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 AU - The trial revisited

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Outlier

Outlier


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Join date : 2015-04-08

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PostSubject: AU - The trial revisited   AU - The trial revisited EmptyMon May 29, 2017 7:42 pm

At some point someone posed the question of what would have happened if Cutter had not won the trial of head, heart and hand. I thought it would be an interesting thing to explore.

I apologize if some of the dialog is a bit off, I was going off memory and too lazy to re-read the story.
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Savah listened carefully as each suitor recounted his adventures in the caves and the manner in which he had retrieved his weapon. In the quiet following, she raised her goblet, swirling the liquid, gazing at the ripples of light and shadow as she mulled over the decision.

After a moment, she took a sip and set the goblet down with a clack that seemed to echo the finality of her judgement.

"Cutter, I know that you did not intend to use the magic of the lodestone to solve this trial. That it would work for you was an accidental discovery." She glanced quickly at the Wolf-chief's tribemen flanking him, gauging thier mood, curious as to thier reactions. "However, it doesn't change the fact that magic was used. Rayek could have used his magic if he had chose to, but he understood that it was a trial of wits, it's purpose to show the undecided's heart which suitor was more clever, and thus, maybe more worthy. I have no choice but to rule Rayek the winner."

The quiet was broken now with grumblings passing through the Wolfriders, with several cold looks directed at both Savah and Rayek. Rayek was not bothered though as he turned to Leetah, beaming with a confidence that had been absent since the Wolfrider's coming.

"See, I told you the Wolf-chief would never beat me in a battle of wits!" She let his triumphant embrace encircle her, fighting the strange reticence that now accompanied it.

Savah called both challengers back to her canopy, and after a brief time with each, declared that the trial would move to the Bridge of Destiny. Most of the Sun-Villagers stayed behind in the village, thier desire to see the ending of the match not up to the hike to the precipice's summit. Most of the Wolfriders made the climb. Savah had named this Cutter's challenge, and they would be there for thier chief.

Savah beckoned the young elf to her. "You must cross the bridge to the sun symbol on the other side, touch it, and return, all without aid."

Cutter gripped one of the mounds marking the beginning of the bridge tightly, face pale as he contemplated the drop below.

Skywise encouraged his friend. "This should be easy for you, Cutter. Why, I've seen you walk branches much smaller than this without shaking a leaf."

Cutter shook his head. "There was never so far to fall, Skywise." He glanced over the edge again. "Never so far to fall."

"She's worth it, isn't she?"

Cutter looked back over his shoulder to where Leetah stood, flanked by her parents, Rayek smirking not far away. Whether she was worth it or not was not the question. In fact, as far as Cutter was concerned, there were no questions. Since he had first caught sight of her, there was only an answer, and Leetah was it. Why, or how, she couldn't feel the same, he didn't understand. For some reason, she felt the need to see this ritual through. Like a deer in a rut, his only options were to win her, or die trying.

He closed his eyes, willing the hot wind and gold sands from his mind, imaging instead the cool green forest, the trees that had been his home. Eyes open and fixed on his goal, he took one step, then another. Then the mistake of glancing down and the world tilted around him. He felt himself listing, then Skywise had ahold of him and had pulled him back away from the bridge.

He slumped down against the gateway mound, head sunk to his folded arms. "So scared...heart's beating like a rabbit's..."

Skywise rested a hand on his shoulder. "Stupid test. I wouldn't do it," he shot a cold look at Leetah, "for anything."

Rayek brushed past Skywise to leer over the crumpled Cutter. "The mighty hunter, shivering like a scared rabbit. What do you think of your suitor now, Leetah?"

"Rayek, no!"

He walked out on the narrow rock span, heedless of Leetah's warning cry.

"As if a stroll on the Bridge of Destiny was a thing to be feared!" As Rayek turned slightly so his words would carry to those behind, a sudden gust swelled. Swaying, but not able to regain balance, he tumbled from the bridge, one hand catching in a small fissure to leave him dangling in mid-air.

Leetah rushed to the bridge end, where Cutter had regained his feet.

"Can't he magic himself up?"

Leetah shook her head. "That magic is lost...to all of us."

But even as she spoke the words, the elves began to see the tell-tale glow of magic, first in Rayek's straining grasp, but slowly spreading down until his whole body shimmered with the faint aura. His eyes were shut tight and beads of sweat rolled down his face. The onlookers could almost feel his exertion radiate like the heat off the rocks in the cooling air. Finally, his eyes opened. He gathered his strength and, in a burst of light, swung. He hadn't power enough to raise himself, but he was able to fight gravity long enough to hoist his lightened body on top of the stone arch. He crouched there, panting, then suddenly collapsed.

"Help me!" No time for fear now, Cutter ran out to where Rayek lay. The Wolfriders ran forward, quickly linking arms and reaching out to thier chief, forming a chain to pull him and the unconscious Rayek back from the deadly ledge.

"Bring him to me!" They lay the inert Rayek at Leetah's feet. A quick touch told her all she needed to know. "He's expended himself. We must get him down to my hut, where I can tend to him properly."

Several elves hastened to do the healer's bidding, until stopped by an even stronger inperative.

"Stop!" Cutter's eyes glowed against the darkening sky with the blue heat that lives in a fire's coals. He glared down at the healer. "What is the point of all this? That we risk our lives in a game so you may deem one of us 'worthy'?"

Before anyone could stop him, Cutter strode out on the bridge. He crossed quickly and purposefully to the other side and placed his hand upon the sun symbol. He turned, and, with only a quick intake of breath to steady himself, walked just as surely back, where he faced Savah. "Well, Mother of Memory? Who is the winner?"
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To be continued? Anybody care to see more?

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Embala

Embala


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PostSubject: Re: AU - The trial revisited   AU - The trial revisited EmptyMon May 29, 2017 9:03 pm

I want to know!

I remember this discossion about the trial of wits and that Rayek should have won and why. You've told it beautifully, Outlier.

I like the extra twist that Rayek came into his levitation power early - at least to a small degree.

More please. Very Happy

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