look out there,” he said pointing towards the lake. I took quick glimpses between him what he was pointing at.

Rising from the far end of the lake was giant ball of golden fire. It was like a star had fallen to the earth itself or maybe we were witnessing the birth of one.

“What is that?” I asked.

“It is not a matter of what but who. That light signals the raising of Gildarren, guardian of the staff. I agree with you that winning will come down to a fight, but the fight wasn’t meant to be between us, but with him. The one who claims the staff from him becomes the Grey Mage.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“You can choose to waste your arrows on me if you wish or you could wait to see if I speak the truth. I do not doubt my ability to claim the staff single-handedly, however if we worked together our chances would be much greater.”

I battle raged within me as I tried to decide if I should trust him. I ground my teeth. “Fine,” I said lowing my bow and turned towards the growing light.

The earth beneath our feet shook and the lava churned like an angry sea. I skidded a few paces backwards before I was thrown into the pit. I could see that Ashbeth had stepped back as well.

There was a loud boom and the ball of fire expanded until it exploded, scattering golden-white light around us. A beast with the coiled tail of a serpent emerged. A row of deadly looking gold spikes ran down his back and thick smoke issued from its snout.

It lifted its wings of gilded leather above its head, blotting out the sky. The place was lit up in golden brilliance as a stream of fire as powerful as a volcanic eruption issued from its haunches. It folded its wings causing a great breeze to sweep over the mountain.

With an eye far too intelligent for a lower creature it looked down upon both me and Ashbeth. Its voice, wizened and coarse crept into my consciousness.

I am Gildarren Dragon-Lord and keeper of the staff Alphandé— the beginner and the ender of magic and you are my opponents.