Wielder's Fate

by T. B. Christensen

  He waited near the center of the stage as Darian and Giselle took up positions just behind him. As soon as they settled into place, he heard movement at the end of the tunnel. He bowed and waited anxiously as the elf king strode out onto the stage with his entourage of advisors and ambassadors. Thankfully, the king told him to rise almost immediately. Traven suppressed a grimace as he pushed himself up and stood to face the monarch. There was an incredibly ancient elf dressed in bright, elaborate robes at the king’s side. The king advanced towards the center of the clearing and stopped directly opposite Traven.

  The silence of the crowd somehow deepened. It was as if sound no longer existed. Traven stood completely still and waited patiently for the words of the elf king. He couldn’t help but glance at the object of his suffering, the glistening armband of endurance. The elf king raised his arms into the air and opened his mouth.

  “The time has arrived for a rare agreement and pact to take place,” the king began in a regal and clear voice that carried to all present. “Not since the days of the great elf king Galandier and the Wielder Faldor has such an agreement taken place between elf and human. As you are aware, the Wielder Traven traveled to our haven seeking the assistance of the elves in saving his people from the galdak horde that has poured out of the mountains and threatened to destroy all in its path.

  “We are a benevolent race and have often in the past assisted the human wielders. However, it has been a very long time. The Wielder Traven remembered our past generosity and requested of us one of our most sacred and cherished objects, the armband of endurance. Despite the urgent need and noble cause of the plea, I was not eager to hand over a symbol of such great meaning and singular power without proof as to the worthiness of the one making the request.

  “An agreement was made that if the Wielder Traven completed the King’s Trial and proved his worthiness, the armband of endurance would be entrusted to him for the space of one hundred days. During that time, he would wear it and receive the strength necessary to defend his people and rid the land of the threat of the galdaks. At the end of the one hundred days, he would journey back to Morian Haven and return the sacred object to its rightful place upon the arm of the elf king.”

  The elf king paused and looked directly into Traven’s eyes, assuring himself that the terms of the agreement were understood. Traven nodded his acceptance.

  “The Wielder Traven has completed the King’s Trial and proven his worthiness. I will now fulfill my part of the agreement.”

  An almost imperceptible intake of breath swept through the audience as the king of the elves stretched forth his left arm. The king then looked directly at Traven and indicated with a slight movement of his head that he was to do likewise. Traven obediently stretched forth his own left arm. The ancient elf in the elaborate robes shuffled forward and carefully unclasped the intricate armband of endurance. He then stepped over to Traven and clasped it snuggly around his left bicep.

  The bright green stone seemed to glow momentarily, and Traven felt a flood of energy and strength wash through his entire body. It had scarcely been on his arm a moment when all of the soreness in his muscles began to fade away. His eyes widened and a smile tugged at his lips. He felt wonderful.

  The light in the eyes of the elf king faded slightly as he lowered his arm. The regal elf took a step back and bowed to him. With the stone of endurance enlivening him with energy, Traven now understood more than ever the sacrifice the king of the elves was making. He bowed deeply in return with a heart full of gratitude.

  “I offer my thanks to the noble king of the elves and the thanks of all the humans who will benefit from such a powerful and benevolent gift. The humans are indebted to you for your kindness. I will strictly adhere to my side of the bargain and return the sacred armband of endurance one hundred days from now.”

  As Traven finished, all of the king’s advisors and ambassadors dropped to their knees and bowed. A cheer suddenly erupted from somewhere in the crowd. The sound was taken up by others and soon the entire arena exploded with thunderous applause. The excitement and approval of the elves added to the energy already coursing through his body, and Traven felt as if he might burst.

  He raised his hands skyward and shot a pillar of flame high into the air, seeking an outlet for his sudden abundance of energy. He noticed with surprise and delight that as he continued to send the flames higher into the sky, he felt absolutely no drain on his energy. The column of fire began to spin as it reached far above the top row of the amphitheater and ever higher into the sky. The darkening sky was lit with the bright flame, making it appear as if the sun which had so recently set was already rising once again.

  Traven smiled and let the flames disappear. The arena was instantly bathed in the shadows of evening, and the cool night air rushed in to cool the elves’ heated faces. All seemed unnaturally silent compared to the tumultuous noise that had so recently enveloped the arena. The ambassadors were all still on their knees, and the looks on their upturned faces reminded Traven of the murals he had seen in the Cave of the Eternal Flame.

  An idea suddenly crossed his mind. With the armband of endurance, he already knew he could legitimately challenge the powerful galdak wielder in a duel. However, there were still hundreds of thousands of galdak warriors that would have to be defeated. He could help the Royal Army but could only do so much against the horde. He had hope that the Kalian Army would ultimately be victorious, but how many soldiers would be killed over the space of a long and drawn out battle?

  He glanced from the faces of the ambassadors to the faces of the elves in the crowd surrounding him. The elves were skilled and capable warriors. In the past, they had been called the children of the wielders and followed the great wielders into battle. Darian and Giselle had already chosen to follow him. He wondered if others would follow him if he asked them to. With an army of elves joining him, the tide of battle could more easily be turned in favor of the humans. Caught up in the moment and with the memory of the murals so fresh in his mind, Traven stretched out his arms and turned his attention to the on looking elves in the audience.

  “Noble elves,” his voice rang out, piercing the silence. “Today your gracious king has given a gift beyond compare to the cause of the humans. In the past, the elves followed wielders into battle and fought alongside the humans. There is again a need for your help. Will you follow the example of your mighty king and pledge your help to my cause? Will you fight at my side?” He paused and then asked a final question that popped into his mind. It came in a voice louder and firmer than the rest of his impassioned speech. “Will you be my children?”

  His last question rang impressively through the arena. In the silence that followed, he turned a dark shade of red as he realized what he had just said. He wasn’t sure where the phrase had come from or why he had spoken it. Surely, it would offend the elves who had just been so gracious to him. He turned towards Darian and was surprised to find a look of approval upon the elf’s strong and determined face.

  An elf in the audience stood up and bowed his head towards Traven. Almost immediately, several more did likewise. Then, whole groups of elves began to rise. The tens turned into hundreds and the hundreds into thousands. Traven stared up at the crowd, humbled by the response. As one, all of the elves standing raised their hands and touched their solid black honor tattoos. Darian stepped up and put his hand on Traven’s shoulder.

  “They are now yours,” the elf whispered. “They will follow you.”

  28

  Kalista offered up a bittersweet smile at the sight. From the slight rise her horse stood on, she could see the Kalian Army in the distance. A part of her had hoped the army was still holding strong at Candus, but it was comforting to know the large group of refugees she was traveling with would soon have the protection of the entire army.

  Dark clouds sat low on the distant horizon behind the army. She hoped it did not mean there was a storm on the way. Her suggestion that tents be supplied to all tho
se who did not have one had been taken seriously and had been efficiently taken care of. If it did end up raining, at least everyone would be sheltered while sleeping at night.

  Kalista turned away from the menacing clouds and led her horse back down the small hill. The last three days had been tiring, but it seemed as though the citizens of Candus were finally growing accustomed to the march. They had been able to pack up fairly quickly that morning and leave earlier than the last two days. There was also much less complaining and confusion. It appeared that everyone had finally accepted the fate of their beautiful city and were ready to do what was necessary as they moved forward.

  It would still be at least another ten days before they would reach Kavar, maybe longer. Thankfully, their supplies were holding up well, and there would be no shortages of food on the trail. Of more concern was what might happen in the days following their arrival. Kavar was a large city but not quite as large as Candus. She knew it had a large stockpile of food for emergencies, but she wondered how well it would do in supporting such a large influx of people.

  She supposed that was a concern for after they arrived at their destination. For now, it was important to keep moving forward at a steady pace and stay ahead of the galdak horde, which was almost certainly now pursuing them. She looked up at the sun and sighed. It was only midafternoon, but the Kalian Army was still far enough behind that they would not catch up until the following day. She would have to wait until then for a full report on how the retreat had gone.

  She would also have to wait until tomorrow to find out how Gavin was doing. She felt slightly unfaithful for not being more eager to see him. Kalista hoped he was safe and knew if anything had happened to him she would be deeply saddened. However, she no longer felt the same urgency to see him as she once had. Before, she had lost sleep at night worrying for her fiancé’s safety. Now, she lost sleep worrying about the citizens of Candus and whether or not Traven had been able to gain the object he had left seeking.

  She supposed it was not bad for her to be so concerned for her people and the man who potentially had the key to ending the threat the galdak horde posed. Yet, she felt as though her feelings for Gavin were growing weaker with each passing day. Perhaps she would feel differently when she saw him the next day and her love for him would be strengthened once again.

  Kalista reached down and fiddled with the engagement ring on her finger. She could remember the excitement she had once felt for it. Where had that excitement gone? Was it normal for such feelings to fade so quickly? She dropped her hand back to her side with a sigh. Tomorrow she would see how her heart received Gavin’s return to her side.

  * * * * *

  Commander General Blaize looked southward at the dust rising in the air before turning and eyeing the dark clouds on the horizon to the north. The army had been marching hard for Kavar ever since retreating from Candus. If he wasn’t mistaken, they would overtake the citizens of the city sometime the following afternoon or evening. The army would then be able to offer more immediate protection and support to the immense group traveling to Kavar.

  He stared at the clouds behind the army and shook his head. The unnatural gloom had remained over Candus after the army had retreated. It had been refreshing to see the sun again for a few days, but it appeared the clouds were once again rolling in the army’s direction. The galdaks were undoubtedly pursuing them.

  The retreat had gone smoothly without any major problems. The Kalian Army had dealt a harsh blow to the galdak horde before quickly slipping away. That night they had only lost a few thousand soldiers while the galdak horde had been reduced by almost twenty thousand. Blaize was pleased with how well everything had turned out. His only regrets were abandoning the city to the destructive horde and the reality that the galdaks were at most only a day or two behind them.

  He hoped the horde had stayed in Candus a day or two before pursuing them but had no way of knowing for sure. He wished once again, as he often had over the last several days, that Traven was at his side. A wielder’s abilities would be invaluable as far as scouting was concerned. Blaize had left scouts behind to track the movements of the galdaks, but the army’s march had been rapid enough that no scouts had been able to catch up and report yet.

  He hoped Traven had the magical object he had left in search of and was hastening to rejoin the army. He also hoped Traven and his elven companion would be able to travel fast enough to reach them before they arrived at Kavar. It would be much easier to plan the defense of the city with the young wielder’s help.

  Blaize glanced at the position of the sun. It wouldn’t be long before night fell. They had been marching into the night for the last few days, but he decided that with the citizens of Candus finally in sight, it wasn’t necessary to push the troops so hard. The Royal Army would overtake them the following day whether they set up camp now or marched until after dark.

  He raised his hand and gave the signal to sound a halt. It would be wiser to allow the soldiers a good night’s rest than to continue testing their endurance. They had fought hard for several days and then marched hard for several more. He wanted his troops rested when they met up with the citizens of the city they had abandoned.

  The trumpet sounded and the large body of soldiers stopped as one. Blaize could hear a collective sigh from those near him. Several more bursts of the trumpet instructed the troops to set up camp. He watched as the organized column began fanning out to prepare for the night. It would be beneficial for everyone to have a long night’s rest.

  Blaize made his way to the side of the road. He swung down off his steed and patted the horse kindly. By the time his tent was up and he had received all of the daily reports, the sun was just beginning to touch the horizon. He was sitting and eating dinner with several of his generals when a trumpet sounded, announcing that a messenger had been spotted. He finished up his meal and stood in order to see if the messenger was coming from the north or the south.

  He quickly spotted the plume of dust at the northern edge of the camp. It would be a scout with word of the galdak horde. He waited anxiously for the messenger to arrive. It would be nice to know how much of a lead they had on the galdak horde. The scout soon made his way through the camp and to the command tent. He located Blaize and saluted. The messenger was covered in dust and looked exhausted. It was apparent he had been riding hard for an extended amount of time.

  “Proceed,” Blaize commanded.

  “I come with a report of when the galdak horde left Candus. They only remained in the city for one day following the retreat. The next night they set fire to the city and began marching south. The creatures did not appear to be marching particularly fast, but even so, are most likely only a day and a half behind us.”

  “Did the entire horde march south, or did some stay behind?” he asked the messenger.

  “It appeared that the entire galdak horde left Candus and began the march south in unison.”

  “Is there anything else?”

  “No, sir,” the scout replied. “Another messenger should arrive in the morning with an update and more particulars.”

  “Thank you,” he said as he dismissed the scout. “Go get dinner and rest.”

  Blaize watched as the tired soldier departed. It wasn’t the news he had been hoping for, but it also wasn’t unexpected. He hoped some of Candus had been spared from the ravages of fire. If the galdaks had left so soon to pursue the Royal Army, it was possible they hadn’t done a thorough job of razing the city.

  The fact they were only a day and a half behind the army was more concerning. The citizens of Candus would need to pick up their pace or march longer each day in order to stay out of reach of the galdaks. The next ten days until they reached Kavar would be grueling, but it should be possible to get them all safely behind the walls of Kavar before the galdak horde overtook them. He knew he should be thankful for that.

  It wasn’t yet dark, but after a few words with his generals, he excused himself and retired to his tent
. He had stopped early for the night as much for himself as he had for the rest of the soldiers. He hadn’t gotten enough sleep since the first attack on Candus and was exhausted. A good night’s rest would benefit him as much as it would benefit everyone else. When he had the opportunity to get a full night’s sleep, Blaize did not want to waste it. He had a feeling it would be a rare event until the war was over.

  * * * * *

  Shaman Azulk stepped back from the screeing dish. He shuffled out of his tent and motioned for his servants to pack up. The sun had just set, and it was time to resume the march. He shuffled over to his cart and carefully climbed aboard. As soon as he was seated comfortably on his furs, he gave the signal. Those privileged enough to bear his cart for the first part of the night began their steady walk forward.

  The ride wasn’t particularly smooth, but the piles of fur lessened the shock of the bumps. Riding allowed the army to move much faster than if the old shaman was walking. His power in the ambience hadn’t decreased with age, but his physical body continued to deteriorate. However, he supposed having a body in prime condition when he was nearly two centuries old was too much to ask for. Azulk didn’t expect that he had many seasons left to live, but he would live long enough to direct and witness the destruction of the humans.

  His cart reached the front of his horde, and he raised his hand into the air. A flame instantly jetted up into the darkening sky, and the horde surged forward. It would be another long night of marching, but come morning, they would be that much closer to continue enacting their revenge on the humans.