Series: Trials

Trials, Part Seven

Like a ballista shot, the troll jammed his spear up and through the elf. Keelath’s body jerked, head snapping forward and then back from the impact, his fierce snarl turning to an expression of surprise.

This time, Keelath remained silent on the trip home, not even commenting when Evelos’ horse took a spook and ended up in the ditch alongside the road, except to calmly point out a low spot it could climb out from again. At first it felt odd, very odd, to Evelos, but he relaxed into it. It was if a tiny barrier had indeed come down between the two of them, and Keelath had stepped back to let Evelos find his own way. Continue reading “Trials, Part Seven”

Trials, Part Six

Evelos squinted at his father. Was he even real? Or had Evelos just fallen into another part of the Trial?

The red-haired magister had left him again. Evelos realized a few moments later that he couldn’t see because he had closed his eyes, but he didn’t remember doing so. Still, he opened them again, and found he was lying in a bed chamber. The furniture was simple but elegant, like one would put in a guest room or an infirmary. He sat up. His father was sitting on a chair beside him, bent over with his fingers laced together as his hands dangled between his legs. He looked up hopefully as Evelos stirred. Continue reading “Trials, Part Six”

Trials, Part Five

“I’m not making this up,” the magister continued, her voice seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere. “This is all you. Your own dreams and fears given form.”

The doorway opened onto a hall. Numerous other rooms and doors led off of it, but these were as deserted as the hall itself. Mostly. Continue reading “Trials, Part Five”

Trials, Part Four

Dutifully, Evelos went to stand beside the weapon racks, waiting for one of the magisters to appear and tell him what he was supposed to do.

Nothing exciting happened the next day, unless one counted the fact he was finally here, taking part in an age-old tradition. His father had bid him goodbye and given him a hug, and now Evelos stood waiting his turn as the presiding magisters looked over their lists of names and sorted the waiting youths into different groups, presumably to take different Trials. Continue reading “Trials, Part Four”