Dilmir expected\nto feel a searing pain across his chest as the blade struck him, but it did not\ncome. In fact, he felt nothing at all. He was whirling uncontrollably in an\ninfinite blackness, devoid of space or sound. And then, just as suddenly as it\nhad happened, the blackness was gone, and Dilmir was back outside the gates of\nEld\u2019rin. The only difference was that he was now behind Alfimir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Confused, not\nsure what had just happened, Dilmir turned around as Alfimir\u2019s cry of dismay\nreached him. The sword that would have surely slain him had it struck, imbedded\nitself in the ground a distance away, but Alfimir seemed not to see it. He was staring,\nunbelieving, at the place where Dilmir had vanished, not yet aware that he was\nbehind him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin skidded to\na halt behind Dilmir, her sword already out, looking just as confused as he\nwas. \u201cDilmir,\u201d she breathed, \u201chow\u2026?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir quickly\nrealized what had happened. When Alfimir had attacked him, he had somehow been\nmoved out of the way. Alfimir and Ilrin would have seen him teleport himself,\nbut Dilmir knew that it was someone else who had done so. Such a skill was far\nbeyond any elven mage, let alone his own talent. Who might have done such a\nthing, or why they had saved his life, however, Dilmir could not say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfimir whirled\naround as Ilrin spoke Dilmir\u2019s name, his eyes locking immediately onto him. He\ndidn\u2019t hesitate a second, but conjured a ball of flame from midair and flung it\nat him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir reacted\nwithout thinking. Barely conscious of what he was doing, he flung himself into\nthe stream of magic in his mind, allowing it to flow through him, and then sent\nit outward in one massive surge of energy. At the last moment, he held a small\nportion back, aware that Ilrin was standing right next to him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the invisible\nwall of force spread outward from Dilmir, far more powerful than it would have\nbeen had any other elf cast it, it collided with Alfimir\u2019s flame. The fire\nseemed to unfurl against it, first flattening, and then flickering out of\nexistence as it was pushed easily out of the way. The next instant, the wall struck\nAlfimir, knocking him into the air and flinging him to the ground several feet\naway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir was too\nstunned by what he had done to move. He was only vaguely aware of Ilrin darting\nforward and laying her sword tip against Alfimir\u2019s throat, preventing him from\nrising. Dilmir frowned at her. There was something very wrong with the scene. Then,\nwith a surge of fear, he realized what it was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfimir was an\narchmage. Ilrin may be skilled, but she was no match for his powers. He could\neasily blast her into the air at any moment. However, he did not. He simply lay\non the ground, looking up at Ilrin with a curious expression on his face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir wanted to\nwarn Ilrin, to yell for her to run, but his voice seemed to be gone. His mind\nwas numb, mutely accepting all that reached it, considering nothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At that moment,\nthe sound of running announced the presence of two elves. They ran out through\nthe gate, but came to an abrupt halt at the sight before them. They might as\nwell have been sparrows, however, for all the notice Ilrin took of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her sword still\nheld menacingly against Alfimir, her eyes burning, she said, her voice\nquavering somewhat, \u201cWhat have you done, Ael?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alfimir looked\npleasantly up at her. She might have asked him to dinner for all his face\nconveyed. Ignoring her, he then shifted his gaze to Dilmir, though he still\nspoke to Ilrin. \u201cI have done nothing, yet,\u201d he said, his voice as smooth as an\noiled blade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
His voice pulled\nDilmir from his confusion. Thrusting his tangled thoughts aside, he focused on\nAlfimir. \u201cWhy have you done this, Ael?\u201d he asked. To attack another elf, save\nin self defense, was the worst of crimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou may not\nknow all my reasons yet, Dilmir,\u201d said Alfimir smoothly, \u201cbut they will soon\nbecome apparent to you. I act only for the good of my people, and you are far\ntoo powerful to remain with them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir blanched,\nthough he tried to keep his face blank. Was his magic so obvious then? Behind\nhim, the two elves that had rushed out of the city drew their own blades and\nadvanced on Alfimir, even as Ilrin drew back, slowly. Alfimir did not resist,\nbut followed the two elves calmly as they raised him up and led him back into\nthe city, where he would await the punishment of the council. As Dilmir watched\nhim go, he was sure he saw him smile before he was led out of sight. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dilmir expected to feel a searing pain across his chest as the blade struck him, but it did not come. In fact, he felt nothing at all. He was whirling uncontrollably in an infinite blackness, devoid of space or sound. And then, just as suddenly as it had happened, the blackness was gone, and Dilmir … Continue reading Chapter Six – The Reasoning of an Archmage<\/span>