Avandor's Gift

“I never knew the day would come when I would feel relief looking upon the face of a chuman. Then again, these are desperate times and one cannot be too picky about our would-be saviour. If I dare presume as much.”

“I will take that as a welcome Tetje.” I said.

“As good as any that you may receive here. Judging from the raggedness of you and your company, I suppose you require shelter.”

“You judged correctly, now may we come in?”

“Of course.” He said finally stepping aside. “I cannot risk offending the Grey Mage or does that title still apply? I am confused. You have been gone for so long.”

“Titles are irrelevant, I am who I am.” I said stepping inside. He closed the door when all of us entered. “Not much has changed in here.” I said as I looked around the familiar halls of Tet’s family home.

“Consistency and constancy are scarce in these times. In a world of chaos it gives one piece of mind to be in control of at least his home.” He said as a look of solemnity overtook his features. “This way.” He said leading our company into the great room.

We settled around his table and Greyshanks by the hearth. I could tell she was tired and very soon her eyes drooped and closed. Food and drinks were brought in and Tetje then settled around the table with us.

“My entrance in Talithá was very different from the last time I was here. I had heard that the guardians were no more, but I didn’t deign to believe it.”

He frowned creating a small crease in an otherwise unmarked face.

“Talendarí hall is a shade of its former glory and the council chamber is devoid of sound except for the echoes of wayward footsteps.” He said.

“It has only been a few months since I last spoke to Lucorian and through him the council. How did a fall happen so dramatically? At what point did it start?” I said.

“You must understand Grey Mage, there was no abrupt start to anything really, just small changes, many diminutive enough not take note of or thought of as important. If a spell suddenly went awry, we would just use another. If a single helksinc suddenly became aggressive, we would put it out of its misery.

“Then one day each of these changes added up to something much greater and dangerous. By that time there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. We ran to our elders and suddenly they were gone.” said Nivraél.

“What elders?” said Tetje taking on a nasty tone. “We have only ever had one leader, the Grey Mage, who so happened to be lolling around on another continent. I told everyone that it was a bleeding travesty to enter a chuman into the Great Race.” He said shaking.

“You are saying that it is my fault that all this happened?”

“The day the guardians disappeared there was an outcry in the forest as a clan of Ulgana got into the city. We managed to scramble together and put forth a defence. The unruly clan was subdued but many people still lost their lives and the entire western region of the city was flattened by fire.” said Tetje. “Therefore there is no need to ask a question that you already know the answer to.” He said turning back to face me with bitterness marring his eyes.

“When you won, you became an untried anomaly in a system that has served my race for thousands of years. Then there was my sister, she took on the gift of Alphandé to save your life. If she had let you die, as you should have, the power of the Grey Mage would have been reset and another race run. We would have had a Grey Mage to rule and the tragedy that befell us would have not existed.” He growled.

I clenched my fists as I anticipated an attack, but it was unwarranted as Greyshanks reacted faster and was suddenly between us baring her teeth.

“Grey no,” I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder.

He threatened you and I shall let no harm come to you in my presence. She said still unmoving.

“I understand, but stand down. He is angry and has every right to be. He is correct, this wouldn’t have happened if I had died.”

But you... she started to protest but I cut her off.

“Those are the burdens I live with every day. He is putting into words that are the thoughts of many. I too have regrets of the past and those regrets I have to live with for the rest of my life.” I said sitting forward with my elbows on the table as weariness was threatening to overcome me. “I did abandon our people, however, it was out of ignorance rather than spite.” I sighed. “I didn’t know that when the power left me that the race wouldn’t be run once more.”

“Even so, not once in two years had you cast an eye in our direction, so how would you know.” He accused.

“A fact again that I will not deny. I couldn’t come here, as everything about this place would have reminded me about what I had lost and I couldn’t face it.”

“You admit your cowardice, how noble, but do tell me what you expect to gain from such a declaration?”

“I was an anomaly in an old system. But you must accept that the system you champion so heavily was faulty. It had too many hidden variables. It was broken, someone saw that and used it to their advantage.” I wiped my hands down my face. “Whoever that person is I am going to make them pay for every ounce of pain they’ve wrought.” I added more gravely.

My sudden outburst diffused his condescending facade but he still remained tense as he seemed to be taking my words in stride.

“Silver Mage, silver tongue. I am listening and there is no need to shout this time.” He said after some moments of silence.

“First of all Tetjana is not dead.”

“She isn’t?” he said with disbelief.

“No, she has visited me at least twice.” He was going to interrupt but I held up my hand for him to stop, surprisingly he acquiesced. “When she touched me to drain the power of Alphandé from me, she wasn’t supposed to disappear the way she did. I am chuman but she is not. Her body should have been able to hold the power of the rod at least for a number of years.

“The trap was already made and when she touched me, whoever made it must have opened a portal and carried her away.”

“But Tetyana is female, none of our Grey or Silver mages were ever female.” said Nivraél.

“Femininity had no part to play in that. Women aren’t considered to be leaders because we think they are weak. I will admit that some women are, but not Tet. She was an intervener and one of your best, with cunning unmatched by many men—changeling and human. And as it relates to poverty of blood, I am chuman, but she was a full blooded Alkarbrafä. If my diluted blood allowed me to hold power for days, why would hers not do the same?”

He seemed to be chewing on the inside of his cheeks while he processed my answer.

“You keep on mentioning this other person that is responsible, but who is that other person?” said Tetje.

“I am not sure, but I know that he is male. As when we spoke she told me that he was coming.”

“And you expect me to believe all this?” said Tetje. “All this is just conjecture; there is no solid evidence to prove any of this. Besides, the only one would have that amount of knowledge or power to do any of the things you described, would have to be one of the animal spirits, but they too have fallen victims of this twisted magic.

“You were right about the variables and it is a path that I must consider. But everything else is hard to believe. Hallucinations of a dead girl is never a good sign.”

“If I was hallucinating, how was I able to escape the Pool of Contentment and save the others from drowning then?” I said bolting upright. “She freed me! Now explain that!” I said as I strolled over to him and stood directly in front his face.

“Luck? Twisted magic?” he volunteered.

I almost growled as I backed away from him. I pinched my nose between my finger sand sighed. “Do the wells in Ta él still work?” I asked.

“The wells have become less reliable but they work.” he said.

“Then let us go. I will show you that luck had nothing to do with any of this.” I said taking his hand pulled him towards the door.

“No need to be forceful.” He said reclaiming his arm. “I will go with you to the well and allow you to prove yourself. However not tonight.”

“Why?”

“It is dark and our city is no longer the fortress it was. Stepping out during the night might mean stepping into an uncertain death. That and the fact that you are dressed like vagrants would prevent me from venturing outside. Magic might be awry but our sense of decorum is still very much intact. You all need a bath and a change of fresh clothing. If you are right about that person behind this, I am sure that he will also be searching for anomalies. The way you are attired currently will pull unwanted attention. It would be like looking at an island of waste in a sea of refinement.

“The washrooms are upstairs, so you all are welcome to them. In the meantime I shall find fitting clothes and prepare a meal.” He said leaving the room.

“I am not sure whether I should club him or thank him.” said Lishpa.

“The Tetje effect I call it. But thanks would be more appropriate at this time.”

He harrumphed as if he didn’t agree and then climbed the stairs.