He consumed knowledge of power as if it were his final meal, devouring everything he got from Chlodochar. The Brother was amazed at his progress, and even Aliana had begun to notice the change in him, almost an aura of power glowing about him. Everything he learned from the Brothers he supplemented with the wisdom of their ancient predecessors in the archives. The knowledge contained in those yellowed parchments and leather-bound manuscripts was timeless.
'Excellent!' Chlodochar said as El-Vador blocked multiple limbs of oily darkness and countered with strands of his own. 'You were able to anticipate and defend my attack with near-perfect response. Few now could attack you without your sensing and responding in time.'
It was the praise he had been waiting to hear, and he longed to engage another opponent in the duelling arena to test this theory before putting it into practice. But it wasn't time. Not yet. His victory had to be total and complete, he could not afford to deal in half measures.
With those words the Brother bid him depart, and El-Vador made his way to the arena where they would soon be practising.
The recruits cast him cold glances as each of them joined him. It was tradition for the recruits to appear before the Brothers themselves and each of them had seen what El-Vador was capable of and distrusted him implicitly.
El-Vador paid their looks little heed, concentrating entirely upon mastering the power within him. Today he would make a statement, one that would echo throughout the confines of this sanctuary and leave none wondering as to his true potential.
He briefly scanned the crowd for Aliana, she was sat attentively with the rest of the recruits who did not know of her duplicity in this forthcoming act.
As he had done the last time when he challenged Shimon, he entered the centre of the arena before anyone else had a chance to act, and few were wont to stop him from doing so. There was a murmur of voices, undoubtedly pondering as to who his next victim would be.
He could feel the power coursing through him, a storm far fiercer than any he had suffered in the mountains. It was time.
'I challenge all of you.'
El-Vador’s words hung in the air as a wave of confusion came flooding through the crowd of recruits.
Chlodochar grunted his approval at the request and none of the Brothers opposed his decision. The challenge had been laid down and the onus was on the recruits to accept.
They seemed less than eager to do so in the face of such a bold proclamation from a known killer, but then a rustling of robes and a collective intake of breath produced a viable candidate.
The long blonde hair was unmistakable, this was Arawn, Shimon's closest friend and possibly the Brotherhood's best recruit. The man had been tapped as joining the war effort soon, his skills would be considerable to have such an honour bestowed upon him.
He moved with a quiet confidence that underlined these thoughts. El-Vador had hoped the unexpected challenge might have afforded him an opportunity to strike out at all the recruits, but it would appear that they had collectively volunteered Arawn for the task. If he could humiliate Arawn, the Brothers would have no choice but to recognise his power and let them join their ranks. The recruit carefully rolled up the sleeves of his robes to the breathless anticipation of those who watched, and El-Vador caught a glimpse of the pulsing tattoos underneath that seemed to glow with energies waiting to be unleashed.
There was a measured efficiency in Arawn’s preparation-an economy and precision of movement-that told El-Vador he was not going to go lightly.
Arawn exuded arrogance, but he was no fool. He was smart enough to understand that El-Vador wouldn’t challenge all the recruits at once if he didn't have a great measure of power. Until he understood the degree of energy that the Elf could channel, he wasn’t going to take his opponent for granted lest he beat him.
El-Vador didn’t just want to beat him, however. He wanted to destroy him, make an example of him just as he did to Shimon. To show the assembled Brothers just what he was capable of.
Across the arena Arawn assumed the ready position, El-Vador could feel the energy shimmering off him like a wave of heat.
The recruit began with a series of probing bursts of power, all of which El-Vador shrugged off as Chlodochar had taught him. It was an opening exchange, simply to ensure that the Elf was not bluffing in his confident challenge and that his merciless assault of Shimon wasn't a fluke.
El-Vador offered a counter-attack of his own, sending streams of oily-black energy tentacling out at the opponent and watching him fend them off without difficulty.
The battle continued in the familiar ebb and flow of attack and defence as the opponents began to get a feel for each other.
With the surge and swell of each exchange El-Vador measured his opponent and was in turn measured, though Arawn knew not just how much power the Elf could unleash should he desire it.
He understood that the crushing victory he sought would only come through patience-a steady grinding down of Arawn's energies until his opponent was left with nothing.
He watched on as Arawn became increasingly frustrated at his inability to land any clear penetration of El-Vador's defences. The probing had given way to great gouts of energy that were thrown about in a haphazard fashion as his opponent slowly began to realise the futility of his attacks.
When his opponent's desperation turned to hopelessness, every impulse in El-Vador screamed with the desire to take the initiative and end this duel irrevocably. Instead he let the man continue to hurl everything he had at him, knowing now that there wasn't a single assault this would-be Brother could muster to harm him.
He waited until the last dregs of power seeped from Arawn's gasping body, then addressed his exhausted foe. 'Are you finished?'
The man took some time to catch his breath, but there was a look of both fear and defiance in his eyes that suggested he was about to do something stupid. 'Curse you!' he shouted unimaginatively between gritted teeth, flecks of spit arcing through the air as his nostrils widened. 'You cannot defeat me!'
El-Vador offered him a sardonic smile. 'I already have, cease your attack.'
Arawn shook, whether from humiliation or anger the Elf could not tell, but at the last he began to mount a final attempt at an attack.
'Cease this foolishness, Arawn!' barked Chlodochar. 'You are clearly beaten.'
But Arawn wasn't listening, so consumed in rage and shame was he that he barely heard the voice.
El-Vador noticed that the Brother had now superimposed himself between the two opponents. Arawn would now have to break through the Brother's defences to harm the Elf.
He approached the Brother's position and laid a hand on the creature's shoulder. 'If you'll allow me, Brother?'
Chlodochar shook his head. 'No, if Arawn unleashes that power it will surely...'
The Brother didn't get to finish his sentence, a huge ball of swirling dark energy soared out at them, El-Vador watched it from the corner of his eye and mounted a defence that encompassed both himself and the Brother, grasping the ball with strong claws of power and hurling it back at the recruit that had unleashed it.
For an instant none of the crowd was even aware of what had happened; it took their minds a moment to catch up and register the blur of action that had occurred so much quicker than their eyes could see.
Of Arawn there was no sign, the energy had impacted upon him and engulfed him whole, though El-Vador suspected the man had died in sending out the last of his life force into the attack.
Chlodochar stood gaping at the nothingness that was once his most prized pupil. Whether the creature had expected such a resounding victory or not the Elf could not tell, but he certainly seemed at a loss for words.
'Arawn is no more.' he told the assembled Brothers, looking at them as if for counsel. With none forthcoming he laid his eyes upon the recruits. 'Who next shall respond to the open challenge?'
El-Vador was barely listening to the words. He knew what the response would be already, he was more interested in surveying the
reaction of the Brothers above.
'None of you wish to face him?' he asked the silence as the ebbing of power stilled the cavern entirely.
Chlodochar reached out a hand and placed it on El-Vador's shoulder, as if trying to hold him back from destroying the rest of the recruits. 'You have defeated the greatest recruit among us, no other wishes to accept your challenge and thus the challenge is complete. You may be seated.'
El-Vador silently strafed across the arena floor and the recruits rapidly made space for him, the Brothers above were silent.
There were no further arena battles that day, apparently the death of another recruit had dulled any appetite for contest. Most of the recruits were staring at him with expressions of fear and open wonder, yet he barely noticed. He departed with Chlodochar's blessing when it became clear that no other combatants would stand.
That night, he received a knock on his chamber door, upon opening he detected the unmistakable breathing of Chlodochar standing beyond the threshold.
The creature brushed in without waiting for an invitation, motioning silently to El-Vador to close the door once again.
'Power comes easily to my people, we are an ancient race before the fall. In my youth I used to practice my gift alone constantly in order to stay alive.'
'Were you an orphan?' El-Vador asked, not knowing where the Brother was going with this.
Chlodochar nodded sadly, removing the hood of his robes. 'Few of us lived in those days, before being hunted down to extinction.'
'Extinction? You are the last of your kind?'
Chlodochar replied with an indifferent shrug. 'It matters not. I had no great affinity with my race, and made my way here to the sanctuary as soon as my power was detected by the Brothers.'
He spoke casually, as if the knowledge that his entire race had been massacred had no effect on him whatsoever. That one of the very things driving El-Vador was of little consequence in the grand scheme to Chlodochar's mind was unsettling to the Elf. If this creature could move on from such slaughter and put it behind him, should he not also?
'The power came to my people easily, there were many that the Brotherhood tracked. You are the first I have seen who can wield the same power so naturally.'
'What do you mean, naturally?' El-Vador asked incredulously, aware of the impact of the voice on his prowess.
'Today you proved the true potential magnitude of your power. That cannot be learned through drills and knowledge, it can only come from within.'
'Not that the other Brothers have noticed.' El-Vador muttered, thinking of their lack of reaction to his destruction of both Shimon and Arawn. 'If I am so powerful why not name me Brother and be done with it?'
Chlodochar tilted his head to the side, trying to gauge the meaning behind his words. 'You seem eager for power, but do not let it go entirely to your head.' he warned. 'The Brothers have taken notice of your prowess but there is more to being a Brother than simply a measurement of your power. Were you to turn that upon me in anything save an exercise I would strike you down swiftly. Everything you know of power I have taught you, but there is much I know that I have yet to teach.'
El-Vador couldn’t help but smile. The Brother didn't realise that he would soon have the opportunity to learn how incorrect he was.
Satisfied, Chlodochar turned to go. Just before El-Vador closed the door behind him he added, 'Brother Manilus wants to see you first thing in the morning. Go to his chambers immediately upon waking.'
The morning arrived much too soon and found El-Vador at the door leading into the private quarters of Brother Manilus. When last he had been here it had been for killing Shimon, a weakling who deserved no better. This time he had killed a recruit that had been considered the best prospect the Brotherhood had. He silently wondered if the difference in power would change Brother Manilus's reaction
He rapped on the door with his distinctive knock.
'Enter,' came the voice from within.
Brother Manilus was in the centre of the room kneeling on his meditation mat. It was almost as if he hadn’t moved: his position was exactly the same as it had been at their last meeting.
'Brother,' El-Vador said, making a low bow.
'The way in which you defeated Arawn has left quite an impression on the other recruits,' Manilus said. 'They fear you now, none wishes to take Arawn's place for fear of being your next victim.'
'That is not my concern, Brother.' El-Vador replied.
'You will cease your training in the arena.'
A wave of anger passed over El-Vador. 'Why?'
'I am not a fool, we are at war with the others and cannot allow our own recruits to continue cutting each other down. Your recklessness sets a bad example for the rest of the recruits and to reward it openly would send the wrong message.'
'Will you be promoting me into your Brotherhood then?'
Manilus shook his head. 'You are not yet ready for such an honour, as powerful as you have become.'
Now El-Vador understood. This wasn't about the recruits or El-Vador's well-being, it was simply about control. El-Vador had defied the Brotherhood by openly displaying his power and killing those who opposed him. Now they saw him as a threat, they feared him turning his powers upon them. They were right to fear, and he knew who he must strike first.
LIII
There is vengeance and then there is killing. Do not equate one with the other, for the feeling is entirely different. The brotherhood made two fatal flaws with their tuition of my skills. The first of these was to prohibit them after I had a taste of control over my power. The second was to provide me with a way out.
I never could deal with endings, for they were always the beginning of something else.
'El-Vador!' Chlodochar’s voice cut off his thoughts midstream. 'Why is you disturb my sleep at this hour?'
'I have come to kill you, Brother.'
Chlodochar gave a slight nod, as if he had expected as much. 'Manilus would not let you join the Brotherhood, he would not let you into our deepest sanctum so now you seek to claim it by force.'
'I seek to claim nothing.' El-Vador replied. 'You have already provided me with everything I needed save a way out of this accursed place.'
'Then why not ask for a way to leave this place?' his former mentor countered. 'Why do you seek to destroy us all with the power we helped you discover?'
El-Vador shook his head. 'You admitted yourself that you have not taught me the extent of your knowledge. If you really wished to help me discover my potential you wouldn't withhold information from me.'
Chlodochar sighed. 'We feared that something like this may happen should your power grow too great.' Without further comment he sent a gush of darkness seething forth.
While shielding himself from this first attack, El-Vador realized that Chlodochar had always been keeping some power in reserve, now he saw Chlodochar’s true ability, and it was most impressive.
The Brother grunted in surprise when El-Vador was able to block the first attack, then stepped back further into the room to regroup. He’d come in hard and fast, expecting to end their battle quickly. Now he had to re-evaluate his strategy.
'Your defence is stronger than I expected,' he observed, and it was clear in the tone of the creature's voice that he hadn't planned on El-Vador living this long.
'My defence is infinite.' El-Vador retorted, before extending his palm and beckoning the Brother onto him once more.
Chlodochar sent another gout of power toward the Elf and the room was filled with the sound of it as it struck El-Vador's defence once more. El-Vador would have been destroyed by such a probing attack prior to his learning under Chlodochar. Instead he simply called upon further reserves of his own power, letting it flow through him and guide his defences. He beckoned to the voice to aid him, to supplement his power and provide an impenetrable defence. A faint chuckling was the reply he received but in tandem with that he felt the dark bubble of power strengthen further. It was in the voice's best interests to a
ugment El-Vador's own capabilities in order to allow him to survive this confrontation and they both knew it. The gambit had paid off.
Seeing now that the Brother could not hurt him, El-Vador went on the attack with tendrils of dark power surging out and probing every inch of Chlodochar's formidable defences. In his past sparring sessions he had been incapable of penetrating the Brother's defences. Now that the voice was adding to his force he knew that he was finally calling on his full potential.
He drove Chlodochar back with furious blasts that his old mentor could not counter, forcing him back across the room and against the far wall, El-Vador had him pinned now, there was no escape.
His killing blow was turned aside at the last second by a resurgence in the creature's power, but the Elf quickly followed it up with another series of probing strikes to prevent a counter. Chlodochar was pushed inexorably back into the wall by the raging storm of El-Vador’s onslaught. Each time he tried to change tactics, El-Vador anticipated, reacted, and seized the advantage.
The outcome was inevitable. El-Vador could simply keep pressing his advantage until Chlodochar's energies had dissipated. Over the course of his training El-Vador had seen every possible sequence, series, move, and trick with the mentor's power, and he knew how to counter and nullify them all.
Chlodochar had realised this and was becoming desperate, his attempts at counters more swift and wild in their ineffectiveness.
'I will show you the way out of this place,' the creature gurgled desperately. 'I will even aid you in your fight against the Orcs should you wish it.'
'I need no aid.' El-Vador replied, hurling out the a final wave of power that engulfed the Brother with a screech that was barely heard over the deep laughter resonating in the Elf's head.
He felt nothing. Chlodochar, his mentor, the only instructor at the Sanctuary who had ever actually helped him, was dead.
El-Vador turned his back on the room and walked away.
There was neither time nor reason to mourn Chlodochar’s death. For all his use in the past, he had become simply an obstacle in El-Vador’s path. An obstacle that was now gone. El-Vador had to destroy them. All of them. To do that, he’d have to use the complete power that the voice had gifted him with, but not before he finally broke into this sanctum.
El-Vador's Travels Page 36