.. An Echo of a Wounded Soul ..

►▼◄

Her spoken words brought him back to himself.

"Good morning to you as well, Gaidin. You hold your form well."

His eyes lost their faraway look and he focused on the woman who had spoken.

The Aes Sedai.

His eyes fastened once again on her Green Shawl, but then he met her eyes and replied:

“Thank you, Aes Sedai”, he said, appreciating her compliment. His words were spoken with some formality as was often his way. “At my age”, he added with a dark grin, “I have to train vigorously to avoid stabbing myself in the foot.”

He thought of the young Warder trainees going through the motions on the other side of the Warder’s Yard. So eager to learn. So eager to take on the world. So full of life.

“You should have seen me in my younger days.” He said with a smile. “Oh, I was a little faster then, though not so experienced or wise, and so ready to take on the Shadow!” A pensive look came over his eyes. “Then I met Leandreen.”
 

●

Leandreen. I am so sorry.

“A Sister of the Green, like yourself.” He nodded, indicating her shawl. “Together we travelled the land, on missions for the Tower, and fought the Shadow wherever we could. “

There was pride in his voice.

“It was what we lived for.”

His face tensed then.


It was what you died for, my Sedai.

And I failed in my duty to you.


An ache in the back of his mind, that had been gone for a long time, reemerged for a moment.


My life before yours, I promised.

I failed you, Leandreen.

Forgive me.

●

There was pain in his hard eyes, an echo of a wounded soul, emotional grief that he had thought buried long ago.

▀▄

.. At the End of a Journey ..

►▼◄

Standing on the crowded, busy docks of Falme, Elessar and Carys waved goodbye to the Sea Folk.

They were almost at the end of a journey.

Taking a last look at the Sea Folk ship, the Windsweeper, Elessar admired her lines. She (he could not get used to the Atha’an Miere naming of ships as ’he’) was alas a large vessel with multiple decks, easily a hundred paces long, with three towering masts amidships, and one shorter one on the raised sterndeck. She had large triangular as well as somewhat smaller white squared sails, and a very narrow body, as was common in such ships, that made for great speed across oceans.

And you have served us well, dear Lady, he thought.

The weeks and months aboard had been part joy and part hell, if truth be told, but the ship had kept them safe in high seas and he had nothing but admiration for Sea Folk shipbuilding craft.

Sailmistress Marah din Toral Rising Wave, a tall dark-skinned woman with grey streaked hair, a grave face and with five rings - of good quality metal - in each ear, one of them being connected to her nose by a chain, a sign of her higher rank, gave them a quick nod in parting and then strode across the Quarterdeck intent on her many duties.

She had spoken at length with Carys before docking and it appeared that his Bondholder’s mission had been successful. At least, no emotions contradicting this view came through the Bond to Elessar. His Sedai had spoken little throughout their long journey south and back about her ‘work’ onboard and Elessar had rarely asked. It was, in truth, not his business, as long as she seemed fine and was safe. After that early period when she had seemed to wear herself out, things seemed to have gone better. He had felt less strain through the Bond and that had pleased him.

And now we have a long journey ahead of us, he thought, turning to face his Sedai. Let’s hope it does not become too tiresome for her.

“It is time we go, Carys Aes Sedai”. He said.

He spoke with some formality in his voice, as was often his way. She nodded back and they mounted their horses. Riding slowly through the streets of Falme, amongst locals and visitors, sellers by the dozen, noblemen and poor, dust and grime - as was always the case of towns and cities - Elessar reflected on his experiences with the Atha’an Miere.
 

●

They chose a similar route back toward Tar Valon as the one they had used to Falme, travelling through the Mountains of Mist on the road that lead to and from Katar, a city on the north-eastern edge of Paedish Swar, the Darkwood to the east of Almoth Plain. They passed through the western Andoran town of Baerlon on a cloudy and breezy morning, and then, several days later, they reached the town of Whitebridge.


Riding once again - just in the opposite direction - across the huge white glass-like bridge - from which the town took its name - Elessar reminisced what he knew of this impressive structure which spanned the River Arinelle. The bridge was believed to date all the way back to the Age of Legends, thousand of years before. It looked to be made of impossibly fragile white glass - almost as if carved from one piece -, yet of a type so strong even a chisel and hammer would not mar it. Furthermore, despite its glasslike surface it never became slick, even in the hardest rain. The White Tower knew perhaps more of its origin, but even with Elessar’s limited knowledge he was, as ever, mighty impressed.


The town of Whitebridge had grown up around the large stone-paved square at the bridge’s eastern foot. With its imposing bridge being the only span crossing the Arinelle south of Maradon in Saldea, Whitebridge town had from early on flourished in trade. Most buildings in the town were made of stone and brick, and the docks were made of wood. That night they slept once again at the ‘Eastern Bridge inn’, and the innkeeper - the somewhat fat, blond-haired man of middling years with sunken eyes but a welcoming smile from before - welcomed them back like a long lost friend.


They passed through the Andoran Capital Caemlyn without visiting Old Celter at the Palace. The journey from Whitebridge had been wearisome due to days of travelling on muddy roads in heavy rain and they just wanted to get on with it and get back to Tar Valon as soon as could be.


When they finally reached the small Andoran town in the Braem Wood where they had stopped on their outward journey, they stopped anew and found ‘The Braem Grove’ inn. A bed and a warm meal sounded perfect to them both. A stableboy took care of their horses and Warder and Sedai entered the establishment.


The innkeeper - a bald man with blue eyes and a sour expression on his face, wearing an apron - appeared not to recall them, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking. He was polite to them, however, and soon they had their rooms. Some time later they enjoyed a meal in the common room, amongst a fairly spirited crowd of locals and travellers, while listening to a gleeman playing the flute. The entertainer with his coat of many colourful patches made a theatrical bow when he was finished, and after some scattered applause went on to captivate the audience with an almost mythical song of bygone years. Elessar remembered this song well - another gleeman had performed it at an inn on one of their previous journeys. The words had stuck in his mind.


Bygone Years

Let me sing of bygone Years
Time of heroes and of Fears
Of the Shadow and of Tears
Tales of war from Bygone Years

Let me sing of valour Great
Time of struggle , hardship`s Weight
Memories of land and State
Not forgotten , be it Late

Let me sing of hope in Heart
Time of yearning for a Start
To a peace for land and Part
Joy and laughter from the Heart

Let me sing of rose in Night
Scarlet-coloured, stunning Sight
Shining strongly, burning Bright
Precious beacon for the Light

Let me sing of Sword and Flame
Heart and soul, they sang his Name
From the northern hills he Came
Conquered darkness, purged the Shame

Let me sing of Southern Queen
Fairest Maiden ever Been
Lead her armies to be Seen
Washed her lands from evil, Clean

Let me sing of soldiers Brave
Hardened men with lives to Save
Honour great, for freedom Crave
Fought the Shadow to their Grave

Let me sing of bygone Years
Time of battles and of Tears
Of redemption and of Fears
Tales of war from Bygone Years
 

●

It was many days later, on a sunny but very windy afternoon, that they once again came in sight of the impressive Shining Walls of Tar Valon. Seeing the city always made Elessar smile.

Tar Valon

And so it was that Carys Aes Sedai, Sister of the Yellow Ajah and Elessar Gaidin, Borderlander-bred Warder of the White Tower, Bonded in the Light, rode slowly across one of the many magnificent arching bridges over the River Erinin connecting the island city to the mainland.

Fabled Dragonmount rose in the distance and on the city walls high above them the proud banners of Tar Valon - wonderous city of the Aes Sedai - rippled strongly in the wind, as if welcoming them home.

▀▄▀▄▀▄

Welcome to the Warders!

.. Caught between Moments ..

►▼◄

Elessar Telcontar, bonded Warder and veteran Gaidin of many years, was lost in a Dance of the Blade.

A soft northern breeze blew through the Warders Yard that morning as the Borderlander went through the forms. In the calmness of the Void, the Gaidin felt detached from the world around him as he moved with experience and assurance. The sword was a part of him as he leapt to strike, bent to defend, went high and then low, moving from one form into another, slicing through the air with his blade and moving with agility and swift footwork to get his imaginary opponent off balance.

He stopped for a moment, catching his breath. To keep an edge one had to train again and again. No matter one’s experience or skill. There was always something which could be bettered. Always something to perfect.

That had been his way ever since that time long ago in his youth when he had decided that what he wanted for his life was to become a Warder. He had worked hard at excelling at everything he did ever since.

He was a man six foot three tall with a fairly dark complexion, short dark hair and hard dark eyes. He had a strong build (a result of hard physical training over many years) and also some battle-scars, most prominent was one across his abdomen. In fury over the death of his mother and his inability to prevent it, he had shaved off his forked beard (so common in Kandori men) long ago and had never re-grown it.

And I never will, he thought intently to himself, as he readied himself for another spell.

Unfolding the Fan, the opening move, which flowed into Low Wind Rising, a diagonal slash which began low and rose cleanly, followed by The Boar Rushes Down the Mountain, a vertical slash starting high and which in this case altered course in midswing, paired with Tower of Morning, a verticle slash but this time beginning low and ending high.

Sweat beaded on his brow and chest by the time he was finished.

In the back of his mind he felt his bondholder Carys Aes Sedai some way away in the White Tower. She had matters to take care of and had risen early that morning. Sheathing his sword, he sighed. She was wearing herself out - again - or at least that was his opinion. He would not tell her so to her face, of course. He recalled well some of their previous.. discussions.. on the subject up through the years since their bonding. It did not stop him worrying, though. Shaking his head, he suddenly became aware of someone watching him from a little way off.

Looking more closely at the person he saw that it was an Aes Sedai, and from her shawl she was a Sister of the Green. Having been bonded to a Green Sedai in his younger years, the late Leandreen - a strong woman with emerald eyes and fiery hair that matched her temper, especially when it came to darkfriends - he had much respect for the Ajah.

Giving the Sister a polite bow, he said:

“Good Morning, Aes Sedai.”

He looked again at her Green shawl, memories of his years fighting the Shadow at Leandreen’s side coming to the fore.

Without thinking, he whispered: “We stand ready.”

He was not sure if she had heard, but in that timeless moment he caught himself thinking back on that time so many years before.

Leandreen.

I was a different man back then, he thought to himself. But then again, perhaps not so different after all.

Memories gripped him - and he was caught between moments.
 

▀▄

I see above in this thread that the question of bondmates has been discussed before, but not knowing the status of things as of now (month of June) I ask:

I am seeking a new bondmate for my RP-wise almost ’ancient’ Warder-character Elessar. My previous bondmate is on a longterm LOA and the bond has been officially dissolved (will be passed on IC). Elessar has 3 RPed IC-bonds as part of his history (which is intricate and exciting) at DM. He thus has some emotional ‘baggage’ as it were, something which enhances the RPs. I am looking for an active female player with a Sedai (not Red or Black) she wants bonded, a person to write good and fun RPs with. Anyone interested?

Welcome to the Warders!

Elessar and Carys moved like shadows in the darkness, connected through the Bond in spirit and in purpose, focused on the task at hand. It was time to see who was behind these terrible crimes.

Soon they met up with Seheria Sedai and the young thief. Carys and Elessar slipped in without a sound, two shadows moving as one. The two Sisters shared a quick glance and an almost imperceptible nod, while the Gaidin gave the thief a hard look before turning his attention to the dark ally. For a long time they stood silently watching the back of the building for someone to approach the barrel that held the mocked proof of the death of the woman from the shop.

Elessar waited patiently, calmly focused in the Flame and the Void. He was ready to spring in the blink of an eye, a weapon ready to be unfurled.

Finally, after how long he could not really tell,  there was the sound of movement - and they saw a dark shape of a petite person stop in front of the barrel. The figure stopped uncertainly, looked carefully around, then waited for a few more seconds before lowering its arm into the barrel to take something out.

At that moment Elessar pounced! In a heartbeat he was beside the figure - a young woman as it turned out - and pushed her to the ground, his knees across her back. She gave a startled cry - and then the Sedais stood beside them. Carys nodded to her Warder who moved away from the darkfriend. Seheria Sedai restrained the woman and then the two Sisters interrogated her. Elessar felt some uneasiness coming through the Bond from Carys, something which he found understandable knowing her personality, but she did what needed to be done.

It was not long before the whimpering young woman had confessed to the crime.

To Elessar she seemed a far cry from your typical darkfriend, but then again the Shadow grew in many hearts these days and a pretty face did not mean you did not have a dark soul. Even so, he would likely have thought the thief the main culprit rather than this sobbing woman. He put the matter out of his mind, however, as the Sedais took her in hand.

Just then, as their attention was focused on the darkfriend woman, the young thief kicked the barrel at Elessar and jumped to the side, making a run for it. The Warder acted instinctively, sweeping around the barrel, but at a quick shout from the Sedai he stopped in his tracks and declined to pursue the boy who disappeared into the darkness.

The thief had gotten away, but what was important was that they had finally captured the person, the darkfriend villain, behind the terrible crimes.

The Hunt was at an end.

Character Name: Elessar Telcontar
Assigned WS: 15
Path/Discipline: The Flame and the Void
In a relationship? If yes, with who? No
Bonded? If yes, with who? Unbonded Warder

I'm partially around, have had a LOA past months (due to my Sedai's LOA) but hope to write some more soon.

A belated congrats to the new Warder RGL! *warder's salute*

Much about the Atha’an Miere, the Sea Folk, was unknown, or at least known only to some, though the history books that Elessar had read with interest told part of their story ..

.. It was during the Breaking of the World (a period also known as the Time of Madness, when male Aes Sedai destroyed much of the known world, ending the Age of Legends, and heralding the beginning of the Third Age) that the ancestors of the Atha’an Miere first fled to the sea. These people knew little of the sea, but they recognized that no place on land remained safe. Over the course of generations, the Atha’an Miere learned the ways of the sea and became one with their vessels ..

.. The Atha’an Miere were, it is believed, untroubled by the Trolloc Wars (a series of sustained conflicts fought between humanity and Shadowspawn between 1000 and 1350 AB) and the War of the Hundred Years (a devastating series of overlapping wars among constantly shifting alliances that erupted in the wake of the death of the High King, Artur Hawkwing), leaving them free to perfect their seagoing technologies.  As a result, the Sea Folk sail ships far superior to anything the mainlanders possess. It is this superiority which helps the Atha’an Miere maintain their dominance in trade. The Sea Folk, it is said, view each ship as gifted with a man’s heart and a man’s courage, and as such refer to their ship as “he,” not “she”  (as is most common elsewhere). Each ship is, moreover, lovingly built by the crew which will eventually sail him ..

.. The Atha'an Miere have a hierarchy that is very strict and complex. They are headed by a Mistress of the Ships, roughly equivalent to a queen, but without a fixed geographic territory. Her consort and/or male counterpart is the Master of the Blades, responsible for trade and security concerns. She is also assisted by the Windfinder to the Mistress of the Ships, the highest rank a Windfinder - a channeling woman of the Sea Folk - can achieve. Under this leadership, the Sea Folk are further organized into thirteen clans, each headed by a Wavemistress. She is assisted by their Windfinder and Swordmaster, respectively. Each ship of the various clans has a Sailmistress - the captain of the ship -, a Windfinder and a Cargomaster, respectively. The rank of a Windfinder and Cargomaster is dependent on their Sailmistress. The eldest thirteen of the Sailmistresses of a clan elect its Wavemistress, while the thirteen Wavemistresses elect the Mistress of the Ships. The rank of a Sea Folk member can be determined, among other things, by the number of earrings (typically ear and nose, with a chain in between for higher ranks) a man or woman has, and the number of medals they have on their honour chain ..

The great intricacy of the The Atha'an Miere hierarchy made the Warder grin. It would be almost unsurpassed in the lands and worthy of even the White Tower itself.

Life among the Sea Folk was interesting in its own way, they were after all an exotic people with exotic customs, but Elessar grew more and more restless as the days and weeks went by. Carys and he spoke little, she seemed preoccupied much of the time after her 'sessions' and she seemed to him a little drawn though she hid it well. He had his suspicions, but out of respect for his Sedai - and their seafaring hosts - he said nothing and instead blew off steam through his daily sword training sessions.

Elessar unsheathed his sword, beginning to go through the forms. A Warder had to practice often to keep that small edge, that extra piece of sharp attentiveness and excellence as he flowed from one form into the next .. Unfolding the Fan, the opening move, which flowed into Low Wind Rising, a diagonal slash which began low and rose cleanly, followed by The Boar Rushes Down the Mountain, a vertical slash starting high and which in this case altered course in midswing, paired with Tower of Morning, a verticle slash but this time beginning low and ending high.

In the Void he felt complete calmness and truly felt one with his sword, a participant in a never-ending dance of motion. A few pearls of sweat beaded on his bare chest, arms and forehead as he moved efficiently through the forms, his focus all on his imagined opponent before him. The Falling Leaf and then straight into The River Undercuts the Bank.

For quite some time he moved from one form into the next, until at last he ended the session with Folding the Fan, sheathing his blade. The sword was smoothly swung around from guard stance and sheathed, all in one motion. He breathed a little heavily, but that was to be expected after this exertion, and he was well pleased with the practice session and felt the better for it.

On a moonlit night some days later, when the bright stars spread out across the far horizons like burning gems on a canvas of blackness, Elessar of Kandor stood quitely on the deck of the southward running Sea Folk Raker, staring upwards - and inwards. He had for some reason been unable to sleep and had pulled on a shirt and pants and had walked out onto the open deck to get some fresh air.

As he took in the great canopy of the stars and the moon above, his thoughts drifted back to an inn Carys and he had visited on a previous journey southwards - and to a gleeman who had told the most wonderous story from another time, the epic story of “Star and Moon”.

Elessar could almost hear the whispers from the story, reaching out across time and space, the words of the poem clear in his mind..

Star and Moon

Princess sweet and Prince of Light

Fell in love one autumn Night

Great were days of joy and Smiles

Both together through the Miles

Beautiful she was to See

Handsome man was also He

Perfect couple for the Lands

Wedded true and holding Hands

Then the darkness fell on All

In the war , the Prince`s Fall

Tore her heart, the Princess Sad

In her grief, she went all Mad

Heart was broken and the Mind

Death a solace, far Behind

But at last she passed Away

To the lands beyond, to Stay

Mourning hard the people Cried

Hope and beauty had now Died

Then one evening up they Stared

Wonder great, the night-sky Fared

In the sky a star was Born

Brilliant it shone, Forlorn

And the people felt in Heart

She was back, a brand new Start

Tears from heaven, from the Queen

Of the sky, of beauty Seen

She would watch the land till End

Came to all that was , my Friend

But alone she was in Truth

Missed her loved one, and her Youth

Where was Prince and all Delight

Then she saw him, moon in Night

And the moon would glow with Life

Her great Prince with his dear Wife

Both together, far Above

Star and Moon, forever Love

Elessar’s gaze was met by the glitter and the beauty of the stars and the moon high above, as he remained standing there on the Sea Folk vessel deck for a long while, swept away by the whispers of ages past.

.. Adrift in a Storm of Emotions ..

►▼◄

Elessar was adrift in a Storm of Emotions.

The Sea Folk ship, a Raker called Windsweeper, was a large vessel with multiple decks, easily a hundred paces long, with three towering masts amidships, and one shorter one on the raised sterndeck. It had large triangular as well as somewhat smaller white squared sails, and a very narrow body, as was common in such ships, that made for great speed across oceans.

The ship was commanded from the Quarterdeck by a Sailmistress called Marah din Toral Rising Wave, a tall dark-skinned woman with grey streaked hair, a grave face and with five rings - of good quality metal - in each ear, one of them being connected to her nose by a chain, a sign of her higher rank.

She had begun aboard a ship as a deckhand many years before, in the Sea Folk tradition, and had worked herself up through the ranks. She had finally fulfilled her ambition and gained the rank of Sailmistress with her own vessel - and she felt as protective of her ship as she would of a child.

Elessar’s problem was, in truth, not with the ship.

Not really.

It was rather with the ship’s owners.

The Atha’an Miere.

The Warder was in a foul mood.

The way these Sea Folk women in authority aboard the Windsweeper appeared to be treating his Bondholder and Sedai, with arrogance and little gratitude or respect, pushing her to exhaustion more often than not, working her so hard that he could feel the strain through the Bond, was grating on his nerves.

Damn them!

♦

Though he was never present during the ‘lessons’ in question, he had seen the looks they had given his Bondholder behind her back - and also, a few times, almost to her face. Patronizing looks full of smugness. Condescending stares. With the constant exhaustion coming through the Bond it was enough for the Gaidin to understand that they were inexorably wearing her out.

He worried for her health and condition and had told her so emphatically in the several discussions they had had in the two and a half weeks since boarding the Sea Folk ship in Falme.

At one point, after a particularly heated discussion, he had considered confronting ‘these bloody Atha'an Miere’ and telling them to their face what he thought of their treatment of his Bondholder, but Carys had - eventually - calmed him down and had made him see that their cause would not benefit from any ‘confrontation’, however well grounded.

She was Aes Sedai. She would cope. He need not worry.

Even so, his mood darkened and he was far from happy with the situation. Like most Bonded Warders he was very protective of his Aes Sedai and of her honour - and the one thing he would never stand for was her being treated badly or disrespectfully by anyone, especially outside the White Tower.

♦

Cursing to himself for the third time in as many minutes, Elessar’s fists clenched and unclenched as he stood on deck, staring coldly outwards at the rolling ocean around them.

He tried, moreover, to ignore the growing - and very familiar - feeling of queasiness in his stomack, as the ship mounted the rising waves of the Aryth Ocean.

He already regretted the breakfast he had had that morning.

Damn this accursed sea!

With as much dignity as he could muster, he walked not too steadily along the deck past several Sea Folk, who gazed at him with amused looks, toward the bow of the ship where, in a slightly secluded spot by some heavy ropes on the starboard side, he unceremoniously vomited into the sea. It was becoming a daily routine. A daily nightmare. He sincerely hoped it would not take him long to get his ‘sea legs’, or he might, very soon, voluntarily throw himself into the ocean, Warder-Bond or no!

♦♦♦

As the days had gone by and another week at sea had passed, Elessar and Carys had - thankfully - gradually grown more accustomed to the rolling waves and motion of the ship and the gibes coming their way from the sea-accustomed Atha'an Miere men and women had become less frequent.

Finally the mockery had stopped alltogether.

♦

Time passed in its own way on board the ship. Elessar had a daily routine and kept as normal a sleeping and training schedule as possible. He rose at dawn, walked the deck every day, found a spot out of the way of the working Sea Folk where he could practice balance and sword-forms, and spent some time reading in his cabin. Carys, on the other hand, had a very random schedule, working all hours or so it seemed to him - and it had taken some convincing on the part of his Sedai to make him see the wisdom of her words. No harm would come to her on the ship, she said - and though his Warder instincts told him to stay close to her at all times, he accepted her decision.

As time went by it also seemed from the emotions coming though the Bond - and from Carys’ sparse words on the matter when he asked - that the Sea Folk were putting somewhat less strain on her, something which comforted her Gaidin. Even so, he still felt some of her frustrations, at times, seeping through the Bond and his view of these Sea Folk remained adverse.

As the Sea Folk ship sailed further southwards, Elessar’s daily routine continued. In the late afternoons he retired to his small cabin to read. He had brought some books about the Atha'an Miere from Caemlyn and had purchased a few more in the port towns they had stopped at on their journey south. Carys had only come ashore a few times since their departure from Falme - she had duties to carry out onboard it seemed - but Elessar had taken every opportunity to do so.

Although he had gotten his ‘sea legs’ eventually, he would never feel as comfortable aboard a ship as he was ashore. The Sea Folk had said nothing about his frequent trips to shore while they docked - seeing his no-nonsense look he presumed they were too wise to debate the matter - and it was hard to say if they approved. What mattered to him, however, was that Carys was okay with it and that she was safe aboard the ship. He used these port calls to ‘stretch his legs’ as it were, to gather news on events, and to listen for rumours on matters of interest. He also bought a few choice items on occasion.

♦

The Sea Folk had several strange and unfamiliar customs, as Carys and Elessar learned during their sea journey, not the least the fact that Atha’an Miere women at sea, away from port, wore nothing above the waist. That particular custom was certainly.. exotic.

‘Exotic’ was, in truth, a word often used to describe the Atha’an Miere. In one of Elessar’s books the author, an obvious admirer, had described the Sea Folk in almost poetic terms:

.. The Atha’an Miere - the People of the Sea - have a dark complexion and an exotic appearance, enlivened by colourful clothing and tattoos on their hands, as well as gold and silver jewelry. Sea Folk women are known as the epitome of seductiveness and grace.  Undoubtedly, the Sea Folk custom of wearing nothing above the waist while away from port only enhances the reputation of these beautiful women ..

♦

Elessar Gaidin climbed the stairs to the raised sterndeck of the ship and stood there by the railing watching for a while as the Sea Folk worked. Looking at the dark-skinned men and women moving about the ship with quick and sure steps and everpresent alertness, with grace and proficiency and obvious pride in their work, the Borderlander-bred Warder could not help but be somewhat impressed.

Shifting his attention, he sensed his Sedai through the Bond, working on a different deck at the other end of the Raker, and once again hoped they were now treating her with respect. With the Sea Folk general attitude toward Aes Sedai, that was far from a certainty. But things were getting better, or at least that was his impression, and that knowledge kept his latent anger at bay.

He turned to face the sea.

Standing there, with both hands on the railing, he gazed silently at the endless sapphire-blue ocean waters for a long, long time, tasting the salt sea air, feeling the growing breeze on his face, and he wondered where and when they would reach their next port of call.

▀▄

KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A GODDESS, MY DAUGHTER.

With those words reality changed.

Day changed into night, the sun gone for a moment in time and replaced by a dark blue night sky. Benahlia felt enormous power flow through her from Anithar, drawing all life out of her and rearranging it in a way.. and she burned like a star ….

Burned and shone and … changed … evolved …

Never to be the same again …

Thousands of pictures flashed in her mind and she rose slowly from the ground, floating upwards high above the Temple. The light burned her but she did not feel any pain. She did not feel anything.

Except the otherworldly rapture!

Like a star in the sky she blazed, like the hope of a thousand years manifested in this one being.

All the colours of the rainbow radiated around her and from her then, from purple to yellow, from green to red, from blue to brown - and it was an awesome sight indeed! Those were eternal seconds, moments where she was connected to the core of the universe; to life and death, to happiness and pain, to the magic of all that was and had been, and the pictures in her mind kept coming with all the wisdom of the Ages, all the memories of what had gone by.

The earth shook far beneath her, light streamed out from her in heavy waves in a monumental display of power, and a thunderclap ran across the heavens, a herald of what was happening, a herald of the glory of rebirth.

And then there was silence.

And the blazing star..

..descended slowly, and as it did so the burning power lessened, until at last it faded away completely.

As Benahlia was once again on the ground her eyes opened - perhaps they had been open all the time, she could not tell - and the darkness was slowly being replaced by daylight once again. The sun was soon shining up in the day sky, and what had happened but a memory within a memory. A memory outside of time.

How she could not say, just that when an eternity had passed, or perhaps just a few seconds in time, she felt the same and yet not, looked the same and yet not, spoke the same and yet not, was the same and yet not.

She was different.

Changed.

She was Eternal.

She knew it without needing any explanation. Her heart filled with such happiness and exileration and love that it felt as if it would explode - and at the same time she felt such awe and wonder as was undescribable!

She was immortal.

She was now a Goddess.

It could not be … but it was.

YES, MY CHILD. YOU ARE NOW TRULY MY DAUGHTER. AS THE ONLY GODDESS OF THIS WORLD, WE LEAVE YOU BEHIND TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD AND CARE FOR IT AS YOU WOULD FOR YOUR OWN CHILD.

THE WORLD IS YOUR CHILD NOW.

WE KNOW YOU WILL DO IT WITH WISDOM AND LOVE.

Benahlia, formerly High Priestess of Anithar, now a Goddess of this world, replied in soft tones:

MOTHER, I HAVE NO WORDS …NO WORDS …

NO WORDS ARE NECESSARY. GIVE GUIDANCE TO THOSE WHO SEEK IT, MY CHILD.

AND REMEMBER THAT WE CAN’T SEE INTO THE FUTURE. THE FUTURE IS A PRODUCT OF OUR ACTIONS, A PRODUCT OF OUR DEEDS. WE ARE WHAT WE DO. MAKE SURE YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

WE WILL REMEMBER YOU FOREVER. YOU ARE NOW ONE OF US. AND ALWAYS WILL BE.

You are now one of us.

One of us.

The words echoed in her mind …

GOODBYE, DAUGHTER OF THE GODS. GOODBYE, MY CHILD.

GOODBYE, MOTHER. I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER IN MY HEART.

AND I YOU, DAUGHTER. I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU, IN YOUR HEART.

FOR ALL ETERNITY.

And then Anithar the Goddess of Light was gone, forever gone from this world - and in her heart Benahlia, new Goddess of Light and only Deity of this world, knew that the gateway to the Realm of the Gods was closed forever.

She was left alone in this world, to guide, to care for, to protect and to love - but she would never be all alone. Anithar would always be with her. In her heart.

And the new Goddess would be a part of all that was; a part of the sky, a part of the earth, a part of the oceans - a part of the world. She felt the love and wisdom and knowledge given her by her Mother and she smiled beautifully.

She was immortal - and she would care for the lands ‘till the end of time.

AND NO MORTAL SHALL RISE AGAIN TO CHALLENGE HIS OR HER GODDESS. I SHALL MAKE SURE OF THAT.

I SHALL LOVE AND PROTECT MY WORLD FOR ALL TIME.

She flowed into the earth at the Temple grounds then, becoming one with all that was in this world, one with her Child, to hold and protect, to love and care for, and was never seen again by mortal man.

Only a whisper lingered on the wind as she disappeared, and it was a whisper filled with purpose, a whisper filled with certainty, a whisper of a fate fulfilled.

I understand better now, my Goddess. Thank you.

Benahlia sat in her favourite place in the Temple gardens and stared silently at the rebuilding of her Temple. She was alone and the sun was shining down upon her.

Her sister-Priestesses were inside the Temple, at the rear where there had been least damage. She had spoken with them several times since her return and they had been overjoyed to find that she was unharmed and proud to hear of her accomplishments.

Her entire Order was, in truth, in awe of her and to be honest she found the adoration a little uncomfortable. She therefore spent more and more time on her own, going often to the Temple gardens for solitude.

She had listened well to Anithar’s explanation of what had taken place in the world of the Gods, of Davian’s incredible power, and of how close he had been to victory. Anithar had also told her why the Gods had not combined their powers to destroy the Magician; their fear of destroying the world.

She still could hardly believe that Davian could have become so powerful … he was a mortal, after all …. but he had been near Godly in strength when utilizing all his power.

That thought made her shiver, thinking back on her battle with him right here in the Temple gardens and knowing how he could have killed her so easily had he dared use that strength and power against her and not saved it for the Gods.

It was twilight.

Her Goddess sat opposite her with folded hands. Staring at Anithar, Benahlia was struck - once again - by the Goddess’ ethereal, stunning beauty, her perfect features and her radiance. She was also struck by the love she felt for this divine being.

Looking away for a moment, she asked one of the many questions she had thought about since her return.

Will another come who will challenge the Gods like he did ?

MY CHILD, THERE IS ALWAYS THE CHANCE. BUT DAVIAN WAS UNIQUE, MORE UNIQUE THAN ANY OF US KNEW.

Benahlia nodded, pushing aside the picture in her mind of a younger Davian in her loving embrace.

Then the Goddess added:

AND ALSO, WE ARE RESTORING THE EDICTS OF THE GODS, CLOSING THE PORTAL THAT WAS OPENED INTO THIS WORLD.

AND THIS TIME.. WE ARE SEALING THAT PATH FOREVER, COMPLETELY.

Forever …? Completely? Does that mean that you …

WE WILL BE GONE FROM THIS WORLD COMPLETELY, EVEN IN THOUGHT … YES, MY CHILD.

WE CANNOT RISK ANOTHER UPHEAVAL AND DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD.

WE - THE GODS - HAVE DECIDED THAT WE WILL LET THIS WORLD BE.

THE DANGER WE REPRESENT TO THE WORLD IS SIMPLY TOO GREAT.

But … but … we need your guidance …

MY DAUGHTER, FOLLOW YOUR HEART AND YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH.

But ... but ...

YOU -. SHALL BE THE ONE TO GUIDE THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD.

WE LEAVE YOU BEHIND.

Me …? But I am just a High Priestess and … and … you, my Goddess will be gone, my powers gone … How can I …

MY DAUGHTER, YOU WILL BE.. THE ONE

The one …? You don`t mean … you don`t …

THE ONE

Do you mean …

CHILD OF THE GODS, WE BELIEVE IN YOU

Benahlia had no words as comprehension dawned on her at last.

She could not have been more stunned had the world ended right there and then!

How is that possible..? She asked in stunned disbelief.

WE ARE THE GODS. WE CAN MAKE AND UNMAKE.

But …

CHILD. IT IS YOUR TIME NOW.

Tears flowed down Benahlia`s cheeks.. and she did not care to brush them away.

A feeling of utter euphoria came over her..

This is now my destiny!

She screamed inside in pure exaltation..

ASINADHA ANITHAR!!

I love you, Anithar!

..and she wanted to scream her endless joy at the world!

A beam of light wider than her arm poured out from Benahlia’s hands, widening as it shot upwards, fed by Anithar’s Fire. Her inner strength and courage also gave it added power, streaming directly towards the screaming mage..

Toward Davian

And she felt all her power drain from her body as a monumental crash of thunder made the sky explode as the power-beam hit the dark mage, at the same time as a similar blast came at him from the Gods above, channelled through Anithar.

The combined colossal blast destroyed him, throwing energies and matter all through the skies, as if a star had exploded in their midst!

IT IS ENDED.

Daviaaaaan!

Benahlia’s scream tore her soul apart - and then she slowly lost conciousness. The last thing she remembered before blackness took her, was that she was thinking about him.

Why Davian..? Why did it have to be you..??

The Goddess of Light assembled all her brothers and sisters in their Realm and spoke with them. She told them of her guilt for not having anticipated the threath that Davian had constituted.

She told them of her special connection with Benahlia - and how the High Priestess had helped them destroy the evil Magician.

She told them how proud she was of her Daughter.

And when the High Priestess awoke some time later, with a heavy head and some tiredness in her body but otherwise unscathed, she told her of her pride.

MY TRUST IN YOU WAS NOT MISPLACED, DAUGHTER OF THE GODS. YOU WERE STRONG ENOUGH. I AM PROUD OF YOU. CHOSEN ONE.

Benahlia smiled gratefully at the praise. She was still somewhat thunderstruck at what had happened, but inwardly relieved that she had performed well when it mattered.

She still felt some guilt at her behaviour on the mountain when she had been unable to strike at Davian, but she felt she had redeemed herself in this final battle.

Anithar came toward her then and took her in her arms, giving her a warm embrace. Benahlia was taken aback at first but then felt joyful feeling the loving embrace of Anithar. In the arms of her Goddess she floated down toward the earth as the Gate to the Realm of the Gods closed above them. The entry into the world of the Gods was closed once again.

Down below there were many signs of destruction and upheaval everywhere but not the cataclysmic, monumental destruction the High Priestess had feared from the gigantic battle in the skies. It would take time, but the world below could - and would - be rebuilt.

Gazing around in silence, her thoughts returned to Davian. She found now that she would be able to let him go. She had, perhaps, in some way loved him always, but his descent into Darkness had taken him beyond her in all ways and it was time to put the memories of him behind her.

He had tried to destroy the world and such a madman did not deserve her respect or love. He had destroyed himself and noone should feel any guilt for that.

She knew that it would take some time for her heart to accept what her mind was telling it about Davian, but she had started on that path as soon as she had awakened. She would get there, she just needed some time.

Anithar, I have served you well, I hope.

MY CHILD, YOU WERE OUR CHAMPION. IN YOUR DEEDS AND THOUGHTS YOU SHOWED THAT YOU WERE WELL CHOSEN.

Benahlia thanked her Goddess again. It was time to return to the Temple and her sisters.

With a last look up into the sky, she clapped her hands once - and was gone.

A whisper remained in the air, until it drifted away on the soft breeze.

BE WELL, MY DAUGHTER.

There was a smile upon her face - and she was One with Herself.

I am Benahlia, High Priestess of Anithar. She thought. My time has come.

She reached within her for that fire she knew was there. The heart of the fire, the fire of truth. The truth of her life.

My destiny.

This time she felt Anithar’s power envelope her in a stronger way than had ever happened before, and she embraced her Goddess’ touch with all her heart and being.

And became.. power incarnate.

She blazed like a sun, becoming a vessel of pure energy, her Silver hair streaming behind her, gleaming with brilliant light as she was carried upwards on winds of magic.

Raising her hands as she ascended, she uttered a scream of such might that made the earth and heaven shudder - and the darkness was replaced by dazzling light amid unending thunderclaps!

And in that second, Davian looked down at her.. and understood.

The God Xunthir was shocked to find out what his foremost Servant in the world of the Mortals was intending, to supplant all the Gods - him included -, and so he joined the other Gods in defying this unheard of challenge against them!

Xunthir also felt shame at having been fooled by a mere mortal, and angry at Davian’s betrayal of their plan. He had not suspected his Servant capable of treachery - who, after all, dared betray one’s own God and Master? - and having been played so by the mage only made the God feel even more bitter and furious.

How dared he!? It was simply intolerable!

He attacked his former Servant with vigour and fury, but was pushed back by the mage. Storms of lightning flew back and forth between them but the mage was not overcome. Davian taunted and insulted his former Master as they fought, something which infuriated Xunthir even further.

How could the mortal be so strong? Xunthir wondered.

In the end he retreated in anger and positioned himself in the background, letting his brothers and sisters do the main fighting.

Anithar, Goddess of Light, threw deadly lightning-storms at the enemy.

At the same time she berated herself for her mistakes.

She had known that Davian was a great danger to the world below, and so had prepared her Champion for whatever was to come there. But even she, the wisest of the Gods, had not imagined - or prepared for the possibility - that Davian could be powerful enough - and knowledgable enough - to dare attack the Gods.

The dark mage had destroyed the Edicts using the Words of Unmaking, which no mortal should have had access to in the first place since they were thought destroyed generations before by immortals, and which noone should have been able to understand.

But this Davian was extraordinary, mad for certain but extraordinary, a true Master of Power, more powerful than any mortal in the generations since the Beginning - and so he had found a way.

And therefore he had to be destroyed.

She spoke to her sisters and brothers as she fought.

I SPOKE THE TRUTH TO THE CHOSEN ONE. OUR COMBINED MIGHT COULD DESTROY THE FABRICS OF THE WORLD. HOWEVER, SHE CAN AID US, FROM HER WORLD, AND WITH HER WE CAN CONQUER.

IF SHE IS STRONG ENOUGH.

She felt sure her Servant was strong enough in her heart, but there was no guarantee, no way to tell for sure..

The moment of truth was here - and she called upon her foremost disciple, called upon Benahlia, filling her with her power.

STRIKE, DAUGHTER OF THE GODS. WE WILL BE WITH YOU.

The High Priestess heard her Goddess’ command - and she struck with all her might!

Her scream tore the air, and Davian stared with horror down at the woman - the Silver-haired High Priestess who was somehow Fahrina, his Fahrina.. - who was about to destroy him.

He had forgotten all about her in his battle with the Gods, believing her incapacitated on the mountain, and now, for a long moment as the world seemed to stand still, he turned to face her - and knew that Anithar was throwing her might against him also through her Servant!

It was too much.

His power was now concentrated in the world of the Gods, that other dimension which he had half-stepped into in the heavens above, but he was also half-existing in the world of mortal men, and he was unable to defend himself from a powerful strike from both worlds at the same time.

In that timeless second, while he stood on the brink of death, sanity returned partially to him, and he screamed!!

Fahrina, noooooo!!

He conjured several shields, but in vain.

He reached for spells to protect him, but he was too late.

Too late.

A darkness more complete than any she had ever experienced enveloped all and she almost forgot to breathe..

And then all sound stopped … silence was everywhere as if every living thing in the world had stopped breathing … waiting …

Waiting …

For the end …

Davian the Magician’s voice pierced the stillness.. and the world took another breath.

Opening the Gate to the World of the Gods, Davian taunted them, called upon them, challenged them.

Challenged the Gods.

And they answered him.

He had done the impossible, he had done what even the Gods, in their infinite wisdom, had never thought any mortal would be able to - or dare to - do. And in so doing he had violated the Edicts of the Gods, opening a portal into their world.

It was an affront that could not be tolerated.

They came at him in anger and to destroy him!

First came the lesser Gods, beams of light streaming at him with incredible power. He shielded himself from their attack and struck out at the immortal beings. He used every piece of the dark Art that he had laboriously worked hard for and sacrificed much for over the past years. He made use of all his powerful spells. He showed why he was the most powerful Mage who had ever lived.

Back and forth it went, cracks of thunder shelling the skies, awesome energies being spent, with neither party gaining the advantage. In the end the lesser Gods drew back, wary and impressed by this unprecedented power for a mortal.

I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL, IMMORTALS

His words were frightening to the ear and even the older Gods, the stronger ones, were careful as they now approached him. One of the older Gods warned him in stark tones:

MORTAL, YOU CAN NEVER BE ONE OF US. FLEE WHILE YOU CAN.

Davian remained where he was, watching the approaching older God with spite.

The God of Fire struck at him with oceans of fire but Davian deflected the awesome power directed at him. He struck back at the God with lightning but the old God deflected the bolts with seeming easy. Even so, he looked upon this powerful mortal with wary eyes, understanding that he would not be easily destroyed.

Another of the Gods came at him with small burning stars in his hands, hurling them at this upstart Magician. Davian erected shield after shield to defend himself and struck back at the divine being with all he had. A third God bombarded him with strong winds and glass fragments of deadly hue but Davian withstood it all, though he did start to tire a little, something he hid well and ignored.

The Gods shared looks of concern as they considered how to overcome this threath to their domain, without too much damage being done.

Davian’s eyes burned fanatically, glorying in his ascent to Godhood.

Then there was some noise as the Gods stepped to the side to let someone through.

A new figure came toward him - and Davian could but stare in awe. He was not able to stop himself.

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life, a Marble-faced, Silver-haired woman of such stunning beauty and perfection that he was awestruck.

But then.. she was not a woman.

She was a Goddess.

Of course.

And then she spoke.

MORTAL, YOU ARE ENDED.

The voice of the Goddess Anithar entered Davian`s maddened and powerhungry mind, but he hardly registered the words, so completely lost was he in her incredible beauty.. and in the glory of power that streamed all through him, burning him..

THE GLORY ….. THE POWER …… I AM A GOD! ……

A whisper entered Benahlia`s mind again and she recognized her Goddess` voice.

HE HAS DARED CHALLENGE THE GODS, CHOSEN ONE. AND HE IS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL … WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW, YOU MUST NOT DOUBT.

Me..? But I am bound..

No sooner had she spoken the words than the sorcerous web around her lessened - and disappeared.

She was free to move again!

Exileration streamed through her and relief at being free of the bonds. She stared upwards at the cataclysmic scene in the sky: she saw the figure of Davian, burning with power.. there at the Gate into the Realm of the Gods. Above him there was dazzling light..

What can I do..?

DO NOT DOUBT, MY DAUGHTER.

Anithar’s voice returned in her mind.

WE CAN DESTROY HIM, BUT OUR COMBINED MIGHT MAY DESTROY THE WORLD. THE RISK IS TOO GREAT. IT IS YOUR TIME, CHOSEN ONE. YOU ARE THE HOPE OF THE WORLD. DO WHAT I SAY AND WE MAY HAVE A CHANCE.

You are the hope of the world.

She gathered her strength inside her and readied her power. Her self-confidence returning, she remembered the trust they had put in her. This was what she had trained for. She could not let her feelings for Davian let her - everyone - down again.

She pushed all doubt aside, opened herself to her Goddess, and stood ready to fulfill her destiny

Benahlia, High Priestess of Anithar, cried tears of despair.

In her mind, the voice of her Goddess tried to give her new encouragement.

BE TRUE, DAUGHTER OF THE GODS. YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH. HAVE FAITH.

Benahlia - Fahrina.. - felt despair greater than any she had felt since her mother’s death. She shook from internal pain and hugged herself.., but slowly, as the moments went by, she realised deep inside that her despair was just as much for Davian having forsaken the Light.

Her sobs continued for a while, and she wiped tears of sorrow from her violet eyes, but then her despair ever so slowly changed into a feeling of anger and betrayal.

Davian..

He had betrayed everything he had stood for.

Everything she believed in.

He was the threath to the world - and she had to stop him …

Stop him..

Those two words remained in her mind as she slowly got to her feet.

She raised her arms, hardening her heart, spears of light ready to be hurled at him.

But..

She hesitated..

No..

Clenching her fists, she focused again. She thought of the evil that was in Davian. The evil that had to be confronted. She thought of her duty. She thought of the trust the Gods had put in her.

She could not fail them.

Tightening her lips, focusing her mind, she tried again.

But no.

She just could not do it.

I am so sorry.

Her arms lowered to her sides, her face lost all its colour, and she just stood there in quiet anguish.

Waiting..

as if in a daze..

..as a web of light crashed into her - and tightened around her body, making her unable to move a muscle..

Anithar. Forgive me..

Far above her, something was happening. Something terrible. She knew it.

But she was only able to watch passively as the sky opened up above, fear gathering in her soul..

She could do nothing to prevent what was about to happen.. and she knew it would be horrible..

In her soul she cried unending tears of shame.

Davian crawled to his feet, the great explosion still lingering in the air and throwing sparks all about, and he shook his head..

Fahrina..

But it could not be! She could not be the High Priestess!

He had buried his old life deep within him as he had studied the dark Arts, hate and loss moulding him into a creature of darkness, a man with steel for heart and stone for soul... His past had become non-existent for him, a dream within a dream that gradually had disolved in his mind until there was nothing left at all.

Nothing.

Or so he had thought.

But now, confronted by this impossibility that clearly was the woman he had loved so much, all those memories he thought he had buried for good came flooding back.

And they tore mightily at his dark soul.

Not Fahrina!! Noooo!!

He knew it was her, whatever she now called herself, and though he now had become a man without compassion, a man without the ability to love, part of his heart still remembered … and hated the thought of having to kill her..

There was a conflict of emotions within him and it paralyzed his actions for a moment.

Cursing at this turn of events, he shook his head in confusion and tried to collect himself. Part of him demanded that he get on with it and destroy this final obstacle to his plans, but an other part of him screamed ‘no’.

His internal struggle went on for some time, until the stronger part of his will won out.

The darkness within him was just too powerful; his descent into evil had changed him too much.

Brushing aside all thoughts of who she was, removing those memories from his heart and soul, he gathered all his powers as he faced the High Priestess and started speaking words of power..

He saw her raise her arms but then lower them again. Puzzled, he watched as she just stood there, but he could not believe that she would avoid defending herself. When his spell was ready, almost unaware that he had in fact gone for a capturing-spell rather than one of destruction, he directed it at the High Priestess - and released it.

To his astonishment he saw it strike the woman - and remain.

She had not deflected it!

She was now bound in a ‘Web of Holding’.

A small part of him screamed at him to undo what he had done, but he quenched the small fire of memory and instead, jubilant inside, prepared himself for the next part.

There was no need to kill her just yet. She was immobilized and would not be able to interfere with what he was going to do. He would kill her later.

Gathering his strength, he was ready for his main task: it was time to challenge the Gods!

Focusing on all his knowledge and spells, he brought forth from his memory the spell he needed.

The forbidden words.

Drawing on the ancient and forbidden powers deep within him, he struck with all his might, with monumental force at the heavens above, mouthing the words of Unmaking!

Breaking his way into the Realm of the Gods.

Awesome thunderclaps shook the world - and the skies slowly turned red as fire, as the forbidden spell was released.

At last, it is time!!

Davian burned with passion and euphoria. And with enormous anticipation.

He gloried in his action.

A force of tremendous power erupted from within him, shooting into the sky, carrying him ever upwards. He was surrounded by brilliant light, almost too dazzling to behold.

Another thunderclap shook the skies, and yet another, and lightning flew forth, striking down at the mountain below, where the High Priestess watched in stunned awe and fear, powerless to act!

She saw Davian carried ever higher and higher, a figure wrapped in power mightier than any other mortal. Then he suddenly stopped his ascent, faced upward and she heard him scream a command of incredible power, after which came a crashing sound loud enough to level mountains - and then the world went black!

Davian stepped out of the nothingness and closed the way behind him.

He stood now atop one of the mountain tops high above Anixhar, a summit with space for fifty men at least abreast. It was windy and cold up here but he cared nothing for that, cloaking himself in his spells. His eyes shone with fury and he readied the spell that would destroy this impertinent High Priestess, once and for all!

He did not have time for this nonsense, the clash with the Gods was coming!

Cursing for perhaps the twentieth time since leaving the Temple grounds, he waited for his adversary to appear. He knew she would not be far behind. Brave she was, this Servant of Anithar, however foolish! He sensed the opening of the way before he saw anything and knew that she was coming out on the opposite side of the mountain top. He mouthed the words to the spell he wanted, and …

Entering through the corridor between.. Benahlia spoke to her Goddess and stepped carefully onto the mountain top. Protected, she did not feel any of the cold from the freezing winds. She stopped and stared around her carefully. She could see noone.

But of a sudden out of nowhere a stab of lightning struck right where she stood, throwing her to the ground. She just had time to erect a shield of protection around her, an act which in fact saved her life.

As it was, with the second lethal strike on target, she was stunned for a long moment as she tried to regain her senses. Carefully she scrambled up and onto her feet and stared off toward the other side of the mountain top. There she could see some movement and part of a figure - and she raised her hands. Praying to her Goddess she mouthed words of magic..

The stab of lightning struck just where he had planned and he saw the figure of the High Priestess fall to the ground. He threw another deadly bolt at her but the strike was deflected.

Grinning with glee, he waited to see if she was beaten. He sensed more than he saw that she was still alive, and so readied another spell. As he was about to throw a fireball at her, he sensed a great power-surge from where she must be and then a ball of light came right at him!

He swore under his breath and just managed to deflect the powerful strike with a shield of magic as it hit him, thowing him to the ground nonetheless. Thunder cracked high above and then lightning struck at him where he lay and he rolled to the side to evade the blast. He threw a bolt of lightning back at the High Priestess and saw it crash down close to where she stood.

The skies opened then and bolt after bolt struck at them both, in a dazzling display of destruction, as if the Gods were at last tired of this mortal game of power.

Climbing warily to his feet, he erected shield after shield around him, deflecting the blasts. He did not want to expend his power in this battle, but he seemed not to have much choice anymore - and so he mouthed the words to one of his more powerful spells. He could see the High Priestess coming to her feet as well, and facing him in the distance …

She came closer … She was brave , that was for sure … Brave and foolish …

Protecting herself from the multitude of lightning-bolts striking down at her from the heavens above, Benahlia wondered indeed if the Gods were trying to destroy her where she stood.

Anithar, I cannot make it much longer. Help me!

MY DAUGHTER , BE STRONG.

Getting to her feet as the last strike was deflected off her magical shield, she breathed heavily and felt utterly exhausted. She stared with a fatigued look toward where the other figure stood on the other side, and by intuition - or perhaps it was something else.. - she started walking toward him, determination struggling with tiredness in her eyes.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. IT IS YOUR MOMENT OF TRUTH, CHOSEN ONE.

The whispers of Anithar registered in her mind and she took courage from them as she neared her adversary. When she was still fifty feet away from him she stopped and raised her hands.

”I will destroy you now, evil one!”

Her scream reverberated among the mountains and her harsh warning gave her added strength in herself - and she directed a fireball of light straight at him! She saw him motion in the air and the fireball struck an invisible wall, evaporating.

She looked closer at him.

There was something familiar about his posture …. something she recognized … something …

Davian threw up a wall of protection and the fireball struck and was gone. He looked carefully but with hate in his eyes at the woman who neared him and ….. something about her made him hesitate …

There was something … something familar.. about the way she walked ….

He shook his head, and raised his hands to end her once and for all, a deadly spell on his lips … but then … then …

She drew on all her power and hurled it at him, but just as she did so she saw who he was, recognized his posture for what it was, and a memory of a memory deep within her pushed its way through, making her scream in shock and agony..

”Noooooo!! Daviaaan!!”

He stared and for a second in time, which could have been an eternity, his mind reeled as he watched the woman standing some way off, hands raised …

She was familiar …

A memory dragged itself up within him ... a memory and emotion …

It cannot be!

He struck out with his power just as reminiscence took him, and he cried with a mixture of fury, hate, love and loss, a wrenching scream which shook the surroundings..

Noooooo!! Not you! Fahrina !! Nooooooo!!

Their powerful strikes both missed their targets, whether as a result of fate or simple luck..

But for both, the world went spinning …!

Benahlia felt her legs give way - so stunned was she by the revelation - and dropped to the ground like a sack, unable to pick herself up again.

Anithar, nooooo!! She begged of her Goddess. Don`t ask this of me!! Noooo!! Not this!! It cannot be!!

She shook as if all the power within her was streaming out of her, as if all the energy was driving through her and killing her, and her heart was tearing apart.

Tears ran in streams down her chins and her eyes overflowed.

CHOSEN ONE, I AM SORRY BUT WHAT IS, IS. YOU MUST DO WHAT MUST BE DONE.

Anithar`s whispers in her mind almost did not register at first, so shaken was she by this impossible revelation.

And in that moment, as she lay in despair on that mountain top, she realised in her heart that she had, in truth, never stopped loving Davian after all.

And that fact now almost destroyed her sanity.

Anithar, I cannot.. She cried. It is too much..

Davian cursed under his breath as the deadly bolt of light struck not far from where he stood.

This High Priestess, whoever she was, was more powerful and resourceful than he had anticipated. More importantly, however, he did not dare expend all his power now. The war with the Gods was what really mattered, for war it would become, but first he had to remove this bothersome obstacle.

He moved a little off to the east and called upon his dark magic. The spell was hardly mouthed before a strike of lightning flew from his hands, aimed at the half-seen figure in the distance.

He saw the figure - was it blue-cloaked? - throw up a shield around herself and deflect the strike, though staggering a little. Cursing again, he readied another spell when suddenly a bolt of starlike white fire came straight at him, and he had to throw himself onto the ground and roll to the side in order to avoid it.

She is even stronger than I thought! I must not underestimate her again!

The angry thought burned in his mind as he erected a strong shield around him.

It deflected a second strike moments later.

In the few moments as he saw the lightening-bolt come toward him, he heard the High Priestess’ defiant shriek over all the clamour - and felt a strange instant of recognition..

That voice.. how can it be familiar..?

The moment passed quickly, however, and his thoughts returned to the danger at hand.

Real danger.

I have to change strategy, he thought darkly. Too much of my power is being spent this way.

He considered his options and then made his decision.

Sending another lethal bolt of fire toward his adversary, he spoke a single word of power - and disappeared.

His voice, however, reverberated across the Temple gardens and Benahlia, standing focused in the distance, heard the words well despite the thundering noise all around her.

”High Priestess, stand down or you will be destroyed. Your power is no match for mine. If you continue with this foolishness, you will meet your death!”

Benahlia stopped in her tracks.

For some reason the voice coming at her from the distance seemed a little familiar..

How could that be?

Who..?

She pondered on the strange recognition for a few seconds, but then the moment passed and she put it out of her mind, having far more important matters to focus on.

She, herself, had screamed in defiance at her enemy a little earlier, her anger building and her frustration growing.

There was much destruction in the Temple gardens and she considered returning to her sister to coordinate the defense of the Temple grounds, but something inside her pushed her onwards.

She had to continue. There was no other choice for her.

I need to finish this!

Pulling the Sphere of Anithar from her dress, a ferocious smile came upon her face. With her Silver hair flying behind her in the wind and her face glowing fiercely she almost looked like a Battle-Queen out of Legend.

Her mouth and jaws were set in a stubborn line and her violet eyes gleamed with dedication as she called upon her Goddess to aid her.

”Anithar, it is time.”

She whispered the words but she knew that her Lady of Light would hear and understand.

MY DAUGHTER, YOUR WILL IS MINE. WE ARE ONE.

She held the Sphere of Anithar high and its blue brilliance grew as it filled with power. Before long a star was in their midst, shining so brightly that she was barely able to look upon it. The blue sphere glowed stronger and stronger - and then it left Benahlia’s hand and shot upwards into the air with a crash of thunder!

The High Priestess’ scream pierced the thunder above. Light enveloped her and she radiated power.

She was ablaze - and her heart burned with the Fire of Anithar!

With a fierce look upon her face, she faced in the direction of her enemy, raised her one arm - and was gone!

Thunder cracked across the heavens.

A whisper remained on the wind, when the heavens finally went silent.

An echo from Beyond..

AND SO IT IS BEGUN. THE TIME OF DESTINY IS HERE. BE EVER STRONG, DAUGHTER OF THE GODS. REMEMBER, WE ARE ONE.

Davian finished the spell - and reality changed about him.

Damn, this is not going according to plan!

Muttering darkly, thunder cracking about him, strikes coming at him from that deadly blue object of power in the sky, he bent reality - that was the way he envisioned it in any case - he bent the here and now and stepped into a place inbetween..

Into darkness.

Only then was he safe from the deadly strikes from above.

Benahlia, the High Priestess of her Order, stepped out of thin air - with the blue Sphere of Anithar burning brightly high above her - and headed straight toward the place where her foe had stood.

As she arrived there she sensed the residue of the dark spell in the air. She was sensitive to such spells, her Goddess had empowered her with many abilities, and she used her knowledge to detect what the dark Magician - for it had to be a dark Magician, and one of great might! - had done.

Giving another silent prayer to Anithar, she waited as the spell that she needed to follow the Evil one came to mind. She spoke the words of magic, thunder striking the skies another time, and then the air before her shimmered as if it were bending in on itself..

She could not have described it any better..

She immediately stepped into the nothingness behind, and was gone from sight.

As she entered the blackness of this new reality - wherever it was - she screamed defiantly.

The Fire of her Light made her voice become an avalanche of sound.

”You will not escape me, pawn of the Shadow. I am the High Priestess of Anithar - and I am coming!”

Davian, dark mage and disciple of the Shadow, stared hatefully up at the Temple of Minthan, which shone with an unnatural glimmer up in the mountains.

Now, the time is come.

He readied the spell he had in mind. A feverish glow came upon his face, a thrill going through his entire body, a feeling of ecstacy burning in his soul.

I will be Master!

His most destructive spells he saved for later. They were ready for him to use if necessary, but he would need to conserve his strength until his clash with the Gods. Removing the obstacle that was the High Priestess would be the easier part; destroying the Gods would be the true challenge.

But I have learned the secrets and power to do exactly that! He thought with certainty. The secrets are mine to exploit. And I will do so!

He had indeed become much more powerful than his Master and even his God knew, having searched for and found through the past few years knowledge undecipherable even for most dark mages. But not for the very clever and extremely resilient Davian.

And dearest of all his findings, were the Scrolls.

He had no idea who had written them and did not really care. The important thing was that they revealed the forbidden secrets of Unmaking.

The Scrolls of Unmaking will make me a God. Oh yes, glory is at hand!

His eyes glittered with ambition.

With a motion of his hand, his dark cloak fluttering in the cold wind sweeping down on him from the mountain-reaches above, he disappeared into thin air.

She stood in the Temple gardens once more, this time with her two sister-Priestesses beside her. They were praying, as afternoon flowed into evening, the dark enveloping the mountains and all of Anixhar. Benahlia could still not feel her Goddess’ presence and that worried her a little, though not overmuch. Anithar was with her in her heart, she knew it - and she would be there to lend her strength when the time came.

A cold wind touched her blue dress, making it swirl around her where she stood. A chill pierced through to her skin and she shivered slightly. She saw her sisters feeling the cold as well and considered going inside for the remainder of their prayer.

Just as she was about to speak out to the Priestesses, her eyes widened.

A feeling came over her.. of recognition.

Anithar.

Then a whisper broke through her thoughts..

MY DAUGHTER, THE SHADOW IS COME. STAND READY.

A warm thrill ran through her, both at her Goddess’ return and at her words. She stared around her carefully and spoke quickly to her sisters, warning them too. They all gazed around them but it was not easy to see much in the falling darkness. Benahlia spoke words of magic then and a ball of brilliant white light erupted from her palm and rose high into the air, coming to a standstill far above the Temple grounds. It shone brightly, illuminating the whole area.

The High Priestess took in her surroundings but saw nothing to alarm her. She shook her head and probed with her senses, letting her magic float out across the gardens, seeking some hint of danger. She knew she was attuned to the Light of Anithar and so would feel, or so she believed, if there was something of the Shadow there.

There was nothing.

Still.. she heeded her Goddess’ warning.

”Sisters. Our enemy is out there somewhere.” She spoke. “Be ready..”

As the words passed her lips, she suddenly sensed something far off to the south of the gardens - and her face tightened. There was something there..

Something..

Out of nowhere a bolt of liquid fire streamed toward her and she barely had time to throw herself to the side and scream a warning to the others as the bolt missed her by a short distance.

Gasping, she got to her feet and threw a fireball in the direction from whence the attack had come. Another bolt of fire came toward her and this time she was more prepared as she conjured a magical shield around her which deflected the attack. She was pushed back, however, and retreated a ways to get her bearings. Over to the right she saw one of her sisters throw bolts of light in the direction of their enemy while fire rained down on her. She screamed, only partially shielding herself, and sunk to the ground in pain. On Benahlia’s other side the other sister was faring better, returning fire with fire, bolt with bolt.

One thing was clear to the High Priestess: this enemy, whoever it was, was very powerful since it was able to fight on three fronts simultaneously, against three magically very able Priestesses.

Anithar, heed my prayers. I need you, my Lady of Light!

The thought swept though her mind.

The attacks continued for a few moments more and then stopped altogether.

Only silence remained - and burning fires.

Benahlia ran across to her wounded sister, making sure to avoid the plentiful fires littering the Temple grounds, and bent over her to take a look at her injuries. The sister had burns down her one side but nothing seemed critical. The High Priestess sighed in relief. Praying to Anithar for healing powers, she spoke silently to her sister, holding her tenderly, as she healed most of her burnt skin. When she was done, she waited with her sister in case the attack would commence. Nothing happened - and finally the High Priestess lead her sister inside the Temple for further care.

Whatever threath remained, she and her second sister would have to deal with it on their own.

As she walked back into the gardens, keeping a wary lookout for any danger, she wondered why the enemy had stopped his attack. Was this some ploy to catch them unawares? She reached her second sister and they spoke in low whispers as they considered the situation. Should they wait, or should they go on the offensive and try to find their attacker? Part of her urged for caution, but Benahlia felt impatience gnawing at her. And with impatience came anger. Anger at this violation of the sacred Temple grounds. Anger at the attack and injury of her sister. Anger at this assault on the forces of Light.

It was necessary to act.

She was certain of it.

As if in affirmation of her decision, her Goddess chose that moment to give her her support.

MY CHILD, BE STRONG. I AM WITH YOU.

Moving slowly and purposefully, Benahlia, High Priestess of Anithar, headed for where she thought her adversary was hiding. Her sister remained behind to guard the path from the Temple gardens to the Temple itself. She had wanted to come, but saw the reasoning behind the command. Benahlia had a second`s warning out of the corner of her eye before the strike of lightning flew at her from a little way to the east, and she threw a strong shield around her just in time which deflected the strike and it dissipated in a swirl of flames.

She had to stop for a moment and take a breath, however.

Mouthing another silent prayer to Anithar, she then continued on her path. At one point, a little later, she gathered the power inside her and pointed into the distance, striking out with the force of light. Her eyes shone with determination as she watched the resulting explosion.

Kneeling on the marble floor in the Hall of Darkness, Davian remained silent.

Inside his mind, on the other hand, his thoughts were very much alive and active. And above all, they were hidden from his God.

YOU HAVE DONE WELL, YOUNG MAGE.

The voice in his mind was very powerful and Davian had to concentrate hard to avoid letting the God into his thoughts. If there appeared cracks in the shield protecting his thoughts the God of Death would be able to read his plans - and that would probably mean the end of Davian. He was almost as strong as Xunthir, but a direct confrontation at this time could prove fatal for him. He would fight the Gods, but at the right time and place of his choosing.

OUR POWER IS GROWING.

As the God spoke through the statue, a transparent fog cloaked them all in darkness.

IT WILL SOON BE TIME.

Then suddenly his God spoke to him and him alone.

DAVIAN.

For a second, as the voice in his mind paused, the young mage had a frightening vision of having been discovered. His nerves calmed, however, as the God continued.

YOU HAVE DONE WELL.

OUR GOAL IS CLOSE AT HAND. YOU WILL BE WELL REWARDED, AS I HAVE PROMISED.

Davian bowed where he knelt, keeping his thoughts to himself.

YOU KNOW I CANNOT CHANGE THE EDICTS OF THE GODS, FOOLISH THOUGH THEY ARE - AND SO I CANNOT INTERVENE MYSELF. BUT YOU WILL BE MY HAND OF DARKNESS, DAVIAN.

”Yes, Master. I am ever grateful. I shall succeed.”

GO NOW, DISCIPLE OF THE SHADOW - AND DESTROY THAT REMAINING OBSTACLE TO OUR CONQUEST. DESTROY THE TEMPLE OF MINTHAR - DESTROY THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF ANITHAR!

Benahlia held the Sphere of Anithar in her hand.

It was a blue glowing object of power and it bubbled with energy. She spoke words of power and the sphere rose into the air emitting a loud buzzing sound. It then started rotating and a web of light streamed out from its centre, soon covering the entire room. The High Priestess screamed a new command and lightning flew forth from the sphere, hitting a wall of air at the other end of the room with a boom. Moving her arm she directed the lightning at another corner of the room. Sparkles flew and the energy in the room could be be felt by all. Off to the side, her two sister-Priestesses watched in awe.

She spoke more words of power.

The sphere grew in size and energies shot out from its centre again, making for a dazzling display of light. The High Priestess directed the flows with increasing confidence and her eyes glittered as she worked. She increased the power and the sphere now glowed like a star in their midst, producing a loud gasp from one of the sisters! The other sister shielded her eyes. Benahlia then reduced the energy coming from the sphere and watched as it gradually dimmed in power.

At last the High Priestess lowered her arms and the glowing sphere returned to her hand, its inner power disappearing. She nodded in satisfaction, pleased that the training session had gone so well. They needed all the help they could get before the coming battle - it was going to be ferocious, of that she felt sure - and she had insisted that they train as much as possible with their powers so that they would be as ready as they could be.

“Your powers are growing, High Priestess.” Said one of her sisters. She smiled, nodding approvingly..

“Yes, they are formiddable.” Said the other sister. She seemed still in awe and a little afraid after the display.

“I feel the powers growing in me, sisters.” Said Benahlia with a pleased smile. “I just wish Anithar were here with me.”

They nodded, understanding her meaning. The Goddess had not returned, or at least that was the way Benahlia had explained it, and the High Priestess was a little concerned. She felt the touch of Anithar in her heart, and knew she ought to focus on what lay ahead, but she really wanted to feel her Goddess’ presence right now, to speak to her, to confer.

I must be patient, she thought to herself. Trust has been put in me. I must focus.

She looked at her sisters and smiled reassuringly.

“Sisters, we must keep practicing. Come join me!”

They came to her eagerly - and soon the air was full of magic.

Leaving the Hall of Darkness, Davian headed for his quarters.

On his way through the corridors beneath the Temple of Shadow he passed several Priests of Xunthir in their dark robes who stared in partial awe, partial disgust at this First Servant of the Shadow. Many feared, rightly, that he thought primarily of himself and would betray the cause if he thought he could benefit from it. He was too powerful, however, to be confronted with the accusation, but whispers about him floated around the priesthood. Davian knew of this and, frankly, did not care. It pleased him to know that they feared him and held him in some awe. It was no more than he deserved, he thought.

He had bowed abjectly to his God in the Hall and had promised to do his bidding. Now he grinned darkly, certain that the mighty Xunthir had no suspicion about the young mage’s private designs and ambitions.

Entering his bedchamber, he put a ward on the room and threw himself on the double bed, his face gleaming with pleasure.

They have no idea. No idea at all!

He laughed to himself until there was no more mirth left in him.

Staring fixedly at the ceiling, his fists clenched and unclenched. His eyes became fierce and his face set.

I will serve as long as His mission is the same as mine, Davian the Magician thought. Then, I will do what must be done - and I will become a God! It is my destiny!

But first I will destroy you, High Priestess of Anithar, whoever you are!

Beware, Lady! I am coming for you!

To shield his thoughts from anyone, even the Gods, was perhaps Davian’s greatest accomplishment.

He had found the secret in an ancient book of sorcery long thought lost.

“Mirrors of the Mind”

The book had been on an old shelf at the back of a discarded underground library on an island far to the north. Another book, already in Davian’s posession, had given mention of secret books of dark sorcery lost in the north and so the young mage had gone on a journey to try and recover some of these lost treasures. It had taken both time and resources - as well as a good portion of luck - to find some of these lost texts, but he had been successful - as he most often was with all tasks he undertook - and “Mirrors of the Mind” had been the most precious book of them all.

Perhaps the Key to everything..

To manage this spell, for a spell it was, the practitioner had to be extraordinarily strong in mind and in the Art. Few had been strong enough up through the centuries. Davian presumed that was one of the main reasons why this ‘spell of thought-shielding’ had remained hidden.

This special ability given him by the spell, gave him the greatest of advantages.

His ambition was a fire burning inside him and he kept feeding the flames, going over the plans in his mind time and time again to make sure nothing would go wrong.

Staring into the cold night, his eyes almost turned feverish with desire as he thought about his destiny.

The ultimate prize awaits!

The greatest of dreams.

He was going to do the unthinkable, the impossible.

Nothing is impossible if you have strength and ambition, he thought eagerly.

Gazing at the stars above, at the darkness blanketing the heavens, Davian grinned greedily. Madness shone in his eyes, but he brushed it aside as if of no concern - all that mattered to him was Power.

Ultimate Power.

And for that he was willing to do anything.

For the ultimate prize I will sacrifice everything. The whole world if need be.

His eyes shining, his whole body quivering with delight, he thought with burning passion of what he was about to do.

He, Davian, was going to challenge the Gods!

Staring silently at the great statue of Anithar in the Hall of the Gods, Benahlia, High Priestess and head of her Order, wondered why her Goddess had abandoned her.

Her prayers had not been answered for several days and it was as if her Goddess had disappeared for good.

I am all alone.

She discarded that foolish notion quickly, however. She felt the dormant fire in the middle of her being and knew that in a way Anithar would always be with her, even if she were not always able to speak to her greatest and foremost disciple and follower in the world of mortals.

Benahlia was alone in the great Hall and it seemed to her even more immense than before, even more overwhelming, even more daunting and impressive. Turning to face the two other great statues of the Gods in the Hall, she for a second felt slight doubt creep up on her.

What can I do that the Gods cannot?

Even as the thought left her mind, she scolded herself.

Believe in yourself, daughter of Anithar! You are the chosen one, show your strength in yourself!

She grinned to herself then, a grin which grew into a wide smile as she imagined her Goddess speaking to her in tones of reproach. A chuckle passed her lips and she left the Hall behind thinking wryly that Anithar had perhaps heard her disciple`s foolish doubt.

She walked regally and with great self-assurance along the corridors of the Temple, passing several servants on their way who all as one bowed deeply to her as she passed, and finally she entered her quarters and shut the door behind her. She sat down before the huge bronze mirror which took up half of one wall and looked carefully at her own reflection in the mirror. Her long Silver hair flowed down her shoulders and back and the violet eyes - which it had taken her a good while to get used to - stared firmly back at her from her own reflection.

You are strong enough, daughter of Anithar. This is your destiny and you know it.

She nodded as if in confirmation to herself and started to turn away when suddenly there was another reflection in the mirror! She gasped, taken completely unawares, and turned to look for the Unicorn behind her, for that was what she had seen! Her eyes swept over the whole room but there was nobody there but her! A shiver ran down her spine and she turned slowly back toward the mirror, expecting the reflection to be gone..

It was not!

What is happening..?

There was something familiar about the wonderous creature but she could not at first say what. There was something she was supposed to remember, she knew that … something ….

DAUGHTER OF ANITHAR, IT IS SOON TIME. YOU MUST BE READY.

The voice in her mind was softer than that of her Goddess, soft and clear and..

.. familiar somehow..

”Who are …?”

Her question was never completed. The Unicorn understood, however. There was clear intelligence in those eyes and they stared at the High Priestess with intensity and purpose.

I AM LAVINDHAR, CHILD OF THE GODDESS ANITHAR.

The words imprinted themselves on her mind. She still looked questioningly at the creature, memory returning to her.. of.. a dream..

”But why …?”

I AM ONE OF THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS . WE ARE IMMORTAL BEINGS WHO SERVE OUR MASTERS AND MISTRESSES. AND NOW I HAVE BEEN CALLED UPON TO GIVE YOU A WARNING.

A warning …? Benahlia mouthed the word silently …

THE TIME OF DESTINY IS COMING, MY CHILD. BE READY, FOR YOU ARE THE LAST HOPE OF THE WORLD. BE READY FOR YOUR GREATEST NIGHTMARE.

With that the Unicorn was gone.. and as its reflection disappeared from the mirror the High Priestess finally recalled where she had seen the creature before..

My dream.. It was in my dream..

The dream that had been more than just a dream.

Getting to her feet, she walked slowly out onto her balcony and stared quietly out at the mountains ranged all about the region.

The time is coming

Anithar had told her so and now one of her chief servants - one of her immortal children - had confirmed it.

Darkness was coming, and she, High Priestess of Anithar, was the champion of their cause.

A cold wind swept over the Temple and she shivered and put her arms around herself, shielding herself from the cold.

She remained standing there for a long time with a determined look on her face.

Far away, on the island of Panthiar, in the secret Hall of Darkness, the young dark mage stared up at the statue of another God, but this one the God of Death, Xunthir.

”Greatest Master, I have done your bidding. My Master and I have prepared the way.”

The huge black-marble statue reverberated with power. Its black eyes slowly opened and Davian went to his knees.

A cold whisper spread through the Hall and chilled all those present.

Then the dark God spoke.

The following night the High Priestess of Anithar had another dream - and this one was, if possible, even more vivid, and she remembered it clearly for many a night thereafter..

In the dream, she was walking along a narrow mountain path with her two Priestesses by her side, on their way to a shrine near the mountain top. There was snow in the air and the wind was blowing, making it rather slippery and dangerous along the path.

Suddenly, a man-like figure but huge, at least 10 feet tall and powerfully built, appeared in front of them, some way up the path, clad in a red cloak and with a deep hood.

Benahlia and her two sisters stopped in their tracks. The High Priestess studied the huge figure closely.

This was clearly no man.

Not only did she know so by its size, but she also felt the danger coming in waves from this creature, whatever it was.

”You may not pass!”

The voice coming from the figure sounded odd to Benahlia, but she did not think any more about it as she asked the figure to move out of their way. It remained where it was, however, and repeated its warning.

There was no way they could get past it along their narrow path and so Benahlia replied in cold tones:

”Move, Stranger - or you will be moved.”

The figure cackled in reply and threw back its hood - and cold red eyes stared down at the High Priestess from the distance separating them. Her sisters remained behind her, their eyes widening at the sight of the creature.

”Perhaps I will remove you, High Priestess - into the void!”

The shining evil eyes took Benahlia aback and she stared in quiet horror at the Werakhen.

They were dark beasts, half reptile, half man - created by dark mages in bygone years, she had only heard of them in stories - until now.

This is a dream, she told herself - but she also knew that was not all the truth. This was a test also, she knew that - and she had to prove herself.

She gathered the courage in her heart and faced the beast.

”Evil beast, let me pass! I command you - in the Light!”

The Werakhen only stared back with those reptile-like eyes and grinned evilly from its human-like mouth.

”Do you think you are stronger than me, High Priestess?”

There was both resentment and amusement in that voice, but also a touch of … hidden unease? She couldn`t tell for sure. but would have no more of this. She took a step forward and raised her hands.

”Evil one, know the power of the Light!”

She reached inside of her to that fire within.. and drew on the energy there, and a bolt of fire left her hands heading straight for the creature`s chest!

It threw up its reptilian claws and showed that it too had powers of magic. A shield of magic came into place about it and it deflected the firebolt with seeming ease.

Anithar, Lady of Light - give me strength!

Her prayer gave her added confidence and focus - and a ball of fire swept out of her hands this time, flying directly toward the shadowspawn. She also attacked with a stab of air aimed for the creature`s legs, a strike so heavy that the creature stumbled as it tried to deflect the fireball.

Benahlia spoke another prayer to her Goddess - and lightning flew from her hands at the beast. It managed, somehow, to shield itself as it crawled back to its feet and threw a stream of fire at the High Priestess.

She blocked the attack, readied herself, and then with a scream of power - as her two sister-Priestesses watched in awe - with the Light of Anithar cloaking her, energy streaming out of her in a dazzling display of might - she cast lightning down from the heavens, in continuous bursts and surges, straight at the evil creature which howled in pain, unable to stop this onslaught, and finally fell to the ground, burning like a torch.

Only then did the Light and Power surrounding the High Priestess of Anithar diminish and die out.

She stumbled in exhaustion and was caught by her sisters who helped her to sit and rest for a while.

The test was done.

THE POWER YOU DRAW FROM ME, MY CHILD. BUT THE POWER IS ALSO WITHIN YOU. YOU MUST FIND IT WHEN YOU NEED IT, AND DO NOT DOUBT. DOUBT CAN BE THE DEATH OF YOU - AND OF US ALL. REMEMBER WELL.

The whispers of her Goddess in her mind made her smile.

She was more rested now and could think clearly again. She felt both thrilled and exulted, but also a little frightened, after what she had accomplished. Mostly, though, she felt very relieved that she had managed to draw on her inner fire - her magic as it were - when in grave danger.

When it was needed.

She had passed this first real test. For it was a test.. a dream but also a test.. She knew that with certainty. A test to prepare her for what was to come.

Her thought went back to the evil creature she had killed. She remembered its shining red eyes.

Eyes of Death..

Suddenly those eyes took on a new life in her mind. She was drawn toward the creature, somehow, toward those eyes. She tried to resist but was unable to stop it! Closer and closer she came to the beast and then she was right in front of it. It looked right into her eyes - and then spoke three words in her mind which sent a chill down her spine.

The words crashed into her like an avalanche - and she woke abruptly from the dream, sweat pouring from her face and arms, her pulse racing and her head swimming in a sea of deep concern.

There was something about those words from the creature’s mouth that disturbed her more than she could explain. She did not know why, or have any idea why those three words disturbed her more than her battle-encounter with the beast, but it was so.

She shook her head, running her hands over her face.

I know you.

She shook her head again, calming her breathing, and walked out onto the balcony outside her chambers to get some fresh air. Her mind replayed her dream in her head time and time again, her memory catching onto every little detail. She was, of course, overjoyed with what she had done in the dream..

If only it were that way also in real life.. a small voice spoke in the back of her mind, but she ignored it, holding onto her belief that what she learned in dreams would be of use to her in real life.

The disturbing thoughts were, in the end, put in a compartment in her mind - to be considered later - and she focused again on the test in her dream. And on her inner fire.

I must have faith.

She knew that she had learned something important, something she would need to remember for what lay ahead. Reaching inside her she felt the glow, it was dormant at the minute but ready to be called upon, and she knew that Anithar was with her.

Always.

”I will not fail, my Lady of Light.”

She whispered to the night.

Then she returned to the bedchamber, closing the door to the balcony behind her. The darkness outside seemed to echo her thoughts, because a whisper on the wind remained long after she had fallen asleep once again.

NO, YOU WILL NOT FAIL, MY CHILD. SOON YOU ARE READY TO FACE YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE, CHILD OF THE GODS. I PRAY THAT YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH IN YOUR HEART TO PREVAIL. YOU MUST PREVAIL. THE WORLD DEPENDS ON YOU. WE ALL DO.

The whispers of Anithar, Goddess of Light, disappeared into the night, leaving flickers of light where before was only darkness.

Staring coldly at the corpse of the White Robe Magician, Davian nodded to himself.

“Perhaps you wonder why I killed you, old man?” He spoke into the open air. His eyes darkened as he relplied to himself:

”Well, the answer is simple: it came to my attention that you and a few others of your Brothers were the glue which held the Guild of Magicians together - and that without you they would no longer be a united force to be reckoned with.”

“So”, he added smugly, “a few clean deaths and your Guild is paralyzed.”

He laughed inside.

Then he turned away from the scene of death, waved once in the air - and disappeared.

In another place, many leagues distant, the senior Magician Seith Groaden closed the book of spells on his table before going to bed. He was tired after a long day’s meeting with the local Guild. They had sat for hours and hours, the debate heated, and Seith was not best pleased. Why was it so difficult to agree on matters these days? In earlier years they had found good solutions to problems, but recently it seemed to him that a consensus on matters was almost impossible. If he did not know better he would have suspected that their enemies had infiltrated their group to sabotage their proceedings. It was a true and utter mess.

Placing his White Robe on the back of a chair before turning off the lights, he jumped into bed, his mind still on that terrible meeting earlier. Perhaps it was because he was preoccupied in his thoughts that he did not detect the spell placed upon him before it was too late!

He gasped as pressure was put on his throath. His hands flew to his sides and he was swept around to face upwards. The pressure - of magical means - softened for a moment and he took a few long breaths. Staring up at his attacker in the dark he only perceived a dark cloaked figure standing there. It was impossible to see who it was, but he had his suspicions. He threw a spell upwards toward the cloaked figure but it was blocked by the other person. The pressure on his throath increased again, his body froze, and he started suffocating.

Davian looked down on the old mage and chuckled scornfully.

This is, somehow, too easy. He thought. There is no fun in this.

Softening the pressure a little, Davian watched in silence as the older man started coughing heavily. It took a while before the magician collected himself. Davian kept him bound in dark weaves and waited for the curses which he knew would come.

The old man did not disappoint him.

As Davian turned the lights on in the room and saw recognition ignite in the magician’s eyes, his grin broadened.

Cursing repeatedly at Davian, the old man became so angry that he went into another coughing-fit which lasted for quite some time. Davian waited until the man had collected himself, enjoying the torment, before he spoke.

“Oh, stop your rant, fool!” Davian said. “All you fools of the Light will soon be vanquished. You are next.”

The mage replied in brave tones, meeting the younger man’s eyes:

”You evil practioner of the Dark Arts. You are the one who is going to lose! I spit on you, dark mage - there are powers in the world even you are not aware of. We are stronger than you think!”

“What do you know of strength!?” Davian said scornfully. “You turned your back on true strength long ago!”

Demonstratively, he turned his back on the spluttering old mage - and snapped the string keeping the old man alive. The rant stopped in mid-sentence.

His mission was going well.

He had killed three more magicians in the past few months since leaving the isle of Ehrian and his Master, and these were indeed the leaders of the Guild. Now the path lay clear and only one obstacle remained. An obstacle which should not prove too difficult to overcome, but which he would have to take seriously even so.

In his heart of hearts he was jubilant!

He was daring the greatest of all dreams, a dream which no sane man would ever even consider, but then again, truth be told, he was not sure anymore that he was completely sane. What was more important, however, he did not care!

The ultimate challenge for every practitioner of the Art lay before him.

The ultimate prize.

It was a dream.

Benahlia knew it was, but at the same time it seemed so real that she almost disbelieved it.

”You must draw power from within yourself.”

The Unicorn stared at the young woman in front of her with intelligent eyes, full of ancient wisdom. A golden horn protruded proudly from her head and a silver mane cloaked her back there where she stood, a magnificent beast, a shining beacon out of legend.

She spoke in the mind, just like Anithar did - but though Benahlia did not know who this being was, she knew it was not her Goddess in another form. She could not tell how she knew, but she did.

”You must focus, the power is within you now.”

Benahlia tried to feel for the power, the glow which the Unicorn had described to her, but couldn`t find it. She shrugged.

”I don`t have it, I am sorry.”

The Unicorn`s thought hardened.

”You must not give up so easily, young child - you need all your stubbornness and determination in the days ahead.”

Benahlia shook her head.. but then took hold of herself and tried to smile.

”I am sorry, ancient one. I will try harder.”

She closed her eyes and felt for the fire within her … it was there, almost within reach but not quite … She reached again and failed. Another try and this time she almost managed it. She smiled weakly and got encouragement from the Unicorn. At last she succeeded and let out a yell of triumph, and she almost - almost - thought the Unicorn laughed with her in her mind.

”There you go. You must never give up, child of light. Now try again.”

For a long time she tried to reach her inner fire again, that place of power within her which she had been enriched with by her Goddess, the immortal part of her soul perhaps, and she succeeded more and more often and gained valuable experience.

In the end, quite exhausted from the ordeal, she stopped what she was doing and looked at the shining beast before her, a question upon her lips. The beast replied before she had even asked.

”You will be strong enough when the time comes, yes. Never doubt that.”

As she smiled back happily, breathing hard, the beast seemed to disintegrate in front of her, as it told her:

”The time is coming, and you must be ready. Have courage, chosen one.”

And then it was gone - and before Benahlia had time to think any further, she woke up with a start in her bed, gasping slightly.

Her eyes were wide and her heart pounded in her chest.

What a vivid dream!

And yet, even as she had that thought, she knew that it had not been a dream, or rathernot only a dream. She laid her head down on her pillows once again, her silver hair embracing her face, and closed her eyes, her pulse slowing, her body relaxing.

Even as she gradually fell into ordinary sleep, the memory of the Unicorn remained in the far recesses of her mind - and whispers of trials to come.