“Hello,” Eveneye shouted. He received no response. Even further than that, from the echo his voice created, he could tell that the hole was very deep. That hole must be so deep that the fall would kill me. He moved to the other hole.
“Hello,” he called out again. No response. Yet this time there was no echo at all. The hole was shallow, maybe too shallow. He would not want to choose that hole only to find himself stuck in the middle of a burning pyramid. If only I could see. It was getting very hot now and the smoke obscured his view of the crowd.
The flames had reached the top of the platform. His time was running short. Eveneye cursed. Then a grand idea came to him. He ran to the scroll and picked it up. He tore a piece of the scroll off and then went to the fire and lit it. He then rushed over to the shallow hole and dropped it in. Sure enough, the hole was too shallow. The walls of the hole were already starting to smoke. The hole was a trap. Thinking the other hole was too deep; Eveneye lit another piece of the scroll and headed to the hole he had lined up with the banner of the Flames. Anticipating the outcome, Eveneye backed away from the hole as he dropped the burning piece of scroll. A jet of flame shot out of the hole. The hole had been filled with some highly flammable substance. Another trap. Though, this seemed to confirm his theory about the banners.
The fire was closing in on him now and he didn’t have much time. It seemed the hole that lined up with the Fighting Fish banner was the right choice. Fish were food, they were life. It must be the right choice. He began to lower himself into the hole and then heard a large splash come from the bottom of the hole. There was water down there but he didn’t know what was in the water. He decided to drop the rest of the scroll to the bottom of the hole. He heard it splash as it hit the water and then the water became a thrashing frenzy. There was something down there and whatever it was, it was not friendly. All that was left was the deep hole.
Eveneye spun and looked at it from across the platform. Flames were everywhere now and the smoke was burning his eyes. Just then, a giant cracking sound ripped the air and the pyramid jolted. The flames were consuming it. I’m out of time, thought Eveneye. He quickly resigned himself to his fate and dashed for the deep hole. As he ran to it, the pyramid continued to break underneath him. Without a second thought, he launched himself into the hole and disappeared into the blackness.
The crowd could see nothing. The pyramid had become a great bonfire. Everyone expected the worst. Irontooth smiled from his high seat and turned his gaze at Goldenheart. Her face was wet with tears, though she made no sound. Whiteclaw sat emotionless.
“Let this be a lesson to the both of you,” sneered Irontooth.
Irontooth turned back toward the crowd and inhaled the smell of smoke that had filled the air. He smiled and sighed in satisfaction, relishing the moment. He wanted to watch the pyramid until it became a pile of ash and he wanted every bear in the kingdom to watch it too.
As Eveneye fell he closed his eyes, bracing for an impact that would never come. He had flung himself down the hole, headfirst in a free fall. However, his body quickly came flush with the wall of the hole and it began to change his direction. Eveneye realized that the hole did not go straight down and was, in fact, a slide. The slide came level and Eveneye stopped. He was in complete blackness but he could feel the walls on either side of him. He knew from which direction he had come and decided to continue in the opposite one. He had not taken many steps before he ran into a staircase. Eveneye began to climb the staircase and pride welled up inside of him as it became clearer that he had chosen correctly. He came to the last step and hit his head on the ceiling. He pushed at it with his paw and it gave way. It was a trap door in the floor of the arena. He pushed himself up and out of it.
Members of the crowd began to point as they noticed his presence, some sixty yards from the burning pyramid. As more of the crowd noticed they began to cheer, no longer able to conceal their natural inclination to support the underdog. Whiteclaw and Goldenheart began to cheer as well. The guards raised their spears to the bears’ throats and they were quickly silenced.
Irontooth shook with rage, unable to speak. Eveneye ran across the arena floor until he was under Irontooth’s box and shouted at him.
“Irontooth,” he called. “Tell my brother, Whiteclaw, that he shall help me rule this kingdom so that my heart never becomes as poisoned as yours.”
Irontooth shot out of his seat and bellowed into the smoky air.
“Begin the second challenge now!”
This time, Irontooth gave no instructions to Eveneye and there was no doubt that this was done purposefully. The fourteen bears returned through the gate, yet one came back out carrying a johnball and motioned for Eveneye to follow him. The arena floor already had markings for johnball and Eveneye was led to the far end of the johnball field. The bear gave the ball to Eveneye and said:
“Your goal is the opposite end of the field. When you hear the horns sound, you may begin. You must score only once.”
Eveneye nodded and the bear turned and left the arena. Eveneye looked around and saw nothing in the arena other than the burning pile of wood that was once the pyramid. He kept his senses sharp. He knew that any moment his obstacles would be presented to him and they would most certainly be deadly. He took the johnball and waited, ready to run.
The horns sounded and a gate opened on the opposite side of the area. Gasps came from the crowd as ten giant wolves came, barreling out of the gate. The wolves were at least as big as the ones he and Whiteclaw had battled the previous night. Eveneye’s wounds ached and his eyes narrowed. Despite his injuries, he had better battle more effectively than last night or it would cost him his life.
He immediately dropped the johnball and began running toward the fire. The ball would be no use to him unless he could kill all ten wolves. He had an idea and he quickly reached the perimeter of the blaze and turned toward the charging wolves. He stood on his hind legs and roared at the approaching pack. It did not slow them and Eveneye realized he would have to be fast. As the first two wolves reached him, they leapt into the air, going straight for his throat. Eveneye anticipated their jump and fell to the ground as the wolves overshot him and landed in the flames. The next two wolves were immediately behind them and Eveneye used their momentum against them, slashing at the first with his claws while sidestepping the other. His blow met the wolf under the chin, stunning it. The second wolf that he had sidestepped tried to stop itself, but could not until it had just passed Eveneye. He lined the wolf up and back kicked, sending it into the blaze. The stench of burning flesh and hair now permeated Eveneye’s consciousness and sent adrenaline coursing through his veins. The wolf Eveneye had slashed came back at him and he was ready, swiping at it and knocking it into the fire as well.
Four down, now six to go. Eveneye returned to his four paws and roared at the pack. They had grown wary of the fire and were no longer flinging themselves at him. It was now Eveneye’s turn to go on the offensive. He flung himself upon the pack with reckless abandon. He took his claw and uppercut the first wolf under the jaw, lifting it into the air. With his other arm, he slapped another wolf to the ground. Stepping on its head with his hindquarters, he crushed its skull. Another wolf dove at him and he swung the wolf, impaled on his claw, down at it. The wolves came crashing together and rolled to the side, stunned and wounded. Eveneye used the small diversion and quickly darted at another wolf catching its hind leg in his teeth. He crunched down and broke the wolf’s leg. He released it and the wolf fell to its side. Eveneye then clamped his jaw to its neck and ended the wolf’s life. There were now four wolves left. The two Eveneye had knocked to the side were now back on their feet, although one had been severely wounded under the jaw.
The wolves were afraid of Eveneye now and circled him, looking for a weakness. Eveneye had an idea of how to bait them in, though it would take all of his strength. He rose up on his hind legs and roared toward the ceiling of the arena. The wolves took the bait and launched themselves
at him as he looked toward the sky. Immediately, he felt the searing pain of fangs in his flesh. All four wolves were upon him, hanging from his body. The weight was immense and it took all his strength to remain upright. Slowly, he gained his balance and took a step toward the fire, then he took another step and another. The crowd stared in awe as Eveneye, carrying four immense wolves, took one final step toward the fire and then fell backward upon it. The two wolves on his back were crushed between Eveneye and the burning wood. They relinquished their hold and as soon as they did, Eveneye rolled. He then pushed himself up and off of both the wolves that were on his stomach, crushing them against the fire as well. Eveneye was off of the blaze but the fur on his legs was on fire. He rolled on the arena floor and smothered it. The wolves were dead, but Eveneye had suffered severe burns on his legs.
He limped over to the johnball and picked it up in his mouth. The crowd began to cheer. They routed Eveneye onward as he limped, with the ball in his mouth, all the way to his goal. Once Eveneye had crossed the opponent’s territory line, he dropped the johnball and called out to Irontooth.
“Irontooth! Tell my Kingdom to cheer louder! For my victory is their own!”
Irontooth stood from his chair and turned his back on the arena.
“It is time that I end this,” he uttered through clenched teeth. Irontooth began to leave his box but stopped short and stared at Goldenheart and Whiteclaw. Then he turned to one of his guards.
“When I have taken the life of that traitor, kill those two.”
“Yes, sire,” answered the guard.
The crowd continued to cheer Eveneye and as he stood on the floor of the arena, he felt his strength waning. I shall not fail, thought Eveneye. Just one last challenge.
The horns sounded and the gate opened again. This time, Irontooth himself walked into the arena. The crowd quieted instantly, as if suddenly aware that their cheers for Eveneye had also been cheers against their King. Irontooth was bigger than Eveneye and as he walked toward the wounded bear, it was evident that rage was also on his side.
Eveneye closed his eyes and pictured his wife. He loved her more than anything in the world. He would not let her life continue without him, having to bare his disgrace. He would not leave her with that burden. He thought of her being shunned from the Kingdom and a fire rose in his belly. He gritted his teeth, furrowed his brow and opened his eyes. Irontooth stood directly in front of him and unleashed his wrath.
Irontooth swung and caught Eveneye on the side of the head with his paw, knocking him to the ground. He followed with another blow to Eveneye’s ribs and then stepped on one of his burned legs. The pain was unbearable and Eveneye cried out. He rolled away from Irontooth, narrowly missing another blow to the head. Irontooth, however, would not let him escape. He pounced on Eveneye, pinning him on his back. Blow after blow came to Eveneye’s head. His wounds had weakened him. Eveneye’s vision began to blur as blood dripped into his eyes. Irontooth had control. Eveneye was going to die. He could hear Goldenheart cry out from far above as he drifted away.
Eveneye’s mind drifted far above the scene of his wife, walking through the roads of the kingdom. Bears, along the sides of the road, were assaulting her with slurs and pelting her with rotting food. Whiteclaw wasn’t far behind her, being taunted by children and stabbed at with spears. They were being banished from the mountain. Far from the light of the Everflame, far from their home. Storm clouds formed in the sky and lightning flashed in the distance. At the top of Gray Mountain, the Everflame burned and upon its pyre, laid the dead body of a small boy.
“No,” grunted Eveneye. He opened his eyes to see Irontooth on top of him, afire with vengeance.
“What did you say, you maggot?”
“I said, no.”
Eveneye swung both of his arms up at Irontooth, sinking both sets of claws into his throat. He brought his hind legs up under Irontooth and pushed him off, rolling him over. Eveneye kept his claws in Irontooth’s throat, rolling with him and ending up on top of him. Eveneye bent his head down to Irontooth’s ear.
“Tell whatever it is that waits on the other side of death that my life has only just begun.”
And with those words, Eveneye tore Irontooth’s throat out. He had claimed the Kingdom. He stood and unleashed a primal roar as his Kingdom chanted his name.
Rumors
Eveneye had never forgotten those words.
Why have you done this to yourself, Eveneye?
They haunted him. Irontooth’s image haunted him. The sculpture of Irontooth, standing right outside of his courtroom, haunted him. It had been fifteen years since he had killed Irontooth, but those words stayed as fresh as if they had just been spoken.
Why had he done it? Back then he had been so sure of his convictions; so sure that his motives were just. But from time to time, he doubted himself and his decisions. He had taken another bear’s life. It had not been in self-defense. Yes, it had been legal, but was it necessary, was it just? He had disagreed with Irontooth and had been backed into a corner. It was Irontooth or the boy. But was it?
Even the bears of the kingdom had these questions. No one brought them to Eveneye, now that he was King. But Eveneye was no fool and he had heard the rumors. No one was displeased with how Eveneye ruled over the Kingdom, but some questioned his motives. Many more questioned his plan for the boy. An ambassador of peace, was it madness? Was he forcing a horrible fate onto the boy? Was he forcing a horrible fate onto his Kingdom?
The bears had accepted the boy or at least the majority had, and as King, Eveneye was able to provide him with everything a child could need. But the boy was grown now, and his fate was almost upon him. A fate Eveneye had sentenced him to when he had killed Irontooth. Eveneye felt that the boy was still too young, but the questions had already begun. When? His advisors had asked him on different occasions. When would Eveneye’s plan for peace begin? When would the boy be ready? The truth was that Eveneye didn’t know, and he was afraid that the kingdom might force his decision before he had made up his own mind.
Eveneye thought back to those first few years after the ritual. They had been some of the happiest in his life. He and Goldenheart, playing with the boy and enjoying the leisure of being royalty. It had all seemed like such a dream. Lately, however, it seemed like sand falling through an hourglass. He could even pinpoint the exact event that had shattered his perfect little dream world, because it had broken his heart.
Papa, why am I different?
Even now, when he remembered it, his chest would tighten a little bit. What had he done? What horrible fate had he damned this boy to? That boy’s entire world was the bears. Yet, if he stayed in the kingdom, he would grow to be an incomplete man, never knowing the love of a woman or the miracle of seeing his own children. He would never completely fit. Yet, if he left this Kingdom for the world of man, he would be a man with no past and no one to help him. Would he even fit in man’s society, having been raised by bears? His only hope rested on Eveneye’s plan for peace. Eveneye had put this boy’s only hope in a society that was both bear and man, and it scared him to pieces.
Eveneye sat next to Evercloud in the castle tower, looking out over the kingdom with the Everflame burning directly behind them. Both father and son would come up to the top of the tower to meditate or speak to each other, if they should please. It was something they had been doing together for a while now. Evening was upon them and the sky was shades of pink and violet, its hues becoming cooler as time passed. Eveneye had had enough of his own thoughts and decided he’d like to hear of his son’s day. He looked over at the young man, his long matted hair hanging around his bare shoulders. Evercloud wore leather pants and shoes but the bears hadn’t seen the use for anything else during warm weather.
“Evercloud, what is it that happened today that made you ask about your name earlier?”
“Oh, nothing much. Riverpaw and I were having a discussion about names earlier, and I realized that I didn’t know how I had received mine. I th
ink that I had always assumed that it was because my skin is pale compared to a bear’s fur, like the clouds are paler than the sky. But after Wintersun said it was because I had clouds for brains, Riverpaw and I began thinking on it.”
“Why would Wintersun say that of you?”
“Only because I had told him that his true name was Fishface.”
“And why would you do that?”
“Because he had said that Riverpaw played johnball like a female. Which was only Wintersun being sore, as Riverpaw and I had just won a match against he and Redcoat.”
Eveneye chuckled heartily.
“I’m glad to see you getting on so well with your friends.”
Evercloud smiled and climbed to his feet.
“Father, I’ve been meaning to ask if you and Uncle Whiteclaw might teach Riverpaw and I to night fish sometime? We are both very eager to learn.”
“So it would seem,” said Whiteclaw as he entered the room. “Riverpaw just asked me an hour ago. I told him yes, on the condition that the two of you continue to achieve high marks in your studies.”
“Of course, uncle. Thank you.”
“All right, now run and tell your mother that the King is needed for an emergency meeting and it might take a while.”
“Yes, uncle.” Evercloud said his goodbyes and then left the room.
“Emergency meeting?” asked Eveneye.
“Yes, I have the rest of the advisors assembled. We shouldn’t waste time.”
Eveneye rose to his feet and followed Whiteclaw down the tower steps. He knew what this meeting would be about. Eveneye had been expecting this for some time. His advisors were going to demand action on the plan for peace, or at least a timetable. Eveneye didn’t want to think about it. So, as he and Whiteclaw made their way to the advising room, he figured that he would lighten the mood with talk of their sons. Whiteclaw had married soon after the ritual, and he and his wife, Autumnbreeze, had given birth to Riverpaw not long after.
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