Alphande'

“Four days, that is how long this race usually lasts, but you need to be back in Gé Addar in four days.” said Tet.

“What is it that you suggest?” I said as I stared at the strange map of Envladane that she had lying open in front of us. I had only ever seen the western peninsula of Envladane on the maps we had home. This one showed Envladane right to its most eastern shore. So great was the land mass that it doubled the size of Gé Addar, Sebán, Rá Leat and Leár put together. Every so often a new city would suddenly appear in a dot of light and then disappear on the map as its name was scratched out and rewritten elsewhere. Talithá was the by far the largest star and the only one that stood constant. It, Morirgates, Rhoenna and EnkÐáfheetra which were represented by black dots.

After last night at the library of Ta él she had brought me to her keep here in Talithá. It was larger than most of the houses surrounding it as it would appear her family was more affluent than the others. How they measured their wealth in these parts I didn’t know. From what I saw there was no buying nor selling here. Each changeling family had a role to play and whatever the other needed it was given freely.

“It is hard to suggest anything as I do not know myself what to expect.” She said as her brows furrowed creasing her almost too perfect skin. She looked outside wide windows of clear glass. The soft rays of Anolis and Petrolis were reflected dimly from the snow covered firs of the forest.

“What is the race usually like?” I asked.

“Well there are only ever two constants in this race.” she said looking to me. “One is that it begins here and that each person is led through a portal, where it will take them is not known. And the second is that there is one winner who makes it to Llyn Morir and becomes the Grey Mage. The other three contestants never return.”

“So if I don’t win I will die?” I asked shocked. “This information would have been nice to know from the beginning.”

“It wouldn’t have made a difference. The wolf would have still chosen you and like before you would not have refused. Besides, I don’t think the others die really but transformed into something else.”

“Transformed, really sister after all these years you refuse to give up on that notion. I personally believe that they are all dead.” said Tetje. “Probably killed themselves after knowing they had made it thus far only to fail. The shame of defeat must have been too much to deal with especially under the watchful eyes of all our kind.” he said joining us at the table. Tet only looked at him annoyed for a moment then turned back to the map.

“Are you generally this delightful or does my presence bring out the best in you?” I asked again as I folded my fingers together and placed them on my lap as I leaned back in the chair. The movement was quite graceful and smooth and I was beginning to think that the wolf gifted me more than just my eyesight.

“No it isn’t you chuman, I am generally this enchanting.” he said as twined his dark main into a thick rope and flung it around his shoulders as if it were a shawl. He then peered down on the map. “I see Manaus has moved more north today. I wonder why the sudden shift in population?”

“There is always a shift in population.” said Tet sounding slightly annoyed.

“Yes, but not to the north. I certainly would have moved closer to Talithá to get the most of the upcoming games.” he said as the new city’s name was suddenly scratched unto the chart.

“That’s it!” said Tet suddenly catching both me and Tetje off guard. She then turned to Tetje and held his face in her hand and kissed him on the cheek. “You are absolutely brilliant brother!”

“Well thank you.” he said composing himself as he was clearly caught off guard by his sisters burst of excitement. “But how exactly did I show my virtuosity this time?”

“You told me where the portal would lead.” she said.

“Yes continue.” he said obviously puzzled.

“Think about it Tetje, every time the Great Race is to start there was always a major population shift right before. In the year of Erthur, Toriah moved south. Huma moved west in the year of Jeezra.”

“And Filia moved east in Malan’s year. There is a pattern.” he said suddenly catching on.

“South, west, east, north. South, west, east, north. This year it is the time of the north!” she said obviously delighted.

“But what does that all mean?” I asked still not fully understanding what was going on.

She turned to me her eyes ablaze with excitement. “It means that the portal will be taking you to Manaus or at least where Manaus was. Which is here.” she said pointing to an empty spot on the map at least twenty leagues south of where the new name had suddenly appeared.

“But what is so special about this place that the portal should take me there?” I said looking at both her and Tetje.

“Well that area has many snow bears, wolves and great apes.” she started.

“No that is not it.” said Tetje still studying the map. “The path from Manaus to Llyn Morir is guttered by steep cliffs and mountain passes too high and cold to climb by foot or without magic, except for the one path that leads through EnkÐáfheetra the Ulgana city. Most of the Ulgana are in Gé Addar but I doubt they left their city unattended. There will be more than enough warriors to guard their homes. There is no way around the city, you will have to go straight through it.” he said looking up at me finally.

I could see that Tet agreed fully with what he said as she was uncharacteristically quiet.

“At least I know what to expect which is a better position than I was in earlier.” I said breaking the silence.

“You may know, but I am not sure how that will help you any. Well I am beginning to thank the stars a little more each passing hour that I was not selected in this draw. Scholar and wonder I might be, but definitely not a warrior.” said Tetje with an amused look on his face. “This is shaping out to be quite the race to remember.”

“And you best not spoil it. None of the others are to come to know of this.” snapped Tet suddenly.

“Dearest sister if word of where the portal is taking them were to get out, it would certainly not be from me. Ballahad and Vykros I pity as they are clearly not made for this challenge. Ashbeth has a fighting chance but we are hardly friends. I have always found him to be a bit too self-absorbed.” I raised an eyebrow and shook my head at this but said nothing more. “I wouldn’t spoil the fun of their ignorance. The fact that the chuman knows is already a dampener.” he said rearranging his hair again so that it fell equally over both his shoulders.

“Do you have other maps?” I asked Tet.

“Yes, why?” she said turning from Tetje.

“I want to study the path from Manaus to Llyn Morir so that I don’t lose my way. I may know where the portal brings us, but everyone else knows the land better than I do so I must prepare myself.”

“There is hardly any need to do that. There is only one clear path to EnkÐáfheetra, every other lane leads up a hill. And if you do make it past EnkÐáfheetra alive, the glow from the lake will act as beacon lighting the rest of the way.” said Tetje.

“This is true. Maps will not help you,” said Tet whose thoughts seemed to be more in sync with those of her brother today. I wondered if it was always like this with them for as they looked at each other they seemed to be two halves of a whole. Curly and I were close, but had nothing like this, maybe if he had grown older we would have come to share that bond. Then there was Gareth my twin, if we had grown up together, maybe—no not ever. I refused to think that we could share anything but blood and even that was painful to admit.

“It is not the path wish I to outline. I will be in a strange land for at least four days it would be helpful to know where I will get shelter and how EnkÐáfheetra is laid out so I can cross it without detection.”

“Very well.” she said getting up and disappeared into the next room. She soon returned with at least four roles of parchment in her hands which she dropped in front of me. “Have fun.” she said dusting her hands off.

“You are not staying?” I asked raising an eyebrow.

“Staying indoors is not our nature, even more so with the race starting soon, the town will be filled with much to see and do.” said Tetje getting up fluidly from around the table. “Have fun with the maps.” he said and then he and Tet disappeared through the door running as if they were children at play. Strange people these changelings were. Their moods and behaviours were on such a wide spectrum it was hard to tell what they were going to do or say next. It was both disconcerting and intriguing.

I looked over the drawings until the different landforms were sketched permanently in my head. It was late afternoon and neither Tet nor Tetje had returned from town. They were probably enjoying every bit of intrigue that the race brought their kind no doubt. I rolled the maps and left them on the table. I gathered some dried fruits in a fist and went outside popping them into my mouth as I walked.

It was snowing, but even in these light clothes I didn’t feel the cold. I was being protected from the elements by the magic of this place. I found a spot clear of trees and where the sky lay unobstructed before my eyes. There was no wind here and the forest was quiet. I was about to fall asleep when a looming figure suddenly appeared over me.

“It seems I am not the only one who enjoys the silence.” I stood quickly so that I could face the stranger who had come my way. “Do not worry chuman I mean you know harm.” He was shorter than me and his form though slight was steady and sure. His features were softer than most of the other changelings I had seen so far giving him a childlike and beautifully pure quality. His pale gold hair was twisted into fine braids with twirls of gold and silver clasps that prevented them from unravelling. His eyes were as black as midnight and they stood out as they were a stark contrast against his pale skin. He sat down comfortably leaning on one side, his pale blue tunic splayed all around him.

“I am sorry, who are you?” I said as I loomed over him.

“Your friend as well as your rival. If you sit with me for a while I will explain myself further.” he said as he used his finger to draw circles in the snow. I obliged and then waited for him to speak further. “Even at this very moment our people are singing in the town so that the world spins faster and tomorrow comes sooner. How eager they are for this race to begin so their curiosity can be satisfied.”

“Is that allowed?” I asked.

“When it comes to this race almost everything is. Time twisting does not change the outcome of a day it simply speeds it up.” he said as he continued to draw strange circles in the ground being crossed by lines dividing it at different places it was almost like a puzzle, one that I had the strangest and most overwhelming desire to solve.

“You still have not answered my question. Who are you?” I asked as my eyes still followed his finger.

“I am Ballahad of Geshra, chosen of the helksinc. And you Evander of Calabar are under my enchantment. You will do all you can to ensure that I win the Great Race starting tomorrow.”

“Why would I do that?” I asked as I still followed his finger as it made the strange puzzle.

“Because you must and you will.” he said making a final jab in the snow and the puzzle lifted from the snow and into the air in a green glow before it dimmed and disappeared. Finally I saw the answer in the maze. I must help Ballahad to win. It was the only thing that made sense. “You will tell no one of our meeting as you have forgotten that we have met.”

“Yes,” I answered as I had the greatest compulsion to do whatever he asked without question.

“Very good.” he said giving me the most beatific smile that warmed my heart to his innocence. I knew that I was upset with him but I didn’t know why. I couldn’t care less. “Sleep now, the race will start soon.” I immediately felt drowsy and I willingly lost myself in the stupor of sleep.

“Evander get up.” said Tet and I felt some one nudge me in the side. I woke with a jolt and I found that it was already night and both she and Tetje were there looking at me.

“There is nothing wrong with the beds we have inside and it would hardly look proper if someone else came and saw you sleeping here.” said Tetje.

“I didn’t mean to offend.” I said. “I came out here to relax and I fell asleep that is all.” I brushed the snow from of my back. “I see you two are only now getting back. There must have been much going on to hold your attention that long.”

“We were only singing to tomorrow, which is today actually. Let us get inside.” she said.

For some reason that statement didn’t seem odd. It was like I heard it somewhere else, but I couldn’t tell from where or by whom. Tetje seemed to notice my agitation as he watched me strangely.

“What fish is tugging on your line chuman?” he asked.

“It is nothing.” I think. “Let us go inside.”