The Battle of Centarium

"I fought off three armed men with by bare hands, and I was but sixteen!" Theo gloated.

"Ha! Child's play!" Valonir retorted, " At the age of sixteen I could control water, and drown a man in it."

Theo nodded in agreement at how awesome the prospect sounded, but moved his arms describing the next story.

"I have won the war game tournaments in Jakwel for years. Three time swords champion, and undefeated in hand to hand for five years!" He confided, proud of the fact.

"Very respectable achievements, but I can pull a tree out of the ground with my mind, and throw it at a man!"

Theo stopped in his tracks. "Really??" He asked, begging an honest answer.

"Well..," Valonir started, "not really. I can however break branches from them."

He and Theo both laughed, and kept walking on. They had traveled two days together to whatever destination they happened upon, and had already resorted to the boasting game.

After a days walk, they set up camp and began Theo's 'magic defense' training. They had already done this twice, and so face it was a simple process.

"Now, this form of magic is like any other projectile. The second it leaves the casters hand, he can't control its direction."

Valonir picked up a single pebble, and nodded to Theo. He in turn nodded back, and pulled his Dragon sword out of its sheath.

Valonir whispered a word, and the rock glowed blue. The glowing circled the stone, and then it flew towards Theo at high speed. He swiped it with his sword, a small clank as it connected.

Valonir smiled, his already stretched face sliding to either side even more. They trained again, and again. Theo dodging and blocking everything from fire to projectiles.

Theo was learning that it was all about watching the mage's hands, and watching where their eyes were aimed as well. He was still far off from perfection, but he was getting it. After a while, they decided it was time for sleep.

After a short rest, they awoke to the morning glow. They put out their fire, packed up the blankets Valonir had insisted they sleep on, and were back on the road.

Theo and Valonir had decided a way to find the other fighter, or at least a start. They were on their way to Jakwell, to a man their who dealt in magic. He could find you the name of anyone you wanted to find.

Theo was still confused on two points. One, how the magic could possibly work. Two, how was he going to sneak an elf into one of the major cities in Eldirthain. Valonir had suggested a hood, and Theo agreed that it would do the job.

So, when Jakwell was in sight, Valonir hid in the pushes while Theo went to buy a cloak. After the purchase, he walked back with the long grey cloak. There was a regretful look on Valonir's face as he threw it on.

Theo smiled, which received a grimace from his elf friend. Valonir grabbed the hood, threw it on, and started walking to the great city of Jakwell. Its high stone walls were chipped and broken in spots, but overall it was the greatest war defense wall ever built.

Valonir spoke aloud, "The magnificent wall of Jakwell, how amazing it is. The wall that foiled my ancestors in the great war."

Theo had seen the wall all through his life, going back and forth between the games. He had gotten so used to it that he almost forgot how huge it was. A few hundred feet from the ground, perfect toping for protecting archers, and reinforced with more stone that was unseen. It was said that five thousand elves couldn't even break the wall, let alone get through it.

As they walked into the city, Theo became uneasy. Paranoia gripping at him, feeling like every guard was eying him. Their thick helmets, padded chest plate, and of course the Eldurthain symbol. A single soldier holding a spear. The spear had an abnormally large head, and the man had a dark body and face.

A strange symbol, Theo had always questioned who exactly it was supposed to be. Even as a child he would be skeptical.

Valonir tapped his shoulder, and jerked his head towards an alleyway. Theo squinted, noticing that not one man, women, or child traveled that road. He shrugged and follow Valonir anyway, breaking from the busy crowd.

The ally was full of cobwebs, they covered the corners and doorways. The buildings were bent and broken, and looked as if no one had been inside for years. There was one doorway, big and black, that had no webs.

As expected, that was their destination. Valonir stopped at the door, looked around, and proceeded to open it. The door made a sound like it hadn't been opened in months, and from Valonir's expression while pushing it open, it felt that way too.

They walked into the dimly lit room, and Theo's eyes caught a glimpse of the only candle in the room. He had no idea how big the room was, since he could barely see. There was a rummaging sound, and an old man stepped out of the shadows.

The old man looked to be in his sixties, and wore a ragged old cloak the covered his face. He was crouched over and walked with an old cane. Still, Theo didn't underestimate the man. With magic, age only made you stronger, with swordsmanship, it made you weaker.

The man looked up at Valonir, who pulled his hood off.

"Oh!" Choked the old man in a frail voice as he sat in an ancient rocking chair, " If it isn't the young elf."

Valonir smiled, and sat in the chair across from him. Theo looked, but didn't see a third chair. He felt like standing anyway, so it didn't upset him.

"We need your guidance, sir. We need to know the name of a a certain man, or boy."

The old man watched Valonir's expression, "Do you wish to harm this man? You know my law young elf. I will not help you with murder or vengance."

Theo stood quietly, awaiting for Valonir's lie. To his surprise, he gave none.

"Yes, we plan to kill him, but not in the way you think wise mage.", after he was done, he motioned for Theo to hand him the dragon sword.

Theo hesitated, but trusted his companion. He drew it slowly, so not to insinuate an attack. He then hands it to Valonir, who brought it into the candle light.

"Oh!", he exclaimed for the second time, "you have been made a participant in the battle of centarium, is it?"

Valonir shook his head, "No, sir. The man behind me has. I only wish to assist him in the goals. One murder to save all of Eldurthain is more of a duty than a crime. Wouldn't you agree?", And he passed the sword to the mage.

The frail old man examined it, and gave it back. He looked up to Theo, and began to examine him. Obviously pondering whether or not he should do as he was asked. Finally, he coughed, and nodded at Valonir.

"Well, young elf. All I can give you is a name. I cannot give you a location or a destination.", he said calmly, and began whispering.

He whispered for several minutes, and Theo felt awkward watching. As if he, as intruding on someones privacy. He and Valonir waited, until the old mage's eyes shot open.

He smiled again, and looked to Theo, " The man you seek is but nineteen years of age. His name, is Aeysu Laydrin."

Theo leaned forward, expecting more. Only to remember, 'a name is all he could get'. Valonir thanked the mage, and paid him with coin from Theo's coin purse.

They stepped outside, and for the first time, Theo thought of the other man. He had only wondered of his glory and victory, but never considered that the one that must die could he as just as he was.

Valonir came outside with him, hood back over his head, "We need coin. We won't make it far without food."

Theo nodded in agreement, and thought up a solution. Before he could explain to Valonir, he heard a stern voice coming up the alleyway.

"Here, boy! This is the place!", the man barked out. A medium sized man, middle aged and with a small greyish black beard was stepping out of the distant group, and walking near them.

Then a young man stepped out, following the older. The younger of the two had what appeared to be a sword strapped to his back, covered in a cloth. Brushing blonde hair out of his face, he shrugged on.

As they came closer, they bickered at each other, "I told you Mr. Neobus! Stop calling me boy!" The one spat, annoyance on his face.

The older one, Mr. Neobus if Theo's ears served him correctly, laughed and ignored his plea. Theo and Valonir stepped aside as they went to walk inside the old mage's house. The boy stopped right beside Theo, and examined the old building, a questioning look on his face. Theo felt much the same when he first looked at it as well.

"Yea, piece a' trash isn't it.", Theo laughed.

The man laughed in turn, but Theo noticed a hint of depression in his eyes. For some odd reason, he felt drawn to the man, as if something told him to follow.

Instead, he turned and walked away with Valonir, questioning his lack of attention as they cruised away from the two men, and back into the crowd that rummaged through the town of Jakwell.