The only thing\nthat was different during the day was that Ilrin seemed very preoccupied with\nsomething. Twice, Dilmir was sure the spell that Iliadin aimed at her would\nstrike, but she always managed to block it in time. He, too, managed to block\nthe spells Elmir flung at him, though not quite as gracefully. Power leaked\nfrom him like from a punctured water skin. He could barely keep it from\naffecting his every spell. As it was, whenever he blocked a spell, an enormous\namount of magic surged through him, dying his shield green and showing just how\nlarge it was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After yet\nanother awkward pause as Dilmir\u2019s gigantic shield of energy faded from sight,\nElmir cleared his throat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDilmir,\u201d he\nsaid, \u201cI can understand how you could cast such a large shield. You are simply\nusing too much magic. What I do not understand, is how you can do so twenty\ntimes in a row.\u201d He cocked a thick eyebrow at Dilmir expectantly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir remained\nlooking at the place where his shield had disappeared. \u201cNeither do I, Ael,\u201d he\nsaid, looking down. He decided that ignorance would be the best course to take.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fact was, he\nhad an excellent idea what was going on. For seven years, he had managed to\nkeep his power in check, and use only miniscule amounts of his magic when he\nneeded too. At least, until two nights ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had reacted\nto Cyprien so fast that he had simply used all of his magic, not bothering to\nlimit it to what any normal elf his age would be capable of. That was the first\ntime he had used his full power since that night when the wolves attacked.\nSomehow, he seemed to have opened an invisible spring of magic within himself\nwith that action, and now it was all he could do to keep his power in check. If\nthis continued much longer, he would have to do something soon, though what, he\nknew not. Elmir had hinted that he would be using combative spells soon, and he\nhated to think what would happen if one of those had too much magic in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elmir,\napparently not sure what else to do, forced his features into a blank mask and\nsaid, \u201cContinue then.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir readied\nhimself, being careful to use as little magic as he possibly could. He still\ncouldn\u2019t control it all, though, with the result that his shield shattered\nElmir\u2019s spell rather than simply absorbing it. Fragments of the spell whizzed\nthroughout the training field, narrowly missing several elves. Dilmir grimaced.\nThis was what he had been afraid of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
From shields\nDilmir moved on to counter spells. Counter spells, as it turned out, required\nan enormous amount of concentration, as he first had to deduce what exactly\nElmir had fired at him, and then had to quickly develop a spell that would\nneutralize it. It was a complicated process, and Dilmir\u2019s counterspells rarely\ndid as they were supposed to, though they were always overpowered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elmir remained\nsilent on Dilmir\u2019s obvious abundance of magic for the rest of the morning.\nAfter a particularly dramatic incident when Dilmir\u2019s counterspell somehow\ncaused Elmir\u2019s spell to burst into purple flames, all he said was, \u201cFocus\nharder.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time the\nsun had reached its zenith, Dilmir was hot, tired, and getting irritable that\nhe couldn\u2019t control his magic. He left the field quickly when Elmir dismissed\nhim, forgetting the usual farewell and hastening to the gates before the other\nelves reached it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin caught up with\nhim soon afterwards, but, sensing that he was in a foul mood, remained silent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately,\nDilmir\u2019s mood improved over lunch. With the morning behind him, all he had to\nlook forward to now was the afternoon with Ilrin, and despite the tiring nature\nof the training, it was more fun by far than the magical training. His spirits\nwere reasonably high as he waved goodbye to his aunt and set off through\nEld\u2019rin towards the sparring field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the field\ncame into sight, however, a few duelists already practicing upon it, Dilmir\nstopped dead. Standing near the edge, as if they were waiting for him, stood\nfour elves, all clad in black leather. One of them turned and saw Dilmir, but\nmade no other move. He nudged his companions, and one by one, they turned to look\nat him as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Dilmir looked\nbeyond them, he saw more Dark Elves standing about the sparring field, watching\nthe duels. Two of them were even walking amongst the duelists, pausing to watch\ndifferent pairs as they did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was perhaps a\ngood thing Ilrin arrived at that point, for Dilmir had only ever seen the Dark\nElves in these numbers once before, and that was years ago. She, too, faltered\nat the sight that met her, but Dilmir caught sight of their trainer beckoning\nto them, and led the way towards him, being careful to stay between the Dark\nElves and Ilrin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAct as normal,\u201d\nsaid their trainer quietly when they approached, his eyes on the Dark Elves.\n\u201cThey\u2019re simply watching, probably looking for more recruits. If they tried\nanything, half a dozen mages would be on them in a moment.\u201d He nodded covertly\ntowards a far root, and Dilmir saw several elves resting there, intently\nwatching the Dark Elves. They all wore the same uniform, a light green tunic\nwith a tree threaded on its front, and he recognized them as elves of the\ncouncil\u2019s army. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d\nsaid the trainer, catching their looks. \u201cI doubt they will seek to start\nanything. There are more than enough of us here. Now, begin.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nervously,\nDilmir and Ilrin drew their swords. Dilmir found the Dark Elves distracting,\nbut he knew that the trainer was right; they would be foolish to try anything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Dark Elves,\nor the disciples of Eltuthar as they were sometimes called, had once fought\nagainst the council in a terrible battle many long years ago. With the defeat\nof Eltuthar, they had surrendered; but slowly, one by one, had trickled back to\nhim over the years. They were not permitted within Eld\u2019rin, but as long as they\nremained peaceable, they were allowed to walk within its borders, excluding the\ncity itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin, unlike\nDilmir, appeared to be less easily convinced of the Dark Elves\u2019 intentions. Her\neyes darted from dark figure to dark figure, and with a jolt, Dilmir remembered\nthat an uncle of hers had been a Dark Elf in the days of Eltuthar the Black. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on,\nIlrin,\u201d he whispered so that only she could hear, \u201cyou wouldn\u2019t want me to win\nout of distraction, would you?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin smiled\nhalf heartedly at him, but raised her sword and focused on finding a weakness\nin Dilmir\u2019s stance. Dilmir still saw her eyes occasionally flick upwards as a\nleather-clad figure drew near, but she was back to her old self soon enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a practiced\nagility, she leapt forward, sword held ready. Dilmir backed up rapidly, and\nknocked her sword to one side as he did so. He then brought his own back up,\nbut she ducked out from under it, and drove her own blade beneath his guard. He\ntwisted away from the seeking metal, and sought to catch her unawares as his\nsword flew in a great circle towards her, only to have it met by her blade.\nChanging tactics suddenly, she leapt towards him, driving his sword down, and\nthen flicked her own up so fast that it was at his throat in an instant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so the\nafternoon went. Slowly, Ilrin grew more confident, though the Dark Elves did\nnot stop walking amongst the duelists. Dilmir nearly defeated her when one came\nclose enough to touch, but she beat back his attack at the last moment. Oddly,\nthe Dark Elves did not seem at all frightened by the presence of the mages.\nThey even tried to start some conversations with them, though from what Dilmir\ncould see, these did not last long. The Dark Elves were careful to not\ninterfere with the training in any way, save for their presence, and the sun\nhad just slipped below the horizon when things changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir and Ilrin\nwere in the middle of a furious duel which, by some strange means, had lasted\nnearly a minute already. In the fast fading light, it was getting hard to see,\nand Dilmir was having difficulty spotting Ilrin\u2019s thin sword as it sliced\ncleanly through the air towards him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He saw it in the\nnick of time and rolled to the right, being careful to get up facing her. She\nlunged after him, but he blocked her blow, and ducked under her sword again.\nShe leapt up, and Dilmir, taking advantage, somersaulted between her legs to\ncome up behind her. Ilrin landed, and, with a single deft movement whirled her\nsword so that it pointed towards her, and then thrust it at Dilmir from under\nher arm. Dilmir, who had thought he was safe until she turned around, found\nIlrin\u2019s sword at his throat yet again. He sighed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Assuming that\nthe training was over, he turned to the trainer, and found himself three feet\naway from a Dark Elf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had not seen\nhim approach in the half light, and his black leather had helped to hide him.\nHe was a giant of an elf, nearly seven feet tall, and very muscular. He had\noddly tanned skin, and Dilmir could have easily mistaken him for a human if it\nweren\u2019t for his slightly pointed ears and angular features. Ilrin turned at\nthat moment, saw the elf, and instinctively took a step back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Dark Elf\ngrinned, not unkindly. \u201cFear not,\u201d he said, \u201cI\u2019m not going to hurt you.\u201d His\nvoice was deep, and might have been reassuring if the circumstances had been\ndifferent. \u201cI have been watching you duel for some time,\u201d he said to Ilrin,\n\u201cand I have never seen a sword move so fast. I wonder if you might do me the\nhonor of a duel.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin looked too\nfrightened to speak. She looked mutely from the elf to the trainer, who stood a\nlittle way behind him, frowning deeply. Dilmir, however, looked solidly at the\nDark Elf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy do you ask\nthis?\u201d he said suddenly. The elf turned to him. \u201cThe duel would be unfair. You\nhave at least two years\u2019 more experience than she does.\u201d There were, of course,\nother reasons he didn\u2019t want Ilrin to duel the Dark Elf, but he decided not to\nvoice them just yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou think so?\u201d\nasked the elf, watching Dilmir keenly. \u201cShe is more experienced than I would\nexpect at her age. The fight would be fair.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI accept,\u201d said\nIlrin quite suddenly, startling them both. The Dark Elf\u2019s smile broadened. Ilrin\nstepped forward, a steely look freezing her blank features into place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe name\u2019s Felnir,\u201d\nsaid the Dark Elf, bowing to her. \u201cLet us begin.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Felnir drew a\nsword from his back, a long, thick blade, though it was equal in length with\nIlrin\u2019s. He stepped to one side, politely waiting for Ilrin to do likewise, but\nneither she nor Dilmir moved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d\nIlrin murmured to Dilmir before drawing away. She assumed a defensive stance.\nWhen Dilmir did not move, she motioned him towards the trainer with her eyes.\nHe went reluctantly, keeping an eye on Felnir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Felnir settled\neasily into his own defensive stance, watching Ilrin. As they watched each other,\nDilmir suddenly realized what Ilrin was doing. The Dark Elves created an aura\nof fear and power whenever they watched the elves train. If Ilrin could beat\nFelnir, it would doubtless help to remove that feeling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin and Felnir\neyed each other, neither willing to strike first. Dilmir knew that Ilrin\u2019s\nstrength lay in her defense and lightening speed. If Felnir managed to lock her\nin combat for any period of time he would likely win. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a sudden\nmovement, Felnir charged forward, his sword swinging towards Ilrin at a\nfrightening rate. Ilrin ducked under the blow, pricked Felnir in the stomach\nwith her blade, and rolled past him. Felnir turned around quickly, still\nsmiling. \u201cYou fight well,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin\u2019s face did\nnot change at the compliment. Her mouth remained set, her eyes fixed. Slowly,\nthey began to circle each other, Felnir gradually drawing nearer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By this time, a\nsmall group of elves had gathered about the pair. Dark Elves rarely ever\nchallenged others to a duel, and they almost always won. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin suddenly\nmade such a good feint towards Felnir that Dilmir wondered briefly where she\nhad gone when she drew back. Evidently Felnir was taken by surprise too, for he\nlifted his sword to block the blow. Ilrin darted under his guard and pricked\nhim again with her sword. Felnir\u2019s smile slackened somewhat. \u201cPerhaps you fight\ntoo well,\u201d he muttered, half to himself. Ilrin did not smile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whirling his\nblade in a powerful circle, Felnir leapt at Ilrin again. She rolled to the\nside, easily avoiding his sword. However, in a sudden move, he dodged sideways,\nand managed to nick her on the arm before she could draw away. She somersaulted\npast him, lashing out at his legs as she did so. He spun around, trying to\ncatch her as she rolled past, but she was too fast. She brought her blade up\nand brought it down hard on his sword, forcing it downwards. Normally, she\nwould have followed with an upward stroke to the head, but this time she twisted\nher sword around his legs, tripping him so that he fell to the ground. He\nrolled to ward off any blows, only to find Ilrin\u2019s sword inches from his\nthroat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without pausing,\nhe rolled again, nearly yanking her sword from her grasp with his own. She leapt\nover him to keep hold of it, switching her grip as she did so. Felnir was up in\nan instant, and their swords locked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir tensed.\nIf Ilrin couldn\u2019t break the sword lock, Felnir could easily defeat her. It was\nall a matter of footing. Even as he realized this, Felnir shifted his feet,\ngetting ready to disarm Ilrin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin seemed to\nknow what was coming, and struggled against Felnir\u2019s sword, but to no avail.\nFelnir planted his feet, and wrenched on Ilrin\u2019s sword, causing it to fall from\nher hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir saw it\nbefore Felnir did. Ilrin let go of her sword just before she was disarmed, and\nthe momentum supplied by Felnir carried it towards his head. He realized a\nmoment too late what was going to happen, and then the sword struck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Felnir took a\nfew staggering steps backwards, blood streaming from the gash in his head. He\nplaced his hand on it, muttered an inaudible spell, and then straightened,\nfully healed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou do indeed\nfight well,\u201d he said. \u201cIt has been an honor. May I inquire as to your name?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin tilted her\nhead. \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so,\u201d she said calmly. Her face had lost most of its\ntension, and an odd gleam was in her eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Felnir looked at\nher for a moment, and then his face broke into a grin. \u201cVery well, then,\u201d he\nsaid, \u201cso be it.\u201d And, still grinning, he turned and walked away into the\ndarkness. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The only thing that was different during the day was that Ilrin seemed very preoccupied with something. Twice, Dilmir was sure the spell that Iliadin aimed at her would strike, but she always managed to block it in time. He, too, managed to block the spells Elmir flung at him, though not quite as gracefully. … Continue reading Chapter Nine – A Dark Duel<\/span>