Source Of The River

by Lana Axe

  “You may call me River,” he replied. River’s gaze penetrated Telorithan’s mind. A faint line of blue magic emitted from his hand as he held it forth in greeting. “Lorith,” he said.

  “My name is Telorithan,” he replied, insulted. No one had called him Lorith since his childhood. He had taken the longer name to emulate the name of the ancient gods. Only they possessed the power he craved, and he insisted on being called by a more fitting name than the one given to him by his parents.

  “You will never succeed in binding a god,” River stated matter-of-factly. “You are an Island Dweller, and you will age. To accomplish such a feat, you would have to be one of the First Ones. We are ageless, you are not.”

  Angered by his words, Telorithan replied, “You will see that I am no mere mortal!” Raising his hands, he blasted red fire at River. Without hesitation, River lifted a blue magical shield to protect himself. The shield absorbed Telorithan’s magic entirely, leaving River unharmed.

  “Cease these games and prove yourself a worthy opponent!” Telorithan spat.

  “I have no desire to fight you,” River replied calmly. “Leave this place, and I will forget this incident.” He did not fully realize the danger he was in or Telorithan’s desperation.

  Determined to capture the elemental’s essence, the sorcerer attacked again. With a blast of energy, he knocked an unprepared River off his feet. Hitting the ground hard, River realized that the elf meant him serious harm. Without understanding what a fire mage would want from a water elemental, he shielded himself once more.

  Telorithan continued to attack, throwing fire and energy at River. All of the magic was absorbed into the shield, further angering the sorcerer. He had faced several opponents in the dueling arena of the Sunswept Isles, and his attacks had always been enough to penetrate a shield. He could not understand why he was failing now. Water, being what he considered the weakest element, was usually the easiest for him to defeat. This time was different.

  Reaching into the pocket of his robe, he pulled out the large sapphire he had prepared to contain River’s essence. Once the elemental could see he was prepared, perhaps it would strike fear into his heart and cause him to falter.

  River looked at the sapphire that was prepared to hold his essence. “What makes you think you can control water?” he asked, still maintaining his shield.

  “I have mastered fire,” the sorcerer replied. “I will master you.”

  Once again Telorithan attacked. This time, he focused his full mind on tearing down River’s shield. Fire could evaporate water, leaving the elf defenseless. With a burst of flames summoned from his fingertips, he blasted River’s shield. River, whose years of training were trivial compared to those of his opponent, was unable to maintain his defense. His shield evaporated before his eyes, leaving him vulnerable to attack.

  Summoning a blast of energy, Telorithan pummeled River, knocking him into the rocks. When he landed, River realized the gravity of his situation. This elf would indeed kill him if he had the chance, and his essence would be bound in eternal torment. Though his body was bruised, he still had an immense supply of magic. Summoning his resolve, he blasted blue fire at his opponent, hoping to stop the attack.

  Telorithan was prepared for River’s counterstrike. Knowing he could leach power from regular elves, he was determined to do so with this elf as well. Being an elemental would only mean a greater power store, and Telorithan was determined to have it. With one hand, he blocked River’s attack, and with the other, he focused his energy on draining the elemental’s power.

  River could feel power leaving his body, and it caught him by surprise. This was a skill he had never heard of, and certainly not one that he would use. Having no idea how to defend against it, he tried in vain to summon his shield. Telorithan’s power was too strong, and River could barely move. Closing his eyes, he reached for his small supply of remaining magic and steeled himself against the attack. With every ounce of strength, he willed his magic to obey.

  River’s body glowed with a pale blue light. Telorithan noticed, but he did not pause in his attack. To break his spell now would be folly. He was determined to drain every drop of magic from the elemental’s supply. In such a weakened state, it would then be possible to bind him.

  River’s body continued to glow as he concentrated on breaking through Telorithan’s spell. The light became brighter until a sudden flash knocked both elves backward. The draining spell had been broken, burning the hands of its caster. River stumbled over the rocks as he fell and landed in the water. Feeling himself freed from the sorcerer’s grasp, he used the small amount of energy remaining to him to dive down into the blue.

  Telorithan would not let his prey escape so easily. With his opponent’s power augmenting his own supply, he was determined to find him at any cost. The elf’s essence would be his, and he would be one step closer to binding a god.

  Chapter 37

  With one quick motion, Kaiya grabbed the arrow and pulled it from Galen’s chest. He gave a loud groan as the arrow was removed, his body tensing from the pain. The wound was bleeding heavily, and she instinctively pressed both hands against it to staunch the flow.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, wrinkling her brow. She had no way of numbing the pain he was in, and she hoped she had made the right choice in removing the arrow.

  Galen closed his eyes to rest for a moment and found that his breathing was coming a bit easier. Still he was able to take only shallow breaths, but the sharp pain he had felt with each gulp of air was not nearly as strong. Opening his eyes, he looked at Kaiya’s tear-stained face. Despite her eyes being reddened, he found her to be quite lovely. There was great kindness and also sadness in her eyes, and he wondered why he hadn’t seen it before.

  Noticing that he was looking at her, she asked, “Are you in much pain?”

  He shook his head. “It’s better now.”

  Lifting her hands slightly, Kaiya could see that the wound had not begun to clot. She hoped that applying pressure would quicken the process, but the blood came as quickly as ever. Securing both hands over the wound, she closed her eyes to concentrate. River had said she could create fire by pulling the heat from the air. She had no desire to light Galen on fire, but she might be able to use the heat to seal the wound.

  A soft breeze was blowing from the ocean, and Kaiya focused her mind to it. The breeze was heated by the sun’s rays, which traveled uninhibited through the cloudless sky. Willing the heat to her fingertips, she transferred it into the wound. She could feel the heat against her hands, and Galen gave a few grunts suggesting he felt it as well. Removing her hands from his chest, she could see the bleeding had stopped.

  A smile of relief spread across her face, and she finally let out the breath she had been holding. Galen opened his eyes to meet hers, and she saw that his mischievous nature had not been injured. He grinned at her as best he could.

  “For a minute I thought you didn’t want to take your hands off me,” he said.

  She shook her head, dismissing the comment. “How do you feel?”

  “Better,” he replied. He reached out slowly to take her hand and pressed it to his lips. “Thank you,” he said, looking deep into her eyes.

  Feeling slightly embarrassed by the look he was giving her, she pulled her hand away and blushed. She hadn’t noticed before how handsome he was, nor had she seen the mystery in his dark eyes. His countenance was warm, and her heart fluttered as she looked up to see he was still staring at her.

  “Who were those elves?” Kaiya asked, hoping to avoid an awkward situation.

  “The Young Ones,” Galen replied quietly. “Also known as the Woodland Elves. Humans usually refer to them as Wild Elves. I guess we found out why.” He tried to laugh but began coughing instead.

  Worried, Kaiya said, “We should try to get back where we left River. I’m sure he’ll be returning soon, and we’ll want to get back right away. Lenora will be able to heal you.” She spoke more to convince herself t
han him.

  She helped him to his feet, and once again they started to walk. Their pace was slow, and Kaiya struggled to bear a portion of his weight upon her shoulder. She wished with all her being that she could fly upon the wind and carry him back to her village. Unfortunately, she had no idea if such a thing were even possible. The wind had never offered any guidance as far as flying was concerned.

  Together they trudged along the beach, making their way slowly back to the spot where River had gone into the ocean. It was already afternoon by the time they arrived, and Galen was clearly exhausted. Kaiya helped him prop himself next to some rocks near the hillside. His breath was still shallow, and he hadn’t spoken since they started walking. Kaiya worried his injury was greater on the inside, and she could do nothing to heal it.

  She rubbed at her aching shoulder as she looked back over the ocean. Somewhere in the depths was River, and she hoped he would return soon. Without him, she had no idea if she would be able to get Galen back to her village in time. For all she knew, his wound could prove fatal.

  Impatient for River’s return, she tried to force herself to relax. Taking a seat next to Galen, she asked, “Are you feeling any better?” She placed a hand gently on his face, brushing his hair away from his eyes.

  “I’ll be all right,” he said softly. “It doesn’t hurt as much. I’m just tired.”

  Kaiya wondered how long she should wait for River. It could be days before he returned. She knew he would continue searching for the opal until he found it, even if it took a month. He had no way of knowing that his cousin had been hurt, and Kaiya did not know how to contact him.

  “Is there any way to get a message to River?” she asked.

  Galen thought for a moment and smiled. “You could try sticking your head in the water and shouting.”

  Kaiya shook her head. At least his sense of humor was still intact, even if he was in pain. Making up her mind, she said, “We have to get you back to the village. We don’t know how long he will be, and you need treatment.”

  “No,” Galen replied. “I’ll be fine, really. Let’s wait a bit. I’m too tired to walk right now anyway.”

  His response made Kaiya uneasy. His fatigue could be a sign that he wasn’t going to be all right. The thought of losing him made her heart ache. Kneeling next to him, she cradled his head on her shoulder and held him tightly. Her tears flowed down her cheeks, falling silently to the sand.

  A change in the wind startled her to action. Climbing back to her feet, she left Galen lying peacefully on the beach while she approached the shoreline. River’s in trouble, she realized. The magic she sensed on the wind was not only his. Somewhere beyond the blue he was being attacked, and she could feel it.

  The voice on the wind came loud and clear. He will not survive without you.

  Forgetting everything else, she closed her eyes and focused her mind on the wind. Mustering every ounce of strength in her body, she unleashed the fury of the wind and cast it at River’s attacker. With her mind, she homed in on his location, sending the air to subdue him. Her eyes shot open, shimmering with silver light. Sparks of energy shot from her fingertips, flying unrestrained above the water. Her target had no warning that he was about to feel the wrath of the wind.

  Chapter 38

  Diving down into the blue, River could hear the voices of other elementals in the ocean. They were calling to him, rejuvenating his power. On the island above, Telorithan was trying with all his might to raise River from the sea, but the combined power of the elementals prevented his spell from working. River’s power was quickly being restored, his full strength returning.

  Telorithan could see that his magic was failing to penetrate the surface of the water. He created only a small disturbance at the surface as he attempted to force the elemental back within his reach. “No!” he cried, fearing that the elemental would escape. “I will not fail!”

  Suddenly, a gust of wind struck him, stealing his breath and forcing him to his knees. As he doubled over and tried to collect his wits, a second gust of wind struck him in a frontal assault. Landing flat on his back, his head struck a rock. Crimson blood seeped from the gash, staining his silver hair.

  Placing his hand against his head to stop the blood, his anger rose. Scrambling to his feet, he summoned his power in time to block a third gust of wind. The blow struck him, and he felt as if a stone had hit him in the chest. This time, however, he remained standing. His confidence building, he reached deep within himself into his stolen stores of magic. Across the sea, he sensed the sorcerer who had conjured the wind. This newcomer’s power rivaled that of the elemental, and he remembered the second magical being he had sensed before coming to this place. Apparently the elemental’s magical companion was nearby, and Telorithan would have to face them both.

  He felt a sudden wave of fear and hoped that River would stay below, fleeing for his pitiful life. He would succeed only if he could handle each of them individually. Scrambling for his orb, he gazed into the flames and willed them to move toward the coast. Two figures were present, one lying motionless on the beach, the other standing at the ready at the coastline. The dwarf girl? How can this be?

  Her eyes flashed with silver magic, sparks gracing her fingertips. Telorithan could not believe what he was witnessing. The magic he had sensed all along was coming from a dwarf. Not just any dwarf, either. This was an insignificant female. This creature had far stronger magic than the majority of Enlightened Elves.

  In his distraction, Telorithan did not see the next blow before it hit him. Silver sparks rained down, jolting and twisting his body as he crashed to the sand. Severe pain ran through him, and he cried out in agony. Before he could regain control, a second wave of energy hit him. Silver bolts of lightning struck him, holding him firm within their grasp. He could feel his power draining, flying skyward in tiny droplets of silver light. Reaching out with a hand as if to catch them, he watched as they floated to the sky and dissolved into the clouds above.

  As he lay powerless on the sand, River re-emerged from the sea. The ocean had restored him to full power, and he towered over Telorithan. The orb still clutched in one of his hands, the sorcerer crushed it, hoping to absorb the small amount of power left inside it. The glass cut his hand, but he felt nothing. His body was numb from the lightning that had drained his power. His only hope to avoid death was to find some way to continue fighting. Surely, this elemental would kill him if he could.

  River encompassed Telorithan in blue magic, lifting him back to his feet. Telorithan attempted to lift his hands, but he was unable to move. He was held fast within the elemental’s grasp.

  “You are defeated,” River said. “You will go back to your home and stop hunting me. Give up this scheme of yours to bind an elemental. If not, it will be your death.”

  Telorithan made no attempt to speak. Glaring at River, he knew he was defeated. His attempt had failed, but not because of his own weakness. He had underestimated the dwarf. Without her interference, he felt sure he would have bound River. If not for her, he would be on his way to the Red Isle to trap Yelaurad now. His dream could have come true this very day. The dwarves will pay for this, he swore.

  River released the sorcerer, who slumped once again to his knees. The wind swirled around River, his dark hair dancing on the breeze. Looking back to the shore, he realized that Kaiya was there, helping him to subdue his attacker. She had completely drained Telorithan’s power, saving River from a second fight when he returned to the island. Without her help, he wasn’t sure he would have survived the encounter.

  He looked upon the sorcerer with pity. Before him was an elf consumed by his own greed. His every thought was bent on achieving ultimate power. River could see his heart, and it was an empty void. No friendship dwelt inside, and there was no trace of love. River had no desire to end this elf’s life. Instead, he would allow him to live the lonely life he had chosen for himself. There could be no greater punishment in River’s mind.

  The waves be
gan to swell, fed by the summoned wind. Before his eyes, River saw a glimmer of white riding along a jet of water. With no further thought for Telorithan, he turned his attention to the sea. Diving back within the blue, he reached out to grasp the glistening gem. In his hand was the opal that would save the dwarves. Kaiya had forced the sea to give it up. With all speed, he swam back to her, hurried along by the wind.

  Kaiya waved to him as he approached the shore. River smiled, opening his palm to show her the opal. It was larger than a duck’s egg, and its smooth white surface shone with glimmers of pink, turquoise, and yellow.

  With a shallow gasp, Kaiya reached out her hand to touch the cold surface of the stone. “It’s beautiful,” she said, her eyes reflecting its light. It vibrated slightly at her touch.

  “Your people will be safe now,” River replied.

  “Galen is injured,” she said. “He needs your help.”

  Hurrying to Galen’s side, River asked, “What happened?”

  “There were elves in that forest over there,” Kaiya said, pointing to the tree line. “They shot him with an arrow. I removed it and stopped the bleeding, but he’s still weak.”

  Galen managed a faint smile, his face pale. Keeping his eyes open felt like a chore. Without a word, River laid both hands on his friend’s chest. Blue magic spread over Galen’s body, and he took in a full breath for the first time since being shot. His eyes sparkled with a blue light for a moment, and he sat up with renewed vigor.

  “What did you do?” he asked.

  “I’m no healer,” River replied. “I merely gave you some of the strength of my magic.”

  “Well, it feels great!” Galen said with a laugh.

  Kaiya was overjoyed to see him restored to health. Forgetting herself, she threw her arms around him and kissed him. Backing off quickly, she looked down at the ground. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I...,”