Avandor's Gift

I sat for a long time looking at Gareth and him looking back at me. The gods warred over our existence plunging all of creation into a fight for dominance.

We were sitting on the balcony overlooking the ocean. The city was quiet except for the soft crush of waves against the rocky shore.

“I wonder what Babu would have to say about you.” I said breaking the silence.

“Babu?”

“Our grandmother.” I said looking out at sea.

“Probably the same thing everyone else does.”

“I doubt that, she was highly unpredictable. She probably would have doted on you as she did Curly. He was her favourite, he could do nothing wrong on the other hand she wouldn’t let me get away with the simplest things.”

“Maybe because she held you at a higher standard than him. You after all were destined to be king.”

“Some king I turned out to be.”

“A celebrated warrior, ruler of this continent and one across the sea, liked, respected and feared by most of his subjects; she would find you an utter disappointment.”

I let out a sharp laugh. “I feel so insulted, thank you.” He shrugged. “Do you ever wonder what would have had happened if our fates were reversed or if we were allowed to live together from birth?”

“Sometimes, but it is useless to dream or speculate. Things are what they are now and we cannot undo what was done years ago. Our parents should have stuck to tradition and killed me after I was born. More people would have been alive now.”

“Or more dead, you saved the lives of many people when you were in the Nuwanhe, many of their battles would have been lost if you hadn’t taken my place.”

“I sometimes see them you know,” he said softly. “All the people I killed or had killed to get there. It never bothered me then, but now it’s hard to sleep without me seeing them.”

“Sounds like you grew a conscience.” I said.

“How unfortunate.” I had no response to that as I just continued to stare out at sea.

“Well hell,” I said.

“What is it?” he said turning to me.

“Out there,” I pointed. “Do you see that light that is blinking on and off?”

“Yes what of it? Could be a fisherman coming in late.”

“Or a host of heaven has again touched down on earth.”

A cacophony of sound erupted throughout the city as all the animals seemed to be reacting to the presence out there. Hundreds of lamps flicked on as the humans woke to quiet the screaming creatures.

“What is happening out there?” said Gareth.

“Come let’s find out.”

“At this hour?” he said raising an eyebrow.

“It isn’t like you were going to sleep.”

“True,” he conceded and followed me out the door.

Greyshanks, I said reaching out to her.

Evander what is happening? Blood sings in my veins and my paws thrum with happiness I cannot control. She sounded both elated and terrified.

We don’t know yet. Bring Silver-paw and meet us at the front of the castle.

We come. She then withdrew from my mind. The intensity of her feelings and emotions where strong enough to start influencing my own. Without her presence I felt a sudden emptiness engulfing me.

We mounted the bloodwolves and headed towards the ocean.

“Considering the gods want us dead, is it really a good idea to be racing towards one?” he asked.

“Only one wants us dead and I don’t think whoever is waiting for us out there is Mr Blood and Thunder.”

“You just blasphemed, that doesn’t help our case from what I hear.” He said sounding amused.

“And our people don’t deserve to be killed, because of who our parents were.”

There were a few people mulling along the streets and our sudden passage left them a bit stunned. We slowed down as the descent to the shore was steep and the wolves had to choose the safest paths.

Stay here. I said to Greyshanks as I dismounted. She obeyed but only just. The feeling of euphoria that had swept her mind earlier had grown stronger.

Gareth came to stand beside me. “Seems like we aren’t the only ones drawn here.” He said as a goat pranced past him and went to stand with the hundreds of other creature that had come down from the hills.

The light from the sea grew brighter as the being came closer. It glided unto the shore and all the animals grew still in its presence.

Before us stood the form of a man, tall and lithe and bathed in so much light it hurt my eyes when I tried looking at him.

“What do the gods want from us? Haven’t you all taken enough already?” I asked as I shielded my eyes from the excessive light.

“I am not here to take but to give.” It replied in a voice which was clearly masculine yet it was gentle enough to still a roaring sea.

“What do you have to give us? A quick death?” asked Gareth.

“I offer you another option. A new life if you will take it.” He said still calm.

“What kind of a life and at what cost? That is one thing I that your kind has taught us and that is there is always a cost.” said Gareth.

“My price is that you would have to change.” He said.

“What exactly are you offering?” I asked.

“Through you both I will build a new race.”

“A new race? How could we change into a new race?”

“Because I willed it.”

“That still doesn’t fix all that is happening here.”

“It doesn’t, that you will have to fix yourselves. I am giving you the chance to live long enough to do so. If you were to become my people Manneth dares not lift a hand against you.”

“But why would you help us?” asked Gareth.

“Because he asked.”

“When? I haven’t prayed in ages.” I said.

“Yes you did.” said Gareth. I frowned as I looked at him. “Earlier today you said ’Avandor help us. Help me.”

“That was barely a whisper.” I said looking at the god again with renewed interest. So often I had used his name, mostly by swearing or oath taking and I quailed slightly knowing he heard me each and every time.

“Still I heard and I came. My brothers and sister delight in creating as well as destroying. I am fond of all living creatures whether or not they were my creations. So when anyone calls to me for help I feel obliged to answer.”

“This all seems too good to be true.” said Gareth in my ears.

“But at least he has told us his price up front.” I reasoned.

“He said he wants to change us into another race. Suppose he chooses to make us into a nala. I for one would prefer being a dead man that a rutting nala.”

“You already act like a rutting nala. How would that be any different?” I said.

“I look better and people don’t try to eat me, but that is beside the point. This sounds risky.”

“We don’t have many options.”

“And though I have an eternity at my disposal, I still have little time to waste. The day of your claiming draws nigh and when it does I will no longer be able to help.”

“When is that to be?” I asked.

“When the armies of the deer and wolf clash.”

“That is in less than a week. What do I have to do?” I asked.

“Evander you cannot be serious?”

“We are doing this. It’s the only way.” I then turned back to the deity. “What do we have to do?”

“You said that you wanted to create a new race, I am sure you do not wish the line ending with us as we are both male.” interrupted Gareth.

“That can be adjusted. The partner you choose will become like you.”

“And if the one I choose is dead?”

“Have you learned nothing from this ordeal? Let the dead remain dead else there will be more trouble on the land.”

“As I thought” said Gareth in a tone which for the first time sounded absolutely defeated.

“Don’t despair about the one you have lost, as she has taught you how to open your heart to love. Loneliness is a choice, but then there are other choices if you are open to them.”

“What about Tet?”

“Magic has claimed her and I cannot free her from that spell, only you can Evander. But with my gift you will find the strength to be able to do so.” That was much more than I could ask or even hope for as right now I felt completely powerless. I looked at Gareth and he had nodded once. “We accept your gift so what do we do?”

“Close your eyes and listen.” He said.

With a furtive glance I looked over at Gareth and then followed his instructions.

The sound of the waves crashing against the beach bathed my mind with its soothing sounds. The smell of the ocean mixed into the cool air made me feel more relaxed and I felt the tension slipping from my limbs with each breath. For a long time there was silence but then the sound of his voice punctuated the air with its soft cadence. He sang a song of making and my mind followed his words seeing them come to life behind my lids.

The ocean disappeared and I was now standing in a forest with trees as old as time. I could smell the fresh scent of pine needles mixed in with early spring blossoms. I heard the sound of laughter bubbling over a stream nearby and the light patter of footsteps moving lightly and gracefully to the gay tunes of a reed whistle.

I saw houses made from trees and a feast of no meat, just platters of fruit before us. There was movement in the bush behind me. I turned to meet the curious eyes of a gazelle. The creature didn’t run but it walked up to meet me touching its wet nose to my face before sprinting off. It wanted me to follow and I did. Running alongside it until the forest melted into a vast savannah.

The sun was warm on my skin and the sky was a clear blue. Circling overhead were creatures looking very much like Gildarren, but each had scales from all colours of the rainbow. They flew away shooting jets of fire in the air and then disappeared over the horizon.

The gazelle touched me once more and then raised its nose pointing to a nearby lake. I walked over to it and stooped at it edge. I saw my reflection and though I looked fairly the same, I was different. My ears were pointed at the tips and I had a more feline tilt to the eyes. Something sharp bored into the sides of my mouth and I bared my teeth. I jumped back startled as I had fangs where my canines were.

I moved back towards the lake and looked into the water, the reflection was gone and I looked the way I did before.

“It is done.” He said and I felt a light touch on my shoulder. “You are now my children, you’ve been granted gifts to end a war started in the heavens, only then you will receive what you desire most.” The sound of the waves again filled my ears. When I opened my eyes he was gone. The beach was empty except for Gareth and the two blood wolves that waited for us.

“Did you see your reflection?” I asked him.

“Yes,” he said.

“And?”

“If I ever see you praying or even whispering the name of a god, forget Manneth, I just might kill you myself.” said Gareth. “Fangs of all the things, fangs!” he declared as he rode off.

You smell different. said Greyshanks. You smell like you, but different.

“I am different.” I said. “I’ll explain.” I said as we rode to catch up with Gareth.