by Sam Ferguson
Erik took in a couple of shallow breaths, reflexively coughing as the thick, hot smoke seeped into his lungs. He called upon his power, focusing on the smoke. It started as a tingle at first, and then felt like a rush of heat inside his chest. For a moment he thought it was the smoke, or perhaps the heat from the burning oil, but this time it was different. He was generating the heat. He concentrated, letting his inner fire build to a peak before opening his mouth. In his mind’s eye he envisioned a blinding light bursting out of him, like it had with the Blacktongue by the brook, but the reality was much less impressive.
A small, almost indiscernible flash sputtered out from him. Instead of banishing the smoke, it only made it swirl in front of him slightly under the force of his yell. Then it closed in and he succumbed to the stinging heat of the smoke. As he feel to his knees, coughing and sputtering he heard a click somewhere behind the smoke and a few seconds later the smoke dispersed out through the open windows above them, as it had many times before over the last week.
“That was good,” Marlin said with a huge smile on his face.
“Good?” Erik coughed.
“I saw the spark that time,” he said enthusiastically.
“A spark?” Erik laughed and fell back on the floor, exhausted. “I would be more effective if I lit a match and threw it at the smoke.”
“No,” Marlin said. “I have seen many students unable to produce a spark that bright,” he said. “And for most, myself included, it takes at least a year to become this good. Your progress is astounding!”
Erik lifted a tired hand and twirled a finger in the air. “Woo-hoo,” he said.
Marlin came to sit next to him. “Enough for today. Go and practice your writing with Alferug. We will continue this tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait,” Erik said as he lurched up, struggling to get his elbows under himself. “Couldn’t we just practice this at night so I don’t have to breathe in all this smoke?” Erik asked.
Marlin rustled his hair and stood back up. “Then what would the distraction be?” he asked. “This test was designed to be passed under physical duress.”
“Who thought of this stuff?” Erik asked as Marlin helped the boy up to his feet.
“It is meant to help you prepare for the challenge ahead,” Marlin said flatly.
“It feels like someone with a lot of time on their hands sat around thinking of horrible ways to torture people,” Erik shot back. “Remember that gauntlet test you put me through the first time I came to the temple, you can’t tell me that a normal person thought of that, and now you are trying to suffocate me.”
Marlin chuckled. “The Champion of Truth is destined to dispel Nagar’s Secret. You, Erik, are the only person capable of destroying the magic that the enemy would use to enslave us all. It is a magic that can’t be beaten by the sword. It is itself a shadow, a thick fog of darkness, and we need to train you to use the light in order to banish it forever.”
Erik nodded. “Why not just take the book and throw it into a volcano, wouldn’t that destroy it?”
Marlin paused for a moment and stroked his chin. Erik could see that the man was thinking very carefully before answering. “The book is only one aspect,” Marlin said. “The first time the book was used, it unlocked Nagar’s Secret on the Middle Kingdom. Even if we could destroy the book, which we can’t, without banishing the magic it unlocked, the threat will still remain. The Ancients cannot return until the curse is lifted from this land. To do that, we must destroy the magic itself, those who seek it, and find a way to dispel the book.”
“And throwing the book, made of paper, into a volcano wouldn’t destroy it?” Erik asked skeptically.
“It is not a simple book. It is a very powerful magical artifact. No physical element, even a volcano, can destroy it. Do you remember that Allun’rha was able to counter the magic during the Battle of Hamath Valley?”
“Yes, I read about that with Al,” Erik said.
“You will have to find that book and finish unlocking its magic in order to finally dispel Nagar’s Secret and destroy the book.”
“Well, if he already had the spell, why didn’t he destroy Nagar’s Secret?”
“He wasn’t strong enough,” Marlin replied. “He was a powerful wizard, but even he was not able to finish the battle.”
“What happened to him?” Erik asked.
Marlin was silent for a moment. “Most think he died, but no one knows for sure,” he said after a moment. “Come, let’s go see Alferug in the library. I am sure he is getting anxious.”
The two of them walked down a couple of levels and went into the library to find the dwarf pacing in front of a large easel filled with blank parchment. A small jar of black paint rested on a round table nearby, along with a paintbrush. When he saw the two of them he smiled and pointed to the easel.
“Are you ready?” he asked Erik.
Erik sighed and nodded slowly. He went to the easel and took the paintbrush in hand. “From the beginning?” he asked.
“Of course,” Alferug said.
Erik nodded and dipped the paintbrush into the jar of paint. He made the first stroke, perfect and exact. Then he made the curve, the next stroke, and finished with the last three strokes and stepped away from the easel.
“Good,” Alferug said. “Now, take that one down, set it on the floor.” Erik did as he was asked and went to paint the next rune, but Alferug held a hand up and stopped him. “This time, I want you to imagine the meaning as you draw the rune. It isn’t enough to just slosh paint around. You have to feel it.” The dwarf cupped a hand to his heart for emphasis.
Erik sighed and closed his eyes to clear his mind. Then he opened his eyes and focused on the meaning of the rune as he redrew it. This time, as he finished the last stroke the paint changed from black to green and the rune glowed and hummed. Erik smiled and looked to Alferug. The dwarf was almost as excited as he was.
“Do the next one!” Alferug said as he churned his finger in the air. Erik ripped the paper down and quickly drew the next rune, focusing on the meaning and letting his hand flow with the symbol. As with the first, the paint changed color. The symbol glowed bright yellow, almost hurting Erik’s eyes.
He took the paper down and drew the third. As he finished each rune, it would glow a different color. Once he finished the last one the room began to hum and Erik felt a rush of wind around him. He looked to see Alferug’s beard floating up in the whirlwind and laughing giddily.
“Well done!” Alferug shouted. “Can you feel it, boy?” he asked.
Erik felt the wind rush into him and for a brief moment it was as if he was in the sky again, soaring on great, powerful wings with the cool breeze caressing his face. Then it faded and the runes stopped glowing.
“I could feel it,” Erik said.
Alferug stepped in and poked him in the chest. “Right here,” he said as he drilled his finger into Erik’s heart. “This is where the magic comes from. Keep at it, and you will be back in the sky soon enough!” Alferug clapped his hands. “Ha ha!” he shouted. “This is wonderful!”
Erik laughed out as well and went back to the easel. “Again!” he shouted.
“Yes, yes, do it again, boy!” Alferug agreed. “Let’s see if we can take some books off the shelves!”
*****
Erik woke to the sudden sound of his door bursting open. He sat up in his bed to see who was invading his sleep, but all he saw was a wall of flames closing in. He rolled off his bed and ducked under the rush of flames. Thick smoke filled the room, making it impossible to see. His heart raced in his chest and his eyes stung from the smoke. He coughed the bitter, harsh smoke out of his lungs as he gasped for air. The roar of the flames was almost deafening. The smoke grew so thick that he could almost feel it closing in around him, choking the clean air out of him.
He wasn’t sure what was going on. In his half-awake state he was disoriented, and couldn’t think clearly. All he knew for sure was that if he did nothing, he was
going to be burned alive.
Instinctively he called upon his training over the last week and rose to his feet. He put his hands in front of him and called upon his power again. The spark appeared inside his chest and grew until its intensity matched the fire around him. Then, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth.
A great light burst out from him and dispelled the smoke as the day chases the night. The flames rolled back, shrinking away from his power and then the room was still. Despite the fact that it was still dark outside, the inside of his room was bright, as though the sun was shining directly above him.
There, in the doorway, stood a very pleased Marlin. The man was smiling and clapping softly. “Well done,” he said. “Well done indeed.”
Erik’s heart started to slow and he looked around him. None of the furniture in the room showed any sign of the fire, nor were there any scorch marks on the wall, or any wisps of smoke left. “This was a test?” Erik asked incredulously.
“You are the one who said we should do it at night,” Marlin pointed out.
“I meant without fire and smoke!” Erik said.
Marlin patted the air and stifled a chuckle. “Relax, this is the final phase of the training,” he said. “Once a student is able to show the spark, no matter how small, the next phase is to catch them while sleeping.”
“I’ll ask again,” Erik started. “Who thought of this stuff?”
Marlin couldn’t help but laugh now and he stepped into the room and closed the door. “I’m sorry, I really am, but over the years we have learned that a student never progresses beyond a simple spark unless they are put into a situation where they actually think the danger is real.” Marlin calmed himself and took a moment to straighten his face before continuing. “Given the fact that all of our training is about how to discern truth from error, we also discovered that we could never fool a student once they had progressed to this stage unless we waited until they were deep asleep.” Marlin walked forward and put a reassuring hand on Erik’s shoulder. “Do forgive me,” he pleaded. “But it is the way we administer the final test.”
“The final test?” Erik echoed skeptically.
Marlin nodded. “Well, there is one more for you.”
Erik looked at Marlin’s white eyes for a moment and then a smile crept across his face. “You mean?”
Marlin nodded. “Tomorrow I will take you downstairs. There you will go through the Exalted Test of Arophim, if you believe you are ready.”
Erik smiled and hugged Marlin. “Thank you!” he said. Marlin hugged the boy back for a moment and then pushed him away.
“Get some sleep,” he said. “You will need it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Marlin led Erik through the hall and gestured for him to stop next to a simple iron crossed door at the end of the hall. Marlin produced a long, slender claw from a pocket and slid it into the opening under the knob. Golden rays snaked out from the brass key plate, reaching and stretching across the iron bands over the door. The metal glowed and vibrated against the wood.
Marlin stood back and looked to Erik. “Go on,” he said. “Open it.”
Erik hesitated momentarily and then turned the knob. The latch clicked and the door gently fell open.
Marlin reached forward and removed the claw. “Hang on to this,” he said as he offered it to Erik.
Erik took the claw and then stepped through the doorway. Marlin followed and pushed the door closed behind him. The steps steeply descended down a tight spiral. Small, goat horn sconces adorned the wall every seven feet to illuminate the tunnel and caused the gold inlay between the red bricks to shimmer and dance.
At the bottom of the stairs the brick opened up into a green marble tunnel. Torches hung silently halfway down the smooth, hard walls. Erik put his hand on the wall and gently stroked the surface. As he walked deeper into the tunnel a golden radiance appeared, growing brighter and brighter until he stood in a large antechamber made entirely of gold with glowing crystals hanging from the ceiling.
A small golden dragon head protruded from the left wall. The eyes were open, made of jade, and staring at him.
“Wait for one moment,” Marlin told Erik as he walked up to the dragon’s head. “As we told you before, the other initiates of the temple go through the Test of Arophim. It is not the same as the test you are about to experience. The Test of Arophim is administered by the prelate, and it usually is held in the training room, or in the council chamber at the top of the temple. However, you are going to go through the Exalted Test of Arophim. This has never been done before.” Marlin paused and smiled at Erik. “I want you to know that it has been an honor to work with you,” he said.
Erik nodded, he fumbled for the appropriate thing to say but all that came out of his mouth was, “Thank you.”
Marlin smiled and slid his index finger over the dragon’s head. A small hole opened in the top and Marlin pointed to Erik’s hand. “Now you will insert the claw into this hole.”
Erik moved forward and went to put the claw in. The jade eyes began to glow. Green light exuded from the dragon’s eyes until it enveloped Erik and Marlin entirely. After a few moments, the light died down and then the golden mouth opened, revealing a key on the dragon’s tongue.
A door materialized in the wall at the end of the hall. The bricks cracked and crumbled as golden light ripped through the green marble, revealing the golden door. A large golden eye opened on the door.
“What’s inside?” Erik asked.
“That is the test for you to find out,” Marlin said with a smile. He placed his hands on Erik’s shoulders. “I wish you all the luck in the world,” he said. “Now take the key and slide it into the keyhole in the eye.” Marlin then backed away.
“You aren’t coming in with me?” Erik asked.
“No,” Marlin said. “No one is permitted into this test except those who claim to be the Champion of Truth.”
Erik nodded and watched Marlin disappear back through the tunnel. Then he turned and looked at the key on the dragon’s tongue for a long time, occasionally glancing up to the keyhole in the door nervously.
“Come on,” Erik said to himself. “This is what you wanted.” He reached forward with a trembling hand and took the key from the statue. He moved to the door and slid the key into the pupil and turned it. The tumblers inside clicked and snapped. The door slid back three inches and then sank into the floor below.
Erik took a deep breath and held it for a moment. The stark darkness beyond the open doorway gave him more than a little reason to pause. There seemed to be nothing beyond the doorway. Finally a faint red glow appeared and Erik heard a voice.
“Enter, Champion,” the deep, thunderous voice said. There was a strength and vibrancy in the voice that unsettled Erik.
Erik stepped into the darkness and pushed forward, aiming to go to the red glowing light. A few yards into the next chamber the door behind him rose up from the floor and sealed the way back. Chills ran through Erik’s spine and his feet halted in mid step for a moment. After a couple of seconds he continued going forward. He made no more than four steps before the red light winked out and he was left in total darkness.
“Is the Champion afraid of the dark?” the voice bellowed. “Can’t you banish the darkness?”
Erik felt uneasy, sick to his stomach. He thought to turn around and go back, but he pressed forward a couple more steps. Then he stopped and concentrated hard on his power. “Shall I use the spark?” Erik asked.
“If you can,” the voice echoed.
Erik nodded to himself and slowly raised his hands before him. He felt the cold, icy fingers of fear swiping at his back from the shadows, but he put the feeling out of his mind and concentrated on summoning the light from within himself. Unlike before, he found it almost easy to conjure the spark within himself. It started as a fuzzy tingling behind his sternum, and then it grew until his whole upper torso felt hot. He barely opened his mouth to shout when the darkness evaporated and he found
himself standing in a great hall of blue stone.
Great, thick columns held up the high, vaulted ceiling. Statues of human warriors were carved into the walls behind the pillars and the floor was polished to such a high shine that Erik could almost see himself in the stone beneath his feet.
It took him several minutes to reach the large stone pedestal in the center of the chamber. Next to it a fist-sized garnet sat upon a golden candlestick with smaller jasper stones placed into the base of the stick. Erik resisted the urge to reach out and touch the jewels. He brought his attention to the pedestal and searched it. Its surface was covered in ancient runes, most of which he had never seen before. Each of them glowed just enough to be seen, but not as bright as a candle burns.
“That was impressive,” the voice echoed through the hall.
Erik wheeled around, but saw no one there. He reached into his power again, seeking to find the source of the voice. When he turned back and looked beyond the pedestal, his mouth fell open and he nearly staggered backward in shock. His power had found the source of the voice, but it was not anything he had expected to see.
A great, golden leg rested before him. He stared at the shield-sized scales briefly before following the leg up to the shoulder, glancing nervously at the long spikes protruding from the dragon’s spine. He then looked to the great, angular jaws filled with teeth the size of spears protruding through the thin, leathery lips. The eyes opened slowly, revealing great green orbs flecked with gold and red specks. The long, angled pupil shrank quickly and then widened slightly as the eye shifted to focus on the boy.
“Impressive indeed,” the dragon said in its deep, throaty voice. “You have blossomed very quickly,” he said.
“How can you be here?” Erik asked. “I thought all the dragons left a long time ago.”
“The temple protects me from the power of Nagar’s Secret,” the dragon replied. “So long as I do not stay awake for too long.”
