Avandor's Gift
The Argent Pathway

“Tetje, wake up.” I said shaking him. He groaned slightly and then turned on the side. “Since you choose to be stubborn about it.” I said and rolled him over the bank and into the shallow stream.

“What... on... earth!” he sputtered as the cold water woke him from his stupor. “Are you mad?” he shouted. “I could have drowned!” he said as he trudged through the stream and flung himself on the bank.

“It is a good thing you know how to swim.” I said turning to look at the valley below.

“Why is it so cold? Where are we? The last thing I remember was falling into clouds and being struck by lightning.”

“We’re somewhere in the Diadem.” I said still looking miles past the green valley below. Llyn Morir was a shadowy knoll although it was leagues away.

“We made it out of Agden? How?” I then recalled to him the events that unfolded while he slept. He was quiet the entire time and I was impressed that he didn’t interrupt me even once.

“You cannot tell anyone else about many things I just recalled to you. The identities of the guardians and of Gildarren is a secret held from your people for many millennia. I shared this with you as it was necessary for you to know what and whom we are up against.” I finished.

“I will keep this secret until my body lies still.” He said solemnly. “One of the chosen did this to our country. I can’t understand why he would.”

“I killed them all.” I said flatly as I recalled the deaths of all three changelings while we were a top Llyn Morir. I clearly remembered the cold grimace that was frozen on their faces for a few seconds before their bodies dematerialized. “What better way to get revenge than torturing the ones I love and corrupting the things that belong to me.”

“Revenge and breaking order are two different things Evander.”

“Before the Grey Mage there were the clans, the strongest ruling the others. It was only a matter of time before someone was dissatisfied and wanted to revert to the old ways.”

“And that was why you were chosen.” said Tetje. “I never understood before, but it seems clear now. You were outside of it all, you were different and would remain impartial. That was why you were chosen.” He said as his green eyes beamed with enlightenment.

“Maybe,” I said. I shook my head slightly. “We need to start moving, we could be discovered any minute now.”

“I am afraid that it is too late for that.” said a figure that materialised in front of us. “And if all that I heard is true then my clan has much to prepare for.” said a honey toned female who slipped from the boulder behind us. She was dressed in grey and white furs which camouflaged her perfectly in this environment.

“If it isn’t the keeper of the hill. Miriél it has been many moons since we met.” said Tetje.

“That is your fault Tetje choosing to live amongst the impartials in Talithá. You look...cold.” she said eyeing him speculatively.

“We meet after thirty years and the best greeting I can get is that I look cold?” said Tetje sounding slightly irked.

“It has been thirty years and you know where I live.” She said defensively. This sounded like something that I needed to interrupt before it further escalated.

“Everyone seems to know each other, if I may be introduced it would make feel less of an eavesdropper,” I said looking at both of them who were engaged in a fierce staring contest.

“Forgive me Grey Mage, but I am Miriél of Lunara and also keeper of the southern reach of the Diadem.” She said looking at me with the intensity of her dark blue eyes. The same eyes which I once had.

“This might sound strange, but are we related?” I blurted out.

“Your grandmother, Elmera in the human tongue was my father’s aunt. She had another name but it was forgotten when she was chosen to be the bride of your chuman grandfather.”

“We are cousins then.”

“Twice removed,” interjected Tetje.

“Makes it even better.” said Miriél.

“So it does.” I said.

“If you weren’t on a quest to replace my sister, whom you claim to love I would feel more threatened by this little charade you two are putting on.”

“So you do feel threatened, that is the most I have ever gotten out of you. You expect me to wait forever for you Tetje.” She scowled.

“What are you doing in this part of the Diadem?” said Tetje changing the subject.

“My camp is further downstream. It is safer we spoke there and I could better lend you my hospitality Grey Mage.”

“I accept thank you.”

“Word reached us of how you almost single-handedly sunk Filia a few weeks ago. We weren’t sure about the rumours that the snakes had joined forces with the deer and when we tried to enquire they sunk our ships. That and the word of your attempted capture proved it to us.”

“So the deer is ready to ride out against us.” said Tetje.

“Their army’s preparations are advanced according to our sources. We just don’t know what exactly the iron lady is waiting on.” She said as she shimmied down a small rock face and waited on us to follow.

“Who is this iron lady?” I asked.

“The lady snake herself Loa of Geshra. You might know her better as the one you save during the EnkÐáfheetra trials. She somehow gained favour from the leading stag houses and they deposed of the clan leader and made herself queen of them all.

“She had been campaigning to all the other clans except ours, since she knew that the wolves would never depose of a Grey Mage of our blood. The Helksincs saw a way to have more land holdings allied themselves with her. The horse remains neutral. Stupid of them to think that the deer will not overrun their territory once they are ready for it.”

“Horses aren’t known for their brain just brawn.” said Tetje.

“True, but brawn can be a great advantage to both sides if we were to start the clan wars.” We stopped at a small hole where the river disappeared underground. “In here.” she said as climbed in.

“There are ropes guiding us down to the main cavern.”

I was the first to follow. It took the better part of an hour, many slips, near falls and complaints from Tetje but we made it to the bottom.

“What is this place?” I said in awe as I looked all around me. The walls of the cavern had small silvery-blue lights which glowed all around us. It was like looking at the night sky on a moonless night. The endless waterfall landed soundlessly in a large underwater pool which had a turquoise glow to it.

“The mouth of the Argent.” said Miriél.

“But the river started from above ground so this can’t be the mouth.” I said.

“Technically no, but the water doesn’t gain its power until it gets here.” She said moving over to a small camp in the corner where a cot and provisions were waiting. She took out two rolls of bread and threw them at us.

“Did your mother not teach you to not play with food.” said Tetje as he plucked his out the air.

“Didn’t your mother tell you to be grateful for what you were given?” She fired back.

I went to the edge of the pool and sat leaving those two to bicker. I finished eating and was about to scoop some of the water up to wash myself.

“No!” Tetje and Miriél shouted.

“What?” I asked.

“Don’t taint the river, not unless you are ready to die.” said Miriél. “Look closely.” She said pointing to a spot a bit closer to where the waterfall touched the lake. The water was crystalline clear and under its surface I could see the ghoulish remains of skeletons lining the pool.

“They weren’t pure enough so the river killed them.”

“Right,” I said as I stepped away from the water’s edge.

“You should have known this Grey Mage.”

“There are many things he should know but he wasn’t Grey Mage for very long.” interjected Tetje. “Which brings me back to my original question of why is it that you were stalking us?”

“I was on patrol as a few of our scouts had gone missing and deer warriors were spotted in our territory more frequently than we liked.”

“So they sent you.”

“Well I am the best at what I do.”

“Which is what exactly?” I asked.

“I keep the clan safe at all costs.” She said seeming to produce two wicked-looking daggers from thin air.

“She is a lupine mercenary,” said Tetje. “She was sent here to kill someone, but who?”

“The iron lady herself.” She said tossing the daggers up and down catching them by the blade. I kept on waiting for her fingers to be chopped off but it didn’t happen. “I haven’t been able to get through as the wall of protection around her is quite thick.”

“When have a few extra guards ever stopped you before?”

“Never, but this wall isn’t about men, but something else... magic is wrapped around her in an unnatural way. It is like if you killed her, she would still escape death.” she paused.

“You reported this to Lucian?”

“Yes but he still wants me to try, while they try to figure something out. Our forces have tried to avoid open battle, but the time is drawing near where it will become inevitable. We have already started gathering warriors at the base of the western reach but we need more people still if we are to succeed.” She said as line of worry crossed her brow.

“So it is hopeless then?”

“No never that, we are still alive.” I said. “At least one suspect has been eliminated, leaving two. Because of the involvement of the deer and helksinc in this war, we know that one of the claimed brought back has to be either Ashbeth or Ballahad. Has either of them been spotted recently?”

“No, not since the race.”

“We need to get back to Gé Addar. I have been searching in the wrong place. In the mist we learned that we had to free magic and that all the magic is tied to one of them, so if we get rid of him, then the protection around the deer will fade.” I said as I walked back and forth a crazy idea ran through my head and I stopped pacing to face the two changelings who were eying me warily. “What kind of purity does the river test for?”

“This lake is...” started Miriél.

“The Argent Pathway. It gives one passage to any destination that has a fresh source of water nearby as long as a test is passed. I know.” I said. “I am Grey Mage, just a little slower, but still Grey Mage.”

“No one knows. It is said that the test is different for all those that take it.” said Tetje.

“So I just have to do it then.”

“You can’t, this is too extreme!” He said holding me back.

“We are in an extreme situation, a civil war is about to be waged, magic is distorted and you must admit that this hardly out of character for me. What is one more test that could save the lives of thousands?” I said as I freed myself from his hold.

“If his regard for the lives of our people doesn’t make him pure enough to enter the lake knowing all the risks I don’t know what else is. Let him go Tetje.” said Miriél. His grip loosened and I made my way to the water’s edge.

I took off my coat and boots and stepped into the water. It felt rather warm and nothing happened so I waded further out.

“You have to go to the place where the sound disappears.” said Miriél. I nodded and walked over to the base of the waterfall. I stood for awhile waiting and listening in waist-deep water. The empty sockets of the skulls stared at me. There were more of them than what I had seen before. I forced myself to look up at the cascade itself.

There was absolute silence but then I heard a faint voice bubbling up from beneath me. “Come.” It said and I took a step towards the falls. I waited for awhile and as soon as I was about to retreat I was suddenly sucked under.

Waist deep water had suddenly gained fathoms below it. I floundered for awhile trying to get my bearings. The surface seemed as far away as the bottom and no matter what direction I turned I saw no land.

“You can breathe while the test is administered. How long after that depends on the outcome.” said the same voice. I took in a deep breath and I didn’t drown.

I looked for the source of the voice, but saw no one except for silver bubbles of all sizes that floated around me. I could sense the life force of some ancient being or at least very old magic emanating from them.

“You wish to take my test knowing that your life is forfeit if you fail?” asked the voice.

“I do,” I answered.

“It will be so then. Name yourself examinee.” It said again.

“I am Evander.”

“Let us begin then Evander of No Place.” The lights around us dimmed and the silver bubbles merged to form a large one. From it shimmered another light which seemed to be arranging itself into an image. “There are two rivers one silent and the other filled with rapid torrents. Choose one.”

“I don’t see how this leads to anything?” I said confused by the strange question.

“Yet it does, choose.” It said.

“I choose the one with the rapids.” I replied. The image changed within the globe.

“Which is more important the larger or the smaller fish?”

“The smaller fish.” I said after a small pause.

“Hunter or king?”

“Hunter.” I said.

“The cauldron of Llyn Morir or the depths of Llyn Argent?”

“Llyn Morir.”

“So be it then Evander of No Place, you have passed my test. You may use of the fresh water portals of your choice.” The giant glob started to disintegrate into the smaller bubbles.

“Wait, I don’t understand. How did I pass?”

“Your choices revealed your character. You have chosen the rapids which shows that your life will be just as turbulent and has the power to destroy, but torrents also whether rocks and build beautiful valleys. So you too are a builder.

“You choose the small fish as you realise that the least of things can be the most important. Without the smallest of fish an entire lake could die as they are the true link to untapped power.

“I gave you a choice between what you were and what you are now. As a hunter you had a small family and even greater love. As king you have more power and less love. You recognise that love is greater than any amount of power. That marked you as good man. So you passed.”

“What about the final choice?”

“That wasn’t a part of the test, just mere curiosity.” It said as if slightly amused.

“What were you curious about?”

“I am always curious to see how good men die and you Evander shall burn quite spectacularly. Farewell brave one.” It said as the bubbles disappeared.

My head was above the surface of the water and I coughed incessantly. My feet were again on solid ground and I waded towards dry land. Tetje and Miriél took hold of my arms as soon as I was close enough and pulled me to shore.

“He is trembling? Maybe we should start a fire?” said Miriél.

“No! No fires.” I said sitting up. “Just lend me a cloak or something.” I said as I peeled of my wet shirt. Miriél went for another cloak of pelt and flung it over me. I wrapped it around myself tightly and walked to the campsite where I prepared to go to sleep.

“What happened under there? You were gone for the greater part of an hour. We thought you were dead.” said Tetje.

“I passed the test and now have unlimited access to freshwater portals.” I said as a slight chill racked me and my teeth knocked together. “The rest I don’t wish to speak of.” I said as I closed my eyes.

“I think we should light a fire. He’s trembling.” whispered Tetje.

“He said not to. Besides probably it isn’t the cold that makes him shake.” said Miriél.

“What I would give to know what he saw.” said Tetje.

“You could always take your chance.” she said mockingly.

“Though you are eager to see me gone I’ll pass on that suggestion.”

And wisely so I thought. While I slept the words came back to haunt me.

I am always curious to see how good men die and you Evander shall burn quite spectacularly