The Great Elven Challenge of the...

Chapter 3: Pondering about the riddles

The sun had risen in another day of that year, 3440. A year that would mark two different periods in history because of the nature of a very important dream. The last prophetic dream had been given to the elves, and, guessing from the gigantic consequences it brought, it was a very important topic to investigate upon.
The High Council had reunited the day after the dream in the main building of Bluebird to discuss what was happening with the world and what the objectives of the elves were.
It wasn’t an especially hot day. Outside, the wind blew with considerable strength. There weren’t any rain clouds in the sky, but it wasn’t fully clear. Wind was clearly predominating that day in Bluebird. The magical energies around the elves could be felt very well by just about anyone who passed. Seeing the four most important elves in the whole civilization together wasn’t something that could be seen every day.
Aryune and Alliel had come to look for Vattan and Larakzs. Their expression was very serious, but the elves could already feel what was going on. Of course: they needed to argue about the four new elements that that dream had “gave” to them. Although it wasn’t something to celebrate like if it was the best day in the world, it was very unusual. They had already reunited yesterday, but it’s difficult to decide if the topics were well set in just a day.
Vattan and Larakzs sit down in one of the sides of the wooden table. It was no regular table. It was one of Aryune’s first handmade objects after he was made King of the elves. Such a rectangular table had incredible historical reference. Aryune and Alliel brought some fruits, and sit down in front of them.
-I’m sorry for the sudden treatment yesterday, but I was very surprised and intrigued with what had happened. – Alliel was saying those words.
-Don’t worry; it’s all right – said Larakzs.
-I’ll go directly to the point of this. – Aryune said this, and his face resembled a very serious pose. – We have already discussed what to do with everything related to the new elements. Larakzs, I look forward to reading your new Book of Magic. But first… there is something we left out and that we have to retake as soon as possible.
-Do you mean… the challenge? – Vattan asked an obvious question.
-Yes, the challenge – answered Aryune – How are we going to arrange it? First of all, I want to see if we have any clues. Vattan, have you brought the material?
-Of course, I can’t forget it. – Vattan searched a little in his studded clothes and took out two stone tablets. One was blank, and the other was written. – The last one is still inside the bubble. It should be flying around there, because I was nervous and forgot it. Give me a second and I’ll bring it here. – Vattan closed his eyes for about five seconds, and a bubble with another stone inside, much like the first ones, came floating into the room. The bubble floated at the side of Vattan and stood still there.
-All right. – Aryune liked to take initiative whenever he could. He wasn’t especially proud of himself, but he didn’t like being ignored after being King of the elves for around two millennia. – I believe we should first try to find the other tablets. I want to analyze the riddles first and see if we can deduce anything. – The King of the elves grabbed the tablet that was written on and read the first phrase: “My treasure can only be seen by looking at the best of the Four at the point where it’s hard to get to, but only offers temporary relief and happiness when it’s senselessly reached.”
-Hmm. – Vattan was answering to Aryune when he stopped reading. – Of course, “My treasure” refers to the tablet. Then you can divide the rest of the riddle in two parts: “can only be seen by looking at the best of the Four” and “at the point where it’s hard to get to, but only offers temporary relief and happiness when it’s senselessly reached”.
-“The best of the Four”? That means this riddle is referring to one of the old elements. – Larakzs had noted that.
-Yes, and “The best” doesn’t tell us anything. – Vattan kept on deliberating. – Then, on the second, we have “the point where it’s hard to get to”, that “only offers temporary relief and happiness when it’s senselessly reached”. “Senselessly”?
-That’s an interesting detail. – Alliel answered to him. – In one of the continents, there is a point that can only be reached with a lot of effort, and doesn’t give you anything except relief. “Senselessly” contrasts against this. It’s senseless to reach the point… but it still requires a lot of effort to get to.
-A maze! – Vattan looked like he had made a great discovery. – This phrase speaks about the tablet I found in the reflective cave. It’s hard to get to the end, and it only rewards you slightly. It’s senseless to get to the end, because you can just look at the entrance to see the reflective walls!
-Calm down, Vattan, and think about what you’re saying. – Aryune was speaking again. – It can never be that tablet, because you found the Water tablet, which is now floating in that bubble, in the same continent as the other. Therefore, it can’t be one of the Four elements. It has to be one of the new ones. And the riddle says that you have to look at the best of the Four, so it’s obviously not referring to that. A maze… however… is an interesting possibility, but there are many mazes in our world. How will we know it’s the true one?
-It’s probably Earth. – Alliel was thinking something. – Tunnels are very popularly made as mazes. Reach the end of it and look at the best of the Four. At the wall! The tablet should be hiding in the wall.
-I don’t think we can decide on anything yet. – Larakzs took the speech. – I suggest you read the next phrase and see if we can deduce anything.
Aryune made a small pause, but obediently grabbed the tablet and read the second phrase: “My object can only be enclosed in the smoothest of my element. It’s located in the place where it’s hot in the middle of the coldness.”
-“Enclosed in the smoothest of my element”? – Larakzs seemed convinced. - “Located in the place where it’s hot in the middle of the coldness”? This is obvious. The coldness is Bragallia, and we already found two tablets in Bragallia. The one enclosed in the smoothest of my element is the one that’s floating around. – Vattan had forgotten about it: the bubble wasn’t there anymore. It was behind Larakzs. Vattan made it come closer to the table and placed it in the middle, with an ashamed expression in his face.
-But how are we going to get it out of that bubble? – Alliel asked the question nobody knew the answer from.
-Maybe it’s not necessary. We only need to feel the energy it gives away. – Aryune was thinking differently than the others.
-That’s impossible. – Vattan talked very sure of what he was saying. – When I found this bubble, in Bragallia, there was a written pedestal. It said the bubble acts as an energy container for the force the tablet gives…
-One moment, Vattan. How come you never said that to me before? – Larakzs looked at him, but didn’t say him anything. After making a short pause, she continued. – If we can’t break it and it acts as an energy container, we have to get inside it somehow. It’s the only way. I never thought it could serve that purpose… but it’s clear now.
-Wait up there. – Aryune was talking. – If you heard well the riddle, you would have noticed a detail that solves this problem. “My object can only be enclosed in the smoothest of my element.” “can only be enclosed”? “can only” ? This is obvious. That bubble is the smoothest object that exists that is Water elemental. If we make something even smoother, probably also a bubble, the tablet would change locations. – Aryune ended with a smile.
-Excellent idea. – Vattan only said that.
-I can’t believe I forgot to listen to the riddle! I mean, how can I not see that detail? – Alliel was a little disturbed, but still happy.
Larakzs only limited herself to bring her hand to her eyes, but then, she looked at Aryune, wanting to listen to the next. Everyone knew what she was thinking, and Aryune didn’t make the others wait. He was inspired.
Calmly, the King of the elves read the third phrase: “My essence is covered by the ignorance, in a place where nobody would think about going to.”
-Getting this right would be virtually impossible, right? – Alliel asked that question and kept speaking. – “Covered by the ignorance, in a place where nobody would think about going to.” Ignorance… we don’t know where it is, and we would never guess it was there…
-This one’s terribly well made. I think we need to find out the element, and it doesn’t say anything that could give us any clue to it. – Vattan said that.
Larakzs only looked at Vattan, then at the table. Finally, she directed her sight to Aryune, implicitly saying that she wanted to hear the next.
-Do you want to skip this one for now? – Aryune only got affirmative head movements from the others, and jumped to the next phrase. – The fourth phrase says: “My tablet is behind the power of relationships. Only friendship can open the path to the treasure.”
-I think the riddles get harder each time. – Vattan gave out his opinion.
-No, Vattan. This one is obvious. – Larakzs objected him. – “My tablet is behind the power of relationships.” We know every single creature in Faerore, right? If the only way to get this tablet is having a friendly relation, the holders must be pretty intelligent to act like they should. – Larakzs smiled, but said nothing else.
-So you’re saying that… - Aryune looked at Larakzs and made a small pause. - The only intelligent creatures we know, besides us, are the Phoenixes and the Penguins…
-…and we already have the Water tablet. – Larakzs concluded. – It’s obvious that this one refers that the Fire tablet is under the power of the Phoenixes, and that… all we have to do is ask them?
-It can’t be that simple. – Vattan was against Larakzs. – With the other two tablets, there were entire armies of creatures defending them. It can’t be as simple as asking if the can give it to us.
-You’re missing a point, dear Vattan. – Larakzs answered to him. – Those riddles were made soon after the elves came to this world, right? We didn’t always know the Phoenixes. And they are much stronger than your armies… if you’re against them. That’s why…
-…the only way to get them is with friendship. – Aryune ended up the idea. – Should I continue?
Everyone answered affirmatively. Aryune grabbed an apple and gave it a bite before reading the fifth phrase: “My treasure is in the place where the ground is impossible to step on, and it can only be grabbed when that ground is especially deadly.”
Everyone started at each other in complete silence for a minute. Alliel took the word.
-“the ground is impossible to step on”? Could it be… quicksand?
-That’s not a bad thought, Alliel. – Larakzs answered to it. – How would you explain the last part, though?
-Maybe… it can only be got at night? – Alliel didn’t really know, but suggested.
-Hmm… that’s not a very bad suggestion. – Vattan was speaking now. – If it’s quicksand, it’s in Vilellia. That means it’s either Earth or one of the new elements.
-We have already thought about Earth in the first, though. – Aryune objected Vattan. – If it’s Earth here, then what is the first?
-I’m not sure the first is really Earth. – Larakzs gave out her opinion. – I believe the quicksand is the best idea for this, but maybe it’s not Earth. Can we read the sixth?
Nobody had much more to say. Everyone agreed about reading the next phrase, so Vattan did: “My object is only attainable by beating the biggest of fears, presented in a form where it can’t be touched.”
Silence was made again, but it didn’t last so much this time. Alliel broke it once more.
-What would the biggest of fears be? Suffering? Maybe… but I think we still don’t want to die. I don’t know… but that’s my general feeling. – Alliel looked a little out of place, but the others didn’t say anything.
Silence followed to that for another minute. Aryune broke it this time.
-We should ask all the other elves about what they think. Maybe they can give us a clue. If quite a bit of them say something that’s not abstract, and that can’t be touched, it means something. This doesn’t specify element, so I believe it’s from the new ones. There are two phrases remaining. Should I read the one before the last?
Nobody made any objection against that. Aryune read the seventh riddle: “My stone is at the most interesting place in the whole Faerore. The obstacle that blocks intruders is beauty.”
-This one is obvious as well. – Vattan reacted almost immediately. – This one is the other one we have… the most interesting place is the reflective cave. They are very beautiful as well… I would like to go back to that place again…
-If the last one doesn’t conflict with it, it’s probably it. – Larakzs said those last words, and then looked at Aryune, waiting for the last phrase. Alliel said nothing.
Aryune was pretty convinced, though, that what Vattan and Larakzs had concluded to was right, and proceeded to read the eight and last phrase: “My precious is held in a place visible to a rabbit but not to a god, a place where physical dexterity becomes much more important than Magic. A place that can’t be found without the help of your lesser beings.”
-It doesn’t conflict. – Vattan said something everyone else thought it was obvious. – It says a lot, but I am not sure about what it means.
-“Visible to rabbit but not to a god…” Hmm… - Larakzs had some ideas formed in his head. – Invisible to Soul beings? A rabbit doesn’t have Soul, according to the dream…
-That can only mean one thing, Larakzs. – Alliel answered to her. – I know you’re thinking about it. This has to do with Bio.
Everyone agreed. Alliel exposed his reasons afterwards.
-Because – she said – it says “A place that can’t be found without the help of your lesser beings”, therefore those beings are soulless. We have Soul, and we can use Bio to make soulless beings… but where is the place?
-Probably in this continent. In Jellellia. – Larakzs was speaking, and everyone looked at her doubting. – It has to be here, because this is the continent where there are more Bio masses. It gives me a feeling…
-I don’t think that has enough approval, but let’s take it as true for now. – Aryune said that, concluding the discussion about the last riddle.
A longer silence happened now. Aryune ate his apple slowly, but calmly. Alliel played around with a small berry. Vattan looked at the fruits with a lost look. Larakzs was just thinking with a hand on her head. Finally, the break was broke by Larakzs, who suddenly looked at the others and started talking.
-So we have Fire and Water well set. We have to start by one of them. But if we don’t know the others… there isn’t any point. – Everyone was looking at her now. – Wind doesn’t fit with anything, except the fifth. It could be the ground you can’t step on. But it can’t be deadly. Wind is never deadly… The other alternative would be the first.
Alliel suddenly remembered. –But of course! It was a maze, right? There is a tree maze in the Aspetia Jungle! Wind is the first!
-You’re right. How could I not remember about it, if I was exiled next to it? – Aryune was angry with himself.
-Calm down, Aryune. – Larakzs was speaking again. – We could check on it right now. But I’m supposing that’s Wind. Out of the Four, there is Earth remaining. Is it doubtlessly in the fifth?
-It would make sense, but there is still the third riddle. – Vattan let her know an important point.
-And we also know the fifth is in Vilellia. We know both that are in Bragallia, and we know both that are in Jellellia. The only two we doubt upon are the third and the sixth. – Larakzs had given a general overview.
-Why don’t we leave both of them for the end? – suggested Vattan. – How about you do one of your great nobody-knows-how-to-do spells and send us to seek for the Wind tablet in that maze right now? – she said to Larakzs.
-Don’t be so quick, Vattan. – said Alliel. – Let me repay you the favor I couldn’t do yesterday. Why don’t you eat something before leaving?
They agreed with Alliel, and the discussion was concluded to that point, until they decided to continue it. First, they would go to the maze.