Alphande'

“Arise ,” I said and I still marvelled at the way my voice sounded—deep—resonant yet somehow calming and powerful. Collectedly the crowd stood.

I looked at all the faces of the people who surrounded me, and immediately I knew all the names and who they were. These men were all past entrants in the Great Race, those who didn’t win. They together were the Guardians. Three more familiar faces I stood among the crowd. Ashbeth, Ballahad and Vykros. They came forward without me asking them to.

“Grey Mage, at your service.” They said bowing.

“So it seems that you have won a great prize after all. You shall be immortalised and endure long after I have perished.” I said with a slight smile.

“Together we will endure but will be unknown. It is your name that will forever be remembered.” They said together. It was odd, though they were separate beings they spoke as if the individual was no more and had become an amalgamation of one entity.

“You all ran a good race, I am honoured to have been your opponent.”

“As are we Grey Mage.” They said together. I reconsidered my stance on the amalgamated personalities as I noticed that Ballahad’s face was a bit smugger than the others as he had a slight tilt to the lips as he turned and walked away.

This position should suit him I think. His quest for knowledge was insatiable now he had a millennium and more to satisfy his hunger. They had returned to the others. All their heads looked upwards and in a great burst of light they vanished. In their place was the gold wolf.

“Lucorian,” I said. The wolf dipped its nose to the floor.

Chosen of the wolf and Grey Mage.

“You have led me here and I have done what you knew I could even before I knew it myself. Thank you for the opportunity.”

You have done our houses proud and now you should do so for the rest of our race. The crowds have seen the sign of victory in the sky but they do not know who has won.

I turned away from him and raised the staff above my head and the thumped it once on the ground. A portal opened before us and together we stepped through.

“I doubt I will ever like travelling through portals.” I said as I came out on the other side, Lucorian at my heel.

There are other ways to travel, but you will realise them soon enough.

“Hmm,” I said. I looked about me I had not landed in the heart of Talithá as I had expected but I we were taken to the gate guarded by the guardian.

“Why here?” I asked the wolf.

You are not who you were when you first entered, so the ceremony of the change takes place here. Each animal spirit represents a clan and all of us will place the bearings of our members upon your brow so all Alkarbrafä will know that you are the Grey Mage. I will be the first to do so. He said coming in front of me.

Evander of Calabar you have the blessing of the wolf. He said as he touched his nose against my forehead. I felt a cold energy flowing through me. The horse, deer and helksinc repeated the same blessing and I could feel myself changing again.

“I feel different.” I said.

You are somewhat different now, at least in appearance. When you enter the city they will recognise you as the Grey Mage but your identity will still be hidden until you reveal yourself.

“What do you mean reveal myself?”

Exactly what I said.

I walked over to a nearby puddle and then gasped as I saw my reflection. From my head grew golden antlers which knotted themselves into a knobby crown. Underneath it, the matted tuft of hair I sported just a day ago had grown out into a beautiful golden mane that grew past the nape of my neck. I brushed a few strands that had fallen into my face and hitched them behind my ears, which were now pointed at the tips, with thin tufts at the tragus. My skin was plated in scales of fine gold.

“This is different.” I said. I turned as my eyes caught movement coming from tree just past the gates. I met the stares of two curious children who I knew where probably too far from home.

“It is him.” I heard the older one whisper to the other. “It is the Grey Mage.” she said as she came out from behind the bush.

“He doesn’t look very grey to me.” said the younger that was probably around four.

“That is because he is new and is still young. The Grey Mage lives a very long life and eventually all his hair will turn grey.” Instructed the other.

“The secret is out. I have no reason to delay any more.” I said turning to the wolf, but when I looked around all four of the animal spirits were gone.

I called the children forward. “Elion and Elia, you are a far way from home, your parents are worried. Shall we go?” I said as I extended a hand.

“Are you the Grey mage asked the girl?”

“How else would I have known your names” I said.

“I told you it was him.” She flashed a grin and then she and her brother came running towards me. “See he has Alphandé.” She said pointing to my staff.

I smiled at them. “Elion take my hand and you hold on to Elia tightly. We will be taking a short cut.

“Short cut?” she said sounding intrigued. I nodded and she took my hand eagerly.

I envisioned where I wanted to be and parted the air in front of me opening another portal. Together the three of us stepped through.

On the other side we were in the library of Ta él. I could see a worried looking woman searching behind the different fountains.

“Mother!” the two children shouted the woman looked in our direction.

“Elia! Elion!” she said sounding relieved. Both of them let go of my hand and sprinted towards her. The woman looked at them and then at me.

“Mother the Grey Mage,” said the children excitedly. I smiled and nodded once. I then stepped back through the portal.

A huge uproar filled the hall as I stepped through the portal. The air of celebration was palpable. Thousands had gathered awaiting my arrival.

We have been waiting. Said the wolf as he and the other three animal spirits appeared on stage beside me.

I had to take a detour. I responded through my thoughts. Sorry.

You are who you are Evander. I don’t expect that to change. It said with a hint of mirth.

“The Grey Mage!” said the guardians. “He bears the gift of each animal spirit, which he will now return to each. The one that remains will reveal the identity of our new leader.” The crowd quieted down.

The lines of the tradition came to my mind immediately and I knew what to do next.

“Antlers stretched to the sky,

Royal they are but are not the house of mine.

Your gift of grace I will take,

But your antlers I forsake.

As I am the Grey Mage, that is true,

But deer I am not the one chosen by you.”

I could feel the weight lifted from my head. The deer bowed once and then it disappeared from the stage in the golden light.

“Scales of gold precious I cannot deny,

Beautiful they are but not of the house of mine.

Your gift of cunning I will take,

But your scales I forsake.

As I am Grey Mage, that is true,

But helksinc I am not the one chosen by you.”

The scales shed from my skin revealing pale skin underneath. The helksinc slithered away into nothingness. I could feel the tension growing in the crowd. One more verse and then all would know who I was.

“Mane so fair, hair divine,

Glorious it is, but not of the house of mine.

Your gift of speed I will take,

But your mane I shall forsake.

As I am Grey Mage, that is true,

But horse I am not the one chosen by you.”

The crowd was in a frenzy as the chants of ‘hail Evander, the Grey Mage’ spread throughout the hall. The trees around us had taken on new life as they whispered the news of my reveal throughout all the forests of Envladane. It was hard to believe that it was these same people who four days ago who mocked and scoffed at me. I being nothing more than a point of amusement. Now my name was being shouted in adoration. I raised the staff for silence and they complied immediately.

“Ear so long, ears that hear all but time

All hearing, all knowing house of the lupine.

Your gift of honour I will take,

This gift I shall never forsake.

As I am Grey Mage, that is true,

Wolf I was the one chosen by you.”

The wolf tilted its head backwards and howled at the sky, drowning out the cheers of the thousands around us. The sky was suddenly ablaze with bursts of light that spiralled into interesting shapes and colours. I searched the crowd for one face and I spotted her immediately. As others jumped and pranced, she was completely still. I was sure that I saw the shimmer of tears sliding down her cheeks.

I walked from off the stage and in her direction, the crowd parting to give me way but all eyes still followed. When I stopped in front of her she quickly wiped the tears from her face. We stood silently looking at each other not saying anything.

“I won,” I said breaking the silence.

“As I knew you would. I am after all the best Intervener that has ever walked among our kind, so of course you would win.” She said smiling slightly.

“It must be wonderful to be the Intervener who will be most remembered amongst your kind?”

“Yes, but my job is hardly finished and yours has only just begun. Gé Addar…” she started.

“I have not forgotten. It is impossible to forget; which reminds me.” I said removing the necklace she had given to me in EnkÐáfheetra.

She turned around and held her hair out of the way I deftly fastened it around her neck. She then turned around holding up the pendant between her fingers.

“Thank you for not dying as I don’t think I could bear going without this.” She said looking at it once before tucking it under her dress.

“You are welcome, I suppose.” I said.

She held my stare for a while longer, smiling in a way that made me self-conscious. “It is too bad you know.” She said still watching me.

“Too bad what?”

She finally ducked her head. “Nothing.”

“In a world of matter everything matters, from an empty page are made books with many chapters. Nothing exists only in a vacuum and dearest Tet it is never nothing, not with you.” I said as I folded my arms across my chest.

“Impressive rhyme, but I will tell you another time. Besides everyone is waiting.”

“Right,” I said suddenly becoming aware of the thousands of eyes upon us. Looking over her head. I spotted the other person I wanted to see and walked over to her.

“Your son schemed right to the end.” I said.

“If it was any other way, I would be disappointed.”

“Your ring.” I said taking it off my finger and slid it into her hand.

She looked at it once and then dropped it in her pocket. “Did he go peacefully?” she asked without looking at me.

“He did go, but not very far. In fact they are all with us in one form or the other.” I whispered in her ear. I looked at the wolf and then back at her and then winked. She covered her mouth as she seemed to be considering what I said.

I patted her on the shoulder once and then walked back to the front of the stage. The wolf came to sit at my side once.

I have much to say.

And it needs to be said. He said dipping his head to look into my eyes giving me the courage to face the restless crowd.

“Eight days ago I came here as Evander the forsaken chuman king of Gé Addar. Seven days ago, I became chosen of the wolf. A day ago I was a finalist in the Great Race that stood a top Llyn Morir and today I stand before you as all of these things, but also as Grey Mage.

“A position I accept with much humility, as great power has been given to me, but with this power comes even greater responsibility; responsibility for our actions towards each other and those of other races that share this world.

“We have been frivolous with our power, ignoring horrible things that we can change, intervening only when we wish to be entertained. In the meantime other living beings are suffering and dying. Not realising that the death of these nations will eventually mean the death of our own race. For years you have just watched, and have ceased to create. Laughed and lived long lives but have forgotten how to love.

“Forgotten, yes as it was not so in the beginning. You loved nature and tended to the forests, now you neglect them and use the bounty they provide for your needs, never giving back. You taught the other races how to use letters to form words which could be recorded. You taught them how to hunt, how to build, how to flourish within this world. Then a time came when you stopped teaching.

“We can no longer be mere observers. We must prove ourselves worthy of the gifts we possess else our magic, a gift from nature itself, will dwindle until it is no more. We cannnot allow this to happen.

“I am mainly a changeling and Grey Mage, but I am also part human and the heir to the throne of Gé Addar. I cannot ignore what is happening in my homeland as it affects me greatly. What affects me will be felt by all of you. They still have an equal hold on me as their king as you do by me being Grey Mage. I am the servant of all my people, humans included.

“Today a great evil threatens to consume my land---our land as what is mine is also yours. I cannot stand aside and allow it to happen. We cannot allow it. Let us once more take our rightful places as the guardians of all nature’s creations and restore order to a land littered in chaos.”