Edaw's Challenge

          He was home. It had been a long and arduous journey but, he had survived. Alcazar Theurgy looked spectacular to his eyes after three months away from home.
          Edaw was King Jebbarra’s sorcerer. Had been for only ten short years. He was old; so very old that he could not remember how long he had lived on this planet. It mattered not to him. He had long ago learned how to tame Mother Nature; control Father Time; master the beasts of the earth and air and the creatures of dreams; and visit the future. He had been king’s sorcerer for over one hundred and fifty very long lived kings, but this one, Jebbarra, was the most troublesome.
          Jebbarra had been cursed…again. Misfortune had befallen his kingdom…again! Edaw was charged with ending this curse and rebuilding Aurora.
          Jebbarra’s curse had mystified Edaw for a short period of time. Neighboring kingdoms were not at fault, he knew, thus he had had to increase his Mind Travel further and further. He had discovered their enemy in the kingdom of Tophet. Assilem was a jealous and cruel king who had defeated many other kingdoms on his way to world domination. He had been raised by Edaw’s lifelong sworn enemy, Evad, a witch as old as he but born of hate and suffering. He knew that the challenges of this world are many and that this was probably one of the worst that he would ever face. Removing this curse would not be easy!
          Upon his discovery that his adversary was Evad, Edaw determined to leave Aurora as quickly as possible. He knew Evad would know immediately, therefore he would have to be on his guard at all times. Summoning, Chameleon, his dragon, he prepared for his long flight to Tophet.
          Evad knew Edaw was coming. It was her destiny to do battle with him during this year of her life. It had been written in the stars centuries ago. She knew one of them would die. She did not know which one it would be for she could not predict her own future. She also knew that his journey would be long and that he would have to be careful to not use his magic. That is how she could follow him.
          Dawn arrived damp and cold. Unusual for Aurora. Edaw was ready. Mounting Chameleon, he left Alcazar Theurgy. At the border of Aurora, he turned to look one more time at the kingdom he had called home for centuries. Would he be back? Tophet was two weeks journey from here by flight for he would only be able to travel six hours a day on Chameleon. She needed food and water and rest every six hours. He also dared not ride at night.
          Three days from Aurora he encountered Evads first spell - a Wall of Invisibility. He knew that by using his magic to destroy this wall Evad would know exactly where he was, but he couldn’t let that slow his journey. Fire. Fire was the only way to destroy the wall. Summoning his powers he hurled balls of fire at it, burning it to the ground.
          Four days later he entered total and utter darkness. Evad was wise. This would slow him down considerably for this spell had no counter spell. It could last anywhere from twenty-four to seventy-two hours and until then he would not be able to ride Chameleon. Evad would have more time to prepare herself. He decided to take advantage of this time to read and Mind Travel to Tophet. He saw Evad deep in the caverns beneath Castle Cimmerian. It was a dark and deep recess deep in the bowels of the earth. Hot. Black. Treacherous. Assilem kept Evad well protected and secreted away from all enemies. Getting to her would be most difficult. She felt his presence.
          Forty-six hours later, the darkness lifted. Chameleon was well rested. Edaw proceeded on his way. Two days travel had been lost, therefore he would have to make up time. He determined to travel under the Cloak of Invisibility to gain back the time. After all, Evad had not truly tried to stop him - just slow him down. Playing games. Letting him know that she was watching him.
          Under the Cloak of Invisibility, he entered Tophet, ready to do battle with Evad. Tophet was a dark, dreary kingdom full of unhappiness and sorrow. Trees were leafless. Fields lay fallow. Weeds grew where flowers would not. Lakes lay stagnant. No bird flew here. Assilem’s subjects were miserable, but he was happy here, if you could ever call him happy. Conquered kingdoms soon looked like Tophet, for Assilem plundered them to support his own. Edaw felt the change in himself when he entered Tophet. This was part of Evad’s magic. The Cloak of Invisibility gave way. Much of his lesser magic would do no good here. He would have to use the most powerful of his spells. Spells in which control was always questionable.
          Suddenly Evad appeared before him in a brume of fire and brimstone. “Edaw, you will die!” She cackled. “You cannot win!” Just as quickly, she disappeared. He was prepared. He connected to her specter and shadowed it to her dwelling beneath Castle Cimmerian. He would need to know what awaited him there. This was the only way in which he could enter beforehand and ferret out the surroundings. Using this power would delay his meeting with Evad for twenty-for hours, but it was necessary.
          Upon his return to himself, Edaw slept. His sleep, however, was not restful. He dreamt. Remembered other encounters with Evad. He retraced the pathway to her home. Getting to her would not be easy, even for a sorcerer as powerful as himself. He had to pass over the Mountains of Misery, where the weight of all the worlds problems would weigh him down, sadden him, slow his journey. He would have to travel through the Forest of Fears where his heart and soul would meet their greatest test - facing himself. Finally, he would have to cross the Swamps of Sadistic Sadness where torture and misery would take a great toll on his being. He must then destroy the Dragonwolves that guarded the castle. Once inside he would have to be vigilant. Evad had the advantage. He tossed and turned. Dreaming. Thinking.
          Shortly before dawn, he awoke. Weary. Fearful. This was not a game. He would take Chameleon only as far as the Forest of Fears. Thereafter he would have to travel on foot.
          He reached the Dragonwolves five days later. They were fearsome creatures. Large teeth. Long claws. Scales. Fur. Wings. To get past them he would use the Spell of Somnolence. However, he could not control the length of time that this spell would work. Wending his way through them, he reached the door just as they woke. Through this door was safety for the time being.
          Inside the castle, he made his way to the stairway that led to the caverns below. Thus far, his travels had been easy. Behind him he heard the huge castle doors give way to the Dragonwolves. Heard them running towards him. Down he went into the void. Suddenly before him appeared two skeletons with broadswords. Using the Reduction Charm he shrunk them down and placed them into a container of acid.
          Proceeding downward he came to a fork in the passageway. The Dragonwolves were closing in. He would have to chose quickly. He chose the opening where the most heat was emanating. Down he went. Deeper and deeper. Evad created many obstacles to deter him. A wall of fire. Zombies. Wolvers. A river of acid. Lightning. Visions. Mirror imaging. One by one he dispelled them all. Finally he was inside Evad’s chambers. His time had come.
          “Edaw, welcome to your doom,” she wailed. “I have been waiting. My hexes did not deter you. Now you must die. Assilem will rule Aurora. King Jebbarra will become my slave.”
          “Evad, it is you who will die,” he replied. “Aurora will thrive. Tophet will once again be as it was.”
          Evad disappeared and in her place was a large wolf with ten inch fangs. Edaw counteracted by becoming a dragon with claws like sabers. Evad threw lightning bolts. Edaw caught them and threw them back. Lightning crackled. Thunder roared. Daggers flew. Fire erupted. Shape sifting occurred. Molten metal flowed. Both were getting weary. The walls of the cavern started to crack. Rocks started to fall. Suddenly the Dragonwolves pounced through the doorway just as Evad turned to a rhino and charged at Edaw. Edaw quickly flew upward. The Dragonwolves attacked Evad tearing out her throat; ripping out her heart. Edaw flew to the entrance and sent the ceiling and walls to crumble around the Dragonwolves as they fed on Evad. Summoning all his powers he vanished and reappeared outside the castle walls. The castle began to fall into itself. Evad was destroyed. Assilem no longer was powerful. Tophet began to emerge once again as the beautiful kingdom it has once been. Jebarra’s curse was lifted.
          Chameleon appeared in a flash of light. Edaw could now go home. Fate had been good to him this time. He rode away quietly savoring his victory. Lessons learned. Ready for his next challenge.