Avandor's Gift

“Your tracking skills are impressive Miriél.” I said. I had sensed her there for some time now.

She came into the open and joined us. “I picked up on a strange scent and followed it here. I was surprised to find you here and that too with two snakes.” She said glaring at the brothers.

“Noran and Nivraél are not our enemies. Our goals and theirs are the same.”

“I will take your word for it Grey Mage.” She said sheathing her sword and came around to face us. “Your arrival couldn’t have come at a better time. The helksinc and deer together are reducing our numbers quicker than we expected. Their spells work just fine, while ours go awry. All would have been lost if Tetje appeared. ”

She said looking towards the clashing armies. “If I may ask, why are you here and not out there fighting with us?”

“I have to be careful which fights I choose to partake in.”

“That means that you are going take on the iron lady head-on?” she nudged.

“I have already spoken to Loa and she is not the one I seek.” A form shimmered in front of us as the summoning spell I concocted was beginning to take effect.

Miriél stepped back in surprise as the wraith stood in front of us. “Evander, it is good seeing you again.” it said.

“Ballahad, I cannot say the same to you. I had killed you already and it seems that I am to do it twice. Where is your father?” I said cutting out all pleasantries.

“Somewhere safe.” He smiled but the humour never met his dark eyes. “I sense great power emanating from you once more. I take it you have again become the Silver Mage, but how it is you are not dead is quite a mystery to me.” He said as if studying me closer.

“You knew that I would subdue Tet and was counting on my death. That way magic would be wild again and choose another vessel. Probably you.”

“A good plan it was too,”

“Except for the fact that I still live.”

“We will have to fix that.” he smiled. “You always did have a penchant for walking into ambushes Evander.” I heard the high pitched whistles of several feldünstar coming towards us. I heard the collective gasps of Nivraél, Noran and Miriél and watched as all traces of hope vanished from their faces. I remembered the prophecy from the Argent, You Evander, shall burn quite spectacularly.

Well not this way I decided.

I summoned the power that was forced to lay latent within me. Silver wisps of hair billowed around my face as I turned my attention to the oncoming missiles. I waited for them to coalesce into a single ball and I raised my hands above my head.

With a single thunderous clap, the feldünstars were no more, but the sonic force sent the others flying away from around me. The ground shook slightly and small fissure opened and ran in a straight line towards the battlefield.

Magic cackled and awoke within me as it revelled in its destructive powers. Yes! It rejoiced. ”Yes!” I said in a voice that was not fully my own.

“You escaped death the last time we met.” I said to Ballahad whose wraith like form had not been affected by the sonic force. “But it shall not happen twice.” I waved my hand and a portal appeared. I stepped through it and found myself within the midst of the melee.

“Your father fights well.” I said to the wraith. We watched Laniel as he struck at his opponents using a cat-o-nine whip and a dagger. The whip he would throw out like a fishing line which ensnared the changeling. He was dragged in and with a quick thrust was stabbed to death before being released.

“He should be left out of this.” said Ballahad. “Your fight is with me not him.” I detected an unfamiliar tone of supplication in his words. It stirred at the heart within me, but I brushed those feelings aside before they grew stronger.

“I promised you death and I cannot do that if he still lives.”

Two opponents were dead before he realised that I was present.

“Chuman, you look different.” he said. He then paused as he noted his son beside me.

“I have come for the ring.” I said in a voice which was not my own, yet was.

“You will have to take it from me.” He said as he struck his whip with lightening quickness. The tendrils roped around my arms and legs, the fanged ends tore into my flesh as the hold tightened. He tugged but I didn’t move.

I grabbed the twisted leather cord and pulled and he was soon within my grasp.

“You are not chuman.” He choked out as I held him around the neck.

“No, I am better. I am Alphandé.” I said as I snapped his neck within my fist and watched as his entire body went flaccid.

“Father!” the wraith screamed and charged towards me. His magic was strong but nothing compared to mine. A single bolt of energy shot from my hand and knocked him aside. If it were anyone else it would have ended there, but his essence trapped in the ring kept him whole.

I held up the limp corpse of his father and searched his hand. There was no ring there. I saw a black cord disappearing under his tunic. I tore it away and found the ring suspended on the end of it.

Success. I smiled. I discarded the body and palmed the piece of jewellery in my fist. When I opened it only specks of metal dust remained which I allowed to be blown away.

I turned towards Ballahad and watched as he too disintegrated into gold-flecked dust which floated away into ether.

The place had suddenly grown quiet as all the fighting had ceased. A wide circle had formed and everyone’s eyes were turned towards me.

One by one I watched as thousands fell on their knees and bowed. All kneeled except a lone figure that stood in the distance. The cascade of obsidian hair was pulled away from her face.

An army of about ten thousand changelings rode up behind her. The leader the male version of her, rode beside her and stopped.

Now the real battle would begin. Anticipation thrummed from within, ejecting tiny sparks at my fingertips.

She sauntered towards me unafraid and sure. She stopped only a hands breadth away from me as she studied my face.

“Our race had kept you imprisoned for many millennia.” She said surprising me by speaking directly to the force I was and not to the vessel.

“It has.” I said as the sparks on my fingertips were put out, I was curious to hear what this changeling had to say.

“I know your rage better than anyone else as I too was your vessel.”

“I know your love more than anyone else as I occupied your mind. You wish to gain back the chuman which was Evander, but he is no more he is something else, something more powerful than an Alkarbrafä or human.”

“I know. He is my mate and I am his if he would claim me.” She was no longer speaking to me but the vessel. Her emerald eyes beckoned to the latent creature within me. “Take my hand Evander. Let me know that you are still there.”

My hand shook violently as I tried to regain control of the vessel I possessed. But I was right it was stronger than any human or changeling combined. My control slipped and I was again being forced back into the latent coil that resided deep within this vessel.

“Tetjana.” I said taking her hand and pulled her close to me burying my face in her hair. “For two long years I have dreamt of this very moment.” I whispered in her ears. She pulled away slightly only so that she could look up at me. The love I’ve longed to see was clearly etched in her face.

“I am no longer a chuman.” I said. “I don’t know what I am or what I am capable of...” she place her finger on my lips silencing me.

“Do you love me Evander?”

“Yes, fervently.” I swallowed.

“Do you wish for me to be your mate?”

“I do.” I answered simply.

“Then claim me.”

“Tetjana of the house of Baldur, I claim you as my mate if you would have me as yours.”

“I do.” She smiled. I watched as her canines elongated and brushed her lower lip. The scars of her ordeal faded revealing unmarred skin. Oblivious to the thousands who watched us, I kissed her.

“We do not have enough time Alphandé is beginning to wake within me once more.” I said stepping away from her.

“How are you going to stop it?”

“I have to return to its place it was first bound and undo its making.”

“Llyn Morir.” She said. “According to the stories Sulna had dipped the staff into the fiery pit of the volcano to seal the magic in. Evander you can’t possibly mean to...”

“Yes Tetjana I must. For the sake of all who live on this continent and Gé Addar, I have to free magic once more and the only way is to destroy its vessel.”

“But you will die!” she said with a look of horror crossing her face.

“It was always my fate Tet. As much as you wanted to thwart it, I was never meant to endure for very long.”

“There has to be another way.” She shook her head violently. I heard the murmurs spreading around us. Tetje soon rode up beside her and took her into his hand.

“What is it? What did you tell her?” he said looking between me and his sister.

“He is going to throw himself into Llyn Morir.” Tetje looked at me alarmed.

“It is the only way I can keep everyone safe.” I opened a portal before me. “Take care of her and this country.” I said stepping through without looking back.

Though I wished to see her face once more, I couldn’t for if I did, I would have stayed and if I stayed all would perish.

I was at the edge of the cauldron staring down into its abysmal depths. I could feel Alphandé growing stronger, ready to reclaim my body as its vessel.

I had no more time left. I closed my eyes and brought the image of the only woman I had ever truly loved before me and then I jumped.