Chapter One
A shaky plan

Ganhai Mountain stood imposing above them, surrounded by clouds at the top. They couldn't see it, but they knew that above those clouds, on the very top of this tall imposing climb they would find the palace that housed the sorcerer Hurvun.
Leevan stared up, trying to picture what it would look like, but found he couldn't, so he went back to what he was doing. He was a magician, and like the other magicians in the camp he had an amulet shaped like the sun and wore robes, though theirs were flowing and colorful while his were wrinkled and brown. He scratched his arm. The robe itched too, and he guessed that wasn't the case for the others.
They wouldn't constantly remind him that his robe probably itched if that was the case.
The other magicians and some of the warriors were talking next to the fire, but Leevan was staring intently at a rock.
It wasn't as unusual as it sounds. He was trying to make the rock invisible, but that was proving taxing. You see magic is all about negotiation. If you want to create a wooden staff that shoots fireballs, you have to convince the fire not to burn the wood, convince the wood that it won't get burned, and then convince it to produce fire. The specific wording of the spell is a little more complicated but you get the idea.
He was trying to convince the rock that it didn't want to be seen, though he was having trouble coming up with a reason for it. Why would a rock prefer to go unseen? He came up with one, but…
He spoke the words of the spell, which of course it wasn't in normal speech. He was speaking the words of the Twyla, the beings that ordain all magic. There wouldn't be much point in telling you exactly what he said. Magicians always enchant themselves so that their magic words are forgotten by any that hear it. After all, magic is a precious commodity.
Roughly translated, he probably said something like, "Wouldn't you prefer not to be thrown around?" Because, after all, he had seen this rock thrown by a few of the warriors who had been bored recently. "People can't throw you if they can't see you. Why don't you avoid the light?"
After speaking this in the language of the Twyla it had the desired effect. The rock disappeared. He reached his hand out and felt the rock, but he couldn't see it. He grinned to himself. This didn't usually happen.
However, what happened next seemed to occur quite often.
"What are you doing?" asked a voice behind him.
Leevan turned nervously. There was Maelin, looking at him with confusion. He was slightly older than Leevan, with black hair and a yellow robe. Leevan stuttered trying to answer him.
"Uh...uh...trying...trying a spell."
"Oh," he said, turning from confused to smug in less than a second. "I should have guessed that's why you looked stupid."
"I…I got it to work"
Maelin looked genuinely surprised, "Really? What's this spell do?"
"It...it makes you invisible...like this rock I tested it with."
He showed Maelin, who felt around, touching a rock he couldn't see. He seemed even more pleasantly surprised now.
"Well I'll be. It works," said Maelin. "I guess you'll be making a talisman or a ring for it soon eh?"
"Yes. I figured it would work well against Hurvun. He shoots lightning from his eye you see, and never misses."
"I know that."
"Right...uh...of course you do...but I figure, since its eye magic, he can strike anything he can see and the lightning goes straight for it. If he can't see it, he can't strike it" He was feeling pleased with himself now.
"I'll admit," said Maelin. "That's clever. How does it work?"
He was loath to share it, but they were both part of the order of the sun, as shown by the amulet they both wore. The rules said they had to share spells between them.
"I convinced the rock that it didn't want to be thrown anymore, and couldn't be if people didn't see it."
"Maelin frowned," how can that apply to people?
Leevan hadn't thought of that, "Well" he said nervously. "I suppose...you could turn yourself invisible...if you get thrown a lot"
Maelin smirked, "If you get thrown a lot? Well...that should apply to you easily enough, but not to anyone else." He chuckled. "Call me when you get a useful spell won't you?"
He laughed and walked away. Leevan felt like a moron. He left the rock where it was and walked back towards camp. He never was good at coming up with spells. Why did he have to embarrass himself all the time? They were about to attack the palace of Hurvun, a cyclops, and one of the most dangerous sorcerers alive.
What use would he be?

Chapter Two
True value.

Under the shadow of Ganhai mountain, the army camped, waiting for tomorrow to start their ascent. Leevan sat alone, watching the other magicians talk. No doubt Maelin was telling them bout Leevan's pitiful attempt at an invisibility spell. He watched them jealously. They all had spells they specialized in, but he didn't. Sometimes he wondered why they kept him around.
"Hey boy," said a gruff voice. "Why aren't you sitting with your fellows?"
Leevan turned and saw general Hevman of the soldiers that were camped behind him. He was an older, scruffy looking man with quite a few scars on his face and scratches on his metal armor. He wasn't wearing his equally scratched helmet, and Leevan didn't blame him. The headdress on that helmet looked ridiculous, but of course all soldiers of the Ciniceros empire word them. Still, the general always looked imposing when he had his square shield and spear.
Of course all he had at the moment was his sword.
"They're not my fellows," said Leevan, fingering his sun amulet. "We're part of the same magician's order, but we're not fellows."
"Hmm," said the general, putting his helmet to the side and sitting down. "I notice your clothes aren't as colorful as theirs"
That was true. Maelin had yellow robes, and some were dressed in red or green, but Leevan's were a dull brown.
"I'm not much in demand as a magician," he said. "Quite poor. You see that Maelin there? He has enchanted himself with the ability to see magic spells, so he knows instantly how an object is enchanted or what powers another magician has. Dalib, there, in red with the staff? That staff of his shoots fireballs. Then there's Bendon, who can grow smaller or bigger depending on which of his rings he's wearing and there are a few other magicians with their own abilities here"
"You're point?"
"Magic spells are complicated and they take a while to perform. They're hard to use in the heat of battle, so most magicians give themselves enchanted objects or simple powers to fight with. They set those up beforehand, something specific to them that they can use at a moment's notice. Instead of reciting a long incantation to shoot fire, the staff already has that power and can be used instantly. I have nothing like that."
"Hmm, why is that?"
"Because I can't come up with one. I could use one of their spells, but generally you're looked down upon if you use the spell another magician invented. I mean if you use it as if it were your own. I could use those spells in a bind, actually speak the incantations, and no one would think twice but I have no spells of my own. I can't fight with magic the way they do."
General Hevman looked at him curiously. "Then why do they keep you around?"
Leevan answered honestly, though he didn't like the answer. "Sometimes in a fight I'll come up with a spell. Not anything that can be used again mind you. I mean...I once saved us from some slefah by making them shed their skin early. It incapacitated them long enough for us to get away, but making snake like creatures lose skin before they're ready isn't a useful spell in other battle situations. Most of the time I just fight with a sword and it's not even a magic sword. Except for these occasional spells, I'm like a normal fighter. No magic."
The general looked at him thoughtfully, and then did something unexpected. He chuckled. Leevan looked at him, not understanding.
"Boy," said the general. "You're more valuable than you realize. Take some advice from a real solider, and one who doesn't use any magic, having a special skill is fine and all, but the real challenge in a battle is being able to adapt. Sometimes you have to deal with things you don't expect to, something your pre-planned skills won't account for.
"Trust me on this; being able to come up with a plan in the middle of a fight that's related specifically to the task at hand is more valuable than having something planned for a lot of tasks. We go up this mountain here to face Hurvun and he might have something their powers can't handle. If you can think of something on the spot that can beat it that means you will have led us to victory. They need you...and you know what? I think they know it."
Leevan thought about it. It made a certain amount of sense, but what the general didn't know is that Leevan never actually did much fighting. The other magicians always killed the enemy before he got a chance. He had moments that helped, but it never seemed like anything the others couldn't have handled on their own eventually.
General Hevman could see he hadn't quite helped. "I'll let you sleep on that," the older man said. "Just remember, the best soldiers are the ones who have their wits during the fight, not before."
He picked up his helmet and walked off, Leaving this young, rather confused magician alone. They were going to start their attack tomorrow, climbing up the mountain. As he sat there, looking up to where he knew the palace must sit, Leevan wondered just how valuable he would be when all was said and done.
The Attack of Ganhai Mountain: Part Three
They go up the mountain, and Leevan feels insignificant compared to everyone. Well, almost everyone.

Chapter Three
The Climb Begins.

The camp gathered up its forces and supplies, rolling up the tents and putting out campfires, in order to prepare for its ascent up the mountain. All the magicians in their colored robes were arming themselves with their magic weapons. Maelin had a wand in his sleeve, Dalib had a staff, and Bendon kept trying on his rings, turning various different sizes, very large and very small. There were other magicians of course, and they all had different powers, but they all had one thing in common.
From time to time they would all shoot Leevan smug looks, as if daring him to show his magical weapons. As it was, Leevan had only his normal, everyday sword and knowledge, which wasn't looking like much next to the others' arsenal.
At least two of the other magicians didn't look like that. There was this eagle man who was part of the order of the sun. He had brown wings in his back and brown feathers on his head instead of hair, but otherwise he had the same colored robes as everyone. He also had a magic bow that never missed its intended target. He smiled at Leevan, came up, patted him on the back and said, "I'm sure you'll do fine."
"So I'm as nervous on the outside as I am on the inside huh?" Leevan replied. "Not quite reassuring Vonor."
Vonor chuckled and walked on. Then Leevan turned his eyes to another magician who didn't look at him smugly. She was called Kemra, and always smiled at him sweetly. It didn't mean much as she smiled sweetly at everybody, but it was a nice change from the smug looks. At that moment she did smile at him, and he gave a weak smile back, and then returned to what he was doing.
"Alright!" cried general Hevman as the camp finished packing. "We're going up now. Remember, there are probably some magical defenses up ahead, so always be on your guard. Just keep a clear head, and keep your wits about you." He looked straight at Leevan, who was nervous but nodded bravely. The general then said, "Move out."
Maelin took his place next to the general, giving Leevan another smug look. Of course Maelin would sit next to him. He could see magic spells, and would be warning him about magical traps and the like. He didn't have to be so…so…ugh!
Leevan was still getting that arrogance from the others, even the soldiers...no...they were looking with disdain at someone else. He followed one soldier's eyes and found a cyclops soldier.
It shouldn't have been unexpected. There were eagle men in this army too, armed and ready to fight Hurvun. It's not like this was a human only affair. However, even some of the eagle men were giving this cyclops hard looks, and Leevan knew why. Hurvun, the sorcerer they were after, the one who declared war on the world if it didn't bow to him, was a cyclops, and of course many of those people supported him.
This one was dressed in typical cyclops battle gear. This meant he was covered head to toe in metal, a perfect suit of armor with almost no weak point. The cyclopses were good with metal. This suit seemed to have only one weakness, a portal that let his eye see the world. With poor eyesight, cyclopses couldn't afford to use a visor, so they had to leave their eye exposed. A weakness on an otherwise invincible warrior.
He was definitely imposing, but his eye met Leevan's, and Leevan saw sadness, and loneliness. Not many cyclopses had gone against Hurvun, assuredly. He might have looked powerful in that special armor, but in that eye Leevan saw himself.
Alone, while others looked upon him smugly.
As Leevan began marching up the mountain with the others, He couldn't help but wonder what their role in this would be when all was said and done.
Everyone marched up. The magicians in their colored robes, Leevan in his brown robes, the soldiers with their leather armor, square shields, spears, and helmets with headdresses on them; they all made it a good ways up the mountain when
"Stop!" cried Maelin. "There's a trap up ahead! And it's magical!"

Chapter Four
Traps and Danger.

Their ascent of the mountain was treacherous. Maelin saw the first trap. With his enchanted eyes the ground looked transparent. This trap covered up a bottomless pit, making it seem like there was ground to walk on, but if one stepped on this ground he would fall through, and fall forever. It was easy enough to get around.
Other traps weren't so easy.
Maelin stood looking a one of these traps, "I can see these plants under the soft ground here. They'll probably emerge and attack us if we cross."
"We'll have to go around," said general Hevman.
"No," said Maelin. "This trap extends too far. We don't have time. We'll have to go through."
The general sighed, irritated. "Right. Get your swords out!"
The army obeyed and followed him up the hill. Leevan saw people ahead of him get wrapped in plants that shot out of the ground, and only a few of them were able to cut themselves loose. Then a few people next to him got grabbed and he became really nervous. One magician got caught and tried to set the plants on fire, but after speaking the magic words the plants pulled him down faster.
"Don't use fire!" a few of the soldiers yelled.
All around Leevan people were being caught, and then leevan himself was pulled down by the leg, sinking into the ground. He thought fast. Fire wouldn't help. No. Hurvun must have thought of that. What else could kill a plant? But then Hurvun must have thought of that too. Maybe if he could just get the plant to let him go...but how? Maybe...if there was something the plant would rather have
Water. Not fire. Water!
He pulled out his canteen, spoke a spell to convince the plant it wanted water more than him, and the plant stopped. He was halfway in the ground, and then he poured water on the plant, and rose up again. He was covered in dirt, but he was safe.
"Water!" he cried. "Use water!"
He explained the spell, and by using the water in their canteens they were able to escape, and one else got pulled under. When they were safely past that trap, general Hevman patted Leevan on the back and said, "Good job son. Good job." Leevan felt quite pleased with himself, but then he looked at the eagle men flying above, completely out of harm's way.
Leevan sighed.
At first, Leevan thought the eagle men were the luckiest as they could fly over all the traps, however that didn't last long. Once the company got high enough they ran into a fog. The eagle couldn't see anything, but everyone below could still see them. It would leave them open to attack, and was probably enchanted with eagle men in mind, so Vonor and the other winged men had to walk with the others, which wasn't a pleasant prospect.
They ran into a few other traps that Maelin helped them avoid. Fire shooting from the ground. Rocks that would fly towards their heads, more bottomless pits that were hidden, and there was one sort of glade with soft green grass that had an alluring quality. You just wanted to go there and take a nap. Maelin saw it for what it as, but some of the soldiers made it there and fell asleep. They couldn't be woken up, and had to be left behind.
At last they made it to the top, and could see Hurvun's palace up the slope in the distance It was very forbidding. It looked as if it had been carved out of the mountain. It was still jagged and distorted like a mountain, as if they had tunneled out rooms, windows, and a drawbridge without bothering to carve the outside. It looked like a rock with holes in it, but it was more impressive than that sounds.
They made camp out of sight, preparing to attack in the morning. As Leevan was unrolling his tend, Maelin bumped him, deliberately. Leevan fell over and looked at him painfully.
"Nice going Leevan," said Maelin. "We're out of water thanks to you."
He went on, and Leevan did realize his canteen was empty. Even so, they apparently couldn't thank him for saving their lives from those plants. No. They had to go right to what was bad. Wasn't thirst better than death? He started working again. Usually he at least got some compliment when he got them out of trouble, even if the smugness came back seconds later. This was different, and now Leevan felt rather bitter.
The Attack of Ganhai Mountain: Part Five
So the single person in this camp I relate to has only one eye. Weird.

Chapter Five
An Unexpected Friend.

Apparently Hurvun didn't care much about how his home appeared to guests. A giant rock with windows and a drawbridge wasn't exactly the height of architecture. Then again, the red glow coming from those windows was rather ominous. Leevan went back behind the rock structure that everyone else was hidden behind.
He looked towards the camp where the other magicians were sitting. They gave him some accusing looks. Apparently they were still mad about the water incident. Leevan still thought thirst was better than death, but he wasn't going to push it. He saw Kemra with a divining rod, which was a piece of metal shaped like a Y. The long end went in the ground, one short end had a knob, and the other end would shoot out water, if there was any for the rod to summon. So far, Kemra wasn't having any luck. She saw him and smiled, though not as sweetly as she usually smiled at everyone.
At least she wasn't mad. That made one person.
He brought out his sword. He knew he wasn't going to learn some magic of his own within a night, so he figured he would practice something he was actually good at. He swung a few times, making sure he had his stance right, and that he was throwing his weight into the blow properly. He practiced a few parries, keeping in mind that in a real fight he would direct an opponent's strike away.
"You're doing well," said an unfamiliar voice.
Leevan turned and saw the cyclops in full battle armor leaning against the rock wall. Leevan took a better look at him. His armor covered him completely, and it really did seem so intricately woven that it had no weakness, except for the open eye of course.
"Thank you," said Leevan. "Any advice?" He figured he should ask since they would be fighting some cyclops.
"For Slefah," the one eyed man said. "Thrust when their mouth is open to strike. They attack with smell, not with sight, and when their mouth is open they can't see your sword. For ogres move as soon as they lift their clubs, not when they bring them down. They're not smart enough to change the direction of their blow anyway."
"And cyclops? I have to ask."
"I know," he said uncomfortably. "If you can blind us, it won't be hard to strike our eye."
"Thank you," said Leevan.
"No problem. I'm making sure everyone knows how to fight their best."
The cyclops was about to walk away when Leevan asked, "Why do the rest of your people fight with Hurvun?"
The cyclops froze. He removed his helmet and then turned back. His eye rested between where a human's eyes would. Other than that he looked pretty human. he replied, "If you were to ask one of them, they would say that the rest of the world was trying to steal their secrets in metal craft."
"That's not true."
"I know that, but Hurvun cited various time that other nation asked for their secrets and has convinced most of them that the Ciniceros empire, and other nations, will eventually take them by force."
Leevan was confused. "But he's openly told us he want to hand our governments over to him."
"Well, you see, there's some sort of enchantment he's cast. Other cyclops can't hear him when he talks like that. All they hear is defiance." He paused. "I don't know why it hasn't affected me."
That really seemed to get to him, and Leevan felt sorry for him. "And now we're going to fight them."
"You've heard Hurvun's threats," replied the cyclops. "We can't let that come to pass. Conditions are already bad for cyclops. He works them like a slave driver making more armor and war machines to fight with. It will only get like that for everyone else if we let it happen."
Leevan was once again confused, "Why do they follow him under those conditions?"
"How does a deceitful leader such his subjects dry? They let him. They think they must fight against their oppressors, when they're really working for him."
Though he had one eye, it had as much emotion in it as two, and Leevan could see sadness in this cyclops.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Thank you. I'm Normir."
"Leevan."
They shook hands, and Leevan followed Normir back to the camp. Leevan got angry looks from the magicians, and Normir got suspicious ones from the human soldiers. Leevan knew they had a reason to be cautious, but this was unnecessary.
"I won't be sitting with the other magicians," said Leevan. "Would you like some company?"
Normir smiled. "I would."
"We have water!" cried Kemra!
From divining rod stuck in the ground water was flowing out one side. So there was water in these mountains! Soldiers and magicians crowded around to fill their canteens.
"Drink up men!" cried General Hevman. "For tomorrow morning we begin the attack of Ganhai Mountain!"
The Attack of Ganhai Mountain: Part Six
We didn't expect this from Hurvun. That sorcerer is trickier than we thought.

Chapter Six
The Attack Begins! Or at Least it Tries to.

The army marched towards Hurvun's palace. When they got closer Leevan realized that this palace wasn't very large but then again when you randomly hollow out a rock for your palace you probably aren't picky about size.
Still, that wasn't the only oddity that Leevan noticed. They should have seen sentries in the windows by now. The drawbridge was up, but that was the only defense they noticed...apart from the red glow coming from the moat which was probably lava.
He had to admit, that alone was scary enough.
Still, there was something not right about this picture. This palace didn't even have battlements on top. It really was just a rock on the outside without proper defenses. Even the windows weren't that thin. One could crawl into them. Dark Sorcerer's had a reputation for arrogance but this was borderline ridiculous.
General Hevman stopped his troops. Everyone was dressed in battle gear. The human soldiers of the Ciniceros Empire had their leather armor, large square shields, spears, and helmets with the headdresses on them. The eagle men flying above had swords and bows. The lone cyclops Normir was dressed head to toe in metal and holding a formidable looking battle mace. The magicians wore colored cloaks with their various magic weapons, except for Leevan who had a brown cloak and a normal sword.
Even so, he was as ready for this fight as anyone else.

"What I wouldn't give, " said General Hevman, looking up at the rock palace. "For some chariots."
Most human generals seemed to prefer chariots, Leevan thought. However, chariots wouldn't do much good on a mountain or in a palace. Still, they were here to fight with what they had.
"Hurvun!" cried the general. "We come to seek your surrender!"
At first there was nothing, and then a circular section of the mountain, right over the drawbridge, faded away to reveal him. Hurvun, the cyclops sorcerer. He wore robes that seemed woven out of gold, and being a metal gifted cyclops they probably were. A full armored cyclops stood at his right, and a slefah to his left.
The slefah was like a giant snake with cobra folds, but its head was more like an eel. It hissed at the army menacingly, but it wasn't as scary as Hurvun. He was scary just by looking at them. One bolt of lightning from his eye
Leevan shuddered when he thought Hurvun looked right at him.
"Greetings!" said Hurvun with a sick grin. "My my, I've never had so many guests before! I'm afraid I can't entertain at the moment. It's just as well. I have a nasty habit of incinerating my guests into oblivion, so feel free to come back at a better time."
Hurvun didn't move, but a bolt of lightning shot from his eye and struck the ground in front of the general, who was probably the only one who didn't step back.
"Here here!" cried the cyclops next to Hurvun. "You humans won't steal our secrets!"
Leevan looked at Normir, who seemed downcast. Leevan wondered if that cyclops was really being fooled by a spell of Hurvun's to make him believe the other nations wanted their metal craft. Normir, a cyclops himself, was probably thinking the same thing. Leevan felt sorry for him, and wondered why this spell hadn't worked on him. It probably drove Normir mad not knowing.
Then Leevan spied Maelin in his yellow robes. He looked worried, and confused. He was looking at the ground as if he was trying to figure out a puzzle. Leevan knew Maelin could see magic spells, but it wasn't always clear what they were. Whatever it was, there was a spell there, and it was in the ground.
"I'm not impressed Hurvun," general Hevman cried back. "If you think we are going to retreat that easily then your dark magic is clouding your judgment more than I thought."
"Clouding my judgment?" Hurvun called back. "But I've never felt more powerful!"
But, thought Leevan, that was the point wasn't it? Dark magic was a means to force nature to do your bidding, instead of negotiating with it. It was easier, and made you feel more powerful, but of course it didn't really give you more power. A clever magician could do exactly the same things a dark magician could, but dark magic took over one's senses to the point where one thought he could take over the world!
After that it wasn't long before he tried it, as Hurvun was doing now.
"No matter how powerful you are," said the general. "It will not make us turn back."
"Oh I think it will," said Hurvun with a chuckle Leevan didn't like, as if he knew something they didn't. Hurvun went on. "I really think you will. I'll admit, you were clever to get past my traps going up, but going down is going to be...a little different." He chuckled, and then he laughed out loud.
Leevan really didn't like this, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Maelin, looking very worried.
"Attack!" cried the general.
"Wait!" cried Maelin, but it was too late.
Hurvun reached into a hole in the wall of his palace, and suddenly a wave of light spread across the ground. When it hit Leevan's feet he slipped. It was as if the ground had turned to ice. It was still dirt, but it was so slippery he felt himself sliding backwards. Back down the mountain. All around him the entire army had slipped and fallen, and now they were sliding down.
So they were about to go back down the mountain. Leevan could see that even the tents they had left behind were slipping down. The eagle men were less lucky. What a dirty trick! Leevan thought. Climbing all the way up the mountain only to slip down like this? How humiliating!
The eagle men above were less lucky. Bolts of lightning shot them out of the sky. Hurvun couldn't take chances since his trick wouldn't work on them. Leevan, though he felt sorry for the eagle men, was glad he wasn't in their position, until
Far down, at the back of the army, he heard screams. Blasts of fire were shooting out of the ground, burning the soldiers that went over them. It was one of the traps they had passed earlier.
Leevan, lying on his back as he slid down, looked on in shock as he understood. They were about to go through, at high speed, the very traps they had been so careful to avoid going up! The fire traps were getting closer. This, thought Leevan, was very, very, very bad.

Chapter Seven!
The Army falls, Literally.

The fire traps were coming up...or he was going to them. It's easy to get confused when you're sliding across dirt as if it's ice. Either way Hurvun's slippery spell was about to kill Leevan, unless he could think of something fast. Soldiers were already getting burned to a crisp as they slid down the slope and over the spots where fire shot out of the ground. Normir the cyclops seemed protected by his armor, but everyone else...Leevan thought
He shouted the spell!
In an instant Leevan felt his clothes pull him to the side. It was a spell to convince his clothes they didn't want to be burned. He shouted it as loudly as he could, and every soldier he could see was pulled left and right as they fell across the dirt. He didn't see any more fire traps go off, so he figured the spell had worked.
They passed the green, pleasant glade where a few soldiers still slept in an enchanted sleep. There wouldn't be any trouble from that. Leevan tried to remember what was next as he slipped down, but then he grabbed a branch sticking out of the ground. A few of the soldiers did the same but then Leevan heard the screams!
Rocks from the area where levitating and flying towards their heads! Leevan had to let go of the tree branch when one flew towards him! It missed, kicking up dust where it struck!
Sliding again, people were being bombarded by these things. Again the cyclops was fine, the rocks just smashed against his armor, but no one else was so lucky. Leevan turned and twisted as he slipped to avoid the rocks, which kicked up dust every time they hit, but he couldn't keep it up forever. There was a magician in his colored robe lying limply, still slipping even as he was dead. That jolted Leevan's senses.
He shouted a spell to make the rocks fall back down. He tried to remind the rocks that they were supposed to stay still. That's what rocks did. It didn't work. The rocks kept coming. Hurvun must have thought about that. As he rolled over to dodge another rock he realized how stupid he was. That was the simplest way to end a spell and revert things to how they were before, and it was the first one a magician defended against. He saw a few other magicians shouting spells, and he even saw Kemra. She looked terrified!
Another rock almost hit Leevan and he thought
He shouted another spell. This time he enchanted the wind. He essentially told it that it should be moving faster than the rocks, and the rocks shouldn't be moving at all. It worked this time. Gusts of wind knocked the projectiles off course, smashing them into larger rocks that thankfully weren't flying about.
The army was still slipping down the hill, and Leevan had to think. What trap was next? He remembered! They had crossed a lot of those invisible pits. Sure enough, someone far in front of him fell through what seemed to be solid ground, screaming!
Leevan thought quickly as a few more fell in. He came up with this one a bit more quickly. He thought of a spell to make the hole close up. He also saw Maelin about to slip into a hole, along with Normir at another. People were disappearing in front of them! Normir's armor wouldn't protect him from this! Leevan thought quickly. He had half a mind to let Maelin fall in and save Normir, but then no. That wasn't him. He had to save everyone he could.
He yelled the incantation. Even though the hole was invisible, it was still an imperfection in the mountain. The dirt over the holes gathered, and the people just slid over it, including Maelin and Normir. He repeated it for any other holes he saw soldiers fall into.
What was next? Leevan didn't have to think long to remember. As he slid, he tried to think about how they beat the plant traps before. The plants had shot out and slowly pulled them in. It shouldn't be too hard to do the same thing this time? Just pour water on them in exchange for freedom? The plants would even stop them from falling for a while.
Wrong.
Up ahead soldiers were being grabbed by plants and pulled under instantly. He remembered how fire had made the plants faster and realized that the more energy they had the stronger they must have been. Either way, they didn't have time to use his water spell and general Hevman was close to these things!
He thought fast. How could he keep the plants form shooting out of the ground? By making the ground too hard for the plants to burst through! He spoke the words and convinced the soil to imitate the rocks. They were both earth, why should one be stronger than the other?
The soil hardened, becoming rock like and smooth. he didn't see any more plants. The soldiers were slipping over quite fine until
The soil started cracking! The plants were stronger than he thought! But they were almost past them. Just a little further...the cracks got wider...almost there...little tendrils of the plants started poking out...almost!
A few soldiers at the top got pulled under, but they were past it. Leevan sealed that first invisible hole they passed and they made it. They slid to the foot of the mountain, and started piling up. Leevan landed with his stomach on somebody's helmet. It wasn't pleasant, and less so was the soldier who landed on top of him.
It took a while for everyone to stand up out of the pile. Many had landed on the burned and broken tends that had slipped down first, making it harder to stand. Leevan looked when he stood. The mountaintop was so far away now. It had taken ages to get up and only moments to get down. Going up they had so many people.
But now their numbers seemed so small. Leevan had saved as many as he could, even a few he didn't like, and now look at them.
A few seconds later, after everyone was down from the mountain and up on their feet, a few eagle men approached from the sky. A few seconds later dead eagle men fell, sliding down the slope and landing at the foot of the mountain, burns on their bodies from Hurvun's lightning. They piled up at the broken tents left behind and didn't get up again. Leevan looked at them. Even Vonor, the eagle man magician who was nice to him, was dead. So many had died.
How could they beat Hurvun now?

Chapter Eight
Anger and Thanks.

They held a funeral for the dead. It was night, under the shadow of the mountain. They honored the fallen in the light of a giant fire. They would have buried them, but that would have taken too much time. Hurvun could attack at any moment.
Leevan stared at the fire, and saw Vonor's face consumed by the flames. That eagle man was the only magician apart from Kemra who was nice to him, and now he was dead. Leevan didn't want his sacrifice to be in vain.
However, he looked up the mountain. It had been tricky enough going up, but now the slope was as slippery as ice. How could they get up now? They couldn't fly, and even that hadn't helped the eagle men. Would general Hevman order a retreat?
As bad as things were, they were worse for Leevan. If he had thought he had gotten angry looks when his spell made them low on water, they were nothing compared to now. Leevan still didn't understand. Both times he had saved them. Why were they angry? Especially this time?
Leevan walked away from the fire. He had honored the dead already, and he couldn't stand these looks. Maybe they were furious that he had done better than them. He had. No one else had shouted spells to save them as they fell down that slippery slope. No one.
A little away, somewhat out of the firelight, he turned around and was immediately pushed to the ground!
Maelin stood there, his yellow robes now torn and dirty. Dalib was there too, and his red robes weren't in better condition. Bendon also stood by in even worse purple robes. They were all mad at him.
And Maelin had his wand drawn. Leevan looked at it. Up close it looked like more than a metal stick. It was shaped like a knife almost. It wasn't really sharp, but it looked about as dangerous.
"What do you want?" asked Leevan bitterly.
"You really messed up Leevan," said Maelin.
"Hey, I saved your lives!" said Leevan, who was beginning to regret that.
"Oh, yeah, you saved our lives. Is that it? Look at us! We've half the number we had before! Those spells of yours were pathetic!"
Leevan couldn't deny that, but he was still angry. He stood up and faced Maelin head on. "We would all have died if I hadn't done anything," he said. "Besides, I didn't hear you shouting any spells."
"I never got the chance. You kept shouting spells before I had a chance to think. You got in my way! You realize that?"
"In your way? Time to think? No one had time to think! At least I was doing something! You know...I don't think you're mad because so many died.
"Is that so?" said Bendon.
"It is. You always say you keep me around for my protection, but that's not it is it?"
"Isn't it?" said Maelin.
"No. You keep me around because I save your lives. No, I can't seem to come up with a spell that can be used more than once, by my one time spells get us out of trouble too many times to ignore. I've saved your lives so many times, I think it's starting to bug you."
Veins in Maelin's forehead thickened, and Leevan figured he had nailed it.
"I think your jealous," said Leevan.
Maelin shouted and raised his wand! Leevan stepped back, but before Maelin could cast his spell a shiny hand grabbed him, squeezing his wand hand hard! Maelin let out a cry of pain and dropped his wand. Normir the cyclops had shown up.
Dalib raised his staff and shot a fireball at him, but it hit his armor with no effect. Dalib backed away uneasily as Normir threw Maelin to the ground. Bendon put on a ring and grew over ten feet high! He hefted a boulder, ready to throw it on Normir, who looked up at it, unimpressed.
Maelin had his wand and shot a beam of blue light at Normir, but it rebounded off his armor and hit the ground, making a flash! Bendon was about to drop his boulder on him when
"Enough!" cried general Hevman. "What in the blazes is going on there?!"
Bendon threw away his rock. Maelin stood with disdain, and Dalib stood back nervously.
"General," said Maelin. "This brute of a cyclops attacked me!"
"He was protecting me!" cried Leevan.
"Enough!" cried the general. "I don't know what happened here, but fighting amongst ourselves when so many have died is dishonorable. I should have you four whipped for this!"
"Four?" said Dalib. "What about Leevan?"
"He was the only one of you not fighting," said the General. "He will be receiving honors for saving so many. As many as there are on that funeral pyre we would all be dead if not for him."
Maelin and the other two sneered.
"As for you four," said the general. "I don't know what happened, so I will let this pass for now. However, If I find any one of you fighting again, that person will be whipped for his insolence. Save the fighting for the enemy. Is that understood?"
The magicians reluctantly nodded, but maintained their disdain.
"I may not be a magician," said general Hevman. "But I do not fear magic. Insolence will not be tolerated, even from you."
The general walked away. Maelin, Dalib and Bendon did too. That left Normir, who stood stoically, and Leevan, who was nervous that whole time. He looked at Normir gratefully.
"Thank you," he said.
"No problem," replied the cyclops.
They returned to the fire. Leevan still got angry looked from the magicians, except Kemra, but now he noticed that the soldiers were giving him a few encouraging glances. He even got a few friendly nods. That was nice. Still, he found it hard to feel good about this. They still had the problem of Hurvun, and there was still the dead in front of him.
With people finding faith in him, a friend by his side, and the dead to honor, he said to himself, "I'll find a way to beat him. Hurvun will pay for this. Maelin, you'd better not get in my way."

Chapter Nine
The Decision.

The Army gathered around General Hevman as he made his speech. He had been thinking all throughout the night, not even under his tent as all the tents were in a pile at the foot of the mountain, and he had come to his decision. Leevan waited anxiously with Normir next to him, Normir being out of his cyclops armor. They both had that question on their minds. Would they retreat, or go on?
"As you all know," the general spoke loudly and clearly so that all could hear him. "Hurvun's spell has made this mountain as slippery as ice, and so we cannot climb it. We are also few in numbers now. Common sense dictates that now would be a good time to retreat."
Leevan had been expecting that, as a few of the soldiers around him had. They all nodded amongst each other as if to say "that's it, we're done," but general Hevman wasn't finished.
"However," he spoke. "It is not in me to withdraw so easily. I cannot foresee a way through this, but our magicians might." He looked straight at Leevan, who nodded as the general continued. "I want our magicians to see if they can figure out a way up the mountain. After that, we need a spell that can assure our victory. If these two criteria are met we shall march again. If not, we shall retreat. Magicians, you have one day. Dismissed."
The army dispersed. Leevan looked at the other magicians grouping together. A few angry looks told him that they didn't want any part of him.
"They seem pretty hostile," said Normir, his one eye blinking.
"That's fine," said Leevan. "I'll figure out my own spell."
"I'm sure you will," said Normir, smiling. "I'll leave you too it."
Normir walked off and Leevan went to look for some privacy. He preferred to practice magic alone, mostly so he wouldn't be seen making another ridiculous spell. However, this time he was determined to come up with something useful. Something that could be used more than once. He turned a corner around a boulder
And found Kemra crying.
She tried to quickly wipe away here tears when she saw him. She smiled, but her face was still wet.
"Oh, hello Leevan," she said brightly, even though she had obviously been sobbing.
"Were you crying?" he asked.
She suddenly became downcast. "Yes. Vonor is dead."
Vonor. He had been nice to him. Leevan understood why someone would cry for him, and wished he had known that eagle man better.
"He was your friend?" he asked.
"Yes." she sniffled. "He was."
"So why are trying to hide this? No one would think twice if they saw you crying for a friend."
"Well" she sniffled again. "People seem to feel better when I smile at them. It lifts their spirits. After everything that's happened...I want to help any way I can."
After a pause, Leevan said. "That's great."
"Thank you."
"Hey!" said a woman's voice. "Kemra? Is he making you cry?"
Leevan knew that voice. It belonged to a redheaded magician woman who looked kind of scary. In fact her magical talent was supposedly just that. If you looked into her eyes she became the scariest thing you ever saw. Leevan didn't turn around."
"Oh no Jaxia," said Kemra. "He's fine. Thank you Leevan."
She smiled, Leevan thought for real this time, and walked off. Leevan kept thinking. Kemra was doing whatever she could to help this army out. Leevan felt he needed to do the same, especially after the general's decision. The next time Kemra smiled, it would be because they had won.
Leevan rubbed his hands together. He had a spell to invent, and he would have to invent it soon.

Chapter Ten
I've done it!

Leevan paced back and forth. He was getting anxious. He still couldn't think of a spell. making people fall up the mountain? No, they would still have to pass through the magical traps, which they couldn't afford to at those speeds. Flying? No, that enchanted fog would leave them wide open to attack from Hurvun's lightning. Magic stairway? Teleportation? None of it would work!
He had no way up getting up the mountain, and either could he think of something to protect them from lightning. That kind of attack would eventually destroy any defenses he could come up with. The only way to protect against it when it shot from his eye
He tripped and fell. He looked but didn't see what he had tripped on. He felt around and found that rock he had managed to turn invisible before. He almost threw it in frustration!
"You stupid!" but he stopped and looked at it. Making the rock invisible because it didn't want to be thrown around wouldn't work on much else, but it was a start. The only way to beat the lightning, as far as he could tell, was to not be seen. Maybe an enchanted fog, but he couldn't think of how to cast such a spell.
He had only one choice. True invisibility.
The trouble was his spells either wouldn't work, or he couldn't think of how to perform them, and it was the same for getting up the mountain or turning invisible. It was maddening! The thing is he knew it didn't matter if he or the other magicians thought up the spells. They needed one to get up the mountain and one to beat Hurvun. It didn't matter where it came from. But to see another smirk on Maelin's face
He had to think up a spell. Besides, General Hevman was counting on him. In a way, there was someone else counting on him. His father
He pulled out his amulet. It was a symbol of his the order of the sun, which the amulet was shaped like. He remembered when he first got accepted a magician there. He was only twelve, but he was beginning his journey in magic. He promised his father
"I'll be the best magician ever father, just you wait!"
His father chuckled, "You see that boy over there."
Leevan had looked and seen Maelin for the first time. His was with his own father, who looked rather scary with his sharp eyes and goatee.
"That man," said Leevan's father. "Expects his son to be the best. You see how scared that boy is of his own father?"
It was true. Maelin looked nervous, especially when he met his father's gaze.
"I don't ever want you to look at me like that. You hear me? Don't try to be the best magician here. Be the best you can be."
Leevan nodded.
Back in the present day, holding that invisible rock in one hand and his amulet in the other, Leevan thought. He didn't have to make both spells. Just one. The other magicians could figure the other one for all he cared. He just needed one.
He looked at the rock, trying to think of something. He scratched his arm. His cloak really was itchy. And ugly too. He would rather not have to look at it. And maybe...it wouldn't want to be looked at!
That's it! All he had to do was convince his cloak it didn't want to be seen! He spoke the magic words and his cloak disappeared but he didn't.
A linen shirt with long sleeves and long linen pants might not seem very embarrassing to you, but as far as Leevan was concerned he was in nothing but his undergarments. He let out a yelp and said magic words to convince the cloak it would rather not be known as the cloak of someone who went out in public like this. The cloak faded back.
Leevan calmed down, and then sat down. He was getting closer. He knew it. He could make anything ugly invisible. That was a start, but he wasn't very ugly himself. And there was no way his amulet was ugly. It was the only attractive thing he had really. His cloak was definitely a start though. It was so ugly that Maelin and the others rarely let him be seen with them. As attractive as their cloaks were, they didn't want to be seen with his ugly brown one. A pauper magician's cloak.
Attractive, and not wanting to be seen with something so ugly?
He had another idea. It was his last shot. If it didn't work, he was sunk. He convinced the amulet that it didn't want to be seen with such clothes, or someone who would wear them, and that it would be better to go unseen. He spoke the magic words, put on the amulet
And disappeared.
He took the amulet off and reappeared. It worked! It really worked! he could only use it wearing ugly clothes, but he had a spell that could beat Hurvun! He had a spell of his own that could be used more than once!
He ran out to the rest of the army and shouted at the top of his lungs, "I know how to beat Hurvun! I know how to beat him! We just need to make our clothes really ugly!"
Everyone looked at him open mouthed, as if he was crazy.

Chapter Eleven
No Respect.

"In order for the invisibility spell to work," said Leevan to everyone, standing at the foot of the mountain. "We need an attractive object with ugly clothes."
In the crowd Leevan spotted Maelin whose robe was still tattered and dirty from the fall earlier, as was everyone else's clothes. Of course with Leevan's you couldn't really tell much of a difference, but still.
"As I can see from Maelin's usually clean and colorful robes," said Leevan. "That shouldn't be much of a problem after that fall."
Maelin sneered.
"In any case this can protect us from Hurvun's lightning, as he cannot blast something he cannot see.
"Well done Leevan," said General Hevman. "I think that will work. I'm already picturing how we can use it to storm the castle. Now, did you come up with a way up the mountain?"
Leevan shrugged, "I'm afraid not sir."
"Alright! Magicians, we still have until tomorrow. Keep thinking. One half of the puzzle is complete."
Everyone dispersed again. Leevan got approving glances from the soldiers, and even some of the magicians nodded at him. He was feeling better. Finally! He had a spell to call his own! He saw Kemra smiling at him, nodding to him, and Normir patted him on the back saying, "Good job Leevan. Even if we do retreat, we can always use that spell next time."
Leevan was feeling pretty pleased with himself. Now he would work on the other spell they needed. Maybe this time the other magicians would let him.
He approached the group, standing in a circle, but Maelin saw him and sneered.
"What do you want?" he said.
Leevan froze. He said, "I thought I could help with the other spell."
"He probably could," said Kemra.
"I don't see a problem with that," said Jaxia.
Leevan gave them thankful glances, and they nodded. Kemra was as nice as ever, and Jaxia was nicer, though somehow still kind of scary.
"I think," said Maelin. "That you've hogged the glory enough for one day. You're spell probably won't even work against Hurvun anyway knowing you, so why don't you let us think up this spell alright?"
Leevan was confused, "Hogged the glory? I was just"
"Go play with your rocks!" said Maelin irritably. Leevan got angry. Maelin was of course referring to that rock Leevan made invisible with a spell that wouldn't work on anything else.
"Maelin," said Kemra. "Why are you doing this?"
"Why shouldn't he?" said Bendon. "So the guy found a spell of his own. Big deal. He still hasn't been that useful."
"Yeah, he never contributed anything to other meetings," said Dalib.
"You never let him!" said Kemra. "Besides, he's save our lives plenty of times."
"I don't care," said Maelin. "We don't need him."
Leevan was getting really angry, "Would you please stop talking about me as if I'm not here? I'm not invisible you know."
They all looked at him funny.
"I mean not right now," he covered quickly.
"Everyone shut up," said Jaxia, who had never looked so scary.
All eyes turned to her, dressed in her green robes. Leevan realized it was true. She could really make you terrified just by looking into people's eyes. The thing was, Leevan wasn't certain if she even needed magic to do it.
"Bendon, Dalib," she began. "Many of us have been playing follow the leader with Maelin a long time, especially when it came to being snotty to Leevan, but you two have acted like a couple of sheep forever. That's your business, but now it's annoying, so stop it."
Bendon nodded, and Dalib just stood there nervously.
"Maelin," continued Jaxia. "I don't know what problem you've have with Leevan here, but now it's getting out of hand. At first it seemed like you might have a point about him, so it wasn't worth making trouble, but now this borders on ridiculous."
Funny, Leevan was thinking the same thing.
"Jaxia you" began Maelin.
"Shut up," she replied quickly. "I don't know what it is with you, but it's your problem. You better sort it out with him, or it will be you who doesn't join this talk."
"You're not in char" Maelin was cut off by a sharp look.
"That's it," said Jaxia. "The rest of us will keep talking, and then either Leevan or both of you will join us. After all that's happened I think his opinion will be more trustworthy anyway."
Maelin scowled and walked off. Jaxia looked at Leevan as if to say 'go on,' and Leevan reluctantly followed. Kemra nodded at him encouragingly, but he still didn't feel like talking to Maelin. Still, he had to try.
Jaxia might kill him otherwise. That girl was scary!

Chapter Twelve
Unintentional Confessions

"Maelin wait," said Leevan.
They had wandered away from the group and behind a large boulder. Maelin was holding and looking at his sun amulet. He seemed confused, though Leevan couldn't guess why. Maelin looked at him angrily. Leevan had to ask, once and for all.
"What is it?" said Leevan. "Why do you always put me down? I've always just tried to help and I've never done anything to hurt you."
"You've never done anything useful either."
Now it was Leevan who was angry. "You know full well that isn't true."
"Well, no one believed in you before today, so what does that tell you?"
"My father" Leevan started to say.
"Your Father?" Maelin looked offended. "You're Father believed in you? What a joke. My father pushed me to be the best. And I am. I am the most respected magician here."
"I won't argue with you there."
"So tell me this. Why is it that your father respects you when you're only second rate, but my father doesn't when I'm the best in my league?"
At that moment, Leevan understood. "You really are jealous of me aren't you? Just not in the way I thought. That's right isn't it?"
Maelin turned away angrily, but Leevan wasn't done yet.
"You know," he said. "My father didn't believe I could be the best."
"No?
"No. That would imply he expected me to be the best. All he wanted was for me to be the best I could be, not the best of all."
A moment of silence and then, "That's silly."
"Maybe so, but let's forget about that now. Right now we have a job to do. We're supposed to be figuring out how to get up this mountain. There's more at stake than you and me. Let's forget everything and focus on the task at hand, and that's defeating Hurvun."
Another moment of silence, and then. "Fine."
They turned back to join the other magicians, hopefully they would be able to complete their mission. Leevan looked at Maelin, but Maelin looked away. At least they wouldn't be at each other's throats anymore.
Or so Leevan hoped.

Chapter Thirteen
This is good?

The sun set in the distance, casting twilight over all of them. General Hevman surveyed the camp of soldiers and magicians at the foot of the mountain. He had everyone's attention so far. He nodded approvingly at Leevan, who nodded back. Leevan was thankful for the respect and listened attentively to the General, who spoke loudly and clearly.
"Night has fallen. We have one spell that can help us defeat Hurvun, and now comes the final question. Magicians, do you have a spell to get us up this treacherous mountain?"
Maelin replied, "We do sir. We all worked on getting it ready, but the actual spell was Kemra's idea."
"Well then Kemra," said the general. "let's hear your idea."
Kemra stepped forward. As she did Leevan glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Normir, still out of his armor. He seemed downhearted. It was then that Leevan realized he had looked like that before going up the mountain the last time...any time mentioning that he would have to fight his own people, the cyclopses, and he looked as he did now.
It wasn't hard to guess why.
"As you know," said Kemra. "The mountain is too slippery to climb due to Hurvun's spell, however the obvious way to get around that would be to fly up. That fog that our eagle men ran into would leave us open to attack, however, and therefore there is only one place we can go that will keep us out of harm's way."
"And where is that?" asked the general.
"Somewhere in the middle. The spell we've created will let us walk on the air itself a few feet above the ground. Too high for the slippery spell, and even the traps for that matter, and too low for the fog to catch us."
Leevan was impressed. The spell had eventually been sorted out by appealing to the fact that one must breath air to live. This means that air wouldn't want to take lives, so it will let them walk on it and over the danger.
General Hevman smiled and clapped. The soldiers clapped along. "Well done magicians!" said the General. "Well done! Alright, magicians, get to work readying these spells; walking on air and invisibility. We march up the mountain tomorrow, and then...we will attack Hurvun without him knowing it!"
"Hoorah!" cried the army as one! Everyone shouted, over and over again...except one.
Leevan saw Normir again, still downhearted. He had seemed fine not long ago, even optimistic, when they couldn't go up, but now...Leevan wanted to help him. He walked right up to him amid all the cheering.
"Normir," he said. "I'll find a way to show your people the truth."
Normir looked at him sadly and said, "Thank you...but you don't even know what spell Hurvun used to deceive them."
"It's dark magic. He forced the spell to work. He doesn't negotiate like we do with our magic."
"That's not what I meant. Does literally change what they hear and see? Does he affect their minds directly? If the latter, why does he need to deceive them at all? If you don't know what the spell is how can you change it?"
Leevan couldn't answer.
"Don't get me wrong," said the cyclops. "I'd like nothing more than to free my people of that deception, but we can't. I'm going to have to fight them, even if I don't want to. There is too much at stake."
Leevan wasn't sure if Normir even believed that, but the young magician nodded his head anyway. Normir was right. How would he beat a spell when he didn't know how it worked? You don't necessarily need magic to break a spell, just step outside of its needs, but you do need to know how the spell works to do it."
"Follow me," said Normir. "I have something for you." He put his hand on Leevan's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Leevan, surprised, followed. He did worry, and he wondered how he could help Normir.
He decided, if there was a way, he would do it without question.

Chapter Fourteen
I've got it!

Leevan's jaw dropped when he saw it. It was a suit of armor, not unlike that which Normir wore, but it was obviously made for a human as it had a visor instead of a single eye hole. It rested off to the side of the camp, in the shadow of one of the larger boulders, and it was fantastic! It was so intricately woven that it seemed to have no weak point!
"It's Hideous," said Leevan.
"Thank you," said Normir. "That was the criteria for you invisibility spell wasn't it?"
It was. Leevan even saw a place engraved in the armor where his sun medallion would fit. It was ugly, covered in barbed spikes and with metal that looked tarnished, but that just meant he could fight invisible in it, and aside from that it was such a fine piece of metal that Leevan had to ask
"This is for me?"
"Yes," said Normir proudly. "I had some metal hidden at the foot of the mountain and I was trying to figure out what to do with it. Naturally this is what I came up with."
"But" said Leevan, confused. "Wouldn't general Hevman be the obvious choice?"
"I spoke with him, and we agreed we should protect the magician who has the best chance of beating Hurvun."
Leevan didn't know what to say, except, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Go ahead, try it on."
Leevan grinned.
It took a while to put the armor on, for it was every bit as intricate as it looked. Normir had to help, but eventually Leevan was able to stand there in full battle armor. Again, it was hideous, but that was the point. Besides, Leevan thought it made him look rather scary.
"It's great Normir," he said. "But...why give it to me? I mean why really?"
The cyclops sighed. "Well, you were the first person not to judge me for being the same species as our enemy. Well, second actually. General Hevman didn't either...that's why he let me tag along but...you were the first one to ask why I was the only cyclops fighting Hurvun. I can't thank you enough for that."
Leevan smiled. "It just seemed like an obvious question." He admired his hideous armor some more, and then asked. "I guess you aren't too concerned about people finding out your metalworking secrets."
"No, not really. I doubt you could guess our craft, even if you studied the armor for a thousand years. Although, I was probably the only cyclops who wasn't afraid of that."
Leevan stopped and looked at Normir very seriously. "You were the only one? Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Leevan had a sudden revelation, "Normir, we need to speak to general Hevman now."

"Normir is the only cyclops who doesn't fear us stealing his metal craft!" said Leevan excitedly.
At the foot of the mountain, late at night, general Hevman said, "So?"
"So! The cyclopses are deceived by some magic into believing that this war is about metal craft! They think we really do want to steal it! And what's worse is they don't hear Hurvun's ranting about taking over the world! Normir is the only one unaffected by this talk. Don't you see! It's that fear! His spell makes them think that their fears are realities!"
Normir looked surprised. "That makes sense."
"Wait a moment" said the general. "Are you saying you can create a counter spell for this? Maybe turn the cyclopses to our side?"
"We don't even need a counter spell. If we find the source of the spell, a relic or set of symbols or something that represents the cyclops people, we can either physically destroy it...and I mean completely...or have Normir touch it."
"What?"
Leevan sighed, "The spell plays off of fear...fear that Normir doesn't have...if he touched whatever the spell is rooted it...and trust me, it would have to be rooted in something physical to make it last...it would sense a cyclops without the very fear it plays off of, be in conflict, and simply stop. The spell would be broken! It would be like replacing my ugly cloak for a pretty one. My invisibility spell wouldn't work. It's the same with this."
The general thought for a moment. Leevan and Normir waited anxiously. The general then smiled, and the other two smiled back.
"Leevan," said the general. "Good work. This gives me a new plan...with a much higher chance of success I might add. Hurvun has slefah and ogres at his command, yes, but the cyclopses are the bulk of his army. If we can win them over we can then win the day. Yes, this is good! Leevan, Normir, I have a new mission for you!"
They listened excitedly as the general spoke his new plan...but someone else listened as well. Maelin listened from behind a rock, and he was not excited. How could that loser Leevan and that cyclops be so respected by the general? Maelin thought. He slipped away, feeling quite bitter.

Chapter Fifteen
A Second Chance in War.

The sun rose over the camp. Soldiers and magicians lying on the ground in their blankets got up, ready to march up the mountain again. The soldiers were up faster than the magicians, immediately in fact, but soon everyone was awake.
All of them got ready for battle, putting on armor, making sure their weapons were ready, and finally making sure that their invisibility spells worked. The magician's cloaks had gotten torn and dirty and they still had their sun amulets so they were fine, but the soldiers needed help. Normir the cyclops helped with that, making their leather armor uglier. He even modified the headdresses on their helmets.
He left one beautiful thing with them so that the invisibility spell could work, but even then, the army was soon the fiercest looking army that anyone had ever laid eyes upon.
Amid this Leevan put on his armor. He didn't need help from Normir this time, even though it was so intricate, but it still took quite a while. When he was finished he looked at himself. He looked hideous. He took his sun amulet and clamped it into the notch that Normir had put in the chest, and he disappeared.
Perfect.
"So," said Maelin behind him. "Now the laughing stock of all magicians is getting special cyclops armor."
Leevan looked at him venomously, removing the sun amulet and reappearing.
"No one else was friendly to the cyclops," said Leevan. "There's a benefit to being friendly with people."
Maelin laughed scornfully. "Perhaps. I guess I can't call you the laughing stock of magicians anymore."
"You can't."
They stared at each other for the longest time, and Leevan knew...it wasn't over between them. They would still be feuding for a long time. However, from this point on one thing was different.
Leevan had leverage.
"Just fight well today," said Leevan.
"Oh trust me," said Maelin with a mischievous chuckle. "I will."
He walked off, and Leevan was left wondering what he meant.
"Alright!" shouted general Hevman. "We're going up now. Magicians, you've done well, but now the fighting must begin."
Again he spoke loudly and clearly, gaining everyone's attention.
"Hurvun struck a blow yesterday that killed many of us. Good men that deserved to go down fighting; not be killed by a cowards trick. And yet I say we fight fire with fire and catch him with a trick of our own, only this time we will bring the fight to him anyway!"
Cheers sounded through the crowd! And Leevan cheered along with them!
"Today!" the general cried! "Remember why you are here! Remember why you fight!"
Leevan thought of all the people that Hurvun had murdered in his quest for power, and of the cyclopses deceived. He also remembered his father, telling him to be the best he could be. He would be the best, for the sake of those they needed to protect.
"Today!" the general went on. "We look Hurvun in the eye, and I say to you, it will be he who falls! Fight for your friends! For you homes and families! Fight for victory so that they may be safe once again! For Victory!"
The army chanted, "Victory! Victory!" over and over again, in tune with the general. When the finished, Kemra stepped forward. She spoke the spell she had come up with, and then marched forward. Eventually she seemed to walk up, and into the air, and soon she was walking three feet above the ground. The army followed her.
This was it, Leevan kept thinking, they were really going up this time. Some ways up, still walking above the ground, Leevan dropped a rock he had picked up. He slid across the mountain and into an invisible hole. Hurvun's traps were still working, and they were about to walk right over them without trouble.
Leevan grinned. He kept thinking that Hurvun had better watch out!

Chapter Sixteen
A covert battle strategy.

The army reached the top of the mountain, hiding from Urachan's view. They were still walking a few feet above the ground, protected from the mountains slippery spell. They waited, watching Urachan's castle. Leevan still thought it looked like a rock with windows and a drawbridge. They waited behind the rocks, Leevan, Normir, and the general, spying on the castle, waiting for the right moment. Eventually the drawbridge started to open.
This was their chance.
"Alright Leevan, Normir," said general Hevman. "You know what to do. Find the spell and break it. When the cyclopses see Hurvun for what he really is, we'll attack."
"Right," said Leevan and Normir at once.
They wore their full body metal armor. Leevan's was as ugly as ever, and Normir had made his own uglier so that their spell could work. Leevan reached for his sun amulet, and Normir pulled out a gemstone. Before they added them to the armor, Normir looked at Leevan with his one eye gratefully.
"Thank you," he said.
Leevan smiled. He knew Normir meant that they had a chance to save Normir's people instead of fighting them. They could because Leevan had figured out Hurvun's spell. It was all thanks to him.
"You're welcome," said Leevan.
They added their amulet and gemstone to their armor, and disappeared. Invisible, they cautiously approached. A small platoon of ogres and slefah marched out. The ogres were large, much taller than a human, with rough brown skin and one hand twice as large as the other. They carried giant battle clubs in their hands, with the bigger end held in their bigger hand. The slefah were of course like cobras with the head of an eel. Once they touched the ground they didn't seem to slip down the mountain, so they must have been impervious to that spell.
Leevan and Normir snuck by them, invisible, and made it past the drawbridge and into the castle. As of that moment, the siege of Ganhai mountain had begun.

The ogres and the slefah passed by their hiding place without seeing them. When they were out of sight the army removed their beautiful objects from their hideous leather armor and reappeared. The magicians all had sun amulets, but the soldiers each had some trinket. A marble, a ring, anything.
General Hevman had a locket with a small painting of his family in it. As far as he was concerned it was the most beautiful thing in the world. He looked at the painting with his wife, three daughters and two sons, and smiled. He was fighting to protect them.
The magicians in their colorful but torn and stained robes looked about, ready for this battle, when one of them asked, "Where's Maelin?"
They looked among their ranks, but Maelin had disappeared, and unlike the rest of the army, he had not reappeared again.

Chapter Seventeen
What are you doing here?

Leevan put his armored hand on Normir's shoulder. It was the only way he could follow when they were both invisible. Their armor didn't make much noise, Normir had made certain of it. Leevan wondered at that. Cyclopses really were good with metal.
They sneaked through the palace, which was much more attractive on the inside than it was on the outside. The stone was carved ornately, and golden torches lined the walls, along with some fine tapestries. Leevan understood why the palace was like this. Hurvun made the outside look fearsome to show his enemies, but kept the inside comfortable for himself. After all, he probably didn't expect his enemies to get inside.
Leevan grinned. Being invisible no one saw it, but he grinned all the same.
They had to move quickly, and find the spell without being discovered. As it was they often had to get out of the way in order to avoid cyclopses, slefah, and ogres that marched the hallways. Leevan kept his hand on Normir's shoulder as they searched. Normir kept looking down passages desperately, and Leevan could feel his panicked movements.
"We'll find it," he whispered. "We'll save your people."
Normir calmed down, "Thank you."
They kept searching.

Maelin made it. He had found the spell before Leevan and Normir. Naturally. His eye enchantment allowed him to see that there was a magically hidden door in the wall. It looked like a normal wall, but if you reached around you would find the knob that opened it. The other two had passed right by it. Maelin, however, had entered, and now was staring at the focal point of Hurvun's spell.
In that moment, he wondered how cyclopses could stand having only one eye.
The spell was physically made of a statue of a cyclops, carved completely out of metal. It stood on a pedestal covered with various symbols of the cyclops people. No doubt the symbols, when translated, spoke of the fear of the cyclops that their metal craft would be stolen by others, and the statue represented the cyclopses and their love of metal. Yes, this had to be the spell that clouded their judgment.
He took off his sun amulet and reached his hand out. All he had to do was touch it and
"Maelin," said an angry woman's voice.
She took off her own sun amulet. It was Jaxia.
Maelin said, without turning around, "How did you follow me?"
"I have my ways," she said. "What are you doing here?"
Maelin turned around slowly, and Jaxia glared at him angrily, only to become astonished when Maelin revealed a single eye between the places where his eyes should have been.
"What else?" said Maelin. "I'm going to end the cyclops spell."

Chapter Eighteen
You Idiot!

Leevan and Normir searched desperately, but they could find nothing resembling a spell that could affect an entire race. Leevan figured it must be hidden, but try as he might he could find it nowhere in the passages of this castle. Normir was looking around even more desperately.
"We'll find it," said Leevan reassuringly. "We'll find it."
But the truth was, he was losing hope too.
They kept passing squads of cyclopses in their full body armor. If they could end the spell those cyclopses might just become their allies, but for now they were enemies. Leevan was thankful for the invisibility spell, but Normir got panicked whenever he saw his kind. Leevan kept having to tell him
"We'll find it."
But he wasn't certain he believe it himself.

"What in the world do you think you're doing?" Jaxia demanded.
Maelin looked at her with his one eye. He really did look like a cyclops, but Jaxia knew he wasn't...and he was standing next to the metal cyclops statue that could only be Hurvun's spell. This was bad. She looked at him with as much anger as she could muster, but she wasn't certain how frightening she could look at the moment.
You see, she was really very scared.
"I just told you," said Maelin. "I'm going to break the spell. I don't believe the humans will steal cyclops metal craft, so if I touch this spell, it will break, and the cyclopses will see Hurvun for what he really is."
"Maelin, Normir is a real cyclops. If he touched the spell it would break. You, on the other hand, are not a cyclops. You are merely an imitation of one. If you touch that statue the chances of breaking the spell are very low. Either nothing will happen, or something worse."
"What could be worse than an army of cyclopses in invincible army?"
"Do you really want to find out?"
"I do. More than I want to find out what happens when Leevan tries to break the spell."
Jaxia paused, and then laughed. She laughed long and loud, "Oh I get it. This isn't about breaking the spell, it's about remaining the top magician isn't it? Leevan figures out how to beat Hurvun and you can't stand that he outdid you. Can you?" She became angry again. "Well your jealously is putting us all in danger, so I'm going to end this now!"
She ran forward, drawing her sword and looking Maelin straight in the eye! But Maelin just pulled out his wand...that looked suspiciously like a knife...and shot a red beam of light at her. She collapsed on the ground, her sword skittering to the side.
She cried out in pain, and looked at her hand. It was wrinkled, as if she had aged fifty years in less than a second! She tried to move but a few of her bones had broken. She cried out again and stopped.
"Don't worry," said Maelin. "You'll be young again in an hour. The spell is just meant to incapacitate so the blade of my wand can finish you off." He looked at her curiously. "You didn't really think your fear spell would work on me did you? I could see the enchantment directly on your eyes. You know, I used to respect you Jaxia, but putting stock in Leevan could get us all killed."
He turned around and looked at the statue, the focal point of the spell.
"Leevan," he spoke to himself. "Why? Why is it when I'm the best magician it's your father that loves you, and mine who says I'm not good enough? Why? Well, after today, maybe I'll fix that once and for all!"
He touched the statue.
"No!" cried Jaxia weakly, reaching her hand out.

Leevan and Normir looked around as a bright light came from the troop of cyclopses ahead of them. The cyclopses themselves seemed confused as the two of them remained hidden. The armored soldiers pulled their weapons out. Instead of battle clubs, they were now armed with swords. Swords that looked suspiciously liked Maelin's wand knife.
Once cyclops pulled his sword up and shot a red beam from it! Leevan and Normir looked on in horror! Leevan asked himself.
"Maelin? What did you do?!"

General Hevman waited with the rest of the soldiers, watching the castle that looked like a giant rock. Eventually the drawbridge opened, and the general heard Maelin's voice.
"The spell is broken!" he cried. "The spell is broken!"
The general wondered for a second why Maelin was there, but he still felt he would have to ask questions later. He raised his sword and cried
"Attack!"

Chapter Nineteen
What now?

At the windows cyclopses in full battle armor with heavy crossbows looked out. They could hear something, as if a great mass of people was running towards them up the slope of the mountain, but they could see nothing. No cyclops would claim to have exceptional eyesight with only one eye, but this was ridiculous.
Even though he couldn't see an army, he could hear it. The cyclops in a room high above the ground, next to a giant turn-wheel that controlled the drawbridge, considered closing it. He was about to do so, when a blast of light entered the eye hole in his armor!
The cyclops fell down, and Maelin stood over him with his wand. He left the drawbridge open so that the invisible army could get in. He heard them enter, and then saw them kick up dust where their feet landed. They were in the castle!
They became visible. In a fight there was too much of a chance of getting hit by your own men. The spell had done its job. The army was in the castle. They were few, but surely the cyclopses were on their side now?
Then why did this cyclops want to close the drawbridge? Maelin asked himself that. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He turned around and lifted his wand to destroy the chains linking the turn-wheel to the drawbridge. The chains would rust as if fifty years old, but then something struck Maelin from the back!
He fell to the floor, but was picked up by strong arms. Two cyclopses had him pinned. Hurvun picked up Maelin's wand and grinned at him evilly, his golden metal cloak glimmering. Maelin looked at him in horror.
"Close the drawbridge," the cyclops sorcerer said. "Trap the army inside."
Another cyclops turned the wheel, closing the drawbridge. As it creaked while closing, Hurvun grinned wider.
"Thank you for your assistance," he said. "You've brought my enemies into my fold, and made my servants all the more powerful." He laughed, and Maelin wondered what he meant, before something hit him again and he remembered no more.

General Hevman ran at the head of his army through the corridors. It was ogres and slefah first. The general halted his army and shouted for archers! The arrows twanged down the corridor, striking the beasts down! More came, and more arrows took them down, and then the armies clashed!
Slefah, like snakes, ducked and wove through their ranks, biting men and throwing them across the room, but the men fought bravely. General Hevman chopped off slefah heads left and right! The magicians that were left used all the magic they had. Dalib shot fireballs from his staff, and Bendon single handedly kept the ogres at bay, using his ring to grow to their size! Even his sword grew with him! Of course he would also shrink, slip by them, and attack from behind when he was big again. He was quite good at changing rings in the heat of battle.
He was assisted by the eagle men who had survived. They flew around the upper parts of the corridor shooting arrows at the ogres. Next to the magicians, they were the fiercest!
Other magicians had subtler ways of fighting. Kemra for instance had this blue dust that floated around her, and at a moment's notice she could slip that dust into an enemy snake, put him in a trance, and take him down while he was helpless. A few shot other elemental blasts; ice, fire, and other things. Even the non-magical soldiers brought down many slefah. It was a battle to behold!
They were winning! The slefah and the ogres fell back! The human army of the Ciniceros empire cheered! They charged forward, and general Hevman had only one question!
Where are the cyclopses?
They turned a corridor and there they were. The ogres and slefah kept retreating, but the cyclopses in full battle armor marched onward with swords that looked Maelin's wand. They didn't look friendly. They pointed their swords and shot red blasts that struck soldiers and turned them into old men. They collapsed, helpless. The cyclopses marched onward, shooting too many blasts to avoid. Even if they got close, it would be hard to strike the one weak point their armor; the eye. General Hevman had no choice.
"Retreat!" the army retreated. They fled through the corridor, men falling to red blasts left and right. They made it back to the entrance, but found the drawbridge closed. They could not escape. The cyclopses marched on, still firing magic blasts.
Leevan and Normir, invisible, watched the scene with horror. What could they do now?

Chapter Twenty
This is it.

The cyclopses fired red beams of light from their swords! Humans were dropping like flies, and the eagle men in the air had been hit from the beginning. They turned into old men and plummeted to the ground, breaking their necks on impact. The humans were pinned between the armored cyclopses and the drawbridge with no escape. Then, as quickly as it had begun, it stopped. The cyclopses stopped firing.
The one eyed and armored men lifted their swords and backed off. General Hevman, amid the humans, wondered what was going on, until the cyclopses parted to make way for the cyclops sorcerer Hurvun.
Leevan and Normir watched, invisible and helpless.
Hurvun grinned widely, "Surrender, General," he said. "You're outnumbered and overpowered. Of course you were overpowered from the start, so really this surrender has been a long time coming."
The general didn't respond, he looked around at his men. Many had hopeless faces, including Kemra. He looked directly at her, and nodded. She understood, and so did some of the men around her. They huddled and she put on her sun medallion, turning invisible.
General Hevman bought her some time, "I suppose you're right Hurvun," he said, turning back the cyclops dressed in a golden cloak. "This has been a long time coming. Though...to lose to someone whose mind is addled by dark magic...I must be pretty stupid."
He watched as soldiers were moved a little as Kemra went past them, invisible.
"Watch your mouth general," said Hurvun. "The dark magic has not 'addled my mind.' Remember, it is my dark magic that let me win the day."
"Dark magic? Or my own magicians stupidity. I know that spell your cyclopses used came from his wand. Here you are taking credit for this victory when it was all luck."
"Enough!" cried the sorcerer. "Do you surrender or not?"
He saw a tapestry move behind the cyclops army. Kemra had made it past them.
"I do," he replied.
Hurvun grinned, "Good."
Leevan and Normir, still invisible, kept watching, looking on in horror.
"Now what?" said Normir.
"We find the spell," said Leevan. "We can still turn this around."
"How are we going to do that?" said Normir, despair in his voice. "We don't even know where the spell is."
"Maelin," said Leevan. "The general is right. he did do something, and whatever it did affected the cyclopses...except you. He must have tried to break the spell himself. We find him, we find the spell."
"Fine," said Normir unenthusiastically. They left as Hurvun's forces rounded up the humans, and as Kemra wandered the halls, also invisible. Things had taken a turn for the worse, and even Leevan wondered how they would get out of this.

Chapter Twenty One
Yet Another New Plan

Leevan and Normir searched, but they couldn't find the spell. It was hard enough when they had to avoid slefah, ogres, and other cyclops, even while invisible, but to do that while searching for something? It wasn't easy. Besides, Leevan had to come to a conclusion.
"The spell is hidden," said Leevan. "Hurvun must have concealed it somehow."
"Leevan" began Normir.
"I hate to admit it," said Leevan. "I really do...but I think we need to find Maelin. He must have found the spell somehow. His eye enchantment could easily let him"
"Leevan," said Normir. "I'm going to reveal myself."
They stopped. Leevan looked, but of course they were both still invisible. He shook his head and spoke, "What do you mean?"
"I'm going to tell the cyclopses the truth," said Normir. "That Hurvun has cast a spell to make them think other nations want their metal craft."
"Normir, they won't believe you."
"I have to try. Finding the spell isn't working."
"It won't if we give up!" Leevan was shocked.
"You won't. You find it. I have to do this."
"Normir, I need you to break the spell!"
"Leevan, if there's one thing I've learned about you it's that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. You'll find a way...I know it. If anything this will give you a good distraction to get to the spell. But Leevan, I have to do this. My people cannot stay in the dark forever."
Leevan imagined Normir's face turning from despair to smiling when he said that. He had no idea what Normir really looked like at that moment, all he knew was that Normir's hand, which had been on Leevan's shoulder, suddenly went away. Leevan reached around for his invisible friend, but Normir was gone.
"Normir?" Leevan called to no answer. "Normir?!"
He couldn't shout too loud. He would be discovered. He stood there, invisible, trying to decide what to do. There was nothing for it. He would have to find Maelin and break the spell himself. Normir was the only way to break the spell without magic, but Leevan had magic. It would have to be enough to do this.
But, as Leevan went in search of Maelin, he honestly wasn't sure that it was.

Chapter Twenty Two
An Unpleasant Rescue

Unlike Hurvun's spell, the dungeons weren't hard to find, but then again that was probably the point. Leevan descended the stone stairs to get there, occasionally watching out for guards. It was cold and it smelled.
It was a dungeon alright, and he couldn't believe he was going to it intentionally.
There were cyclops guards standing at the entrance but, being invisible, Leevan slipped past them without much trouble. He wandered the surprisingly long corridors, searching through prison cells for Maelin. A few cyclopses patrolled them, but they never saw him. Many human soldiers and magicians had already been brought here, locked away in these dungeons. General Hevman didn't seem to be among them.
They were probably interrogating him, which wasn't a pleasant thought.
Finally Leevan found Maelin in his torn and tattered yellow robes. He was in his cell facing the wall. Leevan looked around to make sure there were no guards near, and he started whispering.
"Psst! Maelin!" he whispered.
For a second Maelin didn't move, and then he slowly turned around. Leevan looked on in horror when he saw Maelin's single eye, as if he were a cyclops. Of course, Leevan knew he wasn't.
"Maelin?" he whispered, astonished. "What did you do?"
"I tried to end the spell," he said miserably. "And I made it worse. I guess I'm not the great magician I thought I was."
Maelin wandered over and sat down on his dusty looking bed. Leevan didn't envy him that bed.
"Well come on," said Leevan. "You have a chance to end it again."
"You do it."
"I intend to...but you're the only one who can find it. I need your eye enchantment to see where it the spell is hidden."
"Then use it. Order of the sun. We share magic...remember?"
"True, but we're only supposed to use our fellow's magic as a last resort."
"Then you should. You can't get us out of these bars without the key. If magic touches them the bars will strike us with lightning. One magician already tried it. I heard him die."
"Then I'll get the key"
"Just go already! You don't need me! Besides, you hate me! You should be the first person to realize I'm useless!"
Leevan froze, a swell of pity rising up within him, and then he chuckled. "Maelin, that's your problem. You're too quick to assume something is useless. You made that mistake with me...and now you're doing it with yourself."
Maelin looked away scornfully. Leevan thought about it.
"I'll use your spell myself. If you want to be of use figure out a way out yourself."
Leevan left, waiting to get out of the dungeon before casting the eye enchantment. Maelin didn't turn back, but kept staring at the wall with his one eye. He had to ask himself one question.
Why was Leevan being nice to him?

Chapter Twenty Three
An Unheard Message

Normir found the armory, where most of the cyclopses were staying, polishing armor and weapons. More weapons were being created here as well, being molded into shape in the furnaces. A red glow pervaded the room, giving an ominous feeling to the wall covered with sharp weapons. This was where the cyclopses were practicing their craft.
The craft they feared others would steal.
Normir stood on a table and removed the gem from his armor, turning visible. His armor had been made ugly to accommodate the invisibility spell, so the sight of him was jarring. A cyclops in hideous armor standing on the table, and he had something to say as every cyclops looked at him in astonishment.
"Fellow cyclopses!" he cried loudly! "You have been told that other nations wish to steal our metal craft. This is a lie!"
"You're that cyclops who has taken up with the enemy!" shouted one. Normir didn't stop.
"Hurvun has deceived you! His spell makes you believe he talks of protecting our craft, when he really speaks of conquering the world!"
"So you admit it!" cried another cyclops angrily.
Admit what? Normir asked himself. He kept talking, "The other races don't want our craft, they"
"Listen to you," one interrupted him. "Boasting about the strength of your army. You traitor!"
"Traitor!" they all cried. "Traitor!" They chanted it over and over, and Normir understood. Somehow the spell masked what he was saying as well. He wanted to shout out the truth, but his people would not hear him.
"That's quite enough," said Hurvun form the corner. The room silence and Hurvun grinned evilly. "Take him away."
Normir looked at Hurvun pitifully as he was dragged away by two of his own kind. From a corner of the room Kemra watched, invisible. She looked at Normir with pity, and then at Hurvun scornfully, and then left.
She thought to herself that she had to find Leevan.

Chapter Twenty Four
Not Good.

Maelin's eye spell wasn't hard to perform. He just had to convince his eyes that the magic was hiding from him by looking at magic before it was triggered, and then triggering it. When the eyes saw a spell they hadn't seen before, the new spell would let him see other spells. Leevan did this by casting the incantation and then putting his sun amulet into the notch of his armor.
He turned invisible, and then he could see the invisibility spell on him. He saw himself faded. So Maelin could see them even when he used this spell. Leevan thought that was interesting, but didn't think much about it. He went on, searching for Hurvun's hidden chamber.
It wasn't hard to find. It seemed strange, having stumbled blindly through the corridors of this castle before, only to see a single shimmering center through the wall. Whatever magic it was, it had to be the magic he was looking for. He reached it and saw a door faded into the wall. No wonder they had missed it. He waited for some cyclopses and slefah to pass, and then he made for the door. He was just about to enter when, down the passage
"Kemra?" he said to himself.
There she was, faded, obviously invisible, sneaking along. So she hadn't been captured with the others. Leevan waited a bit until she was closer and whispered to her.
"Kemra! Psst! Kemra!"
She heard him, "Leevan? Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me. I've just found the chamber with Hurvun's spell. We can end this."
"Leevan, I'm not so sure it's going to be that easy. Normir's been captured."
Leevan had expected that.
"You know, I'm not surprised, but at this I really shouldn't expect to be surprised by bad news." In truth he was worried, for their mission and for Normir. Out of curiosity he looked into the chamber. He looked carefully and saw what appeared to be a ball of lightning the size of an eye.
"Hurvun's in there," said Leevan. "And I'm willing to be he has Normir hostage. I also don't think he'll have any other cyclopses with him. If we destroy the spell now he can just keep his mouth shut around cyclopses until he can rebuild it."
"Then what do we do?"
"I have an idea. A way to let the cyclopses see the truth and beat Hurvun, but we'll need help. And mirrors. We'll need a few mirrors.
Kemra looked at him funny. She didn't understand, but Leevan had an idea. A very sneaky idea.

Jaxia had recovered from the old age Maelin hit her with. She still had a few wrinkles, but otherwise she was as young as ever. Good. She's be strong enough to throttle Maelin the next time she saw him. She wandered about the dungeons, looking at the imprisoned soldiers. She was searching to see if Leevan had been captured. She would probably only have time to free one person, and if he was there, it would have to be him.
Good thing she was invisible. All of these guards were annoying. She missed being able to look her enemy in the eye and watch them cower in fear. She was rather proud of that spell.
She never found Leevan, but she heard electricity go off in the distance. A crackle and blue light in the distance signaled it. Someone had tried to escape. She ran to the spot and found an empty cell. He looked around and saw, on a nail sticking out of the wall, a yellow piece of cloth. She knew that cloth.
Maelin had escaped. The question was this...was he going to help them, or hurt them again?

Chapter Twenty Five
A New Strategy

Jaxia wandered about the corridors, invisible, and stumbled into a room dodging a large squad of slefah, ogres, and cyclopses. When she closed the door behind her she found herself in a bedroom, and besides everything in the room being decorated with spikes and most of the furniture being metal it was all rather ornately designed. Perhaps this was where Hurvun himself slept.
She wandered over next to a full length mirror, which was odd being there as sorcerers didn't have a reputation for vanity. Witches did. A strange oddity that no one had ever explained, of course Hurvun might have been an exception.
Jaxia was about to move past it when the reflection changed. Her image faded away, replaced by a large image of Kemra's face. Jaxia looked at her surprised.
"Kemra?" she said curiously. "A scrying spell? What"
"Jaxia," said Kemra. "I'm glad you're here. We need your help. Leevan has an idea to beat Hurvun."
"Another one?" said Jaxia. "We've had a lot of those, and none of them seem to have worked. Still, I suppose it's worth a try, whatever it is."
"Alright. We need mirrors."
"That's it?"
"That's our part at least. Leevan will go after Hurvun himself."
Jaxia looked at her in disbelief. "What it in the world is he planning to do?"

Hurvun stood with Normir chained to the wall next to him, his golden cloak shimmering against the light from the window. Behind him was the spell everyone was looking for, a metal statue of a cyclops in armor, standing on a podium covered with symbols. This spell made the cyclopses believe that the other races were after their metal craft.
He turned to Normir and said, "Your friends are certainly taking their time."
"What friends?" asked Normir.
"Don't play that with me. With that invisibility spell there are bound to be some that slipped away. No matter." He looked back towards the entrance. "I have a few surprises for them when they get here."
Normir looked nervous, "What are you going to do?"
Hurvun grinned. "Do? My dear young cyclops. I've already done it."
Normir didn't understand, but he didn't have time to question him. The door to the room opened and Leevan stepped in, visible. He was wearing his ugly battle armor provided by Normir and carried a sword at his side. He looked straight and at Hurvun and said, "Do you know who I am?"
"I haven't a clue," said the cyclops sorcerer.
"Well, you're about to find out. I am the least desired magician in the order of the sun. A pauper compared to you. And you know what? I am the one who will be your downfall."

Chapter Twenty Six
The Staredown

Jaxia moved through the corridors. She needed a mirror. A big mirror. For what, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that Leevan needed it for a scrying spell, which she knew was really a useless spell causing two mirrors to exchange reflections. What she didn't know is how Leevan had made sound come from these mirrors, nor did she have any idea what he was up to. Whatever it was she just hoped it worked.
"Good luck Leevan," she said as she searched. "You'll need it."

Leevan looked Hurvun in the eye. Hurvun grinned at him evilly, shimmering in his golden robes. Leevan glanced at Normir, chained to the wall. Normir was nervous, very nervous.
"Are you alright Normir?" said Leevan.
"I'm fine," he said.
"Not so fine as you might think," said Hurvun.
Leevan didn't like the look in his eye at that moment. He stalled, "So, here we are."
"Here we are," said Hurvun. "And you've already lost."
That wasn't true. Leevan figured he had two options from this point. He could either free Normir somehow and get him to touch the statue, or he could get Hurvun to touch the statue. As it was, Leevan had let Kemra in, invisible, and she was slowly making her way over to Normir to free him.
"We haven't lost," said Leevan. "Not yet."
"Oh?" said Hurvun. "Then you still plan on using this young cyclops to break the spell? You should know that I've cast a spell on him. He doesn't remember it, but the spell I've cast will kill him within a year. If he touches that statue, it will pass to his people much like your friends spell did. Break the spell, and you will kill and entire race of people."
Leevan gritted his teeth. What a low trick! Normir looked absolutely devastated. Leevan felt so sorry for his friend.
"You must realize boy," said Hurvun. "I am too powerful for you. And I'm smarter too. Soon I will rule the world, and you will left in the dust. You think you are a pauper magician now? Just wait. In my order you will be left in the dust as I rise to supremacy!"
"You sure do like to talk about yourself don't you?" said Leevan. "Is it just the sound of your own voice or do you need to reassure yourself that this stuff is true? General Hevman was right. That dark magic has scrambled your senses."
"It has not! It has made me more powerful than ever! And with a power that has thwarted your plan!"
"Maybe so," said Leevan. "But that's only our first plan. We have many more. Even a second."
He hoped Kemra got the message, and was pleased to see her blue dust gathering. Once it put Hurvun into a trance then Hurvun himself could destroy the spell with a bolt of lightning.
"I don't care how many plans you have," said Hurvun. "None of them will work. Not even trying to put me into a trance."
Hurvun turned around and shot a bolt of lightning! It flashed against the wall and Kemra, invisible, screamed! At least she hadn't been hit, but the blue dust was dispersing, and Leevan needed to direct Hurvun's attention away from her. He put on his invisibility spell and drew his sword.
The sound attracted Hurvun and he blasted the wall again as Leevan moved left! Hurvun couldn't miss any visible target, but while invisible they had the advantage. Leevan had an idea. As Hurvun scanned the area for invisible assailants, Leevan crept behind the statue and shouted, "Hurvun!"
Hurvun shot a bolt of lightning as Leevan leapt out of the way! The bolt went around the statue and hit the wall. Hurvun could avoid targets too!
Now what? Leevan thought. He could make the statue invisible, but he had only one sun amulet. He would become visible. The statue might be destroyed, but he would go with it soon after!
As Hurvun scanned, Kemra remained hidden, and Normir wept while chained to the wall, Leevan asked himself in a whisper, "What do I do?!"

Chapter Twenty Seven
Unexpected Help

"I know you're still here boy!" Hurvun said loudly. "I'll find you eventually!"
He shot lightning from his eye at a random wall, just a few feet away from Leevan. If Hurvun kept doing that, it was only a matter of time before Leevan was hit. Leevan considered sneaking up behind him, still invisible, and taking him out quickly.
Then he saw Normir, chained to the wall, crying.
He couldn't give up on Normir now. Besides, if Hurvun died now the truth would die with him, and the cyclops would forever believe that the other races were after their metal craft. The war would still rage on. The only way to end it was for the cyclopses to hear the truth from Hurvun's own mouth. He had to take out that statue.
Kemra knew what to do. Leevan would put his invisibility spell on the statue, Hurvun would strike it accidentally, and the spell would be broken. He just hoped the statue was ugly enough. He thought so, but as the invisibility was a new spell he couldn't be sure. The metal cyclops statue wasn't nearly as ugly as, say, Leevan's armor, but it was the best shot he had.
Hurvun shot a few more lightning blasts at the walls, leaving scorch marks all over the place, but he couldn't find Leevan, who crept stealthily towards the statue. Leevan was nearly hit a few times, but he made it. This was it. Once he put the spell onto the statue he himself would be visible, and vulnerable, whatever else happened. He was about to remove it when someone whispered into his ear
"Don't do that," said Maelin.
"What"
"You should get out of the way," he heard.
He saw Maelin appear out of nowhere, putting his sun amulet from his neck to the statue and
"Uh oh," said Leevan. Diving out of the way.
"Hurvun," said Maelin as the statue disappeared.
Hurvun whipped around, blasting at Maelin! Who ducked as the statue was struck by lightning! It soared over Maelin's head, crashing into the wall behind him! Maelin stood defiantly, and Hurvun looked at him dumbfounded.
"You?!" said Hurvun.
"Yes," said Maelin, who still had his single cyclops eye. "Me, and you've just broken your own spell for me."
"You did it," murmured Normir in his weeping. "You actually did it."
As much as Leevan didn't like Maelin, he had to admit to himself. He was impressed. Still, there was one more thing that needed to be done before they could call this a victory.
They needed Hurvun himself to tell the cyclopses the truth. He was dumbfounded now, but he would snap out of it soon. If Leevan was going to do this, he needed to work fast.
For all of their sakes.

Chapter Twenty Eight
The Truth

Maelin stood defiantly against Hurvun. It seemed as if two cyclopses were staring each other down with their one eye each, but of course Maelin only looked like one. Hurvun went from surprised to angry. Very, very angry.
"How did you escape my prison?" Hurvun demanded.
"Well," said Maelin. "I saw someone else try to escape and get burned to a crisp by lightning from the bars of the cell, and I noticed that the prisoner wasn't the only thing the lighting struck. Apart from him the lightning jumped from the bars to a nail on the wall. It was too specific and too accurate to be chance.
"For some reason or another the lightning was attracted to metal, which gave me an idea. I had a knife with me concealed with magic in an undetectable pocket, and since that magic was already in place removing the knife didn't activate the lightning.
"Apart from that I used the knife to remove the nails from the wooden frame of by bed and placed them in a circle around me. I used a spell to open the bars, and the electricity followed the nails, only striking around me. I will admit, it was a shot in the dark, but as I'm standing here you can be assured it worked."
Hurvun had an amused expression. "Well, I'll admit that was clever."
Leevan, still invisible, had to admit it too.
"But," said Hurvun. "That doesn't mean I'll let you live."
Leevan saw a glow in Hurvun's eyes! He acted fast, pulling off his invisibility spell and standing before Hurvun.
"You've already lost!" he cried, halting Hurvun's attack. "The spell is broken. The cyclopses will know you've been lying to them."
"Quite the contrary," said the cyclops sorcerer with chuckle. "I'll just deny it for real. The cyclopses will never believe any of you. So long as I don't tell them my real plans they'll continue to believe your people want our metal craft."
Leevan saw a sneer on Hurvun's face. Perfect.
"You enjoy deceiving your own people don't you?"
"Well, it is a bit too easy, but yes. I do. I can make them do anything I want just by making them believe something that isn't true. I can even get them to work with ogres and slefah, knowing full well what those flesh eaters are really capable of.
"Did you know? Some of those dark creatures have actually made meals of our cyclops brothers? All I had to do was put these disappearances down as work of the Ciniceros Empire, and you people get blamed. I can do whatever malicious thing I want, and just blame you for it. It's wonderful.
"And when I get my spell back I'll be able to speak openly about my plans to conquer the world, and the cyclopses will continue believing that I'm protecting our craft. What do you think of that?"
Leevan grinned. "Do you know what a scrying spell is?"
Hurvun was confused. "It exchanges the reflections two mirrors. You look in one and you see what should be reflected in the other. It's largely useless though."
"Really? What if you could also hear what was the other mirror should be reflecting?"
"Hear what's being reflected in a mirror? Well, if you ever figured out how to do it I suppose two people could talk to each other from a long distance"
"Or you can tell the truth to an armory full of cyclopses without knowing it."
"What?!" cried Hurvun, alarmed. Leevan just grinned.
Kemra took off her invisibility, revealing a small mirror. She was also grinning as she showed it to Hurvun, who looked at it horrified! The reflection was not his own face, but an armory full of cyclopses. Cyclopses who were quite angry. He could hear them shouting through the reflection.
"Dark magic has dulled your senses Hurvun," said Leevan as Hurvun looked at him. "It doesn't make you powerful. It just makes you feel more powerful. And you feel so good about that power that you can't help but boast. You just told the truth, and now the cyclopses won't follow you."
"You sneaky little man," said Maelin, grinning.
"Well done," said Kemra, putting her invisibility back on. Maelin followed her example. Normir, still chained to the wall, grinned as well.
Hurvun didn't. He looked at Leevan angrily, and said. "You'll regret this. You really will." And with that he turned towards Normir, who suddenly became afraid. Leevan understood, as he saw a glow rising in Hurvun's eye. He ran forward, shouting a name.
"Normir!"

Chapter Twenty Nine
Good Armor!

Hurvun shot lightning at Normir, who was still chained to the wall. Leevan jumped into the blast head on! Everyone in the room, Maelin, Kemra, and Normir shouted with one voice!
"Leevan!"
The bolt struck him dead in the chest! He flew backwards, landing at Normir's feet! A stayed still for a second, and then stirred. Hurvun, pleased at first, watched him with confusion as he slowly got up. He seemed perfectly unharmed!
Leevan felt the armor of his chest. It was a little warm, but other than that unscathed. He was as bewildered as anyone else, and then a voice sounded behind him.
"Oh. It worked."
Everyone, still astonished, turned to Normir, still chained to the wall. Normir, grinning, spoke so that everyone could hear him.
"Yes," he said. "I was hoping that armor would do the trick."
"You planned this?" said Leevan.
"Yes. I couldn't be certain it would protect you until it was tested, but yes I did my best to make armor that could absorb lightning. Worked like a charm didn't it?"
Hurvun, in frustration, shot another bolt of lightning at Leevan, who stumbled back, but was otherwise unharmed. The visor on Leevan's helmet fell down as he stumbled, which actually surprised Leevan as he didn't realize that piece was a visor. Still, it was a good thing it was there, as it now protected his face.
Hurvun shot a few more bolts, and Leevan just laughed, stumbling a little with each blast. Then Hurvun stopped, and looked around. Everywhere they could hear shouts, battle cries, and clangs of weapons and armor!
"You hear that?!" said Leevan. "I'm willing to bet your cyclopses are rebelling."
Hurvun looked at him, horrified, and Normir chuckled.
"The Revolution has started!" cried Normir.

General Hevman heard the cries and sounds of battle from his cell, and not long afterwards cyclopses stumbled into the room, battling with the slefah. The snake-like monsters slithered around the cyclopses, but their teeth couldn't penetrate their armor. The ogres couldn't fit in these passages, thank goodness, so here the cyclopses had the upper hand. The general couldn't help but smile.
Leevan had done it!
A cyclops came up to his cell during the battle and said, "Hurvun has deceived us! If we free you, will you help us?" he looked desperate.
"Absolutely," said the general without hesitation.
The cyclops quickly unlocked his cage, handed him a sword, and proceeded to unlock more cells. The human soldiers and magicians in those cells looked out excitedly. General Hevman shouted, "Men! It's time to end this once and for all!"
"Yeah!" cried the humans with once voice!
General Hevman lifted his sword and rushed into battle. The end of this war had finally started!

Chapter Thirty
The Battle.

General Hevman, now fully armed, rushed through the corridors, slicing every slefah he could. He cut down the giant snakes and...let the cyclopses deal with the ogres. Though the ogres swung their giant battle maces, sending cyclopses flying against the walls, they made no dent in the cyclopses' armor. The ogres were soon overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
The cyclopses had been shooting red beams from their swords, but it seemed that this accidental spell wore off, for now they couldn't. Now all they had were fancy swords, but they still cut down everything that got in their way.
The human magicians that were still alive fought as well, and the human soldiers did too. They were taking the castle from the inside out. Soon, all that was left would be Hurvun. As the general sliced the head off of a slefah, he wondered how Leevan was doing on that front.

Hurvun snarled, and unleashed a bolt of lightning at Leevan. It was hardly a bolt though, it was more like a stream of lightning that didn't let up. Leevan had trouble standing his ground. The armor absorbed the blast, but Leevan felt his armor getting hotter. He wouldn't last long if Hurvun kept this up.
He heard clinking behind him. Either Kemra or Maelin was freeing Normir. Normir didn't have his armor, naturally, but now they could get him out. Still, no one was safe with Hurvun in the room. Leevan pulled his sword out and stepped forward. The lightning blasting against his armor held him back, but he pushed himself forward one step at a time.
Hurvun growled more, and tried to strengthen his lightning, but Leevan was held back only for a moment. He continued to step forward.
Suddenly a red blast came out of nowhere and struck Hurvun, but it had no effect. Hurvun grinned as lightning still came from his eye.
"A nice spell," he said. "But I like my version better. My version is permanent."
He pointed his finger and shot a red beam where the other blast came from. Leevan heard Maelin fall with a cry! So, Hurvun had copied Maelin's spell, and made himself immune to it. Leevan couldn't help him now, but continually marched forward.
Hurvun pointed his finger at Leevan, but the red light bounced off his armor. Leevan was liking this armor more and more. However, the metal was still heating up, and it was becoming unbearable.
Hurvun increased the lightning, and Leevan groaned in pain, falling on his knee. Hurvun laughed. He laughed long and loud. Leevan scowled.
"Nothing is perfect," said Hurvun. "I'll kill you yet!"
Leevan still scowled, but he couldn't deny it. The heat was too much. If this kept up it would kill him. He would die.
And he would fail.

Chapter Thirty One
Now or Never.

"Get Normir out of here!" Leevan shouted. Kemra and Normir, to the side, looked on in horror as Leevan stumbled against the lightning. "Go!"
Reluctantly, Kemra led Leevan out of the room. Maelin was there, but he had been turned into a crippled old man by his own spell. Leevan was now alone in this fight, but that's the way it had to be. If the others tried to help they could meet the same fate as Maelin. He had to do this himself.
The lightning, still streaming against his armor, was starting to become unbearable. Leevan could barely stand in the heat. Invisibility wouldn't help him now that the lightning was already on him. His mind raced? What could he do?
He thought about the trick Maelin had used to escape from the prison; having lightning follow metal, but Leevan wasn't sure that would work. The only metal he had was his armor and sword. His armor was designed to resist lightning, and the lightning wasn't exactly following his blade.
Hurvun was grinning, enjoying Leevan's pain. Leevan understood that Hurvun controlled the lightning, not any natural forces, but if Leevan could restore the natural order he might be able to get the lightning to follow his sword and use that to his advantage.
But how?
Leevan sank to his hands. The heat was truly horrible now. Hurvun cackled. Leevan had only one shot. He formed the only spell he could think of. The lightning was supposed to follow metal, not the will of a human. He spoke the incantation, but nothing happened. The lightning didn't follow his sword. Hurvun's will was too strong.
Leevan felt a burning in his chest and let out a cry of pain! He couldn't go on like this, and he also couldn't help but feel that he was going to die.
With one last effort he did the only thing he could think of. He had no idea if it would work, but it was all he had. Gathering up all his willpower he raised his sword and threw it will all his might!
Straight at Hurvun.

Chapter Thirty Two
No Turning Back.

Leevan's sword flew through the air and it Hurvun in the face! On the wrong side. The blunt side. The hilt. Even so, it was enough to make Hurvun stumble back, but when he did the lightning from his eye didn't stop. It kept blasting, and it destroyed the roof of the room!
The stone roof partially collapsed, sending boulders falling right on top of Leevan! He jumped out of the way as one smashed to the ground where he had once stood! He groaned in pain as he landed. The heat from his armor was too much. It was even just starting to turn red, and he felt like he was being cooked alive inside of it.
But he couldn't let that stop him.
Hurvun was recovering. Leevan stood and made a dash for his sword that lay to the ground. He scooped it up and made a swipe to attack Hurvun, who grabbed Leevan's wrist and readied his eye for a lightning blast. Leevan grabbed his chin and forced his face upward, making the lightning blast the ceiling!
Hurvun grabbed his other arm and they grappled like this. Leevan with his sword in one hand and Hurvun's neck on the other, and Hurvun trying to pull away both hands, with the lightning from his cyclops eye blasting the roof!
The ceiling would break soon.
When he saw the boulders falling Leevan moved quickly. He kicked Hurvun in leg, causing the cyclops to stumble, and jumped out of the way. Leevan landed, looked and saw Hurvun about to blast him with lightning!
Only to be crushed by a boulder from the ceiling! SMASH! Dust kicked up. Leevan watched nervously as the dust cleared. All that could be seen of Hurvun was his hand twitching. It twitched for a few moments and then stopped moving altogether, falling limp.
It was over.
Leevan had won.
He lay down right where he had landed. It was quiet in the room, so much so that he could hear the sounds of battle going on outside. He still felt like he had been cooked alive inside that armor, but that would pass.
They had won the day, and the war. That was all that mattered.

Chapter Thirty Three
Reconciliation. Sort of.

Leevan panted as he lay there in his armor. He still felt like he had been cooked alive inside of it, but he felt too weak to take any of it off, even the helmet. It was getting cooler though, without Hurvun blasting lighting at it. Through his visor Leevan could see the remains of the ceiling. More pieces of stone had fallen off than he thought. He was surprised he hadn't been crushed like Hurvun.
It wasn't long before he realized he wasn't the only one panting. Someone else next to him was breathing heavily, as if pained.
"Maelin?" said Leevan.
"I'm here," he wheezed. "That was an impressive display."
His voice sounded like that of an old man, and after Hurvun's spell hit him Leevan supposed that he was. He couldn't see Maelin, so he figured Maelin was still wearing his invisibility spell. Leevan felt sorry for him...a feeling he never thought he would have for Maelin of all people.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"No," said Maelin. "You outdid me...again...and I was useless against Hurvun."
"That's not true. You got him to destroy his own spell."
"Only to be hit with my own. He and the cyclopses wouldn't have gotten that spell if it wasn't for me. I messed up."
Leevan could hardly believe he was doing this, but he kept at it. "True, but you made up for it."
"I doubt anyone else will see it that way...least of all my father." He said that last part with much sadness.
Leevan gave this considerable thought. He knew Maelin's father never respected him, no matter how hard he tried, while Leevan's own father loved him as he tried his best. Leevan knew what to say.
"My father never expected me to be the best of all," he said. "Just the best I could be. I think I know why it helped me win the day."
"Oh?" said Maelin.
"If I tried to be the best, I would be fighting for myself, more than for the cause. If you notice, it was when you fought for yourself that the cause was almost lost, and when you fought for the cause that it was won again. We had a job to do, people to protect, and it was when we put them first that you did our best."
Leevan didn't hear anything for a moment, but then Maelin said, "I never thought about it that way."
"If your father sees this old age as a failure," said Leevan. "Just tell him it's a battle scar. A big, wrinkly, grey haired, smelly battle scare.
Silence.
"I do not smell," said Maelin.
"Then what is my nose picking up?"
"You're own flesh in that oven of yours. You smell like you've been cooked alive."
"Well, I feel like it too."
Silence. They lay still for a few more moments. The sounds of battle outside had long since ceased.
"Can you move?" asked Leevan.
"Barely," he said.
"Same here. I think we'll have to help each other out."
"Fine. But we're not friends."
"Fine."
Leevan stood with some difficulty. He saw Maelin take off his invisibility spell, and he really did look old, balding head and all. They each held on to the other and made their way out of that room., slowly, with a little stumbling.

The army was waiting for them outside the castle. They walked out onto the drawbridge, still supporting each other's weight, and received cheers! Leevan grinned underneath his helmet. General Hevman stepped up cheering with the rest. Leevan and Maelin stopped. When the cheering stopped, General Hevman spoke.
"Well done Leevan," he said. "Well done!"
"Thank you sir," said Leevan, who saw Kemra and Jaxia in the crowd. They had been cheering him as well. Kemra was radiant, and even Jaxia looked the opposite of scary...though she glared a couple of times at Maelin. Apparently she hadn't forgotten
Normir was also in the crowd, smiling. Leevan wondered if Hurvun had told the truth. That his spell would...in a year...
Normir
"Yes," said the general. "Well, done. However, Maelin, your actions nearly doomed us."
Maelin looked downcast, "I know sir."
Leevan couldn't believe he was about to say this. "He helped us in the end sir. He tricked Hurvun into destroying the spell."
"I know," said the general. "Your actions, in the end, were noble. And, given your current condition, I think the worse punishment we can give you is early retirement."
Maelin looked resigned to his fate. "Hurvun did say this version of the spell was permanent."
"Very well. And now, to celebrate the hero, Leevan!"
More cheers sounded. Leevan smiled, and helped Maelin walk further. He was still feeling warm, so he started taking his armor off. The moment he got the helmet off
The cheering stopped.
Leevan looked around. Everyone was looking at him strangely, worried, even Maelin. He wondered what was wrong, pulled his sword from his sheath, and looked at his reflection. He understood their worry. The lightning, though deflected by his armor, had heated him up. He looked sunburned.
He was bright red.
He looked astonished for a few moments, and then said, "I look like a tomato."
A few seconds passed in silence, and then everyone burst out laughing! Maelin cackled louder than everyone, and even Leevan joined in. He looked at his reflection again. He really did look like a tomato.

Chapter Thirty Four
Finale

The capital of the Ciniceros Empire, Linicai, was made of stone houses with brick roads leading to them. Most people in the city wore togas or robes, and those people were gathered around to watch the procession of soldiers that marched through the city. They watched and cheered the brave heroes who had brought about the fall of Hurvun.
Leevan and Normir were in a Chariot driven by general Hevman himself. They all waved at the admiring crowd, but Leevan was a little nervous. He hadn't managed to see his father before this procession. Maelin had, and apparently his father bought the battle scar story about Maelin's sudden old age.
Behind them, walking through the crowd, he spotted Maelin's father beaming at his son. Maelin, still looking like an old man, blushed as he marched with the others. Leevan was happy for him, a weird feeling, but he had to ask himself
Where was his own father?
As in answer he spied his father in the crowd, cheering louder than anyone else and clapping for him. He was older than Leevan remembered, but Leevan didn't care. The man smiled at his son, and Leevan smiled back. Out of all the cheering faces, this was the one Leevan cared about the most.

Atop a high hill near the city, surrounded by soldiers and the same crowd from the procession, Leevan, Normir, and the general accepted their medals. The crowd cheered once again. Leevan was proud of this honor, but looked at his friend Normir, the cyclops. He knew Hurvun's words would come back to haunt them.
Normir smiled at him, and Leevan knew he should be enjoying this day, but it wouldn't be easy. The magicians at the palace couldn't have good news about Normir's condition.
Still, he would try to enjoy his medal as best he could.
After the emperor, a tall, large man in a silk robe and golden crown shaped like a circle of leaves, placed the medals around their necks, he said, "Thank you, noble heroes. You have done us a great service." Then he clapped, and everyone around them clapped. Leevan and the others smiled. He spied his father clapping for him, and he spied Kemra and Jaxia. Kemra was radiant as always, and even Jaxia was beaming. If this had been his first time seeing her, he never would have known she was scary. He looked about at the great crowd. Everyone was cheering for them.
Yes, this was a day to enjoy.

In the hospital of the palace, the stone walls were bare and almost foreboding. In the various wooden framed hospital beds Normir was being examined by an older magician. He had his hands over the cyclops and his eyes closed. The old man, dressed in a red robe, shook his head and turned to a worried Leevan.
"I'm afraid it's true," said the magician. "He will die in a year. There's nothing we can do."
Leevan's heart sank further. He looked at Normir, who smiled faintly up at him.
"Don't worry Leevan," said Normir. "I may not have time left, but I can spend that time with friends."
Leevan didn't know what to say, but he smiled weakly back. Spending time with friends was a good thing. A very good thing.

That year passed happily, for the most part. Normir spent half his time with Leevan, and half his time repairing the relationship between the cyclopses and the rest of the world. When word of his condition got out, sympathy for him helped speed up repairs, so that within a year he had accomplished his goal. The cyclopses and the rest of the world were friends again.
However, he spend his final moments not with any nation, but with his family, and his friend Leevan. His family, a group of cyclopses, all cried, and so did Leevan. They were in Normir's metal house, filled with exquisitely crafted metal furniture. A beautiful place for so sad an event. Normir lay in his bed, a metal framed bed with a mattress and pillow that were fluffy, despite being woven out of metal, and he smiled. He was sweating, and he looked sickly, but he smiled all the same.
"It's not fair," said Leevan. "I only knew you for a short time."
"But it was time well spent," said Normir. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I may die here, but my work will live on. I'm just sorry I couldn't be at you're wedding."
"Think nothing of it," said Leevan, choking up.
"Goodbye, dear friend. Thank you for everything."
Leevan bowed his head and looked up, but Normir had closed his eyes. He was gone.
"Goodbye," said Leevan. "And thank you."

In a wide open field, Leevan walked with his bride to be between the two groups of people. Their families and friends had gathered together to watch their marriage. Leevan looked over at his betrothed. As usual, she was radiant.
They reached the end, where the parents of the bride and groom waited for them. As was tradition in their land, the parents would cover the marriage proceedings. Leevan looked at the love of his life and smiled at her. She said, "Are you ready Leevan?"
"Always, Jaxia."
She smiled. Now that the war was over, Leevan thought, she had stopped being scary. Now, whenever she looked at him, she was, indeed, radiant.
From the crowd, as the parents of the couple began the ceremony, Kemra started to cry. General Hevman next to her said, "Kemra, this is a happy occasion."
"I know," said Kemra. "I know. I'm just so happy for them." Even as she cried, she smiled.
"Of course," said the general. "I've never thought of Jaxia as the marrying type, and if Leevan married anyone, I always thought it would be you."
Kemra laughed. "Me? Oh don't be silly."
The general didn't comment, but returned his attention to the couple. By the end of the day, Leevan was a married man.

After that, Leevan became one of the most sought after magicians ever. He was a master of invisibility. His living conditions improved dramatically, and he was no longer a pauper magician. His clothes never got any more handsome, but since his spell required something ugly to hide he didn't mind, but wore his ugly brown cloaks proudly! Of course, he found cloaks that were significantly less itchy, when he wasn't wearing his armor given to him by Normir, a friend he never forgot.
Magicians stopped wearing bright and colorful cloaks, and took the humbler brown ones that Leevan generally wore. Bright colors eventually became a symbol of vanity, and the strange thing was it was Maelin who first suggested that. Maelin and Leevan never truly became friends, but when he died of the old age Hurvun had struck him with Leevan did pay respects at his funeral.
General Hevman became quite renowned, and advanced well until his retirement, where he spent the rest of his days with his own family. Kemra got married to a nice man, who had to be approved by Jaxia first, which was no easy task. He barely managed to do it, and might not have if Leevan and Kemra hadn't gotten Jaxia to promise not to make people cry. In the end, Kemra and her husband lived a long and happy life, and she was a respected magician in her own right.
Leevan and Jaxia also lived long and happy lives, and Leevan was remembered as a great magician. He visited Normir's grave often, but with that hint of sadness came some happiness at memories of his friend. Leevan, therefore, was happy to the end of his days with his family.
Not bad for someone who could only get his spell to work on rocks at first.

The
End

If you like this story, check out more of the author's work at www.theworldoftheagelessone.com

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 05.09.2011

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