Raam ran his fingertips over the dragon figures on the pommel of Tempest. The blade lay across his lap as he sat cross legged on a rug in the pavilion tent. Outside there was a steady drone of activity and voices. He had asked for a moment to be alone to collect his thoughts.
He still wore the mithral breastplate. It was a light as a fine silk shirt and he felt comforted by it even while sitting safely in a camp of his closest friends and companions. The flickering candle light reflected off of the finely polished silver metal. It looked as if the crimson dragon was shifting within the dark green vines, the motif emblazoned across the chest piece.
He had been told they had been in the fey woods for weeks, although to them it had appeared as if only a single night had passed. He gripped the hilt of the blade in his hand. He could feel it conducting the power within him. It was an extension of his arm. It felt comfortable. It felt natural to hold it in his grip. So much had changed so quickly.
He ran his hand across his face expecting to feel stubble from days on the road and yet his skin was as smooth as if he had just shaved. His hands, his arms were larger, more muscular. He caught his own reflection in a small mirror and was astounded at the sight of his own image. His face was still recognizable, yet his features were sharper. He was startled by how piercing his own stare had become. He saw cunning within his own eyes, they shifted quickly as he studied his own reflection. His hair was darker and shorter.
His appearance now looked………it looked fey.
“Ahem…hmhmhhm….ahem….might I have a word with you Baron?” came the voice of Mahr from outside the tent.
“Yes please enter, friend” the Baron replied, welcoming the chance to distract himself from the reflection of his own face.
Mahr pulled back the tent flap, entered and quickly shut it behind him. With an audible strain the man sat down with help of his staff on a pillow across from the Baron. Wordlessly he looked up into Raam’s eyes.
For several moments the elderly mage studied him. Mahr did not blink, he did not speak, he only sat and studied.
After a protracted silence he uttered “Oh my…” and set his jaw in acceptance.
“I died Mahr,” said the Baron.
“I watched my body fall from my soul. I saw it slump down when the Fey called in my debt.”
“If you saw that then you were not dead yet, son” said the wizard grimly.
“That’s the thing….something was fighting the Fey magic. My body looked like it was tearing itself apart from the inside. There was pain like I could not describe to you in words. There was a flash of flame and the world stood still. I could see everyone frozen in time. I could see Chase with his bow drawn, Balian running to my body. I felt as if my soul was being ripped in two. Then I heard her voice. Queen Tygtittertut asked me to be her champion.
I said yes.
As soon as I accepted the world fell back into motion. It felt like my soul was balanced upon a knife’s edge for a moment. Then there was a rush of power. This armor grew from the vines at my feet.”
“It looks as if the fey magic gave you more than that armor, my boy. Look at you. You are 30 pounds heavier and I’m not sure if you aren’t the size and stature of your knight friend,” said Mahr.
“That’s what they don’t know…” said the Baron with a concerned look flashing across his brow.
“What don’t they know son?” asked the wizard as he leaned forward.
“When my body was fighting the evil fey magic…. time had slowed down. My body….my body had already changed before I accepted the offer to be Champion. It had changed before the offer had even been made….It had changed during the eruption of flame…”
Raam could see Mahr, who was usually quite adept and not revealing any outward clue as to his disposition, was quite startled.
“It is as I suspected,” he thought to himself…
Mahr composed himself quickly. “Nonsense my boy... It was a dramatic moment. As you said yourself, you died. Fey magic is strange and mysterious. Do not trouble yourself over details. You have enough to worry about” he said regaining his usual charm and infectious calm.
“Never a dull moment with you my boy. You are part fey now. What that means I cannot say. This is a rather unique situation. Usually a fey champion would start out as a….well…fey. You may notice some changes…”he said once again eyeing him closely. “Nothing too dramatic I’m sure….”
“You mean changes apart from my appearance, my magic and my sense of self?” Raam asked with a sarcastic arched eyebrow.
“No need to be a smart ass, young man. Especially to an old man bearing gifts” he said as he pulled a leather tome out from within his robes.
“You have been one of my favorites Raam. Despite your childish stupidity and willingness to accept seemingly any offer put in front of you…women…fey curses….etc…etc…. But I digress…. you have been one of my favorites. You were growing into a fine sorcerer, but things have changed. As Fey Champion the nature of your magic and your abilities has changed. You are part warrior, part wizard. You are like a living enchanted blade.
I know that the nature of your magic has changed. I can feel it. You will need to study your spells as I have done my entire life. This will be new for you, but very rewarding.
So I give you this book as a gift to remember me by. It is a part of my own collection of spells. Some you already know…some are new…some will help you hit things with that new blade of yours…
You are a rare thing Raam. A Fey Champion, a Baron and a man of honor. You will go far, son.”
Raam reached over and accepted the book. Its thick leather binding was smooth and the pages smelled of fine ink.
“Thank you Mahr. In this short time you have been more like a father to me than the man who claims that title…..well I guess not anymore…” said Raam as he looked down and shifted uncomfortably.
“Do not be too hard on the man. Given his situation he did the best he could. Your mother placed an awful burden upon him….do not ask, for I will say no more” said Mahr with determination.
Raam looked up with a puzzled face, but the wizard waved away any potential questions with a dramatic sweep of his hand.
“All will be revealed in the proper time and I will say no more.”
“I will return to Stagfell one day and we will discuss this further. For now I set out with Ella Vain. She will be my new pupil. She is young and confused but has great potential.”
“She is a beautiful woman. She has been treated very unfairly by life for too long” said Raam grimly. “If she ever needs for anything please let me know. When she is better, please tell her to return. She is a good person and I would like to think I will see her again in this life” said Raam softly.
“We will return one day, my boy. Now go outside. The others worry for you. Do not talk of your death or the transformation. No good can come of it. Honor your new role. Honor yourself. You will create quite the legacy for that new name of yours….Miras…I quite like that….not everyone has the fortitude to name themselves and a kingdom after a horse” Mahr rose to his feet and winked at Raam.
“I am quite fond of you my boy. Take care of yourself.”
Without giving Mahr the opportunity to resist, Raam rose and embraced the elderly mage. After a moment he quietly whispered “thank you.”
