As he reached his hand forward, it suddenly came in contact with the fur of some animal. Traven jerked back with surprise and cracked his head on the roof of the cave. He grunted and braced himself in case the animal decided to attack. The creature remained still, neither coming towards him nor running away. He stared at the ball of fur for several moments before breaking out in a hoarse laugh. It was nothing more than the fur coat he had shed the night before.
He gave the coat a push, just to make sure, and rubbed the spot on his head where a bump was already beginning to form. He then tucked the balled up fur coat under his arm and continued forward. It wasn’t long before natural light began mixing with the faint green light to illuminate the tunnel. The warmth and humidity began to give way to colder, drier air. By the time the ceiling had risen high enough for him to stand, the temperature had dropped significantly. He donned the warm fur coat and continued eagerly towards the entrance.
The burbling of the stream began to sound in his ears, and soon he could see the light streaming through the fanglike rock formations at the cave’s entrance. He let out a sigh of relief and watched as his breath puffed into the air. He had forgotten how cold it was outside the cave and pulled his hood up. The secret cavern had seemed like an entirely different world. Already, the memory of it felt more like a dream.
Traven looked down at the unique red flowers and checked his pockets to make sure that he still had the ones he had picked the previous night. The petals had been crushed and broken during his exploration of the cave. He supposed he should have expected as much with all of the crawling and slithering he had been forced to do. Kneeling down, he carefully picked another of the delicate, red flowers and cautiously placed it in his pocket.
After assuring himself that he had the required proof of his ascension, he braced himself and stepped out of the cave and into the cold. The unforgiving wind blasted his face immediately, and he shivered despite the thick coat. The bright sun reflecting off the snow nearly blinded him after the darkness of the cave, and he had to wait several moments for his eyes to adjust.
Once his eyes had grown somewhat accustomed to the brightness of the sun, he glanced around with his lids only half opened. The sun wasn’t very far above the horizon yet. He was thankful he would have the majority of the day to reach the base of the mountain. He took a deep breath of the crisp air and began his descent, following the small stream that exited the cave and wound down to the base of the mountain. His legs weren’t as solid as he would have liked, but luckily his balance was stable enough that he could just lean back and let himself be pulled downward.
* * * * *
Darian glanced towards the sacred mount, trying to pick out any movement that would reveal the victorious decent of his master. It was the early afternoon of the third day, and he expected to see Traven soon. A smattering of other elves had just begun to arrive, but the majority of the crowd would not arrive until the evening. They did not think a human could possibly complete the trial as quickly as this afternoon. Most thought that if the young wielder returned, it would be late at night or sometime the following morning.
They did not know Traven like Darian did. He knew of his master’s determination, strength of will, and peak physical condition. The other elves also did not understand the urgency Traven felt to return to the land of the humans with the armband of endurance. Traven was not doing the trial to prove that he was worthy to be a king. He had undertaken the trial to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of his fellow humans.
“Do you really expect to see him soon?” Giselle asked quietly from his side.
“Yes,” Darian replied. “We will see him soon. I am confident of it.”
Giselle and he had remained just outside the end of the proving field ever since Traven had begun his ascent of the mountain. They had eaten, slept, and waited as close as they could to where Traven would return. They had done their duty and remained faithful to their oaths and would remain there until their master led them away.
Darian was very anxious for Traven to return, claim the armband of endurance, and leave for Candus. As much as he had enjoyed seeing his family and home, he felt uncomfortable being among the elves as a servant to a wielder. At least, when Traven returned, all of the other elves would recognize the wielder’s physical strength, talents, and worthiness to be served.
Darian also now had the companionship of Giselle. He had been astounded when she had sworn devotion and had been slightly upset. He saw no reason for her to bind herself to Traven. She had not even witnessed any of his mastery in the ambience before she had sworn her oath. She still had not given an adequate explanation for her decision, but Darian had chosen not to press her on the subject.
He had an idea of what had driven her to make such a commitment, but he hardly dared to accept it as truth. It brought with it both a feeling of ecstasy and a feeling of intense pain. Luckily, he was comforted in knowing that Traven was a just, honest, and caring master. He would not abuse the devotion that the angelic Giselle had sworn to him.
“Is that him?” Giselle asked quietly as she pointed. She had a look of both disbelief and excitement.
Darian leapt to his feet and shielded his eyes. It only took him a moment to locate the movement in the distance that Giselle’s sharp eyes had picked out. He watched for several moments before turning to her with a triumphant grin.
“Indeed it is.”
* * * * *
Traven picked up speed when sight of the proving field came into view but slowed back down when he stumbled and almost fell. His legs felt like jelly, and he had a horrible headache. He had eaten some berries and roots earlier, but full strength still hadn’t returned to his muscles. He supposed it wouldn’t return until he had eaten a proper meal and received a full night’s rest. Notwithstanding the pain, he smiled. The sight of the beginning and end of the trial flooded him with relief.
The last stretch seemed to take forever, but he finally found himself standing at the base of the mountain near the two poles that had marked his entrance. He suddenly realized that he didn’t know what the proper protocol was at the end of the trial. He supposed he would present the small red flower to the king of the elves as proof that he had found the cave. He hoped Darian was somewhere nearby. The loyal elf would let him know what needed to be done.
Traven paused to catch his breath and then strode out onto the proving field. It was empty, but there was a small group of people waiting at the far end. He quickly located Darian and Giselle among them. Darian’s sister and parents were also waiting, along with a small group of other elves he didn’t recognize.
Farther out in the clearing, he made out a procession that had just emerged from the trees. It looked like it was the king of the elves and his entourage. A handful of other elves were also beginning to appear at the edge of the clearing. There wasn’t nearly the crowd that had been there to witness the beginning of the trial, but it was still larger than he had expected. He had half wondered if anyone but a guard or two would be there to greet him at all.
His pace quickened as he saw the beaming smile on Darian’s face. Traven finished traversing the proving field and stepped out into the clearing. Darian immediately fell upon him and embraced him heartily. The elf then stepped to his side and pulled his arm up in the air. The small crowd cheered heartily, and Traven was sure that his smile was now even larger than Darian’s had been. The crowd parted as the king’s procession neared.
“How do you feel?” Darian asked quietly from Traven’s side as he let his arm fall. “You look terrible.”
“I feel terrible,” he replied. “I’m just glad it’s over.”
“Not quite yet,” Darian said. “Do you have the flower?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Get it out, and hold it in your left hand. When the king arrives, slowly walk towards him and kneel at his feet with the flower extended. He will inspect the flower, say a few words, and raise you to your feet. After he has presented you to th
e crowd, the trial will officially come to an end.”
Traven reached into his pocket and delicately pulled out the unique flower from the Cave of the Eternal Flame. He held it carefully in his left hand and waited patiently for the elf king to arrive. When the king stopped, Traven took several steps forward and knelt at the monarch’s feet with his left hand extended. The elf king reached forward and plucked the flower from his hand. After several moments of silent inspection, the king spoke in a loud voice.
“The candidate has returned from his journey up the sacred mount. He has survived all three parts of the King’s Trial and has proven himself worthy to be a king. He has shown his skill, his strength, and has learned to accept the truth. Arise.”
Traven slowly got to his feet.
“I present to you Traven, a man worthy of leading others and being their king.”
He watched with surprise as the king bowed towards him. The rest of the elves in the crowd immediately followed the king’s example and bowed as well. As they rose, they began to cheer.
“Congratulations,” the king said in a quieter tone. “You have done what many thought impossible for a human to do. I will admit I did not expect you to succeed. Nevertheless, I will keep my promise. Meet me in the arena at sunset, and I will fulfill my part of the bargain by lending to you what you have requested and earned.”
The elf king turned and strode away while the small crowd continued to cheer. With each passing moment, more elves arrived at the clearing. Darian came up behind Traven and put his hand on his shoulder.
“Come,” the elf said. “Now the trial is over. Let us return to my parent’s home where you can wash up, eat a decent meal, and rest until this evening.”
“That sounds great,” Traven replied.
Giselle stepped up next to Darian.
“Welcome, Master,” she said. “You have made us both proud.”
Traven accepted the compliment with a smile.
“Of course, we would have been prouder if you had stopped to bathe in the stream before returning,” Darian said, wrinkling his nose.
“Are you joking?” Traven asked with wide eyes. “That water is freezing!”
Darian and Giselle joined him in laughing. The two elves then quickly gathered up their tents and bedrolls.
“Did you sleep here?”
“Of course,” Darian replied. “We are your devoted. Where you go, we go. If you go where we cannot follow, we follow as far as we can and wait for you there.”
Traven was reminded of the special bond that existed between the devoted and their master. While he had worried that no one would be waiting for him, both Darian and Giselle had remained faithfully at the edge of the proving field over the last couple of days. He had to make a conscious effort to keep the tears from his eyes. Their loyalty was amazing.
When they had gathered all of their equipment, Darian took the lead and began crossing the field. Traven and Giselle followed at his heels. The gathering crowd of elves continued to cheer as he passed. He nodded graciously and continued forward. He was thankful for the praise but more interested in cleaning up and eating than he was about anything else at the moment.
It wasn’t long before they arrived at their destination. Traven passed through the large tree with a sigh of relief. The home Darian had grown up in felt like his own safe haven in the midst of the elves. Darian and Giselle waited in the gallery while he slowly made his way up the stairs to wash and change before eating.
Traven entered his room and closed the door securely behind him. He was thankful to find a large washbasin of water. He quickly warmed it up with the ambience before removing the tattered remains of his shirt and pants and scrubbing himself clean. He then dunked his head in the water and washed his hair, being careful not to scrub the tender bump on his head. The clear water of the wash basin soon became murky with dirt and grime. After drying off, Traven donned a fresh set of clothes.
It felt great to be clean. He looked at himself in the mirror. The washing had erased the grime away but couldn’t remove the dark bags under his eyes, his sunburned skin, or the scratches covering his cheek. Only food and sleep would complete the transformation. He exited the room and carefully made his way down the stairs. Darian and Giselle were waiting for him just outside the dining room.
“Much better,” Darian observed. “One would think you could have cleaned up earlier before meeting the elf king.”
“Let him be,” Giselle said as she took his arm. “He is hungry and tired. The King’s Trial is not something to joke about.”
Traven accepted the support of his beautiful devoted servant and let her lead him into the dining room. Darian’s parents and Celeste were already seated. Darielle rose as Traven came in.
“Welcome back to our home,” he said with open arms. “We are happy to honor your victory with a small feast.”
Traven thanked him and sat down. The food was immediately called for. He had already smelled the delicious aromas of the varied dishes when he had first passed up to the guest room and was eager to eat. Unfortunately, he found that his stomach was not as ready to receive as much of the food as his eyes were. He was soon completely full and satisfied. He waited contentedly while the rest in attendance finished eating. When everyone was full, Celeste was the first to speak.
“Congratulations,” she said with a large smile. “It is hard to believe you completed the trial and made it back so quickly.”
“Celeste speaks truly,” Darielle agreed. “It is rare for a candidate to complete the trial in two and a half days. There would have been a much larger crowd gathered to see you if you had not arrived so soon.”
“I think-”
“I think it best we let Traven get some rest,” Celian cut in, interrupting her daughter.
“I agree,” Darian added. “Can’t you see his eyes drooping?”
Traven covered a yawn. They were both correct. He was exhausted, and now that his stomach was full, he could barely stay awake.
“That sounds like a good idea,” he muttered. “Thank you for the delicious meal.”
Darian helped him to his feet and up the stairs to the guest room. Traven pulled himself carefully into the hammock while Darian walked over to his pile of dirty clothes and picked up his torn shirt.
“What happened to your clothes? Did you get in a fight with a porcupine?” the elf asked with a grin.
“A mountain cat actually,” Traven said as he shut his eyes.
“Really?” Darian asked with surprise.
“Yes, but that’s not really how I tore my clothes. The rocks in the cave are really sharp,” he mumbled.
“Go to sleep,” Darian said with a chuckle. “I will wake you up in time to eat some more before we go to the arena.”
“Thanks,” Traven slurred as he dropped off to sleep.
He woke back up at a knock. Darian had already entered the room by the time Traven’s eyes were fully opened. He carefully got out of the hammock, managing not to fall.
“How do you feel?”
“Better,” Traven responded as he stretched. He still ached all over. “What time is it?”
“Time to get ready,” Darian said. “You need to eat quickly if you want to arrive at the arena on time.”
Traven walked stiffly over to the mirror and straightened his hair and clothes with a grimace. It would be a few days before his muscles fully recovered. When he turned, Darian was holding out his belt and sword. He quickly buckled his belt and sheathed his sword.
“That should do it,” Darian stated approvingly.
Traven followed the elf out the door and carefully down the stairs once again. Giselle was waiting just outside the dining room. She grabbed his arm and led him to the closest chair. A plate had been prepared with fresh bread, fruit, nuts, and a large cup of water. He drank the water and quickly ate all of the food. By the time he finished chewing, Giselle had refilled his cup. He emptied the cup again and sat back, satisfied.
“No time to relax
now,” Darian said as he pulled Traven to his feet. “We need to head to the arena. We do not want to be late. I would guess that most of the elves in the haven have already arrived.”
Traven followed Darian out of the house and across the courtyard. Giselle followed directly behind him.
“This is an incredibly significant event,” Darian stated. “Never since the armband of endurance was first given to the elves has it left the arm of the king except to be transferred to the new king. We are all incredibly privileged to be part of such a momentous occasion.”
27
It wasn’t long before the small group arrived near the outside of the arena. The sun was low on the horizon and long shadows stretched through the forest. There were still a few elves streaming into the arena, but it appeared that most had already arrived. Traven wondered where Darielle was. He had been the one to present him to the elf king before.
“He will arrive with the king,” Darian explained when Traven asked. “You no longer need anyone to present you. You have completed the King’s Trial and are therefore worthy to be a king. All elves will now be compelled to show you the proper respect for a future king. Let us descend to the stage. We want to be in place when the sun touches the horizon. You know the way. We will follow.”
Traven gave Darian a questioning look and took the lead. His two devoted servants followed next to one another several paces behind him with their heads lowered. He found it amusing but continued forward with his own head held high. He walked as quickly as his burning leg muscles would allow.
Upon entering the arena, the talking in the crowd immediately ceased. All eyes turned towards him as he carefully made his way down the steps. His legs had regained most of their strength, but they were still sore and slightly unsteady from the trial. The feeling in the arena was very different than it had been the first time he had entered. A respectful silence permeated the entire crowd as he continued down the steps. He was thankful when he reached the clearing in the center of the amphitheater and could rest his tired legs.
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